Bloody Mess

**Dean POV**
“Layla, are you all right?” I asked as I helped her off the ground.
I couldn’t rip my eyes from the flaming kitchen but the sound of coughing snapped me out of the trance.
“Sam and Ginger are in there,” Layla said.
I picked up my mate and set her in the foyer. I went back for any survivors and dove into the flames. I found Sam crawling on the ground and dragged him out.
“Help, Ginger,” he coughed.
The other betas carried him out. I found the girl passed out with a dining chair over her. I picked up her unconscious body. The fire consumed the ceiling.
“Fuck,” I said before rushing out of there.
“Someone take her she needs help,” I said just as Dec appeared to take the girl.
“Ginger!” Kenzie screeched.
Dec carried the girl away before Kenzie could throw herself on them both.
“What happened, Layla?” I asked, rubbing her cheek.
She had a slice on her cheekbone. I held her face and commanded energy to move between us.
“Save your strength, Dean,” She whispered.
She stared out into nothingness. I pulled her close and she responded by burying herself into me. I squeezed and breathed her in.
“Your friends will be fine,” I told her just as an explosion rattled the house.
“Fuck! Where the hell are they?!” I stood, dragging Layla up with me.
“They’re in the forest. Dozens of them,” Gabe stalked into the house, buck naked.
I unwittingly pushed Layla’s face into my chest.
“Evacuate the servants. The fewer civilians here the better.”
Gabe nodded. I’d been under attack countless times but this time it felt like my castle would crumble before my eyes. Gabe left to carry out my orders. I carried Layla upstairs.
“What are we doing here?” She asked me.
“Making sure you’re fine.” I shut the curtains. I caught a glimpse of the wolves tucked between the trees.
Killian’s death sparked outrage. His brother wouldn’t stop until my mate’s blood was on his hands.
“Sam said we can make lethal arrows with my venom. While they’re still in the woods we have an advantage.”
I blinked at her. That would require a lot of venom.
“That’ll drain you, baby,” I said, stroking her cheeks.
“I’ll be fine. We need to strike back.”
I pulled her onto my lap as I lowered myself on the edge of the bed. There were always causalities when it came to battle. I needed her to be prepared for anything.
“You know I love you, right?”
She nodded, eyeing me with fury in her purple eyes.
“I didn’t know love could feel this good until you came into my life.”
“Stop… please. We can tell each other how wonderful everything’s been at our mating ceremony. When all this is over.”
I pressed her hand against my lips. “We should have done that a long time ago.”
She grabbed my face and crashed her lips against mine. She pulled back but I leaned forward, capturing and claiming her mouth. I kissed her as if my life depended on it.
“We have to hurry and create those arrows and kill those hybrids.”
I exhaled. “If I say run you run. Got it?”
She sucked in her bottom lip and glanced at the door.
Oh, she would be carried away if she needed me.
***
“Is that all?” Layla slumped against the wall.
“No, but we can’t take anymore without doing damage to you,” a medical gamma wolf said.
Her friend Sam watched the entire procedure. I heard Kenzie was still with her sister, who hadn’t woken up. My mate’s colour turned pale and her eyes lost brightness.
She stood but wobbled. I grabbed her arm and pulled her on my lap. I pushed doses of Alpha power into her.
“You’re going to be fine,” I whispered.
She moaned in response.
“Hurry up then position all the gammas with the arrows.”
Sam stood and lowered to Layla’s level.
“Thanks, Layla, we have a shot.”
She smiled in response.
The two gamma warriors walked out of the gym.
I kissed her neck and cradled her.
“You’re squeezing me to death, Dean.”
“Sorry.”
“You have to go. Protect the pack, I’ll be fine here.”
Her eyes were heavy and her mouth was dry. My wolf wouldn’t let me leave her. My heart felt guilty for thinking about it. I was the Alpha King and I had a duty to protect my wolves and my castle.
“Don’t move, I’ll be back before you know it.”
She nodded and smiled. I marched toward the door but the stench of blood made me step back. Eight walked through the tent, blood oozing out of his mouth and smeared on his chest. A sliver blade shone in his wrist.
Fuck. He shouldn’t be able to hold that.
“Eight!” Layla jumped up and ran in front of me.
“You’re sick!”
“Don’t hurt him, please. I know you’re hurting.”
Eight cackled. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“I lost my pack remember? Everyone I loved in one night. I understand your pain but Uncle Owen loves you. I’m here for you—”
“He’s a traitor! In a matter of weeks, he’s broken two or three sacred laws,” I blasted.
I wouldn’t let his attack on my Luna slide. It was a superficial wound but still, it infuriated me. Eight took a step forward. I held Layla to my chest and pulled us both back.
“It’s too late for me. I’ve been taking vampire blood since I was sixteen. Killian was the one who helped complete my transformation.”
“He killed you,” I said.
Eight’s eyes turned vampire red. It was too late for him.
He wielded his silver knife. A lethal weapon to all wolves for Layla I would go through it.
“He killed me so I could finish you all.”
“No!” Layla screamed as Eight advanced.
My wolf jumped to the edge of my skin as Layla leapt from my arms and in front of Eight. The knife went through her abdomen. I felt a piercing in my side. My mate stood in front of Eight, unmoving and gasping.
“No!” I yelled.
“Why did you have to do that, Layla?” Eight whispered.
He twisted the knife and yanked it out. Layla dropped to the ground, clutching the open wound.
“Dean,” she whispered.
“Keep pressure on it!” I barked.
She gave me a watery smile. Silver was lethal but she wasn’t just any wolf. She had the goddess’s power inside her that had to be enough. A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Don’t close your eyes,” I ordered.
My wolf took control. I snapped my head in Eight’s direction. The silver meant nothing to me.
“She shouldn’t have jumped in front of me.”
My eyes were shut and all I craved was blood.