TM [Complete ✔️]

26. Help

Zane's P.OV

I sank my claws into a rogue, shoving him toward Julian, who finished them off. It was an effective method to get rid of them faster we'd found about half an hour ago, yet no matter how much we tried, whether because they had a great hiding spot or because the fire had grown much thicker, we could never see the end of them or the battle.

My warriors were exhausted, and I had no idea how much time had even passed since they'd begun fighting, multiple of them carrying fresh burn wounds and all of them either bleeding, limping, or having been injured one way or another.

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I clenched one rogue's throat, throwing his body straight into the flames as his howls of pain filled the air.

"Zane!" Zion frantically screamed inside my head. "The link with mat-Sofia is growing weaker!" I stopped in my tracks, a rogue managing to slice my cheek with its claws in the process. Julian pushed him away from me, finishing him off before c*****g his head to the side, silently asking me what happened. I shook my head, angling it toward yet another swarm of enemy wolves running in and circling us - again. Very soon, we'd all be too exhausted to fight, and it would only be downhill from there. "Zane! Check on her, damn it!" My wolf growled, shame burning through me. She'd saved my pup and was probably going to save my pack, too, and yet just the fact that she was given a bond by the Goddess, which she had no say in same as I did, was making me so horrible I'd let her slip away just to avoid dealing with it.

And the worst part was, had Zion not returned, had I theoretically somehow found out who - what - she was to me, I actually would've let her.

"Sofia's hurt," I linked one of the guards I'd stationed at the pack house, "find her and report back to me!" I demanded, getting the guy's confirmation before I focused back on the numerous enemies flooding my pack.

After receiving no updates from the warrior and the link between me and Sofia was continuing to grow weaker and weaker, while my worry grew stronger, which I didn't let myself think about, I did what I promised myself I never would - I intruded her thoughts.

Asking Julian to cover for me for a moment, I barged inside her head, finding her thoughts jumbled and confusing. All I could hear was her wanting to sleep, how tired she was, and no matter how much I yelled, she never responded.

Snarling, my gaze wandered toward the pack house. The only reason she wasn't safely tucked in the basement was me. I asked her to risk her life and save a pack she had no responsibility toward. No matter what mess the Goddess has shoved us into, she was still a member of my pack, and I couldn't let her die because of me.

My gaze switched from my warriors to the fire, from the fire to the rogues, from the rogues to the pack house, but somehow, my decision took only a second as I sprinted toward the house, determined to find my ma- my pack member.

"I've got her, Alpha!" The guard sent to search for her linked me, relief slamming into me so thick I hardly recognized it - hardly recognized myself.

Just earlier today, I hated her mere presence, so what changed?

Nothing, I decided as I shook my head, hoping it'd rid me of the thoughts. Nothing changed; I just stepped into my role as Alpha, and she was one of the wolves under my care.

"Where was she?"

"In your office, Alpha."

"Was she attacked?"

"I don't think so; her wounds weren't fresh. My guess is she breathed too much of the smoke in."

"Get her in the basement with the others and make sure she gets treated!" No one else would die on my watch; I wanted to but didn't add.

I sent her the link to go to my office over an hour ago, and she let me know she was inside over half an hour ago. One phone call surely didn't take that long, so why was she still up there?

I didn't let the question linger as a loud buzzing sound approached from above, bringing with itself gusts of wind. It was awful for the fire, spreading it more than it would have spread on its own, but the fact that it was three helicopters made me want to cry out in relief.

Knox was here, he didn't break his promise to always help me out with whatever, to always be there for me, even from miles away.

I had no idea where he'd found three helicopters on such short notice, but damn me if I would question it rather than thank the Goddess for my best friend.

My best friend, shifted into his large, midnight black wolf, followed by fourteen of his strongest wolves I recognized from training ran straight into battle as I ran right beside him, Zion bumping against Kane to show his appreciation as they jumped into battle.

***

With Knox and his warriors' help, my own warriors received the little push of hope they needed to give their last ounces of strength and protect their pack. Together, we finished off the enemy in thirty minutes, the nightmare finally over.

For the others, but not for me. They'd go home and rest with their families, those that hadn't lost theirs, unfortunately, while I didn't get that privilege. Despite being pretty badly hurt myself, my wolves were my priority, especially after how strongly they'd believed in me throughout the past couple of months.

I need to let the families of the fallen warriors know that I was there for them with whatever they needed, that I was deeply sorry for their loss; I needed to make sure all my injured members had been, or were currently, being treated, I needed to put out the fire along with Blood Moon's men, and I needed to asses the losses and quickly calculate where I'd house all those that lost their homes, and with what money I'd rebuild said homes.

