Chapter 38
Murderous Alpha
LUKE
TWO WEEKS AGO
Alpha Kings Mansion: Conference Room
Ishould have stood closer to her. My stupid Alpha ego got in the way. I want to tear apart the Young Alpha and show him that she’s mine. He’s in my territory, and for whatever part he played in hurting her, I will hurt him.
I should never have moved away. When I turn to look at her, she clutches her head and bends over the table. My father barks orders, and the Beta fights to get free. The room erupts into a loud chaotic mess, all while Alpha Rhineheart shouts and laughs.
Before I can reach Jessica, the Alpha breaks out of his restrained hold and transitions into a large chestnut brown wolf. He bounds over the table, knocking down my father, and attacks Jessica.
“No!” Dimitri and I yell at the same time. Justin and Alexis pin the Young Alpha to the ground he frantically fights their restraints.
Jessica raises her arms as the Alpha lands on her, his jaws snapping, teeth tearing into one arm. She’s in human form—fragile, breakable. She manages to roll out from under him, army crawling away. He catches her by the ankle and flings her body across the room like a rag doll.
Her scream fills the room. Wolves pounce onto the Alpha’s back, and one of the golden wolves, larger than the Alpha, knocks him over. My father enters the fight.
No, no, no! I run toward the two Alphas fighting, growling. I transition midair as I jump onto Alpha Rhineheart’s back. He’s too strong. His large jaw clamps down on my father’s leg, I hear the bone crack followed by his growl of pain.
The Alpha throws off another wolf, but I’m still atop him. I grab onto his haunches, pulling him back, tearing at flesh. That gets his attention. In a flurry of teeth, claws, and vicious snarls, we fight each other, aiming for the jugular.
He’s just too damn strong, like he’s on steroids. What the hell is this? In human form, he’s an empty shell. In wolf form, he’s a killing machine. He throws more wolves off him, pulling me by the shoulder he whips me across the room.
He’s not interested in killing any one of us. His focus is on Jessica. Free, he stalks toward her, lying unconscious on the floor. A smaller chestnut brown wolf with a hint of gray mixed into its fur joins him.
Dimitri is still in human form, fighting Alexis.
Jeremy is mid-shift. A black wolf and another golden wolf, Chris and Elias, race into the room, immediately attacking the Alpha and the other, who I can only assume is the Beta.
Shortly, a gray wolf runs in next, all teeth snarling, and immediately shields my father. Joe?
Raising myself to all fours, I enter the fray.
Together, we work to thwart the Beta and Alpha Rhineheart.
A large white wolf jumps into the crowd, and steel jaws clamp down on my hind leg.
I howl at the searing pain. The Alpha hovers over me, sharp teeth dripping with saliva, eyes glowing with a scarlet violence.
A low growl emanates from his chest, he aims for my jugular, Chris slams into him, knocking him over.
Get her out of here! Anders snarls through our mind-link. With my shoulder injured and my hind leg broken, I crawl through the violence and make my way to Jessica.
Her breathing is shallow, but she’s alive.
Blood drips from a wound on her scalp, and her arm is bent under her at an unnatural angle.
I nuzzle her face, but she doesn’t move.
My own injuries prevent me from carrying or dragging her to safety.
I lay down, practically on top of her, protecting her the only way I can for now.
The smaller chestnut-colored wolf approaches me, growling, warning me to get out of his way. I try to stand, but sharp pain forces me back down. He steps forward, and I calculate how to rip out his throat when he lunges forward.
I want to use my magic. I’m sure we all do. But if this asshole survives, it puts all of our lives in danger. I sneer, I will kill you, motherfucker. Just try it.
My body tenses in anticipation. A smaller golden wolf with longer, fluffier fur rushes through the door and lands on his back, gripping the scruff of his neck. Anders pulls away from the chaos and helps.
My mother is relentless, tearing into the Beta, all teeth and claws.
Anders is just as ferocious, merciless. The two of them kill the Beta.
Dark red mats Anders’s perfectly white fur, and blood covers my mother’s muzzle.
She rears up, preparing to jump into the frenzied fight nearby, when Ander blocks her path.
