AVA

"Hey, Ava, are you sure you're fine?" she asked, her brows furrowing in apprehension.

I shook my head and replied, "Y-yeah. I'm fine, Kate." Getting on my feet, I stood straight from the bench. "I'm not feeling well, I think." My lips pressed into a thin, white line.

She gave me a slight bob and smiled. "Oh-okay. Let's head back to the pack house. Jay might be looking for you." She grabbed my empty juice drink and discarded our drinks in the trash.

On our way back to the pack house, my mind was consumed with thoughts of Josh's unexpected presence. Despite my inner turmoil, a part of me hoped that his appearance had nothing to do with me. However, the weight of my instincts suggested otherwise.

As we walked back to the pack house, my mind was racing with thoughts of Josh's sudden appearance. Why was he here? Was it just a coincidence, or did he come for me? Although I wanted to believe that his visit was for something other than me, my gut told me otherwise.

As soon as I stepped inside the pack house, my heart started pounding with fear. A group of familiar boys was gathered in the foyer. Their attention was solely focused on Stella, with whom they were shamelessly flirting. I wanted to escape the situation, but I knew I couldn't.

The moment the door closed behind me, the boys' eyes shifted to me, and their expressions turned hostile. I could feel their anger and resentment toward me, making me take a few steps back in fear.

Suddenly, Caleb appeared out of nowhere and hugged me tightly. "We've been searching the town for you, Ava. Since you disappeared, dad has been worrying nonstop."

'What the hell?! Why is he here? Besides, Caleb doesn't act like this to me!' I was in disbelief, wondering if this was some kind of twisted prank.

As I retreated from Caleb, I heard him say through the mind link, "You're fucking dead after this, Ava. Dad will kill you."

His phony smile filled me with dread. My wolf was clawing at my mind, urging me to fight, but I tried to calm her down.

Before I could gather my thoughts, an authoritative voice interrupted the tense atmosphere. It was Jay, and I couldn't help but admire the confidence and power that oozed from his voice.

"What the hell is going on here?" Jay's piercing eyes narrowed at us.

"It's none of your business. I'm here for my sister, and I'll take her home," Caleb sneered, grimacing at Jay.

I could see the shock on some of the onlookers' faces. It was strange how Caleb spoke to the pack members as if he owned the place, despite not being a part of this pack. It then hit me that I had not seen the Alpha since I arrived. I didn't even know what he looked like.

Now that I think about it, it was definitely weird.

The Alpha should have shown up by now, but I haven't spotted him anywhere. Heck, I had no idea what he looked like. In a short amount of time, Jay had closed the gap and had Caleb by the scruff of the neck.

Jay's grip on Caleb's neck tightened as he spat out his words. "Have you got any idea who you're talking to, mutt?"

Caleb attempted to pull his hands off, but his grip only tightened. I saw the redness spread across Caleb's face and knew I had to intervene before he killed him. Even if he was a complete jerk and had hurt me more times than I can recall, I couldn't watch while he was murdered.

I quickly stepped in, not wanting anyone to get hurt. Although Caleb had hurt me before, I couldn't just stand by and watch him be killed. I pushed them apart, and to my surprise, a golden glow emanated from my hands, sending them both flying in opposite directions. I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down before doing something I would regret later.

As I opened my eyes, I saw everyone looking at me. I immediately hurried over to Jay's side and kneeled down to see if he was okay because of our mate bond. His hand rubbed the back of his head, and when he brought it back around, it was covered in blood.

"Oh, Goddess! Are you okay?" I asked, scanning his body for any other injuries.

He sat against the wall, rubbing the back of his head, and when he brought his hand back around, there was blood.

"My goodness, I'm so sorry, Jay! Let me fix this. I'll hear-" I started, but Caleb cut me off.

"What, you were more concerned about that total stranger than making sure I was all right? I'm your brother, Ava! For fuck's sake, he nearly killed me!" Caleb yelled at me from behind.

Jay stood up with a growl, poised to attack. Caleb and his friends flanked him, ready to defend themselves. The tension was palpable, and I could feel my heart racing as I watched them.

