The Alpha's Rogue ✔️

1 | Boast About It

2279 words

"This is ridiculous. Justin had better compensate me big time for this," Savannah muttered as she picked her way through the overgrown thorn bushes that rimmed the western edge of her pack border. "I could be finishing that report by now, but instead I'm chasing ghosts in this forsaken corner that nobody ever bothers about—Ow!"

A prickle snagged her shirt and nearly ripped it, but Savannah managed to extricate herself. With a huff, she bent the branch out of the way and stepped through the thicket. "Alright guys, fan out. Anything suspicious, you let me know, okay?"

"Yes, Alpha Savannah," they chorused, and moved off to inspect the area. So far, all she'd seen were harmless trees besides the prickly bushes. Maybe Justin had been hoping one would jump to life and tackle her.

"There is definitely something off," the male beside her spoke. "My wolf is feeling it too."

Savannah snorted. "What else is new? Your wolf thinks a rabbit hiding in a bush is a threat."

"It's not my fault a rabid bunny attacked me when I was a pup! Scarred me for life."

Savannah rolled her eyes. Her Gamma, Cale, had retold his traumatic childhood story every chance he got, followed by pulling down his shirt collar to show off the scar.

"See? Now tell me you wouldn't be scared of something that did this!" Cale pointed to his neck with one finger, while his other hand yanked his shirt away from his skin.

Predictable.

Ignoring him, the Alpha leaped over a fallen tree trunk and crouched behind some rocks, listening carefully while sniffing the air. "Well, if I find that Justin has pranked me, he's dead."

Savannah clenched her fists and glared at the darker trees up ahead. Her Beta, Justin, had always had a penchant for joking around and trying to scare her. Ever since hearing her scream as a little seven year old when she found a snake in her shoe, he'd made it his mission in life to elicit the same reaction every chance he got.

But revenge worked both ways. Savannah smiled as she remembered the look of revulsion on her Beta's face when he bit into the mud cake she'd made for his birthday. The icing was nice, but the dirty grit in the real mud had been a little hard to swallow.

Savannah had nearly died laughing, watching him run into the lake choking and gagging, coming up to wash his mouth out a dozen times. The pranks didn't stop there, and soon, all throughout their teens and young adulthood, the pack's members became either victims or accomplices in their outlandish practical jokes.

Everyone swore Savannah would never grow up and be the Alpha they needed, but despite her humorous side, the young Alpha was smart, brave, and dedicated to being the best leader for her pack. The Alpha of ForgedHearts had grown up learning the trade from both her parents, and upon receiving the title at age twenty, she was certain they were proud of her.

"Alpha, I found him!"

The shout drew her attention back to the present, and Savannah hurried through the trees to find one of her warriors standing in a clearing, looking down at a prone form on the ground.

"Justin!" Savannah called out, "The joke's over, buddy. We found you."

The afternoon sunlight filtered down through the pines and cedars, casting the earth in a yellow glow, but the branches remained silent in an absence of wind and twittering birds. A hushed quietness had descended over them, causing a shiver to run down the Alpha's spine. Justin had called them out here, with a report of rogues, but Savannah and her warriors had found nothing of the sort.