Chapter 17

My heart sunk immediately when those words hit me. He doesn't want me at all, this wasn't a misunderstanding he didn't want me at all. Every horrible feeling, I had been pushing aside the last few weeks came rushing back as the walls holding my emotions back burst open. My eyes filled with tears instantly and I could not hold keep them from falling. Tommy watched as I began crying and I thought I saw a hint of regret but instantly a colder look followed.

Before another word could be spoken, the door to the restaurant opened and a hand touched her arm.

"Maya? Are you ok?" The voice asked lowly.

I held my gaze on Tommy while I answered. "Yeah, just finding out the kind of man Tommy really is." I say in anger.

"What did you do to her Tommy?" James asks angrily.

"Leave it alone James, this is none of your business!" Tommy shot back.

"The hell it's not! What did you say to her? Tell me now!" James yelled pulling me behind him.

I reached up taking hold of his arm and leaning my head into his back.

"I said drop it James!!" Tommy sounded furious.

"You can't treat her like trash and walk away Tommy! I won't let you!" James took a step forward, but I tightened my grip on him to stop him.

"Please can we just go?" I beg in between cries.

James turned to me. "Ok, I'll take you home."

He wrapped an arm around me and we walked back into the restaurant to collect our things, and out of earshot of Tommy and Noah who was now standing beside him.



(Tommy POV)

"Are you sure about this?" Noah asks me.

"It's the only way." I tell him watching James walk away with my mate.

"But what if she doesn't forgive you?" Noah says with concern.

"She doesn't have to; I wouldn't blame her if she didn't. I had to, it's the only way for this to work." I tell Noah before turning and walking away.

I had to let her go, it was the only way to save her.




*FLASH BACK TO THE EVENING BEFORE*

"Hello?" I say after hearing my phone going off in the pocket of my jeans.

"Son you need to get there quickly. One of the rogues we captured...he has some information you need to hear." My dad said on the other line.

"Ok I am leaving now." I say with a whisper.

Suddenly I feel worried, my dad never sounded so worried before. He was the Alpha which meant he had a lot to worry about, but this seemed different.

"What's wrong?" A sleepy voice says behind me.

The sound of my mate's voice sends chills down my spine. We just spent an amazing day together and now I had to leave her.

"It was my dad he needs some help with pack stuff, I'm really sorry but I have to go." I say sadly to her.

Immediately a pouty face looks back at me and I want to kiss her so bad, but I know if I do I would never be able to leave. I apologize again and stand to get dressed. I can feel her watching me and I smirk at the thought, but I needed to focus right now. Once I was dressed I walk to the other side of the bed and kiss her softly.

"I'll see you tomorrow ok?" I tell her.

"Ok, bye!" She says with a hushed voice.

The sound made me shiver once again, she is so sexy but no I have to leave.

With all my will power I pull myself away and head back to the pack house. I can feel the tension around me, and I know that something had gone wrong. When I get into the kitchen my mother is in the kitchen pouring herself some wine. Alcohol didn't have an effect on us as strong as humans, but it did take the edge off enough to calm us if needed. She looked really upset, and it further confirmed what I had sensed around me when I arrived. The pack was hurting, but why? What had happened?

"Tommy...your here." My mom says weakly.

I quickly walk over to her. "Mom what happened?" I say wrapping my arms around her.

"You need to see your father; he will explain everything." She says with a trembling voice.

Whatever had happened had really shook her.

"Will you be ok?" I ask her.

"I am not sure yet, just go Tommy you need to know." She says taking another gulp of wine.

I nodded and left her there and made my way to my dad's office. I stood in front of the door and paused for a moment. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what had happened if my mom was this effected it had to be really bad.

"Come in son." I heard my father yell from the other side of the door.

Of course, he could tell I was here, so I took a breath and walked inside. I sucked in a quick breath when I saw my father with a large bandage wrapped around his left shoulder and upper chest. He had bruises on his face that looked awful. What had happened?

"Tommy sit down." He says is a tired voice.

"Dad what the hell? What happened?" I asked as soon as I was seated.

"We were ambushed during patrols by rogues. I had brought some of the younger warriors with us for extra training when a small group of rogues appeared. We overwhelmed them easily but once we had surrounded them, dozens more came out of nowhere and attacked us. I sent the news through the link to your mother and she alerted the pack in time before we were all killed, but half of us were already dead by the time they arrived. They arrived just when I was being attacked by their strongest fighter and he got the upper hand on me for a few rounds.

One of the warriors was able to attack the wolf before it killed me and we have him locked in the dungeon. We have been questioning him for a couple hours, but he only says the same thing." My dad stops to take a breath.

His injuries seem severe and are not healing quick enough.

"What has he been saving?" I ask calmly.

"Many more of yours will die until the promise of a life is kept. The Alpha will rise above and claim his prize." My dad says coldly.

I thought over the words carefully.

"Is he talking about Maya?" I ask unable to mask my concern.

"The only other word he says, is her name." My dad says simply looking back at me.

I feel like I am being stabbed through the heart. My mate, they knew she is here, and they had come so close. If we had not left a couple hours earlier she would have been here when the attack happened.

"Son, she isn't safe her with us. We were taken by surprised and many dies to keep her location secret. We promised her protection and I intend to honor that promise, but she would be in danger here. Son, they knew she would come here. She cannot come back, not until we can end the threat against her." My father explained.

"But she is my mate, how can I tell her she can't come her when I just promised her that being part of our pack would keep her safe.?" I asked.

"We don't have to tell her; we just need to keep her away if we can. She can't be a part of the pack if being here brings her into danger, you have to keep her away. They don't know where she is yet, but it won't be long for them to figure out she is your mate and find her. We need to keep her at a distance while I figure out our next move." My father tells me.

"How are you going to do that?" I ask him.

"Next we take the fight to them." He answers simply.

After talking with my father, I know it would be hard to explain the reasons why Maya would not be able to come back here. She had finally had a place to belong and it was being taken away from her, at least for now. Would she understand? Would she want to fight alongside us? Her wolf had only just returned so she would not be strong enough to fight yet. Those rogues must know that I am the Alpha's son, what if they find out that she is my mate? They can find out where I go to school... they would find her quicker. I need to protect her.

I need to keep her safe. I take out my phone and call my best friends.

"Noah, meet me at the pack house and bring the others." I tell him.

I needed a plan, and that plan was going to save my mate's life.