Chapter 176 Sacrificed for the Alpha
903words
Alpha Christian gave me a smug smile as he closed the gap between us. I felt his teeth softly bite into my bottom lip, making it clear who I now answered to. I would never answer to him though; my pack was relying on me. They needed me, our species needed me. Somehow, deep down in my heart, I knew the rogue was right. He was too familiar not to be placed still, though his familiarity made me wonder why he would be involved with the shadows. The shadows played dangerous games with high risks but, of course, with high risks came high prizes.
"I'll never be yours. You couldn't beat my mate, so you looked for the most dangerous magic to our kind. You could kill every single werewolf," I told him as I grit my teeth together. "You're reckless, Christian. You'll never win."
Anger brewed through Alpha Christian in violent waves. "Watch your mouth. I own you now," he spat out as he reached for my arm. His grip was rough, and he squeezed so tightly that I winced in pain. The rogue stepped forward, and a small growl crept from his chest. "A deal is a deal, don't even think about it. Her red wolf belongs to me," Alpha Christian told him.
I struggled to shake his hold off me, and when I was free, I felt my wolf trying to take control as the words echoed through the forest once more, "Protect the Alpha." I tried to make a run for it; I needed to get through the shadows somehow and to Alpha Jaxon with haste. I started running toward them, prepared to duck underneath the small crack just large enough for my petite frame to slip through—or at least, I hoped so. I heard the confusion within the crowd of shadows as I approached closer, but I struggled to maintain my speed.
Then, I felt my body tumble forward as I lost control of my footing. I turned to glare back, and that's when I saw Bailey standing there, satisfied with her actions.
It happened so fast that I didn't see her coming. I didn't feel her hands touch my body as she pushed me into the black smog ahead.
I began to feel strangely lighter, and when I looked down, I realized my feet were no longer touching the ground. I was floating above the forest floor with ease. I glanced down at my body and realized I was glowing a bright red color as I felt myself continue to plummet upwards.
I inhaled sharply, and that's when I saw my human body lying on the floor. Jaxon rushed over to my limp body and let out a loud howl that vibrated through the forest. Beta Don quickly joined in, and so did the rogue, while Alpha Blake and Alpha Christian stared wide-eyed.
"Your demons fucking killed her! That wasn't the arrangement," Alpha Blake scolded as he continued to flip out on the rogue.
Alpha Christian dropped to his knees, and I watched as Bailey rushed over to him. "You still have me, Christian, it's okay. I'll always be here for you," she said in a rushed voice, though the pain was evident. She would do anything for her mate; she'd risk it all just to make him happy, just to feel like she was good enough.
"You did this," he seethed. "You were jealous of her. You couldn't handle the thought of her satisfying my needs—needs that you could never fulfill."
A look of horror spread over her face, and I couldn't help but feel bad for her. Tears started to race down her face, and choked sobs rang through the air. I could hear the shadows laugh at her sorrows until they were quickly silenced by the rogue.
"You defied direct orders," he told them through clenched teeth. They began to recede, becoming smaller than I had ever seen them. Alpha Jaxon and Beta Don jolted upwards like they had just regained their strength.
"Sorry, Alpha," they chanted in unison.
"Sorry? What's sorry going to do now that the red wolf is dead?" he questioned. I stared at the other wolves, stunned that the other shifters couldn't hear the conversation between the rogue and the shadows.
I watched in horror as Jaxon leapt at Alpha Christian. He shifted mid-air and tackled him onto the forest floor. His canines were extended, and it was like I could taste his thirst for Alpha Christian's blood as his jaw snapped at his throat. Beta Don followed Jaxon's footsteps, except he launched at Alpha Blake and caught him off guard.
I continued rising upwards, feeling sick as I watched this bloodbath unfold before me. Matted fur flew through the air, and the stench of copper filled my nostrils. I desperately fought to move myself back down to the forest floor, swinging my arms and legs hysterically and hoping the gravitational pull would throw me back down. I had to stop this; I had to protect my mate.
A high-pitched scream caught my attention, and I felt my heart sink into my gut as I watched Bailey urgently shift and leap through the air toward my mate, who had her mate pinned to the ground. It was like he sensed her coming; Jaxon snapped his jaws at her, and within moments had her wolf surrendering against the dirt floor.
