The Alpha

By Leni Barber

Growing up is hard enough. For Lyssa, who had never been like the ‘ordinary’ girls and had always felt that she didn’t fit into this world, it is long, cruel and lonely. When love drags her into a different world, a world of Lycans and Weres, Lyssa discovers just how extraordinary she really is. There is a place for Lyssa in this world, but she is going to have to fight for it, for the right to be with her love, and for her life. Being different made Lyssa an outsider but now she is centre-stage and she is about to show everyone exactly what she is capable of.

Lyssa certainly isn’t ordinary, but does she have what it takes to belong to this world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 25, 2016
• ISBN: 9781326638122

Book preview

The Alpha

The Alpha

By

Leni Barber

Also by Leni Barber:

The Power

Dark Dreams

First Edition.

The right of Leni Barber to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

ISBN 978-1-326-63774-3

Acknowledgements

As always for Fritter, for always being there even when you are not. A BIG thank you to my new Editor-In-Chief Claire Davies – without you this would suck. And to Jane Pattison for providing the most amazing cover art an author could ever wish for.

Prologue:

An unfamiliar sound about ten miles away made Lyssa pause in packing her paniers, her nostrils flared as she picked up the scents around her. There were the usual Were trackers sent by the Lycans and blended in with their scent was also those of the humans hunting her. But this time there was a new scent, it was a Were and a young one at that.

She tested the air, it was a male and he was both scared and excited. There was something else there that she wasn’t sure about, something different. She closed the paniers securely and climbed on board her bike. Fitting her helmet over her long red hair she made a mental note of the scent and stored it for later. Right now she had more important things to worry about than some pup adding to the growing list of those tracking her.

She was tracking someone herself and that filled her entire life. She wasn’t a Were, she wasn’t a Lycan, she was something else, something new.

Jacen had broken all the rules in making her, he was punished for it and so was she. They had taken her mate from her and now they would pay.

They thought she was dangerous – they didn’t know just how dangerous she really was.

But they would.

Chapter 1:

11 years ago.

Lyssa ran hard into the woods, her hands pumping trying to increase her pace trying to get far enough away from them. She could hear them crashing after her and shouting her name, she was small, they were large. She could skip over roots and whip round trees, they couldn’t.

But they were older, stronger, they played football and were used to running long distances. She wasn’t, she was only a scrawny thirteen year old, already her lungs were burning and she was starting to feel light-headed. Her foot caught on a root and she went sprawling, she couldn’t stop from crying out as she went down on her already damaged ribs.

Over there! She heard Tony shout as she looked around desperately for something, anything to use to keep them at bay.

I need a protector, I want a protector she thought frantically. Why couldn’t some hero sweep in and save the day for her? Why couldn’t she have a Prince Charming like in the fairy tales?

A low growling made her freeze, she glanced up and saw a small gangly wolf standing there head down, hackles raised and lips curled back to reveal sharp teeth. At that point she didn’t know what was worse, being torn apart by a wolf or having her step-brothers find her. She started to edge back from the wolf slowly but froze when he suddenly leapt over her snarling and snapping his jaws together.

Lyssa rolled over to see Tony and Gregg backing away from the beast hands up warily. Tony saw her and narrowed his eyes, she knew he was pissed off for not getting her how he had wanted to. As she looked into his cold blue eyes she settled on being ripped apart by the wolf as the much safer option.

Guess she’s wolf bait. Gregg said as they backed off even more. The wolf stayed where he was not moving keeping his eyes on the pair and snarling ferociously, protecting his prey. Won’t mommy be upset. He smirked and pulled Tony after him.

Lyssa breathed a sigh of relief as they left, her head dropping back onto the floor. How could her life have come to this?

In a whirlwind romance her mom had met, fallen for and married Jeff Doldger in the space of a year. Before the wedding she had met Tony and Gregg, Jeff’s twin boys, only twice and never without Jeff about. They had always behaved impeccably, even going so far as to say at the wedding, just how much they had wanted a little sister to look after.

Both were six feet tall, muscular, good looking with blond hair and blue eyes, often they were compared visually with angels. They played football well and were both on full scholarships at college because of it. Unbeknownst to their father, they were as far from angels as you could get.

