The Wanted Alpha

April

‘Who do you think messaged Ethan that we were coming?’ Hunter linked.

I looked at him stunned.

Was this a trick?!

It was a helluva display if it was, seen as he had just killed two of his pack.

‘What the hell do you mean, Hunter? Why would you help us? You tried to f*****g mark me?!’ I screeched in confusion, anger and distrust as I circled him.

‘I know…and I’m sorry. I was screwed up back then, but I’m trying to make it right. I’ve been keeping my father off your trail for the last 4 years’ he said lowering his ears and head to me. It was a sign of submission and friendliness, not something an Alpha would offer readily to anyone.

‘Why?!’ I demanded.

‘Back then…I was trying to keep my mate safe…if my father knew who they were, he would have killed them…that’s why I always kinda hated you at the time, I just saw you as someone standing in the way of me being with the person I loved. That night I came to you…was the night I threw my mate out of the pack and rejected them to save their life…my father was starting to suspect…so I’m sorry if I wasn’t exactly in my best frame of mind’ I could almost feel his pain through the mind-link. That meant his wolf was linking mine, seeking forgiveness. For an Alpha wolf to let slip such emotions was a sign of immense trust in the recipient.

He had a mate…so many things made sense now…why he was never interested and ignored me…was that why he paraded around with she-wolves, as a sort of diversion? And his drunken ramblings that night were clearer, he was in a nightmare and I was a knife dangling over him that he just wanted out of the way.

He was never my enemy, he was just like me. A wolf trapped in a shitty situation with little hope of escape.

‘April! Where are you?!’ my mate’s voice shouted through my mind, his panic for me vibrated along our bond with his words.

‘I’m fine…Hunter is here, he’s on our side! He was the unknown number that told you Nicholas was coming. Please, trust me…he’s our ally’ I replied back in a hurry.

I could feel Ethan’s indecision, wanting to trust me but also hearing Hunter’s name understandably setting him on edge.

‘…Fine, just get back to me now!’ he shouted.

‘Let’s get you back to your mate, ay Alpha April?’ Hunter nudged.

He raised his head in the air to howl. Hundreds of wolves appeared at his back, their eyes set on Monkshood Moon.

‘All my wolves stand against him, a lot of them are your warriors, April. It’s why I stayed in the pack, even though I wanted to leave…if I left, who’d watch out for them? My father sent me to attack the rear, but I had another plan in mind.’

On his command the wolves surged forward, aiming for their former pack. With their numbers, we now greatly outmatched Nicholas. I sent a mind-link through all our warriors that we had new allies joining the fight.

We fought through the enemy, while I followed the pull of the mate bond to take me back to Ethan with Hunter staying by my side. It was a strange feeling; I had spent so long being afraid of him, running from him…when in reality he was fighting my corner silently for years.

I saw Ethan locked in a battle, easily taking on three wolves at once. We were marginally winning before, but now we were dominating the battlefield. I was almost to him, as I dispatched another enemy in front of us. Something caught my eye, some flash of silver, almost lost against the trees…a shooter!

‘Hunter! The man with a gun on our left! He’s aiming at Ethan!’ I almost screamed through mind-link.

He took off at speed aiming for the shooter, while I pushed my way through to my mate, August expending every ounce of energy we had into our speed

‘Ethan get down, someone’s aiming a gun at you!’ I called out through our link.

From where I was trying to get to him, I saw him instantly lower himself, not once questioning my request and trusting me completely. But as he lowered I noticed the enemy in front of him part, giving the shooter an almost direct line of sight. I pushed further and leapt, aiming to push Ethan out of the way as a single, powerful shot rang out.

I fell on top of him, feeling a searing hot pain through my chest and seeing b***d pooling from Ethan’s chest.

No! I wasn’t fast enough…

Something was wrong, I was starting to feel weak.

I felt myself shifting back to human form unwillingly. Ethan’s eyes stared at my chest in horror, making me look down.

…It was me who was hit.

I started to fall to the side, as the pain intensified through the right side of my chest. Strong and thickly muscled, warm arms caught me pulling me to an equally warm and strong chest. Our warriors formed a protective circle around us to fight off enemies. I didn’t hear another shot ring out so I could only hope that Hunter had gotten him.

Ethan’s frantic hands pressed over the wound to stop the b***d flow.

“April! Stay awake, sweet, don’t close your eyes. Just stay awake!” he spoke desperately.

I wanted to reply, but a hacking cough erupted from my mouth, spewing b***d up and coating my mouth with its metallic taste. I felt him wiping my mouth and stroking my face, his glistening eyes above me willing me to stay focused on him.

Hunter appeared at the side of us, shifting.

“I’m sorry Ethan, I didn’t know he’d brought a sniper, I swear!”

But my mate’s eyes never left mine.

I grasped his jaw to bring him closer, my voice and breathing feeling incredibly laboured. His large hand grasped the outside of mine, nuzzling into it further.

“Don’t…let him…get away” my weakening voice rasped out.

There was still a battle raging around us.

He needed to finish this.

They both did.

Greer came to my side throwing a blanket over my bare form.

“Don’t worry, I got her…I’ll do what I can” he said as he took over applying pressure on my injury.

Ethan looked to Hunter, a flicker of acknowledgment and respect passing between them both before they shifted to their wolves again to face Nicholas directly.