Chapter 29: True Alpha

The pack held their breath as both brothers stared at each other, their brows crinkled and jaws strong.

For a moment, everybody wondered who would throw the first fist.

Would it be Bruce, and would he be fast enough to even hit the nimble Kurt?

Or would Kurt launch a fast strike, and would that strike be strong enough to damage someone as powerful as Bruce?

Finally, Bruce did the unexpected.

He put a firm and brotherly hand on Kurt’s shoulder and said, “Thank you for watching over our kind while I was away.”

And Kurt didn’t need a second thought at figuring how to play along with his brother’s games. Did he think Bruce was genuine? Maybe.

But Kurt needed to avoid looking like he was up to no good.

So the pack gasped when Kurt took a knee in front of Bruce, lowered his head, and said, “I’m happy to help, and happier that our Alpha is back.”

Bruce’s supporters, to which there were many, clapped, cheered, and took a knee. Many people praised Kurt for stepping up to the role, but they were elated that their original leader had returned.

The supporters of Kurt, however, were more hesitant to take a knee. Kurt shot them a glance from the corner of his eye, and they kneeled.

“So how about an explanation to where you were!” demanded Leon Puck, Kurt’s right-hand man, throwing his voice while everyone’s heads were down so his demand couldn’t be traced.

“Everybody please stand so I can address you all properly,” Bruce said.

“I had no intentions of leaving you all for so long,” Bruce continued, suddenly thinking that if he outed Solaris Sparks as the man who confined him, unruly followers of the pack might attack the old witch.

Or worse, they may go after Silvana.

Bruce couldn’t reveal the truth, but he didn’t want to lie to his pack either.

He didn’t want to put the love of his life in any danger, so he said, “The aunt that raised me and Kurt, she was not doing well after an accident.”

Kurt’s head snapped forward. It was no act when dismay filled him and he angrily asked, “She what? And you didn’t tell me?”

“I couldn’t,” Bruce said. “It was all a trap set forth by an evil spirit. Our aunt is okay, Kurt. I saw to it. But I had been lured out by the evil of Cecilia Duponte.”

“That’s the spirit who destroyed our pack in the first place!” shouted a werewolf.

“We live in the shadows because of the war she started all those years ago!” a younger wolf yelled.

“If I called anybody for help, the spirit was threatening to kill our aunt,” Bruce said. He could see he was convincing everybody, even Kurt.

Everybody except Leon Puck, the greatest silver-tongued Silverclaw of the pack.

“And you didn’t go to your witch wife for help?” Leon asked, tilting his head and trying to sound understanding. “A witch might be just the creature needed to help defeat a fellow witch, such as Duponte.”

The pack chattered.

But Bruce summoned Leon forward and addressed him directly when he said, “Thank you, Leon, for bringing up a good point. And for the sake of transparency, I will admit that the woman I had brought to the Silverclaw masquerade was indeed a witch. She saved me from Duponte once, so I can confirm that Leon is correct. But we would do well to remember that while Cecilia Duponte had been a witch, she is now a vengeful spirit. Her magic is different and we need to figure out how.”

Everybody was silent, and even Leon hadn’t expected for Bruce to outright admit to breaking the biggest rule of the code.

Then, the chaos erupted. So many voices and questions were raised at once.

“How could you do this?”

“Why would you put us all at risk by being with a witch?”

“Can he even still be Alpha if he broke the code?

“Broke the code? He destroyed it! He’s probably lying about his aunt.”

Kurt gulped.

If Bruce outed him for dating Amelia, he was now rethinking if it would be best to lie and pretend as if he didn’t know her, or if he should admit to seeing her just as Bruce had done. Kurt couldn’t figure out what he should do, and he couldn’t figure out why Bruce had told everybody his biggest secret.

“Are you still seeing this witch?” Leon asked over the outrage.

Bruce stomped his foot down to the dirt, and the entire ground tremored, nearly knocking the whole pack off their feet.

He got their attention by demonstrating just how powerful he was.

Kurt looked at his brother anew. He knew Bruce was strong, but he didn’t know Bruce was this strong.

“I am still seeing this witch,” Bruce said with such confidence that his supporters admired him. “And I have reached the conclusion that she is indeed my mate.”