You see, they had dark tastes, tastes that ran to beating and raping young girls. Tastes they had, so far kept hidden until now. Now they were home from college for the holidays and her mom and Jeff had utilised them to look after Lyssa while they went away for a weekend.

Unfortunately she had walked in on them watching one of their ‘home videos’ and she was just the age they liked and just the size to offer some but not enough resistance, or so they had thought.

If they had paid enough attention to anything other than themselves they would know that Lyssa was a fighter, she had been suspended from school a couple of times for doing just that. She would take quite a bit of crap but if she was backed into a corner then you’d better get out of her way.

So far Lyssa had only endured a small element of the first part of their plan before she had bitten, scratched and kicked her way free of the twins and ran. Her nose was bloody and felt like it had been broken, she would be lucky if all she had were a couple of cracked ribs, but she knew she would be black and blue all over in a few days.

If she were still alive then.

The growling had stopped but the wolf was still in the same position facing away from her towards where the twins had left. His head was up and his ears pricked. Lyssa tried to slide her feet under her as slowly and as soundlessly as she could. Not quietly enough though, the wolf’s head turned and looked at her making her freeze again.

Neither of them moved for a long time. Lyssa just stared into his golden eyes and for some strange reason she felt safe, protected. Her arms and legs were starting to cramp from the awkward position she was in and she had to move. She sat up wincing as the movement aggravated her ribs.

The wolf whined softly, came over to her and gently licked her face.

I’m ok. She whispered stroking his soft head. I’ll live.

She couldn’t believe she had touched him and he had allowed it, in fact he had leant his head into her hand as though he was a dog enjoying being petted. She could see he was an adolescent wolf, not quite big enough to be full grown, but not small enough to be a puppy either. His fur was the blackest she had ever seen and his eyes were a bright golden colour, they regarded her with an almost human-like intelligence. Lyssa smiled to herself, yeah right of course the wolf was human. While she liked to dream of the happy endings fairy tales promised she knew from bitter experiences that they weren’t real.

The wolf sat down and watched her as she took inventory of her injuries. Not so bad really, it could have been worse. Her nose was indeed broken and it hurt like Hell when she manipulated it back into place. Using a corner of her t-shirt she wiped the blood away carefully and it didn’t feel as though any replaced it. Her eye was feeling quite tender and she figured she’d have a pretty good shiner in a day or so.

She gently probed her ribs, it didn’t feel as though anything was broken just badly bruised. She had been lucky rolling when she had, if Tony had stomped on her fully he could have not only broken her ribs but she could’ve had a punctured lung. She knew that she would have been killed when they had finished with her after all they couldn’t let her live when she had seen what they did. So she was happy to be sat there – in pain but alive for the moment.

Lyssa sighed and leant back against a tree. What was she going to do now? She had two nights before her mom and Jeff got back, no food and no shelter. If she was lucky the twins would think she was now dead and they’d stay out of the woods. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Even if she managed to stay alive until their parents got back she couldn’t tell her mom what had happened. The twins weren’t stupid and they would’ve gotten rid of the evidence, probably burning it as she sat there now, so it would be her word against theirs. Between the blue-eyed perfect boys and the trouble making teenager she knew who would be believed.

And not only that but her mom was finally happy, and Jeff, his kids aside, was a good man. He treated her well and was nice to Lyssa, he genuinely seemed to care about her and his anger at her getting into trouble at school had the same frustrated edge to it that her mom’s did – frustration that Lyssa could be so much more than she was. So she couldn’t ruin it for her mom.

The wolf whined again and laid his head in her lap. Lyssa sighed and absentmindedly stroked his fur.

What am I going to do boy? She whispered.

The wolf closed his eyes and sighed, looking every inch a contented dog.

Shame I can’t keep you and you can be my protector. Hmm? You like the sound of that? You go with me everywhere and rip apart anyone who tries to hurt me? She giggled when he lifted his head and licked her hand. Don’t worry boy, I wouldn’t make you, you’ve got the wild in you, nothing can tame that and I wouldn’t want to. But let me tell you, if you knew what I’ve been through you wouldn’t want to leave me alone, not with those two still around.

