Wolf under an oak tree.

“You should try to understand, Elana. With Midnight trying to bring down a lot of packs, Jace is furious at the rogues, and now he doesn't even hesitate to kill any rogue that comes in his sight. What will I do if something happens to you?” the male voice sounded awfully familiar, but I still couldn't pinpoint from where I have heard it.

“I know, but if you could talk...” the woman abruptly stopped talking, and the next thing that I heard was her agonizing screams. And before I could think about my actions, I bolted inside the dark alleyway, and I saw that the woman was pressed to the concrete wall by a man whose face I couldn't clearly see, and just a few feet away from her, I saw that the guy was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

“What are you doing here, Elana?” the guy asked her in a sinister voice, which send a shiver down my spine and my hands started to sweat when I saw that the man was holding a knife that was stained in blood. So I quickly hid behind a huge dumpster while I looked at the scene that was unfolding in front of me.

“Leave me alone, you bastard.” Elena choked, and I saw that the man further tightened his hand around her neck, which caused her to struggle, even more, I frantically looked around me to find something that I can use as a weapon and that was when I saw a huge silver rod that was behind the dumpster, so I slowly took it to my hand and got up from my place and moved towards Elana.

The rod was heavy and clumpy in my small hands, but I held on to it firmly and quickly advanced toward the man, and by the time he realized that I was behind him, it was too late. I raised the rod high above my shoulder level and brought it down on the man’s head, which caused a sickening sound. I know that I must have fractured his skull. He simultaneously dropped the knife and held his head, before turning around to face me.

“You, bitch!” his voice sounded furious, and I saw that his eyes were pitch black right now, and that is when I realized that he must be a werewolf, too. I took a few steps away from him and tried to swing the rod again, but this time he caught it and threw the rob far away from me before he punched me in the stomach, which caused me to double over in pain, and he slammed me against the concrete wall.

“You should have known better than to act like a hero here.” he sneered at me, and before he could slam my face on the wall again, I heard a scream from behind me, and then the man dropped me to the floor, and he fell on the floor next to me with blood oozing from the stab wound on his back.

“He is dead,” Elena whispered, and she came toward me and helped me stand up. And, that is when I had a clearer view of her face, and for some odd reason, I felt like I have seen her somewhere.

“Thank you,” I said, and I slowly touched my forehead with my fingers, and when I looked at it, I saw that I was bleeding.

“No, I should thank you for helping us,” Elena said, and when I looked at her, I saw that there was a bruise forming on her neck and there were a few cut wounds on her face and arms. As soon as she was sure that I was able to stand on my own, she ran toward the guy who was lying on the ground unconscious.

“Mike, Mike! Mike, wake up!” Elena yelled at the guy, and she was shaking him, but the guy was out cold, and when I moved towards him, a gasp left my mouth.

“Mike?” I whispered, and I think Elana must have heard me because she looked at me with confusion written on her face.

“He is the Gamma of the Blueblood pack and Jace’s best friend,” I explained.

“Wait! You know him?” she asked me, and when I looked at her, I saw that tears were constantly falling from her face.

“Yes, but there is no time to explain. We should get him back to the packhouse, now,” I said, and together Elana and I carried Mile to my car, and once we have placed him in the back seat, I went to the front and took a first aid box and handed it to Elana. And she quickly got out some cotton and gauge and put pressure on his wound.

“Get in the car, it will not take much time to go to the packhouse,” I said, and Elana looked at me as if I have grown two heads.

“I can't come to the packhouse, even though I don't have the heart to leave my mate in this condition, Alpha Jace, will not like a rogue to come into his house,” she said, and I shook my head and dragged her, before pushing her into the car and locking the door. After I got into the driver's seat, I started the car and drove like a crazy maniac all the way to the packhouse.

“I will make sure that Jace doesn't hurt you. Because right now, your mate needs you the most.” I told her through the rearview mirror, and then the atmosphere was silent again except for the occasional grunts from Mike. I reached the packhouse in record time, and I soon parked my car in front of the large double door before I got down and helped Elana take Mike out of the car, I can see that a few pack members were giving me curious looks and I think someone must have informed the alpha because a few minutes after that Jace came outside with Walter in toe.

“What the hell happened to you?” is the first thing that he asked, and he rushed to my side and examined the huge gush on my forehead and all the tiny cuts I can feel. The anger radiated from him in waves, and when his attention turned towards Mike, he let out a ferocious growl before lightly pushing me away from Mike, he supported Mike’s weight while Walter did the same.

“Someone call the pack doctor immediately!” Jace said and guided Mike inside the house with Elana and me in toe. Once we entered the hospital wing, a few nurses and a doctor rushed toward us and made Mike sit in a wheelchair before they wheeled him to the operating theater.

“Iris, what happened?” Walter asked me, once the corridor was quiet again. But before I could answer, Jace interrupted.

“What is a rogue doing here, Iris?” Jace asked me, and he sounded beyond livid, which made me take a few steps back.

“Calm down, Jace. She is Elana, and she is Mike’s mate, and I think you should overlook the fact that she is a rogue since she is your best friend’s mate.” I said and stepped in front of Elana, whose eyes were wide, and her hands were shaking.

“I know she is Mike’s mate because I can see the mate mark on her neck,” Jace said and continued to take slow steps towards me.

“I would have let her stay here if she was just a rogue. But, you have no fucking idea who she is.” Jace said, and his words were filled with venom that was directed towards Elana, which caused her to flinch.