"Stop! Wait!" Alaric yells as he bursts through the tree line like my knight in shining armour.
I try not to feel mad at the fact he is as naked as the day he was born. These bitches had better keep their eyes to themselves.
Killian takes the opportunity to pull me hard against his chest and plant a knife against my throat as I wiggle to be free of him. As my eyes connect with Alaric's my soul aches to be held by him, hating Killian's disgusting scent.
"Oh look who decided to join the party." Killian chuckles humourlessly. "A little earlier then expected though... Did you have fun slaughtering those rogues Alaric?" He asks in a blasé manner as if he isn't talking about murder and threatening my life.
"No one has been slaughtered Killian. Now stop these foolish games - you will not win. Give me my mate back." Alaric demands, glaring at the segregated knife as if he could shatter it with his eyes.
"Hmm I don't think so. She's quite happy in my arms, aren't you darling?" He chortles with his southern drawl.
"Killian let her go! She is nothing to do with this! I figured out your games and knew you were coming after Jessamine. Act like a man and fight me, just let my mate go." Alaric growls ferociously, and I can tell he is holding himself back from attacking as he repeatedly clenches his fists.
"No! She has everything to do with this! You have always gotten everything you wanted! You have always been the best; the favourite! Whatever little Alaric wanted, he got. Now this is something I am going to take away from you. You take my mate I'll take yours." Killian growls dangerously, and I stop breathing for a second as he pushes the knife harder into my throat.
Ok, now what the heck is this psycho talking about? I struggle to keep my balance as he walks me back over a tree trump, and I hope for his sake his little tantrum will be over by dinner. I'm starving!
"What are you talking about? As far as I know you never found your mate!" Alaric snaps angrily, tired of his bullsh*t.
"I am talking about Mila Andrews dickhead! She was my mate! But she didn't want me, no – she wanted you – still wants you! Why do you think I tried to takeover your pack? I thought she would want me if I were Alpha, but it turns out it didn't matter what I did – she was obsessed with you! Well if I don't get a mate who loves me then you won't either."
"Mila is your... your mate?" Alaric gasps.
Well damn.
"Was my mate. She rejected me right after we realised at your eighteenth birthday party. She was hoping for you, just like every other unmated female, but instead she got me, and rejected me without a thought. Remember I left for two weeks, and then came back with an army? Well I was in so much pain when she rejected me I thought I would die. But instead I became stronger, directing my anger into hating you and winning her back." Killian reveals.
"That's why you killed my mother and so many innocent lives? I have never even kissed the girl! Why didn't you just tell me? We could have saved so much bloodshed! Anyway, I banished her from the pack for attacking Jessamine – why don't you go and find her? I'm sure she needs you now." Alaric tries to twist his way of thinking, and I can tell how shocked, maddened and angry he is at all of these revelations.
Mila is one annoying bitch, to think if she had just done the right thing and accepted her mate, Alaric's parents would still be here and so much pain and hurt could have been avoided. From the corner of my eye, I notice Bear, Tori and the other warriors standing a little further into the forest, examining the situation carefully as Killian's rogues warn them not to come any closer with knives and gnashing teeth.
"Oh I know you banished Mila. I found her wandering around crying a couple of days ago." Then where the fvck is that traitor? "She pretended she wanted me, tried to seduce me and then pulled a knife out. After I broke her hands, she said that she thought if she killed me you would claim her as Luna. So obviously I had to kill her." Killian reveals with a manic laugh.
My knees feel weak and bile rises from my stomach. Poor Mila... she certainly wasn't a saint, but did she really deserve to die? Even though her motives were twisted, she was trying to help the pack at the end of the day.
"You... you killed your mate? You are going to the depths of hell for that one." Alaric growls out, his eyes conveying how disturbed he is.
"Shut up! I know my time is coming to an end, but not before I burn this mark from your mate's body, mate her myself and then takeover this pack to rule together. Then you will know how it feels to have nothing." Killian declares with a sick laugh.
