The Ice Alpha

20

"How is she?" I ask the doc when he comes out of Libby's room. The sounds of war ended an hour ago. I haven't even bothered to ask what's going on. No hunter's came in here to kill us so I know we won and that's enough for now.

"I'm sorry, Alpha but..."

"She's not dead!" I growl at him and he sighs.

"You're right she's not. Now can I finish?" He pauses waiting for me to answer. Doctors here can make anyone even an Alpha feel like an unruly pup. I look down embarrassed.

"Yes, sir."  I say and he nods before continuing.

"The wound was deep. I'm guessing she kicked the hunter as he was attacking and caught the knife in her leg. It got in the marrow. We had to amputate to stop the poison from spreading. The wound was already festering... it will be hard on the pup. She will need crutches later we can get her a prosthetic for human form but she will need to be cautious when shifting... recovery will be a long road." He explains.

"Can I see her?" I ask and he nods.

"She is asleep for now. Your mate is with her."

"I'm so sorry Bane we did all we could." Hannah hugs me as soon as I am in the room. Our littlest pup is strapped to her and is somehow still asleep.

"Where's Ollie?" I ask.

"The Luna Queen took him so I could help here. This little girl wouldn't leave me so here we are." She explains as I kiss my sisters head. She is going to hate this. She was a hockey player. She can't skate with half her leg gone.

"Alpha?" I look at the door and see Paxton. I wave him in and he takes Libby's hand giving it a kiss. "The men want to go back now."

"I need to talk to the King. Can you stay and take care of her my love?" I ask Hannah who nods.

"Just stay safe and come back for us." She tells me.

"Come on Pax... you are the last person Libby will want to see her like this. Let Hannah take care of her. She should be awake by the time we are back." I tell the boy pulling him out of the room.

"I should have protected her." He says as we walk.

"It's not your fault pup... if anything it's mine. Tha blade was meant for me." I tell him. "Once we take care of things back home I'll send you back for the girls along with a few warriors. As Alpha I'll likely be needed at the pack."

"Thank you, sir." He nods happy to know he will return soon.

When I get to the King's office I hear crying.

"Alpha Alic?" I ask as I come in.

"Bane... sorry... what's up my boy?" He asks wiping his eyes.

"What happened?" I ask knowing it had to be big for him to be like this.

"You haven't heard?... Emily is gone... dead... my baby girl." He sniffles again before shaking his head. I can't believe Emily is gone! "What do you need Bane?"

"My men are ready to go home and deal with the dead but my sister... she is in no shape to leave. Can Libby, Hannah and the pups stay here until we are ready for them?" I explain.

"Of course. You and your people are always welcome here and if you need a new start I'd gladly accept you into the pack." He tells me.

"Thank you sir."

°.°.°.°.°.°.°.°.°.°.°

The bodies were frozen. It's not a surprise it's been a few days and it is fridged up here. The ground is too frozen for a burial so we have to burn them on a pire. We had a large funeral together as a pack. The children were the worst. Watching fathers place the little bodies on the sticks next to their mothers... it's a sight I never want to see again. Once the flames engulf the wood and our loved ones every Ice warrior howls at the sky. One last farewell to the fallen.

"Alpha, it is time. I wish to honor my mate in the only way remaining." A warrior says and I am confused.

"And how is that?" I ask.

"Death... an ice warrior who can not protect his own..." he shakes his head. "It is all I can do to honor my mate."

"You plan to kill yourself?" I ask.

"It is the Alpha's place to grant him the mercy of an honorable death." Another warrior says. "And I request the same."

"You want me to kill you?!" I gasp.

"It is your duty, Alpha. We want to die as warriors. Suicide is not a warrior's way. We want to join our mates." A third man says.

"No!... I can't do that!" I decline.

"You will." Another man growls as they all attack me.

In a matter or 30 minutes I have killed 15 of my own men. They won't let me refuse. They keep coming. Claw marks cut across my chest and back. Bite marks on my legs and arms. I'm barely surviving but each time I fall they back off. They don't want me dead. They want me to kill them.

An hour later my pack is down to the 6 boys who haven't found their mates yet.

"Alpha!" Paxton runs up to me when the last warrior falls. The boys pull me into the silent pack house and into the infirmary. "I'm not a doctor but I can patch you up... what are we gonna do?"

"We are going back to the royal pack. Can any of you drive?" I ask and they look at each other.

"I drove my uncles tractor when we visited last summer." One boy says and I sigh

"Just don't kill us on the road." I say as I stand up weak from the fight.

When we get to the royal pack Paxton drags me to see a doctor. After the drive I am mostly healed but the boy was worried.

Who would have thought that in a war with hunter's I'd be the one killing my own men.