The Alpha's Destiny

Chapter 14

Once finished, I set our cups aside, dragging him over to dance, and he immediately stiffens.
"I have never danced, love, I don't know what I'm doing."
"Just sway to the music and I'll do the rest." We dance to several songs when suddenly I hear yelling and someone tries to contact me through my mind link.
"Meridian, ma'am, we have a situation." I get a terrible feeling in my gut and take off running toward the pack cells, hearing Malachi close behind me. As we approach I find both guards lying dead on the ground, throats slit, and Jeremiah approaches me slowly.
"He's gone, ma'am. Someone killed the guards and released Joseph from his cells, and it was pretty recent, because the men's bodies are still warm." Fury bubbles inside of me as Ivory comes forward, taking control.
"Go to the party and tell everyone to immediately return to their homes! Nobody leaves, nobody so much as takes a shit without my permission, do you understand?" Jeremiah and the other men nod, rushing off to shut down the party. Finally glancing at Malachi, I realize  Titan has claimed control of him as well, so I shift and wait for him to follow suit. Padding into the cell, I smell everything inside, following his scent back out of the cells, continuing to follow it into the surrounding woods. About a mile into the woods I hear a snap, and crouch down low to the ground. Suddenly, a wolf paces in front of me, and I immediately recognize it as Joseph, and pounce. Striking him from the side, I clamp down on the back of his neck, causing him to drop to the ground, startled. Once he realizes who is attacking him he rolls, knocking me off and pinning me underneath him. I speak to Malachi through our mate bond, "Do not attack until I give the signal!"
He hesitates before agreeing, remaining hidden in the brush.
"I told you that you would regret choosing him over me, didn't I? Where is your precious mate now when you really need him, huh? Come with me and we can go start a new pack far away, Mer."
"Fuck you, Joseph!" I growl, clamping down on his front leg, causing him to yelp in pain and then become furious.
"Ungrateful bitch, after all I've done for you! I helped you build this pack from the ground up and this is the repayment for loyalty, eh? I think I'll just kill you and take over the pack myself." I feel Malachi's fury and worry through our bond, but I block my emotions so he doesn't worry and attack prematurely.
Joseph violently flips me, climbing over my back, and I realize he's going to try and finish what he started days ago. Pain pierces through me as he bites into my back, right below my neck, locking his jaw in place. With my upper body down, he digs his claws into my hips, and I feel pressure on my bones as he presses firmly down on me. Before he can go any further I open the link again to Malachi and let him feel my pain, disgust, and anger, pushing him over the edge so he will attack. He leaps out of hiding, striking Joseph who still has hold of me. I feel excruciating pain as he's knocked back and his jaw that is still connected tears the flesh away. His claws rip from my hips as well, and I hobble out of the way. Malachi circles him, releasing a terrifying snarl before leaping, tearing into Joseph. I watch in awe as Malachi bats him away as if he were just a pup, and latches onto his throat, tearing it from his body. Once his lifeless body drops to the ground, Malachi races toward me, licking my wounds. I need to shift back but I know its going to hurt even more in human form. With a deep breath, I shift, screaming in pain until I feel Malachi cradle me against his bare chest.
I weakly tell Jeremiah to bring pants for 'Chi and a blanket for me before blacking out.