The New Wolf

A/N: Many thanks to Jayknie and NotSweetEnough for their edits!

*****

Clara's screaming face made David's heart want to beat out of his chest. He knew he couldn't catch up to the car, but he wasn't about to let her go. James followed his lead as he ran as fast as he could to the garage.

They shifted back. David opened the garage.

"You have to call the council," James said.

"They ordered me to give Clara back, like she was a borrowed toy or something. They won't help at all."

David climbed in one of the cars and turned the engine over. James got in the passenger's side.

"What are you going to do?" James said.

"They've got about fifteen minutes on us. I'm hoping to stop the van before they get on protected grounds." David backed out of the garage.

"If you step foot on Lucas' land it will be seen as an act of aggression. He can kill you."

"Not if I kill him first," David said.

Before he hit the accelerator he noticed someone running towards them in the rear view mirror. He backed up to them and saw it was Marilyn. James rolled down his window.

"We don't have time for this," David said.

"I thought you might need these." Marilyn threw their clothes in.

"I love you."

David sped off before James could return Marilyn's affection.

"If you crash the car we won't be able to catch up," James said.

He was right. The roads still had a wintery covering. He needed to know how far they were.

"Go in my pocket and pull out my phone," David said.

James started going through the pile Marilyn dropped.

"Open the contacts, tap Clara and then GPS."

"I didn't know technology could do so much these days," James said. "A blue dot showed up. It's moving."

"She still has her phone. How many miles between us?"

"About forty," James said.

David hit the accelerator again. There was still hope. He could catch them.

"I knew something was off with that girl. I should never have left Clara alone with her," David said.

"Suzy is quite the little con-artist. She had me fooled up until the moment she betrayed me."

"I don't understand how this could have happened. I should've expected something. Here I thought I had one night of peace before the storm came. I thought Lucas would've followed the rules."

James went quiet. David knew he was still upset over his loss, but at the moment David's sympathies were elsewhere.

"You know him. Do you think he's in the van with Clara or had someone else snatch her?"

"Lucas is one of the most selfish men I've ever met, but he's not lazy. I would bet he is with her."

That was not what David wanted to hear. All Lucas needed was a minute with Clara to mark her. If that happened everything would be lost.

~*~*~**~*~~*~*~*~*~

"Woo-hoo!" Lucas slapped the steering wheel. "I can't believe that worked! I was so sure it wouldn't happen, but it was like everything came together."

"The second James wasn't at the house with them I knew it would work," Suzy said. "Then the ken doll tried to call him. I almost had a heart attack, apparently they all have cell phones out there."

"Let me guess, James didn't have one though?" Lucas laughed.

Clara was still pounding on the door, as if she could smash the window and escape to her freedom. They put up a grate, separating the driver and passengers, essentially turning the van into a cage.

"Can you stop that?" Suzy yelled to Clara.

Clara started hitting and kicking the grate now, screaming up a storm of obscenities. Lucas laughed. He never would have guessed she could raise hell like this. It almost made him proud of her. A shrill scream was too close to his ear and he had enough.

"IF YOU DON'T QUIET DOWN I WILL COME BACK THERE AND JOIN YOU."

Her screams stopped right away.

"If you want to pull over I can drive," Suzy said. "Then you can go back and mark her, get the ball rolling."

The idea was tempting. Lucas glance in the rearview mirror. The fear on Clara's face was turning him on.

"Na, as long as Clara behaves I'll wait until we're back home in our bed." Lucas didn't want to say the real reason. There was no doubt David was chasing them, he couldn't waste any time

"Why are you doing this?" Clara asked. "Can't you leave me alone?"

"Tried that, remember? It didn't work." Rejected or not Lucas still felt sparks when he touched her. He could only begin to imagine how great it would feel to fuck her. There was no way he would trade that in.

"Hey Clara, take a look at this." Suzy pressed a piece of paper against the grate. "Compliments of Marilyn."

James left behind all sorts of goodies. One of them was a drawing of how David's pack was set up, including a nice little X with the words Alpha's house next to it. At first he planned to use it if they went to war, but being alpha had changed him. The pack was his responsibility, so he decided to go for a Hail Mary in the fourth quarter. Luck really was on his side. Now he had his mate and managed to avoid the conflict.

