"Alpha. I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but there's a rogue on the territory."

My hand froze, holding the pen with a tight grip as I abruptly stopped writing. Frustration bubbled in my chest as one of my guard's mindlink rang through my head. I stared down at all the paperwork covering my desk, dropping the pen as I rested my head in my hands - nothing was never going to get done at this rate. If I knew my Beta's mate was going to pop out their pup this weekend, I wouldn't have sent my Gamma overseas to tend to international affairs.

With a shake of my head, I push my chair back and grab my coat off the back of it.

"I'm on my way. What part of the territory?"

"Near Eagle Lake."

I groaned, grabbing my car keys, deciding I would take the twenty minute drive with backroads instead of the fifteen minute run. Maine winters were harsh with the promise of snow at any given moment, no matter how clear the skies were, and while we hadn't had our first snowfall of the year yet, the forecast predicted it within the next few days.

Glancing down at my watch, I read 12:30 before running a hand over my face as I slid behind the wheel, wondering if there was ever gonna come a day that I didn't work past midnight. Even when all the paperwork was caught up, and both my second and third command were helping, I still managed to do it each night, much to their dismay.

But unlike them, I didn't have someone waiting at home for me. Being the Alpha of Black River was my life, and it had been since up-taking the position four years ago after my father officially retired. And while leading a pack, my pack, was my greatest joy, it didn't fulfill me the way I thought it would.

Over the years, I had created the largest, and strongest, pack in the nation. My territory took up nearly all of Maine's wooded area, which was ninety percent of the state with my pack's members spread throughout. And while my father had been a damn good Alpha, reigning for over forty years, we both noticed the growth of the surrounding packs once I stepped into the position.

It also didn't help that we bordered the Canadian Provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, and Quebec happened to be the home of the largest pack in Canada - Arctic Moon. It wasn't an option to border such a strong pack in another country without creating one myself, no matter the alliance I had formed with them.

Hurry up.

A raised a brow at the sound of my wolf, Acel, shaking me from my thoughts, and with a sudden sense of urgency washing over me, I pressed my foot on the pedal.

He didn't bother to answer me, and I didn't bother to argue with him. His intuition would always be better than mine, so I didn't waste another moment driving through the hills of my territory before reaching a pull off point.

The moment I stepped out of the car, the wind blew and the scent that filled my nose caused every nerve ending to stand at attention - raspberries and vanilla. It was sweet and intoxicating, that alone driving my feet at a quicker pace over towards the forest line.

Twigs and leaves crunched beneath my boots as the wind blew again, the scent becoming stronger the closer I got. Acel began to stir crazily in my head as I dogged a fallen tree, catching myself on a branch as I nearly lost my footing.

I could hear my guard's voice, demanding a shift as I picked up my pace to a half jog.

A fearful whimper sounded and any composure my wolf had was lost instantly as he fought me for control, but I restrained him, breathing heavily. As the Alpha, I had to put my pack first. I couldn't be losing it over a rogue's whimper, no matter how delightful their scent.

Rounding a tree, every thought of composure and my pack flew out the window.

Mate.

Before me, wrapped in one of my guard's jackets, was a young woman, bloody and beaten. She trembled while looking down at the wound on her shoulder before I watched her eyes roll to the back of her head, and before I could reach her, she hit the ground.

A murderous growl echoed throughout the forest as I rushed to her, bending down quickly to slide my arms beneath her. I cradled her to my chest, looking over her barely covered body and growling again. She was freezing to the touch, and the amount of blood covering nearly half her body installed a new fear within me.

I stood, covering her as much as possible as I barked out an order.

"Mindlink the pack doctors and nurses, now! Tell them I want them ready as soon as I get through the doors."

I didn't bother to wait for a response as I began to quickly run in the direction of the pack's hospital, knowing I could get her there quicker by foot. I listened close for her heartbeat, letting out a ragged breath at the sound of it weakening. Her breaths were shallow, and her skin was deathly pale - I was running out of time.

