Chapter 76|A Force To Reckon With.

.....

**Alexander's P O V

For the first time in several days I slept peacefully despite the mayhem surrounding my life. Having Isabelle in my arms was a fucking blessing and I didn't shy away from showing her exactly how bad I missed her. She missed me too, it was obvious in her actions and the way she let herself revel in the moment. Moment which turned to two until it became an all night thing. She was unrestrained and challenging.

Placing a kiss to the top of her head I grinned at the way her lips pushed into a pout. Lowering my head, I stole a kiss from her lips and got a killer lazy smile as reward.

"Wake up sleepy head." My voice was husky from lack of use.

She stretched in my arms, rubbed a few fingers over both eyes and sank deeper into my arms, "Do I have to?" She sulked, curling her hands around my body.

My mate wants some cuddling.

"Can't we sleep the day away?" She groaned.

"I wish we could but we have the Pack to think of." That got her eyes opening widely. "Oh hell, I totally forgot everything. What time is it?"

Her eyes were droopy as she wobbled her way out of my arms. On unsteady legs Isabelle began moving to the direction of the bathroom earning a grin from me.

I totally wore her out.

Well, she wore me out too.

Smiling to myself, a rare thing I do by the way, I took her into my arms carrying her bridal style to the bathroom. She squealed, first in surprise then in excitement as I lavished her neck with open mouth kisses, then went on to flatten my tongue along the column of her neck and stroked until she was mewling in my arms, clawing at my shirt with her fingers.

"You can't ever be sated can you? I haven't brushed my teeth or washed up and you know it." She whispered feverishly.

A lopsided grin curled at the corner of my lips, "I love you either way, washed or not you smell nice to me."

"That's because all I smell of is you." She countered, playing my own game and kissing whatever part of my face she could reach to.

"I'll take you once and we'll return to the chaos that is our lives, agree?" I offered.

Isabelle assumed a thoughtful expression, shook her head and lowered my ear to her lips. "Take me twice and it's a done deal."

Her offer was way more exciting than mine and who was I to argue with the Future Luna of two great Packs? No one.

She bit playfully on my earlobe, licked at the shell and whispered all she wanted from me into my ears.

The little part of me that wasn't erect hardened instantly, Isabelle talking dirty is one hell of a turn on I'd never had the privilege of knowing. But now that I do, it's all I want.

"Tell me more." I growled in her ear, abiding by her wish and burying myself to the hilt in one swift move with my lips latching on any part of her skin it could find.

She drove me crazy to miles far away from the whole world and even at two turns, Isabelle wasn't finished, she had my eyes rolling to the back of my eyes as she knelt before me.

Damn, she's got skills.

.....

After Isabelle and I got down from the haze of our lovemaking we made our way to the Bane Pack Hospital to check up on my brother and his mate. We found Arabella on a chair beside Luke's bed with her head on his bed and her hair all over the place.

The sound of our footsteps awoke her and she raised her head, her unruly hair following right behind with a shadow of drool by the corner of her lips.

Fuck.

"Isabelle." She rose to her feet, walked towards us and flew into Isabelle's parted arms. "Thank God you're here, I was so scared. I'm so scared." She rasped.

Isabelle's eyes drifted close at the vehemence in her tone, she looked downright distraught I almost didn't believe it was the Arabella whom once graced the De Luca Pack with her haughty presence. This disheveled and humble version of her seemed to be too unreal.

"Shh, it's all over now. Martin will be punished for all of his sins." Isabelle assured her, running her palms over the trembling girl's back in soothing circles.

"What if the bullet touched a vital part of him? What if he doesn't awake?" She cried, "I can't lose him, I can't lose him." She repeated in a mantra, shaking her head in a forlorn manner. "He saved me, he took the bullet that was supposed to end me. I loathe myself right now for not accepting him as mine way earlier. I hate that I can't feel his heartbeat in me, I hate that I have to rely on this monitor to be assured that he's alive." Isabelle let her rant because it was clear that she needed someone and somewhere to dispose all of her worries to.

The thought of Isabelle getting shot in my sight was enough to make my muscles turn rigid and shoot fury to my heart, I couldn't imagine how Lucas felt moments before he was shot. The endpoint is that, he did the right thing. It makes him a man.

"It's going to be alright, he's going to be awake soon and everything will fall into place. You'll both have the happiness you deserve."

