The Twin Alpha Rogue Mate

Chapter five

Sapphire's POV

The doctor's name is Helen.

She's an older woman with kind eyes and gentle hands, and she doesn't look at me like I'm something to be feared or hated. Just... curious.

"Your arm is badly broken," she says, examining the splint. "You should have had it set days ago."

"I didn't have time."

"You didn't have time to save your own arm?"

"No." I meet her eyes. "I had a sister to protect."

She pauses, then nods slowly. "I understand."

She doesn't. She can't. But I appreciate the lie.

She rewraps my arm, securing it with fresh bandages. "You'll need to keep it immobilized for at least two weeks. No hunting, no fighting, no shifting."

"Two weeks?"

"At minimum." She hands me a small pouch of herbs. "For the pain. And for the heat."

I flush. "I don't—"

"You do." Her voice is gentle but firm. "I can smell it on you. It's not your season—the heat is being triggered by the mate bond. Your body is trying to force a connection."

"I don't want a connection."

"I know." She sighs. "But the bond doesn't care what you want. It only cares about survival."

She leaves me with the herbs and a warning to rest.

I don't rest.

Instead, I explore the pack house.

It's massive—a sprawling complex of corridors and rooms and staircases that seem to go on forever. There are guards everywhere, their eyes following me as I walk. Some look curious. Some look hostile. Some look like they want to tear me apart.

I ignore them all.

The heat is a living thing. It coils in my stomach, licking flames up my spine and fogging my brain until all I can smell is them. Citrus. Lavender.

I dig my nails into my palms, drawing blood, using the sharp sting to anchor myself. Julia’s whimper cuts through the fog.

My head snaps up. The scarred Alpha has his hand wrapped around her throat. Her feet kick feebly above the ground.

“Let her go,” I rasp. The words scrape my throat raw.

“Shift back,” the one with the hoodie commands.

My body trembles. I have no choice. I force the shift, my bones snapping and reforming. The cold night air bites at my naked skin, but I don't have the strength to feel shame. I fall to my knees, wrapping my arms around my chest.

Derek—the scarred one—releases Julia. She collapses to the ground, gasping for air. I scramble forward, pulling her into my arms, pressing her face into my neck.

“Saph…” she sobs.

“I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” I rock her, ignoring the agonizing ache in my core.

Rough hands grab my arm, yanking me to my feet. The heat surges, a sickening rush of need that makes my knees buckle. I hate it. I hate my body for betraying me like this.

“Get them back to the pack. Now.” Derek’s voice is a low rumble, his eyes flashing dark.

I don't fight as they drag us through the woods. My legs barely work. Every step sends a wave of dizzying heat through my blood. The only thing keeping me upright is Julia’s hand in mine.

When we reach the pack house, the doctor is waiting. He takes one look at me and his face pales.

“She needs to be isolated,” he says, his voice tight. “Her pheromones are too strong. It’s affecting the unmated males.”

The scarred Alpha—Derek—snarls. “Then get her out of here. Now.”

They throw us into a small, sterile room. The door slams shut, the lock clicking with a heavy finality.

I slide down the wall, my body wracked with violent shivers. Julia crawls into my lap, her small fingers gripping my tattered leaves.

“You’re burning up,” she whispers, pressing her cool hand to my forehead.

“I’m okay,” I lie. The heat is eating me alive. It whispers dark, terrible things in my ear. It begs me to open the door, to find them, to bare my neck.

Mate, Wendy purrs, pacing restlessly in my mind. Ours.

Shut up, I snarl, forcing her back.

“What are we going to do?” Julia asks, her voice muffled against my shoulder.

I look around the room. No windows. One heavy iron door. Guards stationed outside.

I press a kiss to her hair, my mind racing. We are trapped. We are at the mercy of the monsters who killed our family. And my own body is turning against me.

But I am not dying here. And I am not letting them touch her.

“We wait,” I whisper, my voice hoarse. “We wait, and we watch. And when they make a mistake, we run.”

Julia nods, her grip tightening. I lean my head back against the cold stone, closing my eyes against the burning tears.

Papa’s promise was a lie. But I am not my father. I will not leave her. No matter what it costs me.

I will burn this entire pack to the ground before I let them touch a hair on her head.