***KATE'S POV***

Eventually the week had passed, the Christmas break had come into play with our Pack as busy as ever. We were constantly going on night runs, patrolling the area all night and having someone on watch outside at all times. Dean was going crazy but I could understand, Michelle was growing by the day now and the baby was close to being delivered. He was on edge because he was becoming protective, and this baby was important, and it was important to protect it's life.

It was the key to our Pack's existence.

In a way I was actually protective of it too, it was important to me because it was my own blood, and I wanted it to grow up with both of it's parents.

And not adopted like me.

Lately I had even been proving to Dean that I was ready to take my position by going to relaying important messages to our ally at the hospital, the one that was supernaturally involved with us. He was clueing us in and giving us information about Michelle's baby and he was going to help deliver it at the house. I had also stayed up multiple nights keeping watch on the house and leading the night runs without Dean when he stayed at the house with Michelle.

I was changing.

We had been training vigorously throughout the day with fighting and how to actually tap into our Full Wolf. Naturally I already knew how because when Emily died I had found the loop and the anger to help, finding it was easier, but the others were having a lot of difficulty.

But I knew once I was Alpha they would be strong enough to reach it.

The only one who had actually come close was Tess, which surprised me because never knew she had that much anger built up inside to reach it. She had actually grown in size and shifted to all fours, but she never quite reached it from exhaustion.

She impressed me but had been ignoring me ever since I had slept at Jennifer's, so I figured it was because she was jealous but I had a feeling it wasn't just that.

I mean, she was worried, she didn't want anyone else to get murdered and me being involved didn't give Jen that much relief.

So I couldn't blame her too much.

We were actually on one of our night runs, me, Tess, Stiles, Collin and Gabe. I was glad now that Gabe was in the pack because he was strong and smart, her was also a really good fighter. He had let us in on his life and how he had actually taken years of Jiu-Jitsu training with his father. Watching him fight was miraculous, he was so quick and strong and he knew how to get out of any grip.

I couldn't wait to see him fight against real enemies.

Nothing interesting had happened since Dean killed that girl Fay, which worried us because we knew this was only the calm before the storm. We never knew when we could be attacked, and the snow was coming in along with Christmas. Fighting in this weather was going to suck, not that the frigid cold would hold us back but seeing and moving would be a little tougher.

We were making our way back to the camp and Tess was running alongside me, I eyed her warily wondering if she was going to stay mad at me forever.

I mean we were in the pack together, we had to get along.

We made it back, instantly heading inside and heading up to our rooms. I had escaped to the bathroom first to get to the shower and I closed the door, stripping and letting the hot water run over my body. There was tons of things on my mind and I was on watch tonight, again.

I finished up the shower and wrapped my body in a towel, stepping out and being greeted by a warm body and nearly crashing us both through the door. I groaned, "Jeez Tess, the door was closed for a reason!"

She rolled her eyes, handing me back my towel and sighing, "It's not just your bathroom."

I sighed heavily, wishing she wouldn't always be so sharp with me, "Tess..."

She looked at me, her sad little green eyes forcing sympathy to show its presence, "What?"

"Stay on watch with me tonight," she tilted her head in confusion, allowing me to finish, "So we can talk."

She nodded, "Sure."

I walked out, leaving her to finish up in the bathroom and allowing myself to dress for tonight. Even though we had warm bodies didn't mean we were immune completely, we still felt it a little. I walked downstairs and Dean caught me before heading to his room, "How was the night run?"

I nodded, "Nothing out of the norm, Tess is gonna keep me company tonight."

"Good, you're coming along Kate. I'm really proud of you. You know what to do if have company."

"Goodnight Dean."

Then he was gone upstairs and I walked outside, sitting silently under the porch. It really sucked staying out here alone because all I would do was think and worry myself to death. At least Tess had agreed to keep me company tonight so it wouldn't be as bad.

I heard the door opened and shut silently, Tess's silent presence sitting next to me on the bench outside the cabin. She spoke, "So why exactly did you ask me to stay up tonight?"

I shrugged, "Because I hate you giving me the cold shoulder."

"You know why I disagree with your actions, Kate."

I looked at her warily, tapping into my wolf to see her better, "No, I don't."

Her eyes glowed in the dark shadows of the night, eyeing me silently, "Miss Riley's a good woman, she's human, she shouldn't have to be put in danger."

So she wasn't as jealous as I thought, "It's not my fault..."

"Yes Kate, it is, because you know it's dangerous and you're being selfish."

It kind of annoyed me that she was saying this because she didn't get what I felt towards Jennifer. I shook my head, "Let me tell you something Tess, I've never felt something the way I feel for Miss Riley. I still don't get why she likes me but I don't care, because I know she's different."

"How is she different?"

"Because, she's mature, she doesn't play games... and she accepts me for me, and not for who my parent's are or my money. She likes me for the person I am inside."

She stared out into the dark woods and I watched her hair whip around her face, she nodded, "And you think putting her life in danger is worth it?"

That question hit me hard, and I didn't know how to answer it because I knew she was right. I knew it wasn't worth it, it wasn't worth putting her in danger because if I lost her it would devastate me. It would crush me, and I would be completely vulnerable and another innocent person would die because of me.

I knew she was right, but I couldn't accept it.

She nodded, "That's what I thought."

So we sat there in silence, trapped in our own thoughts and processes. It hurt me knowing that Jennifer was in danger because of me and that the only way was to cut her off. It was the only was to ensure her protection but I was to weak to do it.

Dean knew, Tess knew, the entire Pack knew and I was ashamed of myself.

