Her Mates

Chapter 4

Ella's POV.

“Alpha!" I screamed, my knees buckling as I dropped beside him. He lay drowning in a pool of his own blood, his eyes usually full of life, was now dull and fixed on mine.

"Who did this to you? Who attacked you?" I cried, holding onto his neck, which looked like it had been ripped out by a wild animal.

"E...El...Ella..." He rasped out, a wet gurgle escaping his lips.

"Don't speak!" I rushed out, reaching for the hem of my dress and tearing off a good measure of the fabric to apply pressure to his wounded neck. "You've lost a lot of blood...we need to get help. I'll get the doctors, Derek; they'll save you." I muttered between my tears.

"No...it's...far too late. Nothing...can change my fate. My time's up." He rasped, struggling for breath, a weak tremor shaking his head.

"Stop talking! You're not dying on me! You can't!" I panicked, my voice cracking as I wiped the blood trailing down his mouth with my left hand. "Please, preserve your strength. You can tell me anything later, please."

Lost in my desperate, rambling pleas, I felt a cold, hard grip on my arm. "Listen to me, Ella." Alpha Alaric gritted, his nails digging into my arm. My mind sharpened in attentiveness. "Listen..." he repeated softly, forcing a locket into my hands.

"What is this?" I asked, wiping the snot from my face.

"It's yours...have it with you at all times; it will guide you." His breath labored as he spoke.

It's mine? What does that even mean? His words made no sense, but I did as he requested without a second thought.

"Done. It's safe and on me at all times." I assured him, sniffing to chase the snot.

"I'm sorry...I...I...couldn't fulfill the promises...I made to you. I'm sorry, I couldn't protect you...till the end." Alpha Alaric rasped.

"What are you saying?" My mind reeled. "You have done more than anyone or my family has ever done for me. You are not just my Alpha; you're my protector, my guardian. I know I never said this to you, but you're the father I could ever wish for."

I forced a smile.

"My child..." He muttered, placing his palm on my cheek. A tear trailed down his face before he suddenly gasped, let out a shallow intake of air, then slammed his head to the side. The light in his eyes vanished.

Fearing the worst, I whispered, “Alpha?" I was met with silence, no response.

"Alpha? noooo! Wake up! Don't do this to me." I screamed repeatedly, clutching his body to my chest and shaking him in an attempt to wake him.

But my efforts were futile, as his chest remained still, unmoving. "My life is over! How am I supposed to live without you? Please wake up." I sobbed until my throat burned, a crazy thought in my head. "Okay, I get it now. I admit defeat; you win this round. You're scaring me, this isn't funny anymore!" I yelled, desperate not to accept the reality I already knew was true.

He was dead.

Minutes later, the office door burst open. I looked up to see Maria standing in the doorway, my vision blurred. "Ella? What's wrong? I heard your cry!" Maria exclaimed, her voice pitched higher than usual, as if feigning concern. Her gaze dropped to me, then to Alpha Alaric, her eyes widening in an exaggerated display of shock. "Ella… What are you doing to him?

"Thank the Moon Goddess you're here!" Relief and hope surged through me. "Help me get him up, we have to get him to the hospital!” I said in a rush.

“Murderer!”

“What?” I whispered, my voice thick with disbelief. “No, are you crazy? Why would I…”

“Murderer!” She shrieked again, running out the door. The loud thudding of her boot echoing down the hallway.

"Wait! Maria!" I called after her, torn between chasing her and staying with the Alpha. I couldn’t leave him. Not alone.

‘Stupid airhead’ I cursed inwardly, still clinging to the Alphas lifeless body, praying Maria had the common sense to get help. “Wake up,” I whispered, shaking him gently, as if he'd just fallen asleep and could wake up at any moment.

It wasn't long before the thundering of footsteps filled the hall. The office door was practically ripped off its hinges as Derek, Mother, Father, Luna Amelia followed by a sobbing Maria, who pointed a trembling finger at me. Their eyes were wild, bloodshot and accusing.

"Get off him!” She screamed, shoving aside with so much force, I landed on my arm. She kneels beside him, cradling his head to her chest, a heart-wrenching wail tearing from her throat. "What did you do to him? What did you do to my mate? Why… Why did you kill my husband?”

What!

It took me a minute to process what Luna Amelia was saying. That I killed the Alpha?

“No… no …no …” I blurted instantly. The gravity of the situation crashing over me. I wasn't able to complete my words when Luna Amelia turned to Derek who looked confused at the scene, transfixed on my hands, covered with the Alphas blood. I quickly tried to clean it, but it wouldn't come off.

“How can I kill Alpha Alaric? He's like a father to me." I scrambled to my feet, my voice hoarse from crying. I staggered towards Derek to explain my side of the story, but his growl halted me.

Luna Amelia stumbled to her feet, her face contorted with rage. "You dare call him your father, you vermin. After all the love he showed you? The only way you choose to repay him is to cut his life short, what did he ever do to wrong you?" She lunged, slapping me hard across the face.

Once. Twice.

My face erupted in pain, not just from the slap but from the realization that this was real. They actually believed it.

I cried out, collapsing to the floor. "No! This is not what it looks like, I can explain. He was already dying when I came into the room, someone else killed him.”

I took a giant step across the room to Maria. “ Maria, tell them what happened, that I begged you to help me take him to the hospital.”

From behind Maria, Mother pushed me. "Don't stain my daughter with your filthy bloody hands!" she hissed in disgust, embracing Maria like I was filth. "How can you ask your sister to lie for you? Bastard!"

I stared at her, my mother, unable to believe my ears. I turned my pleading gaze to Father. He delivered the message to me. Surely, he would say a word in my defense. “Father, you believe me, right?”

"Don't call me that!" he spat, unblinking. "No daughter of mine is a killer!”

I held my hand to my chest in shock. I couldn’t breathe. It felt as though a heavy weight pressed on my chest, and an invisible hand gripped my neck, cutting off my air. My own family didn't believe me?

Different emotions swirled in my head at once; as I searched their faces and saw nothing. Not even pity.

Do they despise me to the extent that, they instantly believe I was capable of such a despicable act?

"Derek!" I cried out, turning to the only person left, my last shred of hope. "You're my mate! You believe me, right?”

For a moment, Derek’s head snapped in my direction. Our eyes slowly met.

He clenched his fist, and a look of pity flashed in his face, but it quickly froze back into his usual stony expression, as Luna Amelia spoke again.

“Will you just stand there, watching her, while she's covered from head to toe in your father's blood? What other evidence do you need?”

That was all it took. Derek’s stone-cold eyes, filled with pure rage, locked onto mine as he slowly walked toward me like a pred

ator.

“Derek.” I stumbled backward, trying to create distance, but there was nowhere to hide.