She leant her head back again and told him of the horrible things she had seen on the TV screen. How those images had frozen her to the spot and then how she had stupidly stepped back on the creaky floorboard alerting the twins to her presence. How they had frozen for all of a second, before leaping after her as she tried unsuccessfully to run away from them. How they had caught her just outside the front door and knocked her to the ground, punching and kicking her, and how she had by some minor miracle gotten away, running into the woods before they had managed to do anything worse.

Night soon fell and Lyssa shivered in the cold night air. The wolf, who had not left her side curled up next to her sharing his body heat. Lyssa wrapped her arms around him burying her face into his soft fur, trying to ignore how cold and afraid she was. After a while his warmth helped a little, unfortunately it didn’t help when her stomach growled loudly later on.

Lyssa sat up and took a deep breath. She had to go back to the house to get some food and warm clothes at least. She just hoped she could sneak in and out without the twins noticing. When she moved the wolf sat up watching her alertly. He followed her quietly as she made her way through the woods to the clearing at the back of their garden.

She crouched in the shadowy tree line for a while looking at the dark house. No lights were on. Was that because they weren’t there, or was it because they were laying a trap? Her stomach growled loudly again and she knew she must make her decision soon. The wolf sniffed the air and stepped boldly forward onto the grass. He trotted forward a few paces and turned to look at her as if to say ‘are you coming?’ She took a deep breath and stepped out of the woods. The wolf watched her before turning round and trotting towards the house. He seemed so calm, almost as though he was just out for a stroll so Lyssa followed him. She confidently walked up to the front door, when she noticed the twin’s truck wasn’t in the driveway.

She figured they were probably out giving themselves an alibi for not realising that Lyssa had gone into the woods by herself and gotten eaten by a wolf. She grinned widely at the thought of their shocked faces when they saw her alive. But then her smile faltered, she just hoped she made it through the remainder of their visit and then all she would have to worry about was the next time they came back here.

Grabbing the hidden key from on top of the doorframe she let herself in quietly, the wolf following her. She glanced down at him and he looked up panting, it almost seemed as if he was grinning at her. Judging from his reactions to the twins earlier Lyssa hoped this meant that they really weren’t home. Nonetheless she silently checked out the house, not relaxing until she was certain they were not hiding anywhere. She quickly packed a bag with warm clothes and toiletries and raided Jeff’s closet for his sleeping bag. She grabbed armfuls of food and stuffed them into another bag before leaving, locking the door behind her.

She hadn’t left a mess but she hadn’t hidden her being there either. Her earlier suspicions had been confirmed when she had seen the pile of ashes in the main fireplace and smelt the acrid smell of burnt plastic. The twins had destroyed the evidence, burning their video tapes. Her only hope now was in letting them know, subtly, that she was alive and the fact the sheriff wasn’t knocking on the door meant that she was suggesting the ‘I don’t tell, you don’t kill me’ kind of truce that had worked so well for her in the past.

She ran across the lawn, not needing to use the flashlight she now had thanks to the full moon shining brightly overhead. As she reached the line of the trees she turned hearing the sound of an engine roaring into the driveway. The wolf tensed beside her and softly growled as they listened to the twins getting out laughing and talking about how long they should wait tomorrow before reporting her missing to the sheriff.

She slipped into the cloaking darkness of the trees and watched as they fumbled for the key. She had deliberately not left it in its usual place, placing it on the right side rather than the left, so they would know someone had been there. Gregg turned and surveyed the trees as Tony went inside. He came back out after a few minutes and conversed quietly with his brother. They both looked at the woods and Tony said loudly.

So long as she doesn’t do anything stupid. Before they both turned and walked into the house.

Lyssa let out a shaky breath that she didn’t realise she had been holding. So the truce was accepted and she was safe, for now. It still didn’t mean she trusted them so she turned and gingerly walked back into the wood, not daring to switch on the flashlight until she was sure she was far enough in that the beam couldn’t be seen from the house.

