The Beta’s Alpha Mate

Eighteen

Grayson’s POV

That was the moment I closed my eyes and imagined, whenever things got too difficult. Whenever I wanted to give up. Just me and Juls, laying in bed, finally on the same page about being mates, enjoying being near each other. The feeling of his warmth as he laid in my arms, his heartbeat quietly thrumming as my hand rested on his chest. The way I told him I loved him, even if he wasn’t awake to hear it. The kisses we’d shared.

He’d promised. He’d promised we’d spend that night together. I knew he’d make it come true some day. If not tonight, then eventually I’d see him again. And I was never letting him go again. Because if I could go back to that moment, everything would be okay.

That moment, just a little while before Keely mindlinked us.

“Julien, Grayson, Kade, help! Rogues! In the south woods,” she shouted through the link. Julien and I were out of bed and on our feet in an instant, jumping out the balcony window and transforming into our wolves before we landed on the ground. Our paws thudded on the ground as Fang and Juno raced towards the forested area south of the packhouse.

Fang, buddy, you awake? I asked.

I am now, he replied. Damn rogues, interrupting mate time.

Eh, we were about to get up for that meeting anyway, I shrugged. We’ll get more mate time tonight.

Fang gave a small howl of approval in response.

We could hear snarls and growls as we approached. The scent of rogue wolves was overpowering. Vampires, too, and at least a couple of witches. This wasn’t a small attack; it was an army. They must have figured it out and tracked Daniel here.

Julien had linked Brea and our warriors, so it was no surprise to see them already fighting, ripping through rogues like it was nothing. Alpha Helix and Beta Cory were there, too, leaping and snapping their jaws around the necks of their opponents. Moonstone’s warriors were well-trained, and they, too, were fighting hard.

“Kade, where you at?” I asked, dodging the claws of a rogue.

“Marcos and I made sure the Luna and Keely got to the packhouse. We’ve got to stay back here and keep an eye on things with the warriors guarding them and Sierra and Daniel. Damn it, I wish Brea would’ve gone with them,” he cursed.

“Look out!” Julien yelled, interrupting. Juno’s large teeth bit into the calf of a vampire who was jumping toward me with arms outstretched, effectively yanking him to the ground. Alpha Helix’s wolf tore the vampire’s head off before bounding away to help Cory, who was fighting three rogues.

“Give us the Omega, and we’ll be on our way,” one of the vampires hissed. “No one else in either of your packs needs to die.”

Well that wasn’t great. They definitely knew we were here, then. Helix shifted so he could negotiate, and Cory along with three of their warriors hovered around him, guarding him.

“We know nothing of any magic resistant powers from the Omegas in our packs,” Helix stated. “Even if we did, we would never turn them over to a bunch of vamps and their pets,” he snarled.

“Have it your way, mutt, we’ll take something else of your pack’s instead. Don’t worry, we make trades,” the vampire said. He twirled a finger in the air, singling to his men to proceed.

A rogue lunged at Helix, but Cory blocked them. The rogue got a swipe at Cory’s side in as they fell to the ground, and Cory howled in pain. He quickly recovered and killed the rogue, but it was enough of a distraction for a vampire to sneak in and attack Helix, twisting his arm behind him with a loud snap. Rogues lunged at each of the warriors simultaneously. Julien and I both ran for Helix, but quickly got locked into our own battles.

Julien finished off the vampire he was fighting with and darted through the fighting toward the one who seemed to be the leader, swerving around bodies as he went. If we could catch him, we could get answers, and maybe end this.

I heard Cory’s howl again, and bounded in his direction without thinking. A vampire had twisted his hind leg in a horrific direction, and while Helix had torn the head off the vampire immediately, the damage was done. I buried Fang’s snout against Cory’s neck, nudging him, urging him to shift so I could carry him elsewhere and heal him.

“Your leg is broken and we’ll die defending you out here if you try to stay. Go with him,” Helix commanded. I was surprised to see he hadn’t shifted yet, and I pressed down on his shoulder to heal him as much as I could but got no results.

Fuck, I hope Daniel hadn’t broken my gift by giving me his.

Cory finally shifted. I lowered myself to the ground as much as possible so he could climb onto Fang, and he dug his fingers into my fur as we ran back behind the fighting lines.

I quickly shifted and held my hand against his chest, which was bleeding badly where he had been clawed earlier. The warm glow spread from my fingertips to his body, and I watched as the muscles and skin slowly knitted themselves back together. His leg would be more complex.

It was times like these when I wish I had an elder healer to teach me things. I had no idea how to heal in my wolf form, or how to conserve energy when healing. But I’d try.

“Cory, this is going to hurt, okay? I don’t have a way to make it easier, so just try to bring your wolf forward and go to the back of your consciousness. Your wolf can probably bear it easier, okay?”

He nodded at me, looking exhausted. Broken bones suck, I’d had enough of them to know. I placed my hands on his right thigh and felt the warmth flowing again. He writhed and whimpered a little bit as his leg re-set, but mostly held it together until I was done a few minutes later.

“That’s it, you’re done,” I told him. “You need to go to the hospital and rest, and I need to get back to the fight and check on everyone.”

“Grayson, no, I’m coming with you. My leg is fine now,” he argued.

I opened my mouth to protest when we heard voices. A trio of vampires, by the scent.

“Well, well, what have we here? Mutts shouldn’t stray so far from their little pack,” the vampire in the center of the group said, as he tilted his head to the side in mock confusion. He was the one who had spoken to Helix earlier, the leader of the group. His brown eyes sparkled and he smirked at us, as if he had an idea.

“I’ll offer you a deal. You tell me where the Omega is hiding, and I’ll leave you here to fight another day,” he said.

“I don’t even know which Omega you want. Plus, why do you want them?” I asked, stalling for time.

“Listen, dog, I’m not answering 20 questions. Take it or leave it. If you don’t want to end up like the Alpha we just fought with, tell me where the Omega is,” he ordered.

What did he mean? My eyes met Julien’s dark blue ones as I saw Juno stealthily creeping up behind the men. He had been chasing the vampire leader, and must have tracked him here. But then, what had happened to Helix? Cory exchanged a panicked look with me, wondering the same thing.

“Fine,” I said roughly, bluffing. “I’ll tell you.”

“Excellent choice, pup,” the vampire grinned at me. He took a step toward me just as Juno sprung from behind him, growling as he lunged and landed on the vampire on the left. He sunk his teeth in and ripped off the vampire’s arm, immediately jumping back in for another attack. That distraction gave Cory and I enough time to shift while the vamps were distracted.

“You’re a sneaky little mutt,” the vampire I’d been speak with said. He was still grinning, but his expression wasn’t at all friendly. “I guess you’ll be tougher to crack than I thought. You’ll pay for that.”

In wolf form, I couldn’t respond to tell him to f**k off, so I just growled and leaped for him, barring my teeth. He was fast, dodging my attacks, but Fang was determined.

“Grayson, look out!” Julien screamed over the mindlink.

I felt a sharp sting in my neck, but it didn’t feel like a vampire bite. Suddenly, I felt myself shifting back to human form. I fell to the ground, feeling weak.

“You’re coming with me, dog,” the vampire laughed. I looked at him in confusion, unsure of what he meant. Cory was still fighting with his opponent and Julien was just now finishing his off.

“I’m going to kill you,” I threatened, trying to shake off the daze I was in.

He chuckled. “Doubtful.” He had a point, as much as I hated to admit it. I felt so sluggish, like my arms and legs no longer worked. I willed myself to fight back, but nothing happened.

“Say goodbye to your mutt,” he called mockingly at Julien, and that was the last thing I heard before everything went black.