The Alpha's Unexpected Mate

CHAPTER 2

Emma

“How much further?” I asked the driver sticking my head out of the smelling the fresh air, trees, and flowers.

“Soon.” He replied rolling his eyes.

I frowned at his tone. I just didn’t like this feeling that I was getting all of a sudden as we were passing the outer edge of some forest. I felt anxious. I sighed closing my eyes trying to push this uneasiness away by imagining a hot bath, a soft bed, and soft pillows. My eyes snapped open when I heard gunshots. I sat upright eyes wide open staring around me.

“Driver?!” I cried out scared.

He didn’t reply instead the car sped up throwing me back into my seat roughly. I stared at him in disbelief banging on the glass between us screaming at him. Then I saw his head limp and bleeding pulsing from a hole in the back of his head. Dead! I realized.

A man jumped on the hood and punched a hole through the window making me scream in fright instinctively covering my face. He grabbed the steering wheel yanking the car side to side with such force that I was been thrown around in the back seat. Hitting my head and body against the doors and glass. I cried out in pain as my head cracked the window making my head spin with dizziness.

Something flew past me spraying the glass all over the place and in my face. They shot at me I thought diving down behind the seat again. I hear laughing, growling, and howling. What the…?! The man pulled the dead driver out through the windscreen and jumped into his seat. He grinned at me with evil eyes and dirty yellow teeth. I looked up when there was another thud on the roof denting it. I reached for my handbag and pulled out my pocket pistol. 

“Here piggie, piggie!” He sang out licking his lips.

I aimed and squeezed the trigger. He stopped smiling and started gargling. I had shot him in the throat. A howl ripped through the air making me cringe in fear as the denting on the roof moved about. Then a huge bloodied grey wolf crashed through the back window making me scream and fall dropping my gun in between the seats.

 It tried to bite and scratch me but I managed to wedge myself further in between the seat and floor. I managed to dodge his claws and snapping jaws and grab my bag shoved into his mouth while trying to kick him off of me but his claws got me digging into me and I screamed out in pain. The taxi hit something hard causing us to flip and with that, the wolf was flung out. I heard the horrible crashing sound as I was thrown around the car. Everything went black.

I opened my eyes seeing spots with blue sky above me, my ears blocked. I glazed around and saw that I too had been flung out of the car. And realized that I wasn’t breathing. The next thing I felt someone on top of me. My eyes cleared and my breath returned with his weight smashing into me. I saw and heard the man trying to cut open my jacket. I started to fight back. 

I felt around me, my hand finding a rock, I wrapped my fingers around it and sung hard-hitting the man as hard as I could against his head. He fell on top of me blood pouring from his wound. The rock had sharp edges which somehow punctured his skull.

I used all my strength to push the brute off of me coughing, trying to breathe holding my aching ribs when I got him off. Glancing around I see wolves, huge wolves! And men fighting, clawing, biting, stabbing, and shooting each other. Then I see the two SUVs that had passed us full of claw marks and bullet holes!

The little girl I thought in horror and forced myself up onto my feet.

 I staggered a bit but then found my balance and ran to the SUV while dodging bullets. I checked in the one on its roof, there were dead bodies but no little girl. As I ran to the next SUV one bullet grazed by my ear with a deafening raw that had me diving for the ground closing my watery eyes from the pain. I couldn’t hear anything. I felt myself get picked up the back of my neck. I just kept my eyes shut hoping that they would think I’m dead but no such luck as I felt a hard slap across my face.

My head sang in pain as my eyes snapped open only to be met by a wolf - a man with glowing red eyes. It freaked me out! Am I hallucinating? No, his eyes are brown, I’m sure of it. His lips were moving but I couldn’t hear a thing. 

“What?!” I shouted, or I think I did.

I must have because it earned me another hard slap. I could taste blood in my mouth. Oh, you bastard I thought staring at him with enough anger that I spat a mouthful of blood in his face. He growled loudly showing his teeth with his red eyes shifting to red. I wasn’t hallucinating! What on earth is that, he?! My heart raced in with fear and adrenaline.

