So Alpha's Mate reached 100K views and I am so happy! Thank you for supporting my story and I really hope you are all enjoying it so far! This chapter has a few surprises so I hope you all love it!
"How do you feel?"
Leanna looked up at her frantic mate and gave him a tired smile, "I'm fine, Phoenix. I promise."
Her words didn't appear to soothe him, and she sighed, sitting up. It'd been about an hour since the incident and she was feeling better aside from occasional ache.
"You should really get some rest, Lena," Phoenix stressed, his eyes anxious.
"I'm okay, really. I just want to go downstairs and see who was captured," she told him gently and he immediately shook his head.
"No. Absolutely not. You don't know how dangerous he is or what he's capable of," his voice was growing deeper as he stood up.
"Phoenix-"
"You nearly died!" He suddenly snapped and she flinched, surprised. "You were literally throwing up blood and we don't even know what the hell they were doing! Now you want to go see the man who was waiting on the other side to take you?"
He turned to her, his eyes angry. But beneath his anger, she could feel the fear coming off him in waves. He was scared for her, for what could've happened.
"But I'm fine," she stressed, climbing to her feet. "I am alive and well. They didn't win tonight. If I can help, I will. But you can't stop me. We are at war right now; we are going to face many battles and we are both going to get hurt. You can't be afraid to let me do my job."
He shook his head, stopping in front of her, "I'm going to be afraid no matter what. I love you and I don't want to see you get hurt. I'd die a thousand deaths before I let you experience anymore pain."
He gripped her hips, his forehead pressed against hers. His breath was ragged, and she squeezed his arms, kissing him softly.
"We've got this, Phoenix. Now can we please go downstairs?" She pleaded gently and he chuckled, kissing her forehead.
"Fine. But do not go near the prisoner until we know more information," he warned her, and she nodded.
Linking their fingers together, Phoenix pulled her toward the basement, opening it for her. They were quickly hit with the smell of blood and Leanna gave him a questioning look.
"Are they torturing him?"
"I told Becca to try and get any information that she could. She's our best interrogator," he explained as they made their way down the stairs.
As they approached an open space near the back, Leanna's eyes landed on their prisoner. His wrists were held by silver chains high above his head, his feet barely touching the floor. Her eyes swept over him as a strange sense of familiarity filled her. He was tall and lanky, his body roped with scars.
But there was something about him, his smell.
"Why were you sent?" Becca demanded, a dark glint in her eyes as she walked around him.
"I...don't...know..." he wheezed, coughing.
Leanna's eyes quickly watered as his voice sent a pang of pain through her chest.
"Zachary?" Her voice trembled as he looked up quickly, his eyes wide.
She rushed over to him, her hands gripping his face. Tears filled his eyes as his body trembled, her own tears spilling over.
"Oh, Goddess! What did they do!"
Reaching above him, she gripped the silver chains, letting out a hiss of pain as she broke it off.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Phoenix roared, his anger entangling with hers as she removed the chains.
"What's going on!" Gemma's voice echoed down the stairs as Leanna snarled, turning her black eyes on Becca.
"Back off before I rip your head off!"
"Yes, Luna," she squeaked, dropping the whip.
With the chains off, Zachary collapsed, and Leanna fell with him, cradling his body as he sobbed. Tears leaked down her cheeks as she rocked him, holding him tightly.
"I'm so sorry, Luna," he choked, his hands clinging to her.
"Shh, shh, it's okay. It's okay," she sniffled, kissing his head.
She could hear the group around her, but their words were muffled as she held the boy in front of her, his sobs breaking her heart.
"I'm so sorry I left you, Zach," she tightened her grip as his sobs were reduced to small whimpers.
They sat in silence, simply holding onto each other.
Please make them leave, she told Phoenix and though he didn't respond, she heard their retreating footsteps moments later. Closing her eyes tightly, she let out a shaky breath, running her fingers through Zachary's knotted hair.
"I'm sorry," he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. "I tried-" his voice cracked. "I tried to help you. I-I tried..."
Stray tears slipped down her cheeks, "It's not your fault. It will never be your fault."
The minutes passed as she held him and when he'd quieted, she let go, looking down at him with a gentle smile.
"How about we go upstairs?"
He gave her an apprehensive look, "Are you sure? I don't think they like me, since, you know..." he gestured to the broken chains.
"You'll be fine. I won't let anyone touch you," she squeezed his hand and stood up, pulling him with her.
He nodded but appeared unsure as she helped him to his feet, leading up to the stairs. The mindlink was buzzing with conversation as she reached the top, opening the door. She held his hand as she led him down the hall, opening the door to a guest room.
