Alpha's Hunt For Love

Chapter 8. Into the woods

The winds finally eased, swirling down into a restless hush that left dust and blood in the air. My chest burned as though the storm had torn through me instead of the battlefield, but I held my ground.

The rogues circled at the edges, growling low, but not one dared to come closer. Their eyes flicked to me with something I had never seen before—hesitation. Fear.

Michael rose unsteadily beside me, flexing his newly healed arm. His jaw was tight, his chest still streaked with blood, but his strength had returned. He gave me a sharp nod of gratitude.

"I'm not sitting out anymore," he said, voice hoarse but resolute.

"Good," I breathed, wiping blood from my mouth. "But you're not fighting alone. Not tonight."

Luke barked a short laugh, though his eyes never left the enemies circling us. "Now that's the Luna I know."

We didn't waste another heartbeat. The three of us moved as one, cutting a path through the rogues who lingered too long. Michael struck with renewed fury, his claws sinking deep into the chest of the first rogue foolish enough to lunge. I was already on the second, spinning low and driving my claws across his hamstrings before raking up into his ribs. He collapsed with a gurgled howl.

The battlefield parted slowly before us. Rogues growled, but most backed away rather than meet my eyes. The ones too desperate—or too foolish—fell beneath our strikes.

Every step we took, we pushed closer to the heart of the fight, closer to where John stood locked in battle with the towering beast of a rogue. His wolf form was bloodied but unbroken, his golden eyes alight with fury and command. Around him, the pack held the line, but it was clear—he was their anchor, their Alpha. If he fell, so would we all.

"Stay close," Luke warned, slamming another rogue into the dirt. "If they separate us, we won't reach him."

"Then we don't let them," I growled, my voice carrying Luna's edge.

Another wave of rogues surged, testing our resolve. Michael fought on my left, Luke on my right, and I in the center. We tore through them, side by side, carving our way through the chaos with blood and determination.

And still, I felt it—the pull. Not just of the mate bond, but of my place. Every step closer to John burned like fire in my chest. My Luna's instinct screamed at me: Protect him. Protect the pack. Stand with him.

We fought, and we bled, but nothing would keep me from reaching him. I tore through the last line of rogues, my claws flashing as adrenaline carried me closer to John. He was locked in a brutal dance with a massive rogue, every strike and dodge calculated with the precision of a seasoned Alpha. I leapt at the rogue from behind, my momentum adding force to John's strike. Together, we brought the creature down with a final, synchronized blow.

"Got your back," I panted, still brimming with wind energy, my chest heaving.

John gave me a brief nod, his eyes burning with both relief and fury. "Never stop fighting like that, Luna. Not tonight."

There was no time to savor the victory. The remaining rogues pressed us from all sides. We moved as one, John at the center, Luke and Michael flanking us, and I striking with precision wherever the rogues tried to flank him. Slowly, we carved a path through the attackers, cutting them down one by one until silence fell over the battlefield.

Breathing heavily, I looked around and froze. The aftermath was horrifying. Bodies of rogues and fallen warriors alike were strewn across the field. The soil was soaked in blood, and the air was thick with smoke and dust. My stomach churned at the sight.