Chapter 106 The Alpha's Demand

Chapter 106 The Alpha's Demand
THE UNDERGROUND BUNKER

The silver light finally faded away.

Twila lay on the cold floor. The sound of her bones cracking and shifting back into human form echoed loudly in the room.

She gasped for air, pulling her knees tight to her chest. She was completely naked, shivering violently as the cold air hit her sweaty skin.

Niles didn't look at her. He kept his eyes shut tight, respecting her privacy. He ripped his plain black t-shirt off and held it out blindly toward her.

"Put this on," Niles whispered, his voice weak and raspy.

Twila reached out with shaking hands. She took the warm shirt and quickly pulled it over her head. It was huge on her, dropping all the way down to her mid-thigh. It smelled just like him—mint.

"Okay," Twila choked out, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm dressed."

Niles finally opened his eyes.

Twila gasped and crawled over to him on her hands and knees.

Niles looked terrible, his face was covered in blood. It had poured from his nose and ears. He leaned heavily against the wall, panting as if he had run a hundred miles.

"Niles, you are bleeding so much," Twila cried, grabbing his face with both hands. "You took too much pain for me."

"I told you I would take it all," Niles smiled a tiny, exhausted smile. He leaned his face gently into her palms. "I would die a thousand times before I let you hurt, Twila."

Twila stared into his eyes, the mate bond was fully active, buzzing happily in her chest. But right now, she didn't feel controlled, she felt gratitude.

"Thank you," Twila whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. "You saved my life."

"You did the hard part, beautiful," Niles murmured, wiping a tear off her chin with his bloody thumb. "You are the perfect Lunar Queen."

He slowly pushed himself off the floor, groaning softly as his muscles ached. He offered his hand to her.

Twila took it and pulled her up to her feet.

"Let's go," Niles said quietly. "Your Storm King is probably losing his mind out there."

THE HALLWAY

Raiden paced the hallway, his hands were deep in his pockets.

"Are they here yet?" Raiden asked, glaring at Delaney.

Delaney stared at his laptop screen, his eyes were wide with panic.

"They are moving really fast, Raiden," Delaney said, his voice shaking. "I count at least two hundred wolves running through the forest. They are only minutes away from the main gates."

"Let them come," Cassian growled, cracking his knuckles. "I will smash every one of them."

"We are not fighting an entire army of wolves," Neon yelled, stepping forward. "My sister just survived her first shift! She is exhausted! We can't start a war tonight!"

"Neon is right," Island agreed, crossing her arms tightly. "We need to lock the gates and hide."

Click.

The door of the bunker swung open slowly.

Everybody froze.

Niles walked out first, he was shirtless, his chest and face covered in dried blood. He looked as if he had just walked straight out of hell.

But right behind him, holding onto his arm for support, was Twila.

"Twila!" Raiden yelled.

He sprinted across the hallway, he didn't think about the vampire. He grabbed Twila and pulled her into his chest, hugging her tightly.

"You're alive," Raiden breathed out, burying his face in her messy hair. "You did it, Psycho."

"I did it," Twila sobbed, hugging him back with all her strength. "I'm okay, Raiden."

Raiden pulled back just enough to look at her face.

His eyes dropped down and he noticed what she was wearing. She had the vampire's black shirt on.

Raiden's jaw clenched. A sharp, terrible pain shot through his eyes. But he stayed quiet.

Raiden looked up at Niles.

"You kept your word," Raiden said, his voice rough and serious. "You kept her safe."

"I always keep my word, Vane," Niles answered simply, leaning against the wall because he was so tired.

"Guys, we have to go right now," Levi interrupted, holding his ice spear tightly. "The wolves just breached the outer forest, the alarms will sound in five seconds."

WHEOO-WHEOO-WHEOO.

The loud sirens blasted through the corridors.

"They are at the front gates," Delaney yelled, shutting his laptop.

