The Alpha and his Mate, page 3
“Of course Alpha, the only reason I thought it was best you were informed was because she seems rather frightened and hurt. It also appears to be one of the first times she’s shifted and doesn't really understand what is going on or what to do. Xavier is talking to her now but with his history in dealing with rogues and his temperament I thought it would maybe be best if you came out here yourself and assess the situation?”
I frown in confusion; how could you not know what the shift was when you grow up your whole life knowing that on your sixteenth birthday your wolf would appear and you would shift. The situation intrigued me and for some reason I found myself walking out of my office and into the cool night air.
I kept telling myself that it was because I just wanted an excuse to get away from my pile of paperwork, but I knew it was because of something else. Sixteen seemed far too young for someone to become a rogue and being out there on her own at this time of night was dangerous.
“I'm on my way Henry, please stall Xavier until I get there,” I informed him as I made my way over to the southside of our border.
“Yes Alpha,” he replied as he shut the mind link off.
Why did I feel so drawn into this situation? It wasn’t like this is the first time we’ve had to deal with a rogue trespassing on our land. Why is it all of a sudden, I was drawn into the night to see this girl? As I passed through the tree line that lined the outskirts of our small town I stuttered in my steps as an amazing scent hit me, making me stop dead in my tracks. Smelling this scent felt like I had been struggling for breath all my life and I had just experienced my first taste of refreshing air, like I could finally breathe after being submerged under water my whole life.
I broke out into a full sprint as I immediately recognised what this meant. Mate. I felt like I couldn't get there quick enough, couldn't get her in my arms fast enough. I had been waiting for my mate for years and the day has finally arrived when I get to hold her close to me and call her mine.
I was just within hearing range when I heard her whimpering quietly as she was surrounded by some of my warriors and my Beta, Xavier. Don't worry baby, no one’s going to hurt you here I thought but as I heard Xavier demand her to shift, I let out an almighty howl in anger. If she shifted and if what Henry had told me earlier was correct, she would be shifting into her human form with nothing to change into. She would be naked and vulnerable for four men to see, and my wolf went crazy at the thought, not liking the idea of her being so exposed in front of so many people.
Before I even had a say in it or a chance to think about my options my beast was unleashed, I heard my clothes rip and tear and my bones pop into place as my black wolf materialised and sprinted towards the scene. The first born in the Alpha’s bloodline was always a black wolf. Apparently, it was a symbol from our Moon Goddess, to help solidify our role as the rightful future leader of our pack. It also had a hunting advantage, it was easier for me to blend into the dark woods, making it effortless for me to hide and attack.
When I was finally near enough to see the clearing what I saw had anger pumping through my veins, mixing with the adrenaline that was already present. My mate was surrounded by three of my warriors in wolf form, one of them being Henry, and Xavier in his human form whilst she stood in the centre of the circle shaking with fear. Cuts littered her body, and it was clear that she had no clue what was going on. She looked so fragile and lost in that moment that I just wanted to wrap her up in my arms and promise her that everything was going to be okay now that we were together.
"Shift!" Xavier demanded and I let out a ferocious growl at how he was treating his future Luna. No one spoke to my mate like that, not even my Beta.
Xavier turned to me in shock, not believing that I was defending a rogue, but I wasn't paying him any attention. All my focus was on my mate, as I watched her eyes shift to me for a split second before rolling into the back of her head, her legs giving out on her as she passed out.
I growled and started stalking towards Xavier, determined in teaching him a lesson in how to treat his Luna with respect, but before I could take even a step in Xavier’s direction, I saw my mate’s body start to twitch and contort into odd angles and I know instantly that she was shifting back into her human form.
Xavier was quickly forgotten as I made my way over to her, making it just in time to lay my whole body over hers and hide her nakedness from prying eyes. She was so tiny I could easily hide her slender form with just half of my wolf body. What had happened to my poor mate to make her so thin?
“Look away,” I growled at the four of them through the mind link, no one was to ever look in her direction when she was in this state.
"But Jax she's a rogue,” Xavier stated, bewildered at my odd behaviour. “Why the hell are you protecting her?" He demanded, confused by my actions, but I couldn't respond, the only thing that was repeatedly going through my mind was one word. Mate.
I felt a presence just behind me to my right and I growled in warning, not wanting anyone near my injured mate, especially in the state that she was currently in, but when I realised it was Henry I quietened down. He had one of my t-shirts and a pair of jean shorts secured in his mouth that I always had hidden around the territory. I nodded at him in thanks, before growling at everyone to turn around, making sure not one of them could see my mate. Thank goodness Henry had given me some of my own clothing to put on her, I don’t think I could deal with having another male’s scent on her right now.
Once I was sure no one was looking in our direction I stood up off my mate and quickly shifted, putting my t-shirt on her before pulling the ripped jean shorts on myself. I tried not to look at her too much as I carefully pulled the t-shirt over her body, but I couldn't help but stare when my eyes caught the number of cuts and bruises that plagued her skin. I growled again in rage as I quickly pulled the fabric down and over her knees, trying to cover as much of her skin as I possibly could. Whoever did this to my mate was going to pay… greatly.
