Simply Mates

TWENTY FIVE

Roan lunges at his father, shifting in the air as he lands onto the older man. The Rogues begin running towards us and my warriors shift quickly into their much larger and much stronger wolves. Panic fills the pack as screams mix with bones cracking and growls of wolves. 

Callum pulls away from me and runs for his father and brother, shifting into his own black wolf as he does so. 

"Callum, wait," I call after him, but my voice is lost over the growls and snarls of the wolves battling around me. He disappears into the fighting wolves and my heart sinks in my chest. My eyes catch Skylar's as she holds Hunter tightly in the center of her army. She's not a warrior. Everyone knows this. 

My eyes dart around my pack until they land on my mother and father - both in their wolf forms and both are holding off a few Rogues. Despite losing his title, my father stands strong and fights like the Alpha he was. 

Shaking my head, I allow my own Alpha to surge forward. Shifting into my white wolf, my eyes land on Theon - the very definition of a traitor. 

I push past battling wolves, slapping away tiny rogues with my paws as I inch closer and closer to my target. Theon shifts into his grey wolf - whose size rivals my own - and he meets me halfway. With a snarl, I waste no time and lunge for his neck. Unfortunately, he dodges my attack and lands a deep scratch to my underbelly, making me whimper. 

I steady myself, lowering my body to the ground. I watch him as he paces left and right - waiting for my next move. 

But I don't budge. I watch him internally debate what to do until he lunges forward and I mirror his movement, smashing into his side. We both crash to the ground in a heap - jaws snapping at one another as we do so. I jump to my feet first and slash at his side with my long, sharp claws. Theon howls in pain before biting down on my right leg. 

Seeing an open opportunity, I fight the pain and plant my teeth into his neck - his warm, blood filling my mouth. However, my grip isn't tight and he tears his neck from my hold. Blood drips down from the jagged skin upon his delicate neck. 

He growls lowly before hastily running for me again. I plant my paws into the ground and prepare for his hit. He sends me to the ground and my right ribs crack under the pressure. 

I can't help the howl that escapes me as pain radiates from my side through my whole body. I faintly hear a loud roar in the distance, but I don't focus on it. I'm too busy looking up at the grey wolf stalking towards me. 

"Now lookie here." Theon's voice rings through my head. "I got the Alpha Female on her back. What a beautiful sight to see."

"How could you betray your pack?" I ask hysterically. "I knew you were an asshole, but these are your people. This is your family. We have been here for you ever since my Father found you as a young pup!"

"I have never been one of you!" He growls verbally. "I've never been accepted here. I have always been one with the Rogues."

"That's not true! You have-"

"How would you know, Andy? How would you know how I have been treated here? You have always been stuck up your Father's ass your entire life! You are blind to what it's like to be an orphan in this pack! You have no idea what it's like to be a nobody here! What it's like to work your way up from the bottom and to still be tossed to the side! The Rogues accepted me from the beginning and Roan made me his Beta-"

"Do you really think Roan will keep you as his Beta?" I say and he growls. "You really are an idiot. He just needed an 'in' and that's what you are. He fed you lies so you would trust him and do what he wanted. And look what he made you do, Theon! Look around you! The people who took care of you, fed you, sheltered you are dying around you! Look at them!"