"I'll go get you some clothes if you want to change or take a shower," she told him.
"I think I'll shower?" It came out as a question and she gave him a grin.
"Whatever will make you feel better. Then we'll take care of those wounds," she responded.
He edged into the room, hesitant. His eyes swept over the room, taking it all in. Slowly, he turned around, the smallest of smiles teasing the edge of his lips.
"Thank you, Luna."
She moved over to him, giving him a tight squeeze, "I'll be back with some clothes."
Then she turned around, walking out of the room.
Her heart was hammering, her body overwhelmed with emotion, her attempts of keeping it at bay useless. She'd just reached her bedroom when it came pouring out, her sobs wracking through her body. She knelt, hugging herself tightly as she cried, her chest burning. She was vaguely aware of the door opening and then Phoenix's arms circled around her. She buried her face in his chest as his hands rubbed her back.
His questions pulsed through the bond, but he didn't say anything; he simply held her until her sobs were reduced to sniffles, her arms wrapping around his neck. It pained him to see her like this, feeling so broken and helpless. His wolf was howling for her and his heart clenched with sadness.
"If there's one thing I regret, it's leaving him behind. He never deserved what they did," she muttered against his skin.
"He was an Omega."
She nodded, "They...they treated him horribly. He wasn't fed or trained, forced to wake up at the crack of dawn to serve a pack that didn't accept him. I tried to make it better. I had my pare- Elaine and Richard take him in. Teach him and treat him like one of their own. It must've not worked out..."
She shook her head, her mind a swirl of hatred and self-loathing, "I should've saved him."
His heart broke at the pain in her voice and he pulled away, cupping her face in his hands, "None of it was your fault. There wasn't anything you could've done. If you hadn't left when you did, you would have surely died. I don't know who this person is, but I can feel how much love and trust you have for him, and that's enough for me. I'll grant him clemency while he's here."
Her eyes widened, "R-really?"
"Yes," he answered fiercely.
She gave him a watery smile, kissing him deeply. His arms wrapped around her waist, the kiss intimate and loving. Leanna could feel his love pouring into it, everything he felt soared through her and it made her chest ache in the most beautiful ways.
"Thank you," she murmured, foreheads pressed together, noses barely touching. "for everything. For taking me in. For a second chance. For loving me."
"You never need to thank me for loving you."
Then he crashed his lips against hers, entangling his hands in her hair. When they pulled apart seconds later, they were breathless, wearing equal smiles of love and joy.
"Go to what you need to do," he gave her another chaste kiss and then stood up, pulling her up with him.
She suddenly gave him a meek look, "Can I steal some of your clothes? He doesn't have any."
He let out a snort but nodded, "Of course. Though I'm not sure it'll fit him."
He playfully smacked her butt and she stuck her tongue out at him, grabbing some clothes and rushing out the door. His laugh echoed behind her as she made her way down the stairs, knocking on the door when she reached it.
"Zach? I brought you some clothes," she called through the door and a moment later it opened.
He stood in front of her, a towel wrapped around his waist. Her eyes took him in completely and she had to fight the wave of fury that rolled through her.
His chest was covered in scars of varying degree; some were small and barely visible. Others were large and crude, the skin lifted. A few, she noted, were fresh from earlier that night, but those didn't compare to the others that must've been from the last few days. His body was a perpetual canvas of bruises.
"Here sweetie," she handed them over and he took them quietly.
"I know it's not healing like it's supposed to," he mentioned as he opened the door wider, allowing her entrance.
She walked in as he went to the bathroom to change, emerging moments later and fully clothed, "We can bandage it up if you'd like."
He shook his head no, "I'll be fine."
"Do you want some food?" She questioned and as he went to deny the offer, his stomach rumbled loudly.
"Come on, I'll make you some food," she held out her hand and he hesitated.
"Can I just stay here?"
She gave him a kind smile, "Of course. I'll be back soon."
With one last look, Leanna shut the door and headed down the hallway, heading for the kitchen.
"I can run it again but it's not going to change the results..." Esther, the pack doctor, trailed off as she entered.
Leanna gave them curious look, her eyes taking in Gemma's uncomfortable expression.
"Is everything okay?"
Esther nodded, "Of course, Luna. I should be on my way." She gave Gemma's arm a gentle squeeze and then disappeared, the room settling into an awkward silence.
"I'm gonna head to bed. I'll uh, see you in the morning?" The wolf let out a strange laugh before quickly running off.
Leanna shook her head with a chuckle, grabbing the ingredients to make a sandwich. By the time she was done and had walked back to the room, Zachary was sound asleep on the bed. Setting down the plate, she pulled the covers over him and kissed his head before heading out and shutting the door.
