27

"Right. Well I'm responsible for these bodies on the ground. So unless you want to end up just like them, give me one good reason not to rip your throat out," Savannah crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Regan's audacity. She didn't need a reason to not kill him, because she was going to do it anyway. No one accused her mate of such heinous crimes and lived to boast about it.

"I'll give you one," Tori stepped forward, her eyes shooting daggers at Regan. "He's mine to kill."

"Oh goody," Regan rubbed his hands together when he caught sight of her. "All of my favourite people in one place. Should be so much fun to watch your bodies burn once I am through with you. The fire to cleanse the forest is always my favourite part of the wars." His throaty chuckle was downright creepy and menacing.

"What fire?" Savannah whispered to Ethan who had come up to stand beside her.

The rogue from Nightwing gave a subtle shrug. "No idea. Never heard of a fire around these parts. However, Regan always does tend towards the crazy side as the night wears on."

"Wonderful. Just what we need," she groaned, watching Tori and Regan face off, circling each other as they sized the other up, protruding their claws and snarling with dark intent. "Should we interrupt?"

"Nah. Let T have her fun. She deserves it. I'll give her five minutes, and if she's not done by then, you can intervene."

"Gotcha."

"So, Victoria," Regan started speaking, grinning at the way Tori bristled. "Are you finally going to be a good girl and tell me where my son is?"

"Why? So you can kill him?"

"The only good pack wolf is a dead pack wolf. Isn't that what I always say?"

"Go to hell!"

"No. Oh, no, my dear," Regan chuckled, loosening his stance as he threw her a pitying look. "I escaped hell already. If my intel serves correctly, Javed seems intent on running right back towards it. By helping him return to our homeland, you've as good as killed him yourself."

Tori shook her head, not surprised Regan knew about Javed's whereabouts. Clearly, the rogue was still at the top of his game, but there were a few things he refused to comprehend. "That's where you're wrong. The pack is so much better off without you in it, and Javed is working hard to make it even better. If he's even double the Beta you ever were, he'll make the pack worth being a part of. You, on the other hand, are on a one way road over the cliff. Yeah, that's right," Tori smirked, "The cliff you once pushed me over." With those words, she charged, knocking into Regan with all the force of an enraged shewolf. She was powerful, and had the wind at her back as she shoved with brute strength into the cruel former Beta.

Unfortunately, Regan was ready for her. He'd been expecting her at any moment, and with a simple lift of his arm, he deflected her blow. Knocking her back, he then advanced with his own raised fists, and pummeled them into her gut.

Tori was tough, but not that tough. Not even a Beta's mate could withstand the force of those blows without injury. Savannah winced as the sound of crunching bones echoed around the clearing. Tori took the hits, retreating a step back with each blow from Regan. Then, once backed against a tree, she lifted an arm with lightning speed, striking out and grabbing his wrist before it struck her face. She leaned in close to his face and spat. "You can break me, Regan. Your cruelness can scar my body. You can throw me over as many cliffs as you like, but you'll never win. Nothing can stop the revolution—"

Regan slapped her with his other hand, her check blooming red where his skin connected with her flesh. "Shut up, you filthy wolf!"

From across the clearing, Savannah watched with agitation as Regan taunted Tori. It was one thing to oversee her wolves training and practice fighting, and quite another to watch as rogues battled it out with vicious intent. She felt Zion lean against her leg, his hand coming up to wrap around her calf. He still sat on the ground, gathering strength as his system fought the toxin. Reaching her hand down, she tangled her fingers in his soft hair, soothing him and herself with the contact.

Regan snatched up Tori by the arms, almost crushing her collarbones with his meaty hands, and leaned close to snarl in her face, "The only revolution is the one I lead." He chuckled darkly before grabbing her by the hair and tossing her sideways.

With a shriek, Tori stumbled to the ground before leaping back up and onto Regan. Her claws sank into his back, ripping parallel lines through his skin as she dragged them down, followed by trails of crimson. She ducked from his large boot as it kicked towards her, and instead spun around and came up on his other side. Grabbing his arm, she twisted it behind his back and managed to rip some more claws into his skin, this time over his face.

With a mighty roar, Regan hurled her over his shoulder, slamming her to the ground and leaping to pin her down with his monstrous body.

