Chapter Eleven.

Chapter Eleven.

Logan Wilson.

I stared at the place where Esme had been standing a few minutes ago. I had the pleasure of seeing a small smile spread across her face while she waved goodbye. I had seen Esme smile more times in the past few minutes than I had since she had arrived.

I was pleased that she was slowly getting her voice back, although I had only heard her talk when her voice was hoarse and croaky I knew that when her throat was finally healed her voice would sound like angels singing. The bruises that had decorated Esme's skin when she had arrived on my territory were now gone and her skin a smooth, flawless creamy white that I longed to run my fingertips over but I knew that I couldn't.

Esme had a difficult past and it was all because of her father. I felt myself growl at the thought of him and the times that he had laid his hands on her. My wolf was pushing against the barrier within my mind to break free and hunt down the bastard that had dared to hurt my mate. As much as I wanted to hurt every one that had hurt what was mine I couldn't and every day was a struggle to stop myself.

I knew that Esme was slowly making progress but it would take a long time before she was at least comfortable around anyone but her mum and now my brothers. I hated that she was comfortable around my younger brothers and not me. It made both me and my wolf jealous and as much as I tried, Esme was still moving away from me and even flinching when I got too close.

It was hard to watch Esme constantly struggling with herself and her fears as she came to terms with her past and who she was. I had smelled the werewolf gene within her as soon as she stepped onto my territory, although it was faint and barely noticeable it was still there and it was easy to mistake her for a rogue if you were only focused on the werewolf scent that she gave off.

I doubted that Esme would ever shift as the werewolf gene was dormant within her. I had spoken to Luke about it and he too believed that Esme would never shift. I liked that Esme was more human than werewolf as it meant that she was fragile and it made all the feelings within me heighten. I was more protective over my little human mate. My wolf was possessive and dominant and how she had found us it only seemed to make everything increase tenfold.

I shook my head as I walked out of the hospital ward within the pack house. Esme's scent consumed the entire room and a faint trail was left behind from where she had walked down the corridor. I slowly made my way towards my office where I knew stacks of paperwork had been piled up waiting to be read and sorted. I had been distracted over the past few days with finding Esme and making sure she was healthy and safe.

I opened the door to my office to see that my future Beta sat in front of my desk with a file in his hands and a small frown of concentration on his face. Samuel had been trying his best to sort through the paper work in my absence and I could sense his relief when I walked through the door.

"Logan," Sam grinned as I closed the door and made my way around the desk to my seat. Samuel was one of the very few that could get away with calling me by my first name as he was not only my Beta, but childhood friend.

"Samuel." I greeted back as I lowered myself into the chair and stared at the many papers littering the top of my desk.

"How's our little Luna?" He asked as he looked up from the file cradled in his lap so that he could focus on my reply.

It wasn't a secret to the pack that I found my mate as news had travelled fast about the condition she had been in. I had yet to introduce Esme to the pack because I knew that she wasn't ready and I wanted her to be marked so that all the males of my pack knew that she was mine. Samuel's concern for my mate was encouraging as he didn't easily warm up to people and knowing that he had taken a liking to Esme meant that the pack would also warm up to her just as easily or so I hoped.

"She's getting there," I told him. Samuel was one of the few outside of my parents and brothers that knew what had happened to Esme and her mother and I wanted to keep it that way, "the bruises have gone and she's slowly getting her voice back."

"I hope you plan on killing that bastard," Samuel said as a growl slipped through his lips.

I was surprised at how protective Samuel had become over Esme and he had yet to formally meet her. Samuel had been one of the few that had come with me when we found Esme and Kerry on my territory. My wolf approved of Samuel's protectiveness of our little mate and I was stunned that he wasn't growling in jealousy at the attention Esme was getting from other males.