"I thought we were friends; how could you do this to me?" Clara asked.

"Friends? You're kidding right? The only reason I spent time with you was because James asked me too. In fact, I did everything he asked and how does he repay me? By exchanging marks with some skank and cutting me out of the picture."

"James knows you're evil. That's why you were relieved he wasn't there..." Clara was talking to herself.

"We figured he was in too rough of shape today to have given you any details. But in case you heard I voted for Lucas I had some sob story ready to go. Didn't even need it." Suzy was gloating now.

"You backed Lucas because James marked his mate?"

Lucas found Clara's naivety annoying.

"That's not all I did," Suzy said. "I took a piece from James' playbook."

"That's enough Suzy," Lucas said. He didn't want to risk that fact becoming common knowledge.

"You drugged him." Clara was too smart for her own good. "It wasn't a fair fight."

"Is there such a thing?" Suzy asked.

"You better let me go. I'll make sure the entire pack finds out the second we arrive. I'll scream it until my lips bleed."

Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Well you'll be doing a lot of yelling for no good reason," Lucas said. "Clara the pack is my responsibility now; do you think I would let someone who refuses to recognize me as alpha walk around freely? As soon as I chomp down on your neck I won't have to worry about you running, but you'll still try and poison people against me. I think maybe in a few years, once your attitude has changed we can discuss some liberties, but you've been a very bad girl and have some atoning in your near future."

Lucas glanced at her in the rearview mirror. She moved away from the grate and lied down in the back of the van. Her blond hair fanned out on the floor and she made herself into a little ball. Her back was to him, but he imagined the tears running down her face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Suzy and Lucas stopped talking. Clara slipped her hand in her pocket and pulled out her phone. She tried her hardest to hide the movement, but couldn't tell if they were watching her or not. She kept the phone close to her face and sent a text message to David.

Suzy drugged James. Fight was rigged.

She kept her eyes glued to the screen, a response came back almost immediately.

I'm coming to save you.

"What's that noise?" Lucas asked.

Clara started typing fast.

This is my fault. Please hurry.

Don't blame yourself. Stay strong.

"What is she doing back there?" Lucas' voice filled the van.

Clara heard the grate move. She erased all her messages.

"She's got a phone."

Suzy reached down to snatch the phone away, but Clara grabbed the girl's arm and yanked her to the floor. Clara forced herself up and ran to the open grate. She started clawing Lucas and grabbing for the steering wheel. Lucas was trying to hold her off with one arm, but she kept yanking the wheel. The van started swerving.

"YOU"RE GOING TO GET US KILLED," Lucas yelled. "SUZY WHAT THE FUCK?"

Hands wrapped around Clara's neck and pulled her back. She couldn't move her head. Suzy pressed her forearm down firm. Clara tried to wrench herself free, but the hold was perfect. She gasped for breath and her vision went black.

"What do you want me to do?" Suzy tightened her grip.

"Knock her out," Lucas said.

The pressure from Suzy's arm was gone and Clara collapsed on her knees as she gasped for breath. She was too busy gulping down air to defend herself. Pain exploded on the back of her head for only a second before she fell into darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*

The sound of a car door opening was in the distance. Clara felt like she was floating upside down. The back of her head exploded with pain. She went to touch the source and felt her hair flipped up. She opened her eyes and saw the back of a shirt. Adrenaline came rushing in, she started screaming and throwing her fists.

"Want me to hit her again?" Suzy asked.

"No," Lucas said. "I think I've got it from here. Thank you for your help."

"My pleasure Alpha."

Clara continued to struggle, but Lucas held her like a sack of potatoes. All her senses were disoriented. She cranked her neck up and tried to take in her surroundings. They were in a stairwell. The lodge.

"HELP ME. HELP!" Clara yelled.

Lucas let out a laugh.

"Don't tire yourself out. We still have a long night ahead of us."

Clara threw her fists into his back and continued her screams. Lucas picked up his pace. They were going down.

"Stop making this harder on yourself," he said. "We're on pack lands. Your little lover boy is too late. If he steps foot on my forest, I will kill him with no repercussions."

They hit the bottom of the stairs. Clara pushed her hands on Lucas' back, trying to force herself upright. She saw the gym, but he didn't turn. Instead they walked down a hallway Clara never knew existed. She let out another plea for help.

