The Alpha's Greatest Regret

“Emma, closet. NOW!” Mom’s voice cracked sharp and trembling as she shoved me toward the broom closet. Rain hammered the roof like claws scraping to get in. I stumbled inside, bleach fumes burning my lungs. Panic twisted my gut, and my wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin agitated, just like I was. The front door rattled violently. Heavy boots pounded up the porch steps, each thud syncing with my racing heart. “Who are they, Mom?” I whispered. Her face went pale. “Rogues,” she breathed. “A pack of them.” Before I could ask more, the lock gave way with a sharp c***k. “Search every room, that ledger must be here somewhere.” A deep voice ordered. Dominant and cold. Mom put a finger to her lips, signaling silence, before closing the door. I clamped a hand over my mouth, my pulse roaring in my ears. Through a narrow gap, I saw her move down the hallway, her slim body a wall between me and the danger. “We don't have what you're looking for,” she shouted, voice steady even in the face of this danger “Get out of my house!” The rogues barked a laugh. Having discovered where mom’s location was. She was trying to draw their attention away from me. “Until I say so, this search is not over.” one snarled. “So you better come out, or we drag you out ourselves. You were stupid enough to speak.” Their voices grew louder and closer as they headed to where my mom must be. I sniffed the air and gagged at the invading scent of musk and blood. It was savage, foreign, and hungry. Normally, they should've found us already, but with our scent blending with our home, it was difficult for them. Mom slipped back toward me, her face drawn tight. “They’re in,” she whispered. “The laundry exit leads behind the house, straight to the streets. When I tell you, you run.” “Mom, we can both—” “No.” Her eyes locked on mine, fierce and full of love. “If we both move, they’ll follow us. I'm not sure about their numbers so I'm going to stall them.” I wanted to argue, but she was already gone, back down the hall, her footsteps light. I stumbled through, worry for my mom keeping me rooted behind the laundry door. From the front, her voice rose again. “You’re wasting your time! There's nothing here!” "Liar," a woman hissed. The rogues snarled, overturning furnitures as their footsteps echoed after her. Their noise masked my shallow breaths. Mom was baiting them, keeping their focus away from me. Then came the silence. My wolf bristled. A new sound cut through the rain, the creak of a door opening behind me. The back door. I turned, heart thudding. Someone had circled around. Before I could hide again, a man stepped into view. He filled the back doorway, dripping wet, his eyes black with malice. “Well, what do we have here?” He drawled, flashing fangs as he grinned. “Didn’t expect to find a hottie hiding out back.” He leered, l*****g his lips. Before I could bolt, his hand clamped my arm like a vise. "Got you," he bellowed, triumph in his voice. His sleeve hiked up, revealing the tattoo of a black viper coiled tight, fangs bared toward his thumb. I jerked back, but he dragged me forward, nails digging deep. In a blink of an eye, someone moved behind him. Mom. She swung a cast-iron skillet with everything she had. The metal met his skull with a heavy c***k. He staggered, cursing. “Run!” she shouted, voice breaking. He squeezed harder, pain shooting up my arm, as he slammed the door behind him, practically jamming it. My wolf clawed at me to shift, to fight, but fear rooted me. “Let her go!” Mom yelled, twisting free. “Take me instead!” “Not after what you did,” he spat. I stomped his shin, rage giving me courage. He grunted, loosening his grip. I snatched the bleach bottle and flung it in his face. He screamed, clawing at his eyes. “b***h!” Mom shoved him aside just as two more rogues burst in from the hallway snarling, half-shifted, eyes glowing gold. “Now, Em!” she shouted. But I couldn’t move. My mind went blank. One rogue swung a bat. The sound when it hit her ribs made me flinch. She gasped, falling to one knee. “Mom!” She raised a shaking hand, forcing herself upright. “Go, Em. Please.” Tears blurred my vision. “Not without you—” The second rogue lunged. Mom grabbed his collar, slammed her knee into his gut. He doubled over, wheezing. She turned to the other, swinging the skillet again it connected with the female rogue’s shoulder. The first roared as he blinked through tears, his fury monstrous. He pulled a g*n from his belt, finger curling around the trigger. “Don’t!” I screamed. Mom lunged, biting his wrist. Blood sprayed. The g*n dropped, clattering across the tile. Her mouth was red, her eyes burning with fury. “Run!” she ordered one last time. This time, I obeyed. I threw myself toward the back door, ramming it with my shoulder. It didn’t budge. Of course he jammed it. I hit it again, pain blooming across my arm. The door gave way on the third hit. I stumbled into the night, rain hitting my face like stones. A gunshot split the air. I froze. Another shot followed. Then laughter cold, and triumphant filled the air. My wolf howled inside me. I leaped the fence, landing hard in the alley, puddles splashing. My chest heaved, as my heart felt like it was trying to claw its way out. "She is in the alley!" the woman snarled, predatory glee in her tone. I ducked into shadows, phone trembling in my hand. No signal. Splashes followed. I pressed deeper, heart thundering like a trapped rabbit. "Come out, girl," she taunted, voice silky with cruelty. "Don't make me chase." A cat yowled, darting past. I flinched, knocking a bottle. It clattered, loud to the ground. Footsteps paused, then turned towards my direction. I seized the fire escape, rungs slick with rain and climbed, swinging onto the landing, breath ragged. She stepped below, nose twitching. "I smell you, your fear, is so delicious." Panic siezed me and I hurried up to the very top, crawling to the far side, to peer down. She circled like a hunter. “Make this easier for us and come down already.” She snarled. Lightning cracked, lighting the viper man below, glaring up. Our eyes met; hatred sparking in them. I recoiled, heart slamming. Dropping to the opposite ladder, I slid down, landing without a sound. I ran, as my mind raced for a way to lose them when a howl pierced through the night. It was deep, and primal. Almost like a call and my wolf responded in kind. I skidded to a stop under the downpour, senses alive with its pull. "What's that?" I whispered, but the night swallowed my words. The howl echoed again, vibrating through my bones. Footsteps splashed nearer, but that was the least of my problems. The call tugged stronger, urging me towards its source. I hesitated, even as my wolf urged me towards the call, heart torn between escaping my pursuers and the unknown pull. The howl rose once more, insistent, wrapping around me like an invisible bond. I turned towards it, drawn beyond explanation as thunder cracked and lightning revealed a massive silhouette in the mist watching from a tall building. My pulse quickened, as fear gripped my heart. I didn't know who was that, but the fear, my wolf and the bond pulled me in one direction. And without a second thought, I ran towards it.