I carefully turned around with her secured in my arms bridal style and rounded on Xavier who had, by now, turned back around. "What the hell happened to her?" I demanded. If he had harmed her in any way, he was going to wish he was never born, best friend or not.
He shrugged, a bewildered and confused look across his face, obviously recognising the look of pure rage on my own. "I don't know man; we were all patrolling when we heard a girl screaming on our border line. We came over to see what the situation was, worried that maybe it was one of our pack members in trouble, but instead we found her panting on the floor all cut up and bloody," he explained as he gestured to my mate's form, sleeping in my arms.
"Did you see who did this to her?" I growled, some of the anger leaving me at the realisation that my pack was not to blame for her current state.
He shook his head "no sorry, there was no other scent around either. My guess is that she’s just a rogue that got into a bit of trouble and this is where her body finally gave in," he shrugged.
I growled again before looking down at the sleeping angel in my arms. Who could hurt such a perfect and innocent person?
"Why do you care so much anyway man?" Xavier questioned, not understanding why I was so protective of the strange girl who was now secure in my arms.
"Because she's his mate," Henry piped up from beside me and I looked over to see he had already shifted and pulled on his own pair of shorts.
I looked back at Xavier and ignored his shocked expression as I turned and ran back to my house. "Call doctor Tessler and tell her to meet us there," I yelled as I felt everyone run in formation behind me, I don’t think I was in any state to mind link someone right now.
Thankfully, I didn’t live too far away from where we had found her so it wouldn’t be too long before the doctor could look her over. All I could chant in my head as we ran for help was for my mate to be okay, for my mate who I had been waiting years for, to survive.
…
When my house came into view and I saw our pack doctor’s car parked in my drive I sighed in relief, thank goodness she got here quick. It did pay to be the Alpha sometimes and this was definitely one of those times. I ran through the front door, being careful not to jar the sleeping angel in my arms, and went straight for my room. I laid her as gently as I could under the duvet on my bed, not caring that the sheets would most likely be stained with mud and blood because of it. I can always buy new ones if I can't get the stains out.
"What seems to be the issue Alpha?" The doctor asked as she walked into the room after me, carrying her medical bag in one hand and a pair of latex gloves in the other, ready to snap them on.
"My mate’s injured, I'm not sure what’s wrong with her but we found her like this on the edge of the territory," I explained, gesturing over to where I’d placed her. If the doctor was at all surprised that I had found my mate she didn't show it, she just quickly walked over to my mate's sleeping form and got to work.
I sat quietly in the corner of my room on the sofa, not wanting to invade my mate’s privacy, as the doctor pulled the sheets down and started to lift her shirt up so that she could get a better look at what she was dealing with. I don’t think my mate would be too impressed with me if I had watched her whilst the doctor was performing her exam.
It took everything in me no to go over there and hold her in my arms as I watched the doctor poke and prod at her skin. It was practically in a wolf's DNA to want to constantly be physically attached to their mates, especially after first finding them. And if the mate was injured in any way the desire was that much stronger, the wolf needing to be with their mate to help soothe their pain and reassure themselves that they were still alive.
After five minutes of the doctor observing and tending to her wounds, she gently pulled the covers back over her body and walked over to me, peeling her gloves off as she did. My arms had been shaking with the effort not to move and when the doctor had finally turned to face me, I released a breath, I could finally go to her.
"She has quite the list of injuries,” the doctor explained. “Not all of them I can treat with the basic kit that I have brought with me. She did have a dislocated elbow though, recently. It was put back into place when she last shifted but as it appears to be one of her first shifts the body may not quite know where to put it. I would recommend bringing her in as soon as you possibly can so that I can scan it and make sure it has been repositioned properly, that way it won’t cause her any further issues in future shifts."
I growled at hearing about her dislocation and held my head in my hands, feeling completely useless and out of control. "What else doc?" I whispered, not really wanting the answer but needing to know, needing to know as much as I could so that I could help her.
"From what I can tell she has a few fractured ribs, a concussion and a lot of cuts and bruises, both new and old. She also seems to have an injured ankle so if it is okay with you, I’d like to scan that and the rest of her as well when you get her to the hospital, just to make sure there aren't any other injuries I've missed. If I can get her through at least an X-ray machine, then we would know exactly what we are dealing with regarding the extent of her injuries and trauma her body has endured.”
I nodded in a daze, not knowing how to react to the knowledge that my mate had come from such a broken home. "Sure doc no worries, I'll come over as soon as she's awake," I muttered.
“Alpha if I may…” Dr Tessler started to speak but stopped, probably not wanting to go a step too far after the mood I had been in all day.
“Yes doctor?” She needed to speak freely with me, the more information I knew about her the better equipped I would be able to help her.
“Your mate has obviously gone through something very traumatic…” the doctor began to explain as she looked back at my sleeping angel. “I think it’s important that you understand that she may not be completely open with you straight away. Yes, you are her mate, but you must take into consideration the state that she is currently in. Someone has purposefully done this to her, repeatedly if the scars are anything to go by. I just want you to be aware that she will probably be suffering with some trust issues to begin with, just please don’t take it to heart,” she explained as she shifted from one foot to the other.