Up ahead I could see the glow of the hospital, and I pushed myself harder, immediately kicking the front entrance open to find nurses and a doctor waiting for me. They had a bed ready for me to place her on, and as soon as she was out of my arms, they began wheeling her down the hall.

I kept a step behind, watching Doctor Hudson begin to assess her injuries while following beside her. One nurse covered her with a blanket while another pressed against her shoulder to try and stop the bleeding. Once they wheeled her into the room, Doctor Hudson turned to face me.

"Alpha, I understand you want to be with her, but you have to let me help her first," he said sternly. When I went to argue, he opened his mouth again. "The longer you sit and argue with me, the longer it will be until she gets help. I'll get you as soon as I'm done."

I glowered down at him. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew he was doing his job, but Acel, who was very much on edge, bristled at his tone. It took a fair amount of strength to back away, fist clenching as he closed the door.

"Dude, what's going on?"

I turned, finding my Beta and best friend, Seth, standing at the end of the hallway, a coffee cup in hand. He looked down at me, eyes widening at the sight of crimson blood covering my clothes.

"Holy shit. Grayson, what happened," he demanded, walking towards me quickly.

With a defeated sigh, I backed against the wall, covering my face with my hands as I slid down it into a squat. Fear corrupted my every thought, and my fingers began to shake as I fought to calm my breathing. Feeling hopeless and terrified wasn't something I had ever had to deal with before, it wasn't an emotion that most Alpha's had the option to get lost in.

"I found my mate," I croaked, letting my hands fall as I looked at the door.

I had finally found her. It had only been minutes, and I could already feel the shift within myself. Nothing else mattered now but her. The moment I laid eyes on her, everything had changed in a whirlwind, and I knew my life would never be the same. I had always heard it would feel that way, but I never truly thought I would experience it.

Everything in me ached to be with her, to have her close to me. Each beat of her heart was the oxygen that filled my lungs, and now that I couldn't hear it, I felt as if I were suffocating.

It was overwhelming.

"You found your," Seth trailed, shaking his head as he absorbed my words, then his eyes widened again. "Gray, is that hers?"

I didn't have to look at him to know he was talking about all the blood, and I sighed, looking up at him helplessly.

"Yeah. I was informed that a rogue was on our territory, so I went to check it out. When I got there she was bloody and freezing to death." I grimaced at my own words. "She looked like she had been beaten." My fist clenched and my wolf growled.

She was so small, so fragile, her body barely half the size of mine. From the amount of blood covering her, and now me, it seemed like it would be a miracle if she survived, and that thought had me gritting my teeth.

What if she didn't survive? I would never even get to know her name, much less have a lifetime with her.

Seth crouched in front of me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, it's gonna be alright. We have the best doctor's there are."

I tried nodding, but failed, just stared at the door. But when I looked back at him, I remembered the reason he was in the hospital.

"Shit, man. How's Addison and the baby," I asked, and he chuckled, giving me a small pat on the shoulder.

"They are perfect, he's perfect." His smile was so wide that despite the moment, I felt happiness bloom for my best friend.

Seth Holdin and I had been attached at the hip since we were practically newborns, our mothers only having us two months apart. Sometimes I believe that my mother, the Luna, and his mother, the Beta female, did that on purpose. Both of them hoped to have boys that would lead the pack together. They had gotten their wish, and each time they saw us in action, their pride could be seen from miles away, sometimes even rivaling our father's.

"But you focus on that mate of yours. I can't wait to meet her. Then, I'll introduce you to him," Seth informed, and I felt a knot grow in my throat. His confidence eased my worries a little bit.

I nodded. "Okay. You get back to them."

He nodded, slowly rising to his height, and pulling me up with him. "Find a chair, take the coffee, and breathe. I know it's easier said than done, but you'll get to be by her side in no time."

