Chapter 2 - Rocco

71 days earlier than current day ...

The sounds of screams are deafening as they echo throughout my pack. This was any pack member’s worst nightmare. Especially a senior member, such as a Beta like myself. A rogue attack was never a good thing, but this one, well, it seemed strategic and well-developed; and that worried me. This did not seem like a normal rogue attack, and this type was becoming more frequent.

“Back up needed at the north border!” Micah, our pack Alpha, and my closest friend called to me over the developing battlefield that only hours ago had been our peaceful pack. The pack that we loved so much, now stood in all but ruins around us... unprepared, and unexpected... I feared for the safety of our pack members.

I nodded in response. ‘I will shift and head that way.’ I mindlinked in reply. The sooner I could get there with back up the better. We needed to get the influx of fighters invading our land cut off and dealt with as swiftly as we could before any further damage was done. Too many of them had already gained access to our land and caused damage... caused harm to many... no more could be done. We had to put a stop to this.

I didn’t even pause to strip my clothes off as I allowed my wolf to push forward, he had already been lingering heavily below the surface of my skin, desperate to be allowed out to protect his home and his people. My wolf was strong. He was protective of his pack, and those he cared for. I knew I would be fighting until the end in order to defend all we had.

‘Tesoro?’ I mindlinked my mate, Aria, as my body made the smooth and easy transition between my toned and muscular human form into the sleek and strong form of my wolf, Ciro. His dappled gray fur soon began to protrude from my limbs as the transition occurred…

‘Oh, Rocco!’ she replied, the panic evident in her tone. ‘What is happening, there is panic everywhere. We have been told to go to the safe rooms.’

I felt a sense of relief flood through me at my mate's words. The message had reached the women and children as planned. As many of them as we could manage would be sent to the safe rooms while this unknown attack occurred. We did not know what these rogues had planned for us, and we did not want our children nor our mates putting in harms way. The safe rooms were the only way we could offer some guarantee of protection while the men did their best to defend our land...

‘I know, Bella, I know. But you need to stay calm. If not for you, then the rest of the pack. Do as you have been asked, for me, okay? The pack isn’t safe right now. We are under attack by a unknown group of rogues. Where are you? Are you far from the safe rooms?’

This was all so different to everything Aria was used to before she settled with me. A human among wolves... two lives so far apart... brought together by fate... but we were destined for one another. The moon goddess had chosen this girl for me, and from the moment I set eyes upon her, I knew she was meant for me. I would do all I could to get home safely to her. My life now was her. Protecting her. She was my everything...

‘Rogues?’ I could hear the fear in Aria’s mindlink, and did not want to give her more reason to be scared by telling her further details. She may have not been here too long, but she knew the risk that rogues brought. She knew the damage they could do, and right now we were in danger.

‘Yes, we think so. We are dealing with them, but please, Aria, I need you to do as you have been asked and make sure all the other women and children, as well as the elderly, do the same, okay? For me?’ I was aware of my wolf’s paws pounding the floor of the forest heavily as he began making his way toward the northern border as informed by our Alpha. Dreading what we may find there. The smell of blood was already hanging heavily in the air, which told me there had already been fighting… and the thing was, I did not know if the blood I could smell was that of our pack members of those that invaded our pack.

‘Okay. I will do as you ask. Where are you going? Go and do your thing, my brave Beta. Keep us safe?’ I heard almost a sob through the mindlink. 'I am scared, I will not lie, but go and do your duties. Be the hero I know you are.’

My heart clenched at the words of my mate, because as much as it was my place to protect her, and as desperately as my heart wanted to take me to her, it was also my place to protect my pack. And, right now, I was expected to be out in the pack defending our home… our land. I was expected there now. We were being attacked, and until I got there I did not know what awaited me.

I sighed heavily. ‘I know, Tesoro. As much as every part of me is calling out to be by your side, to protect you the way I should. I will go and defend the pack. Micah has asked me to head to the borders to help defend them. To help reduce the influx before things get any worse. But, my beautiful mate, I swear, as soon as I can, I will be back with you. Without hesitation, I will be there with you. Just be strong for me, baby, okay?’

‘I don’t really get to say if it isn’t okay, do I? But I would never question it. This is your duty as Beta. I know what expectations that comes with. And I know you are a hero to me and to your pack, my big brave Beta.’ She sighed and a flurry of guilt flooded through me. She was putting on a brave face for me, I could sense that. But, this was my duty. I needed to protect my pack along with the rest of those fighting to defend our land. In doing that, I was protecting her too...

