14.

Jonah bounded up the stairs of the packhouse, barking at anyone who was in his way. Following the scent that was on Emma, he came to a room at the far end of the hall. Not caring for the door, he broke it down by throwing his weight against it. It came crashing in to reveal a younger version of Alpha Angelo.

"Who the fuck are you?" He shouted ready to shift but Jonah pounced on him. His front paws putting pressure on Michael's injured shoulder.

Michael yelled out in pain and began to struggle.

Jonah wanted to kill him on spot for being the statistic of a worthless man. Spineless bitch.

He shifted and quickly held Michael by his shirt collar. “Who the fuck you think you are, hurting our sister," Jonah shouted, punching him in the face then stomach. He fell to the floor.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he returned getting back up.

"You!" The loud angry voice of a second person came from the doorway. Michael looked to the door then back to Jonah a look of disbelief shown on his face.

"Yes, you idiot. We are twins and now we are gonna personally introduce ourselves," Noah said stepping forward. Jonah did the same as Michael's wolf started to surface.

"Now why would you want to go spoil the fun," Jonah said grinning. Michael shifted into his pure black wolf. He stood proud and strong. The twins didn't flinch at the power radiating from Michael. All they saw was the pathetic weak mate of their sister. They saw and felt the hurt she was going through all because of this arrogant alpha. They were pissed that he rejected her on face value and not how strong, caring, and kind she was.

Michael was the first to attack, aiming for Noah who effortlessly dodged him as Jonah bit into his hind leg.

Howling in pain, Michael felt the sharp teeth piercing into his flesh. The human side of him was bloodthirsty and angry but his wolf let it happen, letting Michael feel the pain. Zane thought his human should feel some sort of pain for causing himself, Alia, and Emma pain beyond words.

“What are you doing?” Michael snapped at his wolf.

“Giving you your just desserts. They won't kill you. They just want you to suffer,” Zane replied nonchalantly.

Both twins charged towards him causing all three of them to topple onto the balcony and broke through the rails. They only fell one foot which was nothing as they all continued to fight.

The onlookers were between shock, confusion, and amusement. Most were amused to see their soon to be alpha being challenged by the brothers. By the looks of it from the outside, two against one was not a fair fight but it will also show who is more dominant.

Jonah and Noah inflicted wounds on Michael which were bleeding out and healing as quickly as they can. Noah noticed how both wolf and human were struggling for control which made his fight moves sloppy.

Jonah slashed Michael with his claws on his side, he howled in pain and collapsed to the ground for a second before shaking it off. He pounced on Jonah and bit into his neck thinking he would cause damage. Noah knocked him off of his brother, rolling them towards the edge of the forest.

Michael bit Noah's ear as Noah himself bit sharply into his shoulder. Jonah came bounding up to the duo snarling, marking Michael's face. Noah used his injury as an opening to mark his chest.

He lay on the ground bleeding and weak from his wounds but he still struggled to get up on all fours.

“Persistent fucker, isn't he?” Jonah said to his brother. “Not in the right sense though. That effort should be made towards Emma, not a piss-marking fight,” Noah returned in disgust.

As Noah was about to attack again, they heard an order from a strange and powerful voice which made their wolves submit.

"STAND DOWN!"

All three wolves whimpered and bowed their heads. Walking towards them was Emma with tear-streaked cheeks and bloodshot eyes.

“Emma,” her brothers called to her. She turned to them and what they saw was a mixture of pain, anger, and love. She gave them a small smile then turned to Michael.

The wolf side of Michael was in control as he whimpered in pain and loss of his mate.

“It’s Zane not Michael. Zane wants us,” Alia said happily.

“But his human doesn't want us. I'm glad you have your mate but I want mine also,' Emma said with a shaky voice.

Alia whimpered wanting to comfort her human. It pained her to even walk towards him, her heart was beating so loud in her chest. She knew her brothers and mate heard it.

Stretching forth her hand to Zane's large furry head to stroke his fur, his eyes turned to icy blue. Michael's.

For a moment he stared into Emma's green orbs then looked away. It felt like a million knives were repeatedly stabbing her in the chest. That simple action hit Emma so hard that she retracted her hand and backed away to her brothers. They saw what Michael did and stepped forward slowly ready to attack him again.

“Emma.” They called to her in that comforting tone they always gave her when she's sad.

She looked at the black wolf with blue eyes, ready to attack her brothers, not even caring that she was there.

The need to protect him was strong, the need to be there for him was evident. The bond was growing on either side without either of them noticing it. Their wolves accepted each other but the human side will take a while.

“Leave him be. He's my mate, after all, I can't bear to see him hurt. I felt everything you two dealt him. Let me do this,” she said touching each twin's head.

Giving one last growl and bark, they backed away from Michael. He was confused as to why they were standing down and positioning themselves next to his so-called 'mate'. In his mindset, no one attacked him and left without a scratch.

“Don't do it...” Zane warned him before Michael cut off their link.

Emma saw his stance changed as Michael made his way to attack her brother. “Is he stupid? Why is he so arrogant?” she asked Alia but didn't wait for a reply.

"I said to stop!" she shouted and used her gift against her mate. She threw him into the trees, clearing away some branches before he fell three feet onto the ground and ready to go again.

