**If you haven't read the Omega Best Friend you can skip the backstory and read this book as a standalone novel.**
*Takes place two years after the events at McGregor Academy*
Backstory – Alpha Alex Henry
The small room at the Sanders pack was filled with Alphas from different packs. We’d all joined forced to deal with the growing threat in the werewolf community. Shifters were dying and there was a growing army driving towards our packs. All the packs in the South had been annexed and if we didn’t want our packs to fall this is a battle we have to fight.
“General Kahn will be expecting us from this angle, which is why we have to go this way,” Tristan, my friend, sometimes, and the Alpha of the Richardson pack said as he moved a piece from our map.
“This feels too easy,” I said.
“We’ll take it easy, man. Dixon pack’s already been taken. Anyone else could be next.”
Dale Pack,
Gareth’s pack
was the first pack on our side of the world to fall. General Kahn the werewolf we’re after hit us where it really hurt. He took down our Alpha King and took his army.
Gareth might have been an idiot and infuriating but he won Battle Season fair and square after beating Harlow on the final day. He took some of her power but I heard she was able to recover and was still an Alpha female. He might have been all those things but he was our Alpha King and he kept a lot of order in our community. Now he’s been captured and we have to get him back but killing Kahn is top on the agenda.
Alpha Titus swept up the map. He was the oldest Alpha among us. His kids abandoned him and now he had no choice but to defend his pack in his old age. He was the only source of wisdom we had right now. Most of our dads had retired and left us to run the packs on our own but this was bigger than just running a pack. We were in deep shit.
“It’s getting dark and the best time to attack is at nightfall,” Alpha Titus said.
“I just hope he has Gareth,” I said.
Kade wasn’t around but he lent us his army. I couldn’t help but imagine them together. It’s been over a year since I saw Gabbie. Since we left things unsaid. It still stung that the woman who stole my heart chose someone else. I guess I can’t blame her. She was destined to be with Kade it’s not her fault my love for her wasn’t strong enough to defy the moon goddess’ plans.
I chased thoughts of Gabriella Sanders away and took my position to lead this group. Our mission was to kill General Kahn and wipe out his troops. I was slightly annoyed because I thought about Gabbie and my rival Kade so smashing a few heads wouldn’t hurt right now.
“Ready?” Tristan asked, raising a brow.
“Always ready.”
The wolves we sent ahead of us left a bloody trail into the Sanders woods. It was a gruesome sight, but it was just the beginning if we let this madman continue.
“Alpha Alex!” Someone shouted.
I left the bodies behind and followed the voice. Tristan was right behind me while the other Alphas fanned out.
“What?”
Ryan, my right-hand beta and one of the Sanders’ betas stood in front of a vibrant green bush. My blood ran cold.
“We think we found Gareth,” Ryan said.
“Fuck,” Tristan muttered.
“Is he alive?” I asked.
“We’re not sure.”
Okay, that doesn’t mean he’s dead. I guess I had to check because Tristan wasn’t moving an inch. I took a step forward but a foreign scent entered the atmosphere and I paused. I turned around.
“Kahn,” I barked. “What the hell have you done?”
The older Alpha General stepped out of the woods. He was six foot two, with salt and pepper hair if you asked me he was too old to be thinking about ruling the shifter community but here we were fighting his ever-growing army.
His black suit was torn at the shoulders and knees. He was covered in blood. Kahn stepped forward as he rubbed a cloth over his bloody knuckles.
“Unfortunately, you’re too young to understand what’s going on Alpha Alex,” General Kahn said.
What the fuck’s that supposed to mean? I wondered.
“You’re surrounded,” I said.
He smirked and I didn’t like that. “I may be but the damage has already been done.”
My wolf jumped to my skin. I couldn’t control him. I shifted into a black wolf and bore my fangs at General Kahn. He didn’t move and I lunged. I knocked him to the ground, my betas arrived and helped me surround him. This was fishy, no one came to Kahn’s aid.
It felt too easy.
“Kill him, Alex, the world doesn’t need Kahn,” Alpha Knox, a guy I sometimes considered a friend said.
