CHAPTER FIVE.

ALPHA RONIN

The day had started like any other in the Crescent Moon Pack. The sun was rising from the horizon, and I was going about my duties as the Alpha, making decisions for the ensured safety and prosperity of my pack.

It was a bright, unassuming day but little did I know that this day would take an unexpected turn that would change the course of my life.

As I was overseeing some training exercises in the pack's training grounds, giving advice to young soldiers and monitoring the sharpness and effectiveness of the blows they delivered to the dummies, I received a sudden and urgent mindlink from one of my guards. The message was brief but filled with panic.

"Alpha Ronin, the carriage containing your mate and the guards has been attacked!"

My wolf yelped at the news.

Fury coursed through my veins as I received the message, accompanied by rage that surged through me like wildfire, causing me to abandon the training session without a second thought.

“You,” I called to one of the betas standing by as I started on my way out. “Take over the training session.”

“Yes, Alpha,” he acknowledged as he turned back to the soldiers shouting commands.

My heart pounded in my chest, and my senses sharpened. Without a second thought, I sprinted out of the Packhouse. My wolf instincts took over, and I shifted into my wolf form as I ran into the dense woods.

The earth quaked beneath my powerful paws as I ran through the thick forest in my wolf form, a massive, dark-furred creature.

I raced through the dense woods, using my heightened senses to track the aura of my guards. After a few minutes of relentless running, I found them in a valley, surrounded by the rival Blood Moon Pack.

The realization that they were responsible for this attack fueled my anger even further.

I sent a command through the mindlink to my guards who were still with my mate. "Hold your positions and stay out of sight. I'm on my way."

"They've got her. He is threatening to kill her!" He replied, sounding so troubled.

"Shit!" I cursed, it was worse than I thought.

Shifting into my wolf, I quickly started for the Pack boundary, noting how the Pack warriors glared in my direction. I followed Jason's aura, and in some minutes I was able to locate them.

They were already nearing the Pack and had been intercepted by a rogue Pack.

As I approached the scene, I saw my guards surrounded by server rogues. And then I caught sight of her. She was more stunning than I had been told, but I pushed the thought out of my mind, knowing how bad the situation was.

We moved with a deadly silence, weaving through the trees like shadows. My heart nearly stopped when I spotted one of the rogues with a knife pressed against my mate's throat, the danger was palpable. I couldn't afford to make any noise or risk her safety.

“Where's your good for nothing mate now, little girl?” the bastard teased her causing her to let out a scared whimper

.

“He's not here to save you because you're pathetic and weak. I'm going to have fun with you and when I'm done I'll discard you like the trash that you are.”

He gave a long laugh that grated on my nerves and caused more anger to surge through me like a tidal wave. Having enough of this asshole's arrogance, I took an unnoticeable path, flanking the assailant.

My snarls reverberated through the forest as I instructed my guards through the mindlink, "Back me up. We're going in."

With a lightning-fast attack, I incapacitated him from behind. The suddenness of my attack caught him off guard, and he released her.

My mate quickly got to her feet and scurried away behind a large tree, remaining unharmed.

As I dealt with the immediate threat, my guards who had been waiting for my signal, descended on the other rogues, and the woods were filled with the sounds of battle.

I fought alongside my guards, my wolf's strength and speed proving advantageous as we started to defeat the rogues.

The battle raged in a fierce, chaotic dance of fangs and claws, but my pack was well-trained, and we fought hard with unwavering determination.

In the midst of the brawl, one of the rogues sank his sharp teeth in my hand before I was able to push him away. I sustained a minor injury to my left hand, a relatively deep gash that stung with each movement. It called for immediate treatment but I didn't let it deter or hinder me from the fight.

Once the enemy pack members were defeated, I turned my attention to my mate, who was safe and unharmed.

“It's ok,” I told her as I shifted back to my human form. “You can come out now.”

She still cowered behind the tree, one blue eye watching me to see if I would hurt her.

“I'm not going to hurt you,” I told her as I put my hand out for her. “You can come out now, it's ok.”

Even though she was obviously still scared and skeptical she still made the decision to come out from behind the tree and walk up to me.

“Are you hurt?” I asked her.

She shook her head and looked down at my hand. Her eyes widened as she gripped my left hand where my blood was dripping out from and unto the earth.

“I'm not, but you are.”

“That's nothing, I'll be fine,” I assured her but she would have nothing of the sort.

“No, let me help. I'll be right back.”

She went back to the carriage and when she appeared again she was holding a small box of medicine, to my utter dismay.

She made me sit on a tree stump while she attended to my wound.

She helped me treat my injury, her hands gentle and caring, and I found myself being grateful for her presence.

Andrea's touch was like a gentle caress, her fingers deftly tending to the wound on my hand. The forest seemed to hold its breath as we sat there, the tension of the earlier battle gradually fading into the background.

Her eyes met mine, her gaze filled with gratitude and something more, something I couldn't quite define.

I watched her as she worked, her hands delicate yet confident, her lips forming a thoughtful line. The connection between us, born of the intense moments we'd shared, had deepened in ways I couldn't have anticipated.

Once Andrea had finished dressing my wound, I offered a faint but sincere smile. "Thank you, Andrea. Your care means a lot to me."

She met my gaze with a warm smile of her own. "You saved my life. I couldn't do any less."

With her by my side, we resumed our journey to the kingdom.

The forest around us teemed with life, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of pine and damp earth. The tension of the earlier battle slowly ebbed away, replaced by a sense of tranquility.

As we walked together, I couldn't help but reflect on the circumstances that had brought us here. I had taken on the role of her bodyguard, concealing my true identity as Alpha Ronin.

I had ordered my men to pretend they didn't know me, a necessary deception to ensure her safety. Andrea, still unaware of my true status, couldn't help but be curious about the enigmatic Alpha Ronin.

She broke the silence, her voice filled with curiosity. "Do you know Alpha Ronin?"

"No, my lady," I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil of emotions swirling inside me. "I have heard of him, of course, as a distant figure in our world. But I can't claim to know him personally."

Her eyes flickered with a hint of disappointment, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for keeping the truth from her. It was necessary for her safety, but it weighed on me nevertheless.

Andrea's curiosity seemed insatiable. "I've heard tales about his strength and leadership. Some say he's a legend among Alphas. Do you think those stories are true?"

I carefully considered my response, choosing my words with care.

"Alpha Ronin is indeed a powerful and respected leader, but legends often embellish the truth. It's best to take the stories you hear with a grain of salt."

She nodded, though I could tell her fascination remained undiminished. "I understand, but I can't help but wonder about the man beneath the legend."

We continued our journey in thoughtful silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air between us.

The deception I'd woven to protect her had only deepened the intrigue, and I couldn't help but wonder how long I could maintain the facade.

Andrea's eyes never left me, a curious glint in her gaze as she studied my features. "Why are you so mysterious, if you don't mind me asking?"

I kept my gaze steady on the path ahead, my voice measured, "Some things are best left unsaid, my lady. The less you know, the safer you'll be."

She seemed unconvinced, but nodded. "Very well, but I can't help but wonder about the man who saved me today. You risked your life for a stranger, and for that, I'm grateful."

A wistful smile tugged at my lips, hidden by the shadows of the forest. "It was my duty, my lady. Nothing more."