Page 4 of Silence Falls a New Alpha
Chapter 3
The Night Hunt
Damian's POV
The hunters turned to me, we were a decent distance from the mansion to the south. The storm was a fierce one, lightning was filling the sky like a light show from the gods and thunder shook the ground. The rain was brutal, and the wind was trying to carry us away. Alexander and I pushed on with the hunters close behind. Some were new to the pack and weren't familiar with the territory, so they stuck close due to fear of getting lost. This storm was causing sensory issues with our sense of smell and even hearing problems, finding prey or even nearby rogues would be a challenge. However, I didn’t care and pushed on. Was Alexander the only one who knew how I felt about life or did the others as well? My ‘no fucks given if I died’ attitude? Hell, one could claim I was suicidal.
Sir, we need to slow down. They can barely keep up and this storm is getting worse. Alexander suggested to me telepathically, so the others didn't hear.
He was right, they were falling behind, and he didn’t want to embarrass anyone. He was an amazing beta, he had a point as we were decently far south, and this storm had no desire to let up.
We will slow down. I replied to him calmly. If we didn’t people would become separated and possibly hurt. While I may not have cared about my well-being, I didn’t want harm to come to my pack. I should have come out here alone.
"Everyone, we are slowing our pace due to this storm" I ordered the hunting party.
The wolves happily listened as I shouted at them over the storm. We all slowed to a walk to take a break from the heavy running. I glanced up to see nothing but pure darkness and more rain as well. It looked like an abyss of emptiness; the stars were perfectly hidden along with the moon by menacing black clouds. The gray hues on the clouds early were long since gone. A crash tore through the air as a tree was stuck nearby with lightning sending multiple trees crashing to the ground around us. The eerie silence was broken, and the sky lit up like fireworks.
"Watch out!" Nick screamed, as a tree nearly hit us due to a lightning strike.
Nick was a small red wolf with stone gray eyes. Smaller than your average size female wolf, however, he is fast and that's what makes him ideal for hunting. We all jumped out of the way of a tree that was coming down almost right on top of us.
"Alpha!" screamed Alexander and I was confused until I felt a sharp hot pain in my size.
I turned and saw a rogue standing over me, he was in human form but the darkness from the storm made it hard to make out exactly how he looked. I glanced down to a silver dagger with a wolf’s head on the handle.
The storm had successfully masked his scent along with any others. He yanked the dagger, removing it from my body. I knew that dagger, but it was impossible-surely it was impossible. This pain was a suffocating, burning sensation coursing through my veins. My wolves were pacing and in a defensive circle, while a couple ran after the rogue, it was unclear if other rogues were going to attack. Sure, it was the season for rogue attacks but during this bad of a storm, it was nearly unheard of as it's also dangerous for them.
The pain was getting worse and radiating from my side towards my heart. I forcibly shifted to my human form and then collapsed onto the rain-soaked muddy ground. It was as if my heart was burning a hole through my chest, and I was unable to maintain my wolf form. What is happening to me? The last thing I remember was Alexander screaming and a glimpse of more rogues. Was this how it came to an end? Will I finally get to be with Rose again? No. I wasn’t a good father to Katie. I needed to show my daughter I cared. Is it sad that being on the brink of death is what brought me out of the darkness that consumed my soul?
Alexander's POV
"Damian!" I screamed as he was stabbed in the side by a rogue.
How did the rogue get around us-the storm? I’ve never seen him fall from one stab something’s not right. I rushed to his side, and he was burning up to the touch. What the hell is going on? Fuck! Damian, why did I let you lead us on a hunt? On the anniversary of Rose’s death. I shook him and he didn’t respond. Fuck. I was trying to not let the panic overtake me. No. Not today. Please anything but today it's the anniversary of Rose's death. I froze as my best friend lay there bleeding out. That's when I saw them, more rogues coming out of the tree line towards us.
I growled and charged at some of the approaching rogues. There were three in front of me, and I made it a goal to kill them quickly. Claws and canines clashed as I ripped them into pieces. I saw the hunters fight off a couple more. Once bodies began hitting the ground the remaining rogues ran off scared as they underestimated our strength, as if they expected Damian to be alone. I looked and saw my alpha on the ground barely breathing.
"Nick! Blake!" I shouted in a panic, "Place the alpha on my back and stay close!" I order at them, and they rush to place him on my back.
I took off running as fast as I could carry him. My gray fur is stained by my own alpha's blood. I'm a failure as a beta, I let my alpha get severely injured. Katie-oh Katie is going to kill me if he dies. She’ll be all alone without her father. I shake the thoughts out of my head and focus on getting back to the mansion in a rush to get help. Everything goes black as the smell of my alpha's blood fills the air and I push on zoning out ignoring my surroundings. Panic. Fight or Flight. Tunnel vision fixated on getting Damian and me back to the mansion without a care in the world if I was injured on the way back. It felt like it was taking three times as long to run back. My legs were coated in a mix of mud, Georgia clay, and my back warm and sticky with his blood. My body shaking from exhaustion as I pushed on, I won’t lose him, not like this.
I see it, the massive mansion, we've made it back and I can feel Damian breathing regardless of how shallow it is. "Rose" he calls out weakly in his unconscious state.
No... please hang on! I plead to him telepathically.
I feel him stirring around as if he was trying to come as we approach the doors. I quickly shift back into human form and help my barely conscious alpha back into the mansion. The hunters are screaming for help as some random pack members see us and scream in terror. The looks on their faces seemed as if they knew he would die.
I rush Damian into his office, the fireplace still burning barely. We haven't been gone but a few hours on a hunt that should have never taken place. The fire was fading as I rushed to add more woo. The mansion was in a panic with the alpha in this condition. I needed to focus on warming his office as my once burning up alpha is now growing colder. Damnit. Our doctor should be here soon, hang on I think to myself as Damian lays there bleeding yet not healing next to the fire.
My hands are stained in his blood, fucking hell my whole damn body is, as I sit here putting pressure on the dagger wound. He was moaning in pain. That’s supposed to be good, isn’t it? The office doors are still open when I hear a scream that’s when I see her, Katie. Her face is ghost white.
"Katie-" I barely got to say her name as Damian fainted yet again. Katie fell to her knees as Derrick rushed by her with Nick on his heels.
"What happened!?" Derrick was in complete shock that our alpha was in this condition. The disbelief that the legendary Damian Knight lay here bleeding out shook all of us to our core.
"Rogues came out of nowhere during the storm and attacked. The alpha isn't healing something's wrong." I started to explain as Derrick was examining the wound on Damian's side.
Katie was there frozen on her knees with tears streaming down her ghost-white face. God damnit, why did this have to happen tonight or even at all. Derrick's face grew grim as he looked at me, a mix of seeming like he would vomit to start to mourn overtook him.
