Claiming My Wolf
Chapter 55

~~Logan’s PoV~~

My father’s team is assembled on the lawn, all listening to me now. Following my new plan, I spoke to people one-on-one, and they started to speaking to others, and now I have a big group ready to fight with me. There are a few important people missing, senior members of our security forces, and I have to guess that they are with Beta Aldric. I couldn’t have guessed that we had that many traitors in our ranks, and I know my dad will be heartbroken when he learns of their betrayal.

I’ve sent a small team to the hospital to keep watch over my dad and make sure that no one gets to him. I wouldn’t put it past the Beta to try to attack him again once he learns he’s failed to kill him. With that done, I focus the rest of the group on replaceing Aldric and bringing him to justice once and for all.

“He’s looking for Sadie Jennings,” I tell them all, my voice carrying across the open air. “He believes that by killing her, the Moon Goddess’ influence will be broken and all mate bonds will break with it. That will allow him and his forces to take advantage of the resulting chaos and take over not only Westbridge but the other packs in the area too.”

I see surprise on their faces as I lay out his plan, but no signs of disbelief.

“He was behind the attack that killed Kara and the Luna as well,” I tell them, wanting them to have all the information. “He’s betrayed all of us. If you need to use deadly force against him or anyone who is fighting with him, you have my permission. I will answer to the Alpha for it.”

Again, there is no argument. I have their trust now, I can feel it, and it makes me feel stronger too.

I reach out in my mind for Micah again, hoping he has re-opened his link, but there’s still no reply. I wish I knew where they were, but on the other hand, it’s more important that we replace the Beta. We need to focus on tracking him for now.

I give the order and the team breaks up into smaller search groups that will spread out across the territory. Aaron is still there, of course, and I see that Laurel and Ava have come back too. Ava catches my eye as I walk past.

“Is Sadie okay, Logan?” The worry in her voice is the same as what’s in my heart.

“She was last time I saw her,” I answer honestly. “Micah’s promised to protect her.”

That seems to make her feel better. “I know he’ll do his best,” she says, and I have to agree with that. He won’t let any harm come to her if there’s anything he can do about it.

With our teams formed, I tell everyone to head out and we all shift and spread out into the woods, leaving a small group to guard the pack house as well in case the Beta comes back. The moon shines down on us and I end up a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess, asking her to help me protect my pack and to keep Sadie safe.

I hope she can hear me.

~~Ava’s PoV~~

I’m in the same group with Laurel and Aaron. It wasn’t on purpose, it’s just the way it worked out, but I’m glad to have them nearby anyway. I know they’re as anxious about Sadie as I am.

I can’t believe all of this, that Sadie is the vessel and that’s why her parents were killed, or that it was the Beta who’s behind it all. But yet, I do believe it, because Logan said it’s true, and I know he wouldn’t lie to us. This pack means everything to him.

A wolf howls in the distance and our squad leader stops, his ears twitching to identify the direction the sound came from. A couple of seconds later, he takes off and we all follow in behind.

We’ve only had a couple of weeks of training with our wolves and I wasn’t expecting to be involved in any kind of real fighting so soon, but I’m ready for it anyway. Just like Logan, my responsibility is to the pack now.

And maybe, I can’t help thinking, if we get this all taken care of tonight, the mate bond will be restored and I can replace my real mate after all. That would be really nice.

The smell of other wolves grows stronger as we get deeper into the woods. They’re from our pack, but at the moment, I know that doesn’t count for much. They could be from our pack and still be enemies. It’s civil war right now.

Although we’re quiet, they must have smelled us too, because suddenly we’re ambushed out of nowhere. The wolf in front of me is taken down and his throat ripped out in a matter of seconds, and my heart nearly stops.

‘Ava, move!’ That’s Aaron in my head, and I realize I’ve frozen to the spot, watching my packmate bleed out in front of me. I’ve never seen anyone die before, not like this at least, but there’s no time to mourn right now. We’re still under attack.

I jump on the back of the wolf who just killed my squad mate. He howls as my claws dig into him and he tries to throw me off. I don’t know who he is, but he must be someone I’ve gone to parties with, that I’ve seen at picnics and other pack meetings. How have we come to this?

I cling on as best as I can until Laurel appears in front of us and joins in the fight. Together we manage to bring him down and Laurel uses her strong jaws to break his back legs. She doesn’t kill him though.

‘It’s not the Beta,’ she tells me by mind-link. ‘Leave him for now.’

The other wolves who attacked us have all been subdued as well, and we leave them there, injured but not dead, as we carry on deeper into the forest.