Page 32 of Alpha's Hidden Gem

I nod, forcing myself to my feet despite the dizziness that threatens to overwhelm me. Together, we stumble towards the door, ducking under falling beams and skirting around patches of fire. It feels like navigating an obstacle course designed by a pyromaniac.

We're almost at the door when I hear an ominous crack above us. I look up to see another beam, engulfed in flames, plummeting towards us. Elena, a few steps ahead, doesn't see it coming.

"Elena, watch out!" I cry, shoving her forward with all my strength.

She stumbles through the doorway to safety, but I'm not so lucky. The beam crashes down, catching me across my back and legs. The pain is immediate and overwhelming, a white-hot agony that threatens to consume me. I scream, the sound tearing from my throat as I collapse to the ground, pinned beneath the burning wood.

Through a haze of pain and smoke, I see Elena turn back, her eyes wide with horror. "Lila!" she screams, trying to come back for me.

"No!" I gasp out. "Go... get help... Axel..."

She hesitates for a moment, torn between helping me and finding Axel. But we both know she can't lift the beam alone, and every second counts. With a last, anguished look, she turns and runs towards the sounds of fighting.

I lie there, half in and half out of the burning building, the weight of the beam crushing me. The pain is excruciating, and I can feel the heat of the flames getting closer. Smoke fills my lungs, making each breath a struggle. My vision starts to blur, dark spots dancing at the edges.

In the distance, I hear the sounds of the battle raging. Snarls, yelps of pain, the thud of bodies hitting the ground. And above it all, a howl of pure anguish that can only be Axel. He knows I'm in danger. He's fighting to get to me.

"Axel," I whisper, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. "Please... hurry..."

The world around me starts to fade, the pain and the smoke and the heat all blurring together. I'm slipping away, I realize dimly. My last conscious thought is of Axel, of his fierce determination to get to me.

The last thing I see before I lose consciousness is a massive black wolf breaking through the line of enemies, his eyes locked on me with a desperation that cuts through even my fading awareness. Axel. He's almost here.

My eyes flutter closed.

Chapter 12

Fury of the Alpha

Axel

The scent of burning wood assaults my nose as I race through the forest, my paws pounding against the damp earth. Then a faint but very familiar scent infiltrates my nose, Lila’s vanilla and cinnamon aroma drives me forward, a lifeline in the darkness.

I'm coming, Lila. Hold on.

I burst into a clearing, my chest heaving, and skid to a stop. Two other wolves emerge from the shadows, their hackles raised. For a moment, we stand frozen, sizing each other up. Then, as one, we shift back into human form.

"Axel?" Ethan's voice is tight with worry. "What are you doing here?"

"Following Lila's scent," I reply, my eyes scanning the tree line. "You?"

"Tracking Elena," Finn chimes in, his brow furrowed. "Her scent has led us here."

A flicker of movement catches my eye. I turn, my heart leaping into my throat. There, just beyond the trees, stands a barn. Flames lick at its sides, casting an orange glow over the clearing. Rogue wolves pace around the perimeter, their movements agitated.

"There," Finn whispers, pointing towards the structure. "The barn."

I take a step forward, my wolf howling within me.

Lila's in there. I can feel it.But Ethan's hand on my shoulder stops me.

"Wait," he cautions, his eyes narrowed. "We need a plan. There are too many of them to take on alone."

I clench my fists, frustration warring with reason. Every instinct screams at me to charge in, to rip apart anyone who stands between me and my mate. But I know Ethan's right. We need to be smart about this.

"Okay," I say, my voice strained. "What do you suggest?"

Ethan's gaze flicks to the barn, then back to us. "We split up. Finn, you circle around to the back. See if there's another way in. I'll take the left side, Axel, you take the right. Let’s see if we can get them out without confronting the rogues."

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