The Bloodlust Alpha - Chapter 4: Chapter 4
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"Selly? W-Where's Bentley?"
Lila tried pulling from my grasp in impatience but I didn't let her move away. Goddess knows what awful thing will scar her memories of him. My eyes never strayed away from Bentley's back. It was like any second from now he would just sit up, wipe the dirt off his clothes and say he's fine. It didn't feel like I lost him even when the evidence was right in front of me. I couldn't feel him breathing but somehow a small part of me still believed he'd wake. That small, delusional, helplessly hopeful part of me. I couldn't find myself to admit it.
To admit he was truly gone.
It was just so sudden.
Everything happened way too fast. So fast that I couldn't comprehend it. I had to be stuck in some nightmare. A nightmare I desperately wanted to wake up from. So that when I open my eyes, I'll find Bentley working on his truck, his hands all dirty from oil. He'd be wearing his overalls paired with his work boots like he always did. He'd tell me to take a break, maybe spend some time with Lila over the fields and help her plant some seeds. To find little Jason running around with a stick he found chasing after other pups with their squeals sounding down the pack territory. Luna Thompson would be chatting away with other female wolves about the next feast we'd have. The pack warriors teaching the teens how to fight and train properly for the future.
Anna, Oscar, Remmy, Harden, Cindy, June, Brenda-
All those faces attached to the names I knew so well that I'd never see again. Their expressions of their last moments of life twisted in pure horror was forever engraved in my mind. Those soulless eyes staring right through me. Some had serene, unsuspecting faces. Those who were caught off guard, never truly knowing what fate had in store for them until it was too late.
I shuddered, forcing my eyelids to shut. I couldn't let myself stray away from my objective. I couldn't bring back the dead. My thoughts went to Lila. The best I could do was make sure another wouldn't fall.
There was nothing but rubble left for us here. I couldn't feel any of my bonds with the members connect. My wolf had gotten aquatinted to their wolves and formed a makeshift bond that allowed me to feel them albeit faintly. It didn't give me much information about their whereabouts or thoughts but I could feel their presence on land if I searched hard for it.
And searching for it, I did.
I just didn't find any.
They were wiped out.
Lila stuck on like a leech; clinging onto me like a life preserver. She was definitely traumatized from her earlier incident. She was touched and she saw me kill a man all in the same minute. Maybe there was a small part of her that feared me now. I shook away the thought and frowned at her appearance. Her curly brown hair was a mess on-top her head. Mud, strands of grass and small sticks coated her locks along with her clothes. Her top was getting dirty from the mud on my shirt but she didn't seem to mind. She held tighter despite the cold water saturating through the fabric and soaking into hers.
Lifting my head, I tried to scan around the area.
There were tons of rogues prowling around the territory. Loud howls singing into the night from every direction to state their position. From what I could hear, they almost had every perimeter secured. All except one. The secret exit near the bunker. About thirty of the rogues were roaming around the borders. Securing the exits to make sure no wolf could get out.
Or get in.
The only advantage I have is that I knew the land better, but who's to say they didn't already scout out the area before attacking? Confusion struck within me. How could they have possibly breached the heavily guarded barriers? Duskfall had barbed wires, twenty foot fences, motion detectors, outposts every few feet from each other... how in the world did they managed to weasel themselves in?
Lila whimpered as if sensing my inner turmoil. Tilting my head down, I loosened the hold I was unconsciously tightening around her. Her nails dug into my skin, but I ignored the slight pain. She was feeling antsy. Clearly frazzled from everything that happened thus far. I had to be strong for her. She had no one to depend on but me. If I lost my will now, there'd be no way we'd get out of this alive. Keeping that as my mindset, I hardened myself. I compelled my nerves to steel. Being afraid won't solve anything.
I stood up. Backtracking from the garden before making a dash to the woods. My guard was up. I threw one last glance at Benltey to bid a silent goodbye before running as fast as I could down the narrow pathway.
The rogues were smart enough to cause the fires. Smoke collectively formed a smog around the territory, enwrapping the small houses in the thick swamp of harmful fumes. Not only did it mess with our sense of smell but also our sight. It was a disaster. Calamity's kiss falling upon our pack.
Zooming by the after shadows of the trees, I narrowed my gaze down the course leading to the bunker. I believed some of the pack members managed to hide away before getting caught. We had protocols and practice situation to ensure everyone was quick enough to get there in time. Kind of like drills. No one but the pack members knew of the bunker. It was created for emergencies like this. A witch had cast a protective spell on the structure; hiding its appearance to those unwelcome. The rogues wouldn't have been able to see the bunker or catch a scent on it.
It was the perfect hide out. Completely invisible to the senses unless given permission by the Alpha. When we reached the entrance, I noticed the familiar marking on the stone wall. A black circle with a red insignia inside it.
A witch's mark.
The rogues had a witch with them. That could only mean they had undone the protective spell. I frantically went down the stairs and almost tripped along the way. Stumbling with my feet, I grabbed onto the railing for support. Abruptly, I stopped when we reached the bunker. The door was wide open. A foul smell of flesh reaching my nose. Crestfallen, and horrified, I didn't move an inch.
I didn't need to be a genius to figure out what happened in there. Lila squirmed in my hold. The stench bothering her as she tugged on my shirt. I forced the bile down my throat. The disturbing smell of flesh and blood made me want to hurl. I didn't want to walk in and see the bloodbath that took place in there. I turned on my heel and jogged up the stairs.
I held Lila closer and took off in the other direction from where we first came from.
Everything was hard to see through the fog. The eerie ambiance of the deserted land brought chills to my spine. The place that would've been crowded with people, completely desolate from use. Lila's soft sob vibrated into my chest. She had clutched onto my shirt, her face pressed hard onto my collarbone. I moved her back slightly, cupping her wet cheek against my palm and tilted her head up. Her eyes were puffy, lips swollen and trembling. As quietly as I could, I whispered down to her,
"Lila, I need you to be very quiet."
I looked from my left to the right before turning back to her once I saw the coast was clear. I was completely on edge. I felt like at any moment, one of the rogues will just jump out and attack us. My paranoia brought on thoughts that scared me to the bones. Thoughts like what would happen if they caught us, or if they'd just kill us on spot.
"The bad guys will hear us if you're not."
Lila's cries stopped as she stared up at me. She sniffled, rubbing her little fists against her eyes.
"They'll get us like they got Bentley?"
My chest tightened at the name. With a curt nod, I skimmed my thumb over the edge of her eye. Wiping away her tears, I grimaced at the afterthought of Bentley. His body and blood flashing through my mind. The same kind of state we'd be in if we didn't escape. The cold wind brewing over us bit into my flesh, encouraging goosebumps to rise from my skin. The call of midnight just above our heads.
"Yes."
Nodding to herself, she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her entirety into my embrace. Her soft whimpers ceased as she remained still in my arms. She was resolved in keeping quiet, knowing just how crucial silence was to our survival. I carefully walked down the slope. I was freezing in my wet clothes, the wind seeping through the fabric. The pack was most likely deserted. Most wolves killed if they didn't escape.
Unable to think of anything else, I reached out in my bond to call for my parents. I hoped that after reaching them, they'd call for reinforcements. The Beta had enough power to summon a small group of warriors to a pack in need without the Alpha's supervision. It was rare that these things happened, but if they did, the Beta wouldn't have done so unless absolutely necessary. I kept trying to search for our connection but I couldn't find it. My wolf tilted her head in confusion.
My eyebrows knit together until I understood what happened. Both my mother and father's walls were up. I couldn't get through to them. They were purposely shutting me out. Not even my wolf could get through to their wolves. I haven't tried to reach out to them in two months, and now I knew that if I did, it wouldn't have gone through. This was their way of officially cutting ties with me. My chest burned in grief. I could feel a lump weighing down in the pit of my stomach. Surely Hestia wouldn't have the done the same. I tried searching for her bond in my head.
Nothing.
Feeling sick all of a sudden, I flinched hearing sticks snap from behind me. I didn't wait to turn around to jump behind a tree. Pressing my back to the bark, I held Lila protectively against me. Her figure quivered in my hold because she too, heard it. I waited. Slowly, when nothing could be heard, I peeked over the trunk. Three wolves were roaming down the woods. They looked around, eyes searching with snouts raised in the air in attempt to catch a scent. The fire's fumes made it impossible.
I held my breath. Placing a hand over Lila's mouth, her breathing harbored. I stood completely still. I hoped they didn't feel my presence. I was sure they couldn't smell me but hearing me was a different issue. The tiniest bit of noise would get their attention. A sudden cracking reverberated down the woods.
"All clear?"
A masculine voice asked. A similar sound repeated before I heard the rustling of leaves coming closer.
"Clear."
A different voice responded. This time, female. The third wolf shifted. Lila peered up to me with wide eyes. She knew these were "the bad guys that got Bentley". Shaking in her thin shirt, she turned away in fear. Her little arms unwrapped itself around me and bent so she could cover her ears with her hands. I wanted to console her, to assure her everything was alright but now was not the time. If I wasn't careful, there will never be a time.
A cackle echoed.
"And they call us heartless."
The male voice said amusedly. A loud crash mixing with a frustrated groan of aggravation followed by the fall of a tree sounded. The crows cawing flew to the opposite direction from where they originally perched on. I resisted the urge to make a sound, pressing my hand down on Lila's mouth harder when I felt a whimper try to slip through. The feminine voice laughed.
"To think that Alpha ignored our threats. They think too little of us. How careless."
She walked on,
"I heard the Beta sent his daughter here."
The female said smugly. The mock and taunt clear in her tone. She was feeling quite proud of herself. My eyebrows rose up when I realized what she had said.