"Ready for bed?"
She jumped at the sound of Phoenix's voice, turning around quickly. He was leaning against the wall, a sleepy smile on his face.
"Yes, actually," she answered, and he chuckled, holding out his hand for her.
"I might need another shower..." she trailed off, looking down at the blood that smeared her clothes.
When they reached the bedroom, she took off for the bathroom while Phoenix moved to bed. It was a quick shower and when she finished, she pulled on one of his shirts before crawling into the bed beside him. The night's events were catching up to her and it didn't take long for sleep to pull her under.
.
.
"Sure smells like dog out here," Jagger commented, his eyes sweeping over the front yard.
Several wolves shot him dirty looks to which he simply shrugged, "It's not offensive if it's true."
Leanna let out a groan, "Jagger, please don't start. It's going to be a long day and I can't have them trying to rip your head off."
He let out a snort, "Please."
The Luna turned her attention back to the scene in front of her, her eyes sweeping over the wolves. They were in the middle of a training session, which had doubled in size. Each pack had a unique style of fighting and the Alphas had agreed that learning each style was beneficial. Though no one had realized it was going to be so difficult.
"How's it going?" Frey's voice interrupted her train of thought and she looked over at her.
Frey was holding her son, rocking him gently. His eyes were wide and the color of the sea.
"It's slow but it's going. He's beautiful," Leanna answered, and Frey chuckled.
"Yes, he is, though he's beyond difficult at night, aren't you Dimitri?" Frey rubbed her nose against his cheek, and he cooed before passing gas.
"What the hell are you feeding that thing? Ugh, that smell is too big to come out of something so small," Jagger gagged, plugging his nose.
The Lunas laughed and Dimitri cooed louder at his mother's voice, his little fists waving in the air.
"Hey, aww, it's baby D!" Gemma walked over, smiling. "He's so friggen cute!"
"Do you want to hold him?" Frey offered and Gemma's eyes began to water.
"No I uh, I'm have to... Bye!" She rushed off toward the house, leaving the three bewildered.
"I swear, she gets weirder and weirder every day," Jagger shook his head though there was a strange glint in his eyes as he watched her retreating figure.
"So how do you feel?" Leanna asked, changing the subject.
"Honestly, I've been feeling pretty bloated," Jagger responded, rubbing his stomach.
"Not you!" Leanna laughed, giving him a playful smack. "I meant Frey!"
Frey giggled, "I'm feeling good. A little sore but good. I've barely had time to pay attention to myself I've been so busy."
Dimitri's chin began to wobble, and he let out a whimper that quickly turned into a full blown wail.
"Ow! Okay, that's my cue to leave. I'll see you later," Jagger rubbed his ears as he ran off.
Leanna shook her head as Frey lingered, looking uncomfortable.
"Is it okay to feed him out here?"
"Of course! There's a bench over there if you want to sit," Leanna smiled at her and she nodded, quickly moving to the bench.
As she sat down and threw a blanket over the baby, one of the wolves was watching her intently. His eyes were squinted,
"Luna, that's not a very proper thing to do around unmated wolves. Don't you respect our Alpha?"
Frey's eyes shifted black, "I suggest you walk away wolf." Her voice had deepened an octave and the wolf faltered under her stare, dropping his eyes to the floor.
"200 crunches, wolf!" Leanna shouted and he nodded mutely.
Frey shot her a shaky smile and returned to what she was doing.
The next couple of hours stuttered by, the burning sun beaming down on them. With the wolves on break to re-hydrate, Leanna headed inside. As her eyes adjusted to the lighting, Phoenix approached her.
"Alpha Kalani is going to be arriving soon, so we need to head out there," he informed her and she sighed.
"Can I have a snack before?" She gave him a small pout and he shook his head, giving her a smile.
"Well, I can't say no to that face..."
"Yes! Just a small snack, I promise!" She called out as she rushed to the kitchen.
Sophie was searching the fridge when Leanna burst through the door, heading over to the pantry.
"I need a quick snack- AHA! Mac and cheese!"
She grabbed it and pulled off the top, pouring some water and popping it in the microwave.
"That can't even properly feed a small child," Sophie laughed as she pulled out a box of cake.
"Whose cake is that and can I have?" Leanna's mouth nearly watered at the smell of fudge.
"I may have bought it as a snack," Sophie shrugged nonchalantly as she pulled the cake out, cutting a piece.
"You bought a whole cake as a snack?"
The girl gave her a serious look, "Yes."
"Well, as the Luna, I have to say that I'm entitled to a piece?" She ended it as a question, a hopeful look in her eyes.
