CHAPTER 13

Lincoln's Pov

Humans died all the times. Humans were murdered all the time.

Humans killed all the time. However, having a dead human on our territory was bad news.

That would mean police over our land, and people snooping into our business.

We didn't need that. We really didn't need that.

Humans already thought the communities we had were weird – thinking we were a cult, or a religious organisation and some even thinking we were nudists.

It was the same with every Werewolf communal in the country; the humans frowned upon our communities as if we were doing something wrong.

People feared the unknown.

I froze, eyes hardening as I looked at my Beta.

I swallowed deeply, scared of what it would mean for the pack to be stuck in the middle of a murder investigation.

Julian gripped a hold of my large hand, holding it tightly with both her thin hands.

I glanced down at her, before taking her into my arms.

Julian's Pov

He rested me against his side, his arms going around my waist.

He held me in a possessive manner, fingers digging into my waist slightly. He was hurting me slightly, but I didn't complain.

"Take me there. Now" Lincoln growled. Beta Strider nodded, before leading us towards the forest.

I didn't want to go with them – to see the dead body – but I also didn't want to leave Lincoln.

Firstly, because I was too scared to be by myself.

Secondly, because I didn't want Lincoln to lose his temper; I had a calming effect on him.

We already had one dead body, we didn't him to add any more.

On the edge of the territory, about a meter into the woods, was a gathering of a few people from the Pack.

"Go home all of you, I will sort this" Lincoln exclaimed loudly, as we walked towards were they were huddled.

Our Pack members all turned to see us, before casting their eyes in submission and returning to their homes.

When the Wolves were all out of the way, I saw what everyone had been looking at. The dead human.

It was a young girl, not much older than me, with light blonde hair and a slim build.

Her body was sprawled out over the forest ground; her arms crossed over her body and her legs spread apart.

Dirt was matted into her hair, and sprayed all over her body. Her pale skin looked blue.

But the worst part was the blood.

Scarlet blood was everywhere; over the girl, around the girl and on the ground.

The smell of copper filled my senses and played on my gag reflex. I gagged, turning away from the sight.

Lincoln didn't say anything, he simply rubbed my back; he was trying to be soothing, but the aggression in the action was anything but.

"What are we going to do, Alpha?" Beta Strider questioned, and I tried to think of anything but the dead body.

I'm thinking" Lincoln snapped, before staring back at the body. Lincoln was used to death and blood, but I wasn't.

Killing wasn't an everyday activity for Werewolves, but it happened. Lincoln was familiar with it, whereas I wasn't.

Most Wolves wouldn't have ever see a dead body, yet it didn't even faze Lincoln.

Swallowing deeply, I tried to take in a breath of fresh air.

It didn't work and I ended up breathing in more of the death smelling air.

I could no longer hold my dinner down. I broke away from Lincoln and vomited.

I coughed heavily, as bile spilled from my mouth.

Lincoln came up from behind me and held my hair back, as I doubled over.

A human probably wouldn't have been able to smell much; maybe an odd tinge to the air.

But, with my senses, it was the smell that turned my stomach contents.

I just hadn't expected a dead body to be so…dead. It was stupid, and naïve, of me to hope that the girl would have just been sleeping.

The smell was too pungent for that. It was like I was suffocating in death.

When I'd finished throwing up, I stood back up. Lincoln glanced at me, looking unsympathetic, and let go of my hair.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "Finished?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. I nodded, blushing. "Good". He turned back to Beta Strider.

"What should we do?" Beta Strider asked, Lincoln paused. "We have to call the police, Alpha.

The person who killed her, obviously was in a half-shift, so it looks like an animal attack".

Lincoln thought about that for a moment, before sighing. "We'll have cops swarming over the territory for days.

The Pack will hate that". He ran a hand over his face, I looked up at him – not wanting to look at the dead girl.

Lincoln seemed to have aged significantly since dinner, frown lines deepened on his forehead.

But, if we don't, and the girl gets reported missing, the cops will examine all the woodland areas anyway.

And that will take longer, and with the Full Moon coming up, we can't afford for that" Beta Strider argued. Lincoln cussed angrily.

He growled, and cussed, and raged. He scared me when he was like that; so aggressive and dominate.

I wanted to cower at his feet, or return home, but I just didn't want to be with Lincoln right then. He was scaring me, terrifying me.

"Fine, call the fucking cops" Lincoln snapped angrily, turning around and throwing his hands up into the air.

" Julian, come" he growled, not even looking at me. I obeyed without argument, rushing to his side.

He put his arms around me, gripped me in a tight grip.

He still didn't even look at me, and I kept my eyes cast to the floor – slightly because of Lincoln's dominance, but mostly because I didn't want to see the dead girl again.

Beta Strider took his phone from his pocket, and dialled.

I gulped deeply as he held the phone to his ear – the dialling tone filling the silence of the evening.

Then, someone spoke and Beta Strider explained how he had found a body, who had been attacked by an animal; 'possibly a bear'.

"What's a half-shift?" I asked Lincoln. He finally turned to me, before gripping my chin and jerking my head up so our eyes met.

"I thought we were passed you submitting to me?" he growled angrily. I knew that he wasn't angry at me, but at the situation.

So I didn't take his anger to heart, but it didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"I wasn't submitting, I didn't want to see her" I replied honestly, my voice barley a whisper.

Lincoln looked at me strangely, before shaking his head.

"Sorry, I didn't think that it would bother you so much" he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He pulled me close, and hugged me. He kissed the top of my head; a soft, soothing, peck. I leant into him; my face resting on his chest.

"What's a half-shift?" I questioned once more, glancing up into Lincoln's brown eyes.

"A half-shift is when Wolves – strong ones – have the ability to change when it's not a Full Moon.

However, it's not a full form shift. It is just certain part of the body that change" he explained. I nodded;

shocked I had never heard of it before.

But, then, I didn't know any strong Wolves before I met Lincoln.

"I shouldn't have brought you out here" Lincoln mumbled, sighing heavily. "It was selfish of me. I knew you would calm me down if I brought you along.

But I shouldn't have been so selfish to only think of myself". He pressed another soft kiss to my head. "Go home, I'll wait for the police".

"No" I shook my head, "I want to stay with you". I clung onto his shirt, my fingers gripping the material hard. Layton just nodded, and we stood together.

"She should leave" a voice said from behind us. I turned my head slightly, seeing Beta Strider glaring at the two of us.

"She is weak and we don't need her spilling all our secrets if the police question her".

He narrowed his eyes in my direction, and I blushed in embarrassment and shifted uncomfortably.

Lincoln let out a menacing growl at his Beta.

"You watch your mouth, Antony, or I'll rip your tongue from your mouth so you can never speak bad about your Alpha Female again".