Temper, Temper: Chapter Seven: Ambushed
"Ok, just breathe. Keep your thoughts on the most positive of memories and if you feel any anger take, long, deep breaths" Carlisle reassured her with a smile, when Alex nodded her understanding, Edward was given the nod to continue.
Alex's eyes darted from left to right as the vampire sped around her; Edward was darting around her, making it hard for her eyes to focus on his blurred shape. Every time he sped a few yards in one direction, he paused and shot her a teasing look before shooting off in another direction. He was getting closer to her now, circling her. Alex felt the urge to jut out her leg and make him trip over, he was that close, but she refrained and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. That made it worse though, the vampire smelt filled her lungs and started to pull at the instincts embedded into her wolf DNA, flaring up her anger, reflex to protect herself against a wolfs natural enemy.
'No' Alex told herself mentally, trying to keep her body under control, 'It's just Edward, just Edward' Memory allowed the images of the day the Cullen's retrieved her from her imprisonment with the Volturi, Edward was part of that group, the group that freed her.
The tremors in her body cooled and she opened her eyes, smiling when she saw Carlisle and Esme's proud grins looking at her. Alex shook out her limbs, glad she was getting better at the whole patience deal, she knew the test would be harder but progress is progress.
"Socks! You not even trying to kill him!" with an edge of disappointment in his voice Emmett gave her a congratulatory high five.
"Yup, that's the idea Em" said Alex, she smirked at Rosalie who had unfolded her arms and was lightly clapping, smiling at the wolf with a quirked eyebrow.
"Besides" She continued, "It's not like we wouldn't know the result if I did try to kill him" Looking up from her cuticles Alex laughed at Edward's expression before he turned from the group, presumably to visit the human. His eyebrows were raised while a small chuckle toyed over his lips.
Jasper and Emmett, called after him.
"Oh! She totally called you out Eddy"
The taunted him as he calmly walked away, hopping into the car that was parked a few yards behind them. Alex couldn't help but notice his calm demeanour, it wasn't in her nature to walk away from a fight. Even before she had first phased she was always rougher around the edges, in regards to temper, than most other people.
In the days that went by, three to be exact, Alex stayed at the Cullen's and practiced the limits of her patience and control continuously. It was worth it, she was getting better. They had to dodge an occasional paw when her concentration lapsed momentarily, but other than that, she was progressing.
It was Emmett that brought up the wolves first. Alex had done her best to forget about that small detail, an occasional howl from La Push would remind her of them but she ignored the call.
Alex's hand gripped the sandwich Esme had made her tightly and her brows knotted together when Emmett had entered the kitchen and said, "It's been three days Socks"
"Your point?" Half of the sandwich quickly disappeared as Alex took a huge bite of it, angrily chewing making the lettuce inside crunch loudly. Emmett folded his arms, she knew full well what the point was. They stared at each other, unmoving. After several minutes, when Alex had devoured one half of the sandwich, she sighed and raised her hands in defeat.
"Fine, I'm going" She said, exasperated.
Triumphantly Emmett nodded his head, "See you soon Al"
Alex didn't phase at first, she took smaller bites from the other half of her delicious sandwich and gradually walked through the forest. It was obvious she was in no rush to get there, her feet danced over fallen logs and hopped leisurely on and off rocks that jutted from the ground.
At the break in territories, Alex finally did phase and briskly jogged into La Push territory. Something made her pause though, a new curious smell was near and Alex couldn't place who it was. But she wasn't stupid, she knew enough to know it was a wolf, yet the identity of the wolf eluded her.
Suddenly the unseen animal jumped at her from the right, Alex tucked her hind legs under her and easily jogged out of the path where the attacker landed harshly on their tawny front paws. The animal was snarling at Alex and responding she went from defensive to offensive. Rumbling growls came from her chest as she crouched, taking dangerous, slow, deliberate steps to this strange wolf that had tried to attack her.
The wolf responded by crouching low itself, ebbing backwards to prepare for the eventual conflict. Dirt flew behind Alex has she launched her attack, zig zagging forward in a sprint. Her opponent wasn't ready and that gave her a chance to get a grip on the scruff of its neck. They grappled for a moment, but Alex never dropped the grip and soon she had the wolf pinned, the losers thoughts slowly trickled into her own. This was definitely a Quileute wolf.