Sophie let out a dramatic sigh, "Fine! But only because I like you. Everyone else can suck it."
Leanna snorted hard as Sophie handed her a piece which the Luna took gratefully, digging immediately.
"Lena... Is that a cake?" Phoenix walked in, his eyes zeroing in Leanna's choice of snack.
"No?" She said with a mouthful of sugary deliciousness, covering the plate protectively.
"Snack choice aside, Alpha Claire is coming down the driveway as we speak, we need to go," he urged and she nodded quickly, shoving a bite of cake into her mouth before hopping off the chair.
Phoenix simply shook his head as he grabbed her hand, leading her out toward the front door.
Kai and Valor stood beside Rhea and Frey, with Dimitri cooing in Frey's arms. Gemma stood next to Sebastian with a distant look in her eyes. As Phoenix pulled Leanna to the front, Maire and Becca took their spots on either side of them.
The black SUV drove up the pebbled road, four large buses following behind them. They came to a stop in front of the looming house and when the Alpha stepped out, everyone bowed. Leanna could feel the power coming from her and it was almost crushing.
"Alpha Kalani, thank you for coming," Phoenix bowed and rose slowly, the rest following suit.
The Alpha's eyes wandered around, taking in the new sights. Leanna was stunned by her beauty; her skin was the color bronze, with large dark eyes, and long curly hair that fell to her waist. She was tall her movements were fluid, almost regal. Overall, Leanna suddenly felt like a small child next to her.
"I'm always looking for a good fight," she smiled and there was a distinctive accent, but it added to her beauty.
Leanna was nearly starstruck staring at her.
"You must be the Luna stirring up all this trouble," she turned her eyes to Leanna and the Luna stammered out a response.
"I-I uh, yes. Uh huh."
Dude. Girl crush much? Gemma's voice echoed in her head and she blushed red, shaking her head absently.
Leave me alone.
She could feel Phoenix's humor through the bond and her blush deepened.
"We've got everything set up for your pack and I can show you to your rooms," Phoenix explained but Kalani shook her head.
"I think we should get right down to business," she stated, meeting his eyes.
He nodded, "Of course. If you'll follow me..."
He turned around and headed up the steps, Kai and Valor following him as Rhea and Frey broke away.
"Um, am I needed for this?" Sebastian whispered to Leanna she chuckled.
"I think you'll be fine. Although I'm wondering the same question..."
Do you need me to come with you?
There's going to be a lot of formalities. You're more than welcome to come but you want to just help them settle in, you can.
I help them settle in. We'll talk more later?
Of course. I love you, Lena.
I love you too. You can't see it but I'm smiling.
You're so fucking adorable.
She blushed again, turning her attention to the growing crowd as they got off the bus.
Jagger appeared beside her, letting out a low whistle, "It's going to be a long day, huh?"
Gemma sighed heavily, "Yup."
.
.
Leanna sat on the couch, exhausted.
"This has been a very long night," Gemma whined, hugging a pillow to her chest.
It'd taken a few hours to get everyone settled and accommodated. A lot of them were agitated and getting into a new routine for training was difficult.
"I really want this to be over," Leanna mumbled to herself and she felt Gemma squeeze her hand.
"We've got this, okay? It'll be over before you know it and everything will go back to normal," she gave her a gentle smile but there was an uneasiness behind her eyes. An uncertainty.
"Hey soph!" Gemma cleared her throat, looking up at the girl.
Sophie walked toward them slowly, a mystified look in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Leanna sat up as Sophie sat beside her, her mouth slightly agape.
"Yeah, yeah, I..." she shook her head, dazed. "I found my mate."
Gemma shot up to her feet, "What!"
Leanna's face broke into a large grin, "Who is it?!"
A smile played at the edge of her lips, her heart beating wildly in her chest, "Alpha Kalani."
"That's amazing!" Leanna hugged her tightly, Gemma joining as they laughed.
"Damn, I'm jelly. I don't get the Luna title," Gemma pouted playfully as she plopped down on other side of Sophie who still looked shell-shocked.
Their laughter died down as they sat together, a comfortable silence filling the room.
Several long minutes later, Gemma let out a soft breath, "I found something out and I'm really scared but I think I'm also happy and I don't know what to do but I know I want you guys with me."
They both looked over at her, wearing equal looks of concern and love.
"What's wrong?"
"You can tell us anything, Gem."
She nodded and gave them a smile, her eyes beginning to water, "I'm pregnant."
So Gemma's pregnant! Sophie has a mate! Zachary is back! If you liked this chapter, please vote and comment, I absolutely love reading the comments!