The Good Wolf's Alpha Mate

Chapter 9

Liam's POV

All I could do was gape at the kid...

Did he just say that Alpha Emil had KILLED everyone here?!

Our hearing must be f****d, my wolf said in astonishment, being just as shocked as I was. There's no way an Alpha would turn on his own Pack Members like that!

Normally, I would have agreed. I would have contributed a statement like that to shock or grief. Exhaustion, sleep deprivation, or basically anything that would explain why he'd say something as outrageous as that!

But it also made sense...

An Alpha wolf with royal blood could have caused the c*****e that I'd met at the borders. But what the Hell could have set him off? They said something about his Luna being kidnapped?

By whom?!

And how?

No Alpha in their right mind, would ever leave their borders unprotected. And how did ‘anyone’ just kidnap a Luna? Lunas were known to be just as savage and brutal as their Mates, if they needed to be; despite being called the "fairer" s*x. They were stronger than the average wolf and sometimes just as strong as Betas or Gammas...

Unless she wasn't an Alpha Female, my wolf suggested, as he was just as puzzled by the whole thing as I was.

True!

Most Alpha Females ended up being Mated to Alpha Males. But there were incidents where an Alpha could be Mated to someone of other ranks, sometimes even to an Omega. When that happened, he'd make sure that his Luna had bodyguards or, at the very least, was always accompanied by another Ranked Wolf.

There were stories of the occasional i***t Alpha, that chose to reject their Mates because of their lower rank...

But those stories never had a happy ending!

In a best-case scenario, the wolf would go feral and become a mindless animal. If that happened, there were methods to bring them back to sanity, but most of the time a feral wolf ended up killed by their loved ones. Worse case?

It killed you outright!

Which was why rejections within the Werewolf society were so rare.

Nobody risked the wrath of the Goddess!

I looked down at the kid again. Through the grapevines, I knew his name was Nathaniel Feir, but went by Eddie. He was 15, and his parents had both been the Betas of the Red Raven Pack. He'd been born in the Royal Pack of Black Moon but happily transferred when Alpha Emil offered his parents a place in the Pack. He was about 5'11" with blond hair and blue eyes. His skin was ashen from exhaustion, and huge black bags were under his eyes. Hell, I bet he hadn't even eaten since this whole mess started. And as much as I wanted to question the s**t out of him, I decided against it...

“You need some sleep,” I said with a sigh, deciding he’d been traumatized enough for one day. “Go eat and get some rest.”

“I can’t!” he exclaimed angrily, glaring at me as if I just told him to drink piss. “I’m the only living Ranked-Wolf this Pack has got! I can’t---!”

"You won’t do them any good by killing yourself," I cut him off sternly, reaching out and grabbing his shoulder to pull him to his feet. “And I’m your Doctor. I’m ordering you to rest and eat!”

“I knew it was a mistake to let you in,” he grumbled, displeased. The second he was stable on his feet, he shrugged my hand off as if it had been covered in leprosy.

I didn't take offense...

The kid was just tired and overwhelmed. Moreover, he was grieving his parents and Pack Members...

This whole situation was a huge f*****g mess!

“Well, you live, you learn," I replied and shrugged, fighting to hold back a grin. "Which you won’t if you’re dead!”

He looked like he wanted to argue, but he was struggling to come up with anything. I think he even forgot that he was the one in charge, and despite me being the Doctor, if an Alpha decided to ignore my orders, there wasn't anything I could do to stop it.

He wasn't ready to be Alpha...

“Listen," I said calmly and after a deep breath, hoping I wouldn't come across as patronizing. "Whatever problems you’re having today won’t disappear overnight. But killing yourself, trying to solve all of them at once will only result in a much bigger problem.”

“Bigger than this clusterfuck?” He snorted, but I could see the tears that threatened to fall. He was putting on a brave face, I'd give him that...

“Bad leadership,” I replied, and stepped closer. I kept my arms folded over my chest, showing him that I was no threat. “I know you’re not ready for the responsibility dropped on you, but you’re all these wolves have. Let them help you. Let all of us help you.” I urged him softly. “You might not see it now, but you’re already doing a great job, letting me help the wounded and injured. Keep making good, logical choices, and The Pack will make it through this." I sighed, knowing how much this pained him.