"Okay my bad little mate, now you can scream all you want," Lucas said. "It's soundproof back here."

She continued her struggles. He paused for a moment and then Clara felt her world flip. She landed on her back with a thud, more pain came. Before she could react Lucas grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head.

"You have been very naughty Clara."

He leaned over her and ran his nose along her neck. She tried to move away, but there was nowhere to go. Lucas pulled away and she looked up at him. His eyes were swirling. Clara knew what was coming she let out a whimper. He arched his head back and she saw his teeth grow. She tried her hardest to pull against his grip, but he was too strong. His head dropped to her neck and she let out a final scream.

"Lucas?"

Clara braced herself for more pain, but none came. She felt his breath on her neck, but then he pulled back. She turned to see their visitor. Roxy stood in the doorway to the cell.

"Please help me," Clara said.

"What is she doing here?" Roxy didn't hide the accusation from her voice.

Lucas let go of Clara and stood. She jumped up from the wooden plank she had been laying on and ran for the door. Lucas grabbed the back of her shirt and flung her against the wall. He walked out and slammed the cage door behind him. Clara ran to the bars and tried to tug them open.

"Roxy please he's crazy, help me," Clara pleaded.

"Let's discuss this in private." Lucas put his hand on Roxy's back and led her down the hall.

Clara continued to scream for help and try to reach for the other wolf, but Roxy acted like she wasn't there. She heard the door slam shut. Her hand went to her neck, there was no mark.

"David, please hurry." Clara slumped against the bars as the words left her lips in a murmur.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Of all the things that could have gone wrong tonight Lucas appreciated this was the only hiccup. He cursed himself for not remembering to lock the door to the cells as he escorted Roxy to the exit. When they made it back to the stairwell she turned to look at him. The anger was flowing off of her in waves. He returned her glare. Lucas was alpha now, she couldn't get away with any disrespect. Her eyes closed and she took a breath. He was proud how quickly his traits were evolving.

"What is she doing here?" Roxy opened her eyes. Clara's were much prettier, at least his mate had one advantage over her rival.

"What are you doing here?" Lucas needed to control the conversation.

"It's your first day as alpha and you go missing! Everyone was in a panic. Finally, Todd calmed them down, said you had business with the elder. But I couldn't find you anywhere! I'm freaking out here. It's almost three o'clock in the morning! I was picturing the worst, waiting for you. Then there is this screaming in the stairwell. I follow the noises and I find you in there, with HER?"

Todd should have handled the panic earlier. Lucas regretted picking him as beta.

"You rejected her. The two of you are over. This has been our plan for years. You're alpha and I will be by your side as Luna."

"That's still the plan," Lucas said.

"Then why did it look like you were about to mark her?" The anger on Roxy's face switched to hurt.

"Look, you're better than her. You're more beautiful, stronger, and will make an amazing Luna. But, I need my mate. The moon goddess wants Clara and I together for some reason."

"After everything I did you're picking her? Because some predestined idea in your head?"

"That's not what I said," Lucas replied. "The moon goddess works in weird ways, and she is on my side. I need Clara, I can't help it, but I need you too. There is no way Clara will return my mark and I don't want her to, this way I bind her to me and I can still be with you. You will be the public Luna, the one I adore, the one who leads. Clara will be in the background."

"But wearing your mark? So you'll keep her chained up and go fuck her when you need to?"

Lucas wished Roxy could see the bigger picture. He brought his hands up and started rubbing her shoulders.

"You're the one I want, but she's the one I need."

Roxy scoffed, pushed his hands off and walked away.

"You're supposed to mark ME! Make us a real couple."

"Roxy we've been together a decade. Nothing needs to change."

"What if in a few years she decides to mark you back? What would happen then?"

"I'd never allow it." Lucas lied.

The idea of Clara marking him back sent a spike of pleasure through his body. It made him want to bend Roxy over right now and get a release. She crossed her arms and looked away, shaking her head. The sounds of footsteps filled the stairway. They both turned to see Suzy appear.

"They're here," Suzy said. "James is screaming hell on the front lawn."

Lucas expected this. He looked back to Roxy who had a look of disgust on her face.

