His Alpha Mate

Pain. Pain everywhere. Indescribable pain radiates through every fibre of my being. Every nerve-ending is seared with white-hot torture that has me wondering how close to death I am. But even worse than the physical pain, is the agony of betrayal. Moon night is sacred. The full moon is the one night when all grievances, irritations and annoyances are put aside, and the pack can simply let go and be. Allow themselves to embrace their wolf forms without a care or worry about feuds or persecution. Yet, here I am, laying in a rapidly expanding pool of my own blood, betrayed by the one person I could have never anticipated. My brother. I try to assess my injuries, internal and external, but it's clear from the way my vision is narrowing that my situation is bad and it won't be long until I pass out. I'm certain that the only thing now is to wait for my death and, truthfully, I'm a little scared. It's not that I'm no stranger to death. My mother passed away during my brother's birth and my father died only three years ago but I can't help but wonder why it's my turn already. After all, twenty-one years on this planet hasn't exactly given me the chance to experience all that life has to offer. So really I'm terrified that my ending has come too soon. I fear that I am going to miss out on so many things. Finding my mate Falling in love Getting married Having kids Expanding the pack Making my father proud A raspy sigh escapes my throat bringing me out of my inner musings and back to my current situation. The attack happened so quickly. One moment I was running with my pack through the forest, autumn leaves crunching under my paws, and then the next a body slammed into my side causing me to tumble down the rocky side of the ravine we were following. Disorientated, I had barely managed to get back on all fours when suddenly teeth and claws were everywhere. Amid the frenzy, I could barely tell up from down, let alone whose paws and canines were inflicting the worst of the damage. Black, russet and silver all merged into one whirl of fur but the moment I felt teeth at my jugular, a singular thought was transmitted loud and clear… Die, b***h! The hatred that rippled through the collective stunned me. My pack. My brothers and sisters of the moon. We may not have all been connected by blood, but I would have given my life for each and every one of them. How could I have not realised that they felt this way towards me, their Alpha? Before I could truly comprehend what was happening, a loud howl that I recognised as my brother's split the air and then they were gone, leaving me for dead. I had briefly entertained the idea that perhaps Knox would be coming to my rescue but as quickly as that hope surfaced, it was dashed when I realised that my connection to the pack was gone. I was alone. The silence in my head is all-consuming. Tears begin to leak down my muzzle of their own accord as my distress builds into uncontrollable fear. I wish that somehow I was stronger, that I could face death with dignity instead of the snivelling mess I am. Slowly I try to lift myself off the ground, to see if there's any chance that I might be able to save myself, but my wolf’s strength has left me. A whimper slips past my lips. It is over. I open my eyes determined to soak up the last rays of my Celtic namesake, a’ ghealach. A sense of peace washes over me as I stare into the sky, the moonlight bathing my body. I'm barely aware of time as I pass in and out of consciousness, fragmented thoughts and memories flitting through my broken mind, but at some point, I feel the familiar pull as my bones, muscles and tendons reform into my human shape. No longer protected by my dense fur, the cold from the forest floor seeps into my broken body. A snap of a twig nearby startles me. My eyes fly open ready to see Knox or one of the other members of my pack coming back to finish me off but instead, I find myself staring up into the dark a shadow of a man. Despite barely being able to make out his features, he has the greenest eyes I have ever seen, luminous orbs that glow brightly in the dim light. A little voice in the back of my head reminds me of my nakedness and I try to move my arms to shield myself from this stranger. This small amount of self-preservation is the most I can hope for but the pain is excruciating and it's all I can do to not pass out. “Don't move, lassie,” a gruff voice instructs. “You are in a really bad way. Let's get you out of the open and see what we are going to do with you.” It suddenly occurs to me that maybe this stranger is here to kill me and finish what my brother started. But I have no fight left in me and, truthfully, death at this stage may just be a better option. I close my eyes, accepting whatever fate has in store for me. Moments later, I can feel strong arms wind under my knees and around my back and then I am being pressed to a broad, warm chest. My body sways gently as I am carried through the forest, pure instinct telling me that we are travelling north, away from my family's estate. Why is this stranger here on my family’s land? How did he know where to find me? These questions vie for my attention but my wolf’s instinct for survival is greater and instead, my fractured mind tries to create a map to work out where we might be going. However, the effort is too much and I resign myself to hoping that I am not being taken to the Campbell Estate. Because the one thing I am certain of is that the stranger carrying me is a wolf and the Campbells are my sworn enemy.