The Alpha's Mistake

02 | Barely Alive

*Winter’s POV*

The moment I heard Derek yelling as Uncle Mav held a shirt against someone’s stomach. My heart dropped. I looked at the brown-haired warrior, instantly knowing who it was.

I gasped as Polo and Noah rushed to Chad.

“Chad! Chad!” Polo tapped on his face to keep him awake.

Chloe ran to his side but grumbled. “I can’t heal him! He has been shot! Get a doctor fast!” She yelled, but I was frozen in place.

Goddess, poor Summer.

Zoe ran for a doctor who ran behind her with a stretcher. “Quickly! Set him down!” The doctor instructs as a few nurses rush over to help him.

“Brad? Where is Brad?” I finally got my voice to cooperate.

“He was in better condition when we found him. They should be treating him already.” Uncle Mav said as he pulled me into his arms, holding me in place.

“We have to let Summer know.” I said as more tears spilled down my cheeks.

Uncle Mav nodded but looked around quickly. “Where are Reina and Alex?” He asked with brows furrowed.

I gulped as I looked at my feet. Everyone looked away as well, but Uncle Mav growled lowly. Derek rushed over to our side before looking at each one of us.

“Someone better talk and right now.” He roared, clenching his hands on his side.

Polo gulped before clearing his throat. “Alex.” He choked out but shook his head to keep it together. He blew out a breath of air before speaking again. “Is fighting for his life.” He finished.

“What?” Derek and Uncle Mav said together. “What happened to my son?” Derek yelled as he rushed to Polo and grabbed him by the arms in anguish.

“Reina’s ex shot him. Multiple times.” I whispered, putting my head on Uncle Mav’s chest, and crying.

“And Reina?” Derek asked, looking back at us.

Uncle Mav held his breath as he waited for us to answer. “She is okay, thanks to Alex, but she passed out. They are checking her now.” I replied.

I was pulling away from my uncle’s arms as more warriors were rushed in. Goddess. So many people have been injured.

I suddenly felt a pressure in my head, and I allowed the mind link through. “Goddess! It’s about time someone answered me!” Aunt Scar cried.

“Is everything alright?” I quickly asked her.

“I need to know if it’s safe to get out. The doctor never made it to this room and your sister passed out.” She said, taking a deep breath. “Did one of them die?” She asked softly.

“They are badly injured. One more than the other, but we are hoping that he will make it. Let me get a doctor there. I don’t think it is safe yet. I haven’t seen it myself yet,” I replied.

“Is everyone else alright?” She asked quickly.

“Um. We can talk about everything in a bit. How is my baby?” I asked, trying to distract her.

“He is safe, sweetheart. Don’t you change the subject,” she said in anger.

“I got to go.” I quickly told her before closing the mind link.

I ran towards the receptionist. “Are there any available doctors?” I asked her quickly. With the amount of people injured, I doubted it.

“No Beta Winter.” She frowned. “Maybe I can get a nurse to help you on something?” She asked quickly.

“Gamma Summer needs to be checked. I need someone over there as soon as possible.” I told her before turning.

Uncle Mav frowned. “I have to check how things are out there. Please keep me posted.” He told me.

I furrowed my brows at him. I needed to help too, but Polo came up to me.

“Please stay here. We can handle things out there. I will make sure that Chloe goes to check on Summer as soon as she gets a chance. Please let me know if anything is needed here.” He said as he leaned forward to peck my lips. “I love you, baby.” He whispered before running off with everyone else.

I took a deep breath before speaking to the receptionist again. “Can I see Alpha Stone?” I asked her before she nodded and pointed me in the direction.

*Reina’s POV*

I was running for dear life. Running like never before. Running to goddess knows what. All I knew was that it was dark.

Nothing was visible for miles. I continued running because at some point I will be able to find whatever it is that I’m looking for.

Thoughts of giving up were coming to mind when I noticed a figure in the darkness. Crazy, right? But I saw the silhouette and there was no denying that I knew exactly who it belonged. How could I not if that was the body of my only true love?

“Alex!” I yelled at the silhouette as it moved further into the darkness. “Alex!” I yelled louder.

I ran faster than before as I continued yelling at him. “Don’t you fūcking leave me Alex!” I yelled. “Alex!”

My eyes flew up as I sat up abruptly. “Alex!” I screamed before I felt arms on my shoulder.