The truth was that I had been planning on killing the bastard that had hurt my mate and Kerry. Esme had pleaded for the life of her father and I knew that it would hurt her knowing that he was dead and that I had killed him but what he had put her through was inexcusable. I wanted him to pay for everything that he had done to her. Alpha Roger was ruthless but he didn't have the numbers within his pack or the connections that I had.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one that wants him dead but I will be the one to kill him." I told him with a serious expression.

Alpha Roger's pack was hours away and I was surprised how far Esme and Kerry had travelled in the short time that they had been away from him. My father was on good terms with every Alpha surrounding our territory and regular events were held to bring the packs closer together. I had heard Alpha Roger and his pack mentioned a few times in passing conversation and not a good thing had been said about them. He was a poor leader and father and he needed to be dealt with soon.

"Of course," Samuel nodded his head with a smile appearing on his face.

We engrossed ourselves in the work piled across my desk. We made conversation whenever it was needed but other than that we worked together in silence. I placed the stack of papers that I had just finished sorting in the filing cabinet to the left of my desk.

"Logan," Jason's voice was frantic through the pack link as I stilled, I could see Samuel tense and I knew that Jason had broadcasted to the entire pack.

"What is it? Is it Esme? Is she hurt?" I asked as my mind began to race at the many possibilities that could have happened in the few hours that I had left her in the care of my brothers.

I felt my wolf lurch forward as he tried to take over and force me to shift where I was. I could feel him pacing as he growled every now and then as we both waited for Jason to reply. It was as if Jason's frantic voice had snapped the pack into action as I saw Samuel opening the door to my office to reveal a handful of the pack's warriors. They all looked calm and collected but I could tell that they were just as worried as I was for the safety of my mate and brothers.

"We're in the clearing with rogues surrounding us," Oliver joined in.

I was suddenly seeing things through Jason's eyes. I watched as he stared at the group of rogues all in their wolf forms slowly stalking out of the trees that surround them, their mouths were frothing and theirs jaws snapping as they advanced ready to attack. Jason glanced down for my benefit momentarily taking his eyes off the rogues to show me Esme who stood between my brothers who circled her protectively. She seemed to shaking with fear, her big green eyes wide while they pooled with tears. She clutched Jason's and Oliver's hands for comfort.

"We're on our way," I told them both quickly as I jumped to my feet.

I slapped the file draw closes before I turned and began to run out of the house with Samuel and the pack warriors trailing behind me. I hadn't even stepped off of the porch before I let the transformation of my wolf take over. The familiar heat surged through my body as I felt my limbs reshape themselves. I landed on the gravelled path on all fours and took off sprinting towards the woods and in the direction of my mate and brothers.

I could feel the others shifting behind me as they followed me into the trees. I allowed my wolf to gain more control enabling us to go faster as he pushed us harder through the thick vegetation around us. I felt his longing for Esme, the need to protect her and know that she was safe. The rogues outnumbered my brothers and Esme. I had seen six rogues through my brother's eyes and Esme couldn't shift to protect herself so that left two against six.

I knew that my brother would protect Esme with their lives. They had grown very fond of my little mate in the past few days. Jason and Oliver may act as if they didn't care but I knew that they were just as smitten with Esme as everyone else who had the pleasure of meeting her. I didn't know what it was but Esme had easily wound her way into the heart and soul of the pack without even meaning to.

I usually ran for fun, allowing my wolf to take control and run wherever he pleased but this was different. I was running to protect members of my pack, my family and my mate. My wolf was pushing our body to its limit, our muscles rippled with force as my paws hit the ground one after another. The pack was keeping up but still a little way behind.

"Do you need my help?" My dad's voice flittered through my mind as I jumped over a fallen log.

"I've got plenty of men with me but send the pack doctors just in case," I told him. The thought of my brothers being hurt or worse my mate made me push my wolf to our limit. "Is the rest if the pack safe?"

"The rest of the warriors are checking the borders while everyone else is making their way to the Den, your mum is with Kerry," he told me.

