Azalea

The haze was clearing. I remained still, trying not to alert anyone that I was awake. But I felt different this time. As feeling returned to my body, I realized I was sitting in an extremely uncomfortable chair. My hands were tied behind my back, and something bound my mouth. My mouth was dry, and fear washed over me as I realized I was gagged.

My head snapped up, and I looked around frantically. I was in a chair, my hands tied behind my back, my legs bound to the chair's legs. A cloth gagged me.

“Ahhhhh…. Uhhhh…” I tried to call out. I was in a large field, a wooded area about a hundred yards away.

“Calm down, Little Flower,” Kol’s voice came from behind me. I felt him approach. “It won’t be long now, Azalea. I am sorry for this,” he said, kneeling before me. He brushed hair from my face, causing a prickling sensation. “I need you to be a good girl until I’m done disposing of unwanted baggage.”

Tears welled in my eyes. He was talking about killing Liam. I shook my head, pleading silently. “Shhhh, it’s okay,” he cooed, cupping my face.

Suddenly, a thunderous growl erupted from the treeline. My heart raced.

“Get your hands off my mate!”

Liam

Damien and I approached the house from the rear. My heightened Alpha senses detected three people in the back area—a large open expanse beyond the treeline. We had twenty-five warriors positioned around the perimeter, about fifty yards behind us.

Worry etched my features; I hadn't sensed Azalea. We approached the treeline, stopping just out of sight. I needed a clearer view.

Someone sat in a chair at the far side of the clearing. My heart sank as I saw her crimson hair gleaming in the setting sun. She was motionless, her head slumped forward, appearing asleep.

“She’s tied to the chair,” Damien growled, his thoughts linking with mine.

Rage consumed me. “You need to get her out once I distract them. Don't worry about me, just get her out.” He nodded.

“If that’s his mate, why can’t we feel her? Shouldn’t she be scared?” Gavin wondered.

“She must be drugged,” Damien growled fiercely in my mind.

“I’ll need your help, but you will not approach our mate. Once this is over, Damien will not hand her over to anyone but me,” I said.

“Fine,” he agreed reluctantly. I knew he felt remorse, though he wouldn’t admit it. I wouldn't subject Azalea to him again.

Panic rose as Azalea woke. Her head snapped up, her eyes darting around. She didn’t see us in the trees, but I saw the terror in her eyes.

“I’m coming, baby,” I whispered.

Just as I was about to emerge, a tall redhead appeared behind her. Damien looked at me, confused.

“He looks like…”

“Me.”

He knelt before her, whispering. I felt a searing pain—his touch must be hurting her.

“Because we are mated,” Gavin explained.

Ignoring everything else, I let out a thunderous growl and emerged from the trees. With all my Alpha authority, I shouted, “Get your hands off my mate!” I strode across the field. Damien followed, about five yards behind. He stood, turning away from Azalea, who struggled against her bonds.

“Let her go,” I demanded. A dangerous smirk graced his face. He looked like me, but he wasn’t me, and she wasn’t his mate.

“That won’t be happening. She’ll be untied when I’m done disposing of you,” he said in a deep voice. I growled. John Henry approached from behind Azalea.

“Hello, little Alpha,” John said menacingly. Azalea jumped, startled. Recognizing him, she pulled harder at her restraints, her muffled protests ignored as John joined the redhead, blocking my view of Azalea.

“John, I don’t care about your plan to take my pack. It won’t work. Let Azalea go, and we all leave unharmed,” I said. The redhead laughed. “What’s so funny?”

“You think this is that little hunter’s plan?” He continued to laugh. Before I could react, the redhead moved behind John, snapping his neck. John’s body fell. Terror seized me as I saw Azalea’s wide, stiff eyes staring at the corpse.

“Now that he’s out of the way, I can kill you myself. My name is Kol Blackfur, rightful Alpha of the Blood Eclipse Pack,” he said, stepping over John’s body. “You’re as slow as you look. I hired John to draw you out. I never intended to attack you within the pack. He took forever and got distracted by my little flower here.” I growled at his mention of Azalea. “Then we discovered the mate promised to me was fated to you. Two birds, one stone. I could take my mate and draw you out.”

“She’s not your mate!” I yelled.

“She was promised to me. She’s mine!” he retorted defensively.

“The Moon Goddess made her for me! She’s mine!”

“And look what you’ve done to her!” He struck a nerve. “I know everything. I know how you treated her as a child, how she was cast out and rejected, how you returned, deciding she was good enough now, how you tried to make her love you only to hurt her.”

“You don’t know anything!”

“Have I lied? Didn’t she sleep in an attic with meager belongings? Didn’t she work herself to death as a maid, enduring torment from you and your friends? Didn’t you leave her at the inn, alone and broken, to avoid telling your family who your mate was?” He walked to Azalea. She looked at me, silently pleading.

“And now here you stand, watching me take your mate and your pack. Once you’re gone, Azalea will be free to be with the one she truly loves.”

“She doesn’t love you,” I said darkly.

“She may not remember now, but she will. I was all she had before her mother told the Beta of my father’s plan.” He untied the gag.

“Liam—” she began. Before she could finish, he kissed her. I heard her whimpers.

“Let her go!” I shouted, feeling Gavin’s power surge.

“I could be persuaded. One condition,” he said, smirking.

“What?” I growled, Gavin fighting for control. He wanted to kill Kol, but I wanted Azalea safe first.

“I’ll let her go if you accept my challenge for the Alpha position of Blood Eclipse.”

“Something feels off. Why would he let her go if you accept? Our laws state he picks the location, you pick the time. You could delay indefinitely…” Damien linked me.

“I know what you’re thinking. I’m aware you choose the challenge time. I promised to let her go, but not to prevent me taking her back. Once you agree, I release her. She can choose. But I won’t wait long. If the challenge isn’t set in three days, I take her, and you’ll never see her again.”

Silence hung heavy. I held Kol’s gaze, but felt Azalea’s eyes on me, begging. Should I accept?

“Accept the challenge and get mate out of here. We’ll fight him in three days, we’ll be ready,” Gavin urged.

“We have the advantage, but remember, he’s Alpha bloodline as well.”

“But he doesn’t have a mate. Three days by her side will strengthen our bond and power,” Gavin explained.

“What are you going to do?” Damien asked. “Accepting gets her out quickly, but do you want to let him challenge you?”

“An official challenge means less turmoil if I lose. It gets her out. It gives me a chance to beg her forgiveness…”

“What if he doesn’t let her go?”

“Then we kill him now.”

“And Azalea? She’s defenseless.”

“Tick-tock, Alpha. This offer expires,” Kol said, stroking Azalea’s hair.

“Liam…” she whispered.

“I, Liam Blackfur, Alpha of Blood Eclipse, accept your challenge. Now let her go.”

He smiled. “Gladly.” He untied her. “Go, little flower, we’ll be together again soon.” She tried to stand, wobbling. Kol stepped back. I ran to her, scooping her into my arms.

“Liam…” she whispered, her eyes closing, her head falling against my shoulder.

“The challenge will take place here. I look forward to our fight,” Kol said, walking towards the house. I looked down at my mate.

“You’re safe now. You’ll never be hurt again,” I said.