She didn’t realise she was following the wolf until they had been walking for a while. He slipped through a small opening in some bushes and disappeared. Lyssa paused, eyeing the small opening, should she follow? What if he was simply going back home and through there was his pack? Ok, he hadn’t attacked her but would she be pushing her luck with a pack?

Barking got her attention, it almost sounded impatient. She sighed, switching off her flashlight and shoving it into her back pocket. She pushed the bags in front of her as she crawled through the hole.

You’d better not be leading me to an ambush mutt, or I swear not only will you choke on me but I will haunt your ass. She muttered as she was scratched and continually caught up on the sharp branches.

She smiled sheepishly at the wolf sitting waiting for her as she finally made it through, and switched on her flashlight. He had led her into a small clearing with soft grass and she could hear a stream gurgling nearby. She played her torch all around and saw the clearing was protected on all sides by thorny bushes.

Good boy. She said as she sank onto the soft ground and pulled some food out of the bag, she hungrily tore into some cooked chicken. Pulling off some chunks and offering them to the wolf. He devoured them eagerly and sat watching her eat licking his chops. When she had eaten her fill she gave him the rest.

Pulling out a bottle of water she drained a quarter of it, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. The wolf whined looking at her bottle and Lyssa shook her head.

This is all I have, you can use the stream. She blinked when the wolf ran away and pointing her light at him, she watched him take a drink from the stream. Had he really understood her? No he couldn’t have. Could he?

She sighed wearily, the events of the day catching up with her and unrolled the sleeping bag. She crawled in switching off the flashlight, after all she had another two nights to stay out here and she didn’t want to waste the batteries. She didn’t jump when the wolf came back and lay down beside her sharing his warmth with her. She reached out her hand to feel his soft fur that made her feel better and she slipped into sleep.

It was pitch black when she woke and the ground was uncomfortable beneath her and after a moment her eyes adjusted and she could make out the outline of the wolf, he was standing over her, his bright eyes shining in the moonlight. Lyssa listened carefully, trying to make out what had him so worried, but she couldn’t hear anything. Then, drifting over the night air, came the sound of howls. The wolf shifted and whined softly as though he wanted to answer.

Is that your pack boy? Lyssa asked softly. Do you want to go to them? I’ll be fine, go.

She really hoped that he wouldn’t, she liked the fact that he was there. It made her feel safe and secure, the idea that this creature was watching over her.

The howls sounded again and the wolf whined once more before nuzzling Lyssa’s neck and settling back down beside her his head resting on her chest. Lyssa gently scratched between his ears and smiled to hear him huff a sigh that sounded like pure contentment. She closed her eyes and slipped back to her slumber.

This time her sleep wasn’t so peaceful, this time she dreamed.

She was running through the woods away from Tony and Gregg, she could hear them crashing through the undergrowth as she ran. Where was her wolf? Why wasn’t he here? Suddenly one burst through a bush. The wrong wolf, this was sandy coloured with cold blue eyes. It was large and it growled fiercely at her. Another one joined it identical to the first, then another and another, soon there was a whole pack circling her.

Good job. Tony said as he joined them.

Knew this would work. Gregg smirked at his side.

"No I knew it would work." Tony said this time from the other side of the clearing.

Lyssa whirled round to see that one of the wolves had changed. As she watched, the rest of the wolves changed into either Gregg or Tony. Lyssa sank to the ground whimpering and shaking her head. This wasn’t real, this couldn’t be happening. She wanted out of here now. She wanted her wolf. She wanted him to turn human to protect her. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the end.

Shh, shh. Brave girl it’s just a dream, nothing can hurt you here. Go back to sleep. A soft voice whispered in her ear, warm arms were wrapped around her and a gentle hand brushed the hair away from her face. She looked into a pair of warm brown eyes and sighed sleepily warm and safe inside Jeff’s sleeping bag.

My wolf? She mumbled turning into him burying her face into his neck.

She felt him chuckle. Something like that, now sleep my brave, brave girl. He murmured into her hair. No-one can harm you here.

She sighed and drifted away again.

The sun woke her up in the morning, that and the dew, that had soaked up into the sleeping bag making it now wet and cold. How did Jeff do this? She had seen him go off for weekends away with just a simple backpack and come back saying he had a great time. She crawled out of the bag shivering slightly. Looking around she figured she’d hang it on one of the branches of an overhanging tree in the sun, that should dry it out.