Beta's daughter?
I froze, turning to the direction of where they were and felt my heart pound. Were they talking about me?
"The Beta sent his daughter here? Even though we've been sending out warnings since three months ago?"
The third voice asked, not really expecting an answer. Warnings? My jaw clenched. My father knew? They all knew there'd be an attack? They knew and chose not to do anything?
My tongue darted out, licking my dried lips as I listened in. Anxiety crept up behind me. They were probably a few feet from where I stood behind the tree. They were only getting closer as they walked down the clearing. I couldn't exactly run when they'd all chase after me and inevitably catch me. I decided that waiting out was the most logical route to handle this.
"The fucker clearly wanted her to die. She was unwanted. The mole reported the Alpha was her mate. Yet the little shit rejected her. Picked her sister, apparently. Guess it'd make it easier for him if his mate died."
He laughed,
"Ain't that a tragedy?"
Hot, fresh sets of tears rolled down my cheeks. In anger, I forced the emotions within me to calm. I couldn't have them sense my presence. I wasn't too worried about Lila since she was still a child. It was harder to detect children's presence since they haven't shifted yet. Were's who had their wolves were very noticeable if they couldnt hide their presence. The more emotion you felt, the clearer you were to their sight.
My thoughts circled back to my "family".
They knew. They received and ignored all warnings about an attack. They sent me here willingly to die. They blocked my bond with them because they knew I would try to reach out for help. Help they would deny me. They had forsaken me and left me to the trenches of death. The grim reaper the only one willing to catch me when I fall. The ultimate betrayal of the people I grew up with. The man I called my father, the woman I called my mother and the child I called my sister.
I didn't allow myself to even think about that man I called my mate.
I should've known they were heartless enough to lead me to my demise. I didn't think they were heartless enough to abandon them. The Nightwake pack had more than enough resources to send help; whether it be food, shelter or man power. If the pack warriors were to come running, they'd get here in an hour compared to two days by car. The warriors were much more in terms of speed and endurance. A normal wolf would get here in at least a day even after shifting.
I was angry at the fact they allowed innocent lives to get involved. Packs never abandoned allies. A werewolves word was supposed to be law.
Nightwake and Duskfall were allies since 1807. They had the treaties and everything.
They purposely ignored the message and chose to overlook the attack. They gave shoulder to people in need of help. The sad thing was, three months ago, Alpha Harrison was still in charge. Hating Landon for it would've been easier, but knowing that the Alpha even I respected had a part in this was simply too disappointing. They chose to let these people drown in a sea of blood.
They chose to allow the rogues to triumph.
It would seem they were traitors in more ways than one.
"Are you sure we got everyone, Draxyn?"
"Draxyn" snarled at the question. His aggression rolled off him in huge bulks. My wolf rumbled at the pressure. She didn't like the dominance he was omitting to us even when it wasn't on purpose. She felt the urgency to get Lila out of here as quickly as we could. She knew the chances of us escaping was only slimming down the closer these wolves got. They all radiated a form of power. Wild, untamed, and raw power they weren't afraid of using without discretion.
"I'm sure you know the consequences for questioning me, Fio. Or must I remind you?"
I heard a slight whimper echo. Ripples of fear reaching me from this 'Fio' person. I took a risk. I peered over the tree trunk just enough so I can get a quick glance of the rogues. The three wolves were in human form, completely in the nude. Nudity wasn't really a big issue anymore within packs, especially with rogues. Showing off their structures was like demonstrating their power. A silent presentation of status. The thicker in muscles they were, the more power they held.
The female in the trio bending her head down in submission trembled in her spot. I could guess that the male standing firm in front of her was Draxyn. His fists were balled, dark eyes narrowed down at the female. His head was shaven clean on one side with a tattoo of a dagger running down the side of his skull to the very length of his neck.
He was massive.
Almost as muscular as Alpha Thompson. He had streaks of black ink curving down his biceps and over his chest. Dark hair dripping with blood over his skin. The other male, who's name I still didn't know, had curly dark locks reaching his shoulders. I didn't have time to continue observing them when he spoke,
"Relax, Draxyn. She didn't mean it like that. You know Xeneron will have our heads if we fail. He wants the pack wiped out clean. No survivors."
After a second of silence the pressure diminished. It seemed like curly head's words knocked some sense into him. Fio visibly relaxed and sent curly head a look of thanks when she felt Draxyn's anger subside. I couldn't blame her for feeling so submissive. His power was tremendously heavy. Not as heavy as an Alpha's, but quite notable for someone not in power.
Dropping his shoulders to relax himself, Draxyn sighed heavily. He pinched the bridge of his nose irritably with his temper threatening to return. He took a moment to recollect his thoughts before turning to look at curly head,
"Call the mutts. We've done our job here. It's time we go back."
Bowing at his order, curly head stilled. His eyes blanking out as he spoke to the other members through mind link. When he finished, the three turned around without another word. They hunched over the ground, hands digging into the soil with their backs arched up. They were mid shifting with fur starting to pierce through their skin when Fio suddenly looked over her shoulder. Quickly, I held still against the tree trunk. My breathing stopped, my heart racing and the damned migraine came back.
Did she see me?
A second went by in silence. By the sound of it none of them have shifted. There was no bone cracking or paw pounding. There wasn't the tiniest bit of shuffling around the leaves scattered all over the ground to indicate that they've moved. The slightest of movements would've been heard especially with my heightened hearing. Yet there came none. I broke into cold sweat. In that split second, I tried wracking my brain apart trying to think of a good way to escape. A way that would give us more than a fifty percent possibility of survival. It's not like i could climb a tree with Lila with me.
Time was not on our side.
The rogues held their positions. Fio must've caught a feel of my presence and notified her colleagues through mind link. The initial pressure I felt before returned at full blast if not tripling. All of them with their power combined made my bones go weak. Only this time, it was directed at me. I could feel their savage intentions expel from their aura's. Lila must've felt it too as she began to quiver in my arms.
It was a do or die situation. Any moment now, they'd lunge at me. I wasn't sure if they knew my exact location but chances are, they did. I cursed under my breath and with a second on my watch, I bolted down the domain. The fog encompassing the plains made running harder but at the same time, hiding easier. I could easily lose them if I run fast enough. I could hear the three wolves quickly chasing after me, their ferocious snarls egging me on.
Sliding down the mound, I turned over my shoulder to see the three of them in their wolf forms.
Their paws hammered down into the dirt under our feet. Their speed increasing as they slowly closed the distance. Cutting corners was the only way I could shake them off. Pushing myself as fast and as far as I could get us, I jumped over the stream and nearly got out when another wolf coming from the opposite side caught me by the leg. Canines descended down and broke into my skin, drawing drops of blood to trail down my calf. He held my leg in his jaw, biting down with as much force as he could before I kicked at his muzzle. It let go instantly. Shaking it's head to get rid of the damage. The other three were quickly approaching.
With Lila still in my arms, I braced myself for impact and shut my eyes but snapped them open when I heard a furious rumble from the front. Craning my head up, I saw a bloody Alpha Thompson in front of me, holding onto the wolf's jaw with his bare hands. Tearing it apart, he threw the limp body to the side, puffing out his chest as the three wolves halted. Their dark eyes zeroed in on their fallen comrade before shifting to Alpha Thompson in anger.
They studied him, fully aware that he was an Alpha. The medium sized wolf tilted its head, pacing to the right. The other, going to the left. The biggest one, who I assumed was Draxyn, remained in the middle, eyes narrowed down on me.
"Leave!"
Alpha Thompson bellowed to me without turning. He was breathing hard, his body all scratched up with pieces of flesh torn off. The three wolves quickly launched at him when they realized he was stalling for time. Taking all of them at once, he pushed his body forward, hands grasping at any part of their bodies before hitting as hard as he could. He managed to push one off, the smaller of the three sniveling at it's broken rib. They didn't waste any time before lunging toward him again, catching his arm in one jaw and his right leg in the other. Alpha Thompson groaned, frigidly trying to tear his arm out of the wolf's mouth. He kicked at at the wolf, trying to shake it off.
Scrambling to get up, I sprint toward the exit of the pack territory. I didn't wait to hear the increase of growls heading toward our direction. The ground shook under me.
The rogues called for reinforcements.
Panting out loudly, I rushed down the small hill and nearly tripped in the process. I was so close to the gate when something large collided into me. I yelped, my hold on Lila slipping as she fell to the other side of the ground with me rolling over the grass. I winced in pain, the arm I landed on broken and throbbing with hurt. A moment of haziness washed over me. My head going woozy as I tried to focus my vision by blinking a few times.
I raised my head, trying to see what had crashed into me only to fall silent. Draxyn stood there in his human form. A smirk was in place as he walked ever so slowly toward me in mock. I hissed, forcing myself to move. My arms wobbled when I tried to push myself off the ground only to be slammed down when Draxyn's foot pushed on my back. When I resisted, he pushed harder. I could feel my bones cracking under the weight of his foot.
A laugh pulled from his lips. Deep, croaky and full of amusement. Tilting his head to the side with a cocked brow, he sighed exaggeratedly before winding his leg back and kicking me in the side. I felt a bone shatter inside from the impact. A huff of air forcibly kicked out of me. I coughed, my stomach twisting in agony as my body took on a curled position. Blood trickled down my mouth. I laid on my side, my arms going over my stomach protectively when I noticed Lila sitting on her knees staring at me with misty eyes. Cuts adorned her face, arms and legs. The fall had hurt her far more than I thought. She sat there completely scared and confused on what to do.
She just stared at me in question.
