Chapter 5

Tatum-

That had been the most gruesome several hours of my life. After spending most of the day with Mathew, the Alpha of the Lunar Eclipse pack, I was ready to get the hell out of here. I understood that the elders were trying to create an alliance with the pack, but I didn’t want to make Mathew’s high-maintenance daughter my mate.

I didn’t even want a mate. I had a mate already, but she had been killed by hunters three years ago. It pissed me off that the elders were giving me an ultimatum. Find a Luna or step down as Alpha of the Black Fang pack. There was no way in hell I was going to step down as Alpha.

I will find a Luna, but it will be on my terms. It definitely won’t be one that will share my bed. I had plenty of she-wolves to take care of my needs. I wasn’t going to get attached to someone that I knew I would never love. My heart had gone with my mate the day she died.

“She was a royal bitch. No wonder her mate rejected her after.” Felix, my Beta said.

“I don’t want to hear it. I just want to get as far away from here as possible. If I never see either of them, I would be ecstatic.”

“What are you going to do about finding someone to take the role as Luna?”

“I don’t know.”

“You need to find someone.”

“You don’t think I know that?” I growled.

“Why not pick someone from the pack?”

“Because I don’t need them getting any ideas of fairytales and happy ever after.” I snarled as we reached my truck.

“What about one of the chicks that you fuck around with? They all know there are no strings attached.”

“Just because they are good in bed, doesn’t mean any of them would be a good fit for the role as Luna.”

“They gave you only a week.”

I glared at my Beta from across the bed of my truck. He was my best friend, but his persistence was annoying. Sometimes I wondered if he didn’t have a hidden agenda that I was too blind to see. We grew up together but over the past couple of years he has changed and it was getting on my nerves.

“Look man, I am just looking out for you. You are a damn good Alpha, perhaps the best there is.” Felix said just before climbing into the passenger side of the truck.

Rolling my eyes, I took a deep breath to calm myself. He wasn’t the one I was pissed at, but I still wanted to deck him. Getting in the truck, I started it up and without a word, started driving.

“Hey isn’t that Mathew’s spoiled brat?” Felix asked then motioned towards a group of teenagers coming from the tree line, behind the high school we were passing by.

Turning to look in the direction he indicated, I saw that it was in fact the future Alpha. I never bothered to remember his name, he had always been a thorn in my side with the way he acted as if were untouchable. He was nothing more than an overgrown child that needed a lesson or two in respect.

Something about them gave me pause. Some of them were covered in blood and the look of revulsion on the future Alpha’s face made me stop just short of driving off, so I pulled the truck over. Looking over at his friend, I saw his expression held satisfaction.

I don’t know why, but I had a feeling that whatever they were doing in the woods, I needed to check out. I continued watching them as they made their way towards the high school. Rolling down my window, I listened closely as I saw some of their lips moving.

“Holy shit man, that was awesome. The bitch totally deserved it.” One of the guys in the back of the group said.

“No kidding. But can you believe that she was Chad’s mate? Man, I would hate to have her at a mate.” Another guy said.

“Drop it!” The future Alpha growled, turning around to glare at the two.

I know I just heard his name, but it didn’t seem significant enough to remember, so I already forgot it.

“Did you rejecting her really hurt that bad?” One of the guys asked.

I really didn’t know what they were talking about, but listening to them made my anger simmer to a boil. It sounds a lot like something bad went down in the woods and whatever it was involved a she-wolf being rejected. I didn’t owe the female anything, but I had this undeniable urge to go see if I can find her.

No one said anything else as the group of teens went into the school. Once they were gone, I climbed out of the truck and jogged toward the direction they had come from. I could hear Felix right behind me, knowing he wouldn’t have let me go on my own.

I could smell blood in the air as soon as we got closer to the border. It was thick, heavy, and very fresh. Following the scent, I stopped dead in my tracks when I found the source of tall the blood. There, just past the territory line was a female laying beaten and bloodied. Rage built up in me and I was tempted to turn around to wring the punk’s neck.

I don’t care what had brought this on, no female deserved to be treated like this. Kneeling beside her, I lifted my hand to her neck to feel for a pulse. I found one, but just barely. I looked up at Felix and told him to go bring the truck around.

I could sense she was packless and while I didn’t sense her wolf, I was pretty sure she was a she-wolf. Regardless, I was going to take her back to Black Fang and get her treated. While I waited for Felix to return with the truck, the female started to stir.

Lifting her small body up, I placed her on my lap and brushed her blood matted hair from her face. Her face was swollen and bruised, but I could see she was pretty. Slowly her eyes opened and look up at me, with the bluest eyes I have ever seen.

“Just let me die.” She whispered.

“Sorry, no can do.” I told her.

“Who are you?”

“I am Alpha Tatum Gunner of Black Fang.”

“Why are you here?” She groaned, attempting to sit up on her own.

“I don’t know.” I answered her honestly and helped her sit up.

“I have to go. I can’t be here anymore.”

I watched as she stood up, though it looked like every movement she made was painful.

“Where are you going to go?”

“I… I don’t know, I just know it will be far away from here.”

She was a tiny little thing, and I was impressed that from the looks of the beating she took, she was even standing. She bent over to retrieve a bag, though the moment she did, she collapsed to her knees. I went to her side and tried to help her back up but she pushed me away. I don’t know why, but that just irritated me.

“What is your name?”

“Brooke. Well actually it is Brooklyn Blakley, but I prefer Brooke.”

Slowly, she stood back up on her own and I watched her lift the bag and swing it over her shoulder. I will give her this, she is stubborn and determined.

“Do you have a pack?”

I already knew the answer, but I asked anyway. An idea was formulating in my head and it was sounding crazy. So crazy, it may just work. Just then Felix showed up with the truck and I grabbed on to my idea and decided to shoot my shot. What was the worst that could happen?

“No. I renounced this pack. So please just leave me alone so I can be on my way before they come back.”