| D A R R E N

'How much further?' I asked, more eager than anything. Today, my dad and I were patrolling again and it was just us. The large wolf glanced down at me with radiant yellow-gold eyes. His lips curled in a snort. 'Come on! We've been following the smell for forever!' I skipped ahead, trying to keep up with his larger, more languid strides.

'The scent.' My dad corrected with a chuckle.

'Scent', I repeated, dropping my nose back to the ground. I had to make sure I paid attention to everything, that way I'd be a good Alpha when I grew up. Just like my dad. 'Can we move faster?' I want to know what it is.

'We could...' My dad, trailed thoughtfully. 'But what will you do when we get there? What if it's a rogue, or one of the pack that's been hurt, or a stray pup? What if it's dangerous?'

A learning question. I'm good at these because I pay attention. 'I'll have my beta and enforces-'

'Enforcers, good.' He corrected but let me continue.

'Enforcers. My beta and enforcers will help me with the rogue, but I have to make sure they're bad first.'

'Why is that?'

'So we don't hurt them for no reason. They could need help.'

'Good. And why do you have be the one to make that decision?'

'Because, I need to set a good, um...dad I forgot that word,' I admit, glancing up at him. 'You know, for showing so people can see what you're talking about.'

'Example. You're correct Darren. As Alpha it will be your job to make sure everyone is safe, even rogues. We are not a pack without mercy and understanding. Now, continue.'

'For a pack mate that's injured I have to make sure they're okay, and see what went wrong and make sure I tell Maryn.'

'Maryn may not be the pack doctor when you're Alpha, but you're correct. Always mind-link your pack doctor to give a heads up and so they can give advice. Now, what about the little pup?'

'Bring them back, duh! I laugh, bouncing up to put my forepaws on his front leg.' I slipped off as he took his next step.

My dad swatted me with his paw, and I just barely dodged it. He lowered his huge head, with a wolfy smile, tail wagging. My ears pressed down as I jumped at his face. He let me, growling playfully as I bit his ear.

His laugh rumbled through our mind-link. 'Alright, smarty-paws what if it's all three?' My dad asked, shaking his head dislodging my teeth. I landed on my butt, jumping up quickly with a yip.

'Then, I'll do my best!' I said, shaking out my fur that was a bit lighter than my dad's. We both have brown fur which is cool. Mom's wolf is the coolest though, her wolf is golden. Aani's wolf was pretty too, a very light gold that almost looked white. I like my sister. She's four now.

'Good, good. Let's hurry up and see what it is, then.' My dad took off. I pushed myself to keep up. He slowed, letting me catch up. 'Alright pup, catch the scent. I'll follow you.'

My tail wagged, my chest puffing. I took in a lung full of air, catching that weird scent of pine cones and something like cinnamon that made me want to rub my nose into the dirt. I padded forward, following the trail confidently. If I lost it I knew my dad would help me find it again.

Last time we went on patrol together nothing interesting happened. But it was still fun. Not as fun as this though. The stronger the scent got, the more my curiosity grew. Was it a pack member, a pup or a rogue?

My dad walked behind me, his eyes seeming to look everywhere all at once. He was already great at patrolling. I wanted to be great at it too. So I kept sniffing until the scent was so strong I just knew we were close. I looked around, trying to do what my dad does and see everything all at once.

That's when my dad spotted them first. The pup that was curled up under some tree roots. They were baring their teeth at us, obviously saying 'stay away'. Their fur was gray, but it was covered in mud and filled with sticks and leaves. The closer we got the more the hair on its neck rose. I sniffed in their direction trying to see if I could smell anything wrong, like blood. Blood is bad. If they are bleeding I need to tell Maryn right away.

They look like they're our age. My wolf pointed out. This made our tail wag. Maybe we could be friends.

Yeah, I agreed. Why're they out here?

'Darren,' My dad barked through the mind-link, 'Stay close to me-'

The pup darted out of the roots and charged straight at us. He was almost as big as me but I could count his ribs. I ran at him too.

'Carefully, Darren,' My dad cautions. I listened. It wasn't hard to pin the pup, but keeping him there was. He kept fighting the whole time, growling and snapping at me. I didn't want to hurt him so I bit his ear and snarled at him like my dad snarls at his enforcers sometimes.

My wolf radiated that energy my parents were always telling me about. Au-ra? Aura. He was using his Alpha aura for the first time. My tail wagged again. I was proud of him, that was really cool! The pup quieted, going completely still. I think he fainted. I took my teeth off of his ear. I hope I didn't bite him too hard, my dad told me to be careful so I wouldn't hurt him.

My dad stood over us both, craning his head down to sniff at the pup between my feet. I almost puffed my chest at him. I didn't really want him to get close.

The pup passed out. He noted, sounding like he was going to laugh. That made my fur stand up. Mama says it's rude to laugh at people. Alright, let's take him back. The giant brown wolf picked up the pup by their scruff gently, making me step back as he was pulled from under me.

