His Mate’s Secret

Chapter 3

“Stay behind me,” Isaac said immediately, grabbing my hand and pulling me closer to his side.

His voice shook despite how hard he tried to sound brave.

“I can run on my own,” I argued, trying to pull my hand free.

“You can argue later,” he snapped.

Even then, his grip never loosened.

Around us, the pack house had dissolved into complete chaos.

Warriors sprinted through the halls, shouting orders over one another. The air was filled with the sound of pounding footsteps, frightened cries, and the unmistakable howl of wolves shifting somewhere outside. The walls that had always made me feel safe suddenly felt like they were closing in around us.

Smoke drifted in through the open front doors.

Something was burning.

My heart hammered against my ribs as Isaac dragged me through the hallway, weaving around frightened omegas who were rushing younger children toward safety.

One of the cooks was crying.

Another was hurriedly stuffing blankets and medical supplies into a sack.

No one stopped moving.

No one even looked at us.

It was like the entire pack had been thrown into a nightmare.

Aiden reached the us moments later, breathing hard.

“This way,” he ordered.

He hurried to the far wall where a large wooden shelf stood against the stone. I watched him shove it aside, revealing what looked like nothing more than solid rock.

He pressed his palm against one of the stones.

A quiet click echoed through the room.

The wall slowly shifted, revealing a narrow passage hidden behind it.

I stared with wide eyes.

I’d never seen it before.

Only Alpha families knew about the emergency tunnels beneath the pack house. They were built generations ago as a last escape if the pack was ever overrun.

I never imagined we’d actually have to use them.

“Hurry,” Aiden urged.

Before any of us could step inside, my father appeared behind us.

He still looked every bit the Alpha despite the blood splattered across one sleeve of his shirt. His breathing was controlled, but his eyes were harder than I’d ever seen them.

For just a second, they softened when they landed on me.

Then they shifted back to Aiden.

“Take them,” my father ordered.

Aiden didn’t move.

“Dad…”

“I said take them.”

“But you’re coming too.”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

Even at twelve years old, I knew that wasn’t true.

My father never lied.

Except to protect us.

Aiden knew it too.

His jaw tightened, and for the first time in my life, I watched my older brother look scared.

Not nervous.

Not worried.

Terrified.

His eyes searched my father’s face as if begging him to change his mind.

But my father only nodded once.

That was all it took.

Aiden swallowed hard before turning toward us.

“Let’s go.”

I shook my head immediately.

“No.”

“Ivy—”

“I’m not leaving.”

I looked past him toward my parents.

My mother had joined my father now, standing shoulder to shoulder beside him. She held a sword in one hand, her normally gentle face set with determination.

She smiled at me.

It wasn’t a happy smile.

It was the kind adults give children when they’re trying not to let them see they’re afraid.

“I’ll help fight,” I blurted.

The words sounded ridiculous the moment they left my mouth.

I was twelve.

I couldn’t fight anyone.

But I couldn’t leave them either.

“Ivy,” Aiden said quietly.

“No!”

I shoved against his arms, tears already spilling down my cheeks.

“We’re supposed to stay together!”

His hands settled on my shoulders.

“Ivy…”

“I don’t want to go!”

For one heartbreaking second, his face crumbled.

He looked like my big brother again instead of the future Alpha.

Then everything changed.

His expression hardened.

His voice deepened.

The room itself seemed to still.

“Run.”

The Alpha command hit me before I even realized what he’d done.

My body obeyed instantly.

My feet moved on their own.

Every instinct inside me screamed to turn around, but I couldn’t.

I hated it.

I hated that I couldn’t stop.

Tears streamed down my face as Isaac grabbed my hand again and pulled me into the narrow tunnel.

Behind us, I heard my mother’s voice.

“I love you!”

My father shouted something to the warriors.

Then came the deafening crash of wood splintering somewhere inside the pack house.

Followed by screams.

The hidden passage was cold and dark, lit only by small torches placed along the stone walls. Our footsteps echoed around us as we ran, our breathing growing louder with every turn.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody could.

The tunnel seemed to stretch forever before finally ending at another hidden door concealed beneath thick brush outside the territory walls.

Aiden pushed it open.

Cool night air rushed over us.

“Go!” he yelled.

We burst into the forest.

The moon hung high above us, casting silver light across the trees. Branches whipped against my face as we ran, roots threatening to trip us with every step.

The woods swallowed us almost immediately.

For one brief, foolish moment…

I thought we’d made it.

Maybe we’d escape.

Maybe Mom and Dad would catch up.

Maybe tomorrow everything would go back to normal.

Then the howls started.

They weren’t behind us.

They were in front of us.

My stomach dropped.

Dark figures emerged from between the trees.

One.

Three.

Five.

More.

Rogues.

They’d been waiting.

It wasn’t an accident.

They knew exactly where we’d come out.

“Aiden!” Isaac shouted.

“Run!” Aiden roared, stepping in front of us.

before I even understood what was happening. The massive wolf lunged at the first rogue, knocking him sideways as snarls erupted through the forest.

Everything exploded into chaos.

Shapes collided in the darkness.

Teeth snapped.

Claws tore through the air.

Someone screamed.

I didn’t know who.

“Ivy, RUN!” Isaac yelled.

His voice cut through the noise like lightning.

Without thinking, we ran in opposite directions.

“Issac!” I screamed, reaching toward him.

He looked back once.

Just once.

His terrified blue eyes locked onto mine before another rogue charged between us, blocking him from view.

That was the last time I ever saw my twin brother clearly.

I kept running.

Branches tore at my clothes.

My lungs burned.

I couldn’t hear anything except my own heartbeat.

Then something slammed into me from behind.

The impact knocked every bit of air from my lungs.

I hit the ground hard before rough hands yanked me back up.

“No!” I screamed, kicking wildly.

I clawed at whoever held me.

Bit their arm.

Kicked their chest.

Thrashed with every ounce of strength my eight-year-old body had.

It didn’t matter.

The rogue laughed.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me off the ground as though I weighed nothing at all.

I screamed for my father.

For my mother.

For Aiden.

For Isaac.

No one answered.

The forest spun upside down as I was thrown over the rogue’s shoulder.

My cries disappeared into the night.

And with every step he carried me farther away…

Home disappeared behind us.