Bound to Kill
Chapter 8

Alexa

We quickly remove our clothes and shift, running in perfect sync toward the pack border, weaving through trees and using our mind-link to communicate.

What’s the plan? I ask while keeping pace with his magnificent white wolf.

Darius replies matter-of-factly. Kill any Lakeside wolf in our territory.

I’ve been around Shadow Creek enough to distinguish the packs’ scent from the enemies and vice versa. I don’t have to worry about mishaps with allies, but my adrenaline skyrockets in anticipation. How many are we up against?

Enough to cause us problems with our numbers so low. Darius’ tone is grim.

Has this happened before?

Usually, Paul only sends a small contingent to report back to him. He must have heard we’re vulnerable. We have a rat, he hisses.

Well, let’s kill some wolves, then hunt down your rat. Secretly, I hope the rat is Stacey.

Up ahead, around thirty Shadow Creek wolves are already in battle. Their form is cohesive, working together seamlessly. Darius and I reach the battleground side by side and lunge for the wolves closest to us, making quick kills by tearing out their throats. Blood splatter sprays through the air, turning the grass crimson.

We continue tearing through enemy lines, decimating Lakeside wolves as quickly as a bird shits on a freshly waxed car. My heart thumps wildly like a war drum. The metallic tang in my wolf’s mouth has her exhilarated, high on the thrill of the kill. Too caught up in battle, I lose track of the Alpha.

While ripping chunks from a grey wolf, another rams into my side. My breath leaves my body in a whoosh as I propel through the air, crash-landing on a patch of stinging nettles. Motherfucker! I snarl at the dead wolf stalking.

Darius’ panicked voice sounds in my mind. Lexi?

I’m good. It’s just a scratch.

The wolf who charged me prowls closer, clearly under the impression that I’m the prey. Bless his heart. I barrel into him, causing him to tumble downhill toward a dirt path. As his rolling slows, I pounce, savagely biting down on his throat, shaking until there’s a snap.

I look around for my next kill, but only a few Lakeside wolves remain and are already being taken care of.

That was almost too easy.

With no wolves left to fight, I look for Darius, but he’s not where I left him. I tune into that tug in my chest that leads me to him—as though an invisible thread connects our souls, but I feel nothing.

Where is mate? My wolf asks.

I don’t—

My words trail off as I link with him. Darius, where are you? Silence greets me, and then panic consumes me. It’s like our connection is gone. Oh God, does that mean he’s... dead?

I take off running in the direction I last saw him. The smell of blood hangs heavily in the air. Darius’ scent lingers, too, but it’s faint. I can’t mind-link the other wolves to ask where he is because I’m not a packmate. Following his scent, I check each dead wolf in passing, praying Darius isn’t among them. It’s hard to focus on anything other than the pounding of my accelerated heartbeat.

There’s no pinpointing exactly when it happened, but I went from hating the Alpha to... caring for him. He makes me feel things... want things I never thought my broken self capable of. I reach out to him again. Darius, please answer me. Please be okay.

When I reach the mountains, his scent disappears completely. Doubling back doesn’t help. Dammit, where are you? I continue forward, checking every last one of the dead. The fear of replaceing Darius among them grows by the second. I haven’t felt terror like this since my days as a captive. It’s the kind of fear that threatens paralysis—each step is a battle. I lose count of how many dead wolves I check.

My stomach revolts as I see a white wolf up ahead, covered in blood, unmoving. My wolf can’t hear a heartbeat. I let out a soul-wrenching howl, shift and run toward him, dropping by his side. My stomach refuses to return to its default position. Blood covers almost every inch of him. No, no, no, no! I place a hand on his chest, praying for a sign of life, but his heart is still; he’s gone.

Shaking, I search his face, needing to see his eyes one last time, even as lifeless as they are now. It only takes a second for me to turn away—unable to subdue the need to vomit. My right hand rests on the rough bark of a tree while the rest of me doubles over as I empty my stomach. The dry heaves that follow are seemingly never-ending.

For the first time in over a decade, I cry. The ugly, lose-your-breath crying that should only happen behind closed doors with no witnesses. Because my mate is not the white wolf who lays behind me. I was so consumed by the fear of losing him I wasn’t in tune with my senses. A rush of relief floods me, lightening the weight on my chest. It’s not him, it’s not him, it’s not him. I repeat it like a mantra until I’m calm enough to stand, then run toward the border as fast as my jello legs allow. I need to replace Hunter.

