A fierce ALPHA before a loving Mother

Chapter 4

The days passed in a tense blur, the pack on high alert as Lila worked tirelessly to prepare them for the coming storm. She spent hours training with the warriors, pushing them to their limits, testing their endurance, and sharpening their instincts. The air buzzed with anticipation and unease, the threat of the rogue attack looming over them like a dark cloud. But despite the tension, Lila felt a sense of purpose she hadn’t felt in years. She was doing what she was meant to do—protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves.

Still, the shadow of her past hovered at the edges of her mind, refusing to be ignored. Every time she crossed paths with Alec, the tension between them was palpable, like an invisible tether that neither could escape. His presence unsettled her, stirring up memories she had tried to bury. But there was no time to dwell on the past. The safety of the pack had to come first.

As the sun dipped below the horizon on the third day, casting the forest in hues of deep orange and purple, Lila stood at the edge of the training field, watching the warriors spar in pairs. The sound of clashing steel and grunts of exertion filled the air, a symphony of preparation. She was proud of how far they’d come in such a short time, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough. Not against the force they were about to face.

She turned away, her gaze drifting to the forest that surrounded the pack’s territory. Somewhere out there, the rogue leader was plotting his next move. Lila’s instincts told her that the attack was imminent, that they were running out of time. But they were still missing one crucial piece of information—how the rogues were organizing, and who was feeding them inside information.

“Lila,” a familiar voice called out, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned to see Donovan approaching, his expression grim. The Alpha’s usually confident demeanor was overshadowed by the gravity of their situation. “We need to talk. Privately.”

Lila nodded, her stomach tightening with a sense of foreboding. She followed Donovan as he led her away from the training field, past the pack house, and into the dense forest. They walked in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds the crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant calls of night birds. Finally, Donovan stopped in a small clearing, the fading light casting long shadows across his face.

“What is it?” Lila asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Donovan looked at her, his eyes hard. “We have a problem,” he said. “I’ve been hearing whispers—rumors of someone within the pack working with the rogues.”

Lila’s heart skipped a beat. She had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed sent a chill down her spine. “Who?” she asked, her voice sharp.

“I don’t know yet,” Donovan admitted, frustration flickering across his features. “But I have my suspicions. We need to root out the traitor before it’s too late.”

Lila nodded, watching him carefully. She could see the worry etched into his features, but there was something else too—a shadow of doubt. “It’s the only explanation,” she said quietly. “They’ve been too coordinated, too well-informed. We’re being played.”

Alec’s jaw tightened. “You think I don’t know that?” he snapped, his frustration boiling over. “I’ve been trying to protect this pack, to protect you, and now we’re dealing with an enemy we can’t even see.”

Lila flinched at the sharpness in his voice, but she held her ground. “This isn’t about you, Alec. It’s about all of us. We need to figure out who’s behind this before it’s too late.”

He looked away, his fists clenched at his sides. “And what if it’s someone we trust? Someone we’ve fought beside for years?”

“Then we deal with it,” Lila said firmly, though her heart ached at the thought. “No matter who it is, we can’t let them destroy us from within.”

Alec’s gaze snapped back to hers, and for a moment, she saw something raw and vulnerable in his eyes. “And what if it’s me?”

The question hung in the air between them, heavy with implications. Lila’s breath caught in her throat, the words freezing on her lips. She knew Alec was capable of many things—he was ruthless when it came to protecting the pack. But could he really betray them?

She shook her head, pushing the thought away. “Don’t be ridiculous. I know you, Alec. You would never—”

“Do you?” he cut her off, his voice laced with bitterness. “Do you really know me, Lila? It’s been five years. People change.”

The words struck a chord deep within her, and Lila felt a pang of guilt. She had changed, too. The girl Alec had once known was long gone, replaced by the Alpha who now stood before him. But despite the changes, despite the years, she still felt the bond between them, fragile as it was.

