Chapter 31: Rogues and Red

Chapter 31: Rogues and Red
Silas
“I’m coming to you. Just hold on.” I’ve never run this fast in a dark forest before.
“I’m trying. I need you.” The pain and desperation in her voice stab me in the heart.
“Bram, we need to get to her.” We are putting everything we have into going as fast we can without slamming headfirst into a tree. I can feel Bram pulling on the mate-bond, trying to soothe our mate.
“Ambrose, Sydney’s in heat. Keep everyone away from her.” I need to protect our pack.
“What! We have eight rogues to deal with, and now our Alpha might attack.” It was a harrowing situation for sure, but I need Ambrose to stay calm.
“I’m almost there now. Just keep our pack away from her. She can handle herself with the rogues.” I was sure that the rogues didn’t stand a chance against Sydney.
I’m close; I can feel it through the bond. I can hear the fighting and smell blood. I catch a glimpse of the fight between the trees.
The wind is knocked out of me, and I’m rolling on the ground. I get up quickly and find a rogue ready to pouch in his wolf form. Damn it. I was so focused on getting to Syd I missed the rogue launching himself at my side. I don’t have time for this. I need to finish this quickly. I growl deeply, putting all my aura into it. It would be faster if he would simply runoff. I see the rogue flinch, but he doesn’t retreat.
“Lumiere, hurry.” Ambrose’s plea urges me to make a drastic decision. I take off in the direction of the fight. The rogue is hot on my tail, but I can deal with him once I’m with Syd.
I see her through the trees. She’s shifted back into human form. It’s easier to control your wolf in human form, but it puts you at a disadvantage in a fight with someone who’s shifted. She’s naked, covered in blood and sweat, her hair matted to her face. She’s an intelligent fighter. She’s using two young trees to cover her back so no one can get a jump on her. I can feel the intensity of her internal battle. Bram is tugging at the mate bond, trying to help. As I get closer to her, the rogue who had been following me swipes at my back legs, trying to knock me off balance.
Ok, I’m done with this annoyance. I need to help end this fight to get Sydney out of here. I spin around, swiping a claw at my attacker’s face. He flinches back, but I still catch his nose. I cut a jagged chunk from it, and he runs off. It doesn’t matter how tuff you are. A blow that bad to the nose incapacitates you. I guess he will live to fight another day because I am not running after him. I rush to Sydney and drag away one of the rogues she’s been fighting off by the haunches and break his back leg. He yowls out in pain then quickly limps away. Yeah, I have let two of them live, but it’s faster than killing them, and they will run off without finishing the fight. I stand in front of Syd in a protective stance. She slumps backward her back against the tree. I can feel the heat radiating off her. Her scent is overpowering the thick smell of blood. She was exhausted from fighting the rogues and her heat. The numbers are now in our favor after the two rogues had runoff. I stay in wolf form and guard Sydney against any attacks. I know it’s driving her crazy because I keep hearing her growl and snarl, but it’s taking everything; she has to control her heat till this fight is over.
There’s a howl in the distance, and a man comes through the trees. “Pull back.” He yells out, and the rogues start to retreat. A few of our fighters begin to follow them.
“Everyone, the rogues are retreating. Let them go. Don’t run into a trap.” I quickly mind-link, and our warriors stand down. I shift back and stay standing in front of Syd. She may be the Alpha, but she’s in no condition to give orders.
The mystery rogue looks over at me. “Tell Alpha Tarlo we will be back again and again until he relinquishes his position or your whole pack burns.”
“Tarlo is no longer our Alpha. Your grudge is not with us. He’s dead.” I spite out.
“Well, I guess we will see this pack burn then.” His devilish smile turns my stomach.
“Are you Drystan?” I lower my stance, ready to guard or pouch.
“No, but our group only has one goal, to see this pack destroyed.” I see him squint and look past me, then take a whiff of the air. “You better get your sister back to your Alpha. Let them have their fun while they can.” He must have only seen Sydney’s connecting marks and thinks she is the Luna, and since she’s not attacking me, he thinks we are siblings since I don’t have my connecting marks yet. A female in heat will not attack her immediate male family members. This is a good cover. If he realizes she is the Alpha, it could get messy.
I’ll play it off, so he leaves. “I’ll relay the message.”
“See that you do. This was just a taste of what’s to come.” With that, he dashes off into the darkness.
I quickly mind-linked the ranked members. “Ambrose, Kyler, get all the wounded to the hospital. If we need more doctors, wake up Elder Elton and Otis. I need to get the Alpha back. I trust you both to handle everything.”
“Yes, Lumiere. We got this.” Ambrose replies.
“If we need help, we will ask Lucas. Take care of the Alpha.” Kyler is already making contingency plans.
I turn my full attention to Sydney. She was breathing heavy, caked in blood, sweat, and dirt, clenching her jaw and eyes closed. She was doing everything in her power to hold the heat back and not endanger anyone or start mating with me in front of everyone. I crouch and touch her cheek. Her eyes fly open, and I think they are a shade lighter than usual.
“Thora, give Syd control until we get back to the packhouse.” She nods back in response. I pick her up in a bridal carry. There’s nothing wrong with her legs; I just want to hold her close.
Her body is hot, and her scent is driving me crazy. It’s taking all my willpower to keep from getting hard and fucking her in the forest. I’m salivating as she nuzzles her head into the crook of my neck. I feel her hot breath on my skin, and I have goosebumps. Everywhere her hot skin touches me feels like electricity shooting through my body. I’m running back as fast as my legs will carry me. I just want her back in our room. The fight with the rogues has already been pushed to the back of my mind. Her heat is my heat, and I’m losing every bit of rationale. I’ve never wanted anyone this bad, this level of desire doesn’t even compare to the first night we meet. I wanted her then, but I have to have her now.
I make it to our room. I rush in, kick the door closed behind me, and head straight to the bathroom. We were both dirty, and I didn’t want to start with blood all over us. I set Sydney down and turned on the shower. I am pushed in the shower, and I turn around and look at Sydney. Now that we were alone, she didn’t have to control her heat. The look in her eye was predatory. The hot water running over her alabaster skin as the dried blood ran down the drain made her look dangerous and seductive. I was not afraid to be her prey; I only hoped she was ready to be mine.
I stood tall, raising to my full six-foot-three frame, and stepped toward her. She licked her lips and trailed her hands over my chest making her way up to my mark. I looked into her eyes; it wasn’t Sydney standing in front of me but Thora.
“Bram, come out to play.” Her voice was sticky sweet, and demanding. I felt Bram push forward so intense I couldn’t refuse. I was forced back, but the desire I felt grew stronger.
“Red really does suit you.” Bram’s voice was gruffer than mine. He reached out and ran our thumb across our mate’s bottom lip. “What does my mate want?” my blood was running hot I could smell the sweet scent of her arousal.
“I want all of you.” Thora pressed up against us. Her perky little tits smashed into our chest. Bram was in control, but I could feel everything. Bram picked her up and pushed her back into the wall.
“I won’t be holding back tonight.” The next two days were going to be amazing.