“Also if those choices suck!”

He didn't meet my eyes again. Sniffled and dried his nose. But like any tough guy, he refused to even acknowledge the tears streaming down his cheeks. He was quiet for a while longer, going over everything that we'd been talking about. But I knew he'd come to the same conclusion that I had come to...

“You’re telling me to give up our borders, aren’t you?” he mumbled at last.

“And trying to make you feel less shitty about it too,” I replied honestly. And in the spirit of lifting the mood, added with a small grin: “Is it working?”

He let out a snorted laugh but hid his face again; probably to hide the fresh wave of tears. I let him take all the time he needed. He needed to make this decision by himself, and while it was unfair of every adult wolf here, to have dropped this responsibility on a child, he was all they had...

“You’re right,” he admitted at last, his voice hoarse from the strain of keeping his composure. He turned to face me, his eyes void of life and his composure sunken. “We need to protect the weakest Pack Members first and establish a routine again. Starting with food and sleep.”

“Good!” I agreed with a slow nod and gave his shoulder a firm squeeze. “Now, YOU need to get something to eat as well. And then rest, OK? Doctor’s Orders!”

“Fine,” he replied, not even putting up a fight about it. He moved passed me and I let him. Taking a deep breath, I looked at the ceiling. These wolves were all exhausted, but unless they got a proper Alpha - and soon at that! - they were---

“Hey!"

I spun around to see Eddie still lingering at the door, eyeing everything but me for a second before his eyes finally settled on me. "You’d make a good Alpha; you know that, right?”

Snort!

“That’s not in the cards for me,” I replied with a quick denial, as even my wolf was chuckling at that. We weren't cut out to lead, and we didn't have a rank. And moreover, if there was ever an emergency, I'd be more likely to be drawn to the emergency room than to a battlefield...

“Good night, Alpha,” I said with a small nod.

“Yeah... Goodnight, Doc," he said and quickly left. It was probably just my imagination playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn that he sounded disappointed...

Well, we need sleep too, my wolf agreed and let out a wolf-like yawn. We're tired...

Yeah, but sleep isn't in our cards just yet, I told him and headed out again. The most severely wounded had all been treated, and I was making my way through the less serious injuries. Periodically, I'd check in on Peach and Grace, and with mixed emotions, I realized that she was just fine without me...

Apparently, the Omegas knew what they were doing!

"Whatever you told him, got through to him," suddenly sounded behind me and I spun to see Alyssa standing at the door. She looked a lot healthier than when I saw her last. The bags under her eyes hadn't magically disappeared, but there was some color in her cheek that hadn't been there before...

"Eddie," she explained when she noticed my confused expression. "He’s getting the Omegas to set up a kitchen routine again and has called all of the warriors back home. To protect the Pack House.”

“He’s a good kid,” I replied with an honest smile, and put the medical chart back down. I was tired, and out-of-habit, I rubbed my eyes. The She-wolf held the door for me as we walked back out into the hallway, and kept by my side, as I headed for the small office I'd claimed as my own.

"Yeah, but he's still a kid," she continued, and her voice sounded broken when she spoke. As if the grief in her heart was a heavy stone in her chest. "We feel really bad for dropping all of this on him, but he's all we got!" She let out a helpless sigh and shrugged. "We thought the king would have been back by now, but--- instead we're just stuck in limbo!"

I, more than anyone, understood that feeling...

Being a Rogue, you could never take anything for granted. You didn't know if you would be able to eat or hunt. If you'd have a shelter for the night, or even if you'd still have the clothes you wore. It was like being stuck in a nightmare where you never knew what could happen next?

Or if you had to forfeit your life...

It was close to midnight, and the clinic had quieted down. I'd discharged a couple of wolves who'd shown improvements throughout the day. But I had to keep a couple in overnight because their wolves were still too weak to heal them.

I still couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that Alpha Emil had turned on his own Pack and killed the wolves he'd sworn to protect. What could have caused him to snap like that?

