“Alpha! We have to go!” someone yells as they grab my arms and pull me to my feet. “They’re coming back!” They yell, and I look around absently as my body shuts down from the shock.
“Athena!” someone else yells and then slaps me across the face.
I shake my head, and my eyes focus on Ryna as he shakes my shoulders. “He’s gone,” I croak out.
“I know, honey,” he says softly. “But we have to go. We have to get everybody to safety,” he says, and I look back at our group as they help the chosen into the woods.
I see Andreas unconscious on the ground, and I’m brought back to reality. “Let’s go,” I say, taking one last look at the blazing fire.
As I turn to run to Andreas, I see movement in the tree line behind the barn, making me stop. “Enyo, is that…?”
She stops howling and focuses on what I’m looking at and then growls. ‘DEREK!’
“RYNA!” I yell, and he runs back to my side, and I point to Derek in the distance. “IT’S FUCKING DEREK!”
“THAT FUCKER!” He yells and shifts.
“TONY! GET EVERYBODY TO SAFETY! WE’LL MEET YOU BACK AT HOME!” I yell out, and Tony nods and starts leading people toward the tree line.
I shift, letting Enyo take control, and she chases after Derek with Alaster close behind us.
‘How is he so fast!’ Ryna asks as we struggle to keep up with him.
‘I don’t know, but we need to catch him!’
We chase Derek through the woods for what seems like an eternity when suddenly, he looks back at us with a smirk and starts running even faster.
‘WHAT THE FUCK?!’ Enyo yells as we lose sight of him.
Enyo and Alaster come to a stop and sniff the ground, trying to follow his scent, but it just stops in this spot.
Enyo lets out an enormous roar in frustration.
‘FUCKING WITCHES!’ I yell when she stops roaring.
‘What do you want to do, Alpha?’ Alaster asks.
‘I WANT TO KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!’ I yell, causing Alaster to whimper.
Overwhelming grief takes over again, and Enyo lets out a sorrowful howl to the moon, and Alaster does as well.
‘Come on, honey,’ Ryna says once our wolves finish howling. ‘We need to get back before anyone finds us. We have people we need to help, including your mate.’
#
The first face I see when we get back to the pack house is Moms. Her eyes are red from crying, and when she sees me, she runs to me, pulling me into her arms. I sob into her shoulder as she rubs my back, trying to soothe me.
“He saved me,” I whisper, and she squeezes me tight.
“Alpha?” Tony says from behind me, and I clear my throat and wipe my eyes before turning around.
“All the chosen you found in the basement have been taken to the pack hospital and are being treated,” he says.
“Thank you, Tony.”
“Alpha…” Noah says from behind Tony.
“Yes, Noah?” I ask.
“You found him?” He asks, his voice cracking as he holds back tears.
I nod and take his hand, and lead him to the pack hospital. When we get inside, we find Doc Apollo ordering people around.
“Doc,” I call out to get his attention.
“Alpha,” he sighs. “I’m so glad to see you. Thank the Goddess we have other packs visiting right now. I have two extra pack doctors here to help, as well as trained nurses. I honestly don’t know how we would have coped,” he says, looking around. “Where’s Gamma Alex?”
My lip trembles, and I shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut to stop the flood of tears threatening to escape.
“Oh,” he says quietly and pulls me into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Alpha.”
I squeeze him tightly and then pull back, clearing my throat. “How are the chosen we found?” I ask, wiping the stray tears that escaped.
“They’re malnourished and in pretty awful shape. The couple we’ve been able to get to talk said they were tortured. There are also signs of wolfsbane poisoning, so this is going to be a long road both physically and mentally,” he explains.
“What about Andreas?” Noah asks. “Where is he?”
“He’s just through there,” Doc Apollo points to a nearby room.
“Can we see him?” I ask.
“Of course.”
Noah runs to the room, but I can’t move. My heart is racing, and I feel like I’m going to pass out.
“Alpha?” Doc Apollo asks, concerned. I begin to hyperventilate, and he leads me to a chair, sitting me down. “Just breathe, Alpha,” he says as he leans me forward so that my head is between my legs, and he rubs my back.
“I failed him. I failed them all,” I sob.
“You didn’t fail them, Alpha. The people that did this to them are responsible, not you.”
“Andreas is my mate, Doc. I thought he was dead. I didn’t even look for him.”
“If you knew he was out there, then you would have done something about it.”
“But…”
“No. All you can do now is to be there for him and help him get through this.”
I nod and take deep breaths, and when I’ve calmed down, I stand up and hug Doc Apollo again, then walk to Andreas’s room.
I quietly close the door behind me, and I hear Noah sobbing.
“It’s really him.”
“It is,” I say as I walk over to the bed and gently take Andreas’s hand in mine, the tingling feeling crawling up my hand like it did the first time he touched me.
“I can’t believe it,” Noah says as he wipes his face. “How is this possible?”
“I have no idea,” I whisper as I softly move his hair out of his face and place my hand on his cheek. “I can’t believe it either.”
“Do you think the video was faked?” Noah asks, holding Andreas’s other hand.
Andreas groans, and his eyes flutter open, his beautiful amber eyes meeting mine, and I smile. “We thought we’d lost you,” I say gently, and Enyo howls happily in my head.
“We?” He asks, and I look at Noah.
Andreas turns his head to Noah and smiles.
“I should kick your ass for disappearing on us like that,” Noah says with a sniff and smiles back.
