A Sheep Among Wolves

Chapter 36

Alex

I pushed my wolf as hard as he could go, faster and faster until we reached the outskirts of my pack. It was incredibly quiet, the smell of blood and sweat lingering in the air. My heart dropped as I passed dead wolves, some of which I recognized as my own. My wolf howled in agony at the sight, but I needed to get to Leah. I felt her when she was hurt, her pain and fear, until it faded to nothing. I run to the packhouse, snarling at anyone who gets in my way. I haven't looked behind me to see if Knox is there since I started running, but my guess is the out of shape Alpha is lagging behind.

I make it to the packhouse stairs and shift, running inside and looking around frantically.

"Alpha!" I hear Jon call from the stairs that lead to the second floor.

"Where is she?! Where is Leah? Is she ok?" I pepper him with questions as I slip on some shorts. He gives me a grim look, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.

"She's alive." He says and anger broils in my gut.

Why can't he just fucking tell me?

"What the fuck does that mean?" I bellow, clenching my fists.

"She was thrown into a tree. The doctors... they say her spinal cord was injured. She's unconcious. They believe she will wake up, but they're not sure what shape she'll be in when she does." He says sadly and I have to massage my chest to ease the pain radiating from me.

"What does that mean?" I ask again.

"She may be paralyzed." He says and my knees give out as I crash to the floor.

No. How can this be happening? I just got her, I was finally happy, a reason to live, and now this happens? It's not fair. It's not right. She deserves so much better than this. She deserves to be happy.

"Where is she?" I ask when I regather myself.

"In your room. Penny is with her." He says, his voice void of emotion. I nod and stand, walking up the stairs.

The door to my room is open and as I peer inside I see something I had never hoped to see again, Leah unconcious. Unmoving.

Penny is sitting in a chair next to her, her shoulders shaking as she cries silently. I walk in and rest my hand on her shoulder. She looks up at me with red rimmed eyes, a sob escaping her as she stands and wraps her arms around my shoulders. I pull her in close, rubbing her back as she cries onto me.

"She's going to be ok. She has to be." Penny says firmly, wiping her eyes. I sigh and kneel next to the bed.

Leah looks fine. Perfect even. Not a hair out of place, no bruises or scrapes. I reach out to hold her hand, tucking her hair behind her ear. I lean down to kiss her forehead, sparks flicking over my skin wherever I touch her.

"Did the doctor say how long she would be like this?" I ask and Penny shakes her head.

"No. She didn't know for sure. Could be hours, could be days." She says and the air suddenly becomes stifling. I can't breathe.

"I need to run." I say sadly and Penny gives me a shocked expression.

"You just got here." She says and I nod.

"I know I just... I need to run. Clear my mind, check the borders. I'll be back, just stay with her please. I need to check on the pack, do what I can before I can give her all of my attention." Penny looks annoyed, but nods in agreement. I place another kiss to Leah's forehead and leave the room, stripping down and shifting.

My wolf is anxious and devasted. Frustrated and guilty. We should have been here. We should have been here to protect our pack and our mate. But we let that stupid Alpha talk us into helping him. I should have picked a different ally. One that I could trust more. I huff out an annoyed breath and begin to run the perimeter of the pack, checking and smelling for any additional intruders.