The strongest women of the pack who thought they might have a chance with Bruce sighed and shook their heads and swore.

Bruce said, “Because I realize that my relationship is controversial, I won’t be saying her name. She may be a witch, but she is helping us to defeat these spirits and keep the city safe. Say whatever you like, act however you want, but trust that my actions are what matter.”

“Your actions like leaving us for so long to go fuck your little bitch?” an outraged female werewolf asked.

Bruce nodded and said, “Remember, while I was gone, there weren’t any supernatural encounters. There was no crimson lighting. That’s because I was dealing with it.”

Leon Puck grinned because he adored a good show, and Bruce was putting one on.

The other werewolves applauded. Bruce’s alibi was flawless, and Leon knew it.

“Since I understand that so much has happened and that a test of strength may be in order,” Bruce said firmly, “I invite anybody who feels as though they have been wronged or wish to, under our code, take my position through combat, to face me now.”

One of Kurt’s supporters elbowed through the crowd. He was wearing a leather biker jacket, had slicked back red hair, and arms covered in tattoos with a face littered in piercings.

“Enough of your lies and bullshits, Bruce,” the man said, beginning to transform. “I will face you.”

“So be it,” Bruce said, planting his hands to the ground. Silver fur enveloped him and he transformed far faster than his opponent. Bruce didn’t realize it, but by the time he was transformed, the pack had put distance between them and him, and were looking at him with shock, confusion, and appreciation.

Bruce was the size of his truck, and was as big and strong as he had been under the full moon. Had sleeping with Silvana after her surge in magical power somehow strengthened him?

“Impossible,” Kurt muttered.

“This can’t be,” Leon whispered to himself.

The challenger looked puny compared to Bruce, and since Bruce didn’t want to harm him, Bruce ran on all fours by his huge truck, then with a single claw, slashed at the vehicle.

It went flying through the brush and bramble at a speed that the pack could hardly comprehend, and in its menacing wake was a long trail of the trees and bushes flattened and obliterated by the truck.

The challenger fled.

What mattered most to many of the Silverclaws was security and safeness, and seeing Bruce as extraordinarily powerful as he had just been made many people, even most of Kurt’s supporters, devote themselves to Bruce and offer their support through cheers and praise.

Bruce returned to his regular form, standing naked before everybody.

The truth was, nobody had nothing on him, and seeing him naked made them all the more appreciative of his strength and size.

For the ladies that wanted to be with him, though, it was the ultimate primal tease.

“We’ll have another meeting shortly,” Bruce said. “In the meantime, you may all disperse, and come to me if you need anything.”

“You’re the best Bruce!” a werewolf shouted.

“The Alpha is back!” said another.

To maintain appearances, Leon approached Bruce, shook his hand firmly and said, “I’m glad you’re back, Bruce.”

The pack got into their cars and left, honking their horns and burning rubber in celebration.

“I appreciate that, Leon,” Bruce said.

Leon left with a smile.

Kurt chuckled and put a hand on Bruce’s shoulder.

“Well bro,” Kurt said. “Welcome back, and let’s get you some new threads.”

Bruce glanced at the strip of destroyed woods from launching his truck.

“I may need to borrow your car for a bit,” Bruce said with a laugh.

His response genuinely got a laugh out of Kurt and he said, “Anytime, bro.”

Bruce allowed himself a satisfactory grin. For a second, they felt like real brothers.

“I’ll go get changed,” Bruce said, “and I can fill you in if you have any more questions.”

Bruce entered his house and went into his room to put clothes on.

Kurt walked into the forest and greeted Leon, who had transformed into a tiny coyote with a missing eye. Leon was a unique Silverclaw from a bastard line of cowards and weaklings, and it was in large part why he worked with Kurt, an unappreciated underdog, to do his dirty work.

“Go execute the plan,” Kurt said.

Leon growled.

“I don’t care about whatever happened today. You and I are staying on schedule,” Kurt affirmed.

Leon snapped his mouth twice and then ran off into the woods.

When Kurt came back to the driveway of the house, another car was pulling in.

Bruce opened the front door in jeans and work boots, and while putting his arms through a thick, gray flannel shirt, his eyes squinted like a predator who had located prey.

The car engine shut off.

Solaris exited the vehicle dressed in a scarlet tuxedo.