Chapter 57 - Ada's Mate

Gregory

My chest is burning by the time I reach Moon Shadow. The warriors on border patrol recognise me and let me through without question, and it warms my heart. Ada blindly trusts me. Not only did she entrust the lives of her pack to me, but I am also allowed to enter their borders.

It would be so easy for me to take over Moon Shadow for myself right now. But I will not. This feeling of satisfaction and gratitude is too big to sacrifice. Her actions have started to restore my faith in humanity which Craig and Theo destroyed.

“Ada!” I shout as I enter the castle. It is eerily quiet and my heart sinks. Am I too late? Please goddess, not again. I will not survive walking into a room of dead bodies.

“Who’s there?” I recognise Theo’s voice and I grab a pillow from the couch to cover my crown jewels.

“It’s Gregory,” I walk towards the noise and find Theo in his office.

“What are you doing here?” Theo frowns as he stands up. “Aren’t you supposed to keep the pack safe?”

“They’re safe,” I reply through stiff lips. “I’m here to help Ada. Where is she?”

“Searching the caves for Clyde and Killian,” Theo answers as he looks at me with sadness.

“Thanks,” I nod and turn around.

“Gregory, wait,” Theo calls me back and reluctantly I turn around.

“I want to apologise,” Theo looks at me pleadingly. “What I did was despicable and I’m sorry.”

For a moment, I can only glare at him. I have so many sarcastic and mean comebacks, but I bite my tongue. If I want to be a better person, I might as well start with him.

“This is hardly the time to discuss it, but sure,” I shrug. “Apology excepted.”

“Thank you, son,” Theo looks at me with gratitude.

“Please don’t call me that,” I close my eyes for a brief second. “Craig is my father. You’re only part of my DNA. Let’s not make this harder than it already is.”

I smile slightly to take the sting out of my words before I turn around and run outside until I reach the cliffs. I was about to shift when the earth shatters and I fall to my knees. Instinctively, I cover my mouth and hold my breath.

F*cking Killian and his bombs, I grunt and turn around to face the castle. It is completely covered in dust, and so is the surrounding landscape. I release my breath as I survey the situation.

From the dust clouds, it is clear that Killian knew about the pack party and only targeted the castle. Which means all the warriors on border patrol are safe.

“Dammit,” I grunt as I run back to the castle. Theo is still inside and with the amount of chemical dust in the air, he might be in danger. I shift and take a deep breath before entering the dust cloud and running towards the office.

The scene that greets me makes my stomach turn. The place is completely destroyed. The wooden desk is nothing but splinters and papers are scattered all around. Theo is laying unconscious on the floor, and I bite into his shirt to drag him to safety. By the time I have him outside, the area is flooded with warriors.

I release Theo and sit on my hind legs, filling my lungs with fresh air. A warrior kneels beside Theo and takes his pulse.

“He’s alive,” he looks at me. “But his pulse is weak. We need to get him to Seth.”

“Seth’s with the rogues,” another warrior says as he looks at me. “Tell me where they are, and I’ll go fetch him.”

I shift back and give him the location.

“Mind-link Seth and tell him to start coming home,” I suggest. “Take Tyler’s Jeep, it will be faster and meet Seth halfway.”

The warrior does not waste time as he turns around and speeds off.

“One of you should take Theo to the clinic,” I say. “You all received first aid training. Keep him alive. And I’m certain he has internal bleeding.”

“Sweep the castle and make sure there’s no one inside. Remember to cover your nose and mouth before you enter the castle,” I shout over my shoulder as I run towards the caves.

**

Once I reach the caves, I rely on my smell to find Ada. At least one good thing came from suspecting her. All those hours sniffing her hoody and memorizing her scent are coming in handy right now.

I hear a woman scream in agony and I haste in that direction. I notice five wolves and I slow my pace as I creep up behind them. I keep my distance until I pick up on Tyler and Zayne’s scent.

“They’re friendly,” Kimble says. “They’re protecting Ada.”

“But they’re not,” I reply as I step back and watch wolves move in from behind. “Ada and her friends are about to be ambushed and attacked from behind.”

I move into the shadows but they are so focused on Ada’s group that they do not notice me at all. The only way that I can help Ada, is if I use the element of surprise. My timing must be perfect.

“Do try,” Ada’s voice is unwavering. “I’ve been dying to kick your a$s.”

“Not yet,” Killian replies. “I have plans for you. First, I’m going to make you watch as everyone you love, dies.”

“You’re at a lousy start,” Ada sneers. “I didn’t love Clyde.”

“How about your mate?” Killian says and I watch the wolves move in closer.

With a loud roar, I leap forward and bite into the first wolf’s neck. He howls in pain and then all hell breaks loose.

Ada

Fear grips my heart when the wolf howls in pain and I swing around. My first reaction is relieve to see that it is not one of our wolves that is being attacked and then realization dawns on me. We are being attacked from behind and Gregory just saved our asses.

Zayne and Tyler are the first to jump in and help Gregory before Cooper and Reese join them. Zoe and Blake do not move an inch from my side.

“Gregory?” Killian whispers as he stares in shock at the fight which his men are slowly losing.

“Told you,” I gloat.

“Well,” Killian sneers. “That’s only more people you care about that I can kill.”

I had enough, I decide as I shift and bare my teeth at Killian.

“How cute,” he raises his eyebrows before he also shifts.

We glare and snarl at each other while we move in a circle. I know he is waiting for my first move to attack. But I am not in training right now and have no intention to fight fair. This is kill or be killed. I get ready and pretend to leap forward towards Killian. But at the last second, I twist my body to the right, missing Killian’s claws and landing next to him. Before he could turn to face me, I bite into Milo’s neck and decapitate him.

Killian howls in anger before he leaps at me, but I sidestep him with ease and slash his side open. With a yelp, he moves away from me towards Margo and his two men that were next to Milo jump at me.

Instantly, Blake and Zoe jump in and kill them with ease. The three of us form a line and slowly pace towards Killian.

“We must help him,” Jackson’s mate cries before she shifts and places herself in front of Killian as a shield, followed by Grant and Jackson.

Quickly, I look at Lola. Tears are streaming down her face, and she covers her mouth before she runs out of the chamber.

“Zoe,” I mind link. “Catch her, but don’t kill her if you don’t have to. Blake and I can handle this.”

Zoe speeds off and Blake and I stand closer together. The she-wolf lunches towards me, and I wait until she is nearly on top of me before I step to the side and slash her side open. She whimpers in pain as she crawls away and I turn around just in time to see Jackson and Grant jumping towards me simultaneously.

I jump away and they land between me and Blake. As if we discussed it beforehand, Blake and I attack from the side. Grant and I collide with a thud, and we roll over twice before we are on our feet again. He jumps at me, and I extend my claws, ripping his stomach open. He lands hard and does not move.

I turn to Blake and see Jackson on top of him. With a roar, I sink my teeth into Jackson’s neck and pull him off Blake. I jerk my head quickly until his neck snaps before I drop him to the floor.

Quickly I turn to face Killian, but he is gone.

“Killian’s getting away,” I mind link Tyler and Zayne as I turn around and see him run out of the chamber. “Get him.”

“Don’t worry, sis,” Tyler replies. “Gregory and I are on it.”

Satisfied, I turn to face Margo as I growl low and deep.