Desperate Rescue

KYLE

“Alpha!” I screamed in horror.

Grayson’s lifeless body slumped over the tree branch twenty feet in the air.

He wasn’t dead yet—I would have felt it if he were—but he was close. Very, very close.

I could feel the life leaving his body as if it were my own.

Minnie, who was holding onto my shoulder, nodded.

“Go.”

My body was released from the restraints, and I wasted no time sprinting to Grayson.

“We need to get him down!” I yelled.

He was too high up for me to reach. A vampire could have easily jumped and gotten him, but werewolves couldn’t climb trees.

I looked at the vampire king.

“Help him!”

I didn’t care that I was trying to give orders to a man much more powerful than me.

If he killed my alpha over some family dispute, I would not hesitate to let my wolf out.

Zagan nodded once. “Casimir.”

Another vampire, one I hadn’t noticed until that moment, stepped forward.

He looked just like Minnie and Zagan—same black hair, dark features, and red eyes.

~Must be another child of Zagan’s. A vampire prince.~

Casimir nodded, then, in one quick movement, gracefully jumped onto the tree branch.

He looked down at me. “Be ready to catch him.”

I nodded quickly.

Casimir jumped down onto the branch forcefully enough to snap the branch in half. Grayson came down with it still lodged in his chest. I caught him and laid him down as gently as possible.

Zagan approached Grayson slowly, his eyes on me.

“May I?” he asked, motioning to Grayson.

My wolf growled in my mind. Neither of us wanted this filthy vampire near our weakened alpha—vampires were the reason we were in this mess in the first place.

But Zagan Mortar hadn’t done anything untrustworthy yet.

~In fact, he might be the reason my pack is alive and intact come tomorrow.~

I nodded slowly, giving Zagan permission to come near. He grabbed hold of the branch and motioned for me to do the same. Together we were able to pull the branch from Grayson’s chest and throw it to the side.

Even in his unconscious state, Grayson groaned in pain, his face contorting. I winced at the baseball-sized hole in his chest, blood spilling onto the white snow.

My wolf whimpered, pushing against the front of my skull to see through my eyes.

It would be a miracle if the alpha made it through this.

Zagan didn't waste a second. “Minnie.”

She nodded and, just as she had done with me, put the tip of her pointer finger to her fang and drew blood.

But Grayson didn’t struggle when she put her finger in his mouth.

Instead, he closed his mouth around it, greedily sucking. I had never been more grateful for magical finger blood in my entire life. It took a minute for Minnie to remove her finger and step back.

Grayson still wasn’t moving. He lay unconscious, the big hole in his chest not mending the way my wounds had with Minnie’s blood in my system.

He wasn’t healing. Nothing was happening.

I started to panic. Was he already gone? My heart was beating so fast that I could hear it in my ears. I turned to Minnie anxiously.

“Why isn’t anything happening?” I said.

“It’s going to take a little while,” she answered, putting on her most comforting smile. “His wounds are extensive, both physical and psychological. Give it time before you jump to conclusions.”

I growled softly. I didn’t want to give it time. I wanted to know if we were going to have to live without our alpha.

“Do it again,” I said. “He needs to live.”

She didn’t respond, just looked down sadly. Zagan crouched down on Grayson’s other side, inspecting him. I almost snapped at him, my protective instincts surfacing.

“Your alpha is strong,” he remarked.

I almost scoffed at the plainness of the observation.

“Stronger than anyone I’ve ever met, vampire or wolf. Not many out there would be able to withstand bodily control for so long. You felt it yourself when Azazel commanded you—you become weak and broken.” He shook his head, a dark expression coming over him. “Most would not last longer than a week or two of being controlled like that. Your alpha lasted two months. It is a wonder he is not dead.”

Genuine respect and admiration shone from his face as he watched Grayson closely.

Then he looked at me and nodded once. “Do not worry, beta. I will be shocked if this is what kills him.”

I was silent, too worried to speak. I could only hope he was right.

Zagan stood. “Casimir.”

His son stepped forward.

“Where is Adalee?”

My gaze snapped up to look at them. ~They’re looking for Adalee?~

Casimir shook his head.

“I searched everywhere for her. She’s not on pack lands. Her scent is fresh, though, she couldn’t have left more than an hour before we arrived.”

Zagan sighed. “A coward like her grandfather, I see.”

I spoke up. “Is it possible she’s just past the border in the woods? My mate is out there with the luna. I can ask them to search for her on their way back.”