She tries to get past him, but he blocks her again.
No! Anders says through our link.
The Beta transitions into human form. Gaping holes distort his throat and abdomen. My mother turns toward the Beta, bends over him, and rips his head off, flinging it across the room. She leaves no room for that motherfucker to survive. In a huff, she leaves the room.
Anders returns to the fight with Alpha Rhineheart. Alexis still wrestles with Dimitri, who shouts, “Let me go! I can help. He’s my father!”
I lick Jessica’s wound on her scalp and nuzzle her head. The cacophony of snarls, whimpers and yelps closes in on us. She groans slightly. I need to get her out of here.
The Alpha won’t cease. He throws Anders and Elias off him. A growl emanates from his chest as he prowls toward us. As other wolves continue to jump on him and grab at his hindquarters, he merely brushes them off like pesky flies.
My heart races. Shit! With my injuries, I’m no match for him. I shift my weight, preparing for another fight as he stalks closer, preparing to sacrifice myself to save her.
In my periphery Dimitri throws Alexis down, punches Justin, and finally transitions into a large chestnut-colored wolf, equally as big as the Alpha. I force myself to stand and roar through the pain. Instead of charging me, the Young Alpha collides into his father, catching him off guard.
They become a blur of sharp canines, fur, and murderous snarls. Claws dig into flesh. Both are strong and unyielding in their fight. The Alpha yelps in pain. Then, silence. The Alpha falls onto his side. Dimitri transitions into human form and falls to his knees.
No one moves, anticipating the Alpha’s attack, but it doesn’t come. Dimitri is covered in blood, scratches, and open bites. He reaches forward and rests his hand on his father’s large wolf head.
Slowly, everyone shifts into their human forms. Alexis, whose face is a bloody mess, and Justin, who looks just as bad, restrain Dimitri’s hands behind his back.
He doesn’t fight or resist, staring at his father’s lifeless form.
As the Alpha begins to transition, Dimitri winces, seeing the front of his father’s throat torn open.
Dimitri scans the room. “I’m one of you, I’m a guard. Shadow. He’s my commanding officer and lawyer. He can vouch for me.” Anders frowns. “I didn’t train here. He sent me straight to Ryukyu Island eight years ago.”
Chris steps forward. “Shadow has been extricated from the guards for his acts of treason. His word means nothing to us.”
“One- five- O- five- twenty- one- six.” He blurts out, eyes darting back and forth between the leads.
Chris and Elias exchange a glance.
“You sent the warning that Beta DuPont intended to stage a coup against Jessica.” My father says, grunting as Joe assists him to his feet.
Blood seeps down his chest, and his right leg bends at an awkward angle.
His body sways before Joe steps in to support him.
Jeremy rushes to bolster him on the other side.
“You’re the Shield?” Elias asks at the same time Chris remarks.
“You’re the guards undercover agent.”
Dimitri nods, “I requested to keep my true identity hidden. I didn’t want my father to find out that I was opposing him.”
Anders glares at him with obvious suspicion.
Dimitri glances back at Jessica. I position my wolf to obstruct his line of sight.
He closes his eyes briefly before redirecting his focus back to the leads.
“My father and his Beta ordered Grit’s execution.
I made it my mission to avenge her death, even after I learned she was still alive.
” His eyes fall on his father’s lifeless form, his face devoid of emotion, then shifts back to Anders, “I beg you, don’t wage a war on my Pack.
Not all of them are monsters, like their leaders. ”
“You expect me to take your word at face value?” Anders snarls and the temperature in the room drops.
“No, but there’s a woman in my pack who is willing to vouch for them. Her name is Natalie Fields She said that you know her as Natalia Parker.”
A puff of frosty air billows out from between Anders’s lips. “Get him some clothes, and place him in containment until we sort this out.” He directs to Elias.
I’m the last to transition and gather Jessica into my arms. As Alexis and Justin lead Dimitri out of the room, he stops short and asks, “Is she okay?”
“She’s alive.” I tell him. He caresses her with his eyes. She moans as I pull her closer into the cradle of my arms and I growl in warning. Mine.
He smirks as if he’s thinking the same.