The Alpha and his Mate
Chapter 28

Annabelle’s POV

I hadn’t uttered a word since we’d gotten back. I just couldn’t help but replay what I’d just seen over and over again until my head span. That poor person had died because I was to stubborn and selfish to give myself up, I mean I didn’t even know the man’s name, yet he had died because of me.

I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t said much since finding out about the dead body, we had been pretty quiet for the rest of the day up until everyone decide to leave and head back to their respective homes. The news had hit everyone hard, especially Jax and his family. That could have easily been Will lying motionless and cold on the forest floor.

Jax had been on and off the phone all day, trying to gain allies so that we could have the numbers to comfortably form an attack on Rising Dawn but so far no one was biting. It seemed no one wanted to get involved in an issue that didn’t involve them. It’s not like we could blame them though, I don’t think there were many people out there who would willingly put their live on the line for someone that wasn’t from their family or pack.

I had been thinking about my options all afternoon as I sat quietly on the sofa, cuddled up in a blanket with a glass of water and some potato and leek soup in my lap. I had promised myself that I would wait until it was the last resort before giving myself over to them, that I would only sacrifice myself if I couldn’t see any other way of everyone getting out of this alive.

Now that someone had died because of that promise I’d made my mind had completely shifted. Yes Jax had the Elders coming and he was trying everything he could to try and rally the surrounding packs for assistance but for me it wasn’t enough. The Elders weren’t coming for at least another thirty six hours and even once they arrived there was nothing set about what we’d be doing once they got here. For all we knew they’d take even longer to form a plan and for Will and the other three trackers who were still being held hostage that wasn’t good enough.

I only had one clear option, one that would save the rest of the pack and keep those four wolves safe. I had to turn myself in. I just had to.

The more I thought about that dead body the more y stomach churned and my vision blurred. His blood was on my hands because I had been to much of a coward to give myself up, well not anymore.

With a deep breath to help calm my racing heart I placed the untouched bowl on soup on the coffee table and flicked the blanket from off my shoulders. I was already wearing something suitable to run in, just a pair of leggings and one of Jax’s hoodies, but I still needed to sneak on a pair of trainers and get out of the building without raising suspicions.

Jax was in the kitchen, using the island as a makeshift office desk so that he wouldn’t have to stray to far from me and I knew that Xavier was outside somewhere patrolling the house. If I could make it past the two of them then I was safe.

As silent as I could I tip toed towards the shoe rack and grabbed the first pair of shoes I could find before hiding them behind my back and walked over towards the kitchen where I could hear Jax mumbling down the phone to someone.

“I’m just going to the toilet” I whispered to him before turning around and headed to the downstairs bathroom.

Jax’s only response was a quick head nod in my direction as he continued to mutter down the phone, to quiet for me to hear.

I sight in relief as I realised he wasn’t going to look up at me and backed my way out of the kitchen entrance and down the small corridor until I made it to the bathroom. Once inside I quickly slipped my trainers on before locking the door and turning around so that I was facing the bathroom window. It wasn’t particularly big, meaning squeezing through the small open window was a slight challenge, even for my small frame.

Thankfully though it wasn’t long before I was out on the other side and hiding in a shrub, keeping my eyes and ears open for Xavier.

When I was sure he wasn’t near I burst through the bush and ran as fast as I could towards the meeting pace the stranger had told me to go.

I panted as I willed my legs to carry me further, further from my mate and further from my new home as I made my way into the forest. A lone tear escaped my lash line as I thought about what I was leaving behind but I quickly swept it away angrily, I had no time to feel sorry for myself, I had a mission I had to focus on.

I leant against a tree as I doubled over from the stitch that was currently stabbing my side, even though I was a lot stronger than when I first escaped the Leftens, I still wasn’t completely healed. My muscles were screaming at me to take a break, to rest so that they could get the oxygen they desperately needed, but my mind was telling me I didn’t have time, Jax would have found out that I was gone by now and sent a search party out to look for me.

I took one last deep breath before I straightened back up and carried on towards the meeting point. I don’t know how I knew where I was going, I had never gone this far out of Jax’s territory since I got here, but somehow I just knew I was heading in the right direction, as if someone or something was leading me there.

All of a sudden, I heard a twig snap behind me and I froze in my tracks, had Jax and the pack found me already? Or was this Alpha Parker’s pack following me and making sure I went through with the exchange?

I got my answer when I saw a figure sprinting after me in the distance and recognised Xavier coming after me at full speed. He had found me.

