Adams’ POV
I ran to the back of the run-down building with my heart racing with each quick step I took. The air smelled strongly of smoke and metal-a nasty reminder of the violence that happened just hours ago.
“Ronan!” I shouted with my voice deep and harsh. The air was thick with tension and every part of me felt that something was very wrong. I came to a quick stop, staring at my Beta, whose face showed serious determination.
“Over here,” Ronan called, beckoning me to a broken wall covered in shadows.
“What is going on?” I asked, stepping closer and looking around at what was left of the village. The wreckage made me both mad and sad. It was once a lively place now turned into burnt remains.
Ronan got to a bloody spot on the wall and moved aside to show dark messy letters. “Look,” he said, almost whispering.
Leaning in, I felt a chill run through me as I read the scary words written in blood “I’m coming for you.”
A low growl came out of my mouth bouncing off the old stones. “Damn it!” I fumed with my hands tightening at my sides. “This is Ben’s fault, I just know it.”
Ronan took a step back, cautious of my anger. “It might be a group of rogues but-”
“No!” I cut in quickly, frowning. “Ben is the one working against me. He’s with Augustus. I can feel it. Those weaklings always hide in the dark.”
My eyes burned with anger matched only by the cold of night. The idea of my hateful brother teaming up with the rogue king made me feel ill. How far Ben had dropped and how much his hatred hurt me.
“Alpha,” one of the fighters said with his face looking serious. “What do you want us to do?”
“Check the ruins. Look for any survivors. We can’t abandon anyone even in this desolate place.” My tone was firm but carried a hint of sadness.
Ronan nodded and got the guys ready. “You heard him! Let’s search the area. We’ll check every part of this place!”
As I turned I couldn’t shake the feeling of fear sitting heavy in my stomach. “Hurry up. We’ve already lost too much.”
The fighters broke apart with their feet thudding on the rubble as they went in different directions, each man hoping to bring some light to the darkness. I stayed behind feeling the weight of my duties. I should have moved quicker and been tougher. How could we let this occur?
As I walked through the ruins, the surrounding noises mixed together. The far-off moans of the hurt, the crackling of dying flames and the soft voices of my men searching created a sad mix of sounds.
Then I heard it-a soft noise coming from a broken building close by, hard to hear over the noise around me. My instincts took over. I was fully alert. I walked toward the building, carefully stepping over fallen beams and trash. The light sound got louder and almost desperate.
“Hey!” I yelled into the darkness with my heart racing. “Is someone there?”
Quiet fell, then I saw movement again. I looked at Ronan, who had come up to me with his brow furrowed with worry.
“Do you hear that?” I asked with my voice calm as we got closer to the broken building.
“Sure,” Ronan answered, looking hard into the dark. “Just watch out. It might be a trick.”
Before I could answer, a shape jumped out of the dark-a girl with wide eyes and looking scared rushed at me with a yell holding a knife that was way too big for her tiny body.
“Step back!” she shouted with fear showing in her voice and every bit of strength and anger focused on the knife she held.
“Hold on!” I held up my hands showing my palms, trying to stay calm even though my mind was racing. “I won’t hurt you.”
The girl, just about sixteen, paused, moving her weight from foot to foot like she was thinking about what to do next. “You’re lying!” She looked angrily with her grip tightening on the handle of her weapon. “I know what you are!”
I squinted my eyes. “So what am I?”
“A monster!” Her words echoed around us and I felt the pain of what she said. “You’re just like them! You took all their lives!”
“Hold on!” Ronan said, moving ahead. “We didn’t harm your people. We’re here to assist.”
I could see the fear in her eyes, a clear sign of the anger and pain inside me. “Listen to me,” I said slowly, trying to close the gap between us. “I’m Alpha King Adams. My Beta and I came here because we heard about the attack. We’re looking for survivors like you.”
“Alpha?” she scoffed, surprise showing on her face. “I don’t care who you are! You’re all the same. Just Alpha wolves believing you are better than everyone else.”
Her words felt heavy, hurting more than I wanted to say. “You don’t get it,” I answered, battling my anger. “The rogues came. They killed for no reason. We came to stop them and to help those who lived.”
I saw her hands shake with doubt showing on her face. “I won’t trust you!” she spat with her eyes looking at Ronan before coming back to mine.
“You need to trust us,” I urged, trying to show the need in my voice. “We want nothing more than to save you and anyone else still in this village.”
“Why should I trust you? Your people let us down!” Her voice shook with sadness that cut through my anger and brought back the pain that I felt as well. I held back my growing rage and paid attention to her hurt.
“I understand you’re in pain. I know you’ve lost it all,” I said, lowering my voice.
“Then why should I pay attention?” she replied with her tone as cutting as the knife in her hand with dark hints of danger surrounding us.
“Because I have lost too,” I said, my voice full of feeling. “They took my people from me. My people. It is my job to keep those who are still here safe. Together we will find the ones who did this.”
I could see her eyes shine a little less with her strength wavering as she gripped her knife tighter. The space between us felt full of unspoken trust.
“Help me and I will help you,” I said firmly. “We can save those who are still here. Just tell me where you last saw anyone-if there are still people alive we’ll get them out.”
She paused, looking back at the falling-apart building. “What if you’re not telling the truth?”
“Do you want to die here?” I replied pointedly with my voice getting sharper. “You might not get another chance if you stay where you are. Your people need you. I need you.”
At that moment, I realized I had made a difference. Her strength weakened a bit. “I… I just want to find my brother,” she said softly, the anger leaving her.
“Then help us,” I said firmly. “Tell me where to search and I promise you we’ll bring him back.”
A quiet moment passed between us with her breath shaking as she slowly dropped her weapon with doubt showing on her face.
“Sure,” she finally said, but you could see she wasn’t sure. “Just remember if you do anything-”
“I won’t do it,” I said firmly…