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Book Thirty: The Rival Alpha
Mercedes yelped out as her butt met the ground and Sam stood over her. "Again, Mercedes."
She grunted standing up, still wobbly, her leg was healing but she still felt the pain. She pushed past that like she had for the last twenty minutes and wiped the sweat off of her brow.
Currently she was standing or rather circling Sam, wearing an orange sports bra and matching workout shorts. Her hair was in a long braid down her back and she was determined to take Sam down.
As the other wolves in the training area continued to work on their own training, Sam circled her assessing her movements as he did. Mercedes found it hard to concentrate on anything other than his shirtless body though she tried her best to shake it off, and focus on what he was telling her to do.
"Mercedes, you have the power in you, you just need the technique. Come on, come at me again, but this time, plant your foot out like this." He said, showing her, "Before you reach for me."
Mercedes nodding, wasting no time lunging at him, doing as he said by planting her foot and tugging on him. He didn't fall but she got him to move back and that was progress.
Sam smirked, she was a fast learner. Seeing Jake walk towards him he smiled. "Hold on. Hey Jane, can you show Mercedes that take down I showed you last week, while I talk to Jake?"
Jane nodded. "Of course! I would be honored."
Sam watched Mercedes and Jane began to work as he headed to Jake. "What's the word on the Rogues?"
"No one is talking." Jake sighed. "The two we caught, they aren't saying a word but that doesn't mean they won't break. I called in some reinforcements."
Sam nodded, looking over at Mercedes and Jane. "You think Britney is the best person to get answers?"
Jake smirked, following his line of sight. "She has abilities to get people to talk so I figured she could use them now." He answered. "How's training going?"
"She's a fast learner but still has some ways to go. Her wolf is still healing so her recovery is slow."
"Stacey can give her some of the balm that Tina sent over. She's been working with some herbs on her down town, it seems to help. I used it and it healed this scar." Jake said, stretching out his arm.
Sam assessed his arm. "Mike's Luna? I could've sworn she was birthing their first pup."
"She is but their pack handles it differently. The Luna's aren't isolated near term, from what I remember they're surrounded and are encouraged to find tasks that interest them. Something about helping the pup learn faster."
"Hmm. " He snorted, returning his attention to Mercedes. "She has hips to bear my pups." He added absently.
Jake snickered, shaking his head. "You okay there Alpha? Pint up?"
Sam chuckled, playfully shoving him. "I'm not even sure why I said that, she's not even been touched. Nor does she know I'm her mate… it's a lot of red tape."
Shrugging Jake started walking back towards the pack house. "Stop being a wuss and ask her on a proper date then. Time's limited, you know?"
Sam frowned. "You do know I'm still your Alpha right? You can't talk to me like that."
"Sure I can, I married your sister and even with you being the Alpha she's more terrifying."
Sam laughed, shaking his head as he walked back over to observe Mercedes and Jane's training. His eyes roamed Mercedes body as Jane twisted around her, trying to flip her over.
Countering Jane, as Sam had taught her, Mercedes spun out of Jane's grasp and tripped her. Moving to hover over Jane, Sam walked closer to them.
"That was great! You are catching on quickly, however…" He knelt down to them. "When you are standing over someone like that, you want to make sure they can't get the upper hand. You wanna strike quickly so they can't get up." He said, striking the ground next to Jane.
Jane smiled. "She's a fast learning Alpha, I think she is ready to break any hold you put her in."
Mercedes stood as Jane and Sam followed suit.
"Is that so? May I?" Sam asked, questioning Mercedes.
Nodding, Mercedes stood tall. "You may. I am ready."
Sam turned Mercedes away from him, pulling an arm behind her back, as his free arm wrapped around her neck. "Break this hold."
He held her tightly, as he felt her whole body relax, before she used her heel to stomp on his foot, causing him to step back, loosening his grip on her. She turned in his arms and flipped him over, hearing whoops and cheers surrounded her.
