Page 137 of Second Chance Mates

“I need you all to trust me. I need you all to fight for this pack. That’s all I ask.”

“Let’s fucking do this.” Lucy’s voice is dark although her eyes glass over with tears. The close friendship she has made with Ava is like no other, and I know my sister would do anything for her.

Kayden orders the pack into groups while Lucy works closely with the witches. Evan darts towards me, and I blink at his presence. “I’m helping,” he demands.

“No way,” I grumble, pushing past him and towards Kayden.

“Why not?”

I turn around to face him with blazing eyes. “Because I don’t trust you, Evan!”

“Then make this my test!” he proposes, grabbing my sleeve to stop me walking away. “I want to help Ava. Let me do something. I can’t stand here and do nothing.”

My eyes flick between his for a split second, and I can see the determination in his gaze. I clench my jaw. “Fine,” I mutter. “You prove your bravery and loyalty to me, and you’ll be welcomed into this pack for good. You stick with Kayden and do everything he says. You fight with everything in you.”

Evan flashes me a smile, but there is raw sadness in his eyes. “I won’t let you down, Alpha. We will bring her home. No matter what it costs.”

Once we head on our journey and I lead the pack, pain etches across my abdomen and chest. A grunt leaves my throat, and I scrunch up my snout. Kayden turns to me. What’s wrong?

We race through the trees to get to Ava’s location as quickly as possible. They’re hurting her, I growl and clench my muscles to dull the pain. My mind focuses on Ava’s, and I attempt to mask her suffering with the power of our bond. We need to hurry.

I sprint faster. Paws grinding into the dirt and eyes set ahead of me.

Hang in there, baby, I send through our mindlink.

As we inch closer, the scent of unknown wolves floods my nervous system. Seconds later, we spot them. At least a hundred of them stand on their paws, protecting the derelict building, and as soon as they see us coming, they pounce into action.

Take them all out, I shoot through the mindlink.

Claws and canines begin to clash, and blood is shed against the forest floor. I snarl and fight until organs are splattered and limbs are isolated. Ava needs me, and she is my only priority right now.

The taste of blood coats my tongue as I rip out a wolf's throat with my sharp teeth and ravage their body until they are barely recognisable. I twist my head to spot Kayden and Evan’s wolves fighting off a pair together.

Go! Kayden shouts in my head. She needs you.

I don’t waste any time. My pack is behind me, ready to fight for their Luna. As I move closer to the building, I howl out in sudden distress. It sends my body to the floor.

What’s happening, Jaxon? Lucy’s voice echoes in my head.

The lower part of my abdomen is on fire. Bleeding. I’m bleeding from the inside out, but there is no wound. My bond with Ava begins to shake, and I stand on trembling legs. They’ve done something to her. They’re killing her. I can hardly catch my breath.

I change our plans at the last moment.

I need wolves helping me attack the building. Now!

Moments later, we charge into the building with force. There isn’t a second to waste. I scan the room quickly but growl when I spot Julia hunched over my mate’s naked body, a knife deep in her gut. Blood is pouring everywhere, through her fingers as she holds them to the wound. I stare back at them in horror. My heart slams into my chest, almost knocking me over.

Ava! I yell so loudly it makes my vision blurry. Ava!

Julia whips her head at the sound of our entrance. There isn’t a single bone in my body that wants her. Even the sight of her face has me snarling in disgust. There is an evil sparkle in her eyes as she takes a hold of the knife handle and rips it from Ava’s flesh. Her body jolts from the force, and she continues to lay there lifelessly. I seethe at the action, but I can make out the jagged breaths on her chest.

“Well, well.” Julia’s red lips lift into a smirk. “Isn’t this a nice surprise? But you’re a little late, Jaxon. The damage is already done. Now, you get to lose everything all over again. Watch her bleed out. It’s real this time.”

I bare my canines at the woman I hardly recognise. Get her, I order my pack. Don’t kill her. Save the rest for me later. I want to make her pay.

Then they pounce, dragging her away as she shrieks in defence, but no one is coming to save her. I rush to Ava’s side, her eyes falling shut. I shift back into my human form and scoop her up into my arms, pressing down on her wound to stop the bleeding.

Oh, Goddess. What have they done to her?

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