The Alpha’s Curvy Cinderella - Chapter 157: Chapter 157

Rohan POV
I felt the most excruciating pain tear through my neck, causing me to stop and hold on to it tightly, my knees buckling as I swore loudly, feeling my mate’s agony and fear. Suddenly it was like all I could see was red. The son of a b***h had marked my mate, I forcibly done it and I was pissed beyond all reason.
I couldn’t wait any longer, shifting into my wolf who was going berserk in my mind, racing down the passageway with several of my warriors at my heels.
I wasn’t waiting around any longer for it to be declared safe. Josie needed me and I needed to get to my mate. Who knew what else Alpha Drake had planned for her? Besides the majority of the passageway had been deemed safe so it was highly unlikely that the rest of it was booby-trapped. It appeared that the Alpha hadn’t had time to prepare anything.
The passageway led out of a tunnel that was underground, leading through a cave in the forest. It was almost ingenious. I had to applaud Alpha Drake. It was clearly meant for escaping if a rogue attack overtook the pack house. I made a mental note to collapse the cave when I had the chance and the passageway, racing through the forest and following their scent, grateful to be able to track it, even after so much time had passed.
Our mate is in danger. I sense her fear and her pain. That son of a b***h is trying to take what is ours roared my wolf, as our paws thudded along the hard ground.
I know but even if he marks her, that won’t dissolve the mate bond I tried to reassure him, but if I was honest, I was trying to reassure myself at the same time. I couldn’t picture my life without Josie in it.
Of course, it wouldn’t snorted my wolf he is a fool to think otherwise. Josie has already made her choice and declared that we are her mate, as we have chosen her. He does not truly love Josie in the true sense, he only seeks to gain more power from the mate bond, but it is far too late for that he said grimly.
Maybe, but I doubt he’s thinking rationally if at all. His wolf seems to be taking over more and his humanity is slipping. Josie rejecting him tipped him over the edge, even if it was what he wanted in the first place. His wolf wanted Josie, and now Drake is paying the price for it. That’s what happens when you ignore the moon goddess’s blessing.
His loss is our gain my wolf snarled Josie is unlike any woman we’ve seen and her wolf is gorgeous. I love them both and so do you. He never should have rejected her, he is the fool. We are the lucky ones!
Yes, we are I told him silently, and let’s pray it remains that way.
Silence. Both of us became lost in our thoughts as we continued to run. We followed Drake and Josie’s scent to an old farmhouse on the outskirts of a rural town. The smell of human blood filled the air. It was repugnant. Humans had resided here, at one stage, and I shuddered, realizing that Drake had no doubt killed them in order to occupy the farmhouse. Evil bastard. My warriors awaited their instructions. I mind-linked them all. Kill all of them on sight. Do not let any of the rogues or Alpha Drake live. They have killed innocent humans. Work as teams and show no mercy.
My warriors agreed and with snarls and growls, we rushed the farm house. I took out two rogues instantly and crashed through the front door, sending it flying off its hinges. Rogues rushed to either escape through the back or fight back. I stalked through the house, killing any I came across, Josie’s scent all over the house. I sniffed, wandering to the basement. A girl rogue was crying softly, clutching herself. I hesitated. She looked up, her eyes swimming with tears. She couldn’t be any older than Josie was. She made no move to stop me from hurting her. She looked broken. Defeated. Like there was nothing worth living for. What had Drake done to her, to make her look like that? I shifted and she cowered back. “Please” she sobbed, “Just make it quick and painless.”
Her clothes were torn and her body was bruised all over. Like she’d been beaten or worse. She avoided my gaze. I felt a pang in my chest. If Josie was here, she would no doubt rush to save the girl and defend her. My mate was compassionate and caring. There was no way I could bring myself to kill a rogue who already looked like she was dead inside.
I mind-linked a warrior who came rushing through. He shifted to human form and stood next to the girl who looked confused. I shifted. “Stand guard over her,” I said quietly, making sure she could hear as she looked up at us both “No one is to touch her. She lives.”
“But Alpha Rohan” he began and I interrupted, my eyes blazing.
“She lives,” I said in a dangerous voice “am I clear?”