The Den was an underground bunker hidden within the territory that was disguised as someone's garage. It had been built when my great great grandfather had been Alpha and they had faced a lot of rogue attacks. The Den had been well kept and modified over the years to fit the entire pack and store blankets, food, water bottles and other essentials to keep the pack alive for at least a week. I was relieved knowing that the other pack members were safe.

We weren't far from the clearing when I could hear the sound of growls and whimpers breaking through the air. I forced my paws to go faster to the point where they were hurting. A fight had already broken out and my brothers, as strong as they were, didn't stand a chance against six rogues while they were distracted protecting Esme.

I forced my way through the trees and into the clearing. I took in the scene before me. I could see Jason fending off two rogues by himself while Oliver was lunging at the front paws of another three. They were both distracted as they looked over their backs. I spotted Esme through the mass of fur underneath a rogue that pinned her to the ground with its front paws on her shoulders. She was holding off the wolf's jaws by her thumbs slipping inside of its mouth causing its cheeks to strain. She was thrashing widely while crying hysterically.

I growled from deep within my chest at the sight of my mate struggling underneath another wolf. I didn't waste another second as I ran through the clearing, my pack members already running to the aid of my brothers. My eyes were focused on the wolf that was oblivious to my presence. I bowed my head as I ran into its side causing it to go flying into a tree where he fell to its base in a daze.

I stood protectively over Esme who had yet to recognise me or my wolf as she struggled under me, her small hands pounding against my under belly. I growled at the wolf that was slowly standing to his feet as he shook out his matted fur. The wolf lowered the front half of his body as he prepared to pounce. I lowered my body to the point where the fur on my underbelly was being tickled by Esme's struggles.

The rogue in front of me launched itself as I to pounced forwards and met his attack head on. I stood on my back legs as the wolf stood to its full height. I was an Alpha wolf which meant that I was naturally more advanced than the rogue wolf in front of me, I was taller than him, I was bigger and I had my injured mate fuelling my anger towards the rogue that had dared to hurt her.

Ours jaw's latched onto each other's shoulders. I could feel his jaw tighten on my shoulder as he pierced my skin and drew blood. I growled through the pain as I clamped my jaw down harder and with a sharp tug I pulled at the fur on his shoulder. A howl of pain could be heard as the wolf released the grip he had on my shoulder and fell to the floor. His injured shoulder giving up on him as it crumpled underneath him.

I growled as I saw that the back of his neck was exposed. I wanted to go in for the kill, to wrap my jaw around his neck and with a sharp tug end his life quickly. It was a quick and easy death compared to what he had put my mate through and I wanted him to suffer but I didn't have time. I could hear that the wolves had stopped fighting behind me and that almost everyone had shifted into their humans forms.

"Logan," Samuel called out stopping me where I had been slowly stalking towards the rogue with the intention of killing him. "Don't kill him."

"Why?" I snarled back through the pack link. All I could think about was Esme struggling underneath him as he pinned her to the floor. I wanted to end his life as soon as he dared to step into the clearing with the intention of hurting or worse killing my family and my mate.

"He could be useful. It's clear that the rogues had banded together to attack which in itself is unusual, its suspicious behaviour. Why not have him taken to the cells where he can be questioned?" Samuel reasoned.

I growled lowly, my muzzle vibrating as I bared my teeth at the rogue who was whimpering in pain on the floor. Samuel was right. It was unusual for rogues to come together to form a group and attack as they were usual solo creatures lost to their wolves. It was clear that the rogues still had some of their humanity left which was surprising. Samuel was always the voice of reason when I was unable to keep my head clear and I knew that he was right. The rogue's behaviour wasn't normal and the holding cells would be the perfect place for him to be questioned.

I shifted back into my human form as I stood on two feet, standing completely naked in front of the rogue.

A pair of shorts appeared in my eyes sight which I quickly grabbed and slipped on. I never took my eyes off of the rogue although his shoulder was badly wounded it would soon heal due to our advanced healing ability.

