My eyes scan for Abe, who is face down in the dirt, blood oozing from his head as the wolf he was fighting runs over and pounces on Adriana, pinning her in her spot.โMe! Take me!โ I try to run to her, to get to her, but I canโt seem to move fucking fast enough. My wolf retreats into my head, needing to heal fresh injuries, and Iโm left in my broken human form.โWhat?โ Graham turns to face me, motioning for another warrior to hold my struggling mate down. โI wonโt fight.โ I rush out, my hands up in surrender. โWhatever you want to do, do it to me. Not her, please.โ Graham laughs and turns back to Adriana and in desperation, I try to plead to whatever soul he might have left.โShe is pregnant! Grahamโฆโ My voice breaks and the tears cloud my eyes. โYour fight is with me. I am on my knees begging you.โ I drop to my knees, breathing hard and trying not to sob as Adriana watches me with mournful eyes.โWhere was your mercy when I begged for MY mateโs life?โ His nostrils flare as he takes
~Adriana POV~My eyes constantly wander back to a laughing Liam who chats across from me with Maggie and Gwen, who are telling him all about the first time they met. Itโs as if losing sight of him for a mere moment might be the last time I see him. I canโt place the fear that settles deeper every passing minute or how when he touches me or looks at me it dulls, but only for a minute. Itโs near suffocating at this point.I jump when a foot presses against mine and Liam chuckles again, my eyes snapping to his as he gives me a knowing smirk. He stands and excuses himself from the table and hobbles over to where Maggie sits next to me and pulls her chair out.โWhat are youโโ she protests, but then she sees the look in his eyes and her muscles relax. Maggie stands, patting Liam on the arm, and swaps spots with him. Liam then lowers into the chair and reaches down, pulling my chair flush to his so our thighs kiss. Then he places his huge muscular arm around the top of the chair, my exposed
I fiddle with my hands while Uma, the pack healer, looks over Liam. She feels his head and looks in his mouth before moving to check out one of his hundred cuts. She is efficient in her movements, murmuring to herself and shaking her head before moving to the next place to check. When she stands upright again, I freeze, waiting for her to explain what the hell is going on with Liam. Uma sighs heavily, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head. She looks contemplative like she isnโt really sure what to do next. She has already shushed me twice, but Iโm at my witโs end, just looking at my pale mate with his shallow breathing.โWas he poisoned?โ I ask in a whisper.โHard to say.โ She mutters before pressing her fingers on the only wound he had that seemed to be mostly healed. โThis is going to hurt,โLiamโs eyes flutter open and my heart breaks with what I see. He is so drained. Seeing him like this is a reminder of what he must have seen with me daily when I was in physical th
~Liam POV~I watch Adriana get dressed, my eyes glued to her barely-there bump, loving every second I get to see it bare. I canโt seem to keep my hands off of it. Last night, after making love to her and then promptly falling asleep in bed, I woke with a protective hand on her and our unborn child. Even in my sleep, my heart knows itโs our job to protect them. And I challenge any fool who thinks they can bring harm to my growing family. I would die for them happily if I knew they would be safe.โYouโre staring,โ she says as she tugs a shift over her tummy. I frown up at her and she gives me a glorious, shy smile. โItโs pretty noticeable now, huh?โโOnly because I know itโs there. You look stunning as always, Adri baby.โShe moseyโs over to my side, which is actually her side. I just canโt stand to look at the spot on the floor. It feels eerie and wrong to be on that side of the bed, to be that close to where my life altered so drastically. My childhood died there with my mother. And l
I laugh at him, thinking he is clearly joking. Why the hell would I ever willingly kill myself? I may be weakened in my injured state, but I still have my wits about me. And I made a fucking promise to protect Adriana and our baby and to stay the hell alive.โIโm glad you find it amusing. It will make it that much sweeter when the realization hits that I am indeed not joking.โ โNot a chance in hell that shit is happening,โ I say, my anger growing as it hits me that this sicko is serious. But my anger wonโt help me here. It wonโt keep me rational while I try to plan. The only thing I can think to do is rely on the people I have been trying to push away for too long. I try to tune into Adriana but find myself completely blocked. Confused, I try again, my eyes shooting up to Marc as he laughs even harder. โShe canโt hear you, Liam.โ he shakes his head like the whole scenario is too humorous for him to withstand. Red floods my eyes as fury and fear try to force my wolf out, but I need t
~Adriana POV~โDo you think Liam will be awake for me to say goodbye to?โ Maggie asks as she moves to the office door. โIf he isnโt, then wake him up. He will be sad if he misses out,โ I say, giving her a smile. Liam likes to think he is so big and tough, but he really will be upset if Maggie doesnโt stop by. In fact, I would bet money that he even got up to shower, so she didnโt have to smell his sweaty self.โIt isnโt like she is leaving for a distant country. Our pack is half a day away and we are neighbors. Plus, we will be outโโ Jacob peters off when he sees the scowl coming from both Maggie and me and he lifts his hands up in defense. โSaying goodbye is always a good thing,โI smirk at him, and he grins back. We all know better than to question Maggie and Liamโs friendship. They are like me and Axel. A familial bond forged out of something akin to blood. Blood shared or bloodshed side by side. There is no difference when it comes to our families. Blood is blood, and we care dee
