Chapter 82

Jaxson

I strive to be a better father, a better mate, than king Kennedy ever was to me. He supported me, loved and cherished me, and I never saw it until I grew older that the animosity Xander built toward him wasn’t unwarranted. He certainly had his favorite, and it was always going to be. I was the one built to be Alpha, trained to be a strong warrior and fierce leader, while Xander was trained as my beta, a useless second to the king’s perfect first son.

Knowing I have three pups on the way is terrifying to me. I never let Aurora see that, of course. She is concerned as it is that she won’t be able to carry these pups safely, to term, and I know she has enough on her plate to not worry about the doubts I have in myself right now.

I’ve found hunting to be a therapeutic hobby and it has brough meat and pelts to our little pack. Once these pups are birthed, any day now, I will have to be by my mate’s side until she heals fully. That means caring for my pups, all three of them, caring for my mate and tending her back to full health, while being an Alpha to our little shore pack. If I wasn’t stressed before, I certainly am now, trying to clear my mind of my millions of upcoming tasks and roles but spotting my prey in the distance wipes everything from mind.

I launch through the thick brush, pouncing over the large buck, tackling it under my penetrating paws while simultaneously going for the throat, killing it instantly, before it even realizes what has happened to it. It only seems dignified to kill it so quickly. I look to my warrior, a young pup names Riley, who has been helping me hunt and prepare the meat to be stored for when my pups arrive. He is an eager soul, willing to help when called on.

He shifts, his eyes wide at the size of the buck I have managed to take down. I shift as well, trying to wipe the reminisce of blood from my bare chest. He sizes up the breathless, lifeless, kill and scratches at his curly brown hair.

“How do you expect me to get that thing back to the village, Alpha?”

I laugh, shaking my head as the two of us stand over the carcass. “I’m going to help you, of course. I wouldn’t make you handle this sizable kill alone.”

He smiles, flattered than an Alpha would be willing to do such dirty work. Typically, we wouldn’t even be responsible for killing the food I plan to prepare, but I refuse to be stagnant in this pack while everyone, including my mate, counts on me to provide and protect.

Something new hits the air around me, brushed against the wind that trails through the woods. I perk up at the smell, my mind racing to the thought of rogues in the area, or the return of those royal brats here to strike another deal. Instead this smell is bitter, and slightly annoying.

“What is it Alpha? Who is here?” Riley murmurs, conflicted between wanting to help attack or help go find backup. “Who is that?”

I look into the distance, fog and trees lining my sight. “That is a pain my ass, Riley.”

That familiar voice pierces my core at once. “I heard that!”

“I hoped you would,” I growl, meeting the newcomer halfway between the large space once set before us. He looks scrawnier now, weak, and I can’t help but notice he is exhausted. Which only leads me to more questions than answers. “Why are you here, Luke?”

He gives me a sheepish grin, faking confidence he doesn’t have. “I heard some rumors.”

“About what, precisely?”

“About a commoner, a new Luna, and her once royal mate expecting a pup.” Luke cranes his neck to spot Riley, as though he expected my pregnant Luna to be out hunting with me. “I just wanted to see if it was true, that’s all.”

I cock my brow at the way he has bombarded himself back into my life. It’s unfortunate, but I have left my jealousy and resentment about him in the past. “It’s true,” I breathe. “Aurora is expecting pups, any day, any minute, now.”

His eyes dart aside. “Pups?”

“Three,” I say, specifically.

He shakes his head. “She won’t be able to birth three pups—”

“I have no problem slaughtering you out here,” I growl, “and I’ll make it look like an accident.”

He sneers at me, unafraid. “It’s not safe for her to—”

“Why are you really here?” I gasp, throwing my hands in the air, still covered in the blood of my most recent kill. “You here to give me tips? You’re the rejected mate, not me. If I took any advice from you, I wouldn’t be an Alpha of a pack right now, expecting to have three pups to take my place one day.”

He rolls his eyes and I think this kid has to be suicidal, at the least. He is begging for it at this point. “I want to see her. I need to see her, Jaxson.”

“Alpha,” I correct.

“Alpha,” he says, sighing heavily. “I need to see her.”

“Never going to happen,” I growl.

It’s time, the healer in my pack barks in my head.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I yell into the woods. “I don’t have time to chase you off my pack lands right now, mutt, but you better wise up and run back to wherever it is that you came from. I have to be with my mate now. She needs me.”

I shift, uncaring if Riley is following or dealing with the buck. I don’t even care what Luke does right now, just begging that I make it in time to be there beside my love. I can hear her screams of angst from the woods, carrying through the pack, into the endless miles of beach as I sprint quicker and quicker toward the hut where she waits for me.

Barging into the front room, I practically slip as I slide into the bedroom on the sandy, wooden floors. Aurora is on her side, panting each and every breath like it will be her last. She is drenched in sweat, the older healer tapping her face with a cold, damp rag. I take the cloth and relieve the healer of the task, pulling a hand under my mate’s cheek so I can dab her free of the sweat and try to heal her stunning pain.

She looks so much bigger now, as if swollen, and her eyes hardly open to meet my gaze. She grips my leg, piercing my skin, but I don’t bother swatting her hand away. She could draw my blood for all I care. This isn’t about my pain, it’s about hers, and I can tell it is overwhelming already.

“How much time do we have?” I breath, her short, white hair stuck to her precious, pink neck.

“Not long now,” the healer hums, brushing some kind of herb over the stomach of my mate. Her eyes crease and she mumbles a prayer or something similar to it, the moon goddess’s name being mentioned several times. It frightens me for some reason. “It’s a precaution,” the healer says, peaking an eye in my direction. “She will do fine, Alpha. I have no doubt about that.”

I brush Aurora’s neck with the cloth, kissing her cheek once as she moans in response. “You hear that, sweetheart? You are going to be fine.”

Aurora nods, struggling not to holler out.

“Just relax and we can get this over as fast as possible,” the healer hums, sure of her claim. “There are four lives we have to protect here, Alpha. You will have to stay focused on the mother first, she is the main priority. Without her, we could have a very bad outcome today.”

I stammer, so furiously afraid of that warning. “How can I do that?”

“Flood her mind. Distract her. I’ll do the rest.”

I nod, aiming to do just that. I will protect my mate at any cost necessary.