One of his partners handed him a hunter’s knife. He held it to my throat while his other goons held my arms. I felt a small nick and hissed at the sting. He said something again looking around him at his friends. He was going to hurt me; it was clear as daylight written all over his face. I started to shiver, this time I wouldn’t be able to escape.

As he leaned in something happened because everyone scattered leaving me. Some wolves and men dropped dead. Whatever was happening I was going to stick around to find out what it was. I picked up a gun from the ground that one of the men had dropped and headed for the forest.

I just got into the tree lines when I was tackled hard to the ground. I wriggled and fought and kicked to get loose. I turned around to see who my attacker was. It was the same creep again, without a second thought I pointed the gun at him and squeezed the trigger but nothing happened. He just laughed at me and charged towards me again. I managed to dodge his attack and hit his head from behind with the back of the gun. He dropped to his knees and I hit him again. He swung around with the knife in his hand.

I just a felt hot burning sensation and looked down. He had stabbed me in the stomach. I pointed the gun at his head again, closing my eyes I squeezed the trigger again. This time I felt the gun shoot and the knife pull out of me. 

I opened my eyes and saw him laying on the ground blood pooling on the dirt and dripping from his forehead. I staggard and fell to my knees as the pain became too much. I was bleeding a lot too. I glanced around me scared that more of them would come. I grabbed his knife and pushed myself up and staggard a few feet deeper into the forest.

After I thought I was deep enough because the sun was barely breaking through the treetops, I rested against a huge log. Some of my hearing was returning, I thought I heard sobbing and shook my head, regretting it instantly as the headache spiked with my ears ringing and black spots danced across my eyes.

I was about to get up and move when I heard the sobbing again but louder this time. I looked around to make sure that I wasn’t just imagining it from a possible concussion. Then I saw a pink hat sticking out from behind a bush. 

“Hello?!” I croaked, my throat sore and raw.

The crying became quicker and frightened. I got up and went to the bush that was now shaking. I pushed it away slowing only to see a small child scream and cringe in fear. It’s the little girl I thought in relief.

“Hay, hay.” I cooed. “It’s me. The lady from the taxi.”

I gently laid my hand on her back. She tensed up and growled but relaxed a little when I started rubbing her back. Did she just growl?! I must be imagining s**t. She finally looked up at me with red puffy eyes and a dirty tear-streaked face before jumping into my arms crying. I fell back on my butt and winced from the knife wound.

“It's ok sweety. Your ok.” I cooed rubbing her back ignoring my pain.

“What’s your name sweety?” I asked once the sobbing slowed.

She looked at me blinking and then tried to talk but no sound came out. She started to hyperventilate. 

“Shhhh. Shhhh.” I cooed stroking her back.

It must be from the shock and trauma as she started to shiver.

“That’s ok sweety. My name is Emma.” I said with a smile.

She nodded with a small smile.

“Are you cold?” I asked feeling cold myself now.

I know I was going into shock and losing too much blood. By right I should be dead now, or close to it. She nodded.

“Ok.” I said pulling my jacket off wincing.

I held it up and nodded for her to put it on. I helped her into my jacket and she smiled brightly at me. I know I should keep it on but she needed it more than me. I couldn’t let her freeze. I slowly managed to push myself up wincing in pain. I undid my belt then wrapped it around my waist and pulled tight. I gasped out in pain with a few tears spilling from my eyes. She looked up at me then at the blood from my wound and grabbed my hand pulling me behind her with a jerk.

“Slow down sweety.” I breathed staggering.

“Lu…Lucy.” She stuttered glancing back at me.

“Lucy. That’s a pretty name.” I said before she started leading me off deeper into the woods.

Lucas

We hadn’t even reached Boulder when my phone rang and Boone shouted for me to come back, that Lucy was in trouble.

“Turn around!” I shout in panic and anger.

The car did a 180-degree U-Turn and the rest followed and speed home. We pulled up to the estate. I all but kicked the door open as Boone came running up to us.

“Alpha. The SUVs have been attacked by rogues!” He growled breathlessly.

“Lucy.” That was all I could say as the color drained from my face.

My precious Lucy! I growled loud in anger and everybody flinched submitting. I mounted my horse.

“James, go to Blue Moon Pack. I’m going to look for Lucy.” I ordered taking off.