“I know enough,” Lila said softly, stepping closer to him. “I know you would never betray your pack. No matter what’s happened between us, that’s something that hasn’t changed.”

Alec’s shoulders slumped, the fight leaving him. “I wish I could be as sure as you are,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “But I can’t shake this feeling, Lila. Something isn’t right.”

Lila placed a hand on his arm, grounding him. “Then we’ll figure it out. Together. But you have to trust me, Alec.”

He met her gaze, the intensity in his eyes almost overwhelming. “I do trust you,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “But it’s everyone else I’m not sure about.”

Before Lila could respond, a howl pierced the night air, sharp and urgent. Both of them snapped to attention, their senses immediately on high alert. It was a warning—something was wrong.

“Rogues,” Alec growled, his eyes flashing with anger as he shifted seamlessly into his role as Beta. “They’re here.”

Lila’s blood ran cold. This was it—the attack they had been preparing for. But something felt off. The timing, the suddenness of it all. Was this really the rogue army, or was it a diversion?

“Go,” she ordered, her voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside her. “Alert the others. I’ll head to the perimeter.”

Alec hesitated, his protective instincts warring with his duty. But he nodded, knowing there was no time to argue. “Be careful,” he said, his voice gruff, before shifting into his wolf form and sprinting toward the pack house.

Lila watched him go for a split second before turning and running toward the edge of the territory. The forest blurred around her as she moved, her wolf senses guiding her through the dark. She could feel the presence of the rogues now, a creeping malevolence that sent a shiver down her spine.

As she neared the perimeter, she slowed, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. The forest was unnervingly quiet, the usual nocturnal sounds muted as if the very earth was holding its breath. Lila’s heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline surging through her veins as she crouched low, blending into the darkness.

A figure emerged from the trees ahead, moving swiftly and silently. Lila’s breath caught as she recognized the silhouette—it was one of the pack members, a warrior named Jaxon. Relief flooded her, but it was short-lived.

Jaxon wasn’t alone.

Lila’s sharp eyes caught the glint of a blade in his hand, and her blood ran cold as she realized he wasn’t heading toward the rogues—he was heading deeper into the pack’s territory. Toward the heart of the pack.

Toward Alec.

Her mind raced as she tried to piece it together. Jaxon was the traitor. He had been feeding information to the rogues, and now he was leading them straight to the pack’s weakest point. And Alec was walking right into the trap.

Without thinking, Lila sprang into action, her body moving on instinct as she sprinted after Jaxon. The forest flew by in a blur, but she barely noticed, her focus locked on the traitor ahead. She couldn’t let him reach Alec. She wouldn’t.

Jaxon moved swiftly, clearly unaware that he was being followed. Lila’s breath was ragged as she closed the distance, her muscles burning with the effort. But she couldn’t stop now. Not when Alec’s life was on the line.

As they neared the pack house, Lila knew she had to act. She launched herself forward, tackling Jaxon to the ground just as he reached the clearing. They hit the earth hard, and the force of the impact knocked the wind out of her, but she didn’t let go.

Jaxon snarled, trying to twist out of her grasp, but Lila was stronger. She pinned him down, her eyes blazing with fury as she bared her teeth. “Traitor,” she hissed, her voice dripping with venom.

Jaxon’s eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in hatred. “You don’t know what you’re doing, Lila,” he spat, his voice laced with desperation. “You can’t stop what’s coming.”

“I don’t need to stop it,” Lila growled, her voice low and dangerous. “I just need to stop you.”

With a swift motion, she slammed Jaxon’s head into the ground, knocking him unconscious. She panted heavily, her hands trembling as the adrenaline began to wear off. But she couldn’t afford to rest. She needed to warn Alec.

Pushing herself to her feet, Lila glanced back at Jaxon’s prone form, then took off running toward the pack house. The rogues were coming, and they were coming fast. But they wouldn’t take her pack without a fight.

And as long as she was still breathing, they wouldn’t take Alec either.