His Alpha's Guardian

**Justin’s POV**

There were wolves everywhere and it seemed no matter where I turned there were multiple wolves attacking me. I could feel my blood pouring on the ground. I tried shoving my walls in place, so that Kataleya did not need to worry about me, but that just seemed to piss her off. She had demanded through our link that I not shut her out. It gave her the ability to know that I was okay and still there with her, but the problem was that I was not fine. I could feel my blood seeping from my body. I felt myself getting weaker and weaker as the rogues continued to attack me. I just hoped that she would survive if something were to happen to me.

'Aziel, make sure she stays safe, no matter what happens.’ I forced the full weight of my Alpha command on him. “If something happens to me, you are to be her personal bodyguard. Make sure nothing happens to my queen or our unborn child. Make sure she knows that it will be okay and it will be okay to move on, that I would never hold that against her. I want her happy.’

Justin, knock this the fuck off. Nothing will happen to you, man. You need to live. You have a child coming. Your mate needs you. This pack needs you. I need you, man.’

“I can feel my life slowly depleting. My will to live is lessening the longer I try to fight. I can go peacefully knowing that she is safe, Aziel. Please? Take care of her, whatever she needs,’ I whispered through the link as I dodged a rogue that was aiming for my neck. His teeth grazed my neck before I was able to get fully out of his way. I twisted out of the next two rogues that attacked me. I sank my teeth into the first one and ripped his throat out. Just as I ripped his throat out, two more attacked me.

I came to the realization that there were too many for me to take on by myself. The moment I got rid of one, it felt like three more would take its place.

The moment I realized that I was going to die, I whispered, “I love you, my queen,’ through our link, praying that she would forgive me for not being strong enough to fight the rogues. I am praying that she does not give up.

The rogue bit into my side and I felt more of my blood rush from my body...suddenly I was engulfed by darkness and I could not help but feel like I failed my mate, my queen, my love. The last thing that I heard was a gut wrenching scream, before everything was dark.

I woke up to a beautiful meadow. Wild flowers growing everywhere. In the distance, I saw wolves frolicking in the fields of flowers.

I looked around. Did I die? Where am 1? Is this what it is like to be with the Moon Goddess?

All of a sudden, there was a shining, white light that appeared in front of me. A beautiful woman appears encased in the light. She had dark brown hair and eyes the color of moonlight and she was staring at me with sympathy written on her face.

“Justin, my child.”

The Moon Goddess. She is here. Right in front of me.

“I know you have questions, but first we need to talk.” I nodded my head as I waited for her to continue. “Justin, she has to believe that you are dead in order to fulfill her destiny. Kataleya's destiny is greater than that of being a female Alpha. There are several more people that she needs to meet in order to fulfill her destiny, but she will not do it if you remain by her side. Don't worry, child. I have a plan for you as well.”

“I didn't even get to say goodbye. There is so much more that I wish I could have said to her... barely had time to tell her that I loved her,” I whispered quietly, my voice cracking at the end.

“I know, my dear child, but you will see her again. You will not be dead for long. You are going to be a guardian of sorts for her if you will. You will be able to remain by her side, but you have to follow her at a distance. You cannot interact with her until the time is right. Justin, you will know when the time is right. You will get a feeling. Act on that feeling when you get it. My child, I will caution you. Some of the decisions that Kataleya makes in the wake of your death are going to hurt you. I want to caution you to remember that she is hurting. In the next couple of days, she is going to lose a lot. I promise you though, you will end up back with her, but there are decisions that you will have to make not only together, but on your own, and whether you can accept some of the changes that will occur in Kataleya's life. I cannot tell you about her decisions and I cannot tell you about the people she will meet, but I just know she will need you again. You have always been, after all, her saving grace. Without you, she would have killed herself early on...time heals all wounds and I promise you this will heal too. ”

I could feel the tears running down my face. How am I supposed to stand there and watch her struggle, knowing that I am the reason that she is hurting? How do I go without talking to her? Loving her?

The Moon Goddess stepped closer to me and engulfed me in a hug. “I know it is unfair that you have to go through this. You are missing out on so much right now too, but I promise you that it will be worth it in the end. There will be a light at the end of this tunnel.”

I nodded my head, fighting with the tears, trying to stop them from streaming down my face.

“I agree to whatever your terms are, but I can't live without her and I know that she will struggle without me. Since I will technically be alive, does that mean our bond is still there? Will she not still feel it?"

She let out a small, musical laugh, “My child, unfortunately, I cannot answer that question for you, but I trust this will be a mission that you will cherish for the rest of your life. I will now send you back, but remember she cannot find out that you are alive until it is time, Justin.”

"Yes, Mother Selene,” I whispered as I felt myself being sucked into a portal.

I was dropped right outside of the border and I watched as the warriors cleaned up the mess of rogues. Kataleya sat there in the middle of the forest floor, kneeling on her knees, with tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were swollen and red. She was staring at the spot where my body used to be. I tried to reach out for our bond, but it was faint. I could tell from the look on her face that she had switched off any and all emotions. She was a shell of who she once was and there was nothing that I could do to save my mate from it.

She looked broken. My death broke her. Everything in me was calling out for me to go to her and tell her that I was fine and that she would be fine.