The Apple Of His Eye

Chapter 1 It's Time For Battle

Ace's POV

"Your Highness, our Southern borders have been breached'. A voice boomed as the door to my room flew open. It was my Beta Alex, completely frazzled and out of breath. "The Rogues have entered the small village of Cambria Pines and have taken some of our people," he said. "Double the guards around the borders and prepare my best troops. We leave immediately," I shouted at him. How could this happen? My alpha ability should have alerted me. I was becoming weaker and losing control of my pack. The longer an alpha remains unmated; his alpha powers would fade. My mother and previous Queen, Isabella, could sense my increasing weakness. She was bound and determined to help me find my mate. "This pack needs a Luna," she would constantly remind me. I just tried to drown out the sound of her voice in my head.

I jumped out of bed and threw on my black uniform. The sound of my heavy boots echoed as I ran through the empty corridors of the castle. My troops were already assembled and waiting for me outside. It was 3 a.m. and pitch black outside. Good thing our werewolf sense allows us to see perfectly at night. "Beta, I need an update on the situation," I barked out. "Yes, they have reported 20 missing and 1 deceased," Alex said. Oh no, I was too late. They had already destroyed the village. "Let's move!" I ordered. We all simultaneously shifted into our wolves.

It would normally be an hour's drive by car to the southern border, but our wolves could make it there in half that time. That morning the air was cold and crisp, which was perfect, so we didn't get too hot with our fur. I could only think about was finding the rogues responsible and tearing their heads off. The Blue Mountain Pack was my whole life. My purpose for being alpha is to serve my pack and fight for their safety.

When we arrived in the village, I was shocked to see such devastation. The market place was ablaze. I could hardly see. Smoke was billowing down every street. People were running everywhere. It was complete chaos. I immediately put my nose to the ground, trying to catch the rogues scent. They have a horrible, putrid smell. The smell reminds me of rotting flesh with maggots squirming all over it. It was so difficult to catch their whereabouts due to all the smoke in the air. At last, we rounded a corner, and the smell hit me right in the face. I gagged a little, but then the chase was on.

I followed that wretched stench through the village and out into the woods. What confused me was this amazing sweet smell that was mixed with the scent of the Rogues. It smelled like honey and apple blossoms. The delicious smell was unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was so faint, but my wolf was fully aware that it was there. I felt a sense of calm and all of my anxiety washed away. I had this feeling that everything was going to be ok. "Do you smell that?" I asked Alex over our mind link. "I only smell the stink of the Rogues," he replied. I had to find whoever that smell belonged to because the smell was coming from my mate. I had been searching for my mate for years. I was puzzled. Why was she here? Or worse, was she a rogue?

Captivated by the scent of my mate, my mind was only thinking about finding her. I was not paying attention to our surroundings. My troops and I were deep in the woods and came across a deserted cabin. The Rogue stench was thick in the air. I burst through the cabin door to find the Rogue Alpha Bane standing inside, waiting for me. "So you finally found us," he announced. "Where have you taken my people?" I demanded. He chuckled and replied, "They will all be put to good use." After that comment, I lunged at him, aiming for his throat. My fangs bit into his fur, causing him to scream out in pain. Suddenly I felt the pull of five rogues attacking my body. I was forced to let go of my bitting grip on Alpha Bane to fight to get free.

It was a trap. He had us all surrounded, and we were outnumbered four to one. We were stronger and bigger wolves than them. I could feel my flesh tearing away and the cracking of my bones. Somehow I was able to stabilize my footing and threw two rogues against the wall. While fighting off the other three rogues, I felt a searing pain of a sharp claw going through my right eye. My world went dark. I felt the room start to spin and horrible waves of nausea. Despite the pain, I kept fighting. Ripping out their throats and pulling their limbs apart. When I turned around, Alpha Bane had disappeared. I ran outside to find my troops winning the battle. All of a sudden, the pain surged through my eye, and I vomited all over the ground. I could hear Alex calling for me to wake up, but I couldn't speak. Alex yelled, "We need to get him to the healer!"

My head started spinning as my warriors and Beta carried me away. In the darkness, I started to see a figure appearing. It was a young lady. She had long dirty blond hair and blue eyes. Her eyes were mesmerizing. Light blue on the inside with a dark blue rim. Standing beside her was a beautiful white wolf. I've never seen a pure white wolf before. The girl smiled at me and motioned for me to come closer. "Come find me," she said softly. Turning around, the girl and her wolf started walking away. I tried to yell for her to come back, but no sound would come out of my mouth.