"Enough!" Savannah yelled over the ground-rumbling war cry. As her wild voice echoed and bounced back off the otherwise quiet forest, she reached down and pulled two knives from Zion's thigh holsters, and a flat disk from his belt.

"Vannah! Wait!" Zion grabbed for her, but she ignored him.

With a few leaps, she crossed the clearing and barreled into Regan. Knocking him off Tori was the easy part. Rolling to her feet and preparing for his subsequent attack was another, harder move. She'd had time to recuperate from her skirmish with Persia, and so with more adrenaline shooting into her veins, she was more than ready to take on this oversized punk.

But there were still traces of silver in her system, and she'd already expended so much energy tonight. Regan was double her size, his arms as thick as her thighs, and even though her Alpha DNA upped her strength, she was never built to defeat a male Beta with twice as many years as her of training as a lethal predator. She was meant to have a Beta or Gamma by her side, or at the very least a few warriors.

He swatted her away like a pesky fly, but not before she'd thrown a knife. It flew silently through the night air, finding its target even as he moved with dexterity. A soft thud resounded as the blade embedded in his chest, but it barely put a dent in his biological armour.

With a grunt, Regan ripped it out, brandishing it as his own, moonlight glinting off the bloodied blade as he advanced on Savannah where she lay sprawled in the dirt.

Her back ached, pain ricocheting through every limb each time she tried lifting herself up from the forest floor.

"Come on, get up!" Willow called, her voice urgent as she raced towards Savannah.

The Alpha spread her senses wide, picking up gathering wolves, slinking from the trees and forming a circle around them. She didn't know if they belonged to Nightwing or Black Halo, or any number of other gangs. She could only hope they didn't join the fight, but it was only so long before Regan's men and women stood beside him to defend his title--and his life.

She gripped the second knife between clammy fingers and watched as Regan advanced, a wicked grin on his face, darkness swirling in his blackened eyes.

"This is going to be so much more exciting than the battle I had in mind. Who knew Zion would bring his pretty little mate along to the rogue wars? It's like my Christmases have all come at once," he cackled devilishly.

Savannah might have laughed at his cheesy comments if it weren't for the very deadly tension that strung his muscles tight, each step closer punctuated by a threatening growl. Each second that passed, her heart spiked with fear.

Throwing another knife was useless. Going over remaining options in her mind, she rolled over and pushed herself up, only to have his boot shoved in her back.

Gritty dirt filled her mouth.

"You're such a psycho, you know that? How many lives do you have to ruin until you're satisfied, huh?"

The sound of Tori's voice filled her ears, followed by a thud, grunt, and raspy chuckle. Savannah shoved up from the dirt and looked over her shoulder in time to see Regan work his jaw side to side, a trickle of blood running from a cut lip.

"So you admit I ruined your life? Oh, the rush of being so powerful," he grinned, opening his arms wide while his legs surged forward.

Leaping up, Savannah stood back to back with Tori, but even together, Regan was daunting. Two of his thugs had joined him, circling the shewolves with smirks on their roughened faces. The next instant, all their bodies collided as Regan reached them and knocked them back, into the arms of his waiting thugs.

Savannah found herself restrained while fighting erupted around them. Ethan and Willow were throwing punches and snarling viciously while gang members stepped out of the shadows and joined sides. It was hard to tell who belonged to who, and all Savannah could do was slash into whoever was directly in front of her, the silver knife dancing in crimson arcs. Three bodies crumpled before she felt herself growing weaker, her ribs aching where Regan had gotten in multiple hits.

Her lungs burned as they drew in oxygen, fueling her cells but failing to completely replenish them. The air became tainted with a heavy substance, a mixture of metallic blood, burning wood, and death. Smoke stung her eyes, making it difficult to see exactly where the next hit was coming from.

A scream split the air, probably Tori's, but it was too smoky to see its source clearly.

Lifting her arm against a dark shadow, Savannah prayed the rest of her senses could fill the blind spots of her vision as someone towered over her, deep rumbling threats issuing from their throat.

But it was no use.

