Fight for Me

As they all walk back to the pack-house, Maxim and Tristan keep giving each other questioning looks. One,- because they never even knew that their brother, Anthony, was gay. And two- because Nicholas seems to already have become chummy with the new alpha, when he never really gives any stranger the time of day.

Maxim grunts as he thinks to himself. Nicholas has been acting suspicious since we got here. Tristan has been avoiding me since this morning, so he definitely knows something that he’s not telling me. And now I find out that Anthony has been hiding something too. I thought I was just missing out on something this morning, but now I just feel like I’m completely lost with what’s happening in my family. This is pissing me off. Why are my brothers keeping stuff from me??

Nick and Blake snicker with each other as they share stories on their kills.

As they all get closer in exiting the forest, healers already run up to them to treat their wounds.

The sound of them rustling through the forest carries a slight breeze past Nicholas. And he catches a hint of that sweet scent through the sweat, blood and muddy smell of the warriors.

She’s here.

He flicks his head from side to side looking for her. He knows he was trying to avoid her this morning. But she’s here. Is she waiting here for me?

“Alpha. Do you have any injuries I should treat?” A shy healer asks him, noticing his focused look.

“Huh?” He looks down at her. “No. But have a look at our guests here as well.” He gestures to Blake and the others.

He quickly walks off, still looking for her, as two other healers crowd the new guests.

Rushing through the crowd he hopelessly looks for her. He tries smelling her scent again, but it’s too faint. He tells himself it’s because of all the other scents present and mixing. But he knows why.

He turns around and looks back into the crowd. That’s when he spots long raven hair on the far end of the crowd. She seems to be looking around too. And as she turns around, those light-blue eyes instantly find him, -looking back at her.

They both stare at each other, not bothered by the crowd anymore. Neither is looking away, - like they’re afraid of losing the other in the crowd again. They both wonder whether they were looking for each other.

They both step forward, towards each other. But Layla barely takes a second step when she feels someone pulling her to the side by her arm.

Forced to look away from Nick, she finds herself looking at a familiar face.

“Layla. It is you.” Blake pulls her into a tight hug as he sniffs her hair. “I found you.”

Confused with what’s happening, she pulls back instead of returning the hug.

“B-Blake?” She looks at him again and sees him smile happily with such relief in his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean? I got your message. A rogue came to our camp and told me you were here. I know you said I shouldn’t worry about you, but we had to see you for ourselves.” He cups her face. “I needed to make sure that you weren’t dead.”

The head members and other alphas start gathering around, noticing the exchange of familiarity between Layla and the new arrivals.

“We?” Layla questions.

“How’s my little starfish doing?” The curly brown-haired man says leaning over Blake.

Layla looks at him confused, but soon realizes to whom that voice and nickname belongs to.

“Mike?” She rushes out with a smile.

“Do you know of any other man handsome like me, named Mike?” He says with a cheeky smirk.

“Mike. It is you.” She rushes into his chest and gives him a tight hug.

After spending so much time in the cell next to Mike’s, she’s become use to his self-boasting sense of humour, even though she never saw his face.

“Woah there.” He catches her with his own hug and laughs.

Pulling back, she looks between Mike and Blake with such a huge smile. She too wasn’t sure if they got out alive after the fire. She soon notices another unfamiliar face standing next to Blake. But with the way he and Blake are acting, like they’re having a secret conversation through their link, she can only guess who it is. The one person Blake trusts with his life, and one of his closest friends.

“Uh? Hi there Layla.” He says as he hesitantly waves.

“Jason.” She says smilingly as she hugs him too.

She never saw him either, didn’t even hear his voice. His cell was far from Blake’s. But Blake told her about him, what he looked like and stories of how they became friends. She basically only ever communicated with Jason through Blake’s link with him.

Jason’s shoulders relax as he hugs her back. He can hear a soft growl, and looking up he sees it’s coming from Anthony. Anthony quickly looks away, and Jason hugs Layla a bit tighter and with a small smirk.

Jason knows there is no need for his mate to worry about his odd friendship with Layla. But he is a bit happy knowing that his mate is somewhat jealous, even if he’s trying to hide it.

She pulls back and looks at the three of them. “I can’t believe you guys are here. I’m so happy you’re all okay.” She says tearing up.

Nick is standing there, watching all of this. He was annoyed with how that alpha pulled her away from him. But then he saw him hugging her. He wanted to tear him from her, but then she called his name.

He clenched his fists tighter when she went to hug the other two. What annoys Nick isn’t just their physical closeness in hugging, but realizing that they seem to know each other well. He can see the emotions in her eyes. She cares for them dearly, and they seem to care for her too.

But how did she get mixed up with another alpha’s pack and a lion-shifter?

“Wait. Layla, you know these men?” Tyler asks.

Layla then realizes all the eyes on them, she doesn’t know what to really respond. “Yes.”

“She is actually one of the other reasons I wanted to talk to you about, Alpha Nicholas.” Blake says beaming. “We got word that she was here. We had to come ourselves and make sure, so we can bring her back with us.”

“So, Layla. When you said you were going up North from here, did you mean you were going to Alpha Blake’s pack?”

‘Alpha’ Blake? Layla looks at Blake confused.

He looks back at her and gives her a slight nod. With that she knows, -she knows that Blake actually did it. He went up North, and officially started his own pack, for all those rogues in the prison who had nowhere else to go. To give them all a home. To give her a home.

Nick can’t help but notice the exchanging looks between them, - like they’re already having their own conversation by just looking at each other.

This is him. This is the man she mentioned that was waiting for her. The man she called for in her sleep.

Nick clenches his jaw realizing the lump in his chest growing and becoming so heavy, it’s almost making it hard for him to breathe.

Why is this bothering me? I already knew she was leaving, and I knew there was another man………..But why him?

“Are you actually saying she’s part of your pack?”

They all turn their heads and look at the girl with the large bandage covering half her face.

Gggrrh! Maxim growls at Samantha. Warning her of her attitude towards another alpha.

She recoils as she bows her head, avoiding eye contact with Blake.

But Blake is already annoyed. “Yes. She is part of ‘our’ pack.” He says gesturing to all of them.

People start murmuring, realizing that this includes the lion-shifter. No-one has ever heard of a lion-shifter in a wolf-pack.

Mike smirks, seeing the people’s confused looks at him. But a particular set of dark eyes catches his attention, especially the unbothered glare she’s giving him. Her eyes ooze with authority and confidence. He can tell she’s a fighter, - a dangerous one. But one that doesn’t bother picking a fight if it’s not to her interest. His lion always loved a woman with claws who’s not afraid to use them.

He purrs softly gaping at her from head to toe, feeling somehow annoyed and pleased at her tempting curves. Moving his gaze back up, he sees her watching him.

She scowls at him before stepping forward from behind the crowd.

He raises an eyebrow, curious as to what she will do.

She walks forward and stops next to Nick. “We mean you no disrespect. As guests of this pack, we welcome you and your pack, Alpha Blake.” She says, ignoring Mike and looking straight at Blake.

She gives a quick glance at Nick, and seeing that almost-warning look, she knows he’s not going to say anything.

She continues. “My name is Rebecca, future Luna of the Moon shadow pack. Allow me to escort you to the meeting hall.”