The Wanted Alpha

Chapter 45 - Fight

April

The atmosphere in the training room was a little icy and it certainly wasn't from the snowy weather outside. Carrick and Jude were already waiting, both looking a little tired, and even Christopher had come along as well...though he did not look pleased.

'Just a heads up, it's awkward as hell up in here' Carrick mind-linked me.

'Why? What happened between those 2?' 

The air was practically crackling with an all too familiar tension between Jude and Chris, both glaring at one another. It appeared I wasn't the only one who'd had a fight with their mate this morning.

'Jude is not happy that Chris is fighting with us when Monkshood Moon come.'

Oh these damn wolf males! Looks like I'd be having to smack several heads together today.

"Hey guys...hey Chris, I've never trained with a vampire before, this'll be fun" I said, trying to diffuse the tension.

"He seems to think he's fighting in this battle" Jude bit out.

"I do not 'think' anything. I will be. I have fought greater foes than these wolves, that you can be assured of" Chris snapped back.

From the look they gave each other, I wasn't sure whether they were about to fight or make out. 

"Jude, if Chris can fight off 8 highly trained wolves, while you and I were unconscious, then it shows he can clearly handle himself" I said in defence of the vampire.

"8's a little different than 2000" Jude muttered under his breath.

Oh, hell no! I wasn't taking any more sass from these males today.

"Beta, with all due respect. He's a coven leader, the equivalent of an Alpha, so stop underestimating him. I've had my fill of you wolf males waving your dicks around today!" I admonished, my aura flickered aggressively.

Jude looked down from where he stood, shamefaced with a contrite expression. Christopher looked at me with a peculiar studying gaze that was nevertheless filled with respect before returning his eyes to his mate with a sigh.

"I propose a deal, Jude, to alleviate your concerns. Fight me, now, and if you land a single blow I shall bow out and remain at the pack house" Christopher offered.

Damn, I should have done that with Ethan this morning.

Jude looked unsure, as though he was trying to spot the trap in the innocuous challenge.

"Fine" he accepted.

The two circled each other, seeing who would strike first. Jude moved first with surprising speed, Christopher never moved till the last second, where he brought his hand up in a slicing motion to his mate's neck before rolling to the side. Jude collapsed on the floor fighting for his breath.

"Had I applied more force, I would have crushed your trachea. And I am not even armed. So, Beta, do you still hold any objections?" Chris asked smugly, while offering his hand to his mate to help him back up to his feet.

"You're definitely Chris's bitch now!" Carrick howled with laughter at his friend, from where he'd been watching from the side.

Jude wore the same tight lipped expression as Ethan had not an hour ago, where he knew his mate was right and didn't want to admit it.

"If we've finished removing heads from asses for one morning, can we please get some training done?" I swear, wrangling these men was a full time job in itself.

Ethan

As I had thought, five hours after being alerted that Monkshood Moon were moving out, four of their scouts were spotted around our borders. My patrols had kept tabs on them but hadn't reacted to their presence, hopefully maintaining the illusion we had no clue of the impending invasion. Whoever the mystery number was hadn't contacted again. They had risked a great deal on their actions and if what they said came to be true, I would be indebted for their aid.

My two closest allies had sent reinforcements, volunteers who had opted to come. This would be a dangerous fight, people on both sides would lose their lives and these reinforcements needed to know that coming in. My exchange plan was fully in place too; once the enemy was detected, my part-time warriors would take over border patrols and the defence of the pack houses. They weren't as trained so I couldn't risk them near the main fight. 

Our pack was as prepared as we could be...in less than a day, I would find out if it was enough.

...And April...I still hated the fact she would be fighting in this...I hated that she was right...I just wanted to wrap her up and take her away from all of this...but if I did that, she would hate me. And that was a fate worse than death.

I pulled her to lay against my chest, stroking her hair softly. Our skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and our breaths were still a little uneven. Neither of us could sleep and needed another outlet for our pent-up apprehensions.

"Am I forgiven?...again?" I asked, half joking, half serious.

"As long as you don't act like an idiot again" she chuckled.

I snorted a laugh "that's a lot to ask from me."

"...I need you to promise you won't go far from me, Jude or Carrick. I need to know someone will have your back at all times" I implored as brought her face up to look at me.

She placed her hand over mine "don't worry, I'm not about to go out on my own. I'm brave not stupid."

"You're the bravest" I smiled at her, as we fell into a pensive sleep.

----------

"That's it, keep a firm wrist and maintain momentum through your shot."

April let fly the knife in her hand, hitting the target with some impressive accuracy. We would be moving out soon and I wanted to at least train with my mate once. Normally, werewolves didn't take weapons into a battle. It wasn't as though we could use them in our wolf form and you risked arming your enemy with a weapon when you shifted and dropped what you were carrying. But I would feel a damn sight better if I knew my mate could handle at least a knife, just in case she needed to. To my surprise she handled a knife pretty well, her aim wasn't perfect but it was accurate.

"Did anyone teach you this or are you self taught?" I asked. She had never really spoken much of her life as a rogue and I never wanted to ask in case it was something that upset her.