โStop!โ the woman screams again and I turn to see Uma running toward me, pushing Billy and Jacob both aside. Gwen rushes in behind her, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed red from exertion. โHeโฆ He..โ I canโt even form a coherent sentence as my eyes meet Gwenโs, then swing to Maggie, who is clutching to Axel. Axel has his eyes trained on me to worry the forefront of his emotions. โI know, dear. Just let me look at him.โ Uma says falling to her knees and ripping his shirt open. Uma presses her head to his blood-stained chest, then inspects the entry point and grabs hold of his wrist. โYou need to move,โ she instructs without so much as a glance my way. Billy steps up and helps me up, while Uma gently eases Liamโs head to the ground. Ume glances up at me briefly and sighs heavily. โIs he dead?โ she asks. I know she is talking about Marc. it doesnโt take a genius to guess what the hell has happened here. โYes,โ I murmur, watching her closely.โYou need to get your injuries tended
When we pull up to the emergency entrance, Maggie and I practically dive-bomb out of the car. Partly because we want to get to Liam, but mostly because Declan is the scariest fucking driver I have ever ridden with in my life. Maggie clutches my hand for support as we both take our wobbly legs inside. โI am never ever riding with Declan again,โ she mutters, looking a little green in the face. I am certain my pallor matches hers. A nurse rushes over to us with concern on her face.โWhere are your injuries? Are you two okay?โ She rushes out and reaches to touch my arms. I give Maggie a once over and I nearly laugh at how bad she looks. Her tears are red-rimmed from crying and Liamโs blood is smeared all over her and her outfit from when she held onto him while I killed Marc. โWe are fineโ She offers a reassuring smile, but the nurse turns to me next.โI canโt help you ladies if you donโt tell me what is wrong with you.โ She says, looking concerned.โMy mate is here.โ I usher out and sh
**If you have not read Books 1 & 2 this portion contains SPOILERS!** (Mate pairs are at the end of the author's note) Dear Readers, I want to say thank you all for sticking out the entire Guardian collection. It's not a typical series since each book has different main characters and for the most part, are standalone's but if you stuck it out and read all three THANK YOU! I am humbled. The Alpha's Guardian is my first werewolf novel (and only the second book I have ever written in my life) and I like to think I have grown since then. I have only been writing novels for a year so the fact that you all are willing to read and pay for the stories that have been stuck in my head means so much to me. I promise to take all your constructive criticism and kind words to heart and work to better my writing and my storytelling! A special shoutout to the readers for correcting noticeable mistakes I missed. I use two editing apps and still, mistakes happen. When you comment it helps me know w
The Blue Moon ball has grown in size every time it is held. Thankfully, itโs not a yearly event, considering blue moons arenโt something to be scheduled. Though Axel has his ultima year round, his ability to transform someone into a wolf is only available when the blue moon is out. His powers heighten in the week leading up to it but donโt peak until the moon is at its full height. In eighteen years, there have only been twelve full moons. The saying โonce in a blue moonโ got its meaning for a reason. When we enter the newly erected ballroom, the chatting is at an all-time high and the room is full of stunning ball gowns and buzzing excitement. Billy saunters over with his mate Bea and they both smile brightly, talking to the triplets. Billy and Bea never had a child of their own. Whether it was by choice, no one really knows as we didnโt feel it was our place to ask. We next run into Emal and Ginger, who have left their only son Edgar at home with Jacob and Coraโs son, Miles and Al,
โMatty!โ Giselle groans in annoyance. Her dark hair pulled back in a sleek low bun, her lavender ball gown making her eyes nearly an amber color as she scowls at her brother. โWhat?โ he says, looking up from the television for a mere second before looking back at it. โYou arenโt even dressed yet. Seriously, we have to leave in ten minutes if we are going to be on time,โ she says, rushing out of the room, no doubt to grab her older triplets tuxedo and shoes. Giselle is the keeper of order in our house. For the past eighteen years, I was the one to raise the children. Adriana, being one of the lead warriors, was usually home when she wasnโt training, but when she went away on mission, I tended to these sweet kids every need. Wellโฆ I suppose these three arenโt kids anymore. I hop up off of my kitchen stool and move over to where Matty is playing his video games and unplug the device. He groans loudly but stands from his spot and gives me a mischievous grin that mirrors my own. Bot