"Let's move," Raiden ordered and scooped Twila into his arms, carrying her easily against his chest. "Nobody touches her."

THE ACADEMY COURTYARD

The courtyard was chaotic.

Guards and teachers were running everywhere. Queen Seraphina stood at the front of the gates. They were locked tight, but massive thuds pounded against the metal from outside.

Raiden carried Twila to the front, gently setting her down next to his mother.

"What is happening?" Twila asked, looking at the shaking gates.

"Your people are here, Twila," Seraphina said softly, her eyes filled with sadness. "They heard your howl. They have been waiting fifteen years for a Queen."

"Open the gates!" a booming, rough voice roared from the other side. "Open the gates or we will tear these walls down!"

"Do not threaten my school," Seraphina warned, her voice amplified by magic.

"We don't want your school, witch!" the man shouted back. "We want our Queen! We smell her!"

Twila grabbed Raiden's hand tightly, she was terrified.

"Open the gates, Mom," Raiden said quietly. "If we don't let them in, they will just break them."

Seraphina nodded slowly and waved her hand.

The gates creaked loudly and swung wide open.

Standing outside were hundreds of people. They wore torn clothes, leather jackets, and heavy boots. They looked wild, angry, and dangerous.

A massive, extremely tall man stepped forward. He had a thick beard, scars on his face, and glowing yellow eyes.

He was the Alpha.

The Alpha scanned the courtyard, his eyes locked onto Twila.

He didn't attack but dropped to his knees in the dirt.

Instantly, the hundreds of wolves behind him also dropped to their knees.

"My Queen," the Alpha said, his rough voice shaking with emotion. "I am Alpha Maddox. We heard your call and we came to bring you home."

Twila stood frozen, she didn't know what to say.

"Stand up, please," Twila whispered nervously.

Maddox stood up and looked at Twila, but then noticed the people around her.

He saw Raiden holding her hand and saw Niles standing right behind her.

Maddox's face twisted with disgust.

"Why are you holding hands with a Storm King?" Maddox demanded, pointing a thick, scarred finger at Raiden. "His father slaughtered our packs! He burned our homes down fifteen years ago to find you!"

"Raiden is not his father," Twila argued loudly, stepping in front of Raiden. "He saved my life!"

"And why do you smell like a filthy vampire?" Maddox roared, his eyes flashing to Niles. He noticed the shirt Twila was wearing. "Are you wearing a vampire's clothes, Queen? They are our sworn enemies!"

"Don't speak to her like that," Niles growled, his fangs dropping down.

"You do not belong with these outsiders!" Maddox yelled, completely ignoring the vampire. "You belong with your pack, Twila! We have been hunted and killed for years without a leader! You owe us your life!"

"I don't owe you anything!" Twila cried, stepping backward. "I don't even know you!"

"You are a wolf!" Maddox screamed, taking a step forward.

Raiden sparked with lightning, stepping in front of Twila. Cassian and Levi raised their weapons, ready to fight.

"Take one more step toward her, and you die," Raiden threatened, his voice dropping into a deadly rumble.

Maddox glared at Raiden, then he looked right at Twila.

"We are not leaving without our Queen," Maddox declared loudly, his voice echoing into the night. "You have exactly twenty-four hours to pack your things and walk out of these gates with us."

"And if I don't?" Twila asked, her voice shaking.

Maddox smiled evily.

"If you refuse your own people, Twila," Maddox promised coldly, "we will tear this castle apart brick by brick. We will slaughter every student inside these walls until you are forced to leave."

Maddox turned around and walked back outside the gates, his army of wolves following right behind him.

They didn't go far, they just sat down in the dark forest outside the school, surrounding the entire Academy.

Twila stared at the dark trees.

She had survived a lot, and now, her own people were holding the school hostage.

"What do we do?" Island asked quietly, breaking the heavy silence.

Raiden grabbed Twila's hand tightly and looked at the wolf army waiting in the
dark.

"We prepare for war," Raiden whispered.