“Alpha Grayson’s mate is still nearby?” Zagan asked.

“We…were trying to get her out before Azazel hurt her,” I said, cringing at the memory of the tears on Belle’s bruised cheeks. “It won’t take them long to get back after I explain what’s going on. The luna will be beyond relieved.”

Zagan shook his head. “No. The alpha’s mate cannot come back. It will only distract him from the fight.”

I stood, not liking what he was saying. There was no way I could let the luna go on thinking the way she was, thinking Grayson hated her.

She needed to be with him as himself, not Azazel’s version of him. And the alpha needed her by his side.

“With all due respect, sir, you don’t know the situation. Mates are stronger when they are together. The alpha needs her to succeed in battle.”

~If he lives through the night, that is.~

“Not in this case,” Minnie squeaked from behind me.

I looked at her.

“They have been apart for too long,” she insisted. “If the alpha—or, I guess, Azazel—hurt the luna badly, Alpha Grayson’s wolf will be going insane the moment he comes to. He won’t leave her side. Even with a war happening around him. It’s safer for them both if she stays away.”

“Minnie is right, young beta,” Zagan interjected. “We need Alpha Grayson present during battle. Your pack needs its leader.”

“But the alpha will never allow it,” I pushed back. “You don’t understand how he feels about the luna—he’s crazy about her. He won’t even talk to you until he has her by his side. Even if it means leaving now, in the worst time possible to go find her. We should bring her back now.”

Zagan apparently wasn’t going to back down.

“Alpha Grayson ~will~ allow it because he knows this war will only put his human mate in danger. He knows she’s better off somewhere far away, where Azazel cannot use her to bait him. If Azazel gets his hands on her tomorrow, it will all be over. She will die and we will lose.”

He sighed.

“I know you want to protect your luna. The best way to do that is to keep her away. And if you don’t believe me, wait until the alpha wakes up. Let him decide. I assure you he will say the same as I have. He is smart, and he knows good leadership is all about sacrifices.”

As much as I hated to admit it, Zagan was right.

Grayson probably would make that decision if he were conscious, even if it broke his heart.

Putting the luna in danger was the last thing he would want.

I nodded solemnly.

“Fine. We’ll wait. I will update my mate without telling him to bring the luna back. We will let the alpha decide when he wakes up.”

“No,” Zagan said yet again.

I raised an eyebrow.

~This vampire really thinks he knows everything, doesn’t he?~

“You will tell your mate to return to the packhouse and leave the luna.”

I gaped at him. Was he insane? I wasn’t going to tell Elijah to leave Belle alone in her most vulnerable hour.

“I’m sorry, there’s no way in hell. The luna needs someone right now. He is staying with her.”

Zagan shook his head again. “The alpha will not be able to resist the temptation to go to his mate if he can easily ask a pack member where she is through mind-link. And the luna will not be able to resist the temptation to come back to the alpha if she sees that your mate knows something. You will tell your mate to return to the packhouse. You will use rank if you have to. And he will leave the luna behind where she is safe.”

The familiar weight of a Mortar’s command encased my body. He wasn’t suggesting that I do this—he was ordering me to.

“You’re commanding me to manipulate my own mate with my status? To leave the luna alone just when she needs someone the most?” I said, cold fury edging my voice.

Zagan’s eyes narrowed as he recognized the threat in my voice.

“It seems you give me no choice,” he said.

My wolf growled, the sound reverberating through my mouth. Neither of us liked the fact that a bunch of vampires kept telling us what to do and exercising their power over us.

“Do it now,” said Zagan, “before the alpha wakes up.”

I growled again, trying to fight the command and failing. I had to do what he told me.

Glaring once more, I opened my mind to my mate.

~Elijah~.

~Kyle!~

My mate’s immediate response rang through my mind. Just the sound of his voice calmed my nerves.

~Are you okay? What happened?~

~I’m fine. Everything is okay~, I replied quickly. ~I don’t have much time. Just know that what I’m about to tell you isn’t from me. I have three very powerful vampires in front of me telling me what to say. I have no option other than to listen.~

To his credit, Elijah only paused for half a second to process what I said.

~What? What the hell do you mean? Have they hurt you? Are you okay?~

“Out loud,” Zagan demanded, “I want to hear what you are telling him.”

I growled, wanting nothing more than to give my own set of commands to him to jump off a cliff.

“You have to come back to the packhouse,” I said through mind-link, speaking out loud so everyone around me could hear. “And you have to leave the luna behind.”

