chapter 37

~Tessa~

When Tessa woke up in the early morning, she had to slip out of Dainin’s arms, replacing herself with a pillow. She was getting used to waking up next to her mate every morning, but as much as she wanted to stay in bed she needed to be there for her pack. Tessa couldn’t help but snicker as she watched him pull the pillow closer to himself inhaling her scent in his sleep. “Our mate is adorable,” Her wolf sighed in adoration. They both admired the way his tanned muscles flexed across his bare back and a soft moan of appreciation escaped her when Tessa’s eyes fell on his glorious ass, hidden by the thin white sheet. She found herself reaching out to move the cloth lower but stopped inches away when he moved again. “Get it together,” Tessa scolded herself as she started to quietly dress to leave the room before she jumped him. She never thought in a million years she would end up being a mate crazed she wolf.

Walking out into the cool air cleared her mind of her dirty thoughts. The sun was just starting to peak over the distant snow caped mountains, leaving a beautiful mixture of dark night with a soft pink swirl of the day to come. Taking a deep breath, Tessa shifted into her wolf, taking off into the dark forest back to her territory. There was still a lot to be done before the other packs arrived.

As she ran, she couldn’t keep her thoughts from wandering back to what Dainin so worried about last night. She tried asking him, but he simply dismissed it and did everything in his power to keep her pleasurably distracted. Tessa knew something was going on and the fact that he was hiding something from her, so early in their relationship, made her question whether he felt she was strong enough to handle it. The thought made her wolf bristle with resentment. “We can’t jump to conclusions,” Tessa tried to be the voice of reason. She had to follow her instincts and not let her pride get in the way.

It was important to focus on the task at hand. Ever since the alliances were formed, the conference has run smoothly. Tessa cringed at the memories from the past where she witnessed countless packs fighting in the fields due to rivalries. At that time, even a wrong look would set someone off. From her young age, Tessa couldn’t fathom why neighboring packs would turn against each other and cause unnecessary harm to those who could help against a larger threat.

White Sand was a perfect example of why keeping alliances was so important. They may have been warned of the encampments sooner and could have avoided the bloodshed. “Hey don’t complain! That attack brought our mate to us,” her wolf argued, but Tessa countered. “A mate bond is not worth the lives or well-being of others. Think with your Alpha brain and not your lovesick one,” she scolded causing them to both break out in laughter.

Their gleeful banter was cut short when Tessa’s senses were overcome by a strong scent of decay in the air. “Of course. The one time we don’t follow our own advice we’re targeted,” she complained, hardly concerned with the threat. Her wolf paused taking in their scent while listening to the low rumble of footsteps in the distance. “I’m counting at least 8 wolves by the sounds of it,” her wolf stated, and Tessa agreed quickly mind linking Cadence. “Bring warriors to the border closest to White Sand and the pack house. We have unwanted guests,” she ordered, taking off in a slow jog towards the border. She and her wolf wanted them to catch up and they were both ready to sink their teeth into some Rogues. By the sound of their quickened pace they must have found her scent and were closing in. They were looking for trouble, particularly with her.

Hearing their growls coming from behind her, Tessa smirked knowing she was in their sites. Glancing back, she saw it was only a few out of the group she knew was out there. She was sure they would try to surround her and attack from all angles. Little did they know, she wouldn’t be alone for long. Stopping just on the outskirts of her border, Tessa positioned herself against a small cliff wall. She could feel them growing closer, so she turned on the defense facing her aggressors.

Her wolf easily towered over the Rogues even in her low fighting stance. With her ears pulled back she growled menacingly stopping them just feet from her. Tessa made no move to attack; she knew better than to make herself vulnerable. She could smell the other Rogues in the distance closing in, oblivious to her warrior’s scents beginning to mix in the air.

The rising sun peaked through the limbs of the dense forest illuminating their grotesque appearance. Their dull dark fur was matted and scarred from the hard life of a Rogue. They may as well have been wild wolves at this point. Their eyes shone with an emotionless void as they scanned her body for a weakness, but careful to never meet her gaze. The four wolves began to spread out clumsily bumping into each other, with each Rogue releasing a growl as they snapped at one another with saliva dripping from their mouths, revealing what little teeth they had, but still enough to cause damage.

Tessa noticed a human figure moving through the chaos with an air of dominance, causing the Rogues flinch in submission. “What’s he doing with them,” her wolf questioned, full of outrage and betrayal. Tessa couldn’t even react. She was struck speechless as his voice entered her mind through the pack link. “Well well well, if it isn’t the “Alpha” of Blue Ridge,” he sneered, meeting her eyes with confidence before it shifted to disgust as he noticed the mark in her fur. “Or should I say White Sands new bitch,” he mocked with a sneer. Her wolf growled out in rage at his blatant disrespect, but before Tessa could move to tear him apart the Rogues took a protective stance in front of him. “Why would they be protecting him,” her wolf question in outrage. Tessa was starting to have a hard time controlling her as her emotions became overcome with inconceivable rage.

Tessa moved back, growling lowly in warning at the Rogues. If any of them made a move she would take no prisoners. “What’s going on here John? Why are you with these animals,” She practically spat her words as the fire within her was burning out of control. John gave a humorless laugh, motioning to the filth before him. “These “animals,” he paused as he spoke aloud, letting the demeaning name sink in, earning a wave of snarls from his mutts. “are going to be part of my new pack once you’re out of the way,” he continued to speak aloud, knowing the disrespect from Tessa would add to the Rogue’s anger and strengthen their loyalty to him.

