Alpha Wolf - Mate Mine

Chapter 9 ~ Heartbeats

Later that day, Black Devil students vanished. Rumor had it they were summoned for a top-secret meeting back at their packhouse, followed by another 'special' training session. Mad wolves indeed.

During history class, Elena sat in her usual spot, chin resting on her palms, more distracted than ever, daydreaming about a certain male.

She sighed again, her eyes growing soft and a dreamy smile curling her mouth.

Their gazes had locked for what felt like forever, but it was only an instant before he, her mate, looked brusquely away, dragging a hand through his hair and cursing under his breath.

Under that intense gaze, Elena had to fight the urge to shudder, feeling so shy her breath caught and her feet froze.

When an unaware (and very silly) Rex had grabbed her arm and shook her, Elena barely realised it. However, the creepy growl that followed, together with his change of eye colour, made Elena unconsciously step back from her mate. A glimpse of hurt and disappointment crossed his face.

Elena shivered at the memory of his black veins popping out across his face and arms, before he stormed out off the gym in an aggressive swirl.

Her heart plummeted to the squeaky ground.

Her friends, like everyone else, stared speechless in the direction where that majestic mate of hers had vanished. The Black Devil Gamma rushed after him, probably to make sure he didn't punch a hole through a wall or something.

Elena tapped her forehead, scolding herself for not following him. But he made her so shy! He is so big!

Oh goddess... she covered her face, moaning under her breath.

'I should have talked to him! Why haven't I?!'

Her wolf huffed, pacing around.

Peeking through her fingers, she saw Rex snoozing on his desk, head resting on his crossed arms like he had been bolted there. Giulia was taking notes with a soft smile, her purple pen adorned with a feathery topper that swayed with every stroke of her handwriting.

Her breath caught when she met Marco's eyes.

He knows something is up.

'My butt is up,' Titilas growled softly, 'for mate to put pups in us!'

'Hush, you horny beast!'

Elena tried to avoid Marco, not ready to talk about her mate. It was too much, and she didn't even know his name.

'What there's to know? He is our mate!' Titilas whined, then running in circles.

The fact that they had found each other was still quite shocking.

While Elena was wholly distracted, speculating about her mate's identity and the reasons for his sudden disappearance, the attack began.

Alarms echoed throughout the corridors. All the students and teachers instantly exited out the classrooms and sped towards the assembly hall. The youngest were being hurriedly pushed in first.

"What's happening?!" Giulia exclaimed, fidgeting with her hands. "It's probably some rogues." Marco replied to her with a reassuring smile, hurrying her inside. Rex was at my side, holding my hand firmly. His protector slash personal bodyguard mode activated.

As soon as everyone was in the room, the doors were securely closed. 'Dad! There's a rogue attack!' Elena mind linked him frenetically. But there was no response.

All of a sudden, several growls vibrated from all directions, including outside. Fear increased and heartbeats doubled.

When none of the teachers helped to calm the panic, Elena decided to take control, her fists clenched. "Listen to me!" Elena shouted, her Alpha instincts kicking in. The silence was immediate, all attention on her. "Don't be afraid of these poor excuses for werewolves. They don't have anything to fight for and thrive on creating chaos only. Plus, reinforcements will arrive soon!" or at least she hoped so. She paused looking at several unknown – and too young - faces, then lingered on her friends: Marco and Rex with determined expressions stood in defensive positions around Giulia, who was biting her lips nervously.

Such bad luck that the senior students of Black Devil were all missing, leaving them with the less-prepared wolves.

"Everyone in formation and keep close! Trust your wolf as your life's gift!" Marco yelled with power.

"Let's hunt them down as a pack that chases freedom from injustice and corruption!" Elena roared. The room filled with cheers and applause, as some transformed into their powerful beasts. Elena's eyes turned into neon green and her hair slightly raised, turning white. Titilas was with her.

When the door was smashed away as if it were a piece of paper, several students stepped back in terror. All that fervour of the moment, gone.

An enormous man entered with a smirk, like he owned the place. "My, my! What a pleasure!" He eyed Elena like she was a sweet pie. Elena glared at him, fear and fury surging through her. Probably in his fifties, with deep wrinkles and oily grey hair, the glint of pure madness displayed in his eyes revealed his identity. After all, this wasn't a random rogue's attack as they had first believed.

"Alpha Ciro." She spat, her assumption was correct by the look of surprise that briefly crossed his face, before returning to his original expression. "I should be honoured that you know who I am, my dear." His venomous smile hid a world of agony.

"Don't look at her!" Rex yelled with fury. When the Alpha ignored him, Rex growled and shifted into his powerful grey wolf.

Ready to spill blood.

The Alpha of Lord Skull was exactly how she imagined: an ageing lonely man with a deteriorated brain.

"There's nothing here for you. Why trespass on this territory?" A brave teacher stood from the crowd.

"Oh, I want what was taken from me," He growled coldly, the threat seeping from his pores. "From your nasty father!" He said pointing at Elena. Her mind was filled with the images of those women, forced to abandon their homes, leaving behind everything they had ever known and loved. All those families separated, so many hearts broken, and tears shed.

All because this crazed werewolf was consumed by his depraved thoughts. Or lost in the dark maze that was his damaged mind.

"He will be here soon and tear you into pieces, you coward! How dare you attack a school?" Elena blurted, elongating her canines.

"I don't think so, my future loving Luna!" Lord Skull sneered with a knowing look. His words creep Elena out. Shock and nausea enveloped her.

Was Alpha Ciro really there to kidnap her? And probably her friends too, as pay back for all his ex-pack members that fled his dictatorship to Full Moon. "Here! You can say hi to your naïve father!" He said viciously, causing Elena to narrow her eyes suspiciously at the plastic bag he held in his hand.

When he threw it near her feet, it fell with a thud. The instant stench of dead, together with the smell of her dad, filled her nostrils.

And it was chaos.