And where was his Luna now?

“Mind if I ask?" I asked as I turned to face Alyssa. "What happened here? Why would Alpha Emil---?”

The question was too much to even say out loud!

“It all started about four days ago,” she explained, her voice going awfully still as she spoke. “Our Luna was kidnapped. He tried to look for her, but soon he felt her being tortured and---” She suddenly struggled to speak, but I could guess...

Raped!

What she didn’t want to say was that he'd felt his Mate being raped. It was said to be excruciating to feel your Mate being with someone else. Willingly or not, the pain would drive even the strongest wolves to insanity...

“s**t,” I hissed, reeling inside. Hell, if anyone ever hurt my Mate like that---! It made me feel a little extra murderous inside, wanting to rip those people apart.

And I hadn't even met My Mate yet!

“Despite the pain, he kept on looking for her," Alyssa continued. "There wasn’t a stone he didn’t turn to try and find her. He’d just called his brother for reinforcement when he--- he felt her die!”

Fuck!

“Goddess,” I breathed, running a hand through my already messy hair. “I can’t imagine his pain.”

“Neither can I," she said, and hugged her middle as if it would protect her against the memories. "But that was when he lost whatever humanity he had left.”

In other words, he went feral!

“The Beta and Gamma were the first he killed. He and Galvin had been best friends their entire lives and we thought---” She shook her head, wanting to rid herself of the images in her mind. “He didn’t even blink when he killed them! We didn’t know what to do."

There was nothing anyone could do...

If a wolf went feral, the only way to bring them back was either using their children or close relatives - like siblings or parents - to try and talk them back. In some cases, if they had an extremely strong bond, friends could too...

If not, the wolf had to be put down!

"He had to be stopped; otherwise he’d attack innocent people next. But he was too strong,” she said, her voice breaking as she spoke. “It took ten of us to take him down, but not before he’d killed nearly 30 of ours.”

And feeling their Mates die in such a gruesome manner had killed their Mates as well. At least 60 people had died because of one wolf lost to grief…

“You know what the worst part is?” She continued, her lips quivering. “I can’t even hate him! I haven’t even found my Mate yet, but if I’d felt her being tortured and--- and then---” She swallowed hard, trying to keep her tears back. “I’d lose my f*****g s**t as well.”

“We all would have,” I said gently, carefully pulling her into my arms. She rested her head against my broad chest and cried softly. “He was an Alpha Prince," I cooed, stroking her hair in comfort. "None of them stood a chance against him.”

We stood like that for a while before her tears finally subsided and she stopped crying. I kept her in my arms for a little while longer. One, because I sensed that she needed it. And second, because it felt good. As much as I wanted to deny it, a part of me missed the bond that came with being part of a Pack...

“Did his brother ever arrive?” I asked and pulled away before things got awkward. Luckily, Alyssa didn't seem to mind, as she dried away the last of her tears.

“Yeah, but he didn’t stay,” she confirmed. “He just took his brother’s body and left. He was devastated.”

Sorry, but I couldn't imagine that...

If I got news that my brother had passed, I'd probably do a happy dance. But it was said that the Royal Siblings had been as thick as thieves. Nothing ever separated them, and when the youngest prince took off to form a Pack of his own, they’d retained a very close relationship and remained allies.

“He just needed some time to mourn,” I said, hoping it was the truth. “You all need time to mourn,” I continued, and rather than thinking about the things I had no control over, I focused on the things that I could. “I’ll talk to Eddie tomorrow. See if I can’t convince him to give all of you time off to grieve and let your wolves grieve.”

“Seeing that he apparently respects you, I’m not worried,” she replied with a grateful smile, before I lost her to her own thoughts. “You know what the really sad part was? We didn’t just lose our Alpha and Luna. We lost everything.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused. And before I could point out all the obvious things that they had to be grateful for, she continued:

“The Luna was pregnant with their heir,” she explained with renewed pain in her eyes. “She was due any day when she was taken.”

A sinking feeling started forming low in my belly, but I shook it off.

No…

No way!

It-it was too much of a coincidence, that---

No!

Just---- NO!

