RALPH
As I carried Keilah, her body felt fragile and light in my arms. Her breathing was shallow, and I could feel the tremors of pain coursing through her. Each step I took was fueled by a mix of fury, desperation, and an overwhelming need to protect her. The power that had surged through me only moments ago left me feeling drained, yet I was determined to get her to safety. I held her close, my heart aching at the sight of her pale, unconscious form.
As I reached the living room, I moved to lay her on the couch, but Dahlia’s voice stopped me. “Not here, Alpha,” she said, her tone gentle but insistent. “Let’s get her into your room.”
I nodded, unable to argue. The urgency in Dahlia’s voice cut through the fog of my mind and
I carried Keilah into the bedroom, each step heavy with dread. Carefully, I laid her on the bed, my heart twisting at the sight of fresh, endless blood trickling out. The sight was a brutal reminder of what we had lost.
Dahlia stepped forward, her expression compassionate yet resolute. “I’ll take it from here, Alpha.”
I stood frozen, my gaze fixed on Keilah’s still form. The world around me faded away, leaving only the haunting reality of her condition. It was as if my mind couldn’t process anything beyond the pain and loss.
“Alpha,” Dahlia’s voice nudged me back to reality, a gentle insistence that pierced through my stupor. I blinked, finally tearing my eyes away from Keilah to look at Dahlia.
I stepped back, allowing her to take over. She climbed onto the bed and knelt beside Keilah, her hands glowing with a soft, healing light. She turned to me, her expression filled with sorrow.
“I’m sorry, Alpha, but she lost the baby.”
The truth struck me like a silver dagger to the heart, leaving me breathless. My chest tightened with grief and helplessness, emotions churning in a storm I couldn’t control. The realization that I couldn’t protect them, that I had failed to keep them safe, weighed heavily on my heart.
I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to find some semblance of control. But the reality was undeniable, and the path ahead felt more uncertain than ever.
“Alpha,” Dahlia said softly, turning to look at me. “I need you to step out for a while so I can get her cleaned up.”
I hesitated, my instincts screaming to stay by my mate’s side. But Dahlia’s gaze held mine, steady and unwavering. She was right. Keilah needed care and attention, and I was in no state to provide it.
Reluctantly, I nodded, forcing my feet to move. Each step away from the bed felt like tearing a piece of my soul, but I knew I had to give Dahlia the space she needed to help Keilah.
“I’ll be right outside,” I said, my voice hoarse with emotion. “Call me if anything happens.”
Once outside the room, I slid down the wall outside the bedroom, my head dropping into my hands. My heart felt shattered, the grief overwhelming. I took deep, heavy breaths, forcing myself to focus. The thought of Keilah waking up to discover that the child is gone tore at me. How could I bear to see the pain in her eyes? How could I face the fact that I had failed to protect what was so precious to her? Deep, ragged breaths were my only solace as I tried to find a moment of clarity amidst the storm of emotions.
As I tried to steady myself, a sudden, sharp mindlink interrupted my thoughts. Alexander’s voice, urgent and commanding, cut through the haze of my despair. “Alpha Ralph, you’re needed in the hallroom.”
I furrowed my brows, confusion clouding my thoughts. There was no way Alexander could mindlink me from a distance; he had to be close. “Are you in my pack house?” I asked, my voice laced with frustration.
“Yes,” Alexander’s response was clipped. “Hurry over.” Before I could respond further, the mindlink was cut. A knot of unease twisted in my gut. What the fuck. How did Alexander get to the pack so urgently? He always called me before coming.
I quickly mindlinked Jay and two other trusted men, instructing them to come upstairs immediately. Once they arrived, I gave them strict orders. “Stay by the door. No one enters unless Dahlia tells you to. Understood?”
They nodded, their expressions serious. I watched them take their positions before turning on my heels down the hallway and into my office. I slipped into a pair of pants before heading over to the hallroom.
As I stormed into the hallroom, the sight that greeted me was a gut-punch of fury. The sight that met me only served to stoke the fire in my chest. Alexander stood at the forefront, flanked by other council members and alphas from different packs. And there, to my absolute shock and fury, was Zac and his people-exactly the ones I had ordered to leave.
