The Royal Wolf (The Tormented Mate Series Book 3)

Chapter Fourteen

*Wyatt's POV*

It's been a few weeks since I met with the witches. I have been on the search for some vampires that are willing to help me find Leah. I have barely slept or eaten. I had heard rumors that vampires went into hiding after a battle where they took sides with hunters. No one has seen or heard from vampires or hunters since that battle. After talking to some rouge wolves, I have been able to narrow down some locations. I have already been to three leads, and none have panned out. Pulling up to the fourth location doesn’t look promising. I sit there for a few minutes trying to see if I see any movement but decide it's time to go after nothing catches my eye. Putting my truck in reverse I see a man behind my truck in the rear-view mirror.

He rushes up to the side of my truck. "What brings a wolf here?" He speaks to me.

"I am not here for a fight. Just trying to get some information or some help." I say back to him.

"You must be desperate to come looking for vampires."

"Yes I am. I have been searching for a few weeks now for vampires and you are the first one I have come across."

"We try not to be found, but you must be persistent. You’re the first stranger I have seen in a few months. What is it that you want?"

"I need help finding a wolf pack. The Bloodshed pack."

"I've never heard of them, what is in it for me if I help you?"

"Name your price. Like I said. I’m desperate."

He looks at me for a few seconds before speaking again. "A while ago some hunters took my wife. I haven't been able to rescue her because I have no one to help me. If I help you, I want your word you will help me."

"Do you know where your wife is?"

"I do. I have been watching the place for a while now. Going in by myself is suicide. There is about 20 hunters there and only one of me. Your pack should have no issues helping me get my wife out."

"How do you know she is even still alive, and why won’t you seek help from your own kind?"

"I don't know if she is alive, but the hunters like to do experiments. So, I am remaining positive. I won’t go asking my kind for help because we don't have the numbers. We don't travel in packs like you wolves."

"I will help you in exchange for your help. How will you help me?"

"I will seek out other vampires and get the location of the pack you are searching for. Give me a few weeks."

"I have already waited weeks to find you. I don't have weeks left."

"If you want my help you will have to learn patience."

"Fine." I say through gritted teeth.

I take my leave after that and head to find a hotel. Sleep and a good meal is what I need now that I finally found a vampire and am getting help. Leah pops into my head. That one heated moment with her is all I have of her, and I will hold onto it until she is in my arms again. I decide it’s time to check in with my pack and call Josh.

Josh picks up after a few rings. "Yes, Alpha?"

"I was just calling to check in. I know I haven’t called in a while."

"Everything is good here. I have reinstated trainings every morning. The pack army isn't happy about it, but they have been coming every morning so far. We haven't had any more intruders and we do pack border runs in the morning, afternoon, and night. How is your search going?"

"I haven't had luck finding her yet, but I did find a vampire who is willing to help me find the pack that took her."

"Well, I am handling things here."

"Thank you, Josh. I will call with any updates." I say and close the phone.

I can hear the resentment in his voice. I know he wants me to give up my Alpha position, but that will never happen. I have slacked on how I run things in the pack, but things are going to get better as soon as I return with Leah. Josh has never lost his mate he doesn’t understand what the pain feels like. My whole world was gone in the blink of an eye. Josh and I are different. I will always place my family above the pack. Josh will put the pack before his family. I just can't do that. If I lose my Alpha position tomorrow, I will still have my family. I used to put the pack before everything and then I lost my mate. I will never do that again. I will put Leah before the pack.

The night I lost my mate still haunts me. I still blame myself. Deep down I knew there was nothing I could have done but I was supposed to protect her. It was a cold and rainy night. We were taking a vacation to spend a few nights together before we welcomed our pup into the world. We had decided to stop and get a hotel since the rain was flooding the roads. I should have listened to my instincts and kept going until we reached a pack, instead we stayed in a human hotel. After we checked into the room, I made sure she was settled before grabbing the ice bucket to fill it. The ice machine was two floors above us. A cold feeling came over me before entering our room. I just blew it off as the weather outside. I can't see any light through the blinds which leads me to believe my mate is sleeping. As soon as I walk in and close the door, I feel something stick into my neck. Wolfsbane. A few seconds later I am hit over the head. I wake up sometime later with my hands handcuffed behind me and a person on either side of me holding me in place. The lights are on, and I can hear muffled screams. I look up to see my mate strapped to the bed and being groped by one of the men. These guys are hunters. I feel a rage inside of me and go to attack them when I realize I can't summon my wolf due to the wolfsbane. I pull at the handcuffs. They won't budge. I try to stand and am shoved back down by the men on either side of me. The muffled screams of my mate are torture. I continue to try and fight against my restraints and the people on either side of me. The guy begins to touch her inappropriately. This drives my rage even more to see him touching her. I am able to stand and kick the men off of me. I headbutt the guy near her and am finally able to break my cuffs. Seconds later I am injected again with wolfsbane. It brings me to my knees. I am restrained again. The guy that has touched my mate puts a knife to her throat.

"Stop fighting or I kill her." He says to me.

I immediately stop moving. I can hear my wolf whining in my head. "What do you want?"

"We are hunters we obviously want you dead. With how you are acting this must be your mate." He says and presses the knife into her a little more.

I pull forward. "Please don't. Take me and let her go. Please."

He laughs at me. "What's the fun in that? When we could kill her and leave you to suffer."

Right after saying that he takes the knife and plunges it into her chest. Her muffled screams stop and all movement ceases. I can feel my heart break into two pieces. The rage in my is so strong I am able to fight the men off of me and break the cuffs again. I kill the men who restrained me within seconds. The guy that killed my mate is backing away into the corner. I snap his neck. I stumble over to the bed and untie my mate. I cradle her to me.

I shake the thoughts from my head. I have to find Leah.