Monsters Beyond the Gate

Chapter Sixteen: Healing Time

***LEVI'S POV***

The last thing I remember is hearing Tessa's voice screaming inside of my head.

"It's a trap, an ambush! They have Adeline! There's twenty of them coming your way! RUN GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"

Her voice distracted me so bad that I had literally stopped fighting with the Gray wolf and froze. Next thing I knew the Gray wolf slammed into, knocking my head into the trunk of a giant oak so hard that I saw stars dancing in front of my vision, and then only blackness.

I'd started to have a terrible dream. Adeline, running in front of me in a silky white gown that trailed behind her. I tried to catch her, but she was too far ahead of me. I yelled for her to stop, but she just turned and flashed me an annoyingly adorable smile and kept running. Then right before my eyes a wolf bounded out of the darkness. I yelled but they dissolved into the air together.

I woke up still yelling, until I realized that the Southern packs Alpha, Orion was standing right over me. He had shaggy brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His eyes were an incredible shade of bright blue and they stood out against his bronzed skin. He was covered in numerous scars from previous battles which only made him look more intimidating.

"Good, you're awake," he said in a gruff voice.

I tried to sit up, but the movement sent a shock of pain down the side of my head and my back.

"What happened?" I managed to ask.

Thorin, aka Thor, stepped out of the shadows. His face was stark white, but he looked relieved to see me awake. I have to admit that I'd grown rather fond of him since my arrival at the Southern Packs Den. He was a great guy and an awesome friend.

"Alpha, if I may?" Thor asked, stepping forward a few more paces.

The Alpha nodded at him.

"After you heard what Tessa said to you, Levi, you froze. The wolf you were fighting slammed into you and knocked you out cold. I killed his stupid ass and dragged your body back here. There's been no sign of Tessa or Adeline," he explained grimly.

Pain ripped through my chest. My mate. My Luna. Taken from me.

"How long have I been sleeping?"

Thor shifted nervously and glanced at the Alpha, who in turn nodded again.

"Almost five days. We think that you went into shock and then a mini coma, which sounds a lot cuter than it is..."

I growled and actually sat up, despite the pain it caused me. "What?! What have you all been doing? Why the fuck aren't they back yet?"

"Watch your tone, Pup," Orion snapped. I felt the power of the Alpha wash over me, but I fought it hard because I too had the Alpha gene. And I was so pissed that it had been fully activated out of anger.

"We can't just go barreling into Erebus's mansion. That's what he wants. It's a trap to start full out war and the other packs would see it as our fault and most likely not come to our aid. What the hell were you children thinking? You were ordered specifically not to go after the human boy. The risks were too many and we had guessed that it was all a trap. Erebus will not forgive this so easily."

I growled a true animal like growl. "Then what are you going to do? Don't you want Tessa back, your own daughter?"

Orion took a deep breath. His hands were shaking. I knew he was trying hard not to change. I'd never met an Alpha with so much patience before. My own father would have ripped my throat out by now. I know I was being stupid by testing his limits, but all I could think about was my Mate. Her beautiful green eyes and timid smile.