Chapter 24 - Jet

I wasn't sure how much longer I could make it. Terrance had brought his entire pack to my fucking doorstep, and too many Edwards wolves had been injured or killed already. A whimper broke free of me as I struggled to push up off the ground.

My front leg was likely broken, translating to an immobilized wrist if I shifted back into human form. I tumbled back down to the ground when I tried to put some semblance of weight on it, and the impact with the hard ground rocked through my ribs. They were already bruised, Terrance landing a number of successful kicks.

I'd been already exhausted when I found him and his fucking beta back here. His pack had done their duty of softening me up for them. I was alpha, but there was only so much even I could do against such steep numbers.

Still, I'd been able to do severe damage to Reginald, and the taste of his blood on my tongue confirmed something that I'd expected for some time. He was Terrance's son.

"Get out of here! Now! You're just going to get yourself killed!" Terrance had screamed at Reginald, just barely able to yank his progeny away before I clamped my fangs down on his neck.

"Alpha, I can—"

"You can listen to my fucking orders, ingrate!" He'd shoved Reginald away then, launching him toward the tree line. "Your job now is to keep the Collins pack going. Shoo!"

Watching Reginald run off, I wanted to chase after him and finish the job. But I had bigger fish to fry.

Everything ached, and I was beyond exhausted now, but the worst, though, was the way the asshole had to pontificate at me.

"You really thought I'd let you keep your mate if I had anything to say about it. Ha! There's no fucking way I'm letting an Edwards have that kind of leg up over the Collins pack. You won't be filling the world with your fucking disgrace you want to call a pup."

Because the one you just sent packing is so much better?

I snarled low, snapping and slashing out with my claws as he drew near me. The rumbling growl echoed around us in the clearing. I'd yet to have a good opportunity to learn anything from Terrance or his wolves. It had been too chaotic and urgent, dodging attacks as I rushed down the halls, hurrying my pack members to safety as quickly as I could.

Hell, I still didn't know who the mole was, though, of course, I had suspicions. The taste of Terrance's blood and the blood of the wolves I'd downed lingered on my tongue, and my breath left me in billowing white puffs. It was cold, the sun obscured behind several layers of clouds, and the entire sky was oppressive gray.

This piece of shit. Who sent you here?!

That snarl deepened, and I pushed myself up again, keeping the weight off my injured leg.

"Oh, quit your fucking growling. It's not going to do you any good now. I'm already well aware of what's been going on under my nose. And you'll not be keeping Senna. I'm going to string her up for my pack, Jet. I'm going to watch as they tear into her flesh and then clamp my jaws around her neck."

Bile and rage swelled in my blood, and when Terrance shot forward to slash at me, his claws extended through his human fingers, I leapt out of the way. Dodging the blow was simple enough, but I had to tuck into a roll so that I could cushion my leg.

Spinning around, I raked my claws out in front of me, just slicing through the skin of Terrance's back. He cursed, turning to face me, and roared in my direction.

"Give it up! You've lost! Leon is already combing the compound for your fucking precious little omega. He'll bring her to me, and we'll end your fucking Edwards line for good! Two birds, one stone."

I fucking knew it. That motherfucking—

Roaring into the wintery scene around us, I tore off for Terrance, ignoring the burning throb in my leg as I ran at him. I soared through the air, landing on top of Terrance, but not without getting a massive hit to my side. His claws dug into my skin, and that searing tear lit me up with pain.

On top of him, I snapped at his neck. I wasn't able to make good contact with how he held me back, but I nipped and snarled, doing everything I could to cause any damage. My claws tore through his chest, and I landed a quick bite on his shoulder.

"Ahh!"

Terrance bucked me off, flinging me ass-over-teakettle into the snow. I landed with a hard thump, and my entire body ached.

I couldn't stand now, the damage too immense, and Terrance hauled himself up off the ground. He spat blood onto the white powder, sneering down at me as he stalked forward.

And I couldn't fucking move.

My vision flickered as my side oozed out thick crimson, and I shook my head, whining as the pain and darkness closed in. I couldn't die. I couldn't leave Senna alone and unprotected. She needed me.

I needed her.

Crossing the yard toward me, Terrance reared back, raising his clawed hand over my head. He bellowed into the echoey clearing, rocking the trees with the force of his shout. I growled as the Collins alpha grinned maliciously down at me, but it was pathetic, barely an excuse for an alpha's powerful warning.

The world became a fuzzy mass in the black and white of my vision. This was it. Dammit, if only I could have seen Senna. Fucking hell, she has to be safe.

Rose and almond filtered through the air, landing gently in my nose. My mate, my Senna. My mind was cooking up fantasies of her to ease my passing. Kaiden, don't let anything happen to her.

"No!"

A sharp cry cut through the quiet, and my blood surged. Senna? No, no. You can't be here. He'll kill you.

Terrance turned in her direction as he lowered down to a knee in front of me. He wore that fucking smirk and grabbed my neck, readying to snap it. It took everything to crack my lids and look at Senna standing in the field. She was framed by the white expanse, my home behind her.

Horror touched her expression, and the tears that dripped down her cheek singed my very soul. I couldn't let him kill her. He'd do it as soon as he was done with me. I had to do something.

Channeling every ounce of alpha strength that my body possessed, that magic that made my bloodline and wolf stronger and deadlier than the rest, I yanked myself free of Terrance and took off running toward Senna.

It was pure agony, moving any part of my body like dragging myself through broken glass. I was clumsy and slower than I needed to be. But still, I kept trying to get to her. Senna's eyes flared, and she ran forward, screaming my name.

"Jet! No!"

She was just a handful of feet away. I could get to her; I could shift back and tell her everything Terrance planned. I could tell her to run. To leave me.

My legs gave out from under me, and I collapsed to the snow. My muzzle smacked into the packed powder, and stars bloomed behind my lids. The beat of heavy footsteps sounded behind me. It was Terrance, sprinting full force toward Senna.

He was going to kill her. He was going to murder my mate right in front of me, and I was useless to stop him.

No. Please, Gods, no. Something…something help her.

Wolves cannot scream. They cannot cry or sob or beg. So, I just lay there, whimpering and whining as Terrance stalked past me, his claws glinting in the pale light.

I had only just found her, just gotten Senna in my life. I wanted more time. I wanted every second to stretch on so that I could spend them all with her, tiny eternities where we remained safe together.

But I can't stop time. No one can.