I had to run to keep up with my dad's large steps. The whole while I kept glancing at the pup in his jaws.

||

"When're they gonna wake up?" I ask Maryn, peering over her shoulder. The pack doctor rolls her eyes at me.

"Soon enough, little pup." She says gently. The pup on the bed in front of us was fast asleep. They had shifted in their sleep a little earlier. I wasn't here when it happened. That made me feel bad.

Maryn had the cover pulled up to their chin. All I could see was their matted dark brown hair. They were tossing and turning, sometimes they'd growl softly. I wonder why they were even by themselves in the first place. Didn't they have a pack? Wasn't their alpha worried? My dad always told me that the pups are the most precious members in the pack and should be protected the most.

Their Alpha must not be a very good one.

Or...they're Alpha is dead...

That made me feel even worse for the pup. If they lost their Alpha and they're pack they really did need someone to help. And to protect them. I could do that. I am going to be my pack's Alpha when I get older and Dad says he thinks I'll be a good Alpha. I'll be the best, because there are so many people I want to protect.

My mom, my baby sister, my dad, my whole pack and even lost pups at the edge of my territory. I have to be a good Alpha. I have to.

"Okay, Darren, If you insist on staying you can be my little helper. How's that?" Maryn sighs softly, smiling gently.

"Yes!" I cheered, grinning.

"Alright, there's a few things I left at the pack house, will you keep watch for me?"

The boy shot up, looking around frantically. The shirt they gave him was slightly too big only because he was mostly bones. When his head snapped to me I smiled wide.

"Hey! Welcome to our pack-

|

I shook the memory out of my head with a small smile. Josh has always been mine in one form or another and I truly thank the goddess for that. It was something that I'd really begun to feel the weight of, especially recently with all this shit with Jared happening. It made my entire soul light up knowing that my mate was none other than my stubborn, brave and ridiculously hot headed beta.

Josh was asleep, or at least mostly asleep when I left our room this morning, if him throwing a pillow at my head because I was apparently too loud, is anything to go by. That had been a good two or three hours ago and I was once again in need of my mate in my arms. This morning had been long and really boring. Boring enough for me to think about shit that happened years ago.

Have you and Kaleb already gone to see Samira? I asked down our bond, only for silence to be only response. I reached out again, focusing on him more. Maybe he's just distracted. Josh?

Nothing. Our bond was...muted. I felt like my voice was being muffled, like I was speaking into a pillow. I tried to keep my breathing level and not explode into a billion pissed off pieces.

I followed my mate's scent to the kitchen where it was strongest. I really hope this was just another one of his stupid versions of a prank. That I could deal with. The possibility that he was taken from me right under my nose? I don't even want to let myself consider that possibility.

Walking into the kitchen I scan the room quickly. My heart is pounding in my ears like thunder. My sight was beginning to flicker red as my control began to slip through my hands. I saw Kaleb and his mate at the island, seeming to have just finished eating. The omega's gray eyes immediately snapped to my face and I did my best to hide my panic. My anger.

Kaleb doesn't need my stress on top of his own right now. I still had to ask, if anyone would know where my mate was it would be his partner in crime.

"Have you seen Josh today?" I asked. Kaleb blinked in confusion as he shook his head in the no. Fuck. The thunder-beat in my chest halted completely leaving nothing but overwhelming silence to fill my ears.

"Not since yesterday. He was supposed to meet me at the pack doctor's room in a few minutes, have you checked there?" Kaleb asked, beginning to look just as concerned as felt.

"He left the room two and a half hours ago. He's not responding to the pack link." I rumbled, running a hand down my face. "I'm getting worried." That was a fucking understatement, but I can't freak out infront of the pregnant omega. Kaleb doesn't need any added stress.

"As you should be." Samira's voice cut through the air as she entered the room. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. No. Fucking no. Again? My eyes turned completely gold. Samira was a walking zombie. Her hair was a mess, with eyes that held no light in them. And her scent was fucking gone.

My body moved on its own, crossing the kitchen as Zev blocked Kaleb's body with his own, baring his teeth at Samira.

"Ah-Ah- Ah, young Alpha." she said smoothly, outstretching a hand as if it had a hope in hell of holding me back.

It fucking didn't. I wrapped a hand around her throat and it took everything in me not to crush the life from her, still I couldn't control the force I used to slam her into the wall, it cracked. "You might want to hear what I have to say first, especially if you want to see your mate." she gasped out. I was enjoying the sight of her face turning purple, but I loosened my hold anyway.

"Speak." My wolf growled, putting all of his dominance into the word.

"He wants to speak with you. If you bring his Luna and the tiger he promises not to hurt your mate. As for whether or not he kills him depends on you three going alone. No one else. I will lead you to him." Samira said her voice was empty as she sucked in breath. She obviously meant Jared and honestly I was too pissed to be surprised that she was working with her deranged nephew.

Past the sound of my own blood boiling rage I could hear Zev growl in response to her ultimatum. Something in me broke, the last chain on my control snapping. 'His Luna'... His? Josh is fucking mine.

