Leader of the Pack

Quinn

I screamed until my throat felt raw, like it was on fire. The wolves’ yapping and barking echoed around me, sounding almost like laughter.

Their teeth glinted in the darkness, their scent overpowering. They were so close I could reach out and touch them.

I couldn’t count how many there were, but I knew I stood no chance against them.

Was all of this for nothing? Joining the pack, becoming Luna, training for the shift, finding my mate…? What was the point?

And now, these wolves were here…for me.

They’d attacked the pack house and hurt so many…for me.

I’d put my pack in danger. I felt like I’d let everyone down. I was drowning in regret.

Maybe this was how it was supposed to end.

So, I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable. In those final moments, as I heard the beasts closing in, only two faces flashed through my mind. My mother, and—

Suddenly, something huge crashed down from above, jolting me out of my paralysis.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a large tree branch had crushed three of the rogues. And standing atop it was a towering figure radiating power, strength…and virility.

“Jax!”

He was on them in a heartbeat.

His arms and legs had morphed into something beastly, and he tore into them with his claws.

One wolf’s throat was slashed, blood spraying everywhere.

Another had its neck snapped and was tossed aside like a ragdoll.

A wolf bit into Jax’s forearm.

Jax roared in pain but then smashed its skull into a fallen log, killing it instantly. The remaining wolves turned and fled into the safety of the darkness. Jax had won.

When he turned to look at me, I saw he was more wolf than man.

He was radiating pride.

He threw his head back and let out a triumphant howl.

AR-ROOO-OOO!

I lost all control.

My arms were around his solid chest before his howl had even finished. Even in his half-beast form, I found him breathtaking. I think it was my own inner wolf trying to break free.

I wanted him.

I wasn’t ready, but my desire was undeniable. The cravings were so intense I wanted to rip him open and curl up inside.

His bite mark was still bleeding.

Without thinking, I pressed my lips to his wound and kissed it gently. He winced in pain but seemed almost comforted by it.

My lips were smeared with sweat and blood… I could taste the salty-iron tang on my tongue.

I couldn’t explain why I was drawn to his broken flesh, but when I kissed it, a fire ignited within me that consumed me whole.

I started kissing up his arm as he shifted back to human form. I could hear and feel his bones breaking. Soon, I was kissing over his biceps and around his shoulders until I reached his collarbone.

He let out a small moan, which startled me. I’d never made someone do that before. I pulled back slightly.

I looked into his eyes, unsure of what to do next. But I didn’t have to decide.

One of his hands wrapped around my waist, while the other slid up my neck and around the back of my head, pulling me in. And there, under the moonlight, with distant howls echoing around us…our lips met in a passionate kiss.

The fire inside me became an inferno that couldn’t be quenched.

I clung to him tightly.

I wasn’t letting go.

There was no doubt in my mind now. He was my mate. And always would be.

But the sound of rustling in the brush snapped us back to reality. I’d almost forgotten our situation. While he may have fought off this group of wolves, there were still others. We weren’t safe yet.

And then I heard it. A monstrous roar from the depths of the forest.

Jax moved in front of me and faced the direction from which it came. And there, just beyond the nearest trees, were two red eyes staring at us.

I took a step back as a massive wolf emerged. It was much larger and looked far more ferocious than any of the wolves I’d seen before.

I gasped when I saw its face. A long, deep scar ran from the top of its head to its snout.

~The wolf from my dreams! The one who bit me!~

~Could it be?~

Before I had time to say anything, the wolf charged at Jax.

“Stay back!” Jax yelled as he began to shift, but the beast knocked him down before he could fully transform.

The wolf slashed and bit at Jax, tearing chunks out of him and spilling blood everywhere. It was a nightmare come to life. Jax tried to defend himself, but the beast simply clamped down on his hands with its teeth.

Jax cried out in agony.

I found myself standing there, frozen in shock at the scene unfolding before me. It didn’t seem real. I wanted to wake up but couldn’t.

~Quinn! Don’t just stand there, do something!~

Forcing myself to act, I grabbed a nearby tree branch and smashed it onto the wolf’s back. I hit him as hard as I could, but it didn’t seem to have any effect. If anything, it just made him angrier.

It turned away from Jax and focused on me. The way it bared its teeth almost looked like a grin.