Draxyn noticed my attention elsewhere, curiously looking in the direction i stared at and froze at what he found. He turned back to me, a sinister smile stretching across his face as he strode over to Lila. I could feel my mouth opening, my voice finding itself to scream out "no! Stop! Leave her alone !" but he didn't. Using my forearms as a grip, I desperately tried to crawl toward her but it was too late.
Lila screamed as Draxyn bent over to grab her by the neck roughly. He held her up like she was weightless. Flickering my gaze to his other hand, my eyes widened at the ascending claws coming from the tips of his fingers. A whimper broke out from me, my wolf growing loud in my ears but unable to do anything. I could feel my eyes water, my heart raging on in panic at what was to come. Draxyn gave me one last glance, his eyes holding mine, and he smiled.
Then as quick as he did, he punctured his claws into Lila's stomach, ripping a line down her flesh. She screamed hauntingly, tears running down her cheeks as her face contorted in unmeasurable pain. Eyebrows pressed together, lips parting widely, body convulsing from the damage she took. Her blood bled into her shirt, staining the fabric damp. She gurgled, choking from the grip Draxyn had around her neck.
I felt my claws extending, my fur starting to bristle out. I still couldn't shift but my wolf was desperately making an attempt. She went against reality, trying to wedge herself in the seat of control. I see her throwing herself against my walls. Head smashing against her barriers in brashness. Her rabid, feral snarls resonating in my head as her black eyes glowed lividly. It was suicide. I could die from the overwhelming stress burdening my body. I no longer had control of my emotions. They spiraled out, willing my wolf to come forth to wreck havoc on all who dared to hurt us. I knew the chances of dying were high, but if it meant saving Lila, I was willing to go through with it.
The same thirst for blood I felt over the man who had pinned Lila under him returned with the same intensity. My blood pumped with desire to see him bleed, eyes seeing red as my body moved on its own accord. With a cry, I hurled myself up, throwing my body in his direction. I elbowed him, getting him to let go of the little girl before stumbling back over his feet. Angry eyes searched wildly for the source as they fell on me. He growled, muscles taut in rage.
His aura no longer took its effect on me. I was far too clouded with the impulse of impaling him with my claws to take notice of the murderous looks he threw me. In a nanosecond, he slung himself at me and withdrew his hands back to grab me. His bloodied claw swiped at my arm, a hiss leaving my lips when he grazed me enough to break skin. I raised my leg, kicking him at his waist with hard force. I heard a painful creak sound from his body. Draxyn snarled. His eyes dropped to his scratches and the place I kicked him at.
He was angry.
I was sure I left a bruise there but it wasn't enough to break a bone. I had no prior training skills. I was relying solely on basic instinct.
Animalistic, primal instincts.
Draxyn didn't waste another minute before launching his other attack on me but I managed to deflect it. I moved aside before he could reach me. Peeking over to Lila, blood was beginning to pool around her. She laid there, coughing out blood as she cried silently. Her head turned to the side to watch me. Her eyes were already starting to droop. She didn't have much time left. Tightening down on my jaw, I faced Draxyn head-on, ignoring my wolf's barks to stall. She was guiding me. Telling me what to do.
She told me to push harder.
And so I did.
With everything I had, I slid over the ground and managed to trip him. He fell hard on the floor, not having enough time to regain his composure when I straddled him. I snaked my arms around his neck, my legs secured around his waist and tightened my hold. My broken arm hurt so much, a sense of fire burning through my tissues at the feel. Draxyn stirred around violently. He elbowed me in my stomach, forcing my hold to loosen but I grabbed hold of his hair and forced his head against the ground multiple times.
Slamming his skull down with more force each time, his body weakened. He went limp. Some blood poured out of his head. Unconscious but not dead. The sound of footsteps quickly advancing broke me out of my bloodlust trance. Help was on the way. Help for him that is. Getting off of him, I limped my way to Lila, carefully pulling her in arms and tried not to cry at her gaping wounds. The pain of my broken arm, soon forgotten about. Her face had paled, lips shaking and turning blue.
She was dying.
"I'm-"
She whimpered, squeezing my shirt in her fist. Swallowing, I forced a smile on my face as I looked down at her. The facade I forced on my face trembling, no matter how hard I tried to keep it straight.
"Yes, baby?"
Running down the exit, I forced the exhaustion trying to overtake me out of my head. My body willed me to take a rest. My eyelids losing the strength to keep them open. Shaking off my tiredness, I bit down on my lip to stimulate pain. But it wasn't enough. Against everything I had, I prayed so desperately to the Moon Goddess. To the Moon Goddess who'd ignored all my prayers before. I begged her to take my life instead of Lila's. I begged her to listen to my pleas and spare the innocent child's life. I knew that it was idiotic but I had nothing else I could've done. Nothing else I could offer.
"I'm scared."
She whispered. Lila sobbed, eyes glassy with tears. Her little fingers curling around my shirt.
"Mama... I'm scared."
My heart broke. The composure I tried to maintain breaking as my own tears broke through. Kissing her forehead, I set her down, ripping my shirt to wrap around her wound. Her blood quickly soaked through it. Negative thoughts filled my mind one by one; telling me she wouldn't make it, telling me it was my fault for being too weak, telling me that I failed her just like everyone else.
"S-Sweetheart, you have to hold onto it, okay?"
I took her hands in mine and laid it over her wound. She winced, crying harder at the pain. She barely shook her head before I pressed them against her wounds harder. Scooping her up in my arms, I ran forward. I couldn't keep count of how much time had past. I could only hear her heartbeats slowing down. I was losing time. Lila's warm blood dripped down my arms.
Suddenly, I remembered one more thing.
Landon.
Throwing my pride, anger, humiliation, betrayal away, I reached out to him.
He didn't have a wall up.
I began to feel hopeful. My wolf howled, feeling Landon's wolf perk at our attempt at communication. A burst of happiness swelling in my chest but it came down all too quickly. Like a metal wall suddenly clamping down, he blocked us out the moment he felt me call for him. And not a minute later, excruciating pain shot up at my neck. I felt like I was being skinned alive. My knees bucked, my body falling over to the ground once more. I tried to go on to the bond, slamming everything I had frantically agaisnt his walls.
He would feel my desperation.
He'd feel how badly I was trying to break though to him.
And he ignored me.
As the pain in my neck pulsed through, my wolf howled in agony. Curling herself in the corner of my mind, she scratched at her chest with her claws. Rabid growls surrounding her as she kept clawing at herself.
She was trying to kill herself.
Landon had marked my sister.
Hestia had marked Landon.
Tears ran down the side of my face, falling to Lila's pale cheek. I urged my legs to keep moving, but every wave of pain coming over me immobilized my body. My legs, paralyzed and unmoving, twitching uncontrollably.
"No, no, no-"
I cried hoarsely. My nails dug into the ground in a pathetic attempt to crawl my way down. I dragged my body over the soil, collecting mud on the way. Thuds pounding in my skull had me sobbing at my weakness. The last fragment of my bond to Landon cruelly snapping apart. I felt everything. The Moon Goddess' punishment for going against her blessings. A punishment I wasn't deserving of. I felt a drop of water hit my forehead.
It started to rain.
The water puddled around my body, rolling off my skin and soaking in my hair. The cool comfort of rain doing nothing to ease the fire burning in my abdomen. My strength slowly dispersed from inside me. I felt so cold but so hot. Shiver after shiver, the heat in my body left me defenseless. I kept holding on, trying my hardest to keep going. Lila's breathing was shallow. Her small chest lifting and falling slowly.
All color was draining from her face.
Then suddenly another wave of pain overcame me.
They were mating again. This time, a lot more intense because of the aftershock of marking. My claws extended out. My body moved on its own. My wolf was trying to take control, to end the life I had because of our mate. She was going crazy, not thinking clearly and purely acting on emotion. A sort of high soaking my mind to numbness.
"Ma-Mama..."
Slowly my eyes started to close. Despite the desperation to keep myself awake, I was slipping into the darkness consuming me whole. I forced my head to the side, seeing Lila's hazel eyes piercing into me. Her hand outreached to touch me but failing to. Spurring the last remaining strength inside me, I tried to lift my hand to touch her. To feel her soft curls in my hand but the only thing I could move were my fingers.
"No- Lila... please- no. Please... god- no, baby no-"
I whispered, the feel of my tears sliding down my cheek washed away from the rain was the last thing I could remember before passing out.
Darkness.
I was laying in an ocean of darkness. Unable to see, feel, or move anything. Only my mind was conscious, my senses all numbed out except my hearing and smell. I gradually picked up on the faint sound of something beeping.
I don't know where I am, but my sense of smell returned. I caught whiffs of multiple wolf scents but none of them are any one that I recognize. That could only mean I was in uncharted territory.
"Alpha Meredith is here. She wants to see the girl."
Said a soft feminine voice. I heard someone respond but I couldn't catch what he said. Next thing I know, I heard the door creak and close shut. I was alone. I couldn't feel any other presence in the room except mine.
Alpha Meredith?
Alpha Meredith Crestfield?
Isn't she the Alpha of the Greyhound pack? The only female Alpha on the board as of right now? I felt myself begin to panic. If I was on Greyhound territory, then I was on enemy territory. Neither Duskfall or Nightwake were allies with Greyhound. This was looking bad.
My eyes suddenly fluttered open upon command. Bright light invading my sight making me squint in discomfort. Blinking away the confusion, I tried to sit up. My body felt so rigid. So stiff. I gasped out, feeling an ache shoot up everywhere just from trying to move. I let myself fall back into the bed. Turning my head to the side, the first thing I saw was the lavender paint on the walls. A few paintings of scenery hung up with a two person couch pressed to side near the window. I was in bed, dressed in a hospital gown with an IV needle punctured in my arm. Sweeping my eyes across the room, I noticed a small vase of carnations on the coffee table.