For one minute Arabella looked like she did believe Isabelle's words but the next minute, her brows pulled into a frown, a crease took position between them and I knew her thoughts had led her to the worse possible outcome.

Her eyes widened and she placed a finger over her lower lip, "What if he hates me for causing him pain?"

I took it as my turn to intervene.

"He won't. He loves you, he said as much before he and Isabelle planned on how to woo you."

Her eyes widened, multiplied its normal size as she turned to Isabelle.

Isabelle nodded, confirming my words, "Lucas asked for my help to win you over, you were supposed to meet him at the restaurant. The reservation was for you and him not for you and I as we made you think. It was all supposed to be a surprise, someone leaked the story to Martin, it couldn't have been a coincidence that he was following you about until he got the perfect time to strike."

"Yes." Arabella had a distant look in her eyes as she moved towards the bed Lucas was lifelessly lying on. "I heard someone calling my name, chanting it more like. That guard went with me promising to protect me with his life and Martin had him killed without a fight. All I could remember was hearing the sound of a gunshot, him collapsing behind me and everything going dark. I awoke to Martin's face hovering over me wearing a disgustingly sinister smile and promising me that I wasn't leaving his sight alive. His sole aim was to kill me." Her eyes watered at her admission.

"You can't remember seeing anyone familiar while you were held captive?" I asked, unable to stop myself. I have every aim of uncovering the identities of every single traitor who works alongside Martin, playing his schemes.

I couldn't believe how strong my Pack reeked of two-faced scumbags.

"No, the only two men I could remember seeing had a mask covering half of their faces and their eyes were cold and unfamiliar. They were the men who bound me to place because Martin has had enough of my talking." She scoffed, "Is he alive?"

"Barely." I vaguely replied.

He was alive only because we need to uncover all of his schemes, his partners and minions before sending them all to hell. It wouldn't do to have the boss killed while his subordinates are left lurking around corners waiting for the time to strike vengeance.

"If there's anyone whose name or face you recall as one of his sidekicks do not hold back from letting me know. One more thing, I'm moving Lucas to New York, the Pack Doctor is ready and waiting for his arrival." I felt the need to explain that to her because it wouldn't do to have her making a scene later on when he's being moved and she's left at the Pack.

Arabella's eyes glowed, her gaze was fully focused on him for a few minutes before she turned to me, her eyes hopeful. "Can I go with him? Please, I need to be by his side for the sake of my sanity. If he awakes and.." She swallowed a lump down her throat, grimacing. "If he awakes and decides he doesn't want me anymore I'll leave I promise. But before then I beg of you to give me that honor." Her eyes darted hopefully from me to Isabelle who was looking at me with stars in her own eyes.

Well, Isabelle looks like she's on her side. If she is, I am. There's no need for an unnecessary argument because I know there's nothing Lucas would love more than to awake with his mate by his side fussing over his wellbeing.

Fuck if it wouldn't have him feeling all high and mighty. That guy needs to have his ego suppressed.


.....

I left Isabelle with Arabella and made my way to the quarters where Martin and all of the men caught with him were locked. Alpha Drake and Alpha Matt were waiting for me in the receiving room and we didn't bother to waste time before springing into action.

Alpha Matt had explained to us fully about how he knew Martin was alive, the favor he repayed and his regret for not seeing it earlier that Martin wasn't who he portrayed himself as, how he wasn't as weak as he let the Alpha believe.

We understood him because each one of us knew the value of promises and what it entailed. Without Alpha Matt we wouldn't have been able to make it on time to save Arabella and so we were indebted to him.

He assured us that we weren't, he was glad everything happened as it did and that he was around when it did. In summary, he was most honored to be of help.

There was no hard feelings but stronger alliances made.

We agreed that Martin was to be left under the Bane Pack's strict surveillance and after a thorough investigation which will lead us to all of his partners and minions we'll let Christopher Knight make the final decision on what's to be done to him. He deserves it for what Martin did to his family and loved ones.

What none of us brought up was Leah. The ungrateful bitch who decided to stab her own foster family in the back. Her case was different because I took it personal and there'll be nothing better than to have her sent to the Forest of Doom to rot away but first I need to hear her reason for doing what she did. She thought she was clever, she's not. Not at all.

Damon knows exactly where she is at the moment and he's waiting for my clap to pounce. When I do she'll know how she's played with fire, and how its flames will be a permanent part of her.