Page 49 of Kidnapped By the Alpha

“No, Jasper. I’ll fight you because you seem to want that so badly, but April will stay here no matter what the outcome is,” Aiden said.

I shifted without warning, and Storm bolted toward him. Lex jumped backwards out of the way as Aiden shifted as well. Our wolves collided in a mass of fur, teeth, and claws.

Due to my wolf’s size and strength, I had the upper hand, and it was only a minute before I had Aiden pinned to the ground. He continued to struggle as he tried to free himself and fight back, but I was unyielding. I didn’t wish to harm him, only to prove that I was stronger. If I could keep him pinned, I hoped he would yield and allow me to take April back home—if she wished.

I remained where I was, holding Aiden to the ground, when another wolf suddenly toppled me off my prey. My head hit the cobblestones in the courtyard with a resounding crash. I hadn’t expected it, but Lex had joined the fray. The surprise attack had shaken me, but I rebounded.

Lex’s assistance had renewed Aiden’s vigor, and the two alphas’ combined attacks weakened me quicker than I had anticipated. While one bit at my hind legs, the other went for my throat. It wasn’t long before Lex and Aiden managed to subdue me.

I prostrated myself on the ground, admitting my defeat before shifting once more. They had won, and I planned to uphold the bargain I had initiated with them. I had told them that I would leave forever, but their vicious attacks had proven that they didn’t intend to let me live out the day.

“Please,” I begged. My words felt as though they were choking me as I struggled not to cry. “Before I die, all I want is to see her one last time. Please.”

Lex remained in wolf form, but Aiden had shifted back so he could answer me. They both looked down at me in disgust as my foe answered.

“You think you can come to our territory and make demands of us?” he growled. “Your request is denied.”

Lex hunched over, and I knew my time had ended. As I closed my eyes to await the blow that would end my life, I thought of April one last time. The way she looked at me while our bodies were intertwined, the feeling of her lips on mine, the color of her hair in the sunshine, and every moment we had spent together—it all flooded my mind.

I had expected Lex to cut my throat with his claw, so I was shocked when, instead of feeling pain, I was wrapped up in an embrace.

Had I died so quickly that I hadn’t felt it and had now entered the afterlife?

I opened my eyes to see that I was still in the courtyard at Sparkle Hollow. At the bottom of my vision was brown hair with blond tints reflecting the sunlight.

“April,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around her as she knelt in front of me.

“I’m here,” she whispered back.

She stood up, turning her back to me and facing my attackers.

“This wolf is my true mate,” she said. “You will not hurt him.”

“April, you need to move so we can finish this,” Aiden commanded her sternly.

“Didn’t you hear me? You. Will not. Hurt him,” she enunciated, fixing the alphas with a glare.

Lex had shifted back into his human form, and their lunas had joined the courtyard to hear April speak.

“I see in front of me the biggest hypocrites the werewolf community has ever seen,” she spat. “Not that long ago, youwelcomed Aiden with open arms, even though he has committed atrocities that equal what Jasper has done. I have just told you that he is my true mate, and still, you won’t even spare his life. I amsickenedto see this kind of thinking oversee your packs.”

I saw Grace and Madi raise their eyebrows and give each other knowing looks.

“Both of you know that this is wrong,” April said to the men, not backing down. “Haven’t you learned anything from your lunas?”

I couldn’t believe April was standing her ground in front of these men—alphas—who could end her without breaking a sweat. I was in awe of her bravery but even more so of the fact that she had somehow fallen in love with someone as broken as me. Only a true love would have been willing to go as far as she was going, to take my side and protect me from my own certain death.

If we somehow managed to make it out of this alive, I wouldn’t let a single day pass without making certain she knew how special and loved she was.

Neither of the alphas was responding to her censure, and I knew our time together might be short. There was nothing else I could do but be honest about my feelings, if only so that April would know before I died.

“I love you, April,” I said.

I had never said those words to another living soul, but I meant them. This powerful, compassionate, exhilarating, bold woman had changed my life.

April turned away from the alphas, and when our eyes met, my world became clear. It was only her. She was myeverything. Her eyes welled with tears as she knelt down and wrapped her arms around me.

“I love you, Jasper,” she whispered.

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