There were probably thousands of other things I needed to get done as well, even though all I wanted to do was hold my daughter tightly and reassure myself that she was alright, but for now, I'd deal with what was on top of my mind.

"Zane," Knox called, shifted and changed into a pair of shorts, holding another pair in his arm, "Go shift," taking the clothes from him, I shifted and put them on, needing a minute to breathe amidst the chaos. "It's okay, man, just breathe," My best friend reassured me, "more of my men will be here in about an hour, hour and a half, so we'll clean the area up and do what needs to be done." Carefully pushing his hand off my shoulder, I shook my head as I took off, walking toward one of my oldest warriors to let him know his young son, barely nineteen, had not made it.

"Hey, stop!" Knox called, stopping me. "Stop for a second, okay? You've done a great job, Zane! For your first attack as Alpha, you handled it amazingly! Just sit down and get checked before you run off, duty always awaits."

"I did amazingly?" I almost lost my daughter because I was a stubborn f**k, my pack is burnt to the ground, we only survived because you came to save us, and the only reason we're all alive is that I sent a she-wolf, a she-wolf, Knox, I sent her away from safety to go call for you, and now she's fighting for her life; so, no, I didn't do amazingly or even remotely well!" I seethed, thankful everyone was too busy to listen in on our conversation.

Or fight. I had no idea what it was at this point.

"You want to talk about your failures, alright then, you have a mate you forgot to mention, apparently?" I froze, only able to stare at him for a second before I could even attempt to pull myself together.

"I don't..." I mumbled, the stupid words sounding much less sure than if I'd said them this morning.

"I thought we were family, Zane," he sighed, "you don't get to choose which hardships you call me for, man! You were my sister's husband, and I didn't know about that, either!" Sitting on the ground with the fire still raging around us but being more or less handled by now, I ran my hand through my hair.

"It's weird. You broke my jaw once because I was mated to your sister, and now that she's not here," I paused, stealing a quick look at him as he sat next to me, "I didn't know how you'd take the news when I haven't quite taken them in myself."

"Did you think I'd be mad or something?" I shrugged.

"Maybe, I don't know." After another shrug, I continued, "Honestly, I was ashamed of so many things. Of being in this situation, of her lying to me for months, of so many things, I thought that If I ignored her and everything to do with her, then the problem would disappear."

"I used to think the same once, too, remember? The 'problem' turned out to be the best thing that's ever happened to me."

I stared ahead, watching as the flames finally went out.

"I already experienced the best thing to happen to me. The second one is in a basement right now; how could there be room for a third?" I asked, deep down knowing there could never be more room - not for love or pain.

"That's the best part - there's always room for more, you just have to want it. I admit, the timing was bad, but the thing is, you would've never been ready for a second mate, even after twenty years."

"Exactly, so why even have one?" I grumbled under my breath, reaching for straws at this point. Knox was making more sense than my stubborn self would like to admit.

"The Goddess works in mysterious ways, man." Knox shrugged, his eyes lighting up as he no doubt thought of his own mate.

"So, what, you're telling me to give her a chance?" I scoffed, though it wasn't my intention.

"I couldn't tell you that when I know I wouldn't have listened, either. But, if you had to ask, you probably know deep down that it's a possibility for you to be happy with her."

"Yeah, right," I mumbled quietly enough that he wouldn't hear.

"Go to her!" Knox jumped to his feet, pulling me up with him. "My warriors and I got this; just go see her."

"She's probably resting; the smoke got to her," I mumbled the excuse.

"All the more reason to go see her! She was up there to call me, and I might've been an asshole, so don't make me feel guilty!" Rolling my eyes, I let him usher me toward the house, my feet slowing down as the basement grew closer.

Nodding at the guards, I was let in, multiple she-wolves jumping to their feet, their eyes wide with fear and cheeks stained with tears.

"It's over, ladies; you can go outside again!" I attempted to smile but found it hard once again.

I wasn't one to find sunshine amongst the ruins. Not anymore.

Most of the women rushed outside, barely helping themselves from tripping over their feet, the nurses giving me a small smile as they began to pick up their make-shift stations, guards coming in to help them carry it back into the pack hospital, where the wounded were being transferred.

Only a few remained seated, one being Gwynn, my pup's nanny, the others shaking as their eyes stared, wide open, at nothing in particular.

They'd lost someone close to them - I knew the look all too well, unfortunately.

Fighting the urge to run to my screaming pup, her arms outstretched for me, I knelt next to the she-wolves, offering my condolences before I finally couldn't resist grabbing my little bean and smothering her with hugs and kisses.

"Dada's here, little one!" I whispered, holding her close. "I won't let anyone touch you again!" Taking careful steps with my daughter still in my arms, I approached a tear-eyed Sofia, the look in her eyes breaking my already shattered heart.

A/N

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