Mercedes' eyes widened seeing Sam on the ground, and reached to help him up. "I am so sorry I was just…"
"You let go and felt the move instead of overthinking it. It's nothing to be sorry for."
Mercedes blushed, running her hands over her hair and Sam couldn't help but gaze at her smooth skin in her barely nothing sports bra. Damn she was gorgeous. His eyes traced her breast as they lifted to gaze over her neck, stopping just as she lifted her hair from her neck, and seeing a long gash that went up into her hair.
Without thinking his hand moved to trace it and Mercedes jumped from his touch.
"I'm sorry…I just haven't seen a mark like that before…what happened."
Mercedes's hand went to her neck as fear clouded her features.
He didn't know how but he knew it had to do with her brother, he could feel it. "Come with me." He said softly as he led her towards a trail away from the others.
As they walked a little further, Magnum was growing furious within him.
You already know who did that. How dare he hurt her!
Sam closed his eyes before turning Mercedes towards him. "Did Zeke do that to you? You said they punish you, how exactly do they do it?"
Tell him. Lilka said softly.
"Sam I just…" She looked away from him.
Sam reached for her chin gently, lifting her face so her gaze could meet his. "Don't…dont brush it off and dont lie. Not for him. Trust me with the truth."
Mercedes exhaled. "Zeke has hurt me, mostly superficially but… a few months ago, Bree broke something valuable that belonged to our mother and told him that I did it. He angrily attacked me, and as I ran from him he turned." She lifted her hair, parting it so he could see the long scar that spanned the back of her head.
"Merce…"
"His nail did that..and Bree…did this…" She pulled her shorts down a bit exposing the scar on her side. "Reminders that I am nothing, that I am no one." She said in a whisper.
Magnum growled, itching to break free. I'll tear him to pieces!
Calm down, we can't-
DO YOU SEE WHAT THEY DID TO HER? TO OUR MATE? Magnum bellowed.
"Mercedes…" Sam breathed gently tracing her scar. "Has his luna always been able to hurt you like this?"
Shifting, she looked away. "Yes. She's our Luna, she can do whatever she pleases."
Do you hear that? That bitch can lay her hands-
Magnum! I have this under control.
We should attack them, we should attack all of BloodMoon for allowing this!
Sam looked at Mercedes, taking her in and biting back a groan. She really was stunning even with sweat trickling down her body, her hair slightly matted and she was beautiful. "Tonight, we're going out."
Mercedes blinked, confused. "W-we are?"
Sam nodded lifting his hand to gently trace her scar. "Yes we are. I am going to pick you up at seven."
Mercedes looked down shaking her head. "You don't- you don't want to date me, I told you, I am no one...nothing."
Sam lifted her chin so she could look him in the eyes. "Mercedes, to me, to this pack, you mean something, you are someone special. We all see it, and soon you will too." He leaned in gently nipping her lips. "Tonight."
With that he turned and walked away containing his growing anger.
We need to attack BloodMoon!
Not yet.
Far off in the distance
"We can't let them get close." A rather large black rogue hissed as they watched the Alpha of Shadow Moon walk away.
"She wasn't supposed to have her wolf, your intel stated this would be an easy grab, now we are missing two of our best fighters." The female next to him growled.
"If they were our best they wouldn't have been caught!" He snapped. "Our objective, our only objective is to get the girl."
Black eyes flashed as the female grew angry. "Rory was taken! We have to save him. Its-"
"NO! What we have to do is stay on mission. Her having her wolf is a complication yes, but the end result will stay the same."
"Will…"
The man cut his eyes at her with a glare.
Stepping back she cleared her throat. "Alpha, if you'd let me take Lauren and Joe I know we can get them back and get her as well."
Will turned to her fully. "Sugar, you are cute but stay in your lane, leave the real work to the wolves who actually stand a chance."
Sugar growled. "I am stronger than you think. Don't underestimate me, you won't like the outcome."
