All or Nothing

When they finally arrived, Harley walked in the lead, Mya reluctantly following behind. They had all decided it best to have Harley the decoy, in case it was a trap, but Mya didn’t like giving up her power, even temporarily. She had fought hard to become an alpha, and to keep that position.
Mya glanced at the counter where the rest of her pack sat, sipping coffee and picking at pieces of pie. In the dim back corner, she saw three men sitting, the one facing them immediately staring at Harley. They made their way to the pack, stopping right in front of the booth. Mya glanced at the only waitress working and she hardly spared them a look, content to ignore them.

Reassured she wouldn’t be a problem, she surveyed the other wolves in the booth. One was young, maybe 19, with a strong jaw but gentle eyes. He must still be a pup, she decided, with the way he was glancing nervously between them all, looking back to their alpha for guidance. When Harley forced him to make eye contact he tried to glare back, but looked away in seconds, staring at his hands in his lap.

When Harley tried to stare down the other man, however, he held his chin up higher, raising his lip to sneer at her, eyes narrowing. She could see the stress in Harley’s posture, challenging a wolf who was likely her superior, but Mya was proud of her resolve. He finally let out a quiet growl and looked down, though Mya was almost positive it was because the alpha had kicked him under the table.

“You, you’re the ones that have been threatening my girls?” Harley demanded, glancing briefly at Luka. Mya glared at the alpha, eyes running over the thin layer of scruff covering his cheeks that she tried to determine if it was intentional, or lazy. Looking at his eyes, the dull amber instead of the usual brightness of a wolf, and the purple shadow, she guessed it was exhaustion. His dark hair was swept over his eyes, a few rebellious pieces obscuring them, while the rest fell just above his collar. Realizing she had been staring, she tried to pull her eyes away before he noticed. He seemed more intent on Harley though, eyes narrowed and lips in a thin line.

“I don’t know if I believe they’re your girls,” he said, voice deep and silky. Mya tensed at the clear challenge, and the seductive tone she recognized from an alpha. She held in a curse as she saw Harley relax for a moment, giving in to the charms of an alpha male.

“You insult me through letters. I finally choose meet you, and now you insult me to my face?”

“I’m not insulting you,” the alpha said, glancing behind them for a moment before slipping out of the booth. Mya couldn’t help but glance behind them, content when she saw the waitress busy at the register, oblivious to them as Kylie talked to her. Standing, he was well over Harley’s height, even with her heels on. “I’m asking a question,” he said, grinning with a bit too much teeth.

She noticed how pointed his canines were, and glanced at his fingers, seeing his nails were sharper than most humans would keep them. She wondered just how long he had been maintaining this change. The ease with which he moved, despite looking exhausted, and how smooth each word was made her think it had been a while. Often, to be only partially changed was difficult, instincts constantly fighting to be either wolf or human. It took energy, and control. She hated to admit she was mildly impressed.

His eyes met Mya’s briefly, startling her from her thoughts. She felt her instincts balking inside of her, bile rising up at her own submission as she looked down. It took everything in her to continue the charade and not attack right there. He was challenging her Beta, endangering her, and Mya wanted to rip out his throat.

“But I think, you aren’t the alpha here, is she doll,” he said, slipping into the space between Harley and Mya, standing nearly chest-to-chest to her, back to Harley. He was grinning when he reached out, sliding his finger along her chin and forcing her to meet his eyes again.

“Don’t call me doll,” Mya snarled, twisting his fingers down and away from her, letting go only when he winced. She stood as tall as she could, glad she had picked a pair of heels. It made her only a head shorter from here. She hated having to look up to him.

“You think I wouldn’t notice you staring?” he asked, that syrupy, seductive edge still there. She knew he was testing her, to see just how strong she was. Silly mutt, she thought to herself. She hadn’t become an alpha because she was the strongest of the five. She was an alpha, because the power ran through her blood. “You’re wolf was doing everything she could not to make eye contact, and there’s her little beta, looking over every inch of me, just waiting for an opening to attack.”