"No you won't!" I defy him, but all he does is roughly grab my face and try to kiss me again.
"NOOO!" Alaric bellows, his wolf breaking out of the surface as another male tries to touch what is his.
An arrow whizzes through the air and buries itself in Killian's shoulder, who screams out in pain and surprise, causing him to drop the knife. I dive away from him into the mud as soon as the knife lands with a dull thud. Then all hell breaks loose as the rogues rush to protect their leader and the pack charges in to attack and detain them, and also protect me. I squeal as two rouges grab my arms and start to pull me away from the scene of wolves fighting, biting, scratching and growling at each other.
"Let go of me!" I snap, trying to pin my eyes onto Alaric who is currently fighting five rogues who try to pin him down, but he is just too strong.
God, he is so dreamy... Stop it Jessamine! Now is not the time!
Suddenly Bear rockets to my side, punching a hole through one of the rogues' head and head butting the other.
"Are you ok Luna?" He asks as he kneels to my side, offering me his hand and helping me up.
"Yeah I... I'm fine." I reply with a smile, warmth glowing within me as I realise he has finally accepted me.
He was the one with doubts at the beginning, and as the second in command and Alaric's friend it is important to me that he we have a good relationship. My eyes droop down and I instantly snap them shut when I realise he is bloody nude in front of me. Tori was not lying – his appendage is closer to his knees then his hips. Bear laughs at my reaction and flies an elbow into a rogue's face who was trying to sneak up on us.
"Good, now stay behind me, I will protect you." Bear promises with a slight smile as the battle rages on behind us. "And don't worry about your little friend – Tori is taking her to safety now." Bear announces, just as another rogue lunges at him. Even though he is in human form and the rogue is a wolf, he manages to grab him by the neck and smash him to the floor, effectively crushing his throat.
I gasp and shut my eyes, not wanting to see that nasty imagery, and instead look for Tori and Zerenity, relieved when I see them running off into the distance with no one following them. Bear keeps me to close to him and eventually shifts back into his wolf, as he is a more lethal warrior that way. Alaric is fighting brutally, smashing through the line of rogues that separate us and Bear protects me as promised. I consider climbing a tree to get out of the kill zone, well aware of Killian's orders for me to be killed and the snapping jaws aiming for my throat, but I would probably just fall out of it and kill myself. Wouldn't that be ironic? Two more pack members join Bear in defending me and I honestly feel so important right now, but I do not feel like gloating because of the thick stench of blood in the air and rips of blood in Alaric's fur. My mate is hurt, which makes me feel quite hungry for Killian's blood.
Finally all of the rogues are too injured to continue fighting, lying dead or whimpering on the muddy grass stained with blood. It is just Killian left who is looking murderously at Alaric, lunacy raging in his eyes. They both shift back to humans in order to torment each other.
"I didn't want to kill you because at one time you were a brother to me. But not only did you make me an orphan, you threatened my mate, and that is unforgivable." Alaric growls as they circle each other, everyone holding their breaths waiting for one of them to lunge forward.
"You're talking as if you've won Alaric... well I'm not going to let that happen. When I win, I'm going to make Jessamine watch your burning body, then claim her as my Luna over your pack. Her screams of pleasure will reach you in the afterlife." He chuckles nastily, and with a roar, Alaric dives in.
Killian flies to the floor with the strength of Alaric's hit, and my eyes see red, yearning for his blood to be spilt. Alaric follows his body and lands punch after punch to his chest and face. It is quite horrifying to hear his crunching bones as Killian desperately tries to defend himself but it is no use. It is also pretty hot to see how strong and powerful my mate is... He is just so yummy and manly!
Alaric must sense my wandering thoughts as he looks up to lock eyes with me, smiling as he sees me cheering him on. But then Killian senses Alaric is momentarily distracted, and I gasp in horror as he fumbles in his pocket and pulls out a glinting knife. His face turns to me, broken and bloody as he uses the last of his strength to plunge it into Alaric's stomach.