“It would have been a lot easier if the attack in Arizona was successful, but then you accept him as your mate and whisk him away from my trap last night! I guess we keep underestimating the both of you,” John said with a cold glare, full of hate. “You are always ruining my plans,” he claimed, throwing his hands up in frustration. Her wolf’s head tilted to the side in confusion and John laughed at her expense. The wolves with him seemed to snicker amongst themselves before John silenced one with a cruel punch to the snout.

Tessa stood speechless, watching John abuse his so called “future pack” members. “Why would he know about the attack on White Sand and who’s we,” her wolf asked, trying to make sense of it all, but before Tessa could respond she received a mind link from Cadence. “We’ve taken down three Rogues Alpha. Zander is taking a prisoner back for questioning,” she informed her, and relief spread throughout Tessa’s body with the knowledge they were getting closer. “We need to know what game this traitor is playing. Let’s play up his ego,” her wolf suggested as they took in John’s crazed demeanor.

Tessa shifted into her human form and stared John down, causing him to cower away from her gaze. “He may claim to be powerful, but he’s still affected by our strength,” her wolf observed with smug smirk. When she took a step forward, they all coward away, even John. She could tell this frustrated him, but it was a pleasant victory for her.

“How could you do this to me,” Tessa questioned, needing an explanation. “To my Grandmother? My father? He trusted you to look after us if anything happened to him,” she finished, but as much as she hated to admit it Tessa was hurt by John’s betrayal and the hate that stared back at her was like a punch to the gut. “Please,” He yelled out. “Your father was weak just like you! Neither of you are strong nor wise enough to bring any pack to its full potential. You’re too concerned with keeping the pathetic peace Tessa! Blue Ridge has the strength to become the next Kingdom with the right leadership not some weak girl,” he spat, pointing accusingly toward Tessa as rage filled his eyes. “If you would have been with them that day like I planned it would have been mine all those years ago,” he exclaimed, but John immediately drew back at the realization he said too much. Tessa’s eyes widened at his confession as rage, once again, took over the hurt in her heart. Her wolf howled in pain within her mind, but Tessa could feel her eyes grow darker.

All she saw was red as her wolf took control over her human form, charging the Rogues in her path to get to John. One wolf tried to lunge at her, but she easily dodged, grabbing its tail as it passed. She pulled it back, slamming its body against a tree to be left in a paralyzed heap. Another went in for an attack, but Tessa quickly deflected, pushing its jaws away with her right hand to throw it off balance. She quickly wrapped her left arm around the front of its neck, pulling it back to break over her knee. She tossed it to the side like it was nothing, her eyes never leaving John’s fear filled ones. 

John nervously looked around as Tessa stood, continuing to move closer to him. She could sense her warriors were now behind her and they were all confused about what was going on. Cadence joined her side with a look of concern. Only one word could describe what was happening and Tessa wanted everyone to hear it. “Traitor,” she declared, pointing towards John. Cadence growled and snapped her jaws signaling for the warriors to attack. There were only two more wolves in her way before she could get to him and end his worthless life. 

Suddenly, out from the woods came at least a dozen more Rogues, a perfect distraction which John took advantage of. Tessa quickly shifted into her wolf form. tearing through the attackers in a blind rage, but as she was about to charge John’s retreating form, she was pinned down by her own pack members. “Alpha please wait! He could be leading you into a trap. None of us sensed those other Rogues. They practically came out of nowhere,” Cadence said as she laid in front of Tessa. Tessa’s rage filled eyes remained on John as the distance between them grew. “What a coward,” her wolf called out in anguish, trying to claw her way out from under her warriors. She wanted to continue the chase just as much as Tessa, but they both needed to accept their Beta’s voice of reason. She couldn’t afford to act irrationally, knowing someone so cruel was after her pack. It was important to remember her training.

A new movement caught her attention as her eyes met the concerned chocolate brown pools of her mate. His wolf was shaking at the sight of Tessa being held down by her warriors and the obvious gore she was in the middle of. She huffed through the mind link, taking deep breaths to calm down. “Okay. Okay, I’m good. Let me up,” she spoke calmly as they moved off her, one by one. Tessa pushed her grief aside as she walked among her warriors, inspecting them for injury. “You all did a great job. Let’s get back to the pack house and I’ll quickly brief everyone on what just happened,” she said, and they all yipped in happiness from their Alpha’s praise, then took off for the pack house.

Cadence took a few steps but hesitated as she looked into Tessa’s eyes. She obviously wanted to ask what happened, but when Dainin joined them she seemed to relax. “Tessa, these hard times are what having a mate is for,” Cadence reassured her, pressing her head into her neck. “Rely on him and me okay? You’re not alone,” Cadence sighed, and Tessa released a grateful sigh from the comforting words of her Beta. “Yes, of course. I’m beginning to realize that,” she noted, nudging her Beta for her to go ahead of them. 

When Cadence disappeared, Tessa could feel her mate looming over her. “I have a feeling we’re in a little bit of trouble,” her wolf whined, sending a cold shiver through her body. Tessa tried to block the mate link, in an attempt to hide the whirlwind of emotions they were feeling. When she felt she had her walls up, Tessa turned to face him, shifting back into her human form. Tessa grimaced at the sight of dirt, blood and grim that now covered her body, but the sight of Dainin’s arms crossed over his strong chest made her worry more. She could see his face wore a look of concern while his intense gaze raked over her body assessing her for injury.

Tessa already knew none of the blood was hers and by the sigh he released he must have realized it too. She moved closer to him not sure what to say, “Dainin, I’m sorr....," she started, but before she was able to finish her apology she was pulled into his strong embrace, breaking her guard and releasing the flood of emotions she was trying to control. She broke down in his arms, unable to stop herself from sobbing into his chest. Dainin gently guided her down to the ground, cradling her protectively against his strong frame. Her cries continued as grief and darkness consumed her.