Free Bride to the Alpha (The Wolf's Pet Book Two) by Aubrey Rose Page B

powers of my shifter self back, I sensed Alekk’s agreement. He looked at me, and I could sense his desire. Not just to have me, but to protect me.
    A warmth blossomed in my chest. “Blaise, he’s my mate and I’m his. It’s meant to be.”
    “But—”
    “There’s no time to argue about this. Can you get Dad to agree to a negotiation? If he can come, we’ll prevent a war between the packs. Neither of us want to fight,” I said.
    Alekk looked warily at Blaise. He was already shaking his head. I saw a flash of fear pass over his face.
    “What?” I frowned. My brother was not easily scared. “Blaise, what is it?”
    “The rest of the pack is already here,” he said blankly. “They’re going to attack the back of the army. It was going to be a distraction so I could help you escape. Kinaya—”
    “My men—” Alekk started to say.
    Then, from outside, I heard shouting.
    Alekk’s eyes darkened.
    “No!” I cried.
    “Come with me,” he said. He grabbed my arm and we ran, the three of us.
     

Chapter Twelve
    All through the camp there were howls as men changed into wolves and fought. I saw a few of the guards from my pack leaping into the fray.
    “Stop!” I cried out.
    “There’s more in the back!” Blaise called. “Hurry!”
    As we ran, my heart pounded in my chest. A prayer rose from my lips, unbidden.
    “May the gods take those who fall.”
    Those were the words Granny Dee had taught me, for a fight that would shed blood.
    “May the gods take those who fall.”
    Alekk’s wolves had scattered drunkenly into the woods, and from all around we could hear the howls and barks of shifters fighting.
    “Stop!” he cried out. He grabbed a nearby captain by the scruff and shouted into his face. “Tell them to pull back! Retreat back into camp!”
    “Your sisters said—”
    “I don’t care what they said. Pull back!”
    “Blaise, can you get them to stop attacking?” I asked breathlessly.
    “I don’t know,” he said.
    We raced to the back of the tents. Down the hill a hundred yards or so, Alekk’s sisters were leading the attack. I saw their pure black coats surrounded by the gray and brown of other wolves. They were too strong, I knew. My heart sank. His sisters would kill all of our wolves if they were allowed to attack.
    And then I saw her.
    “Dee!” I cried out, but she was too far away to hear. Her white pelt shone brightly against the dark trees. I saw her coming toward the two sisters. She snapped at them, and they jumped back, circling and snarling.
    No. She couldn’t fight them. She couldn’t. She was strong, yes, but she was old. There was no way her reflexes could match theirs.
    “DEE!”
    I yelled at the top of my lungs, but to no avail. I couldn’t stop our wolves from attacking. Only the alpha could. And my dad was nowhere to be seen.
    Other wolves were fighting all around us. I saw Francis locked in a scuffle with one of the guards. There was blood everywhere on the snow. I screamed again and again, but nobody would listen. I turned to Alekk for help.
    “Shift with me,” Alekk said, gripping my brother’s arm. The air was chilly and loud with the sounds of battle. Blaise looked up at Alekk.
    For a moment, I thought he would argue, but then his face set into a quiet certainty.
    Both Alekk and Blaise jumped up to the top of a sled. They reared back and howled as loud as they could.
    I clapped my hands over my ears. Their howl was louder than any sound I’d ever heard before. The sound of it ripped through the air, sending chills right down into my bones. There was no ignoring it, this plaintive cry. There was no denying who it had come from either—the two alphas howled together.
    Alekk shifted back in an instant, standing naked on top of the sled. He looked down at the mob of wolves, most of whom had paused and stepped back at the howl.
    “Stop fighting!” he cried. “Stop!”
    Immediately the soldiers of Alekk’s camp stopped. They backed away, eyeing each