***
Jordan’s wolf loped the perimeter of the grocery store. His ears perked at every little sound. Her mark faded soon after the words of rejection left her beautiful lips. Now he was guarding the entrances. Mister Thompson should really consider a guard dog. Jordan went to check the back again. No one would get to his mate again, no one would ever hurt her again, and that included him. He’d been at this for a week now. Lettie didn’t know that he was out here and if he could help it, she wouldn’t. There were more rumors that trio of rogue wolves was terrorizing the area. His newly appointed betas were patrolling the compound at night while he patrolled the grocer. Apparently, the first group wasn’t the trio that everyone heard about earlier in the month. This trio had a bad reputation. Several times, they’d shifted in front of humans which put everyone at risk. Every wolf knew that secrecy was the best protection. There were packs that had taken vows to die if humans suspected them. His pack had taken no such oath but he could see the reasoning. Their population grew every year but all knew that just one piece of conclusive proof was all the humans needed to declare war on the species. The last time that humans found them out, the wolf population almost went extinct. Jordan’s ears perked again. His cell phone was ringing in the truck. He shifted and opened the door. It gave a loud rusty squeak. “Jordan.”
“It’s Lucas sir. Uh, Terry told me to check in and make sure that you were okay.” Lucas was a nice wolf, he was respectful, but he had such a brown nose.
“Fine. Everything quiet there?” Jordan watched the woods next to the building.
“Yes sir.” Jordan narrowed his eyes at something that moved. It was a squirrel. No threat but maybe a snack later, his inner wolf was interested.
“Good, is there anything else?” The light in Lettie’s apartment went off now. He kept watching the window hoping to see her. She may have rejected him, but he still had hope and he would still protect her.
“No sir but I um was wondering if it was okay if Aimee and me…” Jordan rolled his eyes. He wished someone would fuck her and keep her the hell away from him.
“Wear her out Lucas, please.” Jordan disconnected the call. He shifted after looking around and loped the perimeter again.
A week later, Jordan having just finished his lap he heard the cell in the truck ringing. He shifted and answered. “Jordan.”
“Sir, we think the rogues are in the compound. Terry thinks he saw some unfamiliar wolves but he couldn’t scent them downwind. You should come back sir.”
“On my way, all is quiet here.” He disconnected the call and glanced up at the dark window as he started the truck. “Sleep tight sweetheart. I’ll be right back.” Jordan raced down the gravel road taking the curves sideways. He pulled the truck over in front of his house and got out shifting immediately. Jordan raced down the roads scenting the air. He didn’t smell anything unfamiliar but there was a scent of pups on the breeze. Terry came out from behind Lettie’s bungalow. They both shifted back to men. “Well?” Jordan asked as soon as he could speak.
“I don’t know where they went sir. I’m not even sure of what I saw but I saw something, I know that I did. I just wasn’t close enough and the breeze shifted then gusted so I couldn’t catch the scent.”
“Where is Lucas?” Jordan still scented the air; he detected the Riley boys and smirked. At fourteen, fifteen and seventeen they were in their prime for mischief. There were no rogues here, only delinquents toying with the beta patrol. It would be good exercise for all involved.
“With Aimee at his house, I told him to take off. He’s useless out here anyway. He can’t keep his mouth shut.” Jordan nodded at the smaller man.
“I didn’t scent anything that I didn’t recognize. Have you seen John?” Terry shook his head. “Find John and set up patrols. If anything happens, let me know.”
“Yes sir.” Terry said and shifted back into his wolf. Jordan yawned. Two hours to daylight and then he was going to crash. He parked the truck outside of the grocer and climbed out. The front door looked different. Jordan shifted as he went toward it. The door was open. Lettie had her own entrance in the back and Mister Thompson would have the lights on by now if he’d come in early. Jordan trotted to the door and sniffed. Three distinct wolf scents filled his nose, the rogue trio. Jordan slipped through the glass doors and padded across the cold tiled floor. They’d gone in different directions. Jordan followed the strongest scent perhaps the alpha. Jordan followed him across the front and to the meat counter. The wolf was gorging himself on chuck roast. Jordan growled and the strange wolf snarled back at him. Jordan went straight for his throat taking him down easily. Jordan ripped through his flesh, tore through thick sinew, and ripped out his arteries. Warm blood flooded over his tongue. The black wolf shifted into a dead man. His mouth was still full of roast. Jordan hurried on, silently stalking to find the next one at the service deli. He’d ripped into the display of shaved lunchmeats. Everyone had their preferences he supposed. This smaller red wolf never saw him until Jordan crushed him into the floor. Jordan was a large wolf. He was two hundred pounds easily and he was strong. Jordan snarled. The red wolf submitted. He rolled to his back showing his throat and soft belly. This trio didn’t seem very vicious, they seemed hungry. Where was the third? Jordan scented the air. The last was in the direction of the apartment. Lettie. Jordan hurried. This black wolf was larger than the last two and was at the top of the stairs outside of her apartment. He shifted into a man staring down at Jordan. He was the alpha of the other two wolves.