Everyone was watching me, expecting me to take his life. I should have done it but I hesitated. Kahn smirked and his claws dug into my side. I threw my head back and howled in pain. My vision blurred and the connection between myself and my wolf shook.
What had he done to me?
I stumbled back and nearly hit the ground. What did that mother fucker do to me?
I tried to shift back but I couldn’t.
“Attack!” Tristan yelled.
I couldn’t reach my wolf. There’s no way I’m going to be stuck as a wolf for the rest of my life!
Kahn got up easily, barked an evil laugh, and ran off at the speed of light. The betas gave chase but I doubted they would catch him.
“Ryvan, let me go,” I told my wolf.
He didn’t respond. It was as if only I existed in this body. That was messed up. I pushed through it felt like I was ripped through a second skin.
“Fuck,” I panted.
“Dude, what happened?” Tristan clapped my shoulder.
“I don’t know man. I’m not okay.”
***
This couldn’t be true, I thought as I lay in a damn hospital bed at the Sanders pack. They took me to the army base and stuck me in the medical room.
General Kahn messed with the connection I had with my wolf. There’s a spot every werewolf has that connects them to their human form. It’s mostly accessible when we’re wolves and almost impossible to mess with. Kahn knew what he was doing when he attacked. The wound was deep but I healed a long time ago but the damage was done. The healer said if I didn’t fix this then my wolf would go feral. He would stop listening to me and I’d be stuck as a wolf forever. I would practically die.
“How do I fix this?” I asked the healer.
“You’ll have to search for alternatives, Alpha Alex but the power of the mate bond is strong enough to heal you, but it won’t be easy with your injured wolf.”
She was an elderly woman with pale blue eyes, I didn’t want to swear in front of her. I just nodded and thanked her. I would seek every expert opinion I could find this couldn’t end like this.
I got up, determined not to let this slow me down. I had to see Gareth. He was alive but he wouldn’t wake up. I walked out of the medical room and found the Alphas in a meeting.
“Alex!” Gabbie exclaimed, cutting the meeting short.
She ran up to me and wrapped her arms around my middle. I winced.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
She pulled back and stared at me with those big green eyes of hers. My wolf whimpered.
Down boy, I pushed him away.
“We heard about Kahn and Gareth,” she said.
I locked eyes with Kade. He clenched his jaw and folded his arms.
“How do we wake Gareth? There has to be a witch of something that can help,” I grunted.
“No, Son. Gareth can never wake up,” Alpha Titus said.
“What?” I asked.
“General Kahn was just a pawn in this. I didn’t realize anyone would be stupid enough to awaken the curse of the Midnight King but this is their plan. If Gareth wakes then we’ll bring upon the world a power we’ve feared for years. Barren lands, slavery, and lots of bloodshed. Kahn didn’t work alone and whoever did this must never get their hands on Gareth.”
I raked a hand through my hair. This just keeps getting better and better, I thought.
“Damn, what now?” Knox spat.
“I’ll take him. There’s a spot in my pack that will be safe for him,” I said.
We fought this hard just for Gareth to be cursed to sleep for eternity. I ordered the betas to put Gareth in the SUV so we could leave. I couldn’t wait to get out of here but a petite woman stood in my way. I heard she and Kade finally had a mating ceremony. She was officially his wife.
“You’re going to be okay, right?” her voice cracked.
I smiled. “Tell Kade you won’t get rid of me that easily.”
She smiled sadly. “I’m pregnant Alex.”
I took a step back. What? “Whoa.”
She nodded and smiled sheepishly. She tucked a strand of her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. “You’re going to meet my baby right?”
“Of course. Gabbie I—”
“I’m sorry. I know I hurt you but I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
A tear rolled down her cheek. I pulled her into my arms and kept the glare her mate gave me.
“Gabbie, let’s go,” Kade called.
She pulled back and wiped a tear. “See you around right?”
I smirked. “Of course.”
I watched her walk away and lace her fingers through Kade’s hand. Would I love my fated mate as much as I loved the woman leaving with another man? I guess I needed to find her if I wanted to live.
