The sickened luna’s last chance

Blood spattered across my face as I tore through another rogue wolf. The metallic taste filled my mouth, momentarily dulling my other senses. I whipped my head around just as another rogue charged at me, narrowly missing the brunt of its jagged claws.

The rogue snarled, skidding to a stop a few feet away as it realized it had missed its mark. It whirled around and charged back at me, but this time, I was prepared.

My claws slashed on instinct, catching the rogue in the belly. Blood and guts spurted out before the beast even had a chance to stop. With a guttural howl, it crashed into the ground, kicking up dirt and debris with its momentum as it slid and slammed into the base of a nearby tree. Dead.

I panted, looking around for others. In the distance, I could hear the sounds of my warriors fighting off more rogues. Goddess, how many were there? Dozens?

The northern border of Ashclaw territory had always been a problem area. Rogues–wolves without packs, often stuck in wolf form and completely feral–would occasionally test our boundaries, hoping to claim a small piece of land for themselves.

Usually, a simple show of force was enough to send them scampering back into the wilderness, because rogues rarely banded together. Perhaps a few might join forces, but typically they were alone, unorganized, and easy to maintain.

But not this time.

This group had been more organized than usual. They’d killed the family living on the piece of land by the border and had taken it over as their home base during the night, then ambushed our patrol before the sun rose, killing two of my warriors and capturing

several more.

“Alpha!” Gabriel shouted from somewhere to my right. “There’s more coming from the east!”

The forest blurred around me as I ran in that direction in wolf form, far faster than I ever could on human legs, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs. The scent of unfamiliar wolves grew stronger, mingling with the smell of blood and sweat. They were close.

I slowed, dropping into a crouch as I approached a small clearing. Five rogues were gathered there. They looked up as my scent inevitably reached them, their lips peeling back to reveal yellowed fangs dripping with foamy saliva.

Before they had time to strategize, I launched myself at the closest one with a missing ear, my jaws immediately finding his throat, His warm blood gushed into my mouth as I ripped and tore, then tossed his limp body aside.

The other four attacked as one, surrounding me, circling me like prey. I spun, slashing at anything that came too close, landing blows that sent the smaller ones flying. But they kept coming, emboldened by their numbers.

A set of teeth found my shoulder, sinking deep into muscle. I howled and twisted, trying to shake off my attacker, but another one latched onto my back leg at the same time. Pain shot through me.

they were coming at me from all sides. My strength was waning, blood loss making my movements

had gone to the hospital, I hadn’t been sleeping much at all,

slept was too empty, too cold. I

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Chapter 53

hell I had gotten so used to her sleeping beside

Ella. My mate.

was her face hovering in the darkness. She was smiling, head bent, over a

the sight of her face in my mind sent a fresh surge of energy through me, burning away the fatigue and pain. With a roar, I shook off my attackers, sending them flying

flurry of fangs and claws–all I saw was that

I stood panting in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by the bodies of my enemies. Blood dripped from my fur, some of it mine,

of the trees. He limped out of the forest in human form. “The rest have fled.

to attempt shifting back to human form just yet. My wounds were already beginning

my mind kept wandering back to those final

was exhausted, outnumbered… And yet,

moments? Why had her face driven me to push through

our mate,” my

wolf would think of his mate when he needed strength to survive. It didn’t mean

scoffed. “But we both know

starting to care for her? That the sight of her in my sweatshirt made my fucking heart pound? That I looked forward to our nightly chess games more than I’d looked forward

her family had anything to do with my parents‘ death, if she was a spy… Besides,

“Alexander!”

voice rang through

“Alexander!”

name. But that couldn’t be right. Ella was in the hospital, miles away, I was hearing things, my exhausted mind playing

“Alexander, where are you?”