Simply Mates

TWENTY

The blood pouring from my brother's neck would be enough to pause anyone, but this is what I have always trained for. Shifting instantly, I tackle the grey wolf to the ground and bite down hard onto the back of it's neck until I hear the satisfying crack of it breaking within my mouth. Dropping the flea-ridden wolf to the ground, it shifted instantly into a skinny male. He lay motionless and his heartbeat was gone, indicating he was dead. I look over to my brother, my heart breaking as I watch him gasping for air and grabbing his throat - the blood coating his fingers like thick red paint. 

"Father, come quick. Rogues to the west. Derek needs help now!" I mindlink my father. 

I step towards my brother who is looking at me desperately for help, but I'm hit with what feels like a truck. I'm thrown to the ground in a heap - Pain coursing through my body like fire - but I force myself to stand and look at my attacker. 

The black wolf before me is huge - much bigger and much stronger than a traditional rogue. Power radiates off his body in waves and my wolf acknowledges that this isn't a normal rogue in front of us. No, he is born from Alpha blood. 

He leans down, his head low to the ground as a snarl escapes his lips. 

He's challenging me. 

And who am I to run away from a challenge?

I force myself into a fighting stance despite the pain, a growl escaping me as I show my acceptance. We begin circling one another until the black wolf jumps for my neck and I successfully dodge it with a slash to his side. He doesn't flinch. Instead, he runs into my side again and knocks me to the ground. He attempts to stand over me but I scratch at his belly and kick him away. 

Scurrying to my feet, I again force myself into position. But the black wolf shifts into a large white man with long black hair and familiar ice blue eyes. My eyes widen as I realize who stands before me. 

"Shift." He orders as three wolfs come out of the forest from behind him. One wolf hands him a shorts and a shirt that he throws to me. "Now."

I do as he says, slipping the shirt over my head. I stand tall, glaring at the man before me - a traitor in the eyes of all wolves. 

"Roan Denvers. Can't say it's a pleasure." I say through gritted teeth. My eyes land on my brother who is still holding on, but the light in his eyes is slowly dimming. 

Where are you, dad? I ask myself. 

"Andromeda Stidolph. You're as beautiful as they all say." He smirks. "And Alpha Female to be." 

"What are you doing here, Roan?" I demand. 

"Oh, I just stopped in for a little visit with my new sister in law." He says with a devilish grin. His words make my heart stop and my eyes snap up to his. 

"What?"

"Oh you heard me, love. I know you're mated to my little brother. Wonder what the old man thinks about that?" He says and I look away. "Ah, didn't tell him I see."

"Just fuck off, Roan." 

"Nah. You see, Andy. I lost my title to my little fuck of a brother three years ago. I'm sure you heard the stories." He says, gesturing towards me as he begins to pace. "And you know, that doesn't work for me. So I figure, either I get my title from you or I get from him. Which one do you think I chose?"

I shake my head. "Over my dead body, Roan."

He laughs darkly, his grin growing larger. "Gladly, love." He snarls before shifting into his wolf and jumping towards me. 

And I brace for the impact, but it never comes. As Roan is in mid-air, a black wolf that smells like vanilla and musk slams into his side and knocks him off course. 

"Callum." I whisper, before shifting into my white wolf and stepping to his side. He looks at me and pushes his nose into my neck before turning his attention back to his brother. A low growl escapes him - a warning to Roan not to fuck with him. 

Roan huffs, before turning and bolting off into the forest with his followers darting after him with their tails between their legs - just like the cowards they always are. 

Once he's out of sight, Callum shifts beside me. "Andy, are you okay? I felt your pain." He says frantically as he looks over me. "Can you shift?"

I step back from him and shift - the snapping of bones echoing off the trees around us. "Callum." I whisper, unsure of what to say before throwing my arms around him and holding him close. "Thank you."

My eyes see my brother on the ground behind im and I gently push Callum away - running to my brother and flopping on my knees beside him. "Oh shit. Oh no. Derek, you have to stay with me." I say, taking my hands and placing it over his wound. 

His eyes flutter open and he looks up at me. His eyes are practically empty - that spark they usually hold gone and replaced with a void. His skin an unnatural ashen colour as the blood continues to escape past my hands and onto the ground. 

"Here, Andy." Callum says behind me and I feel him place a sweater over my shoulders.

"Derek, Dad will be here any minute...any second. I need you to stay awake for me. I need you to look at me and stay with me. I know you can do it." I order as tears form in my eyes. "Come on, I need my brother. Derek, please don't leave me." 

He closes his eyes and opens his mouth, but only gurgling can be heard.  A sob escapes my lips as the tears begin to roll down my cheeks. 

"Goddess, no. Don't take him away from me." I beg as I lean forward and place my forehead on his chest. "Please! I need him!"

"Andy, he's-"

"No! No he's not!" I scream, ripping my arm from Callum's grasp. "He's going to be okay! He's going to be fine!" 

"Andy, look." Callum says quietly, placing his hand on my shoulder now. "Look at him, love. I'm sorry."

I look at my brother. His eyes are open, but all signs of life are gone. His chest no longer rises with each breath and his heart is no longer beating in his chest. 

"Derek?" I say - my voice thick with emotion. Tears stream steadily down my face as realization sets in. "No."

I remove my hands from his neck and pull his lifeless body into a hug. 

"No." I sob as I hold him tightly into my chest. "No."

"Andy, I'm sorry." I faintly hear Callum say behind me. "I'm so sorry, love."

The pounding of footsteps can be heard and I know my father is close. 

"Callum, you need to go." I croak, turning to look at him. "My dad is coming. Please go."

He shakes his head. "No. I'm not leaving you. Never again." He says firmly, placing a hand on my cheek. "I need you close. I need to know you are safe."

"My father will kill you. You need to go, Callum. I can't lose you too." I say, my voice cracking at the end. 

He shakes his head again. "No, love. I'm not leaving you. And you won't lose me."

"Call-"

"What the hell is going on here?" My father's voice booms from behind me. "David? Grab the boy!"

"Dad-"

"Are you alright, Andy? What happened?" He says as he steps closer to me. 

"I'm fine, but Derek..." I trail off. 

A sound I've never heard come from my father before echoes around us - a cry as his eyes land on his dead son. I feel him fall to his knees on the ground behind me, followed by a mournful howl that could even break the heart of the heartless.