Xander's POV:
Kaden described the warehouse and Nick found it online. I recognized the forest. We would need to go through another pack's territory but it was just Mateo and he was a close ally. Tess and I started running to the forest, sending a loud message to the rest of the pack before shifting.
I want every able bodied person with us. Kaden and my mate are both out there and we are getting them here alive. Someone call Alpha Mateo and explain the situation, we'll be going through his border.
Another message came in from Kaden as we shifted, running into the forest with more wolves falling in line behind us.
She's strong, Xander. And smart. Addie will be okay. I'm going back to her now.
Addie. Her name was Addie.
Apparently she was a human. The only reason that really mattered was it meant she was more vulnerable, easier to hurt, slower to heal. I had to get to her. The human thing didn't seem to affect her ability to give orders, according to Kaden. She made him leave her to contact me and he couldn't disobey. She probably didn't even know what she was doing which just made it more impressive.
Knowing her name was like a driving force. I sped up again. Tess picked up her speed as well but for once she was having trouble keeping up with me. We moved faster than we ever had as a group. As we got closer I could smell the blood-sucking bastards.
Fan out. I'm not stopping. Follow Tess's lead.
I sped forward and Tess broke off with a group, another went the other way. I could hear my pack tearing through the vampires. We passed through Mateo's border and his pack joined in hunting down the vampires. Mateo came running next to me and we both went past his territory. More vampires came and Mateo broke off with a group of his own pack to take them on. I kept moving forward, picking up on Kaden's trail now. There was a faint hint of her. Very faint but it was hers. She must've had contact with Kaden. It drove me forward but also distracted me so I didn't see it coming until it hit me.
I rolled to the ground and snarled, pouncing back at the vampire that rammed into me. It didn't take long for me to rip his head from his body and I ran forward again. Tess caught up to me, following close on my heels. All around us, vampires came but between my and Mateo's pack, they didn't stand a chance. It didn't slow us. Mateo took a place next to me and her scent suddenly hit me hard.
She was hurt. It was her blood I was smelling. I growled and pushed forward. We reached a cliff, stopping just in time. Looking down I saw Kaden fighting off vamps that came at them. There she was. So close. The cliff was too high and too steep. We ran along the side to where it was less straight and ran down. I almost lost my footing but managed to catch myself in time. I ran through the trees and her scent got stronger. I was almost there.
I cleared the trees and there she was, tree branch in hand, helping Kaden with the vamps. My mate. A vamp got past Kaden and headed right for her. I sprinted forward and jumped over her, catching it before it got to her. We tumbled on the ground for a moment before I got the advantage, ripping at his throat until his head came off.
I lifted my eyes to see my mate staring at me with wide eyes. I took a step towards her and she took a step back. Shit. I scared her.
Protect your Luna
My pack instantly surrounded her and she spun around, her eyes shifting around to the wolves. I approached slowly with my head down. She was out of breath, a deep cut on her arm, bruises on her face. I held back the growl. I kept my eyes on hers and she looked at me skeptically before her eyes widened.
"Xander?" She asked quietly.
Her voice. Hearing her say my name. The best sound I could hear. I nodded and took another step forward. She seemed nervous but didn't step back. I was about to shift when something hit her.
Allister tackled her back, away from my pack. She slammed into a tree and started getting up but Allister got to her before I could. He picked her up, holding her by her throat, making her gasp.
"Not another step. Call off your dogs or I'll crush her throat," he warned, glaring at me.
She gasped again as his hand tightened. I growled and shifted, unable to stop myself from looking at her. Goddess, she was even more beautiful in person. And Alister had his hands on her.
"That's a good boy," Alister taunted.
I growled again and Addie brought her knee up between his legs. Alister groaned but didn't falter, his grip tightening on her throat, making her gasp again.
"Let her go. You're outnumbered," I warned, taking a step forward. My pack followed my lead, low growls coming from all of them.
"I may be outnumbered but I'm holding the cards so I'll be making the demands," Alister said.
"Do you ever stop talking?" Addie choked out, bringing her elbow down over his arm.
Damn. On a normal person it would've worked. She knew how to fight.
"Killing her would be doing you a favor. She's a pain in the ass," Alister hissed.
"Go on, keep talking. All this talk of using me to torture him and what are you doing? Talking. You suck at being a bad guy," Addie breathed.
Alister glared at her, tightening his hold.
"That's it. Kill me. Then you'll have no cards," she gasped out, clutching at his hand.
His grip loosened and his glare intensified. Blood went down her hand and landed on Alister's arm. His eyes darted to it and I watched them start glowing. Shit. Her blood was getting to him.
"Let's make this short and sweet," he said, turning back to me.
I was going to speak but my mate did first and it was not what I was expecting.
"Yes. Let's. Before my blood gets to be too much for you," Addie said.
"Shut up," Alister hissed.
"You can't stand it can you? Having my blood so close you can taste it? It would only take you a second to taste it," she taunted.
"What are you doing?" I hissed.
He was going to attack her if she didn't back off. She had no idea what he could do to her. Alister's eyes darted to her hand where the blood was.
"Don't get it from there. It's fresher up here," she said, leaning her head back, exposing her neck.
