Free Owned By The Alphas: Part Four by Faleena Hopkins

and–”
    With authority, Red interrupted her. “They won’t be afraid of us. We don’t mean anything to them. More likely they’ll look to us for shelter. It will not be the same as if they faced their own alpha.” To his pack, he instructed, “Fan out. If any of you finds them, see if they’ll come back with you here. Tell them they’re not going to be punished in any form, in any way.” The wolves nodded. “And if they won’t come, ask them to stay put so we can send someone to talk to them. Actually, remain in two’s so when you find them, one of you can stay there and make sure they don’t leave.” He walked to Ali, determined. “ I’ll take you.”
    She stepped back as he advanced. “What do you mean?”
    “I mean I’ll carry you.”
    “Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea! I really think I should stay with–”
    “Enough. There are more important things here than you and me.” To Bloo he explained with the power of an alpha to a beta, “No disrespect, but I can run faster, and Tawny tells me you’re an excellent hunter. The young ones are best served if you use your talents. You should be tracking, not carrying a passenger.”
    Her grey eyes rose to meet her friend’s and Ali reminded her, “He’s going to be pissed when he hears, Bloo.” The she-wolf shook her head and padded the snow, shooting a powdery wake in her path.
    Not happy about it but knowing he was right, Tawny explained, “She’s trying to say Calt would want you to do everything to find them… even this.”
    Ali swallowed hard, staring at the beast of a man who had an incredible pull on her that would do neither of them any good if she succumbed to its power. She was just starting to earn Calt’s trust that she wouldn’t run back to Red, and she couldn’t promise that touching him again wouldn’t tempt her to do exactly that, just so she could feel his body against hers one last time, his lips traveling over her skin until she trembled in his arms, breathing him in... The fainting feeling floated up her body, but she didn’t have time for it. Lorn needed her. Stop being so fucking selfish, Ali. She steeled herself and gritted her teeth. “Fine.”
    Red turned to his female second in command. “Kyren, go with Thanot and Jal. Gypha, you and Motis go that way.” He pointed to the south. “Tawny, come with us.”
    “You got it.” “We’ll let you know if we find anything.” “Meet you back here before sunrise.”
    “No. Back here by sunset. We’ll fan out again then if we haven’t found them.”
    One after the other they dropped their pelts, threw them into the den and shifted. Ali stepped back, boots crunching the snow. When a whole pack of werewolves changes shape, the noise is simultaneously painful and beautiful and today there was no waterfall to hide it. Her breath steamed little clouds before her parted lips, and she turned her head to meets Red’s gaze. He was the last in human form and he looked as wary of carrying her on his back as she was of riding him. With a clenched jaw, he strode to the boulder, threw in his pelt and pushed it closed, the muscles in his naked body flexed and straining against it. Ali swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around her body, forcing herself to look away.
    He called out to them all, “Go!”
    Kyren, Gypha, Jal, Motis, and Thanot took off running in their given directions. Tawny and Bloo waited for the alpha to return, both pawing at the snow, ready. Red strode back to Ali, “We’re going to find them.”
    Not looking at him, she whispered, “I hope so.”
    With amazing speed, he transformed. She gasped and flashed eyes back to watch, staring at his wolf and praying for strength as she climbed on and wove her fingers into the soft thickness of his coat. None of it felt real. Happiness mixed with pain. She gripped him tightly and clamped her legs against his sides, thinking, God help me, as he took off.
    The she-wolves put their snouts to the ground, fanning