Abused

Eighteen

Brad's POV

"Alpha!" my beta stumbled into my office.

I frowned and looked up at Jackson huffing in and out, obviously from sprinting down here.

"What's up man?" I asked him, unable to stop the worry leaking into my voice.

"Gun shots, toward the southern boarder!"

I stood up abruptly and was already running out of the room before Jack had time to explain. I knew Winter had gone for a walk and I wasn't sure where she was, but a gut feeling told me she was in that direction.

We both ran out of the house in hot pursuit, ready to rip some hunters apart. It couldn't be anyone else, everyone else who knew about us were usually wolves and always attack in wolf form. They had no need for guns. I was terrified that it could be winter that was at the end of the gun. All she had to defend herself was her own gun that she honestly wasn't great at using.

Bang! Another shot rang through the air, scaring the birds from the trees. We were getting closer. I pushed my wolf to his limit, and then some, determined to save our mate. If she was shot, she wouldn't have long. If she was a wolf she could fight it harder but she wasn't. She was human. Fragile.

We finally reached the spot where the shots had come from but I was shocked by what I saw. Winter was stood up, her back facing us. She wasn't bleeding heavily from anywhere so she clearly hadn't been the one to receive the bullets. I saw Sophia trembling near the trees to my left, she'd clearly been hurt by someone. I felt anger boil my blood. Who would dare hurt a young child?!

I took a deep breath and kept my cool. It was important for an alpha to withhold his anger. Showing it was a weakness that enemies fed on.

I carefully trotted up to Winter and looked her over. She had a few bruises and scratches but there was nothing major. My eyes landed on her gun that was still hot and billowing small waves of smoke. She had fired the shots?

On the ground lay three male rouges who looked to be between twenty and thirty years old. Two of which had been shot in either the shoulder or leg and one had been shot in between the shoulder blades and lay dead? I stepped over to him to confirm my suspicions. He had been shot for sure and the lack of breath confirmed to me that he was dead. I knew it was Winter who shot him because it was a wolf bane bullet, i could smell it.

I shifted and put some pants on that I had tied around my leg and Jackson did the same. I approached Winter again and placed my hand on her shoulder gently.

Winter looked at me with wide, fearful eyes. "I didn't mean to kill him but he hurt Sophia and tried to hurt me and i-" She trailed off.

I pulled her into a hug. "Hey, shhh, it's okay, you did the right thing" She rambled out more explanation of what had happened, and I realised she was protecting the pack, and more importantly, herself and Sophia.

Jackson and a few of the warriors plucked the wounded rouges from the ground and two other warriors dealt with the body of the third rouge.

Winter walked up to Sophia and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, they won't hurt you now" She soothed her.

I followed her and checked them both for injuries now that I could get a good look. I lifted Sophia into my arms when I realised she wasn't badly injured and started walking towards the infirmary, Winter following.

I slowed my pace so she could keep up with me. I noticed her holding her arm in obvious pain. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. I could tell she was still in shock. I decided I'd have her checked over

Sophia was shaking in pain and fear. I was worried about her. My warriors came up to me and mind linked about the rouges, asking what to do with them. I told them to dispose of the body and take the other two to the cells for further questioning.

I walked towards the infirmary and Winter followed, shivering slightly from the cold. She didn't speak the whole time. She just starred down at the ground after she slipped her gun back down the side of her burgundy pants.

I didn't speak either, both of us were concerned about Sophia and i knew that Winter was having an internal battle with herself. Sophia fell asleep in my arms and i kept an eye on her to make sure she was okay.

It took us about an hour to get back to the pack because we were walking at a human speed as Winter obviously couldn't shift into a wolf. I loved her and everything but there was certain times where being a wolf would be quite convenient.

Once we had taken Sophia to the infirmary, the doctor had confirmed that she only had minor bruising with a few cuts. I took Winter's hand and lead her to another room to get checked over. She sat down on the bed with a long sigh which was the first sound that she had made in nearly two hours. I sighed too and sat next to her, pulling her into my side, which she happily complied with and leaned against me. A small smile graced my lips as I kissed her head.

"I should feel guilty and ashamed of myself." She started after a while. " I killed a man and injured two others but for some reason, I don't feel bad. In fact, I don't feel anything at all"

I nodded and played with her hair in a soothing way. Her eyes closed and she leaned her head back against my chest.

"I know exactly what you mean Sweetheart. I was the same when i killed someone for the first time. But in this life, it soon becomes the norm. Of course it doesn't excuse the fact that they are dead but its not something to be ashamed of if you had a reason. You were protecting Sophia and the rest of the pack, something that a Luna will always do no matter what." I explained.

She opened her eyes and sat up. "I guess I'm just finally accepting all of this. I'm the Luna of this pack and i will protect and care for it. No matter what"