Chapter 4

Max

Maddox is running as fast as he can to get to the battle. I run past several dead warriors and the anger grows inside both Maddox and I

“Where is the Alliance?” I command through the pack mind-link.

“10 minutes out Alpha” Beta Sam responded instantly.

“Dad, Sloane was in the house, it was on fire. I got her out and she is on her way to the hospital, she is breathing but in bad shape. Where are you and Mom?” I mind-link just my father.

“I knew she was in danger. Thank you, son. I’m in the middle of it, your mom is with me” my dad pants. He sounds badly injured. I rush towards him and my mom, taking down as many of the bastards as I can. Maddox’s coat is painted with blood. I am about 200 yards away when I spot my parents. My dad’s back was turned to fight off another wolf, he is badly injured, his left hind leg is broken and his side is bleeding badly. My mom also has a big side wound, and she had a big gash on her face, but she is not bleeding as badly. Maddox pushes forward even faster to get to them. I am so focused on getting to them that I don’t see the large greyish wolf approaching them. What happened next was both excruciatingly slow and lightning-fast at the same time. With every heartbeat, something happens.

Thump

The grey wolf jumps onto my father’s back, while he is fighting another wolf. COWARD!  My father turns his neck to bit at his attacker, exposing his neck completely.

Thump.

My mom is quick to act jumping in front of my father’s neck protecting it from the wolf he was fighting. But exposing her own neck.

Thump.

The grey wolf bit down on my father’s spin and I see my father’s back legs give out. I’m running as fast as I can, but it feels as if I’m not moving at all. Maddox growls in rage and desperation to get to his Alpha and Luna.  

Thump.

The wolf in front of my mother bit into her throat, I see her blood spraying, she is struggling against his hold, and I feel her pack bond weakening. My dad must have felt it too since he howls in agony and makes a desperate attempt to shake the grey wolf off him and help my mom.

Thump.

It’s too late I feel the pack bond break as my mother’s body goes limp. Maddox howls in pain and surges forward. He wants blood. Just as I reach the scene the grey wolf bit into my father’s neck. I leap forward knocking the grey wolf off my father, he lands hard on his side and crashes into a tree, I hear a crack. I thought my dad a quick glance, his neck is ripped open, and blood is streaming out. That’s too much blood.

I make a move to go to him, but I halted my actions when I hear his voice in my mind, it’s barely a whisper “Don’t son, it’s too late for me, keep your eyes on the enemy. I’ll be with your mother soon. Protect the pack and your sister. You are Alpha now. I’m proud of you son, and I love you, tell your sister the same”

Thump.

I feel the transfer of power and the searing pain of the pack bond breaking. I howl in excruciating pain. But I do as my father said. My eyes don’t leave the piece of cowardly trash. The grey wolf is getting back to his feet and the wolf that killed my mother is at his side. Both Maddox and I are ready for this fight, the rage within me will give me all the energy and power I need to end this.

The next moment the grey wolf howls and all the attackers start to retreat. I’m not about to let that happen, I lunge forward but only manage to get the other wolf pinned beneath me. It whimpers, but it looks like the grey wolf just keeps running. COWARD! Maddox doesn’t hold back with he tears into the wolf. When he is finally done, there is nothing left, it looks like a scene from a massacre movie and Maddox is covered in blood.

When I turn around, I see why they retreated, the Alliance is finally here, but they are too late. We lost in more ways than one. I shifted back and head to where my father’s still body is. Wolves normally shift back if they die. I look over at my mother. I was too late; I wasn’t fast enough. A lump forms in my throat as I look down at the strongest Alpha and the kindest fiercest Luna, I have ever known. My parents died today and the ache in my heart gets stronger. I knew that one day I would have to take over, but I never imagined it would be like this. It is taking everything I have left in me to not break down.

Beta Sam comes up next to me “You take your father, Alpha, and I will carry the Luna” his voice breaks at the end. My mother was his sister, and he knew my father since they were kids. I can see the pain and grief in his eyes.

I gently slide my arms under my father and pick him up. I will not have him or my mother, or any of my pack lay in this carnage.