My blood boiled. I marched straight toward Zac, fists clenched, my focus narrowed entirely on him. But before I could get to him, Andrew stepped in my way. “You need to contain your anger, Ralph. Please,” he said, but his words barely pierced my haze of rage.
I fought to control the volcanic fury bubbling inside me, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment. A deep, shuddering breath was my only solace. When I opened my eyes, I walked forward, each step heavy with the weight of my unspent rage.
I faced the council, my voice cutting through the room. “What brought you to my pack without any announcement?”
One of the council members, a man with a cold, unfeeling gaze, answered, “We heard about your mate. It was confirmed as an accident. So no one is going to leave this pack. This is their home.”
His words were like a match to the fire inside me. I charged at him, grabbing him by the collar. My voice was low and dangerous. “Did you just say it was a fucking accident?”
Alexander tried to intervene, but I elbowed him aside without a second thought. My focus was solely on this bastard. My fist connected with his face, and he staggered back. He healed quickly and tried to strike me, but I landed another swift blow. I kept hitting him, one punch after another, until he tripped and fell. Even then, I didn’t stop. I continued to pummel him, breaking his nose.
The hall erupted into chaos. Hands grabbed at me, pulling me away from him. Shouts filled the air, but my ears were ringing with the fury that had taken over. Only when I was restrained did the storm of rage begin to recede.
As the tension in the hall began to cool slightly, Alexander raised his voice at me, his words cutting through the noise. “Alpha, do you realize what you just did could get you into a big problem that could shatter you completely as the Alpha?”
“To hell I care,” I replied in a grave tone, my anger still simmering beneath the surface. I swept my gaze across the council members and everyone else in the hall until it landed on Zac. “Before you address what brought you here, I want Zac out of this pack. As I said earlier, he and his people are no longer part of this pack.”
Alexander spoke up, striving to keep his tone diplomatic. “That’s the main reason we’re here-to resolve this once and for all, but with one condition. Before we proceed, though,” he continued, “Zac can’t just leave the pack. He’s been with the Moonrise Pack for so long that he played the role of beta.”
I let out a bitter chuckle, incredulous at what I was hearing. “Are you fucking serious? Are you all kidding me?” I asked Alexander, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Are you also under Zac’s toes? Did he feed you all his mother’s magic or what?”
One of the council members intervened, trying to restore some semblance of order. “Then let us address this situation.”
I exhaled sharply through my nose, turning my attention to him. “I’m all ears.”
The council member met my gaze with a steely determination. “The solution is through a battle. You and Zac must fight. If you win, Zac and his people will leave this pack, and the council will never interfere in your pack affairs ever again. But… if Zac wins, he will become the Alpha of the Moonrise Pack, and you will have to either be his beta or leave.”
The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of his words sinking in. I could feel the tension rising again, but this time it was laced with a sense of impending doom. The stakes were high, and the consequences were severe.
“And that fight,” he continued, “this fight will take place tomorrow night at Crimson Hills.”
I locked eyes with Zac, who met my gaze with a smug, confident smirk. My blood boiled anew, but I forced myself to stay composed. If this was his and Isabella’s plan-to pit us against each other-then so be it. I’m going to turn their scheme against him and destroy him on his own turf.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself before addressing the council. “I accept,” I said, my voice firm and unyielding. “But as the Alpha of the Moonrise Pack, I have one condition.”
All eyes turned to me, a mix of curiosity and tension in the hallroom. “Until the fight tomorrow, I want Zac out of this house.”
The council members exchanged glances, clearly weighing my demand. Alexander looked at me, his expression unreadable, but he nodded. “Very well, Alpha. Zac and his people will leave the house until the fight.”
Zac’s smug expression faltered slightly, and I could see the wheels turning in his head but he didn’t protest.
With that settled, I turned and left the hallroom, resolute in my determination to prepare for the battle that would decide the fate of my pack, as well as my future with Keilah.