Rohan
The cry of fear sent panic down Rohan’s spine. That was his omega’s call. He turned on his heals, bounding back to the hut. Why had he left him? He cursed his stupidity.
If his omega was harmed, there wouldn’t be a Bloody Fang alpha left alive come sunrise. He ran faster, harder, the scent of alphas practically suffocating him as he dashed to get to his omega.
He could smell Briar’s scent as he approached the hut. Damnit, he should have mated him again before he left, but he was afraid being so close to his heat that he might’ve gotten pregnant.
But he'd be better off pregnant than dead.
He stormed into the hut, immediately taking in the scene. Peregwin huddled under the table cradling his round belly protectively. And in the middle of the room, Briar was in his wolf form, snarling back at a massive alpha wolf, preparing to pounce at the much larger creature’s throat.
Despite his terror, a surge of pride swelled in Rohan. His little omega was a fighter.
Briar’s eyes went wide as he saw Rohan, but the other alpha was too focused on Briar to notice him. Just as the alpha was lunging, Rohan leapt on him, tackling him to the ground and biting into his throat.
It wasn’t long before the alpha stopped moving.
‘Come on,’ he barked at Briar.
Briar looked at Peregwin huddled under the table, but the other omega hissed, “I’ll be fine. I’ll tell the pack that you both stormed in here and killed the alpha. Now Run!”
The two took off dashing as howls rose up around them. Damnit. The other wolves must have heard Briar’s cry. At least if the alphas were being drawn to the center of the territory, that could create an opportunity to pass through their defences.
Rohan had been scouting all day, but every route out of Bloody Fang territory was heavily guarded. They wanted his omega. And they wanted him dead. He quickened his pace, nipping at Briar to move faster.
The woods around them shook with the sound of dozens of paws pounding against the ground. Just ahead lay the other river that marked the end of Bloody Fang territory. Would the alphas continue to pursue them once they got across?
A shadow bolted from the trees, aiming not for Rohan, but for Briar. Rohan slammed into the attacking wolf, knocking him to the ground before his teeth could touch the omega.
He looked to Briar, and barked, ‘You run ahead of me.’
‘What?’
He growled. This wasn’t time for his omega’s defiance. ‘I said run ahead of me. Get across the river. I’ll slow them down.’
Briar let out a small whine, but obeyed, bolting ahead of Rohan and plunging into the river. Another wolf came running out from the tree cover, but Rohan wasn’t going to let them get across the river.
He’d die to protect his omega.
He bared his teeth, clashing hard against the other alpha. This was just like the arena. He remembered back to the moment he’d first set eyes on Briar, how he’d just wanted to wrap the shivering omega in his arms until he knew everything would be okay. Then he remembered all the shifters there who’d been ready to exploit him, enslave him, torture him.
Another alpha came at him, but he fought both his attackers off with teeth and claws, sending them sprawling to the dirt. When a third, and then a fourth and fifth came at him, he was running on pure fury and adrenaline.
Time blurred into one savage moment. He couldn’t even feel the pain from the claws and teeth attacking him. All he could think of was keeping Briar safe, giving him a chance to get away.
He fought until he could feel his body giving out, muscles throbbing. A ragged breath escaped him as he plunged his teeth into the flank of another alpha. How many had he fought off now? The sun was beginning to rise, glowing faintly at the horizon. He just wanted to get back to the soft embrace of his omega, but he had to keep pushing himself no matter how much his limbs screamed with pain and exhaustion.
As another attacker leapt at him, he took a step back. Then another. He was losing ground. Damn the moon. He grit his teeth and fought back harder, but when a set of claws raked down his side, leaving deep, gouging wounds, he knew this fight was over. He could retreat, or die.
He only hoped Briar had gotten far enough away.
He snapped and snarled as he backed closer to the river. Fangs came at him from every direction, but he dodged them, slinking backward. His bleeding wound throbbed as he threw himself into the river.
Water filled his nose and mouth. The gashes in his side burnt with pain and he barely had the strength to keep his head above water. He had to swim. He had to make it back to his omega. He had to… he had to…
***
Rohan’s head ached as he opened his eyes.
He wasn’t dead.
Yet.
Every muscle in his body burnt with agony as he sat up, but his heart pounded with urgency. He had to find Briar. He struggled to his feet, only to collapse back down as pain radiated from his side. He put his hand to the wound, only to realize it’d been plastered with leaves.
He looked around, realizing he had no idea where he was.He was laying in a bed of moss and grass. The air didn’t carry the scent of the river. How had he gotten so far from the water, and who had bandaged his side?
But more importantly, where was Briar?
He stood again, wincing, but refusing to give in to the pain. He took a step forward, holding in a groan and clutching his bandaged side. He was in much worse shape than he’d realized. It must’ve been pure adrenaline keeping him going through the fight. He prayed to the moon that he’d given Briar enough time to get away. His head throbbed with each step, but he had to get to his omega. He sniffed the air, but in his human form, he wasn’t able to pick up Brair’s scent at all. But he might’ve just been having trouble picking up the scent because of the throbbing in his head threatening to burst through his temples.
He took another step, feeling the bandages on his side coming loose, new pain shooting through the raw skin. His body begged him to lay down, but he couldn’t until he knew his omega was safe by his side.
He tried to shift into his wolf form so he could pick up his omega’s scent, but his body resisted, too exhausted from the fight and constant running. He collapsed onto all fours, still trying desperately to shift, even as his muscles screamed with agony. He was growing dizzy, but he couldn’t rest now. Black spots took over his vision, growing larger as his head swam.
No…
He couldn’t pass out now…
As darkness clawed at his mind, he picked up a familiar scent, and then the most beautiful voice in the world broke through his haze.
“Rohan!”