"Why?" Kaleb sobbed, sounding broken. That only made me want to rip Jared apart more. The obvious pain and terror in the omega's voice added a new potent pain to my chest. He'd suffered being in that shack alongside my mate and I could almost feel how much the knowledge that Josh was back with their captor tormented him.

Samira frowned at the question, having the audacity to curl her lip as if she'd just been asked the dumbest question possible. I just barely held back from squeezing her neck until her eyes popped from her skull. My nails lengthened anyway, stabbing into her skin.

"Your father wasn't the only one who lost someone during the Alpha's war with the witch coven, pup." The traitor snapped spitefully, her words thrown at me. "I lost my sister, my mate, everything! Not one of you knows how that feels!" She went into hysterics. "With my nephew as Alpha we won't have to worry about these things. He understands loss. He won't start wars that will only hurt us like your father had. We won't lose anymore of our loved ones."

Every word that fell from her lips was just salt on the gaping wound on my heart. She helped take my mate away because she went through the exact same thing everyone else in this fucking pack suffered with her? As if her loss surmounted the pain of every wolf who died or lost a loved one, who fought and left the battle scarred and changed. This bitch was willing to ignore her sins in the pursuit of a hypocritical ideal that only brought on more death and despair.

My wolf stepped forward fully then, and I became something less than human.

"He has already caused death and destruction for his own selfish gain!" My wolf shouted in her face, my fangs almost piercing my lip from how long they'd grown. Shaking, I threw her away from me before I buried my teeth in her neck and ripped her fucking throat out. Samira hit the floor with a pained groan, that only stoked my bloodlust.

I should just fucking end her, but unfortunately I still needed her. I wasn't going to waste time running around looking for my mate and risk him being hurt more. The longer I took, the longer my mate wasn't safe, the longer he was with the man that had broken him, or tried to.

"Take me to him." I commanded. Samira grimaced as she stood, clutching the shoulder she landed on as her hair fell messily into her face.

"You all must g-"

"No." Zev snapped. I didn't have to turn around to know that his eyes would be blazing emerald fire. "Kaleb will not go anywhere near him again."

Samira's lips curved down. "If you don't bring him, Beta will die." My heart sputtered at that. "Besides, Jared will come for him anyway, it is inevitable." she grumbled.

I couldn't be selfish enough to ask Zev to risk the safety of his pregnant mate in order to save mine. I would find another way even if it meant tearing Samira apart piece by piece until she broke. Until her suffering had driven her crazy and she told me everything I needed to know. The sound of Kaleb's sudden hysteria broke me from my mulling. His breathing spiked into panicked breaths, I could hear his heart thudding harshly in his chest. And even though our pack link was gone, I could feel the horror and desperation radiating from him.

"Please, Zev! I ca-can't! He can't- you don't understand, we have to save him!" Kaleb cried out through his tears. I gritted my teeth, turning my head away so none of them would see the pain in my eyes. "Please!"

"No-" Zev began, in a voice like thunder.

"Please! If you don't take me I'll find a way myself!" Kaleb snapped, there was no lie in his words. I knew he would, Kaleb had a propensity for always winding up where he wasn't supposed to be.

That one sentence threatened to fucking shatter me. The loose ends of my control began to fray even more. An overprotective cord was struck making the bloodlust an almost palpable taste in my mouth.

Zev's growls of protest were almost deafening. Samira flinched, visibly trying not to shrink into herself. I took in the smell of her fear beginning to peek through her facade and relished in it.

"I won't let him die." The omega declared with finality. With that I knew the choice had been made. And I loved him for it, just as much as I hated the fact that he was willing to put himself in danger.

I swear to the Goddess and all her moons that I would find a way to repay him.

"Listen to your mate, tiger, the Luna's life hangs in the balance." Samira shot out, when she saw Zev's resolve being challenged. Zev glared at her with enough hate to make her heart stop in her chest as he roared, ripping the island from the floor and throwing it at her. Samira barely managed to duck out of the way, landing heavily on her side.

The island crashed into the wall where she'd been, creating a hole as half of it collapsed under its own weight.

"We have no intention of handing Kaleb over, we are going to get my mate and kill your nephew. It seems you'll be losing yet another family member today." My wolf grit out.

Samira glare was filled with spite, her eyes shooting venon at all of us as she silently stood and limped towards the front door.

Every step I took after her was heavy. Every breath seemed to hang in the air with anticipation. Zev and Kaleb followed behind me as I kept Samira in my sight. Why is it that I'm always finding my mate after the fact? I found him when we were pups, found him when he was taken by Jared and once again, I am tracking down my mate. It's like the universe simply didn't understand that Josh was mine, or maybe it did and simply enjoyed taking him from me. As if I wouldn't rip the stars from the sky and burn the world to ashes just to get him back. He is mine.

When we disappeared into the trees, I vowed to myself that this would be the end.

The end of Jared.

The end of Josh's torment.

My pack deserved peace and I was going to kill for it.