~Oh, shit!~

“Quinn, run!” Jax yelled, distracting the wolf just long enough for me to make my escape.

But not for long.

Soon, I heard the pounding of paws crashing through the forest behind me. The memories of my dream came flooding back.

The trees reaching for me, my feet sinking into the mud, the feeling of being lost, the never-ending fear…

Was running pointless?

Was it inevitable that it would always catch me?

I stumbled upon a body of water, just like in my dream, but instead of a stream, it was a vast lake stretching out in every direction. There was no way to cross it.

I was trapped.

And that’s when I saw the scar-faced wolf emerging from the tree-line. It lowered its head as it stalked toward me.

I grabbed several nearby rocks and threw them. Several hit, but the wolf wasn’t deterred. Its mind was set, and there was nothing I could do to change it.

The creature’s body stiffened, ready to strike.

Frantically, I searched for something, anything, to use as a weapon. But there was nothing. I backed into the water, knowing it was a futile attempt at escape.

The wolf roared, lunging at me. But before it could reach the water’s edge, it was knocked to the ground by an unseen force. As I squinted to see who it was, my jaw dropped.

~It's the same blonde-haired man from my dream!~

~Is this really happening?~

I tried to convince myself it was all a dream. I’d had recurring dreams before, but my heart told me I was wide awake.

Why was this happening?

This couldn’t be a coincidence.

The wolf snarled and snapped at the man, but he easily dodged the beast’s attacks and struck back with his fists. Eventually, the wolf gave up and retreated into the woods.

He was gone.

I was in shock.

As my mysterious rescuer approached, I got a better look at his sharp features and muscular build. He had a comforting aura about him.

“Hello, Quinn,” his deep voice echoed. “I’m glad to see you’re safe. We really need to stop meeting like this.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, barely above a whisper. I still couldn’t believe what was happening.

~Who is this stranger, and why did he save me?~

~He can’t be part of the pack.~

“Wait, how do you know my name?” I asked, my voice stronger.

He smirked. “You’ll find out soon.”

And just like that, he was gone.

***

The pack house was a mess. The rogue wolves had been driven off, but they’d left a trail of destruction behind.

The truck they’d used to ram the front door had caused serious damage.

Priceless artwork was ruined or nearly destroyed, and the bunker that was supposed to be impenetrable had almost been breached.

Dozens of people were injured.

Worst of all, two pack members had been killed. Their names were Josalynn and Bennet. They’d been overwhelmed while trying to defend the bunker entrance.

Jax’s last-minute rescue had saved the others with them. If it hadn’t been for him, I might not be here either.

The wolf with the scarred face had really done a number on Jax. He’d been found in the woods by Raphael, unconscious and bleeding heavily.

He was taken to the same hospital where they’d originally taken me.

Alex and Sky drove me there. It took us a little over an hour to get there. The hospital was actually much closer than I’d realized, but the secluded roads and hidden trails kept the pack house hidden from the outside world.

It was a good thing we arrived when we did, because my mating bond cravings and pains were starting to kick in again.

When I found Jax in his hospital bed, he was unconscious and covered in cuts. The numerous tubes sticking out of him made him look almost inhuman.

Seeing him like that choked me up. I took his hand and stroked it gently, hoping…well, I wasn’t sure what I was hoping for. But nothing happened.

“He’s doing much better,” the same doctor who’d treated me said. “He woke up a little while ago, but the painkillers knocked him out. He’s strong. He’ll recover.”

“How long will he have to stay here?” Alex asked, struggling to keep his emotions in check. His loyalty to his Alpha was clear. Seeing Jax like this was tearing him apart.

“It’s hard to say. Maybe a week or two at the most?” the doctor replied.

It wasn’t the news we wanted to hear. This was the worst possible time for a pack to lose its Alpha.

“What are we going to do?” I asked Alex and Sky, who looked at each other, bewildered.

“Why are you asking us?” Sky asked, confused.

I was taken aback.

“We’re not the leaders of the pack…you are. You’re our Luna. Where we go from here is up to you.”

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. The weight of my situation and role suddenly hit me.

“So, what are your orders?” Alex asked, waiting for my response.

~Take me to the Emergency Room. I think I’m having a heart attack.~