What the hell happened?
I tried to remember the last thing I did before passing out but it only made my head hurt. Everything was a blur. I groaned, grasping my forehead in my hands when the door slammed open. I quickly sat up despite the immediate protest of my body.
"I see you're awake."
A tall, older woman with gray hair tied into a bun stood at the doorway. She was dressed in a black blazer, dress pants and flats. Her intense hazel eyes peering appraisingly at me. I didn't miss the way her eyes scanned down my body with slight scrutiny. She was definitely the Alpha. Alpha Meredith Crestfield. The power she was emitting told me so. If anyone other than I was sitting here, they would've bowed their head in submission. But something told me not to.
Something told me to hold my ground and keep my head high.
I opened my mouth to say something but couldn't find my voice. So instead, I simply nodded.
The Alpha seemed pleased with something. I don't know if it was because she was happy I can understand her or if she was happy I wasn't backing down. Normally, Alpha's hated to be challenged or intimidated. It made them feel like their power and strength was being questioned. I guess it was one of those Alpha territorial things.
Alpha Crestfield sighed through her nose. Walking to my side, she stood straight and tall. I couldn't understand why I felt such a connection to her. I wasn't feeling scared nor was I really panicking now that I met her face to face. I felt similar to her on a spiritual level. My wolf was basking in her presence as well. A little confused, but happy to be near her.
What the actual hell?
"You're on Greyhound territory, my dear."
She said suddenly, her voice void of emotion. I swallowed. Was this the part she told me I was going to be held captive and that the only way for me to return home was by talking to Landon? Anger soared through my veins at the name. The man who was supposed to love me, cherish me, understand me had betrayed me in the worst of ways. I might've accepted his decision to reject me, but I would never forgive the fact he decided not to help Duskfall-
My breathing hitched.
Lila.
I quickly looked up at the Alpha, my eyes wide in realization.
"The- The little girl! I was with- Lila, where is she? Is she- Is she okay?"
The blankness on Alpha Crestfield's face faltered. Her lips tugged down the tiniest bit before she hid it well. For a split second, I could see something under her facade.
Something I could associate myself with for the past few months.
Sadness.
She didn't need to say anything. I knew, deep down inside what happened. I knew, with all my heart, that my precious little angel didn't make it. But I still betted on that zero point one percent chance that she survived. Even with all the odds against it, I hoped. Hope that had shattered with the way the Alpha's gaze dropped. Staring at her with all the courage I could muster, my lips moved on their own,
"Let me see her... please."
Alpha Crestield's eyes snapped up to me, a small huff of breath leaving her. She looked reluctant. She was more than wary of me and it was understandable seeing how I got here but I just needed to see her. I needed to. If it meant fighting my way to see her, then so be it.
"Please. I'm begging you."
Finally, her hazel eyes softened at my blue ones. She nodded in agreement.
"I'll get you a wheelchair."
"No."
I said, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.
"I'd rather walk."
Pressing her lips in a thin hard line, she nodded again. The nurses who were standing right outside came in. They all fussed over me, helping me get up and removing the IV needle from my arm. Embarrassingly enough, I could barely walk. My arm had already healed and so did the minor injuries all over my body. With the exhaustion and trauma I'd undergone, it wasn't a surprise I hadn't completely healed yet.
Wolves may heal faster but we weren't immune to human injuries and severe exhaustion. I was still a little sore, but in wholeness, I was fine. One of the nurses held me up, tucking her arm around my waist and helped me keep up with the Alpha. We walked out of the room and into the hallway.
We were in the pack house.
A few curious wolves looked at me in question. Their probing gazes drilling holes into my back as we passed by. I tried not to let it bother me when some would whisper to each other about who I was. To most of them, I was a poor survivor of the Duskfall pack, if not the only one. We walked down the corridor and down the stairs until we reached a huge metal door guarded by two warriors. The two were talking to a lean man dressed formally.
"Alpha Meredith."
The man was wearing a white button down and bowed at Alpha Crestfield. His gaze shifted to me. His eyes widened by a fraction before returning back to the Alpha.
"Are you here to see..."
He cleared his throat uncomfortably,
"-the bodies?"
I flinched at the last word. Did they collect everyone's body and bring them here? Alpha Crestfield nodded once, not bothered by his words. Pursing his lips together, he made way for us to pass and opened the metal door. A gush of cool air smacked me in the face. The Alpha and a few of her men walked in first. I allowed them to get a few steps ahead of me before making any more to get inside. I followed, taking cautious steps in and held back a sob at the sight.
Bodies in white bodybags were set up in a line. About forty of them were in here. I sucked in a shaky breath, looking at the bodies I undoubtedly know but couldn't bear to see. I felt a squeeze on my shoulder. Looking at the hand over my skin, I found the nurse who was holding me. She shot me a sad smile, sympathy crossing her gentle features. I couldn't bring myself to smile or say a word of thanks for her attempt for comfort.
Feeling so much at the same time that I couldn't feel it anymore made me this way.
I was so far gone.
"The rest of them... were unsalvageable."
Alpha Crestfield explained. She looked at the sea of bodies with false indifference. I could feel her sadness radiate off her but she wouldn't let it show on her face. Not in front of me, not in front of her pack members.
"Just limbs and pieces left behind."
"And the Alpha?"
Alpha Crestfield went quiet. I looked at her, surprised to see her lips forming a deep frown.
"Dismembered and tossed in the river with the Luna."
My eyes widened as a sharp whimper left me. My wolf's ears hanging low with her tail in between her legs. Her sadness mixed with mine as we thought back to the kind words of the Alpha- our Alpha. A whole bloodline was erased.
The Alpha, the Luna and then, their son.
The rogues really didn't leave anything behind. Nothing, except me.
"The girl..."
I stiffened.
"She's over there."
I followed Alpha Crestfield to the corner of the morgue. A small body bag laid on the table. I looked at the Alpha, her mouth not moving but her eyes telling me to go on. Lifting my hand up, I took the zipper in my fingers and slowly unzipped the bag. A wad of curly brown hair peeked through, her face pale without blood to color her skin, her eyes closed and thick lashes casting shadows under her eyes, her small button nose, dry and colorless lips in a pout.
She looked so at peace, as though she was sleeping and not completely out of my reach.
"Ho-How did you find me?"
Alpha Crestfield stood behind me. She placed a hand on my back. Her warmth sending a soothing touch to both me and my wolf. She felt so... motherly.
"You were within my territory. Only six minutes away."
My eyes went misty with tears that refused to fall. After all the crying I've done, I couldn't handle it anymore. I was tired trying to be strong. Tired of trying to stop it. I knelt down, sniffling as I wrapped my arm over her cold, lifeless body. Her words calling me "mama" replaying in my head. Pressing my head on her stomach, I cried for my loss. Cried for the people I grew to love but lost all too quickly.
I cried for the weakness I had.
Cried for my inability to have done something.
Cried for the lives I desperately wanted to save.
Cried for the fact I was left alone yet again.
Cried for the family I held love for, only to find out they wanted me dead.
Cried for the mate that cruelly abandoned me when I needed him most.
Cried for letting Lila slip through my fingers.
But most of all, I was angry.
Angry at the people who had done this.
Angry at my biological family.
Angry at the bond that ruined me inside and out.
Angry at the Moon Goddess who seemed to be so hell bent on bringing me misfortune.
Angry at Landon and Hestia for mating and marking each other, causing me to pass out with Lila dying within my arms reach.
Angry at myself for not being able to push through when help was literally six minutes away.
Had I kept pushing, kept going, had I not passed out, I would've had a chance to save her. A slim chance, but a chance regardless. A chance I would've taken for anything.
I was angry at my powerlessness.
Angry at the fact I was proving my parents right by letting everyone I cared for down.
Angry for everything that has happened to me.
Angry for having my happiness stripped away when I finally acquired it.
Tears trailed down my face, eyes heated with hatred burning deep in my soul. My hands were clenched, body shaking with fury that needed to be released on those rogues. I swore, with everything inside me, I would get revenge. Be it now or in decades, I will make them pay. All of them.
"Your mate is an Alpha, isn't he?"
Alpha Crestfield asked. I breathed in, slowly turning to look at her. She stood there in complete composure. Her hand never left my back. Her eyes sharp and calculating as she waited for my answer. She knew what it was, but she wanted to hear it from me. To see if I would try to lie to her. Gritting my teeth, I laughed bitterly.
"Yes. An Alpha."
I said, thinking about their faces and the deep rooted rage I felt overflowing.
"But he's not my mate."
Alpha Crestfield rose a brow, a small smirk pulling at her lips. Withdrawing her hand to her side, she lifted her head higher. She looked amused. Happy, even. Her aged but beautiful face, contorting in slyness.
"I see."
She mumbled lowly,
"You want revenge, don't you?"
My wolf perked at the tone in her voice. A suggesting, knowing one. Without hesitation, I nodded. Looking at Lila one last time, I let my hand caress her cold cheek.My fragile heart chipping away the final layers of warmth left inside me.
"More than anything."
Silence seeped into the room. A few seconds went by before I finally heard something. The men and nurse that had accompanied us started walking out the door, closing it behind them. Alpha Crestfield and I were the last ones in the room. She smiled, her eyes lighting up with interest.
"Would you like a chance to fulfill it?"
My eyes connected with hers. I knew she was deathly serious, but so was I. This woman, the Alpha of Greyhound, was giving me a chance. A chance I never got in Nightwake. A chance in getting vengeance on those who wronged me. A chance to rip into that rogue's chest and tear out his heart.
A chance I wasn't stupid enough to let up.
"Yes."