"Jared, Scott," I called out to two of the pack warriors. I heard them both hurry to my side.

"Yes Alpha?" They asked in unison.

"Take the rogue to the holding cells and keep watch over him until I come down. If he causes any trouble punish him," I ordered. I watched as Jared and Scott stepped forward and grabbed the wolf by his front paws, they weren't gentle and the wolf howled in pain as his injured shoulder was pulled.

I had already wasted too much time fighting and dealing with the rogue. I turned on my heels to see that the other rogues all lay on the ground, their body's unmoving and most likely dead. My pack stood tall and proud as they began to dispose of the rogues. I was relieved to see that my pack had escaped with only a few minor injuries and all were able to stand with no difficulty.

I spotted my brothers kneeling on the floor both of them shirtless with a pair of shorts on and I guessed that they shifted during the fight. I jogged over to them with my eyes set on Esme who was hidden from my view. I needed to see that she was safe, I needed to know that was alive and breathing as the worst situations began to run through my mind.

I gently moved my brothers out of the way to see that Esme was sitting with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees that she had brought up to her chest. She was crying hysterically with her face buried in her knees, her body was shaking violently and I could see a cut on her forehead that was still gushing with blood. I knew that wasn't her only injury and I growled lowly causing her to flinch. I wanted to demand that Jared and Scott return so that I could kill the rogue and I could feel my wolf agreeing with me but I knew that it wasn't the right time.

I kneeled down in front of Esme who was slowly cringing away from me; small whimpers could now be heard although they were muffled by her knees. I gently reached out to her and touched her elbow gently, she jerked upwards her green eyes wide and terrified as blood ran down the side of her face mixing with her tears. Her expression was filled with terror end her eyes looked around unseeing and completely lost.

I restrained myself from shifting as both my wolf and I suppressed a whimper at the sight of our beautiful yet broken mate. I gently tugged on her elbow and pulled her towards me and into my arms before I wrapped them tightly around her small, shaking frame. She began to struggle in my hold her entire body jerking as she pounded on my chest with her small fists.

"Logan," she whispered. I knew that she wasn't aware that she was crying my name but the mate bond was no doubt already having an effect on her. I felt something in my chest begin to ache at the sound of her broken voice, she sounded so terrified and lost.

I only held her tighter, cradling her body to my own and gently rocking. I held her until her body began to tire as her small fists began to punch my chest every now and then. I could feel her body slowly go limp in my arms as she lost consciousness.

I adjusted where I knelt so that she was cradled to my chest in a bridal-like fashion. I looked down at her face to see that her hair was sticking to the blood and tears on her face, her lips were an odd blue colour and her body was shaking no doubt from the cold. I quickly brushed the hair out of her pale face and tucked it behind her ears. I could feel the tingles across my skin as our bare skin made contact.

I stood to my feet in a hurry pulling Esme closer to my body in hopes that she would warm up. I noticed that she was wearing Oliver's jumper but I chose to ignore it knowing that my brother would never do anything to ruin the already fragile relationship I had with my mate.

I began to jog through the trees and in the direction of the pack house with my brothers and pack warriors following closely behind me. I could feel their worry for my mate and I too was worried. If it wasn't for the sound of her steady heart beat and small breaths I would have thought she was dead. The pack doctors had yet to arrive and we would meet them on the way where they would be able to tend to Esme.

I wanted Esme to be happy and I would do everything she needed, anything she asked and all that she wanted in order to make her happy but I wasn't going to give her up. I wanted to see Esme smile and laugh, I want to see her open up to me and be herself. I knew that it would take a while but I was going to make it happen.

Esme was my mate whether she could accept it or not. She was mine just as much as I was hers. I had waited too long for her and now that I had found her I wasn't going to let her go easily. Esme was perfect, she was beautiful and although she came with a past I would protect her from it and any other threats that stepped in our future.

Esme was mine.