Chapter Four

Jake’s POV

Pain.

That's what I felt the first time a rogue managed to claw at my back, but now everything was different.

I was numb. I felt heavy but peaceful, a strange combo mixed.

“Am I dead?” I thought, feeling my eyes grow heavy by the minute.

Maybe it's for the best.

I sighed, deciding not to struggle anymore and just let the darkness take me.

Hours ago, I was a promising alpha of a pack, one of the feared ones in the country, but who would have known this would happen?

I remembered arguing with my father that morning, his words ringing deep in my head when Nathan had reported the rogue sightings.

The worry was evident as well as the confusion.

It wasn't possible. How could they have snuck up so close to us and none of us noticed?

Not even my dad since he was older than me and more in touch with his wolf than I was.

My wolf had been mute for a very long time, barely saying a word to me.

Sure, I could still transform, but an alpha without an active wolf was bound to get criticism, and maybe that's why my father was so hard on me.

So when I felt my wolf move, I froze.

~M…Mate.

“What?!” I yelled, turning frantically to find him, but seeing nothing but an endless stretch of darkness.

“Ryder! What did you say?!”

My heart raced anxiously in my chest, and I held my breath in anticipation.

Is he saying what I think he is?

Straining my ears, I listened again. It was faint, but I was so sure of it.

~Mate!

Never in my twenty-five years would I dream of finding a mate.

After years of searching, I had decided to give up.

I had thought I wasn't blessed by the moon goddess, but who would have thought I would find her at a time like this?

It made me think back to the scene that had played out earlier, playing in my head like a movie on a big screen.

“Alpha! There's been rogue sightings near the pack.” My beta, Nathan, said as he walked into my office with two others behind him: the head warrior, Daniel, and the pack's delta, Zenith.

I looked up from the pile in front of me, noting the worry written on their faces.

I frowned, but before I could say anything, my father's voice echoed in the office from where he sat.

“Rogues? What are they doing here?”

My father's words were exactly my thoughts.

How could rogues dare cross our territory?

They sent a subtle bow first at my father, before turning back to me.

“We have no idea how they got close. We only spotted them during our morning patrols.” Nathan answered respectfully.

Like always, even though my dad had retired, he still had a tight rope around the pack.

“That shouldn't be possible if you had followed the careful outline I gave you.” My father snarled, his stern gaze meeting mine. “As the alpha of this pack, it is your duty to make sure this pack thrives. I have done my part, it's up to you now, and I will not allow you to tarnish this pack's legacy.”

Like always, it was about me not tarnishing the pack's legacy.

Couldn't he, for once, commend the efforts I had made towards the pack over these few years?

Why couldn't he be fucking proud of me?

I had done my best to please him. Wasn't it enough? Would I ever be enough for him?

I sighed, closing my eyes as I felt a migraine forming at the back of my skull.

“Yes sir,” I answered, despite my growing frustration.

Over the years, he had tried maintaining the perfect image he had built around the pack, but all that shattered with a simple rogue sighting, and I wished it had only been simple.

“How many did you spot?” I asked, trying to make the tension lighter.

“Twenty up front, ten at the right and left side of the pack and we suspect a few more coming from the north.” Zenith relayed his words, sending worry into my heart.

I frowned, “That's not right, rogues aren't meant to gather.”

They were known as loners. Deranged lunatics are unwanted by the rest of the werewolf society.

“More importantly, what do they want by approaching our pack?” Dad interjected, causing our frowns to deepen.

“Strengthen all parameters and have every wolf stand on guard ready to attack the enemy,” I ordered, rising to my feet with urgency.

Nathan, Zenith, and Daniel all nodded their heads before running out.

I turned to my dad, wanting to say something but he beat me to it.

“Make sure you don't let me down, son.”

I stiffly nodded, turning to leave.

That was the last conversation I had with him before I faced those rogues, and we realised too late that they had been after me the whole time.

Thrice I had almost lost my life, but I managed to survive.

The only cruel blow that sent me unconscious was a surprise, as I had gone to help Natha,n, who had been surrounded by three rogues at once.

I had felt the rogue coming, I had avoided it, but I didn't see the wolfsbane coming until it had sunk deep into my bloodstream.

Instantly, it burned, tearing through my body, and even my wolf wasn't spared.

I had no idea how I had escaped the siege that had occurred later. All I remembered was funding someplace to lie before I passed out.

Since our pack was close to Raven claw, I had hoped the noise would draw their warriors out so they could aid us.

It was wishful thinking, but I hoped it worked.

I was this close to dying however when my wolf Ryder had spoken.

A miracle is what I had called it.

Hearing my wolf talk for the first time in years made me giddy, but finding my mate thrilled me even more so I fought.

I fought through the fog like a mad man, pushing my way out.

No way I was going to give up on being with my mate like that. Not even the moon goddess can take that from me.

And like she heard my thoughts, like a life saver, I felt familiar zaps of electricity move through my body guiding me back to the light.

“Hello mate.” I purred, catching sight of the most beautiful pair of grey eyes I have ever seen.

Probably being caught off by surprise, she jumped, her soft hands leaving my face as she backed away from me with a deep blush on her face.

“You…! You!” She stuttered, her voice climbing up an octave.

“Ugh, can you lower your voice a little, I have a nasty headache.” I teased, watching as she quickly slapped her mouth shut with her palm, her face going bright red.

Cute.

I let out a chuckle, groaning a little as pain shot through me.

She hurried to my side, coming to support me. “Careful, you are badly injured.”

“I know, but I can't help it.” I grunted, adjusting to keep the pain from flaring when I noticed her looking at me.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

“You aren't supposed to wake up.” She breathed, tears glistening in her eyes.

I grinned at her, “says who?”

“The pack's healer.” She choked, “they said you were going to die. I was so scared.”

“Sorry for scaring you, mate.”