The Alpha’s Mate Who Cried Wolf
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Alpha Ryker
We enter Shady Crest territory, right at nightfall. Vanessa and Alice walk in front of Kane with their wrists tied together while Leon leads the pack warriors. Alpha Zenith’s warriors are all spread out, making them easy targets. Our arrival must have sounded an alarm. They retreat toward the packhouse.
‘Alpha Zenith knows we’re here,’ I yell out. Seth is mind-links me: Alpha! ‘They know you’re here!’
‘Good!’ I say.
‘Oh no!’ Seth says.
‘What is it?’ | ask.
‘It’s Astrid! You need to hurry! She’s shifting!’ Seth says.
‘Seth, tell Astrid I’m coming for her. I will be with her as soon as possible,’ I say.
‘Leon, Kane, we need to move fast! Astrid is shifting!’ They nod. Leon and I shift into our wolves. Kane supervises Alice and Vanessa in his human form.
‘We will be right behind you, Alpha!’ Kane yells out.
We run until we can see the packhouse. There are hundreds of pack warriors ready and waiting for us. I shift into my human
form and put my pants on. I scan the area for Alpha Zenith, keeping my eyes on him, and slowly walk toward him. Alpha Zenith paces toward me, and we come face to face. He cracks his neck from side to side. He is shirtless and ready to shift.
‘Hand Astrid and Seth over now. No one has to die,’ I say. Alpha Zenith laughs.
‘Astrid belongs to James and this pack now.’ he says.
‘Kane! Bring them out!’ I yell. Kane steps forward in front of our pack warriors with Alice and Vanessa. Alpha Zenith grinds his teeth and lets out a growl.
‘Or we can trade. Astrid and Seth for Vanessa and Alice.’ Alpha Zenith glares.
‘Or I can kill you and claim your pack and have everything! want!’ He snaps.
‘War it is!’ I say, growling.
‘War it is then!’ Alpha Zenith yells as he walks back to his warriors. He shifts into an ugly, large, grey wolf. His ear is missing, and he is worn and ragged. I shift into my black wolf
and let out a howl, signalling war. In wolf form, my warriors charge toward Alpha Zenith’s warriors. I lose sight of him and charge toward the others, attacking us, crashing into them,
and biting any area of fur exposed to me.
Two wolves run toward me and pounce. I quickly rip the throat of one out while the other bites my leg. I whimper, release the wolf I have hold of and lunge at the wolf, gnashing my leg. Clawing his face, he releases me. I pounce and bite into his side, tearing a large piece of flesh from him. He retreats, yelping. I observe the two packs fighting. It isn’t a pretty scene.
| shift back into human form to look for Astrid! I run toward the packhouse.
‘Leon! Follow me!’ I yell. Leon follows as we race into the packhouse. I can hear Astrid’s screams beneath the floor.
‘Leon, a door must lead down to the cells,’ I figure.
‘Astrid!’ I yell, running through the house.
‘Alpha! Here! I found the entrance. It smells so good, like lavender and musk, Leon says. I push past him to time-poor for his observations and run downstairs.
Seth is in the cell on the left. A girl sits on the ground in the cell on the right. Astrid is curled up on the ground, screaming in pain
‘Astrid!’ I rattle the door, but it’s locked.
‘Where’s the key?’ | ask.
“Ryker!’ Astrid screams, trying to crawl toward the door. She collapses in pain and lets out a scream as a bone snaps.
‘Astrid, I’m going to find the key, okay?’ I run up the stairs. Leon is watching the girl in the other cell.
‘Leon! What are you doing?’ The girl is also gazing at Leon.
‘Mate!’ They both mumble in a trance.
‘Leon, if you want to save your mate, I suggest we find the key!’ I yell.
Leon nods, and we search in vain for the keys. Then, finally, I hear them dangling in someone’s grip behind me.
‘Looking for these?’ A male voice behind me asks.
James dangles the keys in front of me enticingly. John is with him. I shift into my wolf, as quick as James and John do. I lunge at James and bite into his chest. John bites into my ribs, and two snap in his lock-hold. Leon lunges at John, pushing him off of me. James and I fight each other, neither backing down. We are both covered in gashes. Astrid screams in pain. I lunge at James, biting down as hard as possible, ripping a sizeable chunk of flesh from his neck. Knowing he will bleed out, I finish him quickly, instantly snapping his neck. John lets out an anguished howl. Leon uses this to his advantage and rips John’s stomach open.
| grab the keys back in human form and unlock Astrid’s cell. I
throw them over to Leon to free Seth and his mate. Our chemistry envelopes us in a sentimental degree as I hold Astrid in my arms. I gently wipe her hair from her face.
‘Ryker! You’re here! She cries.
‘I promised you I’d be here for your first shift,’ I whisper.