"You're working with Suzy now? She's a loser."

An insult against a pack member made Lucas' anger flare up. He reached out and grabbed Roxy by the throat.

"You need to learn some respect." He loved the way Roxy looked when the worry spread across her face. He would save that image for later. He tossed her back and turned his attention to Suzy.

"I'll be up in a minute. There is something I need to take care of," Lucas said. "Make it clear both of them are hostile and can be killed."

Lucas walked back into the cells. He cracked his neck, Roxy would come around, but there was something more pressing than that. He pulled out his set of keys and opened Clara's door. She sat on the floor, not bothering to look at him when he entered. He let out a growl at her disrespect, but still got no reaction. He grabbed her arm and yanked her upright. She still wouldn't look at him.

He closed his eyes. Clara struggled to get out of his grasp. She slapped him and pulled away, but he let his instincts take over. The feeling was one he never should have suppressed. His fangs descended and he whipped her against his body. His teeth sunk into her neck. Her blood tasted like pure ecstasy. He bit down harder, euphoria and power spread through him. Once he was sure it was set he released her.

Clara stumbled backwards, holding her neck. She hit the makeshift bed and fell sitting on the wooden board. Lucas licked his lips, she was his. Nobody could keep them apart. Now he needed to deal with her little lover boy. Lucas slammed the cell shut and locked her in. He thought he heard her sniffles, but the taste of her blood made it hard to concentrate on anything but himself. He left the secret door, making sure to lock it behind him this time.

"Will the coward Lucas Gable not come forward?" James' voice carried down the stairs.

Lucas smiled as he walked to his challenger. Nothing could break his mood. Clara's blood would see to that.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The sky was pitch black. Once the car crossed the boundary David didn't slow down. Both he and James had been silent for hours. All of the worries pushed against David's skull, but he kept them out. They gained ground, they were minutes if not seconds behind Clara. She would be safe.

"Stop here," James said. "The car won't make it. We need to go the rest of the way on foot."

David parked next to the van. He forced the image of Clara in the window out of his mind. He was here. He would save her.

The two men got out of the car and sprinted up the mountain to the lodge. David remembered taking this walk in reverse the first night he met Clara. Going up was much more difficult. David knew trespassing like this was wrong. The way Lucas operated he half expected snipers in the trees. If he were killed tonight there would be no repercussions. David's pack would be left without an alpha. Clara. He needed to think about her. Everything else was noise. The approached the looming lodge. All of the front lights were still on. Once they ran in the front door David went for the stairs, but James held out his arm blocking him.

"I DEMAND THE COWARD LUCAS GABLE COME FORWARD TO ACCOUNT FOR HIS ACTIONS."

David didn't normally respond to another alpha, but James was not holding anything back. Nobody appeared, but he continued yelling.

"YOUR ACTING ALPHA IS A FRAUD. YOU DESERVE THE TRUTH AS MUCH AS HE DESERVES HIS PUNISHMENT."

People started coming down the stairs. David wasn't sure this was the way to go, any of them could kill them without retribution. He gulped his fears down and remembered his purpose. James might have his own motivation, but David was here for Clara.

"I am your rightful Alpha. Lucas Gable cheated during the challenge. He has no honor and will lead you all to your downfall."

Blank faces stared at David and James. He wanted to sneak away and look for Clara, but there was no exit.

"It was a fair fight, we all saw," someone said.

"What you did not see was the poison issued to me prior to the match." James' voice boomed over the growing crowd.

David couldn't begin to imagine commanding this many members, but most of them hung on James' every word.

"I also demand Lucas Gable's accomplice come forward."

There was a low rumble of voices among the pack. It seemed more like a confirmation than a shock. A slow clapping sounded and the crowd parted. Lucas emerged. He grinned from ear to ear, his smile red with blood.

"More lies from an unfit alpha." Lucas looked right at David. "She is delicious by the way."

David lunged forward, but again James held him back. Lucas had to be bluffing, he could feel it. He was not too late.

"I, James Bishop, challenge your position as alpha."

Lucas let out a monstrous laugh.

"You have to belong to the pack to challenge. Your presence here is a sign of aggression. I deem the punishment as death. Grab both of them."

David readied to defend himself, but nobody came forward.