Will stared at her before turning back to see Mercedes walking towards the training grounds. "You want to prove your worth? Figure out how we can pull her away from this packhouse and then we will get your precious Joe."
"Fine but when I get Joe AND Azimo, I demand more respect." She said running off and heading towards the perimeter of Shadow Moon's property.
Will shook his head. "We need to relay this information before she ruins everything. Lauren, go give the information and report back once it's been done." He instructed before returning his attention to Mercedes.
Will had a deep hatred for the woman, Rogues were rivals of would be Alphas but she was the most dangerous because she didn't know the truth but the more she started gaining her power, the harder it was going to be to take her down.
Sam walked into his office, walking over to his desk as he tried to figure out where he was going to take Mercedes. The need to take her out was overwhelming. It was as if being near her was an impulse. Has he questioned if she was his mate before, he knew now that she was.
A light knock came and he turned to the door seeing Jack and Stevie staring at him.
"Yo, you good bro? You look…off." Stevie said as he followed Mike inside.
"Yeah off is a good way to put it." Jake smiled. "What did she do now? Bend over?"
Sam cut his eyes at Jake and moved to sit in his chair. "I asked her out."
Stevie stilled as he looked at his brother and Alpha, Sam didn't ask people out, Sam never showed interest in anyone. "First you get upset that i wanted to sit with her, talk to her, now you are asking her out. Care to tell me what is it about little miss Mercedes that has you coming out of your shell?"
Sam ran his hands through his hair. "She's my mate." he growled.
Stevie froze as Jake took a seat. "So you've confirmed it?" He asked.
Sam tightened his grip on the pen he was holding. "Well, no. but its be made very clear to me that she is."
Stevie sat next to Jake leaning forward. "You mean you get all tingly when she smiles at you?" He teased.
"Will you grow up Stevie, your brother is falling in love." Jake laughed adding to Stevie's taunting.
"Why do I keep you two around again?"
"Because Stacey would kill you if you got rid of me." Jake smirked.
"Ditto. But seriously we all know there is something special about Mercedes. Britt told me that the Moon Goddess has great plans for our little wolf Luna."
Sam nodded. "I knew there was something special about her when I met her but when I saw her turn, it was like seeing a part of me do it. And her wolf Lilka, is incredible. Fast as me, strong, she just needs a little work on her confidence."
Jake scratched at his goatee. "Yeah, Stacey and I agree that she has been hurt."
Sam's hands balled into a fist. "Hurt? They down right abused her, if I-" He stopped himself, not wanting to get Magnum worked up. "The things she's let slipped. I don't care what we have to do, we can not let her go back there."
"Sam the moment she arrived we all knew she was not leaving." Jake said.
"I mean we are calling her your mate, hello, she's not going anywhere."
Sam offered a partial smile. "Yeah and the sooner she knows it the better but I know Zeke is expecting her back and he will send for her if she remains unmated to me."
Jake nodded. "Ok, so the question isn't whether or not she leaves, it's how we are going to get her to realize that she's your mate?"
Signing, Sam looked at the papers on his 'd received the notice that Zeke had promised her off to Shane TInsley and he expected her sooner than the agreed timeframe.
"She feels something when we kiss." He said more to himself than to Jake. He racked his brain before letting out a deep sigh. "The pack is gonna hate me for this…"
Jake looked at him questionably before shaking his head. "Bro, please don't do that. Santana is scheduled to visit and so is-" He stopped when Sam shot him an amused look. "Fine, you're the Alpha."
"Damn straight." Sam said before closing his eyes and mindlinking with his pack.
I claim Mercedes Jones of the Blood Moon Pack as my mate.
Sam looked to Jake, as his Beta he had to accept his Alpha's chosen mate. Jake rolled his eyes smirking before sounding off the first howl, it was quickly followed by a chorus of other howls. Sam nodded his appreciation before bracing himself for a feeling he hadn't had since he was sixteen.
He thrusted his entire pack into heat which wouldn't end until Mercedes claimed him as her Alpha and mate.
Well well...
