Chapter 7 Chapter SEVEN

Eileen's POV

"I promise you, for a while," I finally said.

Arthur and Brett hugged me tightly, and I could feel their shoulders relax, before they left with the warrior. I was informed to finish breakfast with Amber and join them after.

At the breakfast table, Amber still ate independently without my help. The unease in my heart eased again. I ate silently, but the sweet mate scent still lingered in the air. When they embraced me, my heart had actually anticipated more - kisses, hugs, even further...

Thinking that, I couldn't help clenching my thighs together, my face heating up.

"Mom, are you hot?" Amber asked in confusion.

"No! Sweetheart, I..." I flustered, when Alex suddenly appeared.

"Elleen! Are you two done?" Alex's timely arrival saved me from the awkwardness. Seeing Amber's empty plate, I nodded.

Alex nodded back, then led us to the burial site.

It was a private ceremony with only a few attending.

I kept watching the triplets' two brothers, seeing their stoic faces refusing to cry, standing strong. We paid our final respects and farewells as they lowered their late Alpha into the grave.

I watched the triplets' rigid backs, their shoulders shaking as they struggled to hold back grief, a weight pressing on my chest too.

"Mom?" Amber's small voice pulled me from my thoughts, looking at her. I noticed she spoke more lately, knowing my little girl was progressing well, growing up beautifully always made me smile.

"Yes, dear?" I smiled at her, and she blinked.

"What happens when people die?" she asked, surprising me. Who knew her vocabulary was so advanced? I knew she was observant, she must be smart to pick up on how adults speak.

I took a deep breath, thinking how to explain without scaring her. "Well, they go to a good place," I hesitated, and she frowned in confusion.

"A good place?" she mumbled, and I nodded.

"Yes, Alpha Joseph went to a good place. One day, we'll all go there too," I said, watching her eyes widen in fear. I pulled her close, hugging her.

"Don't worry dear, death isn't scary. What's scarier is being forgotten. As long as your loved ones aren't forgotten, death isn't so scary," I said softly, and she nodded. I didn't know if it made sense, but that was how I felt. In that moment, I knew my perspective on loss and death had profoundly shifted.

As the ceremony ended and we were to head back, suddenly I saw Alex hurrying towards me.

"Elleen, you need to get Amber home quickly," he said gravely.

"Is everything alright?" I asked him, and he shook his head.

"Not good, we received an alert that rogues are crossing the borders. I'm certain they got word of Alpha Joseph's passing. They see this as our most vulnerable time, so they're launching an attack."

An attack...the shameless rogues! How dare they attack when Alpha Joseph just passed! My heart burned with anger too.

"Actually Alex, I can help. You know I'm not weak," I said, knowing I hadn't decided if I would stay with the Black Woods, but...I felt deeply for the pack.

Alex's eyes widened in surprise, but he was quick to refuse sternly. "Elleen, you are strong. If not for that incident, you would have replaced me as the first female Beta of Black Woods. But...the fact is, this attack has even graver circumstances. I believe Arthur and Brett wouldn't want you in harm's way, and neither do I."

"What exactly is happening?" I pressed.

Alex finally sighed. "Our gamma informed us that this rogue attack is extremely large-scale - they are not only attacking our pack, but also..."

"But also what?!" I demanded angrily.

"The Stone Heart pack is also under attack!" Alex finally told me.

I shook my head - I no longer had ties to the Stone Hearts, though I was good friends with Beta Silas and respected by others in the pack. I believed the Stone Heart warriors, trained by me, were fully capable of fending off low-level rogues.

I meant to leave, but Alex's next words froze my blood.

"Alpha Jason has issued a warrant to all packs - he will stop at nothing to find you. We're worried they'll take this chaos as a chance to take you back."

Arthur's POV

"Report, what's the situation over there?" Just as father was laid to rest, the rogues began attacking our pack. What enraged me more was that bastard Alpha Jason was trying to take Elleen from me again.

Never! I won't allow it! I immediately lunged, sinking my claws into one rogue's throat, but they were stronger than the last rogues I killed - their bodies like reinforced bronze and iron. When the rogue noticed my stare, he flashed an evil grin.

"Watch out Arthur!" Brett joined in, pulling me away before the rogue's venom could seep into my heart. Alex was battling another rogue, and I noticed he was indeed struggling.

These rogues seemed unkillable...Brett and I tried reaching Alex, but the rogues sensed our plan, more suddenly descending from above to block our path.

My heart raced as I saw Alex's arm injured, him flung to the ground, the venomous rogue claws stabbing towards his heart. "Look out Alex!" I roared.

Just as I thought Alex would be killed, a white wolf barged in, pinning the rogue down. Her fur sleek and pristine, I caught a mate's scent on her!

Was the white wolf Elleen?! As I gaped, the white wolf instantly plunged her claws into the rogue wolf's heart!

The rogue swiftly died, the white wolf letting out a howl before collapsing -

I tried calling out to her, but she and her wolf form were unresponsive. No, I couldn't lose my mate!