I cursed in my head before turning and putting all the energy I had into making my legs go faster, as much as my new found wolf hated the idea of leaving our mate she agreed with my decision and so helped me as my feet pounded against the ground faster and harder. Her Luna instincts had fully kicked in and she wanted to do everything she possibly could to protect her pack.

“Annabelle!” Xavier yelled behind me, willing me to stop, but I ignored him and carried on going.

“Annabelle please... think about this for a second, this is not a solution!” He sounded, closer than he was earlier and I cursed at his speed. Thankfully though he wasn’t fast enough because before I knew it, I had reached my destination. The scent surrounding the scene made it obvious more than anything, the smell of Alpha Parkers aftershave, of fake pine and melted plastic. The meeting point was a little clearing in the trees, wildflowers scattered across the grass offering flecks of colour against the bright green. This place was right outside Jax’s pack territory, so close to the border that if I’d have taken five steps backwards, I would be re-entering his land. If it wasn’t for the current situation I was in, I’d probably admire the beauty of this place, the pureness of it as I watched the blades of grass dance in the wind.

I turned around to see Xavier run to a stop in front of me, panting just as much as I was at the physical activity we’d just had. “Annabelle you don’t need to do this, there’s always another way that doesn’t involve self sacrifice”.

I shook my head and placed my hand on top of his as he tried to drag me back to the pack lands. “It’s too late Xavier, I have made up my mind and I choose to live whatever short life I have left guilt free with Alpha Parker, I’d rather that then loving a long life with Jax where the guilt of hurting all those people will crush me. I can’t live like that... please... just let me go”.

He shook his head “it’s not that simple Annabelle, as Jax’s best friend and Beta of this pack I is my duty and responsibility to protect both him and you.”

I looked into his eyes to see fierce determination in them, swirling around with the gold of his wolf as he fought to keep his control. The slight glazed over look in his irises to me he was talking to the rest of the pack and if Alpha Parker didn’t turn up soon I’d fear he’d be too late to do the exchange. This was my one and only shot to buy Jax enough time to save everyone.

I suddenly smelt the horrible artificial smell of fake pine and burnt plastic intensify, meaning Alpha Parker was lose by. We both straightened our backs and turned to see him slowly emerge from the other side of the clearing, an amused smirk plastered on his face as he took in Xavier.

“Ahh Annabelle you finally decided to show up, a very brave and smart decision I must say” he sneered as he looked me up and down. “You seem to have brought an escort though... that wasn’t part of the deal little prophet.”

I stared at him, not knowing what to say... the mere sight of him freezing me in my place. His face always brought be back to the day when I first saw him, back to when I was only seven years old, when he was dressed in a police officers uniform and taking me away from my home. He was the one who had destroyed my life all those years ago and he was about to do the exact same thing again.

“She is not going anywhere ” Xavier growled as he took a step in front of me, blocking my path to Alpha Parker.

Alpha Parker just laughed at him and crossed his arms, not the least bit concerned with the fact that an angry Beta was currently staring him down, ready to fight.

“Is that so little Beta? Or do you prefer Rogue Killer? I’ve heard a few of my men refer to you as that, although if you ask me I don’t see what all the hype is about” he laughed. I frowned as I looked over at Xavier, hoping to find some form of explanation as to why he would be called that. I got nothing though as Xavier continued to stare down the Alpha in front of us.

Alpha Parker suddenly laughed as he continued to stare back at Xavier with amusement. “Enlighten me then, how are you going to achieve that when you are so outnumbered?”

I frowned at his words, only seeing him in the clearing, but that soon changed as at least twenty men and women slowly emerged from the shadows, each looking as menacing as the next and all wearing the same perfume as Alpha Parker.

My heart rate picked up as I held onto Xavier’s arm, the last thing I wanted was for him to get hurt, that was not part of my plan.

“Xavier please just go... I don’t want to be the reason for you to get hurt too” I pleaded.

He just shook my arm off him and stared Alpha Parker down, not listening to me in the slightest.

I suddenly heard howling in the distance and knew it was Jax and the pack coming for us, they had caught our sent and were making their way over.

Xavier smirked as we saw Alpha Parker’s calm demeanour slightly crack, obviously aware of the angry Alpha and his pack that were slowly but surly advancing on us.

“Times up Parker” Xavier growled.

“Nothing’s over until I say it is” Alpha Parker growled and before I could bat an eyelid Alpha Parker’s pack descended on us. There was little either of us could do being so outnumbered and before I could even think about trying to defend myself a guy made his way over to me and punched me in the temple, knocking me out cold.

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