Page 3 of Alpha's Heir

We carried Luke's limp form through the moonlit forest, his ragged breaths the only sign that he was still with us. Every step felt like an eternity, the weight of his life resting heavily on our shoulders. The adrenaline from the battle still pulsed through my veins, but it was now mingled with a gnawing fear.

As we approached the compound, I could see the small cluster of homes that comprised our pack's sanctuary. It was a place of safety and belonging, a refuge from the chaos of the world beyond. But tonight, that sanctuary had been shattered, and the wounds ran deeper than the physical ones.

Sarah's face was etched with worry as she pushed open the door to the makeshift medical area. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of candles casting eerie shadows on the walls. Our pack medic, a seasoned shifter with a reputation for her healing abilities, was already at work.

"Get him on the table," she commanded, her voice steady despite the urgency of the situation.

We gently laid Luke down, his ashen complexion stark against the crisp white sheets. The medic wasted no time, her hands glowing with a soft, ethereal light as she examined his wound. It was a brutal gash, the kind that left no doubt about the savagery of our attackers.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from Luke's pale face, his breaths shallow and labored. "Will he be okay?" I asked, my voice trembling with worry.

The medic's brow furrowed, her expression grim. "It's a magical wound, Alpha. I've never seen anything quite like it. We can stabilize him for now, but I can't make any promises."

The words hung heavy in the air, a chilling reminder of the uncertainty that now gripped us. We were used to physical battles, to wounds that could be treated and healed. But this... this was something different, something darker.

I clenched my fists, frustration and anger boiling inside me. "What do you mean, a magical wound? What can we do?"

The medic's eyes met mine, her gaze steady. "We don't know, Alpha. We'll do everything we can, but the outcome is uncertain. All we can do now is wait and hope."

I nodded, my jaw set in determination. We would not lose Luke. We couldn't afford to. The Unseen Pack had already taken so much from us, and I refused to let them claim another victory.

As we watched over Luke's still form, the candles flickering in the dim room, I couldn't help but feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. Our pack depended on us, and we would stop at nothing to protect our own. But the darkness that loomed on the horizon was unlike anything we had ever faced, and I knew that our battle was far from over.

The weight of the night clung to me like a heavy shroud as I made my way back to our home. The compound was silent, the air thick with tension and uncertainty. Luke's fate hung in the balance, and the unsettling mystery of his magical wound gnawed at my thoughts.

As I pushed open the door to our home, the flickering candlelight offered a faint sense of comfort, but it was short-lived. Cora wasn't there to greet me, her absence a stark contrast to the warmth I had grown accustomed to. My senses went on high alert, the lingering adrenaline from the fight still coursing through my veins.

"Cora?" I called out, my voice carrying a note of concern. There was no immediate response, just the faint rustle of movement from our bedroom.

My heart pounded in my chest as I moved cautiously toward the bedroom, my instincts on high alert. The events of the night had left me wary, suspicious of any unexpected developments. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, that danger still lurked in the shadows.

The bedroom door stood ajar, the soft glow of a bedside lamp spilling into the hallway. "Cora?" I called again, my voice more urgent this time.

A soft voice answered from within, but it wasn't the relieved greeting I had expected. "I'm in here."

My muscles tensed as I pushed open the door, my eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger. Cora sat on the edge of the bed, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice tinged with bewilderment.

I couldn't immediately respond, my mind racing through a thousand scenarios. Was this really Cora, or had she been coerced into speaking under duress? I couldn't afford to let my guard down, not after the night we'd just endured.

"Are you okay?" I finally managed to ask, my voice laced with worry.

Cora's brow furrowed as she regarded me. "Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on?"

The relief that washed over me was palpable, but I couldn't fully let my guard down. "I thought... I was worried something had happened to you," I admitted, my words heavy with the weight of the night's battles.

Cora's eyes softened as she took in my weary expression. "I'm here, Weston. I'm safe."

As I closed the distance between us, I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her, needing the reassurance of her presence. The night had left me on edge, suspicious of every shadow, and I longed for the comfort of our shared moments.

Her warmth and reassuring presence were like a balm to my frayed nerves, but my mind still raced with the events of the evening. I couldn't shake the feeling that danger lingered, lurking just beyond our walls.

As I leaned in to kiss Cora, the worries of the outside world momentarily faded into the background. She met my lips with a passion that mirrored her spirit, and for a fleeting moment, it was just us, tangled in the embrace of our shared love.

But even in the midst of our intimate moment, I couldn't completely let go of the turmoil that had plagued me. The Unseen Pack's threats loomed large in my mind, and I knew we couldn't afford to lower our guard, not even for a second.

Cora's excitement, however, was infectious. Her eyes sparkled with a joy I hadn't seen in a long time, and I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. She had news, big news, she said. I braced myself for the unexpected, my heart pounding in my chest.

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