Alpha Without a Pack...

Chapter 4

"Well there's plenty of rumors around here about beasts that roam these forests, killing and destroying everything in their path. The rumors have been around for so long that a lot of people believe them, and even the ones who don't are nervous about entering these woods." I said seriously, not to mention the fact we were the ones making the rumours hold truth. "Well I'm not nervous or afraid of some silly rumours, I like the wilderness like this. It's untamed and free just like it should be, and besides I can take care of myself." She shrugged as she watched the squirrels jumping around in their enclosure and waiting for their breakfast. 

"Are you sure about that?" I couldn't help but scoff at the tiny human girl, only to be surprised by the angry glare she sent back at me. "Very. After all if I was so scared of the forest I wouldn't have bought a cottage smack dab in the middle of it." Her huffed words had me on high alert. Hot new coworker say what now? "You wouldn't mean the Black Fork cottage would you?" I voiced my alarm at her admission, only to have her eye me warily at my question. Oh great now I looked like a creepy stalker, not the best way to start off with the new help. "I swear I didn't mean that in a creepy stalker way, it's just that there's not many cottages out in these woods." I winced as I tried to cover up my mistake of knowing where she lived now. 

"I guess it is a pretty small town then." Her sigh was distant and it left me puzzled for some reason. I knew we were trying to basically evict her from her home in our woods but there was just something about her that was so fascinating. I knew I shouldn't be drawn to this girl even though the rest of the guys had occasional rendezvous with the girls in town, any human and wolf partnership posed lots of problems. Would it be so bad if we just let her stay in the cottage, it might be nice having a neighbor of sorts?

 I needed to talk this over with the rest of the guys, but that simple thought had my hackles rising beneath my skin. I was confused about why my wolf half was on edge until I realized he didn't want the rest of the guys to know about her. I was a bit shocked considering he never got defensive about any females, especially human ones, it had me wondering what his problem was. "So are we going to feed these hungry acrobatics or what?" Sidney raised as she nodded to the squirrels who had started to chatter angrily at not being fed. "Yeah, yes." I shook myself from my thoughts. For now we had work to do, other stuff could be figured out later. 

                                        Sidney

Gavin certainly was a strange one, he was also a good bit of awkward from what I'd seen so far. I could tell that his wolf ranking was low on the dominance scale and that fact had me slowly relaxing around the strange boy, although it did help that he was a little cute. He led me around the critter crazy sanctuary as he called it, describing the animals and everything they needed care wise before being returned to the wild. I was waiting by a row of enclosures while Gavin went to get more food for them, when a chart caught my eye. 

The enclosure it was posted on was shrouded in shadows and unlike all the others this chart did not have a release date or any real specifications, only a name, Spartan. I couldn't help going forward to inspect it, the scent coming from inside was of wolfish musk and fear, the low growl at my approach only made me more curious. I don't know what made me do it but I found myself opening the door and stepping inside despite the growing warning snarls. I had barely closed the door behind me when a large black male wolf charged towards me, eyes wild and angry.

 I heard my name shouted outside the cage but I ignored it as I held my ground and stared back at this caged beast. "Spartan!" My tone was commanding but gentle as he stopped in his charge and pricked his ears forward with an uncertain growl. "Sidney get out of there!" Gavin shouted again as I had a stare down with the male in front of me. "It's okay, you don't want to hurt me, you're just scared aren't you Spartan. See I'm not going to hurt you." I whispered softly as I decided to do something completely insane and against my alpha wolf instincts, lowering myself to sit on the dirt ground to seem less threatening to this terrified male. 

It seemed to confuse him as he watched me warily with his low growl still rumbling in his throat. "Are you insane!? Don't sit down, get out!" Gavin shouted outside the cage. "No. He won't hurt me." Even as I said it I knew it was true, there was something about him that just made me feel connected to this handsome beast. "Oh yes he will, he hates everything and everyone that's why he has to stay in that cage! You're honestly lucky he hasn't mauled your face off yet, now get out of there!" Gavin had gained a pleading note in his tone, but still I ignored his demands as I kept my gaze on the golden eyes.

 "I'd hate everyone too if I was stuck in this tiny cage all the time. You poor boy." I whispered sadly and Spartan perked his ears forward at my tone, his growl dying in his throat as a soft whine rose up. The dark nervous male came up to sniff my shoe but dashed away from me when I moved ever so slightly, he was terrified of me despite his huge size. "Okay I'll let you calm down now, but I'll be back." I sighed a soft promise to the black wolf as I slowly stood and exited the cage to Gavin's great relief.

 "Are you insane? What were you thinking!? Don't you realize he could have killed you!?" Gavin shouted as I finally sent a glance his way, his once combed over hair was now a mess, as if he'd been gripping it to keep himself sane. "He didn't want to hurt me, he's just scared is all. What's his story?" I couldn't help focusing back in on the large black male. "You really are insane. That is Spartan, he's a wolf dog that was surrendered and scheduled to be put down after he attacked his previous owner, but we rescued him." Gavin growled out in exasperation.

"He was abused by his owner, wasn't he?" I voiced on a sad breath. "How did you... Yeah that's what we suspected when he was brought in due to his scars, but nobody got enough proof." Gavin murmured wearily. "There's no suspected about it, you don't see that much hate in an animal unless he's got a real reason to hate people, that's proof enough for me." I spat out. My instinct was to go back in there and protect that huge terrified puppy, but I gritted my teeth and watched him from outside. 

"Yeah but because of that hate and aggression he can't be rehomed, the sanctuary is his home now." Gavin sighed out as he too eyed the wolf dog. "More like a prison if he's stuck in that cage for the rest of his life. If I was in a position like that, I think I'd rather be dead than lose my freedom and dignity." I spat out, fighting back my rising emotions. "You seem very passionate about that." He muttered back and I focused my gaze on his frown. "So you mean to tell me that you can look into those eyes of his and you don't feel the least bit sorry for him?" I met Gavin's brown eyes and refused to look away as he stared back at me for a few silent moments. 

"No, I don't. Now try to not get yourself killed the first day on the job, we have a lot more work to do." Gavin growled out as he dropped his eyes and turned around to stalk away, leaving me to follow him. I had caught the lie in his words though as I sent a look back to where Spartan watched me through the bars of his cage. I turned with a sigh and reluctantly followed after Gavin to continue on the rounds around the sanctuary, at least now I knew why I was drawn to the caged wolf dog. It appeared I had a lot in common with terrified and lonely Spartan, whether he knew it yet or not I wasn't going to give up on him like everyone else had.