She stalked towards him. Noah, Jonah, the alpha and his family following without Emma's knowledge. She was angry that Michael thought of attacking her brothers when they stood down. How can he be such a coward?

"What is wrong with you? " she shouted, tears rolling down her cheek as he shook himself free of leaves that were stuck in his fur.

He stood his ground and stared at her. His breathing was heavy. Anger was still in him. “They attacked me and I should accept that?” she heard him say in anger.

She was taken back to hear his husky voice with so much venom inside her head.

“His mark allowed a mind link. However, he spoke to you without his knowledge,” Alia said.

Focusing back to her mate, she saw he was about to attack again. "He will never learn," Emma muttered before shifting and throwing herself into Michael's way, preventing him from attacking her brothers.

Gasps were heard from Maxwell and Anna as they saw Emma in her wolf form.

Standing over her mate, Emma was giving him warning barks which he ignored and pushed her off. “No respect,” Alia said, asking Emma for permission to take over which she happily obliged.

Alia bit into his hind leg, which brought him down then she bit his neck adding a bit of pressure. Zane and Michael fought between to submit to her or not.

*'Our mate wants us to stand down. The wolves mean a lot to her. You hurt them. You hurt her and her wolf!'* Zane shouted.

Michael struggled under the white wolf which he was also surprised to see. *His 'mate'. A white wolf.*

“Just this once. This doesn't mean I want her. White wolf or not,” He said to Zane.

*'Give me some time with her then. Please,'* he begged of his human. Michael didn't answer but gave Zane full control which he didn't like.

Zane submitted to his beautiful mate by licking her neck. Alia released him and sat up.

*'It’s Zane. He wants to be alone with us,'* Alia said to Emma.

“His wolf wants us. Take Michael's family away for now. I won't be long,” Emma said to her brothers, who nodded and shifted back into human form.

Zane was licking Alia's fur lovingly as they all left reluctantly. Alia purred in delight as Zane sniffed her scent and snuggled closer to her.

*'Beautiful mate,'* Zane said sweetly to Alia.

*'So is my human, Emma. We both want you. But your human....'* Alia said whimpering as she felt Emma's sadness. She laid down on the cool grass and looked up at the black wolf.

*'Give him time. I'm sorry he hurt your human. She's very close to you, isn't she?'* he asked.

*'She's the best human, the moon goddess could give a wolf. We're team, Emma and I,'* Alia said proudly. She sensed Emma's appreciation and sent a playful growl to her.

Zane laid down in front of her and licked her snout. *'Alia. Emma. Please forgive Michael if not now maybe soon. He needs his mate but he's a stubborn one. A lot has happened to us and it changed him. Give him time I say again and please know I love both of you. Yes, it’s soon but I've been waiting so long for you,'* Zane said while licking his mate's snow-white fur as she purred in content.

Alia was in heaven as her mate stood to come closer to her. Side by side, they laid down together in peace which they knew won't last long.

*'The twin wolves, are your?'* he asked.

*'Emma's brothers, also our protectors,'* Alia answered breathing in his scent.

*'Very well ...... I have to go. My human wants to leave. I will try my best, my love,'* Zane said nibbling into her neck lovingly.

Emma and Alia felt the love he gave to them in that one endearment.

"I'm happy for you, Alia. And I'm good with this. It hurts me but I'm happy for you," Emma said to her wolf as they watched Zane stepped away with sadness in his dark eyes.

Within a second, they flashed back into Michael's icy blue ones. He stood watching Emma in awe, then he remembered what she did to him.

Who was this girl? He stepped away from her confused as to why she had a gift like that and how strong she was.

“Michael?” Emma called out to him sadly.

Her voice sounded so enchanting in his head. Even hearing her broken voice, you knew she was beautiful in human and wolf form. He said those hurtful things to her but she's right in front of him. Even though it showed that he cared by allowing Zane to be with them, he knew he couldn't let her in. His life was too messed up. He shouldn't come back. This girl was too pure to be with someone so dirty. So vile. She deserved much more.

“I'm sorry, Emma. You deserve better. Much better than a disgraced alpha," he said to her.

She clearly heard the remorse and sadness in his words as he spoke. His eyes relayed to her the sadness and pain he was going through. Whatever it was that haunted him was enough for him to doubt his strength to love, even to let someone in.

With one last look at the white wolf in front of him with sad green eyes, the image was burned into his mind. He ran away from his home once again, this time leaving behind the one thing that may have saved him from himself.

As he neared the border, he heard her. He heard the long sorrowful howl of his mate calling out to him. She was begging him to come back to her. Through the link, she was pleading for him to stay, offering her help, telling him how strong she will be for both of them but Michael didn't want to burden her. His Emma was too pure in his eyes.

His.

Zane whimpered as he felt Alia's calling too, “I'm sorry Zane but I can't do this I thought I can redeem myself to my pack. I'm sorry,” Michael said to his wolf.

Looking at the direction her mate left listening for him to return the call, Emma fell to the ground crying and whimpering. Calling out to Michael once more, she gave in to the pain of loss. The pain of losing the one person that was meant to love and cherish her for life.

Her mate.