Our jobs were to protect the humans, not to put their life in danger, but I couldn't help it because... well.... I was falling in love with her.

Then all was still, the wildlife, the air, and then that's when Tess's head popped up from her hands. I smelt the unfamiliar scent and I knew someone foreign was here, and Tess knew it too.

I stood, "Someone's here."

She stood along side me, growling under her breath, "No, two someone's are here."

I growled with her, smelling them as they got closer. I could heard them coming from the far side of the clearing, bushes ruffling and birds flying out of their hiding places. I didn't know if they were here to attack, but I didn't want to wake Dean for no reason.

I wanted to handle this myself.

Then two bodies walked out of the woods, their steps were in unison until they came to a halt on the far side of the icy clearing. A girl and a boy, the girl was smaller than the boy but the boy wasn't built like Collin or Gabe, so we had an advantage. Tess whispered, "Do NOT go into your Full Wolf, this could be a test."

I looked at her, silently whispering, "What you mean a test?"

"The Alpha may be watching, seeing what we got."

I nodded, stepping off of the porch as Tess followed, I growled, "Who are you and why are you here?"

"We're here from the Vega Pack, just to clarify who exactly murdered my sister, Fay."

The boy resembled Fay, the girl that got her throat ripped out by Dean a week ago, I growled, "Our Alpha, because she was threatening an innocent life."

I could see the hatred in his eyes, revenge was something wolves took seriously, family or not. Losing a Pack member was different than losing family, it was deeper pain than anything imaginable. It must've been a hundred times worse for him.

"So it wasn't one of you Beta's?"

The girl spoke nearly silent, Tess responded, "No, it wasn't. We don't kill unless the Alpha orders us to."

The guy stepped forward, flashing his claws in the moonlight, "And what would happen considering he left you two Beta's out in the night, all alone and unprotected."

I growled, making him hesitate a bit, "We aren't afraid of a fight."

"Fights end in deaths, Beta."

I grinned, knowing he was provoking something he knew nothing of, "It won't be ours."

He growled loudly, lunging forward and giving me enough time to duck and jab him in the soft spot of his sternum. I didn't want to kill but I wasn't going to let him attack without defending myself and Tess. I threw the guy off of me, hearing him body land with a loud thud as Tess defended herself from the female.

I turned, feeling a sharp pain in my right shoulder, knowing he had sliced right through my shirt and sensitive skin. The blood oozed out as I yelped, but I wasn't going to let myself be hindered by this.

I dodged his next swing, the claws catching just the tip of my nose as I came back and stabbed him right in the side. I felt my claws enter his soft flesh, the blood drying around my claws instantly as I pulled them right back out.

They were putting up a decent fight but I knew instantly that they weren't the strongest of the pack and they weren't even as strong as me and Tess.

The guy's fist landed hard on my chest, sending me buckling backwards and falling hard onto my back. I wasn't expecting it which made it even worse, causing me to lose my wind. He was on top of me, pressure now on my throat as I lashed out and attempted to scream, "Tess!"

She threw the girl off of her and kicked the back of the guys head, making him double over and fall forwards, losing his grip on my throat.

Tess was knocked over hard on the side of me but I could only concentrate on the searing pain in my open wound. It was a deep cut, which meant it would heal slowly, and bleeding out was possible.

I growled loudly, knowing it was close to an actual roar of anger as the guy eyed me. His sharp teeth showing as he grimaced, knowing they were losing this fight. I charged, wanting to end this fight but not knowing how without killing.

It was hard not turning my Full Wolf and ripping his head off.

Then his sharp claws jabbed me in the stomach, I yelped from the harsh pain as he twisted them deeper, throwing me off of him. I felt the blood gurgle in my mouth as I coughed out, cringing from the sharp pain as I gripped my stomach.

Then as he climbed on top of me and raised his claws I thought I was gone, Tess wouldn't be able to stop his swiped as I threw my arms up.

Then last second Tess was behind him but he felt her this time, pouncing off me and onto her. Her hands flailed as she gripped his strong arm, knowing since he was a male he was naturally stronger. I got up, knowing if she let go and her arms gave out she would be done.

She screamed, "Kate!"

I ran, my instincts taking over as I tackled him, knocking his heavy body off of her and landing under me. I peered harshly into his glowing blue eyes, seeing complete red as I felt my hand raise into the cold air. My claws extended long and sharp, and before he would kick me off I brought my hand clean across his throat.

Blood prayed my face as I realized after his body became still what I had done. Tess pulled me off of him and we both watched the girl disappear into the woods. She panicked, "You killed him."

"I had to... he was going to kill you..."

Then the door opened, slamming as Dean rushed over to us, looking down at the dead boy. He growled, "He's dead?"

I nodded, "They attacked us, he would've killed Tess..."

He knew I was in shock as I pulled me up, "Come, let's go inside."

I was put in the tub, Tess making sure my every cut healed as I sat there nearly lifeless. I couldn't believe I had murdered him, I wasn't supposed to but I had anyway. I was a murderer, and I couldn't accept the fact that it had happened.

Tess spoke, "Thank you... for saving me."

I blinked heavily, leaning back in the tub, "I had to do what I had to do."

She nodded, not saying a word to me as I stared at the far end of the tub, listening to the bloody water drain as she offered me a towel.

I had to kill him, because I made a promise to myself that no one was going to die because of me any longer.

This was who I was, and who I had to be to be an Alpha.

I had to be a killer.

***A/N***

So sorry the updates are taking a bit longer than usual I've been pretty busy with my music and life. Hope you guys don't hate me to much and i hope ya'll enjoy the chapter!