Leah's unsheltered thoughts showed Alex that she had first phased when Alex had left, the day they chased the red head. Alex didn't bother holding onto her grip anymore, the fact she had pinned the wolf with absolutely no effort confirmed its thoughts.
When she let go Leah didn't move, so Alex decided that Sam or one of the other pups could deal with her. Looking after newbies wasn't her responsibility and the pack was lucky she held back her attack and their pack member was barely marked.
Speaking of the pack, the commotion had obviously alerted a few of them.
'What happened Alex?' Sam thought, Alex didn't bother mustering a sentence to answer him. Instead she unguarded her thoughts and replayed the ambush she had just experienced.
'Some ambush' Alex chuckled inside her head and made to quicken her pace, but a hard force suddenly clamped down on her, holding her skin tightly making a small yelp escape her.
Whirling around, Alex saw Leah. Now things were going to get interesting.
Heat poured into Alex's muscles and her thoughts became frozen. She lost the ability to think on anything but getting the wolf in front of her who she had, only moments ago, took it easy on because she was unaware of whom Alex was.
Jared made to warn Leah to try and run while the other pack members ran to try and diffuse the situation, 'Leah, you need to run'. She didn't have enough time before Alex had lashed around and was snapping her jaws dangerously. Leah made to run but Alex was at her side, Leah was knocked over and only managed to thinly evade a set of paws that smashed into where she had landed.
It wasn't enough though, Alex had gripped her neck again and pulled her to the forests floor, she restrained Leah's flailing legs by forcefully, pressing down her weight onto her shoulder and hind. Alex's jaw was around Leah's throat now, making her opponent whine.
Another wolf had joined them now. Paul was the first to reach the sparring pair, and as he came from the trees behind Alex he found his own grip on Alex, pulling her off Leah who had clearly lost the battle.
The two silver wolves watched as Leah ran away from them, most likely heading home or to the others in the pack. Ebbing away after Paul removed her from the fight, Alex's anger gave way to reason and she panted deeply, eager to have oxygen massage her tense muscles.
'That wasn't necessary' Paul scolded her, his wolf was larger than hers and she barely drew level with one of his strong shoulder blades, just like in real life, 'She didn't know who you were' he continued.
Alex looked up at him, staring at his eyes before dropping her own to the ground, muttering out, 'I know' and turning away from him. The two wolves walked back to Sam's place slowly, subconsciously Alex kept close to Paul's side, their fur touching all the journey home.
'I'm sorry about what I said to you' Alex broke the silence, despite being a hothead, after thinking about what happened, she knew she could not leave the argument between them, unresolved. 'It's not your fault'
'Thanks, in case you haven't noticed, you're not the only one with a bad temper around here'
'So when did that lunatic join the pack?' Alex inquired, referring to Leah. Paul smiled internally before explaining what happened after Alex had left with the Cullen's, she listened to him intently while he spoke.
'She wasn't the only newbie to phase when you left, her brother is in the pack as well now. Their father had a heart attack and they just lost control, now Leah and Seth are part of the pack'
Alex nodded and trotted forward a little, bored with the dragging pace which had built up over their conversation. 'Less patrolling at least'
'Yeah that's one positive, not sure having Leah in with the group is worth that though'
His comment didn't faze her, after Leah's actions twenty minutes ago, Alex did not care for the only other female wolf, not one bit.
'Though I can't imagine Sam will have you two working the same shift after what just happened' Paul added. No doubt Sam would be feeling the strain of the circumstance of having Leah in the pack as well, given the history.
'I think she needs to pull herself together' Alex stated, adding her comment onto Paul's internal dialogue. When they neared Sam's house, the lights were all on and the alpha was waiting at the porch, pacing back and forth the wood with a weary expression.
Paul gave a little surge of speed forward and phased, changing quickly and walking over to him. Alex was almost straight behind him though. Yet, as Sam opened his mouth to reprimand her, Paul silenced him with a small shake of his head and a hand on the alpha's shoulder.
The alpha exchanged a look with the temperamental wolf and waited for her to tail behind Paul, before he himself followed them into the cosy home.
When Emily offered her the plate of earlier made muffins before she could even sit down, Alex felt the unease wash off her, as if all that was unsaid in words, was made up with the simple offering and taking of a delicacy.