“What can I say? I needed a holiday from your nagging,” Andreas says jokingly, wincing in pain as he tries to sit up. “Where are we?” He asks as he looks around the room.
“Our pack hospital,” I explain. “The others are here too, except for the she-wolf.”
“What happened to Teresa?” he asks.
“She didn’t make it,” I say.
“I’ll go and check on the others,” Noah says and stands. “I’ll come back and visit you later,” he says to Andreas and gives my shoulder a squeeze as he walks past and leaves the room.
“Athena…” Andreas says, his voice cracking as he starts to cry. “I thought I’d never see you zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzagain.”
“Shhh, I’m here,” I say, trying not to cry as I sit down carefully on the bed next to him and place my forehead against his.
“I was such an idiot,” he cries. “I never should have stayed away from you. I should have never let you go in that cave.”
A sob escapes, and I wrap my arms around his neck and cry into his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Andreas. I should have looked for you. I thought you were dead.”
“No, angel. I know what they did. There’s no way you could have known,” he says, rubbing my back.
“No. I should have known. I shouldn’t have stopped until I found you. Everything they did to you, it’s all on me,” I say, leaning back and looking into his eyes. “I promise you. I will find everyone behind this, and they’re going to pay for what they did to you and the others.”
He places his hand on my cheek, rubbing his thumb over it. “We’ll do it together,” he says. “There are things you need to know, Athena,” Andreas says, trying to sit up again.
“Shhh, it’s okay. Later. You need to rest,” I tell him. “Doctor Apollo says you have a lot of wolfsbane in your system. They need to flush that out as quickly as possible.”
“I’m fine. You’re in danger, Athena,” he says, but I cut him off.
“That’s nothing new, Andreas. Now please lie back and rest,” I order him gently, and I lean down and give him a chaste kiss on the lips and place my forehead against his again. “I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too. Again, I’m so sorry. I never should have left your side once I found you.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Enyo says, coming forward. “You were trying to protect us.”
Andreas’s eyes turn green as Ares comes forward. “We’re never leaving your side again.”
“Deal,” Enyo says and kisses them before pulling back.
“You’re the chosen Alpha, Athena. You’re who they’re after,” he blurts out, worried.
“How do you know about the chosen Alpha?” I ask.
“Doctor Shields told me about it the day they took me. He just didn’t know who it was until last night.”
“Doctor Shields is still alive?”
Andreas nods. “He took care of our wounds after we were… Questioned. It was the whole reason behind why they had us. They were trying to find out who the Alpha was.”
There’s a knock on the door, and Tony pops his head into the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Alpha, but everyone’s waiting.”
“I’ll be right there,” I tell him, and he nods and closes the door.
“They’re already calling you Alpha?” Andreas asks with a smile.
“Well, I’m also the pack Alpha now,” I tell him, feeling a little awkward.
“That’s amazing, Athena. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks,” I say, my cheeks turning red.
“Why are they waiting for you?”
“We were supposed to be having my ceremony. But I think I’m going to push it a couple of days.”
“You can’t do that. Your pack needs an Alpha now more than ever. There’s a war coming, and you’re going to need all the protection you can get.”
“So much has happened the last two days. I’m not sure it’s the right time.” I say sadly.
Andreas places his hand on my cheek and pulls my forehead down to his. “You can do this, Athena. I believe in you,” he says softly and kisses the tears running down my cheeks.
“Dad, Uncle Alex, he died in the explosion,” I sob. “He saved me, and he and his mate died because of it.”
“Alex loved you so much, Athena. He will always be with you. And I’m guessing he would want you to take your rightful place as Alpha. Not just of the chosen, but of your pack.”
I sit back and take a deep, shaky breath and wipe my face. “Okay.”
Andreas leans over and gets the little remote attached to the bed, and presses the button for the nurse.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I ask.
“I’m getting out of this bed and watching my mate become Alpha,” he says with a big grin, and my heart melts at the sight.
“You are staying right here in this bed, Andreas,” I tell him.
I hear the door open, and Doc Apollo comes in. “Is everything okay?” He asks, coming over to the bed.
“I need to get out of this bed, Doc. I have a ceremony to attend.”
Doc Apollo chuckles, shaking his head. “The only event you’re attending is the one I booked with an MRI machine.”
“Sorry, Doc, no can do. I promised my mate I was never leaving her side again, and I’m not breaking that promise already.”
“You two are as stubborn as the other,” Doc Apollo says, exasperated. “You are not strong enough to leave this bed yet.”
“My mate gives me strength. She’s all I need,” Andreas says and starts pulling the IV out of his arm.
“Andreas, please listen to the Doc and stay in bed,” I tell him, letting my aura out softly, but he keeps going.
“I felt that sweetheart, but I am going to this ceremony whether or not you help me,” he says with a grin as he slowly swings his legs over the side of the bed.
“My aura didn’t work on you?”
“Doesn’t look like it,” he smiles again. “But I felt the power.”
“Great,” I huff. “Will you stay in bed if I say please?” I ask, batting my eyelashes at him.
“Not a chance. I’m not missing this, Athena,” he says seriously.
“Fine,” I sigh, exasperated. “Doc, can you please get him a wheelchair?”
“He is to come straight back here after the ceremony,” Doc orders.
“Of course,” I tell him, and he leaves to get a wheelchair, mumbling under his breath.