"Is Chester out there as well?" I asked.


    She nodded.


    "I tried to get him toe with me because he''s not a fighter... he''s a cook. But he insisted on helping Alpha Gavin," she told me.


    A pit of worry formed in my belly, and I put my hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.


    I was surprised when people started to listen to me. Mothers everywhere were hugging their kids tightly and kissing their foreheads, sending them off with the gammas to head upstairs.


    "I''m going upstairs with Emalyn," she told me, her eyes filling with tears. "I need a distraction."


    I nodded and watched as she disappeared up the stairs with the children and a few gammas.


    "What are we supposed to do?" I heard a woman asking. "What if we lose this battle and the rogues take over?"


    "That''s not going to happen..." another woman said confidently. "Alpha Landry would never let that happen, and he''s the strongest Lycan in the world."


    "It''s true," another said. "He''ll keep us safe... He has to keep us safe."


    "I don''t understand why the rogues are attacking the pack," Irene said, standing beside me. It was the first time. "It''s almost like they knew we were here somehow. Did someone tip them off?"


    The thought left me spiraling into worry. She was right; why would the rogues attack here? It was like when they attacked the Redcliff pack? Now that the Redcliff pack is here, they are attacking here. Is that pack being followed somehow?


    Pain shot through my stomach, and I let out a screech as I fell to the ground. I vaguely remember hearing Irene screaming my name and a pair of cold hands on my back as I copsed to the ground. My vision grew hazy, and I had to fight to keep consciousness. My stomach was aching so badly, and my wolf was whimpering.


    For a second, I thought it was because Gavin was hurt, but no... this was different.


    My wolf''s thoughts wereing through loud and clear, and my heart rate started to grow faster.


    "Judy," I heard my mother crying; her hands on my head as they turned me over to lie on my back. "What is it, baby? Talk to me..."


    She brushed my hair out of my face, and I realized how badly I was sweating, when did I get a fever? The second my hair was out of my face and behind my shoulder, my mouth let out a gasp.


    "Is that a mating mark?" She asked.


    "Holy shit," Nan said. "Did Judy and Alpha Gavin officially mate?"


    Irene let out a sob.


    "Is it my dad?" Irene asked. "Is that why you''re in pain? Is this happening to him


    as well? Is he hurt??"


    She was firing off so many questions that I couldn''t keep up with her. I could barely get the words out of my mouth. My vision started to retum slightly, and I looked up to see her panicked face. I tried to reassure her that it wasn''t her father, but I couldn''t force the words out of my mouth.


    "We need to get her to a hospital," my mother said, motioning for a Gamma who


    had finally taken notice of me. His face went pale as he rushed towards me.


    "Holy fuck, what happened?" he asked. "Her legs are bleeding..."


    I didn''t need to look to where he was looking; had blood between my legs, I could feel the warmth of it, and my heart shattered. My wolf whimpered with worry.


    My mother''s brows furrowed with worry, and I met her eyes.


    "Please..." I managed; my vision grew hazy once again, and my breathing shallow


    as I went limp in her arms. "Protect my baby..."