Moon Bound [Undergoing Rewrite]

Chapter 6

HER HEART CLENCHED with pain as she watched her brother destroy her study. Growls escaped his lips as he grabbed the armchair and tossed it across the room. It smashed against one of the walls before shattering apart.

With bloodshot eyes, he faced her, his breathing erratic. "Does it not hurt you at all?"

Of course, it did. She too wanted to destroy something, let out the pain eating at her on the inside. "I am in pain as you are."

"You sure as hell ain't showing it!"

"Jackson, stop," Alfonso said from the armchair behind the desk.

"Our parents are dead, Ludovica."

She swallowed hard as she fought the tears. She couldn't break. If she lost all control and drowned in her sorrow, it would start a domino effect. Slowly, her pack would drown with her as well. Even if she was barely holding on to her sanity, she had to act as if she was okay. As she met Alfonso's gaze, she realized he knew well what she was going through. And perhaps he did. Alphas had to pretend as if nothing ever fazed them.

"Jackson, your sister is the Alpha of your pack and as such, she must always maintain composure. We don't have the privileges others do. As leaders of the pack, we hold everyone on our shoulders—everyone is connected to us. If we fall, not long after, so does the pack."

Jackson faced Alfonso as he flattened his hands against the mahogany surface of the desk. "I want to know what is being done to track these bastards."

"They are using scent blockers. Tracking them will not be easy."

"But not impossible."

"Nothing is impossible. All the warrior teams are searching every inch of the territory as we speak."

Jackson folded his fingers into fists at his sides. "Searching the premises didn't help before."

"Then what would you have me do?"

Ludovica placed her hand on her brother's shoulder but pulled back when she noticed how much it trembled, revealing she was on the verge of breaking. "Please, brother. Alfonso is trying everything within his power to help—" A gasp escaped her lips as an agonizing pain spread through her body. Her body shook as she stumbled back.

When it seemed as if something sharp pierced her shoulder, she let out a cry. Her hand clasped over it. As she pulled it back, her eyes widened at the scarlet liquid on her palm, slowly dribbling down the inside of her forearm. She met the eyes of her brother before collapsing to the ground with a soft thud. Her elbow took most of the impact, shooting painful electric tremors through her arm. Agonizing pain coursed through her body. She gasped for air, but it seemed as if her lungs were being crushed.

"What's happening to her?" Jackson asked in a frantic voice as he crouched behind her and pulled her to him. When her body jerked against her will, he tightened his hold around her. A howl rose far in the distance. 

Then, her eyes watered as she realized her mate was being hunted. The pain she felt wasn't hers, but his. In disbelief, she pressed her hand against the laceration on her shoulder, wondering how this could be possible. No one was linked like this, not even true mates.

The wise wolf within her fought for control as the instinct to protect their mate kicked in. A soft, weak growl escaped her lips as she struggled against her brother, but he maintained the firm hold around her.

As the seconds ticked by, her breathing slowed down, the pain in her shoulder lessening. Part of her was relieved to realize that everything had stopped; it confirmed that Dmitri had managed to fight off his attacker.