The Omega Queen

Twenty-Six

Alexander settled in the back of his mind as Argo took full control of their shifted form. Even for an Alpha, they were immensely large and covered in dark gray fur like a timber wolf with just a hint of brown. They covered the ground in large strides.

Behind them, their warriors fanned out, charging on the attack. Nathan had moved off with another group to catch their enemies in a pincer movement. The numbers they were up against were still unknown and confusion vibrated through the link.

Though he was focused on the threat ahead, he almost stumbled when a sudden panic seemed to light up a corner of his mind. His wolf let out a soft whine before confirming his fears: MATE! When he reached out to his mother, she assured him they were safely absconded in a safe room and Erin was having a panic attack.

It took everything in him not to turn around and rushed to her side knowing his scent would bring her peace. There were times at night he felt her tense in her sleep and she whimpered to herself. At those times, she turned to snuggle into him and breathe in his scent to calm herself.

It was probably the reason why he didn’t fight his wolf whenever it sneaked into her bed. If he could bring her peace by simply holding her and thus assure her a blissful night’s rest, then he would do it. There was nothing she could ask of him that he would not immediately comply. But now she needed him, and he couldn’t rush to her side.

His mother assured him she would help Erin, and he needed to focus on the rogues threatening their borders. The panicked feeling slowly dissipated, so it seemed his mother kept her word. There was nothing left for him to do but focus on the rogues.

It was unusual for them to attack this early in the year. Usually, they would have the occasional attack during the winter when resources were low, but it was still the height of summer. There had to be a reason, but he didn’t have time to puzzle it out now. Once they managed to run off these rogues, he would have to investigate the attack, after he checked on Erin first. Making sure she was safe was his priority.

His ears strained forward as he tried to track the sounds of the fight. The pack link buzzed as warriors checked in and relayed their status as well as the enemy’s sifting position. They adjusted their approach to flank the incoming force and soon the sounds of snarls and yelps became clear.

“Be careful, Alex!” Nathan’s voice suddenly burst into his mind. “They are feral!”

Argo nearly stumbled at the announcement but quickly caught himself. Feral?

“Be careful not to let the rogues bite you!” Alexander called out to his warriors. “They are infected!”

There wasn’t time for more warning as they burst out of cover and into the battle raging at their border. They didn’t hesitate as they rushed toward the nearest rogue trying to seize one of his warriors. The rogue wolf was ragged and thin, as expected, and they were foaming at the mouth, indicating their diseased nature. Luckily, the infection was only in their saliva, not the blood. They just had to avoid being bitten.

Argo snarled as his teeth sunk into his target’s neck. He bit so deep he felt the other’s neck snap. Tossing it aside, he went for the next. He spun, avoiding its snapping jaws, before grabbing its hind limb in his teeth.

Whipping his head around, Argo tossed it around like a ragdoll. He felt and heard the leg snap before tossing it aside. The rogue clawed its way back to its feet, the broken limb hung loosely, but it still tried to use it. Overcome by its madness, it no longer felt pain or even knew where its limbs were in space.

It tried to rush toward him but stumbled as it tried to use its injured leg. Howling in rage, it floundered as it tried to reach him. Argo circled before rushing in. his teeth crushed its neck, and he left the limp body behind to seek out his next target.

The madness overwhelming their opponents was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because the rogues were unable to coordinate or work together, which made this large-scale attack all the stranger. He shook aside the thought. That was something for later. The curse was, of course, that they couldn’t allow themselves to be bitten.

He rushed toward where one of his warriors struggled against two rogues. Argo snagged one by the tail and dragged it away. He let go as it tried to snap at his muzzle. Circling it, he waited for an opening before rushing in to grip the other by their neck. He tossed it around until he felt its neck snap and he dropped it. Panting, he glanced at the warrior to see it now had the advantage. His gaze swept the battlefield for a quick assessment before he charged toward his next target.

Argo went from one to another, dispatching any rogue he could sink his teeth into until his muzzle and chest were coated in blood. Still, he pressed on, killing without remorse. He lost track of time before a victory howl brought him to a stop. Argo scanned the field littered with bodies. There were still a few skirmishes going on, but even as he watched, these too were quickly dispatched.

“Keep your guard up!” Alexander ordered. “Make sure they are all dead!”

It wouldn’t do any of them any good to be overconfident. Once they were sure all the rogues were dead, they could pile them up and burn the bodies. It was the best way to prevent the madness from spreading and tainting the pack. They could also find out how large the attack truly was. There would be a lot of questions. He hoped he and Nathan could find the answers.

“Alpha!”

Argo jerked to attention. He reached through the link to find the warrior who called him. Turning, he ran off in that direction. Coming to the end of the field, he found several warriors crowded together. They nervously moved aside as he reached them, looking anxious. When he saw what was making them nervous, a howl of pain and rage tore out of him.

Forcing a shift, Alexander struggled to get to his feet and stumbled toward the form writhing on the ground. Nathan lay, struggling to maintain his human form as pain wracked his body. Blood oozed from the bite on his leg and the infection was already burning through his body.

“NO!” Alexander screamed. “Get him to the pack hospital! Now!”