She stretched and yawned widely, glancing around she chuckled to see the wolf doing the same thing. After he had stretched he shook himself vigorously, Lyssa wished she could do that it might help her shake the cobwebs from her head. She smiled at him as he sat down and grinned that wolfy grin of his at her.

Morning boy. Did you have a good night? She hung up the sleeping bag. I had some bad dreams, which became weird dreams.

The wolf came over to her and nuzzled her hand, whining softly. Lyssa laughed and bent down to give him a rub on his head. You were there. Did you know that? You still protected me in my dreams. You’re a very good boy. She planted a kiss on his head. Breakfast? She asked.

The wolf bounced back and barked an affirmative making her laugh.

I swear you are the strangest wolf I have ever known. She said later after they had eaten some cold ham and bread. She had used the stream to brush her teeth and wash herself, carefully and very quickly in the frigid stream. When she had turned round the wolf was sitting with his back to her as though he was protecting her modesty.

The day was very weird for her. She should have been scared and worried over just what was going to happen next when her mom and Jeff came back but she wasn’t, instead she had fun. She was relaxed and she was happy. She had tried getting on with some of her homework, which was seriously overdue. After an hour of struggling with math she wished she hadn’t thought to bring the stupid thing with her.

Instead, she took a clean sheet of paper and tried to draw the wolf but he kept moving. When she threatened him with being ‘fixed’ at the vets he grabbed her pad from her lap and ran off with it. He had kept up the game of chase for a while until she sank to the ground holding her ribs which had flared painfully when she had gotten out of breath chasing him around the clearing.

After that he had first sat, and then laid very still watching her carefully as she drew him. She also spoke to him, telling him about growing up with just her mom being there, the complete idiots her mom had fallen for previously and how good it was that Jeff seemed perfect for her. She also told him the little she knew about her real father.

Later on she just lay on her back in the sun watching the clouds in silence. The wolf had his head on her stomach again and she absentmindedly stroked his head enjoying the peace and quiet. When night fell she switched on the flashlight and they ate by its light, with the loss of the sun the temperature fell quickly and she pulled on a jumper after laying the sleeping bag out again. She was glad the sun had dried it out. It was cold in the night air but at least it was dry.

She wished she knew how to make a fire, but she had no clue and she hadn’t even thought to bring matches. Maybe that was a good thing, for all she knew about camping she would probably burn the whole wood down. She shivered, rubbing her feet together and wished she had packed her thicker socks. The wolf seemed to understand the predicament she was in and lay down on her feet.

Lyssa smiled and switched off the flashlight, sighing deeply as her eyes began to close.

You’re too good to be true. She whispered. My wolf. She sighed again and fell asleep.

She dreamed again of the boy who was her wolf, except this time he was talking to an older woman. She had dark wavy hair and pale skin that glowed in the moonlight.

We were worried. She was saying.

Sorry but I can’t leave, not yet. He said. Lyssa watched from her sleeping bag, he seemed to be about fifteen or sixteen and was tall and lean. He was wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else, she couldn’t see his face but she knew he had the same golden eyes as her wolf.

Who is she? The woman asked. She was wearing just a long t-shirt. What is she to you? Does she know? You’re father’s very angry.

The boy sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair. I figured he would be. She doesn’t know she just thinks I’m a friendly wolf. I don’t even know her name, but you wouldn’t believe what she’s been through, how strong she is, but she needs to be protected. His voice was getting more heated but still hushed.

The woman put a hand to her head. He’s really mad. He’s giving me a headache. Can’t you please explain just what it is that’s keeping you here?

She should be safe tomorrow so all I ask is for time to make sure it’s so. Look, ask him to shift and I’ll explain everything. So long as he promises to listen first and doesn’t issue any orders.

The woman paused. Fine. She said. But it’d better be a good reason. Well? She said after a moment.

Can you turn? He asked, motioning for her to turn around.

"Oh for goodness sake! I’m your mother. Who do you think changed your diapers, gave you baths