With that, she launched herself at Jericho, all fangs and claws. He fought back, a golden blur of fury and protection. The hallway filled with the chaotic noise of two wolves fighting. The space was too tight for anyone to help; Flint and the others could only watch in horror as the two attacked each other. Charlie had pulled me aside out of the fray and was holding me. Ken and the nurse quickly came to my side and checked to see if I was wounded.
Beth was losing. Anyone could see that. A beta wolf didn’t stand a chance against an alpha, especially one who was guarding his mate and family.
My chest ached to see my former best friend and my mate fighting. What was the point of all this?
Jericho snapped at her one last time before she collapsed, exhausted and breathing hard. But the fury in her eyes still burned.
“Kill me, then,” she snarled at him.
“No,” Jericho said. “You were a friend to my mate. You were a friend to the pack. You don’t deserve this.”
Beth screamed at him in anger. “I have no intention of changing my mind, so you’d better finish what you started.”
But Jericho stepped aside, allowing her to get up. “I won’t kill you.”
Shakily, Beth got to her feet. My heart fluttered. For a moment I hoped and prayed she would change her mind and come back to us - to be the Beth I knew.
But in a flash, she turned and bolted off in the direction of the nursery.
“If I can’t take the omega, then I’ll gladly take his pups instead!” she snarled.
“No!” I screamed.
All around me, the hallway filled with snarling wolves. Flint, Tyson, Ken and Shadow exploded into wolf form and launched themselves towards Beth. Jericho took the lead. His whole pelt stood on end, like golden lightning.
“Take her down!” Jericho snapped.
I had to get to my babies. I struggled to my feet and growled at Charlie and the nurse when they tried to get me to stay in place. Finally they gave up and helped me follow the commotion.
We turned the corner just in time to see Beth hovering over the pups. They were fragile and breakable in human form as they sat there, side by side, in the soft nursery bed.
Beth crushed the plastic surrounding them and almost had her jaws around them before Jericho landed on her back and pinned her to the ground.
Like a striking snake, his fangs found her throat. She died instantly.
No one spoke for a while. Security came in to remove her body, which had shifted back post-mortem. The nurse checked on the pups, and quietly assured me they were okay.
“What was she thinking?” I murmured, staring at where her body was with grief and anger and confusion.
Jericho shifted back to human form and came over, putting his arms around me and holding me close. I laid my head against his shoulder and just cried.
When I was finished, I swallowed hard and stated, “I want to see my babies.”
The nurse quickly bundled them up and brought them over to me with a sympathetic expression.
When I took them in my arms, I started to cry again.
I had a boy and a girl. The girl was larger and had dark hair like me. She looked strong. Her brother was small but his face was scrunched up in a determined way. He had Jericho’s light, wavy hair. My heart swelled with affection, and I knew in that moment I would fight to the death for either of them.
Tears ran down my face. They were so small and innocent, and had no idea about the evils in this world.
But looking down at their pure faces, I knew I would do my damn hardest to make sure they lived a better life than I did. I wouldn’t let them be exposed to the things I was. They would have an amazing life. Jericho and I would make sure of that.
“They’re beautiful,” Jericho murmured, learning down to look at them with me. He kissed me gently on the cheek. “You did good. I’m so proud of you.”
I smiled weakly. “I’m tired,” I told him. “I want to go home.”
“Alright,” he said softly. “Come on.”
