‘This is my home! I’ll give you one chance to leave my territory or rip your heads off!’ I warn them.
The alpha’s laugh. ‘You’re the one who is surrounded, Alpha Maximus! I don’t think you are in any position to threaten us!’ one of the Alphas retorts.
I shift into my Lycan. Hope follows and shifts into her wolf and howls.
‘Such a pretty little wolf!’ an Alpha smirks, admiring Storm’s unique silver and white colouring.
‘She would make good for breeding my pups!’ another says.
I snarl and race toward the alpha. They shift into their wolf forms, including the warriors.
I bite into a wolf’s leg and fling him with great force across the room. Then lunge at the next wolf and sink my teeth into his neck, ripping a large chunk out. Hope fights off the other group of warriors that have surrounded her. She’s putting up a good fight, but there are too many. One of the Alpha’s hold her down, forcing her to shift into her human form. She kicks her legs at him while a warrior wraps his arms around her from behind, pinning her arms down. I have dozens of warriors and the two other Alpha’s on me, but I run toward Hope to free her. Suddenly I feel a sting in my back. Not again, darn Wolfsbane! I plummet to the ground.
I wake in a cell in my own dungeon. My wrists and legs are in cuffs and chains. It’s just like the first night I first met Hope. What a cliché. I howl in frustration as loud as possible until I hear the sound of steps and keys.
‘Will you shut up!’ The Alpha yells.
‘Where is Hope?! What have you done to her?’ I shout.
‘No need to worry, Alpha Maximus, we are taking very good care of her, if you know what I mean,’ he smirks.
‘If you touch her, I swear to the Moon Goddess, it will be the last thing you ever touch!’ I yell.
The alpha chuckles and walks away. ‘Get back here, you coward!’ I shout only to hear the echo of my voice.
‘Alpha… Alpha…’ I hear. I look around. I swear I could hear someone whispering. ‘Up here!’
I look up at the moon hole in the ceiling.
‘Mother of the Moon Goddess! Is that really you, Nathan!’ I ask in utter shock. Nathan’s head pokes through the moon hole. He’s too big to fit his whole body through.
‘I don’t understand. I-we thought you were dead?’
‘As soon as I saw you grab Hope and run, I ran. Only my back and arms ended up slightly burnt.
My eyes well up, ‘Nathan, you have no idea how happy I am that you survived! I’m sorry I didn’t come back for you, I wanted to, but I couldn’t., I say with shame.
‘It’s okay, Alpha. I saw the men were following you afterwards, and you had to save our Luna from those men. So I returned here as soon as I had healed enough from the explosion. I’m not sure which packs are winning, but there are many dead across the fields. So I’m going to enter through the hidden entrance near the well. Sit tight, Alpha. I’m coming to unchain you and get you out of there!’ Nathan says.
‘Okay, stay safe,’ I say to him.
He nods and disappears. An hour has gone by, ‘Come on, Nathan! Where are you!’
Moments later, Nathan enters, dangling keys in his fingers, ‘About time,’ I say. Nathan rolls his eyes, ‘Do you know how hard it was to get these keys without being seen?’ he snaps.
‘Sorry… I’m just worried about Hope. You didn’t see her, did you?’ I ask.
Nathan frowns and shakes his head.
As soon as I’m free from the chains, we go up the stairs, searching for Hope. We kill every warrior we come across.
We hear arguing coming from a room nearby. It’s the Alphas. They are arguing over who gets to claim and have Hope.
I kick the door in and see Hope tied to a chair wearing one of my shirts that reaches her knees. The Alphas stand up, ‘How did you get out of the cell?’ one yells.
Nathan steps out behind me with a grin, ‘Nathan!’ Hope shouts in delight. Hope is crying tears of joy, ‘You’re alive! Thank the Moon Goddess,’ she says.
Nathan and I shift and lunge at the Alphas. One bleeds profusely out his arm after Nathan rips a chunk out. I then break the Alpha’s neck and let him fall to the ground.
‘One down! Two to go!’ I smile. The Alphas panic, knowing they are about to die. I rip into the neck of one Alpha while Nathan claws into the other Alpha’s chest. All three Alphas lay dead.
I shift back into human form and untie Hope. She flings her arms around me, not caring about the blood all over me. ‘Maximus!’ she hugs me tight.
I look her up and down, ‘Are you hurt? Did they hurt you? ‘ I ask in a worried tone.
‘No, I’m fine. I’m just glad you saved me,’ Hope smiles at me and then turns her head to look at Nathan. She releases me, runs over to Nathan, and flings herself into his arms. ‘I thought you were dead! I saw the explosion!’ she says to him.
He rubs her back, soothing her. ‘It’s okay, Hope. Other than some burns on my back and arms, I made it out alive,’ he says, letting go of Hope.
He turns his back and lifts his shirt, ‘They’ll probably leave some nasty scars,’ he shrugs.
‘No, wait!’ Hope says as he drops his shirt.
