Page 4 of Alpha's Redemption

“Fuck!” I curse. Just my luck! What’s the saying? It happens in threes? Well, I hope this is the last of my bad luck today.

The commune is eerily still—my headlights light up the forest surrounding the commune. As I stare out the windshield, I crack my window just a little to hear howls and wolves in the forest. My heart races, waiting for Marcus or Valen to get here. I refuse to get out of the car; I’ve watched one too many horror movies and know that’s a bad idea.

‘You okay?’Valen says through the mind-link. I can feel him getting closer, but he’s still a fair way out.

‘Yes, fine, just a little freaked out.’This place is creepy and I don't know how Emily lives out here. Yet, she loves her little spot.

“I’ll be there soon, just keep talking to me,”Valen says.

I explain about Emily; not that he doesn't already know—he’d been calling me all night, checking in. But rambling is better than panicking. Suddenly, I see a wolf run out of the tree line, two border patrols chasing after it and my eyes widen as I see them tear into the creature. The wolf turns and beelines straight toward my car. Only, it diverts toward the trailer at the last second, clawing at the walls before snarls send it running again. It seems so small for a normal forsaken. It tries to run back toward the tree line to escape, terrified. I watch on in horror.

“Everly?”Valen says as I see the two border patrols tear into it. Its howls are horrifying to hear when it’s flung across the dirt and suddenly shifts—or tries to. My heart lurches in my chest as I see the figure getting to its feet. Semi-shifted, its body is still covered in fur and its limbs are deformed. He looks like most forsaken, only smaller, until he shifts. It takes me a moment to realize the forsaken is a child. Then it looks at me and I instantly recognize that little face—it’s the only recognizable trait he has—and my heart nearly stops.

I don't even remember opening the car door as I see one of the patrols go to rip into him. His petrified eyes, so much like his mother's, widen as I run toward them.

“NO!” I scream. The sound that leaves me is more of a strangled wail as I scream out as one of them tackles him, tearing into his neck and shoulder. He jumps back, looking at me running toward them, waving my arms frantically.

“Please, Goddess, no!” I cry, skidding on the ground as I fall to my knees next to the body. The border patrol try to shove me back, but my claws slip from my fingertips, and slash at them, an angry growl escaping me before I grab him. Sobs wrack my entire body as I smooth back his hair, looking at what has become of him.

He’s deformed, and it shouldn't be possible. How is it possible? He’s just a boy? He has no wolf yet! One of the patrols shifts back and reaches for me.

“GET A FUCKING AMBULANCE NOW!!” I scream, clutching onto him and trying to protect him from the patrols.

“He’s a forsaken,” the guard says. I shake my head. The boy’s eyes flutter open, bloodshot and rabid, but I only hold him tighter as he thrashes, snarling and growling, trying to attack me. But I know this boy—this isn't him. Someone has done something horrific to him, but that isn't who he is. His wounds are horrific, and he eventually passes out in my arms. His slow heartbeat is the only indicator that he’s still alive.

“Call for help!” I wail as tears stream down my face.

“Luna?” the young patrolman questions.

“He isn't forsaken! He’s a fucking child!” I scream, baring my canines at them as they slip from my gums.

I hear the mind-link open as the border patrol orders for an ambulance.

“It's okay, it's okay, help is on the way,” I whisper to him.

“Luna,” the patrolman says, grabbing my arm, but I shake him off.

“Don't touch me,” I snap.

“He’s dangerous,” he tries to reason, but I don’t care. I’ve known this boy since he was in diapers; I’ve watched him grow. I don’t care how dangerous he is, he’s family—part of my village.

“He isnotdangerous. He was trying to come home, trying to come home to his mother,” I growl at them.

“Hang on, Ben, hang on for me,” I whisper, clutching him closer while my hand presses against his gaping wound, holding it shut, trying to stem the bleeding from his shoulder.

Hearing a car, I see headlights light up the clearing and see Valen jump out of his car frantically. He races toward me. I hear sirens in the distance on their way here and relief washes over me.

“Everly?” Valen screams at me fearfully; probably because I’m so close to the mutated wolf.

“It's Ben, it's Emily's son,” I choke out, turning my attention back to the boy in my arm—or half boy.

Valen grabs my arms trying to pull me away, but I shove him off.

“Nobody touches him,” I snarl at him. I will not allow them to kill him, I don't care how dangerous he is.

“Everly!” he snarls.

“Tell them to stand down,” I growl. Valen growls too, looking at them and nodding for them to back off.

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