Lila tried pulling from my grasp in impatience but I didn't let her move away. Goddess knows what awful thing will scar her memories of him. My eyes never strayed away from Bentley's back. It was like any second from now he would just sit up, wipe the dirt off his clothes and say he's fine. It didn't feel like I lost him even when the evidence was right in front of me. I couldn't feel him breathing but somehow a small part of me still believed he'd wake. That small, delusional, helplessly hopeful part of me. I couldn't find myself to admit it.
To admit he was truly gone.
It was just so sudden.
Everything happened way too fast. So fast that I couldn't comprehend it. I had to be stuck in some nightmare. A nightmare I desperately wanted to wake up from. So that when I open my eyes, I'll find Bentley working on his truck, his hands all dirty from oil. He'd be wearing his overalls paired with his work boots like he always did. He'd tell me to take a break, maybe spend some time with Lila over the fields and help her plant some seeds. To find little Jason running around with a stick he found chasing after other pups with their squeals sounding down the pack territory. Luna Thompson would be chatting away with other female wolves about the next feast we'd have. The pack warriors teaching the teens how to fight and train properly for the future.
Anna, Oscar, Remmy, Harden, Cindy, June, Brenda-
All those faces attached to the names I knew so well that I'd never see again. Their expressions of their last moments of life twisted in pure horror was forever engraved in my mind. Those soulless eyes staring right through me. Some had serene, unsuspecting faces. Those who were caught off guard, never truly knowing what fate had in store for them until it was too late.
I shuddered, forcing my eyelids to shut. I couldn't let myself stray away from my objective. I couldn't bring back the dead. My thoughts went to Lila. The best I could do was make sure another wouldn't fall.
There was nothing but rubble left for us here. I couldn't feel any of my bonds with the members connect. My wolf had gotten aquatinted to their wolves and formed a makeshift bond that allowed me to feel them albeit faintly. It didn't give me much information about their whereabouts or thoughts but I could feel their presence on land if I searched hard for it.
And searching for it, I did.
I just didn't find any.
They were wiped out.
Lila stuck on like a leech; clinging onto me like a life preserver. She was definitely traumatized from her earlier incident. She was touched and she saw me kill a man all in the same minute. Maybe there was a small part of her that feared me now. I shook away the thought and frowned at her appearance. Her curly brown hair was a mess on-top her head. Mud, strands of grass and small sticks coated her locks along with her clothes. Her top was getting dirty from the mud on my shirt but she didn't seem to mind. She held tighter despite the cold water saturating through the fabric and soaking into hers.
Lifting my head, I tried to scan around the area.
There were tons of rogues prowling around the territory. Loud howls singing into the night from every direction to state their position. From what I could hear, they almost had every perimeter secured. All except one. The secret exit near the bunker. About thirty of the rogues were roaming around the borders. Securing the exits to make sure no wolf could get out.
Or get in.
The only advantage I have is that I knew the land better, but who's to say they didn't already scout out the area before attacking? Confusion struck within me. How could they have possibly breached the heavily guarded barriers? Duskfall had barbed wires, twenty foot fences, motion detectors, outposts every few feet from each other... how in the world did they managed to weasel themselves in?
Lila whimpered as if sensing my inner turmoil. Tilting my head down, I loosened the hold I was unconsciously tightening around her. Her nails dug into my skin, but I ignored the slight pain. She was feeling antsy. Clearly frazzled from everything that happened thus far. I had to be strong for her. She had no one to depend on but me. If I lost my will now, there'd be no way we'd get out of this alive. Keeping that as my mindset, I hardened myself. I compelled my nerves to steel. Being afraid won't solve anything.
I stood up. Backtracking from the garden before making a dash to the woods. My guard was up. I threw one last glance at Benltey to bid a silent goodbye before running as fast as I could down the narrow pathway.
The rogues were smart enough to cause the fires. Smoke collectively formed a smog around the territory, enwrapping the small houses in the thick swamp of harmful fumes. Not only did it mess with our sense of smell but also our sight. It was a disaster. Calamity's kiss falling upon our pack.
Zooming by the after shadows of the trees, I narrowed my gaze down the course leading to the bunker. I believed some of the pack members managed to hide away before getting caught. We had protocols and practice situation to ensure everyone was quick enough to get there in time. Kind of like drills. No one but the pack members knew of the bunker. It was created for emergencies like this. A witch had cast a protective spell on the structure; hiding its appearance to those unwelcome. The rogues wouldn't have been able to see the bunker or catch a scent on it.
It was the perfect hide out. Completely invisible to the senses unless given permission by the Alpha. When we reached the entrance, I noticed the familiar marking on the stone wall. A black circle with a red insignia inside it.
A witch's mark.
The rogues had a witch with them. That could only mean they had undone the protective spell. I frantically went down the stairs and almost tripped along the way. Stumbling with my feet, I grabbed onto the railing for support. Abruptly, I stopped when we reached the bunker. The door was wide open. A foul smell of flesh reaching my nose. Crestfallen, and horrified, I didn't move an inch.
I didn't need to be a genius to figure out what happened in there. Lila squirmed in my hold. The stench bothering her as she tugged on my shirt. I forced the bile down my throat. The disturbing smell of flesh and blood made me want to hurl. I didn't want to walk in and see the bloodbath that took place in there. I turned on my heel and jogged up the stairs.
I held Lila closer and took off in the other direction from where we first came from.
Everything was hard to see through the fog. The eerie ambiance of the deserted land brought chills to my spine. The place that would've been crowded with people, completely desolate from use. Lila's soft sob vibrated into my chest. She had clutched onto my shirt, her face pressed hard onto my collarbone. I moved her back slightly, cupping her wet cheek against my palm and tilted her head up. Her eyes were puffy, lips swollen and trembling. As quietly as I could, I whispered down to her,
"Lila, I need you to be very quiet."
I looked from my left to the right before turning back to her once I saw the coast was clear. I was completely on edge. I felt like at any moment, one of the rogues will just jump out and attack us. My paranoia brought on thoughts that scared me to the bones. Thoughts like what would happen if they caught us, or if they'd just kill us on spot.
"The bad guys will hear us if you're not."
Lila's cries stopped as she stared up at me. She sniffled, rubbing her little fists against her eyes.
"They'll get us like they got Bentley?"
My chest tightened at the name. With a curt nod, I skimmed my thumb over the edge of her eye. Wiping away her tears, I grimaced at the afterthought of Bentley. His body and blood flashing through my mind. The same kind of state we'd be in if we didn't escape. The cold wind brewing over us bit into my flesh, encouraging goosebumps to rise from my skin. The call of midnight just above our heads.
"Yes."
Nodding to herself, she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her entirety into my embrace. Her soft whimpers ceased as she remained still in my arms. She was resolved in keeping quiet, knowing just how crucial silence was to our survival. I carefully walked down the slope. I was freezing in my wet clothes, the wind seeping through the fabric. The pack was most likely deserted. Most wolves killed if they didn't escape.
Unable to think of anything else, I reached out in my bond to call for my parents. I hoped that after reaching them, they'd call for reinforcements. The Beta had enough power to summon a small group of warriors to a pack in need without the Alpha's supervision. It was rare that these things happened, but if they did, the Beta wouldn't have done so unless absolutely necessary. I kept trying to search for our connection but I couldn't find it. My wolf tilted her head in confusion.
My eyebrows knit together until I understood what happened. Both my mother and father's walls were up. I couldn't get through to them. They were purposely shutting me out. Not even my wolf could get through to their wolves. I haven't tried to reach out to them in two months, and now I knew that if I did, it wouldn't have gone through. This was their way of officially cutting ties with me. My chest burned in grief. I could feel a lump weighing down in the pit of my stomach. Surely Hestia wouldn't have the done the same. I tried searching for her bond in my head.
Nothing.
Feeling sick all of a sudden, I flinched hearing sticks snap from behind me. I didn't wait to turn around to jump behind a tree. Pressing my back to the bark, I held Lila protectively against me. Her figure quivered in my hold because she too, heard it. I waited. Slowly, when nothing could be heard, I peeked over the trunk. Three wolves were roaming down the woods. They looked around, eyes searching with snouts raised in the air in attempt to catch a scent. The fire's fumes made it impossible.
I held my breath. Placing a hand over Lila's mouth, her breathing harbored. I stood completely still. I hoped they didn't feel my presence. I was sure they couldn't smell me but hearing me was a different issue. The tiniest bit of noise would get their attention. A sudden cracking reverberated down the woods.
"All clear?"
A masculine voice asked. A similar sound repeated before I heard the rustling of leaves coming closer.
"Clear."
A different voice responded. This time, female. The third wolf shifted. Lila peered up to me with wide eyes. She knew these were "the bad guys that got Bentley". Shaking in her thin shirt, she turned away in fear. Her little arms unwrapped itself around me and bent so she could cover her ears with her hands. I wanted to console her, to assure her everything was alright but now was not the time. If I wasn't careful, there will never be a time.
A cackle echoed.
"And they call us heartless."
The male voice said amusedly. A loud crash mixing with a frustrated groan of aggravation followed by the fall of a tree sounded. The crows cawing flew to the opposite direction from where they originally perched on. I resisted the urge to make a sound, pressing my hand down on Lila's mouth harder when I felt a whimper try to slip through. The feminine voice laughed.
"To think that Alpha ignored our threats. They think too little of us. How careless."
She walked on,
"I heard the Beta sent his daughter here."
The female said smugly. The mock and taunt clear in her tone. She was feeling quite proud of herself. My eyebrows rose up when I realized what she had said.
Beta's daughter?
I froze, turning to the direction of where they were and felt my heart pound. Were they talking about me?