“Lucky you, you didn’t give me a reason to. My girls don’t trust you. They didn’t want me walking into a trap. Who are you?” she demanded, giving him the most vicious smile she could.

“How about you sit down, and we’ll talk,” he suggested, winking at her before he finally turned to the booth again. She knew he hadn’t given in by looking away, but even that small act of submission had her veins on fire. She looked at the other two, grinning. She knew she could easily overpower them.

“Harley,” Mya called to her wolf.

“I’m sorry Mya. I-“

“You tried, you did well. He may be a prick, but he is an alpha,” she told her, hating that he had to hear her compliment. But he had that same raw power that she did. She could feel it, like electric between them. Mya wanted to invite him outside, not sit down. She wanted him, on the ground, beneath her, her teeth against his throat. The tension thrummed through her, as she met his eyes again.

“Go, sit with the girls, ok?” she suggested, petting Harley’s hair. “You’re dogs can go too,” Mya said, leveling her stare at both of them. Both bristled with the insult, and the older of the two let out a quiet snarl.

“Liam, enough. Please, go sit up there, while we discuss this.” Once both of them started walking away, she slid into their side of the booth.

“What’s your name?”

“Luka. Liam is my Beta, and my brother. The younger is Micah.”

“You know who I am already,” Mya said, scrunching her nose at him. “You met Harley. At the bar, those two are Kylie and Jamie. Raven is the one just walking back inside.”

“I know I insulted you, but polite requests weren’t working. I’d hoped a challenge might get you here. You’re an alpha, aren’t you?” he asked, staring at her, “I mean a true alpha.”

“As are you,” she agreed, smiling a bit more sincerely at the acknowledgement. “You knowingly were on my territory.”

“You knowingly ignored my attempts to communicate.” Mya laughed, shrugging at him.
“I wasn’t looking for allies. I was looking to be left alone.”

“You have to know things are getting worse. It’s getting dangerous to be here,” Luka said, elbows folded on the table as he leaned forward.

“It is,” Mya agreed.

“Would you talk, damn it?” Luka snapped, pushing himself up onto his hands. He seemed even larger like this, but Mya forced herself to stay still, leaned back in the booth like they were at a casual brunch. She even threw in a yawn for his benefit. “You’re pack will end up dead! My pack is in danger. Stop acting like you’re above this!”

Mya watched as he reached a hand out. She could see it in his eyes, his fury, but also the fear there. Her body wanted a fight though, and all it would take was inches. Just a few more inches, and his hand on her throat would be plenty reason to attack.

“Please,” he said, hand grasping the table instead, his nails digging and leaving deep gouges in the edge. “Please, help us.” He was breathing hard, chest heaving, and she knew he wanted a fight just as much as she did. He wanted submission she would never give him.

“You said my pack will end up dead. What do you want our help for then?”

“If you don’t ally with us, with someone at least. It might as well be us. I’m asking here. I’m not challenging you, I’m not attacking you or your home like I could have. I am asking you, to be our allies.” Luka took a deep breath before leaning back in the booth. His eyes glanced over to the bar, and Mya followed his gaze. Liam and Micah were laughing with the girls, all of them smiling. It was only on occasion they would glance over, concerned about their alphas.

“They’re getting along,” Mya said, sighing. “And you’re right. You chose not to challenge me, unlike most of the alphas that come through here. Even the young ones; they think I can be easily beaten.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Luka said, smirking. “I’d love to get my paws on you. You look like the kind of fight I haven’t had in a long time. I can see it, smell it on you. You want the same thing. But we have packs to worry about. For them, I’ll keep that in check,” he said, as if he were reminding himself as he took another breath.

“How many are in your pack?” Mya asked, knowing better than to engage him. They’d end up fighting right here in the diner.

“Two others, my sister, Lisa, and Harmony.”

“You’re whole family?” she asked, concerned. It was rare, unless a wolf lost control, to have siblings turned, let alone two others. “And Harmony, she’s your mate?”

“Yes, my family,” Luka snapped, and she felt herself flinch at the venom there. “And no, but I did turn her. She’s my responsibility now.”

