Ellinor had never had a mate during her Time before. From her very first experience with it, when she was alone in the woods, she had kept away from all other wolves. Her last Time was the only one she spent close to other wolves, and it had been a horrible experience. This time she wasn't sure what to expect. Her body felt uneasy, like she was charged with electricity, waiting to erupt into lightning and what had to come.
It was a first for Seonghwa too. He had never had this responsibility before. He had heard about, and seen, how special the Time could be. When an omegas Time arrived, only ones mate truly could fulfill what the omega needed. If you didn't have a mate, the lead alpha of the pack had the responsibility, or the alpha could appoint it to someone else. Wolves without a pack or a mate, were up for grabs.
«I'm so grateful for having you here,» she said and smiled at Seonghwa. He was putting more wood on the fire.
«How do you feel, my love?»
«Like I'm about to catch on fire.»
«I'm ready to put out your fire,» he said and sat down next to her.
«It won't be long now,» she said and curled up to his side, enjoying his arms around her body.
«Maybe I should take the mixture now?»
«I think it's time,» she nodded.
They had agreed that they would wait one or two more Times before allowing there to be a result of them being together like this. Yunho had made the mixture, he had done that many times before. The recipe was ancient, used by wolves for hundreds of years and it usually worked very well. There were never any guarantees, though, like with human contraceptives. Those wouldn't have done much to help for werewolves anyway.
Seonghwa emptied the tiny flask with the herbal mixture, drank a little water and then he sat down with her again. They were just waiting for what was to come.
—
Mingi knew a birth would take some time, and he was ready to do whatever he could to help his beloved Helena. When it started the most important thing still was to just be there. She needed his hand. He whispered loving, encouraging words in her ear, and gave her lower back massages whenever she wanted them.
He cried when the little one was put on Helenas chest.
«Congratulations,» Yunho said, he was crying too.
«You did it, my love,» Mingi said proudly, kissed Helena and touched the dirty little newborn.
«Is it a girl?» Helena asked, hardly able to make herself understood through all the tears.
Mingi had a look, and then looked at Yunho to be certain. Yunho nodded. «Yes, it's a girl, just like you thought it would be.»
«Minah,» Helena cried and looked at Mingi. He nodded, tears cascading down his face.
«Welcome to this world, Minah. We love you more than anything.»
Yunho left the new family alone in the cottage when he had finished what he could do in there. Mingi followed him out and proudly said to the others that now Minah had arrived. Everyone cheered, hugged him, patted his back and congratulated the new parents. As Mingi went in to be with his wife and child, Yunho was placed by the fire. Hongjoong brought him hot food to eat and water to drink.
«Well done,» the alpha whispered to his mate.
«Thanks, but Helena did all the work.»
«And you helped, like you always do. You are priceless, my love.»
«Thank you,» Yunho smiled and kissed Hongjoong.
They had eaten, talked, laughed for a while. Yunho had laid down and just fallen asleep when a sharp warning could be heard in the pack-link. Jongho was patrolling this afternoon, and usually it was peaceful. Up until now.
«Intruders! Four wolves coming from south-west, I feel more further north.»
They all quickly got undressed. Hongjoong didn't even spend time on that, he simply shifted immediately and ripped whatever clothes he was wearing. Remaints of what had been pants and a shirt flew as his wolf appeared.
Everyone felt how Jongho already had the wolves close, and how his warnings did nothing to stop the unknown intruders.
«Two of them are headed directly towards you,» Jongho said, he was already fighting the other two.
«San and Woo, go to Jongho. Yeo, Yunho and I will guard the cottage. Mingi, bolt the door shut. Stay on the inside.»
«Yes, alpha,» they all answered from different directions, including Mingi. He always wanted to help in a fight, but right now Helena and their newborn pup was all that mattered to him.
The two wolves that came straight for the cottage were huge, clearly two strong alphas, and they went directly for Hongjoong. Joong might be smaller in size, but he was not someone you should take lightly.
«Try to contact Seonghwa,» Hongjoong asked, whiled he snarled at the wolf that went for his hind legs.
Jongho had already injured one of the wolves when San and Woo arrived, but still the intruders didn't back down. San went straight for the neck of the injured wolf, and together with Woo Jongho soon had injured the other wolf so much it couldn't get back up again.
«One dead, one injured,» Jongho rapport back to his alpha.
«Then come to the cottage. One of them is injured, they're keeping their distance, but they're not leaving.»
«On our way.»
Hongjoong was confused as to why these two wolves stayed when they must have felt the other two go down. Were they waiting for backup? Hongjoongs focus was obviously keeping Helena and the pup safe, but there was something strange going on here.
«Did anyone hear from Seonghwa or Ellinor?»
«Nothing,» several of them said.
Hongjoong though about it for a minute. Then he said: «Jongho and Yeo, run towards the mountains and try to get a hold of them. It should be easy following Ellinors scent.»
«Yes, alpha.»
At the moment the two of them tried to leave the cottage, the two remaining intruders attacked them.
«It's a decoy maneuver!» Joong said. «Jongho and Yeo, wait a second! San and Woo, get the injured one. The rest of us takes the other one.»
It was rather quickly done as the pack were many against the two lone wolves. They had been strong alphas, sent on an apparent suicide mission. Hongjoong never took pleasure in killing anyone, but it was obvious that these wolves would not give up.
Mingi opened the door when he was told it was safe. The final two wolves were dead, and they felt no one else close by.
«What the hell is going on?!» Mingi said, worried for his newborn pup and his mate.
«We have to split up,» Joong said. «Someone will stay here with Helena and the pup, and someone will go to find Seonghwa and Ellinor. I think they are the target.»
«Target of what?!»
«I have no idea,» Hongjoong said with a deep sigh. «But we will find out. Mingi, you'll obviously stay here with your family. Who else? Is anyone hurt? Jongho?»
«I'm not hurt, I'll go with you to the mountains.»
«How about Woo and I stay?» San proposed.
Joong looked around at his pack and nodded.
«Good. Now, remember, this place isn't safe anymore. Be extra careful.» He looked towards those staying, not completely sure that this was the right thing to do. Splitting up the pack was never ideal. But he had no choice right now. «We will leave immediately.»
YOU ARE READING
Alpha & Omega // Ateez // P.SH
Loup-garouEllinor feels drawn to the city. After 10 years alone in the forest, why would she seek the dangers in town? And especially now, so close to her Time? Ellinor is saved by Yunho, and meets the pack. Who hides among the pack members? Will they still...