I swallowed, taking the coffee he offered. With one last smile, he began walking down the corridor before I called out.

"Seth." He turned, a brow raised. "Could you do me one small favor and tell Asher to get his ass back home," I said with an exasperated huff, referring to my Gamma who was currently in England.

Seth laughed and nodded, pulling his phone out to wave it at me. "Already on it."

With that, I sat down, fiddling with the styrofoam cup in my hands as I watched the door.

***

Nearly two hours later, I had almost paced a hole in the floor when Doctor Hudson finally came out. The sight of him covered in blood did absolutely nothing to ease my worries, but the smile on his face allowed me to breathe a little.

"She is stable."

I let out an audible sigh, and Doctor Hudson gave me another smile.

"She lost a lot of blood from the wound on her shoulder, and it appears to be a bite mark from another wolf. It was quite deep and took some time to stitch up. She was in the early stages of severe hypothermia when you brought her in, the blood loss not helping much there. We are giving her some fluids, and have put her on oxygen to help her lungs."

He stopped talking, face falling.

"There also appears to be quite a few bruises, some old and some as new as today. Two of her ribs were broken, but only one punctured a lung. There appears to be signs of long term abuse."

His words were slow and low, but it didn't help the anger that was slowly building in my chest at someone causing my mate physical harm. I took a step back, trying to gain my composure.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them again, and when I did, the Doctor took a slight step back with his head bowed.

Acel was fighting for dominance, my eyes switching between their normal gray to black.

I took a step back as well, fighting with my wolf before returning my attention back towards the Doctor who still hadn't looked back up at me.

"Can I see her?"

"Of course, Alpha."

He turned, opening the door before gesturing me inside. I stepped forward into the small hospital room that only consisted of a bed, a small sofa, and the single chair beside it, and my breath instantly caught at the sight of her.

Upon seeing her, my first priority had been her safety. If someone had asked me before now to describe her, I wasn't sure that I could have. But now, I let my eyes drink her in, allowing myself to truly take in my mate.

The mix of blues and purples covering her face and arms didn't take away an ounce of her beauty, although the sight of them made rage ignite in my chest. Her features were prominent yet feminine; a soft jawline accompanied by slim cheeks with a button nose. Her slightly parted lips now supported a pink instead of a blue.

But what stole the attention was her raven locks. They were as dark as the midnight sky as they laid neatly over her shoulders and chest in soft, natural waves. I had assumed one of the nurses had taken a brush to it, and the thought caused me to smile.

"I'm unsure of how long she'll be asleep."

I spun around, completely forgetting that Doctor Hudson was still behind me. Raising a brow, I felt my face harden at his words, but he quickly shook his head.

"She'll make a full recovery, she just needs all the rest she can get. She'll wake up on her own, it just may be a while."

I sighed, hating the thought, but nodded. Whatever was best for her was all I wanted.

"I'll be back to check on her later."

He bowed his head before turning to exit the room, shutting the door softly behind him. At that, I turned and made my way to the chair, pulling it up beside her bed. I stared down at her, carefully bringing my hand up to rest over hers.

Sparks instantly ignited and I closed my eyes, reveling in the feeling of finally being able to touch her. With my other hand, I gently reached to trace the bruise that covered her left cheek. It was swollen and dark, leading me to believe it was only hours old. I brought my hand back, trying to ease my anger.

I'd find out who had done it, and when I did, I'd kill them with my bare hands.

I rested my head down beside our hands, staring at them for a few moments before my eyes began to get heavy, and soon, I was lulled to sleep by the gentle, consistent beeping of the heart monitor.

***

A gentle knock woke me hours later.

I snapped up, looking over my mate still resting soundly before turning around to find Seth at the door. His grin was wide as he silently asked for permission to enter, and with a nod from me, he closed the door behind him.

Groaning softly, I twisted my body to pop my back, raising my hand to block the rays from the early morning sun escaping through the blinds.

"This is her