Chapter 57

Mate. The word won’t stop running through my head. I have a mate. One that I’ve just, miracle on miracles, have just promised to actually try this mate thing with. My mind flashes back to Elena and even though, I know, just by looking at her, that Winter is nothing like her, the old hurt and stinging pain remains, even after all of these years. But I have to take a leap of faith, I can’t keep living like this, not trusting anyone or letting anyone in. I’m tired of feeling lonely, even when I’m surrounded by people.

Winter looks awestruck at my proposal, as though she’d never dared dream that I would offer to try and I feel an overwhelming sense of guilt and loss. I’ve put her through so much and even now, she’s adamant she wants to be mates. Her eyes are shining and so vivid with happiness that I almost come undone. God, what a bastard I’ve been to her. I don’t deserve her, but I still want her. Storm wants her.

We both want her.

“I don’t want to confine you to my rooms” I say slowly as she looks at me, her eyes looking slightly concerned. Maybe she thinks I’m going to make her an omega again? Like hell I will. I don’t trust any of the unmated males in my pack not to try and get in her pants or lay a hand on her. The last one who tried ended up losing a very valuable finger. He was lucky it wasn’t something much bigger and more important to him. Next time it would be, he’d been warned. All of the males in the pack would be warned.

“You can walk around the pack house and the grounds” I say reluctantly “but try not to stray too far from the house if possible. You can’t call out for help and unless you’re ready for me to mark you…” I trail off and see her pale, before she quickly shakes her head. Storm is annoyed but I won’t do it against her wishes, I’ve already done enough to her as it is. She needs to learn to trust me and marking her against her will isn’t the way to go about it.

I clear my throat. “I just don’t want you to put yourself in any danger” I finish up and she looks pleased at my concern.

Is it really this easy to be a mate? It was almost instinctual, the need to keep her safe and be overprotective. Shadow however is prepared to keep her confined in the rooms, not caring if it makes her hate us. He’s the overprotective one out of the two of us. It takes all my self control to keep him from taking over.

It’s not safe. Until we mark her, she should stay here, in the room. She doesn’t need to go anywhere, we can have someone attend to her every needs. Heck if she wants a sandwich, we can make her a damn sandwich. It’s not hard.

We can’t mind-link yet remember? Bozo. Besides, Winter needs to know that its alright to get around and see the actual pack. I trust her. She’s not going to run away, at least I don’t think she will if we give her back her freedom. If she does run, it’s the least of what we deserve after everything we’ve put her free.

But I don’t want to give her her freedom. What if she finds someone better than us?

She wouldn’t have to look far Storm, trust me.

That’s your opinion, but I’m a beautiful sexy hunk of a wolf, why would she want to leave me? You, I totally get, you’ve been a right douchebag.

Gee, thanks, it’s always so nice to have these conversations with you Storm. You’re so humble.

My wolf just laughs and blocks me before I can. I swear at him in my mind and turn to Winter who’s smiling wide from ear to ear. “Listen, you’re to stay in my room from now on” I add and she looks down and twists her hands “We will sleep together but not do the other thing” I say firmly, meaning it, and she bites her lip but nods. God she’s adorable. Too cute for words.

Before I can say anything further, there’s a mind-link and one of the patrol members speaks in a rush.

There’s a rogue attack in the south west corner of the grounds. Several of them.

Move to intercept them, get the rest of the warriors to attack. Do not let them escape.

On it.

I’ll be there shortly.

I cut the mind link off and groan. But it’s my duty as Alpha to keep the rogues away and that’s what I intend to do.

“Rogue attack, gotta go” | blurt out and I’m out the door before she knows it, racing downstairs and out the door, before I shift into my wolf form, a large black wolf that easily towers over the others.

Trun, my paws thudding against the ground, my body flying through the air as I leap and jump, getting to the south west corner in record time, several pack members already engaging the small group of rogues. I tackle one to . the ground and rip his throat out at the same time, spitting out the blood in my mouth in disgust. Yuck. I jump on another one that’s sneaking up on one of my men and we go rolling, both of us clawing and swiping furiously at each other as we do so. I howl as I feel its claws rip across my mid-section, a deep gouge that bleeds as I get back up on my feet and growl at it. We circle each other, the rogue looking desperate and frothing from it;s mouth. It’s red eyes flash with anger.

I brace myself and dodge to the side as it races towards me head on, turning around swiftly as it jumps back towards me, my own body racing to meet it, sending him flying into a nearby tree. It howls and I feel a sense of satisfaction, but the fights not over yet. Even though it’s been badly wounded, the rogue gets up once more, this time I’m just a second too late, his claws shredding across my chest as he tackles me and I bite into him angrily, shaking him like a rag doll, my own claws ripping him to shreds across his stomach until finally his body slumps, and I realize that he’s now dead, flinging the body away in contempt.

I’m shaky, wobbly on my paws as I stand back up and look over the scene in front of me. The last rogue in the group is being taken down by three of my best warriors and the others have all been dealt with, their bodies scattered on the forest floor, blood droplets and sprays everywhere. The smell of blood was pungent and overwhelming. I could see several of my pack members had been wounded in the fight, but not fatally and breathe a sigh of relief. None of my pack members have died and that’s what I’m truly thankful about. It could have been much worse.

I shift, yelling as I turn back into my human form, the pain excruciating from my many wounds as my men also shift. Langdon is there and he rushes to my side as I clutch at my chest, my breathing labored and wheezy.

“Alpha Kai” Langdon says in concern “you’ve been badly wounded, I think you should go to the hospital.”

“No” I wheeze, shaking my head at him, ignoring the fact that he’s actually supporting my body and that’s the only reason I’m remaining upright. “I can’t.”

“Yes you can” Langdon urges but I’m not about to let him take me. I need to check on Winter. I just left her there, back in the room. The poor thing’s probably terrified right now.

“All I need is rest. You know that as an Alpha, I heal remarkably quickly” | protest, my voice full of determination.

He gives a loud huff next to me, sounding exasperated. He should know by now that I’m stubborn. I’ve never once agreed to go to the hospital. I dont’ need to now.

“Stubborn jackass” he mutters, loud enough for me to hear it. | scowl at him but remain silent. It takes too much energy to talk right now.

A patrol warrior joins us, covered in blood but it’s not his from the look and smells of it. “Alpha Kai” he says formally “what would you have us do now.”

I look at the small sea of bodies lying there. “Burn the bodies and clean up as best you can” I tell him grimly “|

don’t want to see any signs that there was a rogue attack here.”

He nods and quickly steps back, going over to the men who are uninjured, the other ones limping towards the hospital. Trusting that they will follow my instructions, I begin to limp towards the pack house myself. I need to get to Winter.

“Where are you going” snarls Langdon, reluctantly letting go as I move forward.

“Pack house” I wheeze and he puts his hands on his hips.

“You know if you were near Winter, you would heal much quicker being mates and all. She could help heal you.”

“I know” I wheeze “why do you think I’m going back to my room? She’s there already.”

His mouth drops open and he almost jumps up and down with joy. “I knew it” he crows “I knew you would finally see sense. It’s about bloody time” he grumbles and I ignore him. The grounds are beginning to spin and I feel my stomach churning with nausea.

“Winter’s in my room. Don’t scare her” | tell Langdon, my voice sounding muffled and like it’s far away as I stumble and fall to the ground. Before my Beta can reach me, I succumb to the darkness gratefully, distantly hearing Langdon calling my name in the background.