The Hybrid (Alpha Trilogy #2)

Chapter 14

Red

I almost drop my mate as her teeth sink into my neck. But I don't.

She pulls away from my neck and licks away the blood.

'Now you're mine.'

"You sure know how to surprise me, little mate. I did not expect that."

'No matter. I want everyone to know you belong to me, but my human didn't even think about marking you. Had I been stronger, I would've mated you right here and now, but you'll have to wait until I'm stronger.' I'm shocked, to say the least. I didn't expect Pearl to be so bold, considering how shy Skye is.

"You're amazing. And so different from Skye. How are you so strong?"

'I'm not strong, well, physically speaking, but I've been maturing quietly ever since I first connected to my human. I just couldn't break through. That father of ours poisoned us with silver and wolfsbane, so I couldn't even help her through her hardships. I regret being unable to support her, but there was nothing I could do.' I gently lay her down under a tree, making sure she's in the shade before unzipping my jeans and shifting into my fur again.

I curl up around her and she snuggles into my body.

'It wasn't your fault, my little one. Everything is that fucker's fault and he paid the price.' I nudge her with my nose lightly.

'But it still hurts that we suffered so much at the hands of our father. If I had been a little stronger, she at least wouldn't have been alone.' She sighs.

We stay under the tree for hours, just enjoying our time as wolves while Pearl gathers strength to shift back into human. I'm content with having her snuggled into me, fur to fur. Watching my parents, I quietly wished I had a mate that would have a wolf for me to connect with, to be able just stay in our true forms.

We decide to take a short nap before we head back to the house. I keep Pearl on my front legs and hide her with my head. She's so tiny against my huge form that it scares me how easily she could get hurt, even unintentionally. Most of the wolves in our pack are bigger than average, not to mention the wolves from my family, which are enormous, so even someone stepping on her or nudging her too strongly can hurt her real bad. Not that I would allow that to happen.

After a while, I hear some rustling around us. Due to my heightened senses, I can hear much better than a werewolf. That's why I can tell that whoever it is nearby, they are not from our pack. I raise my head, careful not to wake my sleeping mate, and scan the area.

Five.

Wolves.

Not pack.

'What's wrong?' Pearl gets up and stares up at me questioningly.

'Rogues. Stay close.' I instruct before mind linking my mother, telling her to come and take Pearl home.

Mom reaches us a minute later, riding on father's back with a bow and arrows in her hands.

"I heard them, too. They're about to cross the border." Mom says without getting off dad's back. "Take her home, we'll deal with it. What her name?"

'Pearl.'

"Pearl, do you recognize us?"

I watch my mate bow in submission to my parents, baring her neck. She clearly recognizes them as the Alpha pair, even without having met them before.

"Okay. Pearl, can you walk?" Mom asks, getting a nod in response. Pearl doesn't even dare to look up to my mom, which is quite weird, but I'm guessing that's just her response to being in the presence of someone powerful.