Chapter 40 Encrypted Messages
1517words
Suddenly, panic spread among the wolves in the auditorium. "ALPHA JAXON, ROGUES AT THE SOUTHWEST BORDER!" a guard reported through the mind link. I stopped in my tracks, infuriated by the report that had just come through. Rogues? Midnight Moon Pack territory hadn't seen a rogue attack in years. It was my cruel reputation that had kept them far at bay. I had no pity for rogues in general, so they weren't wrong in their assumption. But to attack during an Alpha coronation? That was just next-level stupid, and I had no doubt I'd make them pay for their interruption.
"We have just been attacked by rogues, my apologies Alpha Christian, that drink will have to wait. I have to get to the front lines with my warriors," I said to Alpha Christian. I could feel my mouth watering for the taste of blood; my wolf had looked forward to this day for a long time. Alpha Christian put up his hand and called for his wolves to come over. Alphas always traveled with protection, particularly when entering another pack's territory. The cost of losing an Alpha was far too high. Without hesitation, he turned to them and in a commanding voice said, "Midnight Moon Pack has just been attacked. We will aid Alpha Jaxon in any way required." They bowed their heads in submission, and in the blink of an eye were already shifted into their wolves.
"Southwestern border," I informed them, and without a thought they sped off toward the attack. I looked at Alpha Christian with thankful eyes when the door of the auditorium slammed open and the smell of vanilla, caramel, and pine danced through the air, feeling like it was calling out to me. "Fuck. Adeline," I muttered under my breath. I was so anxious to get to the rogue attack, determined not to lose a single wolf, but I knew I had to get my mate to safety.
She stood in the doorway of the wooden double doors with wide eyes. I could smell her fear from the other side of the room. I assumed she had just received the order for all women and children to get to the pack house, but she stood there frozen in place. "I'll meet you at the border," I told Alpha Christian in a low growl and rushed to my mate's side.
"Are you fucking insane? Did you not hear the order?" I growled angrily at her. She watched the chaos in the room for a moment and then softly said, "I-I did. Sophia is already on her way there. I couldn't leave. I couldn't leave you. Let me fight, I can help."
An array of emotions hit me all in one blow like a blazing gunshot. While I was infuriated that my mate had put herself in harm's way and hadn't gone to safety, I also felt a blow of warmth shoot through my chest. My mate had put my safety—her Alpha's—above her own. Her wolf fought not to leave my side. I stood there as the proudest mate in history; her courage hadn't gone unnoticed. My heart soared as high as an eagle.
"You can't, Adeline—I'm not risking losing you to rogues. That would undoubtedly kill me. If you want to help Midnight Moon right now, you go back to the pack house and wait in my bedroom. You do not leave or open that door for anybody. Do you understand me? That is an order from your Alpha," I sternly told her.
She nodded in understanding and grabbed the back of my neck with all her might, pulling me in deeply until our lips connected. I pushed her against the doorframe, unable to resist the temptation, and lifted her as she wrapped her legs around my waist, my tongue in a hostile battle with hers. The kiss was rough and passionate, leaving me begging for more. The urgency of the situation and the havoc around us—as wolves shifted and made their exit to the border—should have forced me to pull back from her, but I couldn't. I needed her taste; she was the stars circling my moon.
I quickly pieced my sanity together and pulled back, watching her gasp for air. "The pack is depending on me, Addie. I have to go. Leave now, or I'll throw you over my shoulder and lock you in my bedroom myself. Do as I said. I need to know you're safe first and foremost if I'm going to keep my wolf controlled and defend the pack border."
She bit her bottom lip, as she usually did when nervous, and whispered, "I'll see you soon, Alpha." I could have lost control at any moment; my dick instantly went hard when she called me Alpha. I turned and bolted for the border, stripping my clothes in the process.
I sped past the wolves like a bolt of lightning, wind lashing against my black fur. My four legs sprinted with ease, dodging tree logs and rocks on the forest floor. Speed and agility were strengths of mine, making me a tough opponent in any battle. I had trained relentlessly to make my wolf as strong as he was capable of being. In one long stride, I leaped over the stream and made my way to the southwestern border of pack territory. The forest was still, quiet even—but there was a dangerous presence pestering throughout. I kept pushing forward, relishing the feeling of how the rogues' throats would taste dangling from my mouth. I would ensure to make such a bloodbath that no other rogue would ever dare cross into Midnight Moon territory.
As I approached closer, I could hear the sounds of jaws snapping and pushed harder than I ever had. The sooner I finished with these rogues, the sooner I would be back in my bedroom with my mate. From my guess, there were about twenty rogues and they were all losing the fight. The Alphas, Betas, and a few guards were already there; the rest of the pack would be here in a few minutes, I calculated. Blood was splattered among the tree trunks and covered the forest floor. The scent of blood angered my wolf further until I gave him complete control.
I ravaged through the first three wolves in sight like a game of dominos, tossing them by their necks one by one with ease. I picked up easily that they must have been rogues for a long time, judging by their nauseating scents. My eyes locked on my Beta Don, who had a gray wolf dangling off his leg, and I pounced forward on the gray wolf's back, causing him to lose his grip and tumble sideways. I lifted my front legs and landed on top of him, my canines piercing through his thick smoky fur in one clean sweep.
Before I could turn, I felt claws rake the back of my neck and rolled to the left, causing the rogue to roll forward. Looks like his friend had come to play—my wolf laughed. I made eye contact, releasing a spine-chilling growl, and bounced forward, opening my jaw and clenching down on his ear in one bite. Blood pooled freely. I'm sure he would have gone limp slowly, but I didn't have time to waste. I pulled back and bit forward again, flinging his throat against a boulder.
I rose and looked around the forested area; lifeless bodies surrounded me. I turned my head and caught Alpha Blake's scent, chasing it swiftly. About twenty meters away from the forest was Alpha Blake fighting a light brown wolf. I had noticed how coordinated Alpha Blake was, dodging each blow as if he were playing taunting instead of fighting another wolf.
I could hear a stampede of thousands of wolves soon approaching, their paws hitting the ground in a powerful unison. I mind-linked Beta Don, "Send the pack home. I'd say that we got all the rogues. If you agree, tell them to turn back. Their service is no longer required." I heard a chuckle over the mind link. "Looks like we got them in record time too," he said, clearly proud of his pack.
I would've let Alpha Blake have his kill, but it was taking too damn long; I was yearning to be close to my mate. I needed to have her in my arms, longing to finish that intense make-out session from before. I gave him a couple of moments longer while I got into position and jolted forward, ripping the rogue's hind leg out of its socket, while Alpha Blake recognized my move and ripped out his front leg. He was completely decapitated, blood staining the forest floor.
Alpha Blake and I shifted back to our human forms quickly. "It's evident that they were giving you a sign, a warning of something. No rogue would attack in a number this small against a pack of your size. It was a suicide mission from the beginning," Alpha Blake said as we passed through the lifeless bodies scattered across the ground.