I heard hooves and bikes behind me. Horseback and bikes were faster at this point and could cover rough terrain better than cars. And to phase now and run would unnecessarily exhaust me especially if I needed to fight.

“I sent warriors ahead!” Boone yelled as he raced off to the scene.

How did this happen? They were traveling on a busy road. We pushed our horses hard until we came upon the horrific scene. My trackers and warriors were already there searching. There were the two SUVs and a taxi that had flipped over a few times and was now on its roof, full of bullet holes and claw marks. The one SUV was on its roof and the other on its side, full of bullet holes, claw marks, and dead bodies.

I tried to swallow the huge lump that was in my throat. I climbed down from the horse and walked with shaky legs to the cars taking in the sight of naked and fully clothed men, wolves. Rogues! I growled in anger and then my heart sank as I saw my men lying dead. One of the warriors came to me all pale.

“They all dead Alpha. Gloria too.” He croaked.

“Lucy?” I asked in a whisper.

“There’s no sign of her. We can’t pick up her sent with all the blood and silver.” He explained looking around us.

She has to be here somewhere; my Lucy can’t be gone.

“Look harder! Track harder!” I growled through clenched teeth.

He flinched submitting then bowed before leaving me. I walked around trying to find any clues. I came upon the SUV with Gloria in. She had been shot point-blank in the head. I bowed my head and closed her dead hazel eyes. There wasn’t much to go on. the rogues had attacked and used silver bullets and knives, no wonder the guards never stood a chance. The rogues didn’t play fair.

“Alpha, isn’t that taxi the one James was traveling in? Boone asked pointing over at the taxi.

It seemed as though it was, we both went to inspect it closer. Whoever was in here put up a hell of a fight I thought looking at all the claw marks and blood. Then I smelt it again, strawberries and fresh rain.

“Do you smell that?” I asked Boone my wolf stirring and my eyes changing color.

“Smell what Alpha?” he asked confused.

“The scent of strawberries and fresh rain.” I replied taking in a deeper sniff.

He too did but shook his head.

“I smell a faint scent from James, a man, a woman, and wolves.” He said eyes black.

“No, I tell you, strawberries and fresh rain.” I grumbled walking around the car.

We came to a slightly open suitcase with the initials EB on it. The smell was stronger here. I opened the bag it was women’s clothes and the scent was full blast up in my nostrils.

“Here, smell.” I told Boone pointing at the clothes.

He picked up a blue floral blouse, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply making my wolf growl and demand to rip his head off. His eyes snapped open all black again as he dropped the blouse and kept sniffing the air and slowly walked describing what probably had happened. Boone was a great tracker.

We came across one dead crushed wolf, a crushed man with a hole in his throat from a small pistol. A bloodied rock and a dead man with blood pool around his head. The scent led us to Lucy’s SUV. There was so much blood but by now all the other trackers had smelled the clothes and could pick up bits of her by her blood on the ground.

They followed the scent past the forest tree line. There lay another man dead with a hole in his head but he had a lot of blood on his hand that was not his, the woman? Clearly, there had been some kind of struggle here as the ground was dug into and flattened leaves and twigs. There were more blood drops leading deeper into the forest.

“I picked up Lucy’s scent!” Boone yelled not far from the dead man.

He stared into the dark forest and nodded. 

“She went in there?” I breathed anxiously.

I looked at the dead man again, the woman must have put up a good fight but the blood. We have to find both of them. My wolf stirred in agreement. 

“Take the dead back and the suitcase, send out more trackers. They’ll search the other part of the forest.” I ordered. “Boone you carry on searching the forest and I’ll lead the other search party.”

Everyone nodded and bowed their heads. I made my way out into the clearing and mounted my horse. We were in no man's land but if Lucy or the woman crossed into another territory. Oh, Moon goddess have mercy on us all I thought anxiously as we rode off in search of them.

Emma

After falling down again I couldn’t get back up. I was dizzy, cold, shivering violently, and tired. Lucy tried to pull me up by my arm I was too weak. She drew waves in the sand and pointed.

“Water?” I coughed trying to swallow.