I felt Elijah’s anger and confusion through the bond.

~I’m not doing that. She needs me. She’s falling apart.~

“What is he saying?” Zagan asked.

“He doesn't want to leave her. The luna is not doing well.”

Zagan nodded. “Use your beta tone on him.”

I shook my head, fighting his command.

“Don’t make me do this. Please. The luna needs Elijah right now—”

Zagan’s eyes narrowed. “Do as I say.”

Elijah was not going to like this. Taking a deep breath, I said, “As your beta, I command you to leave the luna and return to the packhouse.”

~Excuse me?~

I winced. Yep, he was pissed.

~You’re not even a beta! And you’re not about to pull rank on me. Especially with an order as ridiculous as that. Take it back.~

~I can’t take it back~, I told him between the two of us. ~You have to do it. Trust me, I hate it just as much as you do. But it’s a command from a Mortar. Zagan Mortar, the vampire king.~

~You’re with Zagan Mortar?~ Elijah’s tone was pure disbelief.~ Is this what you were hiding from me? You’re communicating with vampires? Did the alpha decide this?~

~Well…kind of, I guess.~ ~I linked.

Elijah’s anger spiked through the bond.~ That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. How could you let the vampire king onto pack land? Maybe you guys should invite Azazel Mortar too. Have a party!~

I nearly laughed. If only he knew.

“Out loud!” Zagan said. “Have the rest of the conversation out loud. Tell him to come back, now, in your beta tone.”

I gritted my teeth.

“I’m sorry, Elijah,” I started, “but as your beta I command you to come to the packhouse and leave the luna.”

~I’m not leaving her without giving her some sort of explanation.~ ~Elijah still resisted.

I looked at Zagan. “He wants to give her an explanation.”

“Tell him he can’t. He cannot risk worrying the luna and causing her to follow,” Zagan replied.

I could feel Elijah starting to speak to the luna. My mouth opened in accord with Zagan’s orders.

“Stop!” I exclaimed through mind-link. He was trying to explain about the vampires. “As your beta, I command you not to tell her anything else.”

Elijah fought the command, which was painful. Defying the command of a higher-ranking wolf went against everything in our nature.

~Kyle, why are you doing this? Stop. Please,~ ~he linked.

My wolf whimpered in my mind. We were hurting our mate.

“Stop fighting it, Elijah, you’re only hurting yourself.”

He wasn’t listening—he was still trying to communicate with the luna and go against orders.

“Elijah—as your beta, I command you to follow—”

~I am not leaving her!~ he shot back in a strained growl.

“Tell him she will die if she comes with him,” Minnie said. “Tell him she’ll die unless she gets as far away as possible.”

I nodded in agreement.

“Listen to me, Elijah. The luna is in danger. There’s a war coming, and she can’t be here for it. Please trust me. This is for the best. Come back.”

~What war?~ ~Elijah’s answer came back, confounded.

“Tell him to stop worrying her,” Casimir said.

Oh great, another vampire telling me what to do with his stupid mind powers.

“Tell him to say he has to go back to the packhouse and to put on his best smile and walk away. Tell him not to say anything else about what’s going on,” Casimir said.

The only reason I was so quick to follow his command this time was because I desperately wanted Elijah’s pain to stop. He needed to trust me.

“As your beta…” I ground my teeth. “… I command you not to upset the luna. Tell her you have to go back to the packhouse. Then put on your biggest smile and leave. Make sure she is not following you, or she risks death. Please, Elijah. It’s the only way to keep her safe.”

Finally, I felt his resolve through the bond. My words had gotten through to him. We wanted the same thing.

“Is he doing it?” Minnie asked.

I nodded. “He’s leaving her now.” I focused on the mate bond. “She’s trying to come with, but he’s stopping her.”

Zagan nodded in approval. “Good.”

I looked down at the unconscious Grayson. Nothing had changed yet, but he was still breathing, thank God. I sighed.

The alpha, Elijah, and the luna were all safe. Things were going to be okay.

Suddenly, something sharp poked through the inside of my bottom lip. I tasted copper.

~What the…?~

I opened my mouth and touched the inside of my bottom lip.

I looked at the blood on my finger in confusion. How had that happened?

Then my teeth began to move. Pain shot through my face. I cried out.

Touching my canines, I realized they were growing larger. And sharper.

In fact, they were no longer canines at all.

They were fangs.

“Oh, yeah,” mentioned Minnie casually, “we should probably get you inside and lying down. Your transition is starting.”