He went silent and nodded. I looked at the girl “you will come back to my pack house with me and my mate” I told her as she widened her eyes at me “now where is my mate?” I asked quietly.
She pointed upstairs with a shaky hand. I shifted back to wolf form and took off, darting up the stairs, jumping over rogues, and killing one or two of them on the way up. The closer I got to Josie, the stronger her scent became. I barged through a door and snarled, only to be greeted by a sobbing Josie. I shifted and she flung herself into me as I held her tight. Alpha Drake was dead and I had never felt more proud of my mate than I did at that moment. She’d done it. She’d killed the bastard herself.
Guilt washed over me. I berated myself for not getting here sooner, for forcing Josie to go through whatever she had. Josie wept, her tears soaking my skin and I didn’t care. I only cared about her. We sank to the ground and she sat on my lap, breathing shallowly.
“Josie,” I said gently “honey, I’m so sorry.”
I avoided looking at her neck, where it remained smooth, my mark erased because of that asshole Drake. It angered me to know I would have to mark her again. She sniffed and leaned her head on my shoulder.
“I’m sorry” she whispered.
Sorry? I was the one who should be sorry. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I should have protected you better” I growled, smoothing back her hair and fixing my eyes on her “It’s my job to keep you safe. You mean everything to me” I told her honestly “and I almost lost you.”
I had to know. I tried to phrase this delicately, aware of her naked state and his. “Did…did he..” I trailed off unable to speak the words.
“Did he rape me? He tried, but I killed him before he could” she choked out.
Thank god. My anger flared anew that the bastard had tried to rape my mate, but he was dead and I couldn’t kill him now. My wolf just wanted to keep holding our mate and make sure she was secure.
She eventually stood up and I did the same. She stumbled slightly and I immediately grabbed her, bracing her until she got her balance back. “You’re in no condition to shift or run back home,” I said tightly as she paled. “You’re going to have to ride on my back,” I said as my wolf practically purred at the thought.
She looked like she wanted to argue but in the end, gave a reluctant nod. I swept past her and grabbed the sheet off the bed, wrapping her around in it.
“You’re not going out there naked” I grunted when she looked at me.
My wolf vehemently agreed. Neither of us wanted other men to look at our mate while she was undressed. We felt possessive of her. She gave a shaky smile and held onto my hand. The sounds of fighting had ceased and a quick mind link indicated that nobody was injured and all the rogues, except one, were dead.
I swept Josie up in my arms and she gave a small cry of alarm. “Rohan,” she said weakly, “I can walk.”
I ignored her protests. “Some of the men might need healing” she whispered.
I shook my head. “Worry about yourself right now. Nobody is majorly injured, they’ll be fine.”
She went silent. I felt her concede, her arms wrapping around my neck as I gingerly carried her down the stairs and out of the farm house to outside where my people and the solitary rogue were waiting. Josie looked at the rogue girl intrigued while the rogue blushed and looked away, still in torn clothing.
I placed Josie carefully on her feet. I looked at the rogue. She appeared to be weak and malnourished. Josie looked concerned about her. I expected nothing less from my mate. “You will ride one of my warriors back to the pack,” I said stiffly.
My warriors looked incensed. I shot them a look. They shut up quickly. Josie gave me a smile and had a pleased expression on her face. I stepped back from her and then shifted, my wolf stretching in front of our mate before we slid onto our belly so that she could climb on. My warriors did the same. I saw the rogue slowly climb onto one out of the corner of my eye.
Josie slowly climbed onto me and tingles ran down my back. She gripped my fur, careful not to pull too hard and I got on all fours, turning my head to check that she was okay.
She nodded and I grinned, licking her face as she giggled and then took off running, back the way we came. I was keen to get back to the pack house and have Josie checked over by the doctor and even the rogue girl too. My wolf was content now that we had Josie back and all we could think about was our Luna and how the pack would be rejoicing to have her safely in the community again.
Whether Josie knew it or not, she was highly valued by the pack and respected, with a lot of the pack members wanting nothing more than for the Luna to be happy and healthy and I intended to make sure of that. I never could have anticipated though, what the doctor would announce during the checkup.