Searing pain scorched her arm, the scent of her own blood filling her nostrils as bone cracked and tendons snapped. She may have screamed, she wasn't sure. There were too many other cries and groans deafening her on every side. She may have seen Phoenix spin past her and sink his teeth into the neck of her attacker, but every blurry figure looked the same.

What she did know for sure was that the large hand that gripped her throat and lifted her off her feet belonged to Regan. His black eyes that blazed against the silvery moonlight were forever seared into her brain.

"Time to pay," his lips peeled back in a ghastly grin, his claws puncturing holes in her slender neck.

Then he was gone. Gravity pulled her to the ground as Regan disappeared from her vision. Blackness filled the space as her eyes squeezed shut, but a deadly growl had her snapping them open again.

"This is for ratting us out to that soulless Alpha Bastien," the voice was unmistakably Zion's, and Savannah sagged in relief as she turned to see him pinning Regan to the ground. The hulking form of her mate was bigger than any mountain of despair she felt. "If you want to blame anyone for your daughter's death, blame yourself," the words were whispered in Regan's ear.

The rogue leader's eyes widened and his mouth gaped in a silent scream, pure horror and pain written in every hardened line of his face. Then he was shoved back, his body crumpling and his chest sinking as his final breath escaped him.

Zion rose to his feet unsteadily, breathing hard as he stared at Regan's lifeless body, and threw away the bloody organ in his hand. Slowly, he turned, his eyes glinting as they collided with Savanna's shocked gaze. In the depths of his irises, usually so warm and secure, was a harsh coldness that seemed unfathomable. It was like looking down a tunnel that never ended, a bottomless pit that could swallow you whole with one misstep over the edge.

She knew she'd fall forever if she let herself drown in the darkness that leached from that single look he drilled her with.

She knew rogues were ruthless, and she had wanted to rip out Regan's heart herself, but seeing Zion do it sent shockwaves of clarity through her body. His hands, so strong yet soft as she'd held them between her own on more than one occasion, were more than capable of tearing life from body and destroying souls.

Alpha, are you okay? Cale's voice pushed into her mind, filled with concern.

She broke the relentless eye contact with her mate and looked around, carnage and death all around her. Flames flickered in the distance, casting an orange glow on tree surfaces, sweat-slickened bodies, and haunted eyes that stared lifelessly into the void. Crimson hues of blood clashed with the silvery shine of the moonlight, gurgled moans and sickening thuds as bodies fell all around echoed in her ears, clanging with the slash of claws and tearing of flesh.

Yeah, I'm okay, she replied in her mind, trying her best to block the pain that engulfed her arm. She refused to look down at it, knowing bone was likely showing amidst a wash of blood.

It was the last thing she needed, when Zion and his gang were fighting for their lives against the vengeful wolves of Black Halo and God knew how many other gangs who had it in for Zion. Regan had been right; the war was only just starting. Struggling to her feet, she spotted Cale backed against Talei as they fought off a group of five wolves together. They were holding their own, as were Niko, Chayton, and Tas who were tag-teaming with an even larger gang of mangy, drooling wolves.

They'd all shifted, using their claws, canines, and powerful back legs for full effect. Willow and Ethan were also working together well, having put aside their differences in the name of survival. If they weren't locked in such a bloody battle, Savannah might have smiled at the way Ethan fought and moved around Willow with strong instinct, clearly protecting his mate though she certainly didn't need it. The solid shewolf was more than capable of ripping into three wolves without breaking a sweat.

"You didn't have to do that, you know."

The soft voice tugged at Savannah's attention. Turning slowly until she found the source, she saw Zion kneeling over Tori, his hand reaching out to tug her to a sitting position.

"Someone had to end him," Zion whispered lowly, his eyes skimming over the shewolf, checking for any injuries.

Tori gave a wry chuckle. "Yeah, but did you really want to live with that burden? Regan was a jerk, but I understand what he meant to us."

"He would have always hated me. Now it's one less thing to look over my shoulder for."

"True. Now be a good boy and help me up," Tori pulled her feet under her, wincing.

Zion smirked, but gave her his hand anyway. "Your back still giving you trouble?"

"More like my back, ribs, kidneys, and spine. I think Regan turned all my insides to soup with that last punch," Tori huffed, finally standing. She gripped Zion's forearm for a moment to steady herself.