My throat was sore and my mouth dry. She nodded pulling my arm again. Water would be good, water good I thought to myself. I pushed myself up with a grunt and followed her trying not to fall and faint, once or twice I vomited. I could hear a faint rush of water and picked up the pace as did Lucy. It was a small stream with a little waterfall but the water was stagnant, moldy, and muddy.

“We can’t drink it.” I said stopping her from getting closer to the water.

She stared at me in confusion then I pointed at the dead fish. She hissed and stepped back behind me holding my leg. There was a strange sulfur smell.

“Let’s rest there.” I said pointing to a few trees away.

We would be away from the smell and bacteria but honestly, I was unable to carry on. she nodded and helped me to the trees. She sat down and I eased myself down next to her. I needed to stop this bleeding I thought feeling very cold and tired. It was very cold and dark in the forest and getting harder to see and move.

“Sweety. I need your help.” I said in a shaky voice from shivering.

She looked at me with her big green eyes and nodded.

“Ok, we need to make a fire can you get some wood.” I said pointing to sticks and small branches around us.

She followed my finger then got up and started to pick up sticks. She looked at me waiting for my approval, I nodded and she carried on. 

“Ok.” I said pushing myself up wincing.

I took the knife out and started digging a hole where I would build the fire. I knew how to make a fire from girl scouts, I just needed the right stones. Every time Lucy picked up a stick or branch, she looked back at me, probably to make sure that I was still there.

“I’m just going to look for stones by the water. You carry on getting wood.” I said slowly standing up.

I was about to leave when I heard twigs break nearby. Lucy dropped the wood and ran to me grabbing my leg shaking like a leaf with fear in those wide green eyes. I gripped the knife so hard that my knuckles turned white.

“Let’s go.” I whispered taking Lucy’s hand in mine.

We started to run hearing heavy footsteps echoing, branches scratched and tore at our clothes and bodies but we didn’t stop until I saw sunlight at the edge of the forest. Then I heard a man’s voice.

“Here little piggie, the big wolf wants to play!” The one sang running faster.

I stopped and picked Lucy up and pushed her up into a tree just a gunshot echoed and Lucy screamed. I fell to the ground with a burning sensation in my shoulder with warm blood running down my arm. Within a second, the man pinned me up against the tree. He was too bothered trying to kiss me that he didn’t pay any attention to Lucy in the tree above us.

She jumped down on his shoulders started hitting and scratching his face while growling the whole time. He growled and snared throwing her off of him. It was just the distraction I needed as I drove the knife deep into his chest and watched the life leave his cold red eyes before it turned back to dark brown.

“Lucy!” I cried rushing to her.

She grabbed my neck crying.

“It's ok. Good girl.” I said standing up with her legs wrapped around my waist.

I started walking to the tree line when I heard a growl from behind me and Lucy screamed. It was a huge brown wolf. I began to run but it caught up to me and knocked me to my feet sending both of us crashing to the ground hard.

I didn’t know how or where the strength came from but I was up on my feet just as the wolf lunged at me again. I ducked sliding underneath it and rammed the knife right into its chest above me, flipping it over my head all the while keeping the knife in the wolf as I landed on top of him with his guts spilling out.

I pushed myself up and grabbed Lucy’s hand to run but she cried out in pain reaching for her ankle. I picked her up like a sack of potatoes and started running when I heard the bikes and hooves. I looked to the clearing and there were at least 30 men or more on bikes and horses racing towards us. There was a dead hollowed tree ahead of me. I ran to it and pushed Lucy inside and stood in front of it just as they reached me. I held out the knife in front of me trying to keep Lucy hidden but I couldn’t stop her whimpering.

Lucas

I left Boone and the other two trackers to track through the forest while I went with the other group to try and pick up the scents or any tracks from the other side on horseback and bikes and wolf form. The sun was now high and beating down hard. I took a swig of water then handed it to my GammaJoseph.

“Are you picking up anything?” I asked as he drank.

“No Alpha.” He answered sadly swallowing.

‘Boone anything?’ I mind-linked him.

‘There’s drops of blood. It’s the woman’s, I can’t pick up Lucy’s scent but there are other wolf scents and sliver which is making it harder to track.’ He replied with anger.