"The Beta sent his daughter here? Even though we've been sending out warnings since three months ago?"
The third voice asked, not really expecting an answer. Warnings? My jaw clenched. My father knew? They all knew there'd be an attack? They knew and chose not to do anything?
My tongue darted out, licking my dried lips as I listened in. Anxiety crept up behind me. They were probably a few feet from where I stood behind the tree. They were only getting closer as they walked down the clearing. I couldn't exactly run when they'd all chase after me and inevitably catch me. I decided that waiting out was the most logical route to handle this.
"The fucker clearly wanted her to die. She was unwanted. The mole reported the Alpha was her mate. Yet the little shit rejected her. Picked her sister, apparently. Guess it'd make it easier for him if his mate died."
He laughed,
"Ain't that a tragedy?"
Hot, fresh sets of tears rolled down my cheeks. In anger, I forced the emotions within me to calm. I couldn't have them sense my presence. I wasn't too worried about Lila since she was still a child. It was harder to detect children's presence since they haven't shifted yet. Were's who had their wolves were very noticeable if they couldnt hide their presence. The more emotion you felt, the clearer you were to their sight.
My thoughts circled back to my "family".
They knew. They received and ignored all warnings about an attack. They sent me here willingly to die. They blocked my bond with them because they knew I would try to reach out for help. Help they would deny me. They had forsaken me and left me to the trenches of death. The grim reaper the only one willing to catch me when I fall. The ultimate betrayal of the people I grew up with. The man I called my father, the woman I called my mother and the child I called my sister.
I didn't allow myself to even think about that man I called my mate.
I should've known they were heartless enough to lead me to my demise. I didn't think they were heartless enough to abandon them. The Nightwake pack had more than enough resources to send help; whether it be food, shelter or man power. If the pack warriors were to come running, they'd get here in an hour compared to two days by car. The warriors were much more in terms of speed and endurance. A normal wolf would get here in at least a day even after shifting.
I was angry at the fact they allowed innocent lives to get involved. Packs never abandoned allies. A werewolves word was supposed to be law.
Nightwake and Duskfall were allies since 1807. They had the treaties and everything.
They purposely ignored the message and chose to overlook the attack. They gave shoulder to people in need of help. The sad thing was, three months ago, Alpha Harrison was still in charge. Hating Landon for it would've been easier, but knowing that the Alpha even I respected had a part in this was simply too disappointing. They chose to let these people drown in a sea of blood.
They chose to allow the rogues to triumph.
It would seem they were traitors in more ways than one.
"Are you sure we got everyone, Draxyn?"
"Draxyn" snarled at the question. His aggression rolled off him in huge bulks. My wolf rumbled at the pressure. She didn't like the dominance he was omitting to us even when it wasn't on purpose. She felt the urgency to get Lila out of here as quickly as we could. She knew the chances of us escaping was only slimming down the closer these wolves got. They all radiated a form of power. Wild, untamed, and raw power they weren't afraid of using without discretion.
"I'm sure you know the consequences for questioning me, Fio. Or must I remind you?"
I heard a slight whimper echo. Ripples of fear reaching me from this 'Fio' person. I took a risk. I peered over the tree trunk just enough so I can get a quick glance of the rogues. The three wolves were in human form, completely in the nude. Nudity wasn't really a big issue anymore within packs, especially with rogues. Showing off their structures was like demonstrating their power. A silent presentation of status. The thicker in muscles they were, the more power they held.
The female in the trio bending her head down in submission trembled in her spot. I could guess that the male standing firm in front of her was Draxyn. His fists were balled, dark eyes narrowed down at the female. His head was shaven clean on one side with a tattoo of a dagger running down the side of his skull to the very length of his neck.
He was massive.
Almost as muscular as Alpha Thompson. He had streaks of black ink curving down his biceps and over his chest. Dark hair dripping with blood over his skin. The other male, who's name I still didn't know, had curly dark locks reaching his shoulders. I didn't have time to continue observing them when he spoke,
"Relax, Draxyn. She didn't mean it like that. You know Xeneron will have our heads if we fail. He wants the pack wiped out clean. No survivors."
After a second of silence the pressure diminished. It seemed like curly head's words knocked some sense into him. Fio visibly relaxed and sent curly head a look of thanks when she felt Draxyn's anger subside. I couldn't blame her for feeling so submissive. His power was tremendously heavy. Not as heavy as an Alpha's, but quite notable for someone not in power.
Dropping his shoulders to relax himself, Draxyn sighed heavily. He pinched the bridge of his nose irritably with his temper threatening to return. He took a moment to recollect his thoughts before turning to look at curly head,
"Call the mutts. We've done our job here. It's time we go back."
Bowing at his order, curly head stilled. His eyes blanking out as he spoke to the other members through mind link. When he finished, the three turned around without another word. They hunched over the ground, hands digging into the soil with their backs arched up. They were mid shifting with fur starting to pierce through their skin when Fio suddenly looked over her shoulder. Quickly, I held still against the tree trunk. My breathing stopped, my heart racing and the damned migraine came back.
Did she see me?
A second went by in silence. By the sound of it none of them have shifted. There was no bone cracking or paw pounding. There wasn't the tiniest bit of shuffling around the leaves scattered all over the ground to indicate that they've moved. The slightest of movements would've been heard especially with my heightened hearing. Yet there came none. I broke into cold sweat. In that split second, I tried wracking my brain apart trying to think of a good way to escape. A way that would give us more than a fifty percent possibility of survival. It's not like i could climb a tree with Lila with me.
Time was not on our side.
The rogues held their positions. Fio must've caught a feel of my presence and notified her colleagues through mind link. The initial pressure I felt before returned at full blast if not tripling. All of them with their power combined made my bones go weak. Only this time, it was directed at me. I could feel their savage intentions expel from their aura's. Lila must've felt it too as she began to quiver in my arms.
It was a do or die situation. Any moment now, they'd lunge at me. I wasn't sure if they knew my exact location but chances are, they did. I cursed under my breath and with a second on my watch, I bolted down the domain. The fog encompassing the plains made running harder but at the same time, hiding easier. I could easily lose them if I run fast enough. I could hear the three wolves quickly chasing after me, their ferocious snarls egging me on.
Sliding down the mound, I turned over my shoulder to see the three of them in their wolf forms.
Their paws hammered down into the dirt under our feet. Their speed increasing as they slowly closed the distance. Cutting corners was the only way I could shake them off. Pushing myself as fast and as far as I could get us, I jumped over the stream and nearly got out when another wolf coming from the opposite side caught me by the leg. Canines descended down and broke into my skin, drawing drops of blood to trail down my calf. He held my leg in his jaw, biting down with as much force as he could before I kicked at his muzzle. It let go instantly. Shaking it's head to get rid of the damage. The other three were quickly approaching.
With Lila still in my arms, I braced myself for impact and shut my eyes but snapped them open when I heard a furious rumble from the front. Craning my head up, I saw a bloody Alpha Thompson in front of me, holding onto the wolf's jaw with his bare hands. Tearing it apart, he threw the limp body to the side, puffing out his chest as the three wolves halted. Their dark eyes zeroed in on their fallen comrade before shifting to Alpha Thompson in anger.
They studied him, fully aware that he was an Alpha. The medium sized wolf tilted its head, pacing to the right. The other, going to the left. The biggest one, who I assumed was Draxyn, remained in the middle, eyes narrowed down on me.
"Leave!"
Alpha Thompson bellowed to me without turning. He was breathing hard, his body all scratched up with pieces of flesh torn off. The three wolves quickly launched at him when they realized he was stalling for time. Taking all of them at once, he pushed his body forward, hands grasping at any part of their bodies before hitting as hard as he could. He managed to push one off, the smaller of the three sniveling at it's broken rib. They didn't waste any time before lunging toward him again, catching his arm in one jaw and his right leg in the other. Alpha Thompson groaned, frigidly trying to tear his arm out of the wolf's mouth. He kicked at at the wolf, trying to shake it off.
Scrambling to get up, I sprint toward the exit of the pack territory. I didn't wait to hear the increase of growls heading toward our direction. The ground shook under me.
The rogues called for reinforcements.
Panting out loudly, I rushed down the small hill and nearly tripped in the process. I was so close to the gate when something large collided into me. I yelped, my hold on Lila slipping as she fell to the other side of the ground with me rolling over the grass. I winced in pain, the arm I landed on broken and throbbing with hurt. A moment of haziness washed over me. My head going woozy as I tried to focus my vision by blinking a few times.
I raised my head, trying to see what had crashed into me only to fall silent. Draxyn stood there in his human form. A smirk was in place as he walked ever so slowly toward me in mock. I hissed, forcing myself to move. My arms wobbled when I tried to push myself off the ground only to be slammed down when Draxyn's foot pushed on my back. When I resisted, he pushed harder. I could feel my bones cracking under the weight of his foot.
A laugh pulled from his lips. Deep, croaky and full of amusement. Tilting his head to the side with a cocked brow, he sighed exaggeratedly before winding his leg back and kicking me in the side. I felt a bone shatter inside from the impact. A huff of air forcibly kicked out of me. I coughed, my stomach twisting in agony as my body took on a curled position. Blood trickled down my mouth. I laid on my side, my arms going over my stomach protectively when I noticed Lila sitting on her knees staring at me with misty eyes. Cuts adorned her face, arms and legs. The fall had hurt her far more than I thought. She sat there completely scared and confused on what to do.
She just stared at me in question.
Draxyn noticed my attention elsewhere, curiously looking in the direction i stared at and froze at what he found. He turned back to me, a sinister smile stretching across his face as he strode over to Lila. I could feel my mouth opening, my voice finding itself to scream out "no! Stop! Leave her alone !" but he didn't. Using my forearms as a grip, I desperately tried to crawl toward her but it was too late.