I looked over and teared up. “Mom? What happened? Where is Alex?” I asked her, hoping that everything was a dream.

She wiped a tear that had escaped before she tried to gently lay me back down. “No!” I yelled.

“Sweetheart.” She sighed before continuing. “Let me get the doctor.” She said as the door flew open.

Alex’s mom walked in with a doctor behind her. She ran to my side and pulled me into a hug before breaking down, making my heart stop.

“Alex? Where is my husband?” I choked out.

“He is alive, sweetheart.” Mom said as she rubbed my back gently.

Avalise and I cried in each other’s arms until the doctor cleared his throat. “May I check the alpha?” He asked as Avalise pulled away.

“I want to see Alex.” I told them.

“Alpha, I don’t—” The doctor was saying when I growled lowly.

“I said that I want to see my husband!” I told them.

I needed to see him. To make sure that he is okay. To command him to stay with us.

The doctor finally nodded. “But let me finish checking you.” He said.

I was about to fight it, but Aurora chimed in. “Reina, think about our pup.” She told me, making me sigh. She was right.

“How long was I out?” I asked them as I waited for the doctor to finish.

“Almost two days.” Mom told me as I squeezed my eyes shut.

“What are our numbers? Were they caught? How are the pups?” I asked in panic.

“Surprisingly, we only lost a few warriors,” Avalise whispered.

“Those asšholes got away.” Mother said right after. If this situation wasn’t so serious, I would have laughed at mom for using curse words.

“Pups are fine.” Avalise continues after glaring at mom for interrupting her.

“Speaking about pups.” I looked at the doctor. “How is mine doctor?” I asked, making mom and Avalise gasp.

“Your pup?” Avalise asked in shock as she blinked away the tears.

“Yes.” I frowned. “I wanted to surprise Alex first and then share it together, but…” I closed my eyes as I rubbed my chest. The pain was still so strong. The pain of his life hanging by a thread. The pain that he fūcking jumped in the way. That should have been me.

“This is all my fault.” I cried, bringing my hands to cover my face.

“Oh, baby.” Mom whispered as she pulled me into her arms. “This is not—” She was saying when I pulled away and screamed.

“Don’t!” I yelled. “It is definitely my fault. I decided to be with a psycho and I fūcking decided to banish him instead of executing him. This was my mistake and now Alex is paying the consequences!” I hiccup through each word. The pain in my chest was getting worse by each passing moment.

“Alpha, please. You shouldn’t—” He was saying, but I turned to glare at him.

“I need my mate now.” I told him as I pulled my sheets off abruptly, ripped the IV off and sprinted out the door.

As I reached down the hall, I sniffed the air frantically, looking to catch his bourbon scent.

I looked up to find Noah, Chloe, Winter, and Polo talking in the waiting room. They looked up at me, but I didn’t have time for anything that wasn’t my mate. I needed to see Alex because I went full-blown crazy.

They ran towards me, but I ran off, following Alex’s scent.

“Reina!” Winter yelled after me, but I turned the corner and ran faster.

As I broke through the double doors, I instantly knew that they had placed him in the critical conditions section. My heart was pounding out of my chest.

‘Relax, Reina. He is alive. He is alive.’ I kept telling myself.

As I reached his door, I froze, wiping away my tears. ‘He will make it.’ I told myself before I opened the door.

I held my breath as my eyes reached Alex’s body. I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. My mate. My fūcking husband was lying on this bed. Pale. With all these fūcking cables connected to him.

My eyes found the heart monitor and relaxed. Don’t ask me why, but just seeing the little scribbles and hearing the sound, made me feel slightly better.

“He is still here with us,” I told Aurora as she whimpered.

I walked closer to him slowly. My chest rising and falling with each step I took.

“If I could go back.” I whispered as tears rolled down my cheeks.

“I’m so sorry.” I cried out when I finally reached him.

He looked like he was taking a peaceful nap. He always looked so fūcking handsome. I reached for his hand and gasped at the feeling.

“Where are the fūcking sparks?” I whispered out in panic before falling on my knees.

I lifted his hands to my lips, kissing them and then placing them on my cheek.

“Alex, don’t do this to me.” I sobbed as I felt arms lift me up.