My eyes widened and I watched Alister tense and swallow hard.
"Alister, don't you dare," I growled, stepping forward.
"Ignore him. Just get it over with. We both know you want to while I'm still warm," Addie taunted.
Alister snapped and lunged forward, taking hold of her shoulder and shoving her against the tree. I lunged forward and so did he but he stopped when something hit him in the chest. She had a branch hidden in her sleeve and he lunged right into it. He gasped and shrieked but Addie also cried out, the branch digging into her arm. He collapsed and so did she, blood pouring down her arm. I ran forward and she threw her head back, biting on her lip.
"That's a lot of blood," she whimpered.
"Shit," I murmured, gathering her in my arms. "We have to get her to the pack healer."
I took off running and my pack flanked me. Mateo came up running next to me.
"My pack is closer. Take her there. My healer will help her until yours gets there," he said.
I nodded and clutched her against me as we ran. She whimpered and writhed in my arms. My chest clenched with each sound and I dropped my head closer to hers.
"Hold on. I've got you. You're going to be okay," I murmured, placing a kiss on her head as we ran.
It felt like ages before we reached Mateo's pack. He must've alerted the healer because the door was open and he was waiting when we arrived. I set her on the bed and she curled to her side, clutching her arm.
"Hold her still," the healer ordered, holding up a needle.
"What is that?" I demanded, stepping in front of her.
"Xander, trust us. I know she's your mate but she's safe with us," Mateo said, setting a hand on my shoulder.
I looked back at her whimpering form and nodded taking hold of her hands and holding her down as the healer came with the needle.
"It's going to be okay," I assured her.
She struggled against me, shaking her head. Tears spilled out of her eyes and I whimpered, dropping my head next to hers. It hurt to see her hurt.
"Don't stick me with that! What is it? You can't just treat me without my permission!" She said, furiously tugging at my hands.
"Addie," I said softly, releasing her wrists and setting my hands on her face.
She started to struggle but paused when her eyes met mine. They were even more entrancing in person.
"It's okay," I assured, rubbing my thumb along her cheek. "It's okay. Trust me."
She swallowed hard but didn't break eye contact. The doctor moved in and stuck the needle in her and as the liquid flowed through her, her eyes fluttered shut, her heart rate slowing.
"I had to put her out," he explained, setting the needle down and tying a tourniquet just above her elbow before picking up scissors.
I growled and yanked the scissors out of his hand. He stepped back his hands up.
"Xander," Mateo said, setting his hand on mine. "Relax. We're going to help her. Maybe you should step outside."
"I can't," I said, shaking my head, "Sorry," I added to the healer, handing the scissors back. "Just... Tell me what you're doing before you do it."
He nodded and held up the scissors.
"I'm going to cut the fabric around her arm so I can have better access. I think something broke off in her arm. We need to get it out," he explained, lowering the scissors.
I nodded and looked down at her. She was out. Breathing harshly but asleep. I brought my hand back to her face, sliding my fingers down her cheek. The most perfect skin I'd ever felt. I ran my hands through her wet, brown hair. Brown always seemed like a boring color but it was suddenly much more appealing. Goddess, she was beautiful, even with the bruises. Perfect, small nose. Perfect ears. Perfect neck.
The door opened and my healer, Anna stepped in. She gave me a reassuring smile and went to work with Mateo's healer. She opened the bag she brought with her and they both worked on getting the piece of wood out and then slowing the bleeding. Anna injected her with something and checked her pulse a few times as they cleaned her up. I watched every move, listening to her heartbeat as they worked. Mateo brought us clothes while we waited. It felt like hours when they finally started to stitch up the gash.
"She's going to be okay, Alpha. It was a close call, it almost hit an artery," Anna assured as she wrapped her wrist and arm.
"Can we take her home?" I asked.
I trusted Mateo but it made me feel on edge to have her here and not in my pack where I knew the territory backwards and forwards. Anna nodded as she finished bandaging her up.
Tess, I need a car.
I sent the message and moved around to carefully lift her.
Already have it. We're outside.
I couldn't help the smile because of course she did. She and Kaden were always on top of it. I lifted her and held her close as we stepped outside. Tess lifted her head as I came out and immediately opened the back door of the car. I climbed in slowly, carefully. Once inside, Tess shut the door. Kaden was sitting in the passenger seat and turned to face me.
"How is she?" He asked anxiously, looking down at her.
"She's going to be okay," I nodded. "Are you all right?"
He nodded and gave me a small smile but it did little to ease my tension.
"I was scared I lost you," I admitted.
He grinned wider and shrugged. "You can't get rid of me that easily."
"I want you to get checked by Anna when we get back," I said seriously.
"Xander, I'm fine," he said, rolling his eyes.
"I'm serious, Kaden," I said, narrowing my eyes.
He nodded and looked down at my mate with a smile.
"She's pretty clever, huh?" He said.
"She gave me a heart attack," I growled, holding her closer as the car started to move.
"Yeah, I got a few of those too," he agreed.
"How did you get out?" I asked, frowning.