Hope gently places her hands on his back, emitting a glow and her eyes have a silver glimmer. A few moments later, all the burns have been healed.
‘You healed it all. That feels so much better!’ Nathan smiles. Hope admires the tattoos on his back and arms. Nathan has a massive tattoo of a wolf and moon on his back. On his left arm tribal tattoos.
He pulls Hope in for a hug. ‘Thank you again,’ he smiles down at her.
Chaos briefly tries to take over, ‘Mine!’ he snarls.
Nathan lets go of Hope, ‘Yes, Chaos! We know she is yours. I was only thanking her.’ Nathan laughs.
We shift and run out of the castle to the fields. There are dead and injured everywhere, but the fighting has stopped. The wolves would have felt the death of their Alpha. All of them bow, even the wounded. Hope is sympathetic towards them and goes to walk toward them.
I grab her arm, ‘It might be too much for you to heal them all. I don’t want to know what will happen to you when you use too much of your powers.’
Hope looks at me. Her eyes are teary.
‘I’ll just heal those who need it most. The ones with minor injuries I’ll skip. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.’
Hope heals the pack members with life-threatening injuries. Everyone watches on in awe and admiration. Then, after healing a few dozen warriors, I see Hope struggling to stay conscious.
I run towards her before she collapses and catch her, ‘Hope! ‘Hope, are you alright?’ I ask, brushing the hair away from her face with my fingers.
‘I’ll be fine. It’s just that the more I heal, the less energy I have,’ she explains.
‘I thought that might be the case. You need to rest now. I’m going to take you back inside,’ I tell her.
‘No, please! There are still so many badly injured. I need to heal them,’ she pleads.
‘Absolutely not, Hope! You are barely conscious yourself, and I won’t allow you to weaken yourself any further! The rest will get seen to by the pack doctor and the trained she-wolves,’ I assure her.
I then turn to Nathan, ‘Nathan, is Kayla still alive? Where is she?’ I ask.
‘She’s hiding in her apothecary.’
‘Inform her it’s safe to come out now and tell her to bring her healing potions to administer to the remaining injured.’
‘Yes, Alpha,’ Nathan says and races toward the castle.
‘Who’s Kayla?’ Hope asks in a weak voice.
‘She’s the pack’s alchemist. Now, let’s get you inside so you can rest.’
By the time I enter our chambers, Hope is sound asleep and looks so darn cute.
I pull the silk coverings up to keep Hope warm and kiss her gently on the forehead.
Alex and Nathan run across the field into each other’s arms. It almost looks romantic to watch. You would think they were mates the way they ran toward each other.
‘Alpha Maximus!’ I turn, hearing a familiar voice, and open my arms wide to catch my dear elderly cook and close family friend Beth.
‘Beth!’ I say, lifting her. I gave her a friendly, loving squeeze and put her down.
‘It’s been terrible having been forced to cook for those snotty Alpha’s and their pack members! I’m so glad you’re back! Where is the Luna? I must meet her!’ she says.
‘The Luna is resting in my chambers,’ I tell her.
Beth turns to run back into the castle, all excited.
I grab her arm gently, ‘Beth! Under no circumstances are you to enter my chambers and wake her up. Hope has been through a lot and needs to rest,’ I say to her.
‘Oh, spoons full of sugar!’ she hollers while stamping her foot.
‘Beth, you will get to meet her later, but there’s something you could do for me in the meantime?’ I smile.
Beth returns the smile, ‘Anything for you, Alpha!’
‘I could go for one of your apple pies like you wouldn’t believe,’ I grin.
Beth smiles, nods and runs back to the castle kitchen to cook. I help Kayla administer the healing potions she made to the rest of the injured, making them heal twice as quickly. Kayla is exotic looking, with dark skin with green eyes. Her black curly hair is always braided with thick gold chains through the braids. Her parents were alchemists, but they passed away when she was still young. She creates potions, medicines and plant herbs to help the pack.
Some of the injured complain, saying it would be better for Hope to heal them so there won’t be scars.
‘Your Luna is exhausted and healed the worst of you, be grateful you have Kayla to help you heal quicker than you already do.’ I growl.
They become silent and allow Kayla to continue administrating potions to them.
Kayla, on the other hand, looks at me, confused.
‘Luna? Is she here? She can heal?’ her green eyes are filled with excitement and curiosity.
‘Yes, she’s here, and she can heal.’
‘Is she an alchemist like me?’
‘No. Hope can heal with her bare hands.’
‘That’s incredible.’ Kayla says with delight.
‘I’m going to check on her now.’
‘Please let me go with you? I cannot wait to meet her.’
‘You will meet her in due time, Kayla. For now, I’d like to see her alone,’ I say to her.
Kayla nods in understanding.
I return upstairs to my chambers to check on Hope. She’s in a deep sleep. I remove my clothes and snuggle up next to her. I need to be near her and hold her.
Without opening her eyes, she snuggles closer to me, nuzzling her face into my chest, and begins to snore. I can’t help myself but chuckle at my perfect little mate.
