Page 21 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

Suddenly one of the border security guards mind-links through the pack, screaming: “Rogue attack. Northern border. Code two.”

Shit! Code two means no weapons, but more than ten wolves. We generally only have three guards patrolling the border at this hour.

“On my way,” I link back, dropping the bottle and pulling on my boxers, adding, “Security from the other borders will notmove. All the other warriors need to get their asses to North, ASAP.”

I take one last look at Seren before jumping out the window. “Whoever it is, is going to regret this.” The drive to the forest takes a few precious minutes but the moment I reach the creek, I leave the car and shift into my wolf form, letting Titan take over.

Adrenaline floods me as I launch myself into the chaos. Luke, Phil, and Jake arrived ahead of me, but we’re still outnumbered. It’s six of us against fifteen snarling rogues.

Luke’s voice explodes in my head, laced with urgency. “About time! Others are coming. I’m holding off these two at the back. Can you flank Phil? He’s hurt.”

“I’ll get him,” I snarl back, scanning the chaos. Two brown wolves claw at Phil, his right arm hanging limp at his side. With a guttural roar, I launch myself at the attackers, sending both rogues sprawling. The raw power coursing through me from mating with Seren packs more strength behind each punch.

I take them both down with bites to their carotid arteries, leaving them to bleed out while I sprint toward the largest rogue, who’s warring with one of my grizzled patrol guards.

Scars map the rogue’s body—this one is clearly a seasoned fighter. This won’t be a quick brawl.

As we’re clashing, I realize this attack reeks of something more orchestrated, a deliberate strike. They wouldn’t dare hit our territory with such force unless they had a bigger plan.

Well, not on my watch. Especially not with my parents gone. If there’s even one casualty on our side, my capabilities will be questioned before I’m even an alpha.

“I need reinforcements at all the other borders. At least three additional warriors at each. Get the veterans if needed,” I mind-link to the gamma back at the packhouse who manages resources at Blackwood.

A blur of red fur streaks past as Luke takes down a rogue with a practiced sweep of his leg, but another one snaps at his heels. It clamps its jaws on Luke’s neck from behind as another lunges at his front. I barely react, charging my own attacker, when a chorus of howls rips through the air. Within moments, at least ten of my warriors surge into the clearing.

They all erupt into a practiced war cry before charging.

“Alive!” I roar, the command cutting through the frenzy. “Keep them alive! We need them breathing until we get some answers!”

It takes a little time, but we overpower the rogues, managing to capture two unharmed and three barely clinging to life. The rest, despite my warning, are already dead.

“Take them to the dungeons,” I bark, then signal Luke to join me.

After ensuring Phil and the other injured receive medical attention, Luke and I head to the dungeons where we keep all non-pack criminals at Blackwood.

The stale scent of wolfsbane is thick and acrid as we walk to the underground cells. The screams of the new arrivals already echo against the bare stone walls.

With my narrowed eyes focused on the men in chains, my jaw clenches as I approach the gamma in charge. “Have they talked yet?”

“One refuses to speak, and the other claims they were just passing through when our patrol attacked.”

I chuckle. “They must’ve taken more than one wrong turn to get so deep into Blackwood territory.” I turn to the gamma, my voice dropping to a low growl. “Give them the traditional Blackwood welcome and see if it jogs their memory.”

“You can’t do that!” One of them struggles against his chains. “We need to talk to your alpha.”

I roll my eyes and watch the pack enforcer approach the whimpering rogue, a pair of glinting silver claws held loosely in his hand as I leave the cell.

The rogues must be trained to withstand torture, since it takes a while for them to break.

“Both have clearly named Alpha Landon,” the enforcer reports a few hours later. “Said all fifteen were hired and told to have at least ten fatalities before returning. One overheard some talk of other attacks planned, but they don’t know the details.”

I grunt. Ten fatalities on my watch would’ve been disastrous.

“See if the nail gun manages to extract more information. I’ll talk to Alpha Dan and see if he has more instructions for us.”

My father, though handing over the reins in two weeks, is still the alpha, so I fill him in through the mind-link, bracing for his usual fire. His nonchalance when I drop Alpha Landon’s name surprises me. “I suspected as much,” he rumbles. “The question is, how will you handle it, son?”

I scowl. I hate being treated like a pup who needs every move scrutinized by my father.

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