"No!" I scream and rush forward as Alaric roars in pain.
Agony fights for dominance in Alaric as he drives his fist into Killian's neck, crushing his throat before rolling off him.
"Alaric! Oh Alaric!" I wail as I rush to his side, dropping to my knees and pulling his head onto my lap.
The pack doctor follows me and hurries to attend to Alaric's wound.
"It's ok, I'll be fine." Alaric grits out, but the knife sticking out of his torso says otherwise.
"You've been stabbed! You are not fine!" I cry.
"Actually he will be ok. The knife isn't silver... it will hurt like a bitch for a while but should heal quickly." The pack doctor reveals and I sigh in relief. "I do need to pull the knife out though; you might want to hold the Luna's hand..." The doctor warns before he quickly pulls the knife out the way it went in making Alaric yelp.
"Its ok baby, it's ok." I soothe him, the bloody gash in his abs making tears spring back into my eyes.
"Hey, don't worry my love, I'm fine." Alaric soothes me as a first aid pack is produced and he is bandaged up.
"You better be!" I exclaim fiercely before smashing my lips onto his.
Alaric quickly pulls me closer clutching at my face and hair whilst I mess up his already ruffled auburn locks. He kisses me over and over whilst everyone cheers. I never want to be apart from him ever again. The rest of the pack start to come out from the bunker, but I hear Tori instructing children and the feint of heart to stay down there because of the bloody massacre. The joyful sounds of mates and families reuniting fills the air, and I am relieved at how well today has gone. Alaric came back to me just as promised, and apart from a bruised throat and a knife wound I will be sure to nurse, we are fine. I relish being in his arms again, holding him close and breathing in his relaxing scent.
Meanwhile Killian rasps for breath on the floor, eyes wide open in terror and his sagging chest desperately trying to take in gulps of air, but to no success. His face is gory and belongs in a horror movie, and his eyes speak of the torrents of pain he is in. Alaric begins to stand and I help him do so, grunting with the effort. We stand victoriously over Killian's body as Alaric requests a lighter.
"Goodbye Killian." He mutters lowly before switching the match on and dropping it onto his body.
I look away as the fire meets his clothes and melts his skin, his body soon consumed by the heat and his agonising screams fade. Quietly we watch him die, a sense of peace washing over us as evil is vanquished. Two helpful pack members put the fire out and cover his gruesome body, and some one else passes Alaric some clothes. I don't think I will ever get used to how normal nudity is for werewolves.
As I look up I notice all of the pack members shuffling to kneel before us (on the clean grass obviously), saluting their Alpha and Luna. With a broad smile, I look upon my future and family, and know that finally I am who I am meant to be. Everything has fallen into place, and with Alaric besides me, I could never be anything but happy.
"Jessamimi!" A little voice calls out, and I turn to see Zerenity running to my arms.
I 'oof' as she jumps and locks her arms around me, hugging me fiercely.
"Oh Zerenity are you alright darling?" I fuss over her, running my hand through her gorgeous curly brunette locks.
"I am fine Jessamimi! I was scared but Alpha chased that bad man away!" She exclaims with a happy smile.
"That's right darling, you don't need to be worried, Alpha Alaric and I will always look after you, I promise." I reply as Alaric looks adoringly on.
"I love you Jess." He whispers into my ear. "I can't wait till we're alone. She has me thinking about making some of our own babies..." He whispers, sending a flare of desire through me.
"Alaric!" I giggle as the pack start to take the injured back and prepare for an evening celebration.
A family with Alaric... Nothing has ever sounded sweeter, and as I gaze adoringly at little Zerenity snuggled up in my arms, I know our family has already begun.
This is the last chapter guys! I hope you have enjoyed this story, just the epilogue to go. xoxoxo
Edited