"She got us out," he said, nodding to the girl in my arms. "She's really smart, Xander. She kept her cool really well. Even when a vamp drained a human right in front of her. She panicked a little but she got a hold of herself and got us out of there. She killed the first vamp."
"She did?" I said, looking down at her.
"Yeah but... I have a feeling it's going to freak her out later," he frowned. "She was pretty shocked when it happened."
"Addie," I said, bringing a hand up to brush hair out of her face.
"Yep. She doesn't much care for being called Luna, by the way."
"She doesn't know what it means," I sighed.
"She will," he encouraged.
"Unless she doesn't want to be here," I said, frowning.
"She will," he insisted. "She's a natural Luna."
"This isn't her world, Kaden," I said, shaking my head. "She did okay tonight but how will she be when she wakes up?"
"I don't know," he admitted, frowning. "But she's resilient. At least trust me on that."
"I don't know how the pack would handle having a human Luna," I voiced my concern.
It didn't matter. If she would have me then she'd stay whether they liked it or not.
"They'll deal," Tess scoffed.
"Some might have a problem with it normally but she's not your average human. Seriously, she got out of her zipties and broke us out of the cells with a bobby pin," Kaden chuckled, shaking his head.
"What?" I asked, my head snapping up.
"I'm dead serious. She got out of the zipties real fast then once she had the bobby pin we were basically out."
"I like her already," Tess laughed.
"She's a bad ass," Kaden agreed.
I smiled and looked down at her. A bad ass. My bad ass.
The car came to a stop and Kaden jumped out, opening the door for us. I got out, holding her close. As soon as I stepped out several pack members approached, trying to get a look at her.
"She needs time. She's asleep and she won't be disturbed," I said sternly.
They nodded and bowed their heads, walking away. I headed towards my house when Anna came out of the trees. She shifted to human form and stopped in front of me, holding a hand up. "You need to keep her with me."
"I thought you said she was fine," I argued, holding her tighter.
"She is but it wouldn't hurt to monitor her. She's going to have a bit of a shock when she wakes up. I think it would be best if she woke up in something close to a hospital rather than a stranger's house," Anna said.
I growled at her reasoning but relented and turned to walk towards the infirmary.
"You can stay of course," she added.
That helped. A little. I wanted her in my house where it would be easy to protect her.
I want guards around the infirmary twenty-four seven.
My pack had the place surrounded before we even got there. Anna opened the door and I walked in, setting her on a bed. I reached for the blankets on the shelf and covered her with several. She still felt cold from being out in that weather with no coat. Once she was nestled in I grabbed a chair and brought it right next to her, sitting down in it.
"You could take a bed, you know. Rest would be good for you," Anna said, pulling on clothes.
"I'm not going to sleep. I'll be fine," I insisted, reaching a hand out and setting it on Addie's head.
Anna sighed and walked over to her computer, sitting down and facing away from us. I gave her a side-glance before looking at my mate. She had long eye lashes that fanned out over her face. She had small freckles only on the tops of her cheeks below her eyes. She couldn't be more perfect if I picked all her features myself. The door opened but I didn't need to look up to know it was Kaden and Tess.
"Get the clothes off, I want to check all of you. You can put them in the laundry," Anna said to Kaden.
Kaden nodded and stripped down, dropping the clothes in the basket before following Anna to another room. Tess approached me, eyeing Addie.
"Nick's trying to find out what he can," she sighed. "We found a bag we think is hers that was in the back of one of the trucks. Mostly had camera stuff in it but we did find a wallet. Adira Mason."
Adira. A beautiful name for my beautiful mate. I nodded but didn't look up at her. I was going to memorize every feature of my mate.
"Xander, they smelled wolves at the warehouse," Tess said.
That was enough to catch my attention. I looked up with narrowed eyes.
"It was faded but there were definitely weres involved. We tried to track them but they covered themselves pretty well," Tess said, frowning.
"We need evidence," I growled.
"I know. We're looking," she sighed. "Who knows? Maybe your mate saw something. Kaden said they took her into another room at some point and she came out pretty freaked out and smelling like a wolf."
The mention of how she was treated caused another growl and Tess rolled her eyes. I ignored her and looked down at Addie, brushing my fingers along the bruise on her face.
"You're going to be a really overbearing mate if you don't chill out before she wakes up," Tess said.
"I almost lost her, Tess. I'm allowed to feel protective," I snapped.
"I get it," she shrugged. "Just don't suffocate her when she wakes up. She's a human, it's going to be different for her. You can't act with her like regular mates would act."
"I won't," I scowled.
"And don't stare at her all creepily like you are right now."
"Is there a reason you're still here?" I huffed.
"I'm waiting for Kaden," she shrugged.
"Well, wait elsewhere," I grumbled.
She laughed but obeyed and walked away, leaving me with Addie. I traced the bruise on her face, frowning at the mark. I leaned forward and placed a kiss to her forehead.
"I'll never let this happen to you again," I whispered, pressing my forehead against hers.
A/N:
Next chapter they'll actually have a real interaction- yay! Let me know what you think! I'm thinking of updating sooner since we all have so much going on and could use an escape from the real world.
Stay safe and healthy everyone <3
Thanks for reading!