Alpha Loren novel Chapter 48

November 4th

We ran for an hour through the forest, my legs already aching from running all night. Mateo was adamant that we had to get to the base as soon as possible but my body couldn't take much more.

"So your mate just told you to run?" Connor asked as we took a break, solely for my benefit.

"He had little choice. We were under attack," I replied. "And you can say his name, Connor. It won't poison you."

"He's poisoning you though," Connor muttered. "And he shouldn't have sent you off alone in the middle of a war."

"Well it wasn't the initial plan," I snapped. "But when you have enemies coming at you left right and centre, you hardly have time to sit down and carefully formulate a plan B."

"I just don't think he's good for you, Ells," Connor replied.

At that point Mateo stood up, "I'll just give you two a minute-"

"We don't need a minute because we aren't getting into this now...again," I said.

"I'll just go anyway-"

"Sit," I ordered Mateo and he silently sat back down next to me.

For the rest of the five-minute break, little was communicated. Connor kept giving me shifty glares and Mateo sat awkwardly amongst the tension between us. 

"Why don't you just go back home, Connor?" I asked. 

"Because I care too much about you-" he began before a high pitched wail, shattered the quiet of the forest.

"What the fuck was that?" Mateo said.

"Someone's hurt," I said, "A woman. We have to go."

"No, no, no," Mateo said, "I have to go. You need to get to the base."

"It's someone nearby," I continued glancing around.

"Connor, take her to the base," Mateo said.

"I don't take orders from you," Connor said.

The scream sounded again.

"We need to find her," I said already running in the direction of it.

"Ella stop!" Mateo said as they both followed me. 

"Somebody is in danger,," I said, battling through the branches and between the roots.

"Then stop running towards the danger," Connor said.

"Ella," Mateo said taking my wrist.

"No!" I shouted fiercely shaking him off much to his surprise. "We have to help her."

"Ella-" Connor began reaching for my arm.

"Don't," I spat. "Don't you dare try and stop me. Mateo you shouldn't go on your own. Connor can fight too and so can I with this," I said lifting the praesidium Deae Astra. "We all need to go and now. Splitting up when there's fighting nearby would be a foolish decision."

I glared at them both and they exchanged a glance with each other before I continued running without their protest.

As we got closer, I could hear her whimper and wail again and again and after twenty mintues, we reached the source of the noises- the centre of Lissauer, the poorest faction in the pack. 

"Right on cue Luna," I head the evil voice of Haden say. It wasn't until then that I noticed my situation. On one side of Lissauer village square was Leo and a large amount of Stella men, on the other was Haden and his men. Mateo, Connor and I were stood directly in the middle having just exited the woods.

I looked over to Leo, he was wearing a sense of relief from seeing me yet not even close to relaxed.

A few moments later I felt Mateo shove me in the direction of Leo and the other Stella warriors. 

"We predicted that would bring you here and you fell into my trap quite nicely," Haden said deeply before making a hand signal to one of his men. Out from behind a group of them the man pulled a woman roughly out so that she was visible to us all. Her head was hanging loosely down so that her red, dishevelled hair covered her face. She lifted her head slowly and weakly to reveal a red and bruised cheek and swollen lip.

I had no idea who she was but I felt for her immensely.

"Let her go!" I growled lunging forward before Leo blocked me with his arm and pulled me against his chest.

Haden's lips curled into a malicious smile as he watched me struggle against Leo's force.