My wolf was in full control. Running at his fastest, as my mind was filled with far too many thoughts... the pack... the damage these fucking rogues could do to us... and, of course, my mate. I hated not having her by my side... not knowing that she was okay. But, I knew that as soon as I had dealt with this issue at the borders, I could get home to her. Home... in her arms... in the short time we had been together, that had soon become my favorite place to be.

The thing was, I never reached the borders. There was the sharpest of pains through my chest… one strong enough to knock the breath from me… even in wolf form… and instinctively, my mind went to Aria. Had the safe rooms been taken over so suddenly? Our warriors were protecting the main area of the pack, weren't they? My heart raced as fear began to spread increasingly across my body.

‘Aria?’ I mindlinked. ‘Baby?’ I desperately tried to contact her, but as much as I reached for her through the bond, I felt nothing. There was no wolf for Ciro to reach for. Of course, Aria had gained the ability to mindlink when she became part of my pack, but being a human, she would never have the ability to shift… my mind could not help but wander.

Aria could not be dead, could she? Surely, I would know if my mate had gone, wouldn’t I? The pain… that could not be it, could it? I have heard of wolves losing their fated mates before. The pain was meant to be crushing. That could not be it... I knew I was a strong Beta, but no... it could not be that... I could not have lost my mate.

‘Aria?’ I wailed once more through the mindlink, desperately seeking an answer now, despite deep down knowing there was no answer to be found.

And, once more, I was met with nothing but silence, and I knew at that moment, my men would be alone on that border. They would have to cope. I would ask for assistance for them, but I could not go to their aide. I needed to go and defend the safe room. I needed to be there for my mate… had I let her down in not going to her when she said she was scared? Failed in my duties as her mate? I was meant to protect her…

‘Micah.’ I boomed through the link. ‘ Send others for the border. Something is wrong with Aria. I need to find her. I think she is dead.’ Even through the link I knew my voice wobbled, because a small part of me truly feared my words may be the truth.

‘Roc, wait. Surely you would know. I think we would know. I am sure she is fine. You are needed…’ he faltered. He had to know what he was asking of me. I had abandoned her once. I could not do it again, not now, not when I had felt that pain… not when I could not reach her…

My lifelong friend, and the pack Alpha, released a long sigh, even audible to me through the mindlink. He must have been rethinking his words. ‘Just go to her. If it is any reassurance, there is no report of the safe room being under attack. But, are you sure she got there?’ he asked, and as his words registered within my mind, it began to fill with the worst imaginable visions… had she made it there? Maybe Micah was right. Aria was on her way there when we spoke, but it was never confirmed to me that she had arrived… maybe something happened. But, if something happened, why did she not reach out for me? There seemed to be so many questions, and my heart felt it was being torn from my chest at the potential scenes I might be facing as my wolf turned and headed for home…

‘Roc…’ a broken voice stuttered through the link. A voice I would recognize anywhere. Aria. My beautiful girl. She sounded hurt. ‘Help me…’ she sobbed.

I felt tears prickling at my eyes, as I allowed Ciro to push forward, and run harder and faster for home. We needed to find her. The thing was, I didn’t know where she was, and I feared now she was in no fit state to help me find her…

‘Ari, baby… Tesoro? Can you hear me?’ I mindlinked. But again the silence had returned. I didn’t care, I hoped beyond hope she could hear me even if she was unable to respond. Maybe the sound of my voice would be the thing to keep her going. Giving Ciro the control to find our mate, I focused my attention on talking to her through the mindlink we shared.

‘I don't know if you can hear me, I only hope you can. But just know that I am coming for you, my sweet girl. I should never have left you.’ I would hate myself forever for this. I just hoped when we found her I would not be too late. ‘I need you to hold on for me? Do you hear? Your big strong Beta needs you, remember? The way you teased me? It always makes me smile when I think of that. But, you were right, Bella, because no matter how big and strong I may be, Beta or not, I will always need my girl. I will always need my mate. Do you hear me? I need you to hold on for me. I will forever need you by my side. I am incomplete without you, remember?’

Ciro whimpered, as he, too, would be sharing the conversation as I talked to Aria. My chest twisted in pain at the possibility I could lose her. The girl I had waited so long for. A wolf is fated a mate. Carefully selected for you by the moon goddess. One apparently made for you. A perfect fit. Like the missing piece to your jigsaw… I loved Aria describing it that way. But that was what she had been to me, the moment she had come crashing into my life. My missing piece.

I had never expected to be fated to a human, but she fitted so perfectly into my life… no she may have no wolf, but she was my perfect match. She was all I had hoped for and more in a mate, and I liked to think I was the same for her. She certainly told me I was. Even being understanding and accepting of being destined to be with a werewolf. Nothing seemed to phase my girl.

Yet I was terrified now, that, in being fated to me it may well have cost my girl her life. Was I worth that?