Chapter 133

Dawson POV

The weather is a bit volatile, the rain pounding down on us as we make our way through the ravine and up the trail that I know leads to the cave. I've caught whiffs of Alpha James scent but Michael seems to be honed in as if he's hot on the trail of the easiest tracking mission ever. I'm astounded at how he seems to know every single place that Alpha James has stepped. We are mere feet from where the trail changes directions and forms a fork in the path. Left will take us up to the cave, where I am certain Alpha James has taken shelter. If we continue straight, eventually it winds around the side of the mountain and into other territories. I put my hand on Michael's shoulder and stop him. "We should wait," I say. "Additional resources will be here soon and the weather is a bit out of hand," I say this and a loud boom erupts overhead from the thunder.

"We must get him and bring him back Dawson! My wolf is anxious and I need to do this before he pushes forward and tries to kill Alpha James," Michael admits.

"If you don't think you can move on with the mission and complete it as instructed, perhaps you should return," I tell him. "I can handle this. Cody is just meeting up on the other side of the trail with a band of our warriors and trackers. Alpha James won't be able to escape."

Michael bows his head, and closes his eyes. When he opens them and looks at me, I can see his wolf's eyes as he fights him. "Michael, you have to get your wolf under control. You're an Alpha and a Guardian. You're better trained than any of us."

"I know, but this piece of garbage hurt my mate. Put yourself in my shoes," Michael says. His voice waivers back and forth between what I know is his and what I assume is his wolfs.

Michael begins to pace back and forth and I use this moment to mind link Cody, giving him the quickest update on what's happening on this end of the trail. I watch Michael as his canines push through and then retract, and he shakes his head as if to shake it all off. His claws push out of his long fingers and he stops pacing and looks at his hands. He's clearly struggling. "I want to kill him Dawson, but I know I can't. Not yet."

"He will be tried and found guilty Michael. Don't do anything that will jeopardize your own life, Shawna needs you. Believe me, I get it. Ashlynn is my whole world, so I understand that you are very angry. I'm going to say this again, do not do anything that will keep you from moving forward with your life as was intended."

"I need to keep going," Michael says. "Let's go get him and take him back before I can't see a reason why I shouldn't kill him now." Michael begins to stalk up the slope towards the path to the cave. I'm left with no choice but to follow. We arrive to a spot in the trail where we can clearly see the opening of the cave. Michael holds up his hand to stop me from moving forward. "Do you hear that?" he whispers. It's hard to hear much of anything over the pounding of the rain against everything around us. I slow my breathing and focus on every sound that I can reach with my ears. Then I hear it, it sounds like an animal is dying, moaning and whimpering in pain.

"Is that?" I begin.

"It's Alpha James," Michael says quietly. "Either he is injured or he's in some other kind of pain."

"I've never heard someone who was simply injured, sound like that," I tell him.

We quietly edge towards the cave, trying to keep to the shadows in case he can see our approach. It could be a trap, it could be an array of many things going on in there. Either way, we need to use caution.

"Fucking bitch!" floats out of the cave suddenly, followed by a scream of agony. "I'm going to kill you when I get home," whimpers follow. Michael gives me a look as if to say "what the hell?" and we slowly move to the edge of the cave. Before I can say or do anything, Michael shifts and his wolf is enormous and his hackles are up. He stalks straight into the cave, growling as he does so. "What the hell?" It's Alpha James. I waste no more time and run into the cave, still in my human form.

There lies Alpha James, curled up against the wall. He's extremely disheveled, and he keeps clutching his stomach and groaning as if he's in extreme pain. "Alpha," I growl out, not sure if I'm speaking to Michael or to James at this point. Alpha James snaps his gaze to mine and then back to Michael's wolf. Michael's wolf is pacing in front of him.

"Guardian," Alpha James says to Michael. "You will protect me, you are sworn to protect me." I shake my head at him.

"I wouldn't touch at that right now Alpha James. You are in a great deal of trouble right now." He's about to respond when he bends over and clutches his stomach, he begins to shift as his wolf howls from inside him. "Alpha James," I yell. "Do not shift."

"I can't........"he gasps. "I can't stop it. My mate is fucking someone else, I can feel it.....oh Goddess," he howls. His fur begins to sprout and his claws come out. He is trying not to shift, but the pain that he's feeling at the moment is forcing his wolf to push forward. His words give me pause. His Luna, his mate is with another right now? Beta Roger is there with one of the councilman and two guardians. How on earth is that happening right now? I'm so shocked by what I'm witnessing that I'm nearly knocked over when Alpha James shifts and tries to dart towards the cave entrance. Michael stops him in a move so fast I didn't see him coming. His jaw clamps on Alpah James neck, an attempt to get him to submit to him. Right now, it's a battle to see which of these two Alpha's are the stronger. I'm certain that I know who would win that battle, if it has to be fought.