He reacted quickly. He ducked his antlers beneath my body, scooping me up and tossing me aside with an angry bleat.
“Dax!” Morgan called.
I growled as I landed on all four feet. I was more irritated than injured. “I’m fine.”
But Morgan’s temper was quickly reaching its breaking point. He stomped the ground with his hard hoof and exhaled hot, angry snorts.
“Get away from my son, Rock,” Morgan demanded.
Rock raised his head haughtily. “Or what?”
“Or I’ll gouge your eyes out,” Morgan threatened, his voice icier than I’d ever heard it.
That angered Rock. Blood vessels popped in the whites of his eyes. “You couldn’t have just been a normal omega, could you? You just had to be special. Not only were you a freak in the herd, you went and had a baby with a damned wolf! You’re insane, Morgan! You don’t belong anywhere in this world!”
I realized at that moment there was no point in arguing with Rock. He was too mired in his own hate and ignorance to see the truth. A sudden calmness came over me, and I knew Morgan experienced the same feeling as we exchanged a slow, silent glance. Rock was nothing. Nobody. The only thing that mattered was saving our son.
We moved in unison, flying in two different directions, like the spread wings of a bird. Rock had no idea where to look first. He yelped and stumbled, bogged down by his confusion. Unbeknownst to him, we were engaged in a dance. Two fated mates, alpha and omega; wolf and buck. A relationship he would never understand.
I feigned in, my fangs grazing Rock’s back legs. He whirled his antlers round without moving his legs.
But my assault was only a distraction.
Morgan reared and bellowed. He boxed Rock’s snout, making the alpha deer cry out. He wasn’t finished so easily. Rock reared too. Their antlers clashed and the chaotic sound of bones scraping together echoed in the hollow.
As they fought, I moved fast. I gently grasped Ashe’s body between my teeth and pulled him out of the way. Rock was too busy battling Morgan to notice.
My heart pounded with relief as I carried Ashe safely to the edge of the hollow. I briefly put him down and licked him to check for wounds. He was unharmed, thank the gods. He bleated and pressed his forehead against my snout and affection flooded me.
But the fight wasn’t over. I glanced at Morgan, who fought antler and hoof against Rock. My mate didn’t resemble the stereotypical omega at all. His fit body was pure muscle—he was a vision of ferocity as he battled harder than any alpha.
My own alpha instincts burned to go help my mate, but at the same time I had a duty to protect Ashe. He was more vulnerable and helpless than my raging omega. Still, it didn’t stop the storm of emotions brewing in me as I watched the two bucks fight.
Calm logic wormed into my mind. Even if Morgan won without a scratch, we still needed to make sure Rock was gone for good. We needed help.
We needed the pack.
My wolf’s song bubbled up in my throat, and I let it loose. The howl swelled in the sky. It momentarily took Rock off guard, long enough for Morgan to box him hard directly in the nose.
“That’s for stealing my baby, you bastard!”
I smirked at the bloody, baffled expression on Rock’s stupid face. He deserved that one.
I crouched close to Ashe, protecting him while their fight battered on. Morgan was winning, but Rock was starting to get desperate. His blows grew wilder and nastier, his sharp tines barely missing Morgan’s side a few times. My confidence in Morgan was marred by anxiety that he would get hurt. I growled in frustration—I couldn’t leave Ashe alone anymore, but was I just supposed to sit here and watch my mate fight?
Morgan grunted as Rock shouldered him violently, knocking him aside.
“Morgan!” I cried.
Rock reared to stomp his hooves down but was cut off by the sudden cry of wolves. The sudden symphony of howls in the air made him stumble backwards.
My heart skipped.I know those voices!
Pebbles skittered down from the top of the ridge. Rock threw his head up in terror. Standing proudly with their fangs bared were four wolves—and, of course, two hares.
Happiness flooded me. Hugo, Sage, Remington and Len had all come, and brought the twins along with them.
“Sorry we’re late,” Remington said with a pained, smarmy grin. His fur was messed up, and he looked haggard and exhausted, but he still managed to bring the whole family. “I know you told me to stay put, but you know I don’t listen to anyone.”