Lila screamed as Draxyn bent over to grab her by the neck roughly. He held her up like she was weightless. Flickering my gaze to his other hand, my eyes widened at the ascending claws coming from the tips of his fingers. A whimper broke out from me, my wolf growing loud in my ears but unable to do anything. I could feel my eyes water, my heart raging on in panic at what was to come. Draxyn gave me one last glance, his eyes holding mine, and he smiled.
Then as quick as he did, he punctured his claws into Lila's stomach, ripping a line down her flesh. She screamed hauntingly, tears running down her cheeks as her face contorted in unmeasurable pain. Eyebrows pressed together, lips parting widely, body convulsing from the damage she took. Her blood bled into her shirt, staining the fabric damp. She gurgled, choking from the grip Draxyn had around her neck.
I felt my claws extending, my fur starting to bristle out. I still couldn't shift but my wolf was desperately making an attempt. She went against reality, trying to wedge herself in the seat of control. I see her throwing herself against my walls. Head smashing against her barriers in brashness. Her rabid, feral snarls resonating in my head as her black eyes glowed lividly. It was suicide. I could die from the overwhelming stress burdening my body. I no longer had control of my emotions. They spiraled out, willing my wolf to come forth to wreck havoc on all who dared to hurt us. I knew the chances of dying were high, but if it meant saving Lila, I was willing to go through with it.
The same thirst for blood I felt over the man who had pinned Lila under him returned with the same intensity. My blood pumped with desire to see him bleed, eyes seeing red as my body moved on its own accord. With a cry, I hurled myself up, throwing my body in his direction. I elbowed him, getting him to let go of the little girl before stumbling back over his feet. Angry eyes searched wildly for the source as they fell on me. He growled, muscles taut in rage.
His aura no longer took its effect on me. I was far too clouded with the impulse of impaling him with my claws to take notice of the murderous looks he threw me. In a nanosecond, he slung himself at me and withdrew his hands back to grab me. His bloodied claw swiped at my arm, a hiss leaving my lips when he grazed me enough to break skin. I raised my leg, kicking him at his waist with hard force. I heard a painful creak sound from his body. Draxyn snarled. His eyes dropped to his scratches and the place I kicked him at.
He was angry.
I was sure I left a bruise there but it wasn't enough to break a bone. I had no prior training skills. I was relying solely on basic instinct.
Animalistic, primal instincts.
Draxyn didn't waste another minute before launching his other attack on me but I managed to deflect it. I moved aside before he could reach me. Peeking over to Lila, blood was beginning to pool around her. She laid there, coughing out blood as she cried silently. Her head turned to the side to watch me. Her eyes were already starting to droop. She didn't have much time left. Tightening down on my jaw, I faced Draxyn head-on, ignoring my wolf's barks to stall. She was guiding me. Telling me what to do.
She told me to push harder.
And so I did.
With everything I had, I slid over the ground and managed to trip him. He fell hard on the floor, not having enough time to regain his composure when I straddled him. I snaked my arms around his neck, my legs secured around his waist and tightened my hold. My broken arm hurt so much, a sense of fire burning through my tissues at the feel. Draxyn stirred around violently. He elbowed me in my stomach, forcing my hold to loosen but I grabbed hold of his hair and forced his head against the ground multiple times.
Slamming his skull down with more force each time, his body weakened. He went limp. Some blood poured out of his head. Unconscious but not dead. The sound of footsteps quickly advancing broke me out of my bloodlust trance. Help was on the way. Help for him that is. Getting off of him, I limped my way to Lila, carefully pulling her in arms and tried not to cry at her gaping wounds. The pain of my broken arm, soon forgotten about. Her face had paled, lips shaking and turning blue.
She was dying.
"I'm-"
She whimpered, squeezing my shirt in her fist. Swallowing, I forced a smile on my face as I looked down at her. The facade I forced on my face trembling, no matter how hard I tried to keep it straight.
"Yes, baby?"
Running down the exit, I forced the exhaustion trying to overtake me out of my head. My body willed me to take a rest. My eyelids losing the strength to keep them open. Shaking off my tiredness, I bit down on my lip to stimulate pain. But it wasn't enough. Against everything I had, I prayed so desperately to the Moon Goddess. To the Moon Goddess who'd ignored all my prayers before. I begged her to take my life instead of Lila's. I begged her to listen to my pleas and spare the innocent child's life. I knew that it was idiotic but I had nothing else I could've done. Nothing else I could offer.
"I'm scared."
She whispered. Lila sobbed, eyes glassy with tears. Her little fingers curling around my shirt.
"Mama... I'm scared."
My heart broke. The composure I tried to maintain breaking as my own tears broke through. Kissing her forehead, I set her down, ripping my shirt to wrap around her wound. Her blood quickly soaked through it. Negative thoughts filled my mind one by one; telling me she wouldn't make it, telling me it was my fault for being too weak, telling me that I failed her just like everyone else.
"S-Sweetheart, you have to hold onto it, okay?"
I took her hands in mine and laid it over her wound. She winced, crying harder at the pain. She barely shook her head before I pressed them against her wounds harder. Scooping her up in my arms, I ran forward. I couldn't keep count of how much time had past. I could only hear her heartbeats slowing down. I was losing time. Lila's warm blood dripped down my arms.
Suddenly, I remembered one more thing.
Landon.
Throwing my pride, anger, humiliation, betrayal away, I reached out to him.
He didn't have a wall up.
I began to feel hopeful. My wolf howled, feeling Landon's wolf perk at our attempt at communication. A burst of happiness swelling in my chest but it came down all too quickly. Like a metal wall suddenly clamping down, he blocked us out the moment he felt me call for him. And not a minute later, excruciating pain shot up at my neck. I felt like I was being skinned alive. My knees bucked, my body falling over to the ground once more. I tried to go on to the bond, slamming everything I had frantically agaisnt his walls.
He would feel my desperation.
He'd feel how badly I was trying to break though to him.
And he ignored me.
As the pain in my neck pulsed through, my wolf howled in agony. Curling herself in the corner of my mind, she scratched at her chest with her claws. Rabid growls surrounding her as she kept clawing at herself.
She was trying to kill herself.
Landon had marked my sister.
Hestia had marked Landon.
Tears ran down the side of my face, falling to Lila's pale cheek. I urged my legs to keep moving, but every wave of pain coming over me immobilized my body. My legs, paralyzed and unmoving, twitching uncontrollably.
"No, no, no-"
I cried hoarsely. My nails dug into the ground in a pathetic attempt to crawl my way down. I dragged my body over the soil, collecting mud on the way. Thuds pounding in my skull had me sobbing at my weakness. The last fragment of my bond to Landon cruelly snapping apart. I felt everything. The Moon Goddess' punishment for going against her blessings. A punishment I wasn't deserving of. I felt a drop of water hit my forehead.
It started to rain.
The water puddled around my body, rolling off my skin and soaking in my hair. The cool comfort of rain doing nothing to ease the fire burning in my abdomen. My strength slowly dispersed from inside me. I felt so cold but so hot. Shiver after shiver, the heat in my body left me defenseless. I kept holding on, trying my hardest to keep going. Lila's breathing was shallow. Her small chest lifting and falling slowly.
All color was draining from her face.
Then suddenly another wave of pain overcame me.
They were mating again. This time, a lot more intense because of the aftershock of marking. My claws extended out. My body moved on its own. My wolf was trying to take control, to end the life I had because of our mate. She was going crazy, not thinking clearly and purely acting on emotion. A sort of high soaking my mind to numbness.
"Ma-Mama..."
Slowly my eyes started to close. Despite the desperation to keep myself awake, I was slipping into the darkness consuming me whole. I forced my head to the side, seeing Lila's hazel eyes piercing into me. Her hand outreached to touch me but failing to. Spurring the last remaining strength inside me, I tried to lift my hand to touch her. To feel her soft curls in my hand but the only thing I could move were my fingers.
"No- Lila... please- no. Please... god- no, baby no-"
I whispered, the feel of my tears sliding down my cheek washed away from the rain was the last thing I could remember before passing out.
Darkness.
I was laying in an ocean of darkness. Unable to see, feel, or move anything. Only my mind was conscious, my senses all numbed out except my hearing and smell. I gradually picked up on the faint sound of something beeping.
I don't know where I am, but my sense of smell returned. I caught whiffs of multiple wolf scents but none of them are any one that I recognize. That could only mean I was in uncharted territory.
"Alpha Meredith is here. She wants to see the girl."
Said a soft feminine voice. I heard someone respond but I couldn't catch what he said. Next thing I know, I heard the door creak and close shut. I was alone. I couldn't feel any other presence in the room except mine.
Alpha Meredith?
Alpha Meredith Crestfield?
Isn't she the Alpha of the Greyhound pack? The only female Alpha on the board as of right now? I felt myself begin to panic. If I was on Greyhound territory, then I was on enemy territory. Neither Duskfall or Nightwake were allies with Greyhound. This was looking bad.
My eyes suddenly fluttered open upon command. Bright light invading my sight making me squint in discomfort. Blinking away the confusion, I tried to sit up. My body felt so rigid. So stiff. I gasped out, feeling an ache shoot up everywhere just from trying to move. I let myself fall back into the bed. Turning my head to the side, the first thing I saw was the lavender paint on the walls. A few paintings of scenery hung up with a two person couch pressed to side near the window. I was in bed, dressed in a hospital gown with an IV needle punctured in my arm. Sweeping my eyes across the room, I noticed a small vase of carnations on the coffee table.
What the hell happened?