“He would never want to see you like this.” Derek whispered behind me. “He would want you to be strong.” He choked out, making me swallow the hard lump in my throat.

“I can’t. I can’t do anything without him.” I sobbed as I closed my eyes.

“You can and you will.” He said, making me open my eyes wide before turning.

“What are you talking about?” I asked as my hand flew over my chest. If I didn’t know better, I would think that my heart would rip out of my chest with how fast it was beating.

“I mean the moment that it is known that he is in bed, other packs will attack us. All the power-hungry packs. Many packs have wished for this day to come and will waste no time.” He said, making my brows furrow.

“What are you saying?” I asked as my head began to hurt from everything that was going on.

“It means that we will need to fake his death.” He said, closing his eyes.

“How will they not attack? Losing a mate drives the other mate crazy!” I told him. “I’m almost there and he didn’t even die!”

He pulled me into his arms before rubbing my back. “We have a plan. You just need to stay strong. Don’t forget that even though he is in bed, he can feel you.” He whispered before he walked out.

What the hell is going on? Plan for what?

At this point, I couldn’t even think straight. All I wanted was to be with my mate.

I turned to look at Alex before wiping more tears away.

I quickly squeezed into his bed, careful not to mess up any of the things that were connected to him. I snuggled closer, placing my palm on his chest.

“I’m so mad at you, Alex. Please wake up so I can tell you how mad I am.” I sobbed against his chest. “I need you.”

My eyes felt heavy, but I was scared to close them. I didn’t want to miss a second with my husband. My husband.

Things were meant to be completely different if that asshole wouldn’t have showed up. I finally closed my eyes with one mission and one alone.

Killing the fūck out of Xander.

*Noah’s POV*

I rubbed my face for the thousandth time today.

“Wolfie Mate.” Chloe whispered as she wrapped her arms around my waist. “How are you feeling?” She finally asked now that we were alone.

“I just don’t want to see him like that.” I whispered, taking a deep breath.

“I know, baby. No one blames you.” She sighed as she rubbed my arms. “Why don’t you go rest? You haven’t slept in two days.”

I shook my head as I looked into her eyes. “I can’t. There is so much that we have to get done. Reina is obviously in no condition to help out. We still have to get our shīt together in case of another attack and plan our counter-attack on those asšholes.” I growled at the last part.

My brother is in a fūcking bed, fighting for his life because of some obsessive fūck.

“Relax.” Chloe rubbed my face gently. “One thing at a time. Okay?”

I nodded but I couldn’t think of anything other than seeking revenge. I shook my head as I tried to concentrate. “What has your sister found out?” I asked her.

“She hasn’t gotten much. She only left a few hours ago. She is trying to reach out to her mentor about the necklace. Someone has to know something.” She said with brows furrowed. “But I don’t trust anyone.” She sighed.

“Tell me about it.” I sighed. “Where is it anyway?” I asked her.

She lifted her hands, pressing them against my chest. I suddenly got an image in my mind of the location of the safe inside the pack house.

“Who knows about the location?” I asked her.

“Only the girls and now you.” She replied. “I’m considering transferring it to a safer place.” She paused before looking down.

“What is it?” I asked her, suspiciously.

She took a deep breath before pursing her lips. “You probably won’t like it,” she whispered.

I wrapped my arms around her waist as I pulled her as close to me as possible. My lips hovered over hers, causing her breathing to accelerate. “Don’t make me get it out of you.” I growled lowly before licking her lips.

She giggled before whispering back. “You looked like a lizard when you licked me.” I rolled my eyes.

“As if. Now tell me.” I told her.

“Clearly, the attack confirmed that they are after the necklace. We knew it was powerful, but it has to be more powerful than we think for him to build an army to come get it. It was all a distraction for him to come into the packhouse.” She paused. I kissed her nose to motivate her to continue.

“So, I was thinking that maybe we could make a mock necklace. I can create a necklace, transferring some power to it, to make him believe it is the one that he is looking for.”

“Okay?” I squinted at her. It may or may not work, but there has to be something else if she is hesitating. “And?”

“Well, we don’t want anyone else to get hurt.” She whispered before trying to pull away.

I held her in place tightly as my hand reached her cheek so she could look at me again. “And?” I insisted.

“Maybe I could deliver it so that—” She was saying before I released a growl.

“Absolutely NOT!” I roared.