Page 56 of The Alpha's Fated Destiny

The sounds of fighting reach me and I take off in that direction.

The first thing I see is a large brown wolf tearing off the head of one of the witches.

His fur is matted with dried blood and his body is emaciated. Some of his wounds are fresh, but he doesn't seem to feel the pain. There are a couple of witches still standing near him, fear in their eyes. The baskets I had seen them wearing are now on the ground, broken. They are chanting loudly and gesturingwith their hands but their attacks aren't slowing down the wolf shifter.

He is tearing them apart. I begin running in his direction. I don’t know if the shifter is a threat or not, but I bet he knows where my mate is, and I want answers.

As I approach him, I see a figure crumpled in the corner. The scent of Sophia’s blood hits me like a ton of bricks. Without a second thought, I head toward her, only for the brown shifter to block my path with a growl.

His eyes hold madness and death. However, I am not that easily intimidated.

When I growl back, he bares his teeth, which are covered in the blood of the witches.

He’s warning me away from Sophia.

Who the hell is this man?

Snarling, I jump at him, only for him to swiftly avoid my attack like an experienced fighter. I go after him again, and from the corner of my eye, I see the last witch try to escape. The brown shifter notices the same thing and he abandons me. Running after her, he gives me the opening I wanted, and I use his absence to reach my mate.

The first thing I do is sniff her all over to make sure she does not have any fatal injuries. Nudging her with my nose, I try to wake her up, but she’s incredibly weak right now. The bond between us is fading, and I feel my own panic setting in.

I know the brown shifter will return and probably attack me, but I could not care less at this moment.

Assuming my human form, I cradle Sophia in my arms. I press my ear against her chest. Her heartbeat is slow.

I’ve never felt this kind of terror before. I'm losing her. I’m losing her and there’s nothing I can do about it.

I have to get a healer. I have to get to somebody who can help us. Picking her up in my arms, I’m about to leave, when a dangerously low voice growls softly, “Put her down and get away from her.”

When I turn around, I see that the brown shifter has transformed into his human form. He is half starved, and his clothes are rags. Even in his wasted state, he looks like a fighter. His eyes are menacing as he approaches me. “Put the girl down, or it's your head I'll be ripping off next."

Chapter 12

Alex

I narrow my gaze at the man. “This girl happens to be my mate. You'd better step back before I start wondering why she's in this state."

"I saved her from those witches." The scraggly-looking man spits out. "She was already at death's door. If I hadn't intervened, they would have sucked her dry like they have so many others before her."

His voice is hoarse as if he hasn't used it in a while.

I don't know if he's lying or not, but he was acting protective of her before. However, that doesn't mean I'm going to trust him.

"You've done your part." I hold Sophia close to me. "I don't know what your problem with these witches was, but it would be best if you escape. I'm taking my mate to a healer."

The man stops me, his eyes narrowed into slits, his voice suspicious. "You say she's your mate. Where's your proof?"

“You can’t smell her on me?” I demand, enraged that he's asking for proof when Sophia smells like me from head to toe. “Why do I need to give you any sort of proof? Who the hell are you?”

He takes a step back and looked around at the carnage he caused. When he looks back at me, there’s a hint of confusion in his eyes. “I don’t know.”

“What?”

He moves toward me, and when I raise my upper lip in a snarl, he stops. "Your mate is not well."

“I can see that. I have to get her to a healer…”

“A healer can’t fix what's wrong with her.” He points at Sophia’s neck. “You can. She’s not wearing your mark.”

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