Savannah felt like ripping that hand and attached arm right from its shoulder socket. How dare that shewolf touch Zion like that!

Before jealousy could cloud her vision any more, she saw a small wolf charge across the clearing, leap over fallen bodies and other fighting wolves, and dive straight towards Zion. With its teeth fully bared and ferocious expression, there was no mistaking its intentions.

"No!" Savannah screamed, scrambling up and shifting as quickly as possible. Leaping, she covered the ground with lightning speed and slammed into the wolf a moment before it could reach Zion. They slammed into the ground, rolled in the dirt and smacked against a tree. Savannah had her teeth in the wolf's neck before it could even register what happened.

Warm blood flowed over her tongue, the metallic taste filling her senses and bringing her Alpha to the surface. She'd always killed for those she loved, and protecting her mate was her strongest instinct, even stronger than the fiery pain from her broken arm. Shaking her head side to side, she ripped further into fur and flesh.

The wolf shifted, gasping for air and wilting with defeat. Her head rolled sideways, glassy eyes finding Savannah's.

"He has to pay...." blood gurgled in her throat, and Savannah leaned closer even though the bitterness in Calista's eyes was strong enough to burn. "He has to pay for...what he did...to my sister." With a final gasp, Calista jerked then went limp, blood trickling from her lips to join the red gashes that transected her entire neck.

Savannah jumped off the body, shaking, the sudden surge of adrenaline overwhelming every sense. She struggled to stay upright, her body shifting to human form just as bile rose in her throat. Dropping to her knees, she vomited at the base of the tree, her stomach threatening to come up with the force of her retching.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," a soft hand rested on her back, rubbing in soothing circles. Sparks erupted from the contact, automatically calming the turmoil inside Savannah. Only one wolf could have that effect. Closing her eyes in frustration, she pushed up and turned to face her mate.

"What did she mean?"

Zion glanced at Calista's lifeless body, a dark emotion creasing his brow, "Vannah, I don't think now is the time--"

"What did you do to her sister?" Savannah screamed, hating the way her body wanted to sag into him for support while her mind rebelled against ever trusting him again. She'd known all along he wasn't all good, but seeing the way these wolves hated him for his past sins... it was almost too much.

The strong Alpha fought against the desire to shrivel up into a ball and shut out the brutal fight around them. She wanted to forget the constant attacks on her own heart as accusations were flung at her mate, but she needed answers to preserve her own sanity.

Zion looked at her, a gentle sternness in his eyes as he spoke softly, "Calista was Regan's daughter too, so it's the same thing he blamed me for. But you can't believe them, Savannah. They were just trying to destroy me even more by making you hate me." His eyes darkened with something unreadable as he saw the blood on her neck. Reaching up his hand tentatively, his fingers trailed the puncture wounds, causing her to shiver. A flash of guilt crossed his face before he shuttered it behind a detached coldness.

Her head shook as she tried to understand his words. "I don't hate you, I never could. I just..." She what? Didn't trust him? Didn't want to take his word because, after all, he was an untrustworthy rogue? But everyone here was a rogue. Who's word would she take over the other? Surely, being her mate, Zion deserved some benefit of the doubt. Whatever happened between him and Regan was probably not so bad. Regan was most likely just lying, or at the very least misconstruing the truth. Whatever he had against Zion was amplified with time, pride, and growing hatred.

It was easy to blow feelings out of proportion, she knew that firsthand from witnessing ongoing feuds between neighboring Alphas.

But who would kill a baby girl, no matter their reasons why? Not even the sickest rogue would find that justifiable, so certainly Zion hadn't done anything like that. He was kind, caring, and protective of those who were vulnerable. She'd seen it countless times; heard the stories from his friends; seen the warmth in his eyes despite the cold steel he surrounded himself with when killing his enemies.

There was no way she'd believe he'd done something so callous and barbaric. "It's okay," she eventually said, taking a deep breath to calm her shivering body. "I believe you. Regan just talked rubbish to make himself feel better," she told him, convincing herself, and lifted her eyes to meet his. The hazel depths glowed with the firelight.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a wolf leap for them. Her body instinctively flinched, knowing there was no time to move out of the way. All she could do was brace herself for more pain.