I tried to remember the last thing I did before passing out but it only made my head hurt. Everything was a blur. I groaned, grasping my forehead in my hands when the door slammed open. I quickly sat up despite the immediate protest of my body.
"I see you're awake."
A tall, older woman with gray hair tied into a bun stood at the doorway. She was dressed in a black blazer, dress pants and flats. Her intense hazel eyes peering appraisingly at me. I didn't miss the way her eyes scanned down my body with slight scrutiny. She was definitely the Alpha. Alpha Meredith Crestfield. The power she was emitting told me so. If anyone other than I was sitting here, they would've bowed their head in submission. But something told me not to.
Something told me to hold my ground and keep my head high.
I opened my mouth to say something but couldn't find my voice. So instead, I simply nodded.
The Alpha seemed pleased with something. I don't know if it was because she was happy I can understand her or if she was happy I wasn't backing down. Normally, Alpha's hated to be challenged or intimidated. It made them feel like their power and strength was being questioned. I guess it was one of those Alpha territorial things.
Alpha Crestfield sighed through her nose. Walking to my side, she stood straight and tall. I couldn't understand why I felt such a connection to her. I wasn't feeling scared nor was I really panicking now that I met her face to face. I felt similar to her on a spiritual level. My wolf was basking in her presence as well. A little confused, but happy to be near her.
What the actual hell?
"You're on Greyhound territory, my dear."
She said suddenly, her voice void of emotion. I swallowed. Was this the part she told me I was going to be held captive and that the only way for me to return home was by talking to Landon? Anger soared through my veins at the name. The man who was supposed to love me, cherish me, understand me had betrayed me in the worst of ways. I might've accepted his decision to reject me, but I would never forgive the fact he decided not to help Duskfall-
My breathing hitched.
Lila.
I quickly looked up at the Alpha, my eyes wide in realization.
"The- The little girl! I was with- Lila, where is she? Is she- Is she okay?"
The blankness on Alpha Crestfield's face faltered. Her lips tugged down the tiniest bit before she hid it well. For a split second, I could see something under her facade.
Something I could associate myself with for the past few months.
Sadness.
She didn't need to say anything. I knew, deep down inside what happened. I knew, with all my heart, that my precious little angel didn't make it. But I still betted on that zero point one percent chance that she survived. Even with all the odds against it, I hoped. Hope that had shattered with the way the Alpha's gaze dropped. Staring at her with all the courage I could muster, my lips moved on their own,
"Let me see her... please."
Alpha Crestield's eyes snapped up to me, a small huff of breath leaving her. She looked reluctant. She was more than wary of me and it was understandable seeing how I got here but I just needed to see her. I needed to. If it meant fighting my way to see her, then so be it.
"Please. I'm begging you."
Finally, her hazel eyes softened at my blue ones. She nodded in agreement.
"I'll get you a wheelchair."
"No."
I said, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.
"I'd rather walk."
Pressing her lips in a thin hard line, she nodded again. The nurses who were standing right outside came in. They all fussed over me, helping me get up and removing the IV needle from my arm. Embarrassingly enough, I could barely walk. My arm had already healed and so did the minor injuries all over my body. With the exhaustion and trauma I'd undergone, it wasn't a surprise I hadn't completely healed yet.
Wolves may heal faster but we weren't immune to human injuries and severe exhaustion. I was still a little sore, but in wholeness, I was fine. One of the nurses held me up, tucking her arm around my waist and helped me keep up with the Alpha. We walked out of the room and into the hallway.
We were in the pack house.
A few curious wolves looked at me in question. Their probing gazes drilling holes into my back as we passed by. I tried not to let it bother me when some would whisper to each other about who I was. To most of them, I was a poor survivor of the Duskfall pack, if not the only one. We walked down the corridor and down the stairs until we reached a huge metal door guarded by two warriors. The two were talking to a lean man dressed formally.
"Alpha Meredith."
The man was wearing a white button down and bowed at Alpha Crestfield. His gaze shifted to me. His eyes widened by a fraction before returning back to the Alpha.
"Are you here to see..."
He cleared his throat uncomfortably,
"-the bodies?"
I flinched at the last word. Did they collect everyone's body and bring them here? Alpha Crestfield nodded once, not bothered by his words. Pursing his lips together, he made way for us to pass and opened the metal door. A gush of cool air smacked me in the face. The Alpha and a few of her men walked in first. I allowed them to get a few steps ahead of me before making any more to get inside. I followed, taking cautious steps in and held back a sob at the sight.
Bodies in white bodybags were set up in a line. About forty of them were in here. I sucked in a shaky breath, looking at the bodies I undoubtedly know but couldn't bear to see. I felt a squeeze on my shoulder. Looking at the hand over my skin, I found the nurse who was holding me. She shot me a sad smile, sympathy crossing her gentle features. I couldn't bring myself to smile or say a word of thanks for her attempt for comfort.
Feeling so much at the same time that I couldn't feel it anymore made me this way.
I was so far gone.
"The rest of them... were unsalvageable."
Alpha Crestfield explained. She looked at the sea of bodies with false indifference. I could feel her sadness radiate off her but she wouldn't let it show on her face. Not in front of me, not in front of her pack members.
"Just limbs and pieces left behind."
"And the Alpha?"
Alpha Crestfield went quiet. I looked at her, surprised to see her lips forming a deep frown.
"Dismembered and tossed in the river with the Luna."
My eyes widened as a sharp whimper left me. My wolf's ears hanging low with her tail in between her legs. Her sadness mixed with mine as we thought back to the kind words of the Alpha- our Alpha. A whole bloodline was erased.
The Alpha, the Luna and then, their son.
The rogues really didn't leave anything behind. Nothing, except me.
"The girl..."
I stiffened.
"She's over there."
I followed Alpha Crestfield to the corner of the morgue. A small body bag laid on the table. I looked at the Alpha, her mouth not moving but her eyes telling me to go on. Lifting my hand up, I took the zipper in my fingers and slowly unzipped the bag. A wad of curly brown hair peeked through, her face pale without blood to color her skin, her eyes closed and thick lashes casting shadows under her eyes, her small button nose, dry and colorless lips in a pout.
She looked so at peace, as though she was sleeping and not completely out of my reach.
"Ho-How did you find me?"
Alpha Crestfield stood behind me. She placed a hand on my back. Her warmth sending a soothing touch to both me and my wolf. She felt so... motherly.
"You were within my territory. Only six minutes away."
My eyes went misty with tears that refused to fall. After all the crying I've done, I couldn't handle it anymore. I was tired trying to be strong. Tired of trying to stop it. I knelt down, sniffling as I wrapped my arm over her cold, lifeless body. Her words calling me "mama" replaying in my head. Pressing my head on her stomach, I cried for my loss. Cried for the people I grew to love but lost all too quickly.
I cried for the weakness I had.
Cried for my inability to have done something.
Cried for the lives I desperately wanted to save.
Cried for the fact I was left alone yet again.
Cried for the family I held love for, only to find out they wanted me dead.
Cried for the mate that cruelly abandoned me when I needed him most.
Cried for letting Lila slip through my fingers.
But most of all, I was angry.
Angry at the people who had done this.
Angry at my biological family.
Angry at the bond that ruined me inside and out.
Angry at the Moon Goddess who seemed to be so hell bent on bringing me misfortune.
Angry at Landon and Hestia for mating and marking each other, causing me to pass out with Lila dying within my arms reach.
Angry at myself for not being able to push through when help was literally six minutes away.
Had I kept pushing, kept going, had I not passed out, I would've had a chance to save her. A slim chance, but a chance regardless. A chance I would've taken for anything.
I was angry at my powerlessness.
Angry at the fact I was proving my parents right by letting everyone I cared for down.
Angry for everything that has happened to me.
Angry for having my happiness stripped away when I finally acquired it.
Tears trailed down my face, eyes heated with hatred burning deep in my soul. My hands were clenched, body shaking with fury that needed to be released on those rogues. I swore, with everything inside me, I would get revenge. Be it now or in decades, I will make them pay. All of them.
"Your mate is an Alpha, isn't he?"
Alpha Crestfield asked. I breathed in, slowly turning to look at her. She stood there in complete composure. Her hand never left my back. Her eyes sharp and calculating as she waited for my answer. She knew what it was, but she wanted to hear it from me. To see if I would try to lie to her. Gritting my teeth, I laughed bitterly.
"Yes. An Alpha."
I said, thinking about their faces and the deep rooted rage I felt overflowing.
"But he's not my mate."
Alpha Crestfield rose a brow, a small smirk pulling at her lips. Withdrawing her hand to her side, she lifted her head higher. She looked amused. Happy, even. Her aged but beautiful face, contorting in slyness.
"I see."
She mumbled lowly,
"You want revenge, don't you?"
My wolf perked at the tone in her voice. A suggesting, knowing one. Without hesitation, I nodded. Looking at Lila one last time, I let my hand caress her cold cheek.My fragile heart chipping away the final layers of warmth left inside me.
"More than anything."
Silence seeped into the room. A few seconds went by before I finally heard something. The men and nurse that had accompanied us started walking out the door, closing it behind them. Alpha Crestfield and I were the last ones in the room. She smiled, her eyes lighting up with interest.
"Would you like a chance to fulfill it?"
My eyes connected with hers. I knew she was deathly serious, but so was I. This woman, the Alpha of Greyhound, was giving me a chance. A chance I never got in Nightwake. A chance in getting vengeance on those who wronged me. A chance to rip into that rogue's chest and tear out his heart.
A chance I wasn't stupid enough to let up.
"Yes."
End of The Bloodlust Alpha Chapter 4. Continue reading Chapter 5 or return to The Bloodlust Alpha book page.