“I’m not sure I’m willing to invite you to my home,” Mya told him, deciding to be honest. This was going to be a fragile enough alliance for them all.

“I can find us a place. There just isn’t much unclaimed territory, and I was hoping for a small break before fighting again. If you would allow us to settle near you-“

“I’m not sure I’m willing to ally with you at all,” Mya corrected. “You have two family members, and a girl you turned in your pack. That sounds like poor control to me. Like maybe you got a little too hungry, and you can’t keep it in control. And god knows how your pup was turned. Was that you too? I’m not interested in your screw ups, or your strays.”

“My control is not an issue.” Luka glared at her, body tensing again. “There will be no strays.”
“How did they all come to be in your pack then?”

“You have twins in your pack,” Luka pointed out, still seething.

“Jamie was already a wolf, has been for years. Kylie knew about it, and when she got sick, two years ago, Jamie agreed to turn her to save her life. There, my pack’s story is out. Your turn.”
“I’m not interested in sharing. I can assure you they are safe.”

“You will tell me,” Mya reiterated, narrowing her eyes. He didn’t seem the type to lose control, not with the power thrumming through him, but maybe when he was younger, she decided.
“In time,” he agreed, still tense.

“We have a large home,” Mya explained, deciding to let it go for now, “with an entire wing we don’t use. If you will settle on our territory, you might as well join us. Give me any reason not to trust you however, and you will all be dead.”

“Really?” Luka exclaimed, grinning for only a moment before he controlled himself once more. She had to force herself not to raise an eyebrow at him. “Thank you, Mya. Truly, thank you. We will pay for our share of bills. When would you like us to come?”

“When are you able to leave where you are now?”

“We could leave um…” Luka hesitated, eyes glancing at the table for a moment, but it was long enough for Mya to see the shame there.

“Your pack, you don’t have anywhere at all right now, do you?” she asked, reaching across the table. She touched the top of his hand for only a moment, drawing his attention back to her.

“No,” he admitted, looking at her in surprise. “Guess there is a little human in there,” he said, nodding at her, forcing a laugh.

“Don’t get too used to it,” Mya assured him, smirking. “What happened to you, and your pack?”

“There’s been a lot of fighting lately, and my sister… well a pack alpha took her and tried to mate her. It took us a month to get her back, and we’ve still been recovering. We were renting at the time, and they set it on fire. We didn’t have time to look for a new place, while trying to get Lisa back. We’ve been in the woods since.”

“Is she ok?” Mya asked before she could help herself. It was one of her worst fears, as a female pack, that one of them would be taken.

“She’s getting there. She’s been home for two months now, but she refuses to be alone. She said she feels safer in the woods. It’s only been in the last few weeks she’s talked about looking for a house again.”

“You’ve been writing for months though.”

“Not long after we got her back, we realized we needed more allies. There is only five of us. All of us are strong, even Micah, but we can’t compete with the pack that had her. We got lucky, getting her out. We weren’t looking for a place then, just someone to join us.” Luka looked far away, as he shook his head at a memory, before looking at Mya again.

“So this fighting, its personal, for your pack?” When he nodded Mya sighed. “Is he still trying to get her back?”

“Not so far, but that’s what I’m afraid he’ll try eventually. I can’t risk it, and even if we move again, he may try to come after us. My sister, she isn’t an alpha, but she’s pretty, gentle, and strong enough for pups. The kind of mate every alpha wants. He knew she would be obedient eventually; she isn’t a fighter.”

“Who is he? What pack is this?”

“His name is James. We just moved here, six months ago. That’s all I- What?” Luka asked, seeing the fury on Mya’s face.

“You should’ve started with that name when I walked in,” Mya said, running her tongue across her canines. “I’ve been waiting to rip out his throat a very long time. Let’s go. I’m sure you’re all tired.” Luka nodded even as he yawned, and slid out of the booth. He left a few bucks for the coffee pitcher before walking up to their packs.

“Ladies, we’re going to have a few new friends,” Mya explained to them. “There are two more to join us. And this pack, James got them too. Looks like we’ve got a common enemy.”