44

~Arian Storm~

I walked alone through the cold night. Only the bright moon shone above me and made the surroundings seem even colder. Everything was strangely quiet today. The only sound was my paws hitting the mossy forest floor.

Almost eerie this silence.

"Arian?" A voice broke the silence around me, but it was only in my head.

My mate must have just woken up. Even through the Mindlink, she sounded totally sleepy, which made me chuckle. I would like to see her now.

"Babe, you're awake!" I retorted. While I would have preferred that she slept until I got back, it was nice to hear her voice. I felt like it was strengthening me .

"Where are you?" came the next question immediately. It was clear that she would ask that. But I didn't have much time to explain now. Tomorrow I'll have enough time, then I'll explain everything to her in detail.

Also, I don't have to concentrate as much as I do now. I was almost at the limit. I haven't smelled strange wolves yet, so surprisingly Alpha Maddox stuck to it.

"Just clarifying a small matter." I replied after taking stock of the situation.

In front of me I already saw the big shadow of the gray wolf of Alpha Maddox. He fixed me almost angrily.

"Where are you Arian?" That question again. But unfortunately I didn't have time to explain anything to her anymore.

"Don't worry. I'll be back at dawn." I said what I really believed in. Tomorrow I'll wake her up with a kiss if she falls asleep again and then we'll have a nice day.

The gray wolf before me was no threat to a wolf of my strong bloodline. Even my mother's human genes can't mess that up.

"So Alpha Maddox, what do you need?" I bonded with him, letting my words come across menacingly.

The wolf across from me growled.

"What I want is a fight, weakling. You're not even worthy of being called Alpha, you half-blood." His insulting words came through to me, which made me growl. It was clear that he wasn't peacefully minded.

So the good old way. Alpha vs Alpha.

" Please tell me you're not in bed with a stranger?!" My mate's words suddenly got through to me, throwing me completely off track.

She didn't seriously think I was cheating on her, did she? Not after everything we've been through. How could she believe that for even a second?

Her words made me inattentive, so that I only now noticed the many wolves around me. Where did they all come from? Why didn't I smell her before?

Even behind me some appeared, surrounding me.

I was an alpha, but even I couldn't do anything against so many. My only hope was that Maddox would still fight fairly, which I don't think was the case judging by him. Otherwise he would have come alone.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

This is just unreal. I knew it was a trap but I figured I could see through it. why did i come here

FUCK! my puppy!

The only thoughts I had now were Lou and my puppy. I wasn't afraid of death, just afraid that something would happen to them. If Maddox kills me he'll wonder why he doesn't become alpha of them. But if he finds my mate and my rightful heir, he will kill them both.

I can't allow that! I have to protect her!

"Sebastian? Watch out Lou!" I told my beta. After me and my father, he was the strongest wolf in the pack. He had to protect her by any means, even if he gave his life for it. Because I was sure that if Maddox gets rid of me, he's going to get my whole pack and everyone who's fighting and protecting their Luna, he's going to kill him.

How could I be so stupid as to hand myself over to him? Everything was just perfect and I was in bed with my companion in my arms. It could all just be a fucked up dream!

"Well then, Arian..." The Arian spat out Alpha Maddox in disgust. "I challenge you to fight. Just you and me. As you wished it."

What did he say? Does he really think that much of himself? How stupid. If he wants a duel against a Storm-Alpha, then please. It won't end well for him.

I growled, but then I felt a prick in the back of my neck. What was that?

Next to me was one of his people in human form, holding a syringe. I didn't even notice him until now? I've focused way too much on Alpha Maddox as my next victim.

"Just to be fair," he winked. No matter what was in there, it wouldn't be to my advantage.

Shortly after I felt the effect and then everything went black. So that's it.

-----

I don't know when I woke up, but when I did, the first thing I saw was the ugly blurry face of Maddox, his naked form bent over me. His whole form was a blur, arms akimbo and the tiny corner that banged listlessly between his legs.

The environment was very dark, almost black and barely recognizable.

"Finally, he's awake. I'm sorry, the dose of wolfsbane was too strong. I should have assumed that a half-blood like you couldn't take anything." He laughed maliciously and then kicked me hard in the stomach, so that I flew a little to the side.

I was still in my wolf form, but everything around me was still very foggy and blurry. It felt like I was high as I barely noticed the enemy wolves surrounding me. Instead, everything shook and Maddox seemed much larger than normal.

I staggered to my feet. I tried to get a picture of the environment. Where is this bastard? He was just there, wasn't he?

My head swiveled in several directions. So fast that I almost lost my balance again.

Fuck! What was that wolfsbane mixture?

Then he reappeared before my eyes. This time in wolf form. But way too late I checked his next move when he ran full pot into me and I hit the nearest tree.

My ribs hurt when I hit the ground. But I had to get up. I'm not ready to leave my mate yet.

"Why didn't you kill me right away, weakling." I growled through the mindlink. "You're already playing unfair means, so why wait until I wake up?"