"No, Jay! Stop!" I shouted, stepping between them.

"Shut up!" Jay snarled, his eyes shifting from blue to gold as he struggled with his wolf. "Nobody tells me what I should do!"

"Hey, weirdo, you better listen to Ava! " Caleb warned him. "It's only going to make things worse for you."

'Why couldn't he just shut up?' I sighed inwardly. Caleb always had to put in his two cents, even in the middle of a potentially deadly fight.

Suddenly, a loud growl shook the entire pack house. My eyes widened in fear and shock as I watched Jay transform into a massive brown wolf. He snarled at Caleb, ready to pounce, and I knew I had to act fast.

"Please," I begged, stepping before him with my arms outstretched. I hoped his wolf would listen to reason and not harm anyone.

Jay growled again, but I stood on my ground. He gave Caleb a final menacing look before leaving the room in his wolf form.

A few seconds later, he returned, now wearing dangerously low shorts. I couldn't help but notice his toned abs and defined v-line, but I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"What are you doing here, Caleb?" I asked, turning to face him.

"Dad sent me to find you," he replied simply. "I'm bringing you home, Ava."

My lips pursed. I swallowed the lump as I asked again, "How did you know I was here?"

"Of course, I asked the people around her. I'm not dumb like you, you know?" he said, rolling his eyes.

"Why does he want me to return? He hates me," I stated, my voice laced with confusion.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ava. Dad is worried about your safety," Caleb said, giving me a knowing look.

I knew what that expression meant. Caleb was attempting to intimidate me, but it was futile. I had decided that I wouldn't return to that hellhole. Josh would go ahead with his grim plans for me, and Alpha Benjamin wouldn't give a damn.

"I'm not going back there, Caleb," I said firmly.

"That's not really up to you," Caleb said, grabbing my hand firmly and pulling me closer to him. My body tensed up, and I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened. I looked up at him, and for a moment, I could see a hint of frustration in his eyes.

"Let...her fucking go!" Jay growled fiercely behind me, his voice deep and menacing. I could feel his breath on my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

"Stay out of this, wimp," Caleb responded, his eyes darting nervously between Jay and me. "This is between my sister and me!"

"Who the fuck do you think you are? Entering my pack and instructing me on what to do?" Jay said, his voice rising with each step he took toward Caleb. He was towering over him now, and I could see the muscles in his arms bulging as he clenched his fists.

Caleb shook his head and backed away from me as soon as he saw Jay, his eyes wide with terror.

'What the hell?' I shouted in my head. My mind was still trying to wrap around the revelation I'd discovered.

'Wait. Does this mean Jay is the Alpha of the North Pack?' My mouth gaped open as soon as I realized that. Holy shit! That's why, when I asked Kate about their Alpha, she was adamant about talking about him. More so, Stella was agitated when she knew Jay was my mate.

My mate's the famous Alpha of the North Pack.

"So you're Benjamin's son?" Jay asked, his voice still tinged with anger.

"Yes. He sent me here to get my sister," Caleb answered cautiously.

"Ava's your sister?" Jay asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "You don't look like siblings." He crossed his arms and scrutinized the both of us.

""Whatever we have going on between us is none of your concern...Alpha," Caleb replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Are you sure you're only here for Ava?" Jay asked again, his eyes piercing through Caleb's.

"Yes, I am. I wouldn't be here if my dad didn't instruct me to return her to our pack," Caleb replied, this time with more confidence.

"Well, if that's the case, she isn't going anywhere. Don't make me change my mind and kill you, so get off my property immediately. Also, tell Benjamin that I plan to see him soon. We'll talk about...certain things," he responded, his menacing voice resonating through the air.

"I'll inform, Father." Caleb gritted his teeth, and his fists were clenched tightly.

"Get out now. I don't want to see you here, creating another commotion." Jay dismissed them and turned to walk away.

Caleb glared at me before he and his friends stormed out of the pack house, embarrassed by what had just happened. I knew this wasn't over.

'They're going to want revenge.'

