Alexander


    Blood spattered across my face as I tore through another rogue wolf. The metallic taste filled my mouth, momentarily dulling my other senses. I whipped my head around just as another rogue charged at me, narrowly missing the brunt of its jagged ws.


    The rogue snarled, skidding to a stop a few feet away as it realized it had missed its mark. It whirled around and charged back at me, but this time, I was prepared.


    My ws shed on instinct, catching the rogue in the belly. Blood and guts spurted out before the beast even had a chance to stop. With a guttural howl, it crashed into the ground, kicking up dirt and debris with its momentum as it slid and mmed into the base of a nearby tree. Dead.


    I panted, looking around for others. In the distance, I could hear the sounds of my warriors fighting off more rogues. Goddess, how many were there? Dozens?


    The northern border of Ashw territory had always been a problem area. Rogues-wolves without packs, often stuck in wolf form andpletely feral-would asionally test our boundaries, hoping to im a small piece ofnd for themselves.


    Usually, a simple show of force was enough to send them scampering back into the wilderness, because rogues rarely banded together. Perhaps a few might join forces, but typically they were alone, unorganized, and easy to maintain.


    But not this time.


    This group had been more organized than usual. They’d killed the family living on the piece ofnd by the border and had taken it over as their home base during the night, then ambushed our patrol before the sun rose, killing two of my warriors and capturing several more.


    “Alpha!” Gabriel shouted from somewhere to my right. “There’s moreing from the east!”


    The forest blurred around me as I ran in that direction in wolf form, far faster than I ever could on human legs, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs. The scent of unfamiliar wolves grew stronger, mingling with the smell of blood and sweat. They were close.


    I slowed, dropping into a crouch as I approached a small clearing. Five rogues were gathered there. They looked up as my scent inevitably reached them, their lips peeling back to reveal yellowed fangs dripping with foamy saliva.


    Before they had time to strategize, Iunched myself at the closest one with a missing ear, my jaws immediately finding his throat. His warm blood gushed into my mouth as I ripped and tore, then tossed his limp body aside.


    The other four attacked as one, surrounding me, circling me like prey. I spun, shing at anything that came too close,nding blows that sent the smaller ones flying. But they kept


    A set of teeth found my shoulder, sinking deep into muscle. I howled and twisted, trying to shake off my attacker, but another ched onto my back leg at the same time. Pain shot through me.


    For a moment, I faltered. There were too many of them, and they wereing at me from all sides. My strength was waning, blood loss making my movements sluggish. I might actually lose this fight.


    This was my fault, dammit. I hadn’t been sleeping well since E had gone to the hospital; I hadn’t been sleeping much at all, actually.


    The side of the bed where she normally slept was too empty, too cold. I spent my nightsying awake, staring at her untouched pillow, wondering how the hell I had gotten so used to her sleeping beside me already that I could no longer rest without herying there.


    E. My mate.


    I shut my eyes as the pain became too much to bear, and there was her face hovering in the darkness. She was smiling, head bent over a chess board, slender fingers reaching for her


    queen.


    Suddenly and unexpectedly, the sight of her face in my mind sent a fresh surge of energy through me, burning away the fatigue and pain. With a roar, I shook off my attackers, sending them flying into the surrounding trees.