The Alpha's Mate

15

Jace's POV

Blood sprayed everywhere and howls filled the air. My wolf whimpered as he felt the pack connection dropping as our men were slaughtered. One rogue clamped down on my leg and I slammed my connection with Laylee shut. She doesn't need to worry about me and feel my pain. No, I'll save her from that.

I shook the wolf off and backed up, letting my wolf heal me quickly. Thank the fates for Alpha blood.

I growled at the red-eyed wolf before me and flattened my ears back. He slowly circled me, calculating his best strike. We were like the eye of a storm; the only calm battle in a sea of chaos. The rogue's bunching muscles were the only warning I got before he launched himself at me. I jumped to the left and spun, closing my jaws around his hind leg. My wolf took control and used the leg to whip the rogue around, and threw him into a tree.

I felt my wolf's satisfaction at himself. Rolling my eyes, I pushed him back into my subconscious. The rogue shifted and grinned maliciously up at me. He tried to stand, but collapsed back against the tree, holding his ribs and breathing shallowly through his pain. His leg was broken, the bone jutting through his bloody skin.

"Oh, mighty Alpha," he sneered mockingly. I growled at him. "You won't be so mighty when your mate and pups are dead."

Rage soared through me, but dimmed to fear when my shoulder flared with pain. I shifted back to my human form and stared at the rogue.

"What have you done?"

"There is a spy in your pack. She is currently in the bunker, with all the other women and kids. You won't be able to get to them in time, Alpha Jace."

"No!" I lunged for him, screaming as pain lashed across my back.

"Say goodbye to your Luna and future Alpha."

Laylee's POV

I paced back and forth in the bunker. Tatum chewed on her lip as she watched me. Jaymes sat in her lap, cradling my Cora. A young girl tugged on my shirt and stared up at me with wide, tearful eyes.

"Luna? What's going on?"

I squatted before her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and started crying into my shoulder. I scooped her into my arms and hugged her tightly, smoothing her hair back from her face.

"It's going to be okay. We're safe, and we have to trust in our Alpha to keep our pack from destruction."

There was a snort from the corner near the cement door. I whipped my head around to see a girl around the age of nineteen leaning up against the wall, watching me with cold eyes. The girl hugging me whimpered and I pried her arms off, gently pushing her in Tatum's direction.

"This is all so lovely. Seriously, it is. Unfortunately for you, I am under orders." She paused and glared at me. "And I can't disobey my Alpha."

Her body lurched forward and she shifted into a snarling grey wolf. Tatum herded all the others into the far corner and shifted, pacing back and forth, eyes on the she-wolf in front of me. She wanted to help me, but by coming over here, she'd be leaving the others vulnerable.

The grey wolf rammed into me and I went sprawling, my shoulder scraping along the ground. I hissed in pain, but then stood up. Tatum's wolf growled and the women in my pack growled with her. They didn't like seeing their Luna hurt. I looked straight into the wolf's eyes and scowled.

She lunged again and this time, I felt power surge through me. I ducked and let her fly overhead, then shot to my feet and kicked her muzzle when she turned. She snarled and ran at me. When I turned, she pounced on my back and drove me to the ground. Claws ripped across my back and I thrashed.