I thought about what she’d said, and I couldn’t help but grow both sad and angry at her words. If what the doctor was saying is true, then my mate may be hurting far more than just what I could physically see on the outside.
I nodded as I watched the doctor leave, not bothering to see her out as I went straight for my mate, hoping my presence will calm her in some way. Who could do this to such a sweet looking angel?
I brushed her matted dirty blond hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear, hoping the action wouldn’t stir her awake in any way. She was so beautiful I couldn’t hold myself back from touching her, even the smallest actions like brushing her hair from her face helped calm me and my wolf. Her face was swollen, one side looking raw and painful as I took in the multiple handprint shaped bruises that marked her skin.
My hands shook at the effort I was putting into not shifting, I couldn’t lose control now, not when my mate needed me. I reached out and stroked her less injured cheek, the action causing the telling signs of our mate bond strengthening as my fingers tingle with her warmth. My wolf and I calmed down at the action, loving the feeling of fire that was licking at our fingertips.
We had waited so long to find her, at twenty-two I was beginning to lose hope that my mate was even alive. Most Alphas found their mates young, not long after they first shifted at the age of sixteen. It was believed that the Moon Goddess, our creator and the one in charge of carefully selecting each and every mated pair, did this to help strengthen the pack and give hope and reassurance to the pack's people. That when the new Alpha took over, he would already have his Luna by his side. The Alpha's mate was usually in a neighbouring pack, making it easier to find each other, but when I had shifted and travelled to each of the packs within a day’s run from me and couldn’t find her, I got confused. Has the Moon Goddess not selected a mate for me yet? Or worse… had my destined mate died in some horrible accident, resulting in me being forever mateless?
When I hit twenty and my father handed the pack down to me it was a bittersweet moment. On the one hand I was overjoyed at the fact that my father thought I was capable of running the pack, meaning he could retire, but on the other hand I was heartbroken. Heartbroken because the space on my left-hand side, the space that was usually occupied by the Alpha’s mate during the coronation ceremony, was empty.
“Where have you been hiding all these years?” I whispered into the warm glow of the room as I continued to stroke her cheek with my fingertips. I sighed as I looked up at the ceiling, praying to the Moon Goddess to give me strength so that I could find the monsters that did this to my mate and give them the punishment they so desperately deserved.
I looked back down at her sleeping form again, intent on looking at her beautiful face all night long. When I looked back at her though the smile slipped from my face as I stared into a pair of bright blue eyes, filled with terror as they looked up at me.
"Little mate… you're awake," I stuttered, not really knowing what else to say to her as I took in her fearful expression as she lay motionless next to me. "Are you thirsty?” I suddenly asked as I remembered the pint glass of water I had on my bedside table. “Here I got you a glass of water in case you were," why was I acting so nervous?
I expected her to take it from my outstretched hand straight away, needing it to quench her dry throat, but she just shrunk away from me as I held the glass out further. I frowned as I took in her fearful reaction, why would she shy away from her mate? Mates were something we were told about and looked forward to finding our whole lives. They were someone who completed us, someone who understood us and we them completely. I held the glass out further to her, hoping she would understand and see in my eyes that I wouldn’t hurt her and that she didn’t need to fear me. "Please little mate, you need to drink to help get your strength up. You have quite a lot of injuries on you and I'm sure you’re thirsty after what you’ve gone through."
Ever so slowly, like she expected me to pull the glass away from her at the last second, she reached her arm out to take the glass, her eyes cautiously staring just below mine the whole time. I just gave her a nod of encouragement and a small smile in hopes that it would ease her nerves a little more. She was shaking slightly from fright and it killed me to see her like this, but I stayed as still as possible, making sure I didn’t startle her or seem threatening in any way. As she took the glass from my hand our fingers brushed together ever so slightly, causing the magical sparks to erupt again throughout my hand. At the shock of the physical contact, she yanked her hand away, spilling the water all over both herself and the bed as the glass fell into the soft folds of the duvet.
I heard her heart rate shoot up and I looked into her eyes to see them on high alert, wide with fear at the realisation of what had just happened.
My mate whimpered slightly as she started to anxiously clean up the mess, using the t-shirt she was wearing to try and absorb some of the water that had been absorbed by the sheets and mattress underneath her.
"Hey...hey it's okay little mate, it was an accident,” I soothed, trying to calm her heart rate down before she had a panic attack. “The sheets needed to be changed and cleaned anyway so don't worry about it." I said in the most calming tone of voice I could muster, remembering everything the doctor had told me before she left.
My mate froze in her frantic actions of mopping up the water and looked at me through her lashes with her head down, showing the typical submissive pose everyone showed to their Alpha. Usually it pleased me when people look at me like this, it shows me that they respect me and trusted me to look after them, but that look on her just felt wrong. She was my mate, my equal, and the only person in the world I would hate to feel like they had to submit to me. I reached my hand out and gently tilted her chin up so that she was looking at me, trying desperately to ignore the slight flinch she had when she saw my hand coming towards her.