A sense of dread settled in my stomach as I watched them leave. I knew Caleb and Alpha Benjamin wouldn't let me go this easily. Despite North Pack's undisputed power, Alpha Benjamin would do anything with his willpower to get what he wanted. He wouldn't hesitate to do that if he had to pull some resources.

I knew they wouldn't stop until they got what they wanted from me.

***

JAYDEN

'Fucking Hell!'

I let out a frustrated sigh as I leaned back in my chair, my mind still consumed with thoughts of my mate. It was as if the moon goddess had a twisted sense of humour, bringing us together at the most inconvenient time possible.

Her presence alone made me feel weak in the knees, but I knew I couldn't let my guard down. My pack depended on me to make the right decisions and keep them safe, and I couldn't afford to let my emotions cloud my judgment.

But despite what I initially thought of her, she turned out to be more than I could have imagined. Her strength and determination had left my pack speechless, and I found myself drawn to her in ways I couldn't explain.

As the pack discussion in the meeting room continued, my mind drifted back to her. I did not wish to approach her too closely, but my wolf had other plans. My wolf growled at the thought of me with other girls, but I couldn't deny my physical needs.

Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to our connection than physical attraction. I wanted to protect my mate from the dangers of our world, but at the same time, I was drawn to her. Her beauty and innocence were a deadly combination that was difficult to resist.

Hell, I never even thought in a million years that my soul mate would turn out to be 'the angel.'

She was destined to bring peace to our world, but with that came the potential for destruction. It was a risk I couldn't afford to take lightly and only added to the weight of the responsibility I now carried as her mate.

I mean, she was attractive, but she always concealed her curves with these baggy clothes. I wanted to see her bare chest and thighs through her baggy tops and bottoms, but I also wanted to keep a safe distance from her.

She was very young. Some people might think that she is too young for me. She was only 18, and I was 25. I was seven years older than she was. For some reason, the moon goddess saw fit to match me up with a much younger woman.

"We need to figure out what to do about those rogues, Alpha?" my beta asked, breaking my train of thought and returning to the discussion in the meeting room.

We were talking about the recent rise in attacks on our pack by the rogues, which we thought were just the start of a bigger, more dangerous plan.

"Like always, we'll handle it the same way," I responded confidently.

Sitting at the table with me were the elders of our pack, along with my beta, Mason, and my third in command, Dylan. Our monthly meetings were always important, but today's felt particularly urgent.

For weeks, we had been dealing with a series of rogue attacks that seemed coordinated and strategic. Our enemies might have discovered that the angel was among us and used these attacks to distract us from their true plans.

In order to keep the threats at bay, I only let a select few members of my pack know that Ava was my mate. After all, she was my mate, and her passing would also mean the end for me.

Her death might drive me crazy, and I didn't want to take that chance. If my enemies ever found out that I had found my soul mate, she would be the perfect weapon against me.

"We can't win the war without her, and you know it, Alpha," one of the elders said. "We need her on our side."

"We have been engaged in these conflicts for a long time before I discovered her, and we will do so even if she is not at my side," I retorted sharply.

'Did they think they needed to say I was an incompetent Alpha?' I scoffed inwardly.

The elders exchanged uneasy glances, but one of them spoke up again. "Her role in bringing an end to hostilities has been prophesied. While we do not doubt your ability to lead, Alpha, we must take all necessary measures to avoid needless casualties."

Although I knew that my pack's elders were right about the need for Ava to be trained and ready for the frontlines of the war, my wolf was hesitant about the idea. He was unwilling to accept the thought of our mate in danger, but we both knew it was the only way to ensure our pack's survival.

I told the elders, "Since she has not yet mastered her abilities, we will see to it that she receives the necessary training before being deployed to the front lines."

"Considering Elder Victoria's extensive knowledge of angelic lore, we have no doubt that she is the ideal teacher for the girl," said another elder.

"Soon, she will begin training, but for the time being, she will spend time getting to know the pack and its members. The meeting is adjourned," I announced and stood up.

As I left the room, Mason quickly followed behind, and we began the short journey back to the rest of the pack. The Crystal Blue pack was supposed to see me today, but their Alpha hasn't arrived for our meeting.