But Zion shot out his arm and grabbed the wolf before it even drew near her. With one hand alone, he wrapped his long fingers around the wolf's neck and crushed it--bones, spinal column, arteries and windpipe. Completely pulverised.

With his eyes remaining locked on hers, he threw the wolf to the side, slamming it into another one who considered themself strong enough to take on the leader of all rogues. They were brave, but stupid. Tonight had proven no one could stand up to Zion and his gang.

By his side, she knew in her bones that nothing could truly hurt her.

With a shuddering sigh, the air escaped her lungs before she sucked in another breath, a shaky sob. Only then, as Zion reached out to tug her closer, did she realise the severity of their situation.

Her arm screamed from his touch, though it was gentle. The heat that enveloped her was amplified from the approaching flames, and even his intoxicating scent couldn't drown out the stench of burning bodies. Every breath was a struggle. Her lungs burned from broken ribs and the invasion of toxic smoke. Her throat stung from almost being crushed. But being this close to him alleviated the pain, and her body sagged against Zion, his touch heating her from the outside in. She wanted to melt into his arms, forget this madness even existed, and never have to care if being with him was sensible or not.

Why couldn't her mate bond be simple? Why did she have to second guess every situation with him, every action and intention?

"We have to go, now!" Zion said as he swept her up into his arms. His wolves heard his command, fighting off their attackers and checking for injuries before following their leader away from the battle zone.

They seemed to naturally buddy up, Tas hoisting Talei onto his back once he saw her badly injured leg. Willow put her shoulder to Ethan's as he hobbled as fast as he could, blood pouring from a large gash on this thigh. Chayton and Phoenix walked closely together, their fierce gazes deterring any wolf from advancing too close. Cale and Niko watched each other's back, while Tori stuck close with a couple other shewolves Savannah didn't recognise.

It wasn't a retreat; it was common sense. The main enemies had been eliminated, so there was no use wasting any more life.

She suddenly remembered Persia, but couldn't see the assassin anywhere. It seemed she had melted back into the shadows long before the fighting broke out, returning to wherever she had materialised from.

Savannah had almost lost her mate so many times tonight, and the constant stress and alertness was making her cold and jittery. The loss of blood combined with the haze of heat and smoke made Savannah's vision blurry, but she still noticed when flames surrounded them and blocked their passage through the forest.

"We're going to have to run for it," Zion called over his shoulder, then bravely set his face forwards. After glancing at the sky, locating the position of the moon, he began to run through the flames.

Savannah completely trusted he knew exactly where he was going.

It didn't take long to outrun the flames, the heat fading and her scorched skin cooling when under pale moonlight once more.

The gang ran behind them, worried looks creasing their brows as they all felt the heat at their back. Many other wolves were following, having given up fighting to flee for their lives instead. Mournful howls and rough barks winged to the moon, sharing their unified pain for all to hear.

As she clutched her arms tighter around Zion's neck and peered over his shoulder, she could see the fire racing like a surging army across the treeline and open fields. It was chasing them like demons from hell.

"My backpack is totally singed!" Talei complained from her perch on Tas's back. She reached behind and tugged it free, frowning as she studied the melted synthetics. "Everything is probably ruined thanks to Regan and his stupid pyromanic plan to burn us all alive. Oh, look! Toasted marshmallows!" she exclaimed and showed off a small bag of sticky goo. "Vannah, baby, looks like you got your campfire tradition after all," the blonde joked even as her brother grunted and strained to keep running with her weighing him down.

Savannah only felt sick as she watched the flames licking over the dry grass and swallowing the territory with its sizzling tongue and charred afterglow. "Zion, the fire! We can't outrun it forever--"

The words were torn from her mouth as she suddenly became weightless. Her stomach dropped and she buried her face against Zion's neck as the cold night air rushed past them.

They were falling, a steep cliff rising up behind them, and she didn't have to guess what awaited them down below.

The fresh scent of water greeted her. "Take a deep breath," Zion whispered just before they were engulfed by the icy river. It felt like a thousand knives stabbed her all over, twisting inside her wounds and causing her to curl into her mate's body, desperately seeking comfort as the tumultuous river tried ripping her apart.

The only relief came from shutting down. Her world blackened, leaving her life resting securely in the arms of a killer.