Wolfpack

The End

Emme knew what was going to happen before it did. Even as Noah cradled her to his chest, trying to wipe the sticky blood from her skin, goosebumps riddled her flesh with the knowledge of what was to come. Cryo would have him returned to the pack and would sentence him to death. There would be no escape. Emme couldn't shift, and trying to walk back to her brother's pack would be fruitless. They would be caught before they had even started. All that was left to do was sit in the little cabin, and wait.

I will not let harm come to you, Noah promised her as he tried to chase away the chill from her skin. Vitago, return to me.

I can't believe I killed him, Emme replied, clinging to him. He wrapped his arms around her, trapping her against his chest.

He would have killed you first, Noah replied. Emme shuddered against his chest. Though Noah had cleaned her thoroughly, the ghost feeling of blood and brain still whispered against her skin.

How long? Emme asked after a long moment.

I do not know, Noah replied, rubbing gentle patterns into her skin. Sleep. You need to rest.

Sleep didn't come easily. Emme chased after it and had barely caught it in her grasp when a heavy knock at the door startled her. She reached out to clutch Noah, heart beating in her throat. He held her briefly before releasing her and going to the door. Trembling, Emme followed behind him. Noah pulled open the door, and before he could say anything, the three wolves gripped him and forced him to the ground.

"Stop!" Emme screamed, lunging forward to defend her moonmate. "We'll go with you! Just stop!"

The three men made no indication of hearing her.

Be still, vitago. Do not give them reason to hurt you.

When they noticed that Noah had no intention of fighting, the third man released his neck and grabbed Emme roughly.

Why are you doing this? Emme cried out to the men through the pack link. We aren't doing anything wrong. Think of what Cryo's  making you do - he's pushing you into the rogue. You're better than this! We're better than this?

The man dragging her along glanced down at her as if surprised that she was able to communicate with him. The others gave no sign that they heard her.

The sun was just beginning to peer over the horizon. Today would've been the day that she and Noah left for her brother's pack. Instead, they were emerging from the forest as criminals. The grounds were strangely quiet, not a single wolf in sight. Each step that brought them closer to the alpha house was a stake in Emme's heart. She yearned to reach out to her moonmate as his knees dragged against the soft earth. He appeared defeated, but there was a tension in his shoulders that scared Emme. She hoped he wasn't planning on fighting.

The men deposited Noah roughly onto Cryo's porch. He remained kneeled on the floor, head bowed in shame. Emme's fingers itched to touch him, to urge him to his feet, but the man who held her had not loosened his grip. Cryo emerged, bare breasted, eyes glittering darkly. His face was hard with malice, his hands flexed at his side. His eyes fell to Noah with something that looked like remorse. When he lifted his gaze to Emme, it was full of hate. She recoiled.

Look what shame you have brought to your mate, he hissed at her over the pack link. A headache erupted in Emme's head, threatening to render her unconscious. Her vision blurred momentarily, her knees grew weak. Even Noah shuddered with the intensity of her pain.

Vitago! he called to her.

Focus on Cryo, Emme replied, trying to ride out the pain by breathing through her nose. Cryo sounded a golden bell that swung gently from the porch rafter. Each ring was a blow to Emme's head until she shook like a sapling.

You are not well, Noah replied, his voice thick with fear. He shifted to stand.

No!  Emme cried out. I'm fine. Don't worry about me.

The pack had gathered around the porch. A nervous tension coursed through them as they murmured and bustled against each other like sheep. Emme caught Ardyr's gaze but looked away. The rising sunlight threatened to blind her. The headache refused to relent.

"There can be no dissension in the pack," Cryo said in a voice that carried to the edge of the wood. "As the winter draws near, and as our males tread on the edge of darkness, we must meet every challenge with swift justice."

To Emme's ears, it sounded like Cryo actually believed his words. The pain made her too weak to scoff.

"Noah and his mate have risen a challenge against us. It is my duty to meet it."

Before anyone could react to his words, he had shifted and was circling Noah, canines bared. Noah stood and shifted with the gut wrenching sound of bones popping. He backed away from Cryo, feigning  fear and shame. His ears were flattened against his head, but his body was taut. Seeing this, Cryo lunged for him, fangs bared. Noah sidestepped him, allowing Cryo to scrape his claws against his side. He howled in pain as he danced away from the alpha, blood dotting his path on the porch.

Cryo studied him for a moment, snarling his displeasure. Noah was not supposed to fight. He was supposed to accept Cryo's judgement. Noah appeared to not be aware of this rule. Cryo lunged again, this time scraping deep into Noah's underbelly. Emme's mate had not yet landed a blow of his own. Cryo's teeth bit deeply into Noah's flank, eliciting a howl.

What are you doing? Emme demanded as she strained absentmindedly against the wolf holding tightly to her arm.

Noah didn't answer. He had broken free of Cryo's grip. His blood was making the floor slippery. Without hesitation, he lunged for Cryo's throat. He stumbled and missed. Cryo saw the opening and took it, going for Noah's throat, intent on eliminating the other male once and for all.

"No!" Emme cried, the sound burst from her involuntarily. Her headache intensified, so much so that she felt that her head had exploded. She didn't know which to focus on, the pain in her head or the pain in her body. She was on fire, consumed by pain. The scent of blood hit her sharply and suddenly, she found her form hitting Cryo's heavily away from Noah.

Her form.

Her wolf had emerged.

She had receeded to the back of her mind, allowing the wolf to experience the brunt of her pain. Her wolf howled in agony as Cryo turned to deal his swift justice. It never came.

Noah stood above her, the thick flesh of Cryo's throat held firmly in his jaws. Emme whimpered and stood beneath him, trying to ignore the ache in her bones.

The pack was deathly silent. Emme blinked up at her mate.

Five others shifted, and despite his wounds, Noah defeated each of them swiftly and without hesitation as Emme's wolf lay on the blood stained porch, in pain.

A blossom of pride bloomed within her as she watched Noah. His coat was stained with blood that was his and his challengers. He stalked to her, lowering his nose to her, nudging her until she stood beside him, whining quietly at the pain that refused to ebb away.

Emme emerged and gritted her teeth, silencing her wolf.

Noah had claimed the alpha title by force. The northern winter approached. She could not afford to show weakness.