*picture of Alexander (Xander for short, pronounced Zander)

"Are you certain about this?"

I growled, loudly. Before I could think twice, I had pushed my challenger against a tree, hard.

"Anyone else want to question my decisions?" I bellowed to the crowd of men.

"Alpha," my beta said apologetically, picking himself off from the ground where he had landed.

The rusty iron taste on my tongue was enough to prove how dissatisfied my wolf and I had been with the disrespect coming from a member of the pack.

My canines sunk in to my bottom lip at the frustration. How dare my own beta question my decisions. Every decision that I made was for the pack. To protect them. It was all I knew.

Their protection was a vow running deep in my veins. It was the sole purpose of accepting the Alpha title five years ago, at the mere age of fifteen.

When the other male wolves in the pack were enjoying their youth and chasing she-wolves, I was training hard to become their Alpha. And I was not going to accept any disrespect at that.

"Dy, you are my best friend," I said loudly enough for the men around us to hear. I needed them all to know their place. "But you will never, and I mean ever, question my decision again."

The boy, as expected, bowed his head in respect.

Dyami was a good friend and quite the beta, but there were moments when he needed to be put back in his place. Leading the largest pack in the country made my pack appealing to outsiders. I could not have any members of the pack, let alone my own best friend and the beta, get distracted or question my decisions.

"Alpha, if I may add my input," Adam, my third in command, stepped forward from crowd.

My eyes narrowed at the curly haired boy. "Make it quick."

The young Wolf nodded in response. "Though, we respect your decision and always support it, we are afraid for your safety."

The men that I had gathered for rounds, all murmured in agreement, some nodding their heads and others adding their input.

"Your safety is important to us, at least let Dyami and I go with you," Adam continued. "The pack needs their Alpha."

"Are you done?" I asked, not interested in his offer.

Adam's brows furrowed at my question, but he simply nodded and lowered his head.

"Meanwhile, I admire your desire to protect me as your Alpha," I told the crowd. "I need you all to protect the pack, your pack, more. Their safety is at stake here."

Today's schedule had been put in place after I had got off the phone to Gabriel, the Alpha of Pale Moon, my enemy.

Unlike Gabriel, I was not interested in personal affairs. After I had rejected his offer to attend a ceremony that he was hosting, he had threatened to send his men to take me by force. I was always astonished by his confidence. As if the safety of his members in my territory was guaranteed.

Our feud had started after he had taken the Alpha title. He had attacked and killed my people. The memory angered me.

"Xander," Dyami's voice in a low whisper echoed in my ears. "They're waiting for your order."

Rubbing at my temple, I turned to the crowd of men, all in complete silence, awaiting my next instructions.

"You are all dismissed."

My words earned a couple of confused expressions, before the crowd erupted into low muttering amongst themselves. I paid no attention to them and started to walk back toward my house.

"They don't understand," Dyami pressed, walking by my side. "I've gotten at least five mind links asking what's going on."

"I will not put my people at risk," I said, shaking my head at the mere thought of anyone getting hurt. "The pack needs protection."

"They do. But going there alone? Are you seriously going to the enemy on your own?"

I sent him a threatening look. He was questioning me, again.

Dyami raised his hands in the air in an act of defence. "Look, I want to protect the pack too. I'm the beta for a reason. And I'm not questioning your decisions," he spoke the words quickly, trying to keep up with my pace.

"But letting the Alpha go into a war zone alone is a pretty stupid idea."

Best friend or not, at his words, I completely lost control and shifted to my grey Wolf. He was furious, as was I. Dyami didn't have enough time to react before my Wolf sunk its canines in to his shoulder. It was enough to punish him, but not quite to hurt him.

Yes, maybe he was right. In fact, I knew that he was right.

My decision to visit Pale Moon alone wasn't the brightest idea, but at least it would leave my pack protected and safe. I didn't want to put anyone at risk of getting hurt. Gabriel had invited me over, and to keep my pack protected, I was going to his territory on my own.

In the event that he wanted to attack, I couldn't have my best men tag along and leave the pack unprotected. Being the Alpha, I was at a much smaller risk of getting hurt. The Alpha blood running in my veins was strong enough to protect me. I left Dyami on the floor in the woods and sprinted as far away from him as I could.

The feud between the packs caused a never ending war, and I didn't want to put more of my own Wolves at risk of dying. The last time that had happened, many wolves had ended up mate-less.

Although, I wasn't sure what having a mate was like, seeing my mother lose my father was enough to give me an insight in to what type of torture that was. That was also the reason that I had to take the Alpha title at fifteen, when the title is normally passed down at the age of eighteen. After his death, I had to grow up fast. My days had gone from messing around with the other young pack members to having to train hard with the best fighters.

Slowing down my pace, I allowed myself to rest by a waterfall. My land was big. I was leading the biggest pack known. They needed the space to train and live freely.

But that said, unlike other packs, my territory was actually habitable. There were rivers and waterfalls scattered throughout the land. At times like this, it allowed Wolves to let off steam and frustration by being surrounded by the calmness of nature.

The cold air embraced my body as soon as I shifted back to my human form. I welcomed it as it helped me feel cool.

When I leaped in to the icy cold water, it felt like the cold water sucked all the frustration out of every cell in my body. It was refreshing, to say the least. I couldn't remember the last time that I had taken a swim and made a mental note to myself to never abandon that aspect in my life again.

When I returned back to the pack house, my little sister was pacing around outside, nervously biting her nails.

"Alexander!" she exclaimed when she noticed me, before sprinting toward me. "Where have you been? I tried to mind-link you!"

I arched a brow at her. "What are you doing here?"

She bit her lip nervously. "Dyami and Adam said they found something and left."

Her words didn't make any sense. "What are you saying?"

"They went to the enemy," she blurted, her brows raising in concern.

The words took a mere second to register and waken my Wolf.

"What did you just say?"

Zynthéa pouted. "I tried to stop them, but they were too fast."

I rubbed at my temple before trying to mind-link my beta and third in command, but my thoughts bounced back making me growl loudly. I was furious.

My men had left without instruction, to go to the enemy. Anger cursed through me at the realisation of what this meant for the pack. The pair of idiots had placed the pack in danger.

"Dyami!"

At the sound of Zynthéa shouting her mate's name, I snapped out my trance and let my eyes wonder to where the pair of boys were currently walking towards us.

I growled loudly before marching towards them, feeling my Wolf on bay. I was glad they were alright, but was not planning on letting them off the hook for the stupidity they had portrayed.