I replace my clothes before the Beta. Once dressed, I follow his scent to the creek, where he speaks to an enforcer in hushed tones.

“Hunter, I can’t feel Darius,” I interrupt. Saying it out loud brings another wave of nausea.

He looks at me sympathetically, holding my upper arms to steady me. “Lexi, stay calm. I can’t feel him either. But I’d know if he was dead.”

After a deep breath, I ask, “How would you know? And why can’t we feel him?”

“I dunno why we can’t link with him.” For a moment, he gets lost in thought. “The pack would sense his loss, though. And so would you. Bond breaking is painful.”

“How do we replace him?”

“Let’s regroup at the packhouse. I need to debrief everyone; replace out who saw D last.” Although the thought of standing idly by instead of being proactive goes against my instinct, I know it’s our best play. “If no one saw anything, I’ll send out our best trackers.”

Words fail me, so I just nod.

“Hey. C’mere.” He wraps me in a hug. I let out a loaded breath, blinking back tears. After a few moments, Hunter pulls back to look at me. “Darius is strong. He’ll be okay.”

As I follow him toward the packhouse, I pray to all the gods that Hunter is right because seeing that white wolf confirms one thing. Losing Darius would destroy me.

Less than ten minutes later, the pack gathers around a large mahogany table in their assembly hall. Hunter tells me to sit by his side. I can feel Stacey staring daggers at me, her hatred potent.

She stands and points her bony finger my way. “What is she doing here? This is a pack meeting. Last I heard, the Alpha rejected her request to join.” An evil smirk forms on her face, making me see red.

“I’m here because I’m the Alpha’s mate,” I snap. “No matter how much you deny or cry about it, I belong here as much as you.” My nails dig into the arms of the chair. “I’ve already told your bougie ass if you want to challenge me, I’m here for it. But now is not the time. So sit your ass down and listen to the Beta!”

The girl sitting next to me, Amanda, if I remember correctly, snickers. “Nicely done! Dinnae worry about her; she’s like that with everyone.”

Amanda’s kind eyes and sweet smile calm the wave of destruction in me that thirsts for Stacey’s blood. I return her smile while admiring the beautiful curls framing her face.

Stacey grits her teeth, but Hunter interrupts before she adds any more malice to the meeting. “We’ve no time for yer jealousy, Stacey. Our Alpha is missing!”

She finally parks her ass in her seat and does us all a favour by shutting the hell up.

Hunter looks around the room. “Who saw the Alpha during the fight and where?”

“I saw him about half a mile out from pack borders, near the mountains, five minutes before the battle ended,” says a man named Adrian. His dark, scruffy hair falls into his eyes.

“Did anyone scent substances that would explain why we can’t communicate with him?”

After the pack responds with noes, I share what I can. “I followed Darius’ scent to the mountain, but it was like he just... vanished.” The last of my words come out in a whisper.

“Adrian, take point and track his scent in and around the area Lexi mentioned. Amanda and Brad, you help,” Hunter orders. “We need four teams securing the perimeter. Make sure all the Lakeside wolves ’av been dealt with.”

Everyone replies, “Yes, Beta!”

“Our sentries are back in place, but stay vigilant. There might be another attack. Did anyone see Paul or pick up his scent?” ask Hunter.

No one sensed the Lakeside Alpha.

“Then go get cleaned up, refuel and await word from our trackers.”

The room clears out, leaving me and Hunter alone. My resolve wavers. I hate feeling so useless. “I can’t just sit here doing nothing, Hunter.”

He grips my shoulders, centring me. “Have faith, we’ll replace him. Let’s see what the trackers say and go fae there.”

“Okay.”

Hunter leads me to the kitchen and forces me to eat a tuna sub. Just as I take my last bite, the trackers mind-link him. He snarls. “They lost his scent where you did but were able to detect signs of magic use. Paul is working with witches.”

“That rat bastard!” I bare my teeth. “It’s time I met the Lakeside Pack Alpha.”

“We’ve just killed a quarter of his pack. We cannae just show up for a visit. He has magic at his disposal, for Christ’s sake.” It’s the first crack I’ve seen in Hunter’s composure. I guess this is hitting him harder than he lets on.

“Correction. You can’t just show up. He doesn’t know me,” I smirk. “Don’t worry. I’ll scope him out before I go in.”

“What if yer wrong? What if he knows exactly who ya are?”

I pause for a moment. “Then shit will get dicey.”

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to like/react if you are enjoying it so far. Reviews would be much appreciated to help the story gain traction. I will try to update as often as possible.

Gem Xx