Chapter Four

4. Who gave that command

Arnold

I snapped the rogue’s neck and let his body drop beside the others. Blood stained the ground around me while the remaining warriors searched the area for survivors. My chest rose heavily as I looked around the dark forest again. That was the last one.

“Alpha, the eastern side is clear,” one of the warriors reported.

I nodded once and wiped the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. Normally after a fight my wolf would calm down, but tonight it was worse. Restless. Wounded. Silent. Ever since the rejection ceremony my wolf refused to speak to me. It stayed buried deep inside me like it hated me.

I looked down at my bloody hands for a second before grabbing the blade hanging from my waist and cleaning it roughly against the dead rogue’s shirt. My head had been a mess since I left the pack house. Every time I tried focusing on patrols or the rogue attacks, Leticia’s face kept flashing inside my head. The way she looked at me before fainting. The way her voice broke when she asked me why. I clenched my jaw hard and turned away sharply.

“Alpha?” one of the warriors called carefully.

I looked up.

“The southern warriors found another rogue trail close to the river.”

“Split into groups,” I ordered immediately. “Nobody moves alone.”

The warriors nodded quickly and scattered while I moved deeper into the woods without waiting for anyone. The cold wind brushed against my skin while leaves cracked beneath my boots. My senses stayed alert but my mind refused to settle properly. Something felt wrong and I hated it. My wolf kept pacing violently inside me but refused to communicate. That had never happened before.

A sudden growl echoed from the trees ahead.

I stopped walking immediately.

Another rogue lunged toward me from the darkness but I caught his throat before he could touch me and slammed him violently against a tree. The impact cracked loudly through the woods.

“You picked the wrong night,” I muttered coldly before twisting his neck.

His body dropped lifelessly.

Another rogue appeared behind me instantly but I moved faster this time. I drove my fist into his jaw, grabbed his arm and threw him directly toward the rocks nearby. He barely stood before I reached him again and buried my claws deep into his chest.

Blood splattered across my shirt.

“Alpha!”

I turned sharply when one of the warriors ran toward me.

“More rogues near the northern side.”

I pulled my claws out of the dead rogue and started moving immediately. “How many?”

“We counted six.”

I scoffed coldly. “Cowards.”

The moment we reached the northern side, three rogues attacked at once. One came from the left and I ducked quickly before driving my elbow hard into his stomach and slamming his face against a tree. Another attacked from behind but I sensed him immediately. I turned fast, caught his wrist and snapped it backward before kicking him hard across the ground.

The last rogue shifted halfway and lunged toward me with claws out.

Finally,

My wolf growled violently inside me for the first time tonight and rage exploded through my chest instantly. I launched at the rogue immediately and slammed him into the ground so hard the earth cracked beneath us. He clawed my shoulder but I barely felt it. I grabbed his throat tightly while he struggled beneath me.

“Who sent you?” I demanded.

The rogue only laughed through the blood spilling from his mouth.

Wrong answer.

I twisted his neck instantly.

My breathing came out rough as I stood slowly and looked around the battlefield again. Dead bodies surrounded us while warriors dragged injured rogues across the ground for questioning. One of the warriors approached carefully.

“Alpha, your shoulder.”

I looked down briefly at the deep claw mark bleeding through my shirt.

“It’s nothing.”

“Beta Mark said we should head back before dawn.”

The mention of home tightened something painfully inside my chest again.

Home.

Leticia was there.

Probably crying.

Probably hating me.

I closed my eyes briefly and exhaled sharply. The memory of her voice replayed inside my head again.

“What did I do?”

I clenched my fist tightly.

I had done what was necessary for the pack. The elders had already started questioning my judgment because of her. Rival packs were watching us closely after the attacks started increasing near our borders. Nightshade Pack could not afford weakness now.

But none of those reasons made me feel better.

A sudden sharp pain tore violently through my chest hard enough to make me stagger slightly.

The warriors froze immediately.

“Alpha?”

I ignored them completely.

The mate bond.

Something was wrong.

Fear crawled slowly into my chest but anger buried it quickly. No. She was safe in the estate. She had to be.

I tried reaching my wolf again but got nothing except heavy silence. That only worsened my mood. My wolf had never ignored me before. Not once.

“Everyone return to the estate,” I ordered coldly.

The warriors exchanged quick glances before obeying immediately.

The second they disappeared deeper into the woods, I finally gave my wolf control.

Bones cracked loudly through the forest as the shift took over me completely. My massive black wolf landed heavily against the ground and instantly took off through the trees. Fast. Too fast. Branches snapped around me while the cold wind lashed against my fur. My wolf pushed harder with every second, restless and desperate now.

Eager to see his mate.

That realization only made my chest feel heavier.

The pack estate finally appeared through the trees and my wolf didn’t even slow down before leaping over the gates. Warriors immediately lowered their heads when I shifted back.

Something felt wrong immediately.

The atmosphere inside the estate was tense. Servants stood around whispering nervously while some avoided looking directly at me. My chest tightened painfully.

The moment I stepped into the hallway, Mira stormed toward me furiously.

“You’re unbelievable!”

I frowned immediately. “What happened?”

“What happened?” she repeated angrily. “You rejected your pregnant mate publicly then banished her right after?”

My body went still.

“What?”

“You heard me!”

I stared at her confused. “What banishment?”

Mira looked at me like she wanted to hit me. “Don’t act confused now, Arnold.”

I grabbed her arm immediately. “What are you talking about?”

She shoved my hand away angrily. “Gamma James gathered the elders and banished Leticia under your command!”

Cold rage spread instantly through my chest.

“I never gave that order.”

The hallway suddenly became quiet.

Mira froze.

Then footsteps approached from behind her and Mora appeared at the staircase looking equally disturbed.

“You didn’t give that command?”