"Kinda both. Not long after I became a rogue, I met this guy, he was a rogue too. I was kinda scared of him at first because he was huge, but he was really kind. He taught me some things, like how to use a knife and hunt. He was actually the one who showed me how to knock someone out!" she laughed a little "After we split up, I tried to put what he taught me into practice. I wasn't always successful, but it saved me a few times…" she finished quietly whilst playing with the blade in her hands, seeing memories she wished she could forget. 

I circled my arms around her in comfort, feeling her torment "maybe when this is all over, I could help you find him? Even give him a place in this pack if he needs it."

"You'd really do that?" she beamed.

"Sure. He helped keep my mate safe so I've a huge debt to him for that. What was his nam…"

But my words were cut off with an urgent mind-link from Jude, who had been on our borders keeping the enemy scouts in his sights.

'Ethan, April. They're coming. 3 hours outside the north west border, on foot. What do you want me to do with these scouts?'

'End them, I don't want them tipping off their pack that we're moving out.'

He didn't reply, but I didn't need him to. He had the best aim in the pack, I knew he wouldn't fail. I looked to April who met my gaze with a nervous but obstinate determination...dammit she was still doing this.

"Let's go" she commanded as she turned to head out. Goddess, why did she have to be so attractive when she was being assertive.

April

I ran beside my mate as we led our pack together. We were taking the fight outside our territory, meeting the enemy head on. We ran in our human form so as to not tire out our wolves and so we could address Nicholas out loud, I didn't want to let that man's voice into my head. 

I felt their presence approaching so with my command we halted, awaiting for them to appear.

Their figures in both wolf and human form appeared through the sparse trees, only the clearing lay between us. At their front stood Nicholas. He hadn't changed much, the same piercing brown eyes filled with menace and superiority, the same pale brown hair and tanned skin. He looked older now, he'd be in his mid 50's, but for a werewolf that was still very much their prime. I didn't see his son, Hunter, anywhere, but the army gathered in front of us was massive; trying to pick out a single face was difficult.

"I see you've brought my target, boy. That'll make this a lot easier after I remove your head" Nicholas called out with a sneer.

Rage and hate I had never thought possible exploded through the mate bond. I looked to Ethan to see him with a cold but calm expression, completely in contrast to what I could feel radiating through our bond. How he could hide his true emotions from his enemies was mind-blowing.

"I know what you think you came here for and you can try, old man. But you and your pack won't be leaving here with your lives"

Ethan replied in a composed and level voice, giving no indication that he had reacted to Nicholas's words.

He let out a condescending laugh "you think you can seriously beat me? A boy Alpha and his muts who stand with a fucking vampire?!" Nicholas continued to prod.

At the mention of his mate, Jude stood protectively in front of Christopher, letting loose a threatening growl.

"And it gets better, a fag Beta mated to a vampire. 2 abominations for the price of one. When we wolves finally stand where we should with the humans at our feet, I'll make sure, personally, monstrosities such as you are where they belong...in the ground" Nicholas spat with pure venom.

At his words he shifted to a huge pale brown wolf, along with his warriors and launched forward. Ethan and I shifted in an instant along with our pack to meet them head on.

'Did you spot Hunter anywhere?' Ethan's voice asked me.

'No, there's too many' I called back.

'Warriors, the enemy may have reinforcements around, keep sharp' he commanded.

With my small wolf form, almost half the size of Ethan's, I could move with much more agility. I could squeeze between bodies with ease and using the techniques Carrick and Bryce taught me, I could move in for a lethal attack before my enemy knew it. Watching Ethan fight was mesmerising, he didn't toy with his enemy or cause unnecessary pain. He aimed for their weak spot, took full advantage of it and moved onto the next. As I fought I saw Chris and Jude being surrounded, Nicholas must have ordered warriors to focus their attention on them. I moved to assist them, tackling a black wolf and ripping out her jugular. I saw and smelt the blood seeping from Chris's side but it didn't seem to slow him down. It was like watching a dance, seeing him wield his sword with ease through his opponents. Jude's wolf kept himself attached to his mate's side, never moving more than a few feet away. 

The number of enemies seemed less than what we were expecting, by several hundred...this was why Hunter was missing, he was leading reinforcements, possibly to circle round and attack our flank or rear.

'April, you're too far away! Get back to where I can protect you!' Ethan's voice called out to me.

Before I could, a dark grey wolf moved to pounce on me but as I leapt out of the way, a russet one charged at full force into my side sending me sprawling and rolling further from my mate.

...And that's when I felt it...that aura...that scent...Hunter.

I got up seeing his huge, pale brown wolf, much like that of his father's but larger and bulkier, pace towards me. He could almost rival Ethan in size. Fear rippled through me but I refused to let it show.

He leapt and I readied myself to dodge but he sailed over me, colliding with the grey and russet wolf killing them dead...his own pack?

He turned back to me, his eyes softening as he started to approach.

August didn't want this man anywhere near us and growled viciously, raising our hackles prepared to fight. 

Hunter's voice broke through our mind, stunning us with his words.

'I'm not here to hurt you, April...I'm here to help you.'

Chapter 52 - The Wanted Alpha