“You should get some sleep,” I stated, rubbing my eyes as the tiredness suddenly felt like a slap to the face. “I need to go check on Peach before making a last round---”

“How about taking your own advice, Doc?”

We both spun around at the new arrival and saw Remy and Orellawalking towards us. They both looked like they'd had a couple of hours of sleep as well as a solid meal. When my wolf reached out for theirs, their wolf was doing much better.

Albeit, in this case, "much better" was a relative term...

"He's right," Orellasaid with a kind smile. “Doctor or no, you still have a baby to take care of, and she deserves a proper bed. Come with me!”

I tried to protest, but my traitorous assistant didn't give me a choice. But then we found Grace, who was practically dead on her feet, right where I left her last. Feeling awful, I realized that in working all day, I hadn't given the poor thing even a short break or a chance to go get herself something to eat.

Fuck me!

"Sorry, Grace," I apologized, as I picked up Peach from the sofa where she'd been sleeping, with Grace loyally sitting watch over her. "I hadn't realized how late it had gotten."

"It's fine, Sir," she replied--- but had to bite back a yawn before she continued. "Will you be working tomorrow as well? When do you need me to come in?"

"When you've rested and had a good meal," I replied, and grateful, she took off.

Following Alyssa, Remy, and Orella , I noticed that we were heading to the main entrance to the PackHouse. On instinct, my wolf became more alert and on edge. The only thing that calmed him was to keep Peach close to my chest and breathe in her scent. Yeah, I might still have some trauma from my old Pack, but that was a problem for another day. Hell, even the wolves accompanying me noticed my wolf's hostility, but collectively decided not to ask about it...

The inside of the PackHouse was just as grand and modern on the inside as it was on the outside. It was white and polished, with hints of color here and there. It looked like the perfect blend of masculine and feminine.

Of wolf and human...

I liked it!

I followed the wolves to the second floor. Behind a couple of grand double doors was a luxury apartment, the likes of which I'd never seen before.

The Alpha Suite!

The kitchen was modern, with a huge kitchen island, and clearly made for someone who loved to cook. It had a dining room and living room the size of small apartments, as well as a huge guest bathroom fit for a king!

"No gold toiletpaper?" I teased when we finished with the grand tour. Of course, there were certain rooms that I didn't enter, but...

“This was supposed to be her nursery,” Orellainformed me, as she opened the door to one of the bedrooms. I stood for a while, as this room was just as grand and spectacular as everything else I'd seen.

Despite the pink elephants on the walls...

There was a rocking chair for nursing, an extra bed, a fireplace, and an actual crib for Peach. And it wasn't just any one old crib, but one of those that hung from the ceiling, and you could rock them back and forth! Hell, I was so distracted by everything I saw, that I almost missed what Orellasaid...

She said---

“Her?” I echoed, the sinking feeling in my gut returning with a vengeance.

“Yeah,” Alyssa said with a sad smile. “They were expecting a baby girl.”

My blood ran cold!

Another coincidence? My wolf muttered, but this time he didn’t sound as convinced as before. I tried to shake it off, but this time it wasn't as easily done, as the first time around.

“It’s beautiful," I said instead and walked over to the fireplace. There were a couple of pictures on the mantle, and I knew in my heart, that I needed to see them. From afar, the couple in the picture were faceless figures. But up close, you could see the lovely couple. See the happiness in her eyes and the pride in his, as he protectively held her pregnant belly....

“That’s them,” Orellasaid solemnly, pointing to the picture I hadn't even realized I'd picked up. “That's Alpha Emil and Luna Fray. She was human and had just turned 18 when he found her. He didn't hesitate to claim her and move her out here. They were so in love, it made all of us ‘singles’ envious.” She let out a sad laugh. “I couldn’t wait to find my Mate. But now… I’m not so sure.”

“Mates are precious," I found myself repeating something my grandmother always used to say. “They’re like Sunshine after rain. And like a rainbow, they fill your life with colors. You don’t realize how much you need them until you get them.”

I caressed the picture frame, seeing the smiling girl in it. I’d seen that look of happiness and bliss on her face once before – just before she faded away…