“Search the field for the injured and tend to their wound immediately. If anyone finds one of these fuckers alive, keep him that way and take him or her to the dungeons. Pick up our dead and lay them beside their Alpha and Luna. I will not have any pack member laying in this filth” I command both verbally and through the pack though mind-link

“Doctor, if you need anything let me know directly. And how is my sister.” My voice cracks a little at the end.

“She is in recovery Alpha, her lunges have mostly cleared up, I’m Keeping her sedated for now and I would like to keep her overnight. Her lunges should be as good as new by tomorrow. I will let you know if we need anything” he calmly replies.

That’s something at least. I reach the area that was prepped for our dead. Some of the pack members have place sheets on the grounds and they are carrying buckets of water, soup and natural oils to the site. I place my father gently on one and see Sam place my mother beside him.

“I will make you proud” I murmur as I look between them.

“You already have” Sam sniffs. I stand up and place my hand on my uncle’s shoulder “I will make the one responsible for this pay” I promise him. He stood up and nodded to me.

“I will go help with our dead and I will instruct the men to get started building the pyres. I think you go talk to the Alphas from the alliance, but you should clean up a little, you like you took a bath in red paint” he bows his head to me and head toward the field.

I look down and his right, I look like I took a bath in the enemy’s blood. I take one of the buckets of water and start cleaning up a little. Once the majority of the blood is washed off my body, I pull on some shorts and head towards Colton and Ryker.

Devastation is all around me. The Alliance arrived too late, I told my father we needed to take the other Alphas up on their over and relocate. I told him that we are too far away for the Alliance to reach us in time. If he would have only listed to me, he would still be here, mom would still be here and so many other pack members would be here. I feel the lump in my throat forming. I swallow hard. No, I can’t fall apart now. I walk towards where the leaders of the Alliance have gathered. I can hear Colton and Ryker dividing the AES up and assigning duties.

I smell her before I see her. The smell of peaches and vanilla swirls around me and will my nose. I can almost taste it. Maddox seems to have momentarily set aside his anger in order to track the source of this enticing smell. The closer I get to the EAS the stronger the scent gets. Maddox is pushing me to move quicker towards the source of the alluring scent. Just as I reach the EAS, my eyes found hers instantly, and time stood still. Maddox wants to close the distance between us, but I stand still next to the other Alphas.

“Get closer! We must show the other males they are not allowed near her” Maddox growls in my head.

She has the brightest ocean blue, which is made more enchanting by her long black lashes and perfectly sculpted eyebrows. Her button nose and defined cheekbone make her look so innocent. Her plump dark red lips are begging to be devoured. Her silky smooth long black her is tied in a high ponytail. A hint of pink reaches her cheeks and I swear I have never seen a more beautiful, alluring, and enchanting woman. She looks like something out of a dream, or fairy tale. She does not belong in a place with so much violence and death.

As I let my eyes roam her body, I notice she is only dressed in an oversized shirt, leaving her long-toned porcelain legs on full display. Her arms are folded in front of her chest which only pushes ups her perky tits. Her nails are digging into her forearm like she is holding herself back. She’s not the only one trying to hold back. I can see my hand wrapped around her ponytail pulling her tightly against me devouring her lips and breasts as she wraps those gorgeous porcelain legs around me so that I can plunge myself into her.

I’m pulled away from my thoughts by Colton’s sombre voice “Max, we are sorry we didn’t make it in time, we came as soon as we received the SOS”.

“I know you did, this is not your fault” I look away. I have to get control of myself. I’m the Alpha now, my pack needs me. I can’t be fantasising about some chick I have never even met yet.

“We instructed the EAS to handle security and patrols so that you and the warriors can focus on the pack,” Ryker says as calm and collected as ever. I just give them a nod.

I can’t stop myself from looking at her again. Her eyes are still glued to me, I can see her checking me out and I can’t smell the faint scent of her arousal. Maddox growls in lust.

I stare at her like a starving man. A hint of pink reaches her cheeks, I wanted to pick her up and pin her to the nearest tree. She breaks our trace when some EAS member, Aria I believe, calls her to go and help.

Watching her walk away from me was the second most difficult thing I had to do today, but I let her go.