โI must decline this honor this time.โ Axelโs red eyes stare deep into mine and he tilts his head. While I know Axel is understanding of my position and my choice, it is very clear that his Ultima wolf is not keen on me saying no. Though ordinary wolves can not speak, Axel remains in unison with his wolf during the blue moon, allowing him to use his voice to speak. Though it is never anything poignant or flowery. More guttural demands and basic one-word usage.โWhy?โ He asks me. I stare right back at him.โI am not yet worthy in my mind.โ He seems to think about this for a moment, then with a nod, he walks around the room some more, stopping in front of Francis, Wade and Aliโs beta, and his mate Sammy. I feel at peace with my decision. Adriana was right earlier today when she said she could feel me second-guessing myself. But it wasnโt her telling me to trust myself that made me stay the course. It was a decision I made for myself. I am tired of making decisions and hiding behind my
~Liam POV~โEverything okay?โ Axel asks as I walk into his office.โYeah,โ I say, not giving him much and he lifts a brow, waiting for more of a story. โShe had a realization that made her emotions go a little haywire. She was running to find me when I found her.โโPregnancy hormones?โ He asks, and I shake my head. โIโm not so sure. She admitted she didnโt want me to accept a wolf from you. She wants me to be able to find myself without one before accepting.โ I explain and he makes a surprised face. โI wasnโt aware you were reconsideringโฆโโIโm not sure I actually was.โ I sigh and plop down in the seat across from him. โAll I want is to do right by her. Everything I have done since meeting her has been trying to be better for her. Trying to deserve her and everything she brings to my life.โโYou deserve her, Liam.โ Axel tries to assure me, but all I can do is chuckle.โI really donโt. She deserves perfection. Adriana is the freaking sunshine and happiness. I was raised being told I a
~Adriana POV~ โYou chose this?โ I ask, my hand running along the soft silky fabric of the gold dress. Itโs stunning and simple. The sheath dress has wide straps and a square neckline, where it will be more snug on my breast. It tapers open around my true waist where chiffon falls in uneven strips over the lower half of the gown, giving it a royal punk princess look. โIs itโฆ do you not like it?โ Liam asks, sounding so unsure of himself. Liam, not being so confident in his actions, is so much more of a turn-on than he realizes. Where Liam used to be sure of everything and himself, he is floundering to do things for me just to be sweet and he is so worried he is doing it wrong. I spin to face him and put my arms out, calling him to me with a wry smile. โLiam,โ I say as I wrap my arms around his neck. โIt is the only dress in the world I will ever want to wear again. I love it, almost more than I love you.โ He grins, a twinkle of satisfaction and a shimmer of pride as he wraps his ar
I walk with Adriana down to the training field. I may not be allowed to do anything strenuous, but I can go for walks and watch my mate be a kick-ass fighter, pregnant belly and all. Itโs strange being human. I knew a lot would change, but what I didnโt expect was an eerie sense of peace without my wolf. Where I felt hollow for weeks, Iโm now finding peace in the solace. There is no animalistic urge that is overcome with anger and irrational mood swings. Iโm just moreโฆ human. There is no other way to explain it than that. Itโs funny, when I lived in the city there were so many humans looking lost like they were missing something. Maybe itโs the mate bond or maybe itโs just the woman I get to have at my side, but I want for nothing. Okay, occasionally I miss what I had. I will always miss my wolf. He was a part of me, but the longer I am without him, the more I realize he was someone I tried to hide behind. It was so easy to shut myself off emotionally and let him take the reins. Adr
โSo it was Uma?โ Adriana asks, slumping into one of Axelโs overstuffed chairs. โBut that doesnโt make sense. She saved him.โ โShe was forced.โ Gwen explains over the phone line, โAnd then she was afraid to say anything. She hasnโt left her home since it happened.โ I can feel Gwenโs distress over the situation. Which is understandable. This is Gwenโs first real Luna ask where she and her mate may have to be responsible for the punishment coming to their top healing due to circumstances none of them made. Marc had made them. He always loved fucking up peopleโs lives and here he is from the grave, doing it again. โIs she there?โ I ask, remaining calm. Which feels like a feat. โShe is,โ Hugo says. My eyes snap to Adriana, who looks sick and conflicted as she rubs her tummy. โUma, I want you to explain it to me.โ I sigh. โAlpha Liamโฆโ โI have told you before, Iโm not an Alpha and now I am an omega. Refer to me as Liam,โ I snap at her, hating how the word omega tastes on my tongue. โ
โTell me everything,โ Axel says, taking a seat and gripping a pen in his hand. Clearly, Adriana didn't have to wake him up. I regal him with the entire story and watch Adriana as she hears the full version for the first time. I tell them both how I believe that, though my mother started her own suicide, Marc was the one to finish it. No details are spared as I explain Marcโs reasons for hating me and wanting me dead, though I know this wonโt help us solve anything but if Iโm telling the story, I may as well tell the whale thing to the only two people willing enough to ask for it. โAnd you tried to get a hold of her?โ he asks me, raising a brow. โYes, multiple times,โ I say, nodding. Axel looks like he is in deep thought before he leans back and steeples his hands. โBut you got no response? Not even a sound?โ Axel is asking. โUh, there was a strange static noise,โ I recall thinking deep on the matter. Axel frowns and shakes his head. โStatic? Like an old tv?โ Adriana asks.