"Mate is in trouble," my wolf's voice repeated in my mind.

I sprinted back to my pack, my heart pounding and my legs burning from exertion. When I smelled the scent of strange people, I knew that the Crystal Blue Pack had again crossed into our territory.

As I arrived at my house, my eyes quickly found Ava, but they also found someone else standing too close to her. My wolf growled fiercely, threatening to break free inside me and attack the intruder. I struggled to contain my primal instincts and spoke up to assert my dominance.

But the stranger refused to back down, pushing me to the brink of unleashing my fury. "What the fuck are you doing here? Get out of my borders!"

How dare he come into my pack and disrespect me like that? It took every ounce of self-control to keep me from tearing him apart.

"No! Please don't do anything!" she protested.

Obviously, Ava had to intervene to prevent me from suffocating the moron to death. If anyone else had done the same thing, I would have killed them. She was my mate, though, so my wolf would never allow me to harm her in any way. Not even a strand of her hair.

Ava started interrogating him as soon as I could collect myself. "Why are you here? I told you that I'm not going back!"

"Dad is furious, Ava! You have to go back with us!" the mutt hissed.

When I realized it was him again, I wished to kill him more than anything else. It was him, Ava's so-called brother, Caleb. I knew why he was here. He really never cared about Ava like he acted last time. For starters, I already know how his pack treated her.

The moment I stumbled upon her, I began investigating her thoroughly. They were going to get what they deserved for touching her inappropriately. Though I have been called a cold, heartless monster, my pack would never tolerate anything like that from any member.

"I told you that I'm not coming back there!" Ava countered, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Ava, don't make me force you! You're fucking disobeying our father's orders!" her fake brother threatened her.

What she has endured is terrible, and no one else deserves to suffer something similar. I was amazed by her resilience in the face of such extreme cruelty. She did that, and I respected her for it. The fact that the knucklehead was trying to bring my friend down with him was the final straw as if I were going to sit here and let him return her to those horrible people.

Caleb yanked on her arm and scowled. "Come with me! We're going home!"

"Stay away from me! I said I'm not coming back, Caleb!" Ava shoved his hand away from her arm and snapped back, "Why aren't you listening? I'm not returning to the packhouse!"

"I don't care what you want! You'll go back with us!" he shouted.

With a deep growl, I confronted her brother, who had dared to enter my pack and question my authority. "Who do you fucking think you are, barging into my pack and giving me orders?"

He visibly gulped when he realized he was standing before the alpha, but it was too late for him to back down. I didn't like people knowing who I was, just like my father had taught me when I was young. I continued to hide behind a cloak even after I had taken over as alpha, ensuring that no one outside of my pack knew what I looked like. It was a useful tactic, especially in situations like this.

Had he known I was the alpha from the beginning, he would have begged for my mercy instead of trying to take his "sister" away from me. But I was not going to let that happen.

Ignoring my warnings, he argued back, "Mind your fucking business! Ava belongs to the Crystal Blue Pack! She's not under your command, Alpha!"

"I don't fucking care! She will stay here, and you can't make her leave the pack. Don't make me change my mind and rip you to shreds, so get off my territory. As for me, I'll be seeing your dad very soon, so be sure to pass that along," I declared, dismissing him with a wave.

Caleb clenches his teeth. He disregarded me again and glared back at Ava. "We're not done yet, Ava. I'll make sure you'll come with us!"

"Are you deaf, mutt? I said, get out of my territory!" I yelled at him, facing the wimpy werewolf head-on.

Ava's brother gave me a stern look before he stormed out of my property, leaving with his team of boy wolves. As I stared at him, my wolf couldn't contain his anger. He wanted to shred him apart and mutilate him.

I had plans for his father. And that involved making him pay for his past actions.

I knew he and his pack would be back, as boys like them always tried to prove their bravery by standing up to the alpha. But I was not afraid. In fact, my teeth were itching for a fight.

Plus, I hadn't killed anyone in a few days and eagerly anticipated their return. They may have thought they were brave, but he and his friends didn't know what they were getting into.

After all, I would make sure that his stupid father would pay the ultimate price for his crimes.