It was more directed at himself for not being able to track them. Just then we heard a faint gunshot coming from the forest edge near us.

‘You hear that?!’ I asked Boone in panic.

‘It's loud and near us.' 

‘Go!’ I ordered.

“Go!” I shouted before jumping off my horse and shifted into my big black wolf.

I took off in the direction of the gunfire then heard a scream. About 100 yards out I saw a huge wolf lunge for someone, a woman. She somehow managed to get under him and plunge something into it, flipping it over her head and landed on top of him then yanked it out of the wolf’s body. She picked something up and ran to a tree and stood in front of it just as we arrived to hold a silver knife out in front of her.

She glanced to her left as Boone and the other trackers came out of the forest in wolf form and stared at the now naked man with a huge gash and his guts falling out of him. We came up to her circling her. She looked bewildered with her blonde hair all mattered, bloody and messy with blood dripping from her shoulder, a bullet hole. More blood soaked her shirt around her waist and was dripping too. Her face was all scratched up and bruised and her clothes torn.

We all shifted back to human form making the woman gasp as her eyes popped open in awe and fear. I pulled on shorts that were handed to me when I heard a whimpering sound coming from behind her. Lucy? There was the scent of strawberries and fresh rain again making my wolf stir again.

“Hand over the child!” Boone growled moving to my side.

“Go to Hell!” She spat gripping the knife tighter.

“She belongs to us!” He growled in a rough loud voice enough to make some of the wolves flinch slightly.

She narrowed her eyes and moved more in front of the tree

“Lucy?” I called out still unable to pick up her scent from all the blood coming from the woman.

I was stuck between trying to figure out what was going on with this strawberry and fresh rain thing and finding my niece. The whimpering stopped and the woman stood even more protectively holding the knife, like a pro-ready for a fight.

“Lucy?” I called out again.

This time a little head pocked out from behind her.

“Lucy.” I breathed relieved.

Lucy ran out from behind the woman who tried to stop her but failed and fell to her knees. Lucy ran straight into my arms crying with joy. She was covered in dirt and a bloody jacket but it’s not hers, she had a few scratches but other than that she seemed ok. The jacket had a strong smell of strawberries and fresh rain. My wolf went crazy and my eyes blackened and my body went rigid.

‘MATE?!’ My wolf echoed just as confused as I was. ‘MATE! MATE!’ He howled in excitement. ‘What?! Lucy?!’ I asked disgusted and shocked. ‘Not Lucy! Mate jacket.’ He howled irritation.

“Lucy?” The woman called looking nervous and confused.

Lucy pulled out of my arms and ran back to the woman's arms. She hugged Lucy but still kept the knife pointed at us.

“Uncle Lucas.” Lucy said pulling the woman’s face to hers.

“Uncle Lucas.” The woman repeated staring back at me then back to Lucy.

She then hugged again before kissing her forehead and gently brushed Lucy’s black hair from her face.

“Your safe now.” She said in a weak voice.

She nodded to Lucy to come to me. Lucy smiled and raced back to my arms. As soon as she reached me the woman fell to the ground out cold.

“Emma!” Lucy screamed trying to run back to her.

Boone took Lucy from me and I raced over to the woman. I turned her over feeling sparks course through me. I was about to pick her up when her eyes snapped open and she stuck the knife to my throat.

My warriors growled and moved closer to defend their Alpha but I held my hand up for them to yield. She stared at me with wariness. Those pale blue eyes stared into my eyes, my soul with confusion, joy, love, fear, and anger flashing across her eyes. Her eyes fluttered closed and she lost consciousness. 

‘MATE!’ My wolf cried out in fear and worry.

“We need a doctor!” I yelled picking her up.

Blood soaked her clothes and mine. How did this human, a woman stay alive and fight for so long?

How is she, my mate? Is she, my mate?! Human mates are almost unheard of especially to Alphas.

“She’s human and your mate.” Boone stated with wonder.

I stared at him in confusion.

“Your scents fussed with each other; she smells like you now.” He explained with a small smile.

“Strawberries and fresh rain.” I mumbled with a small smile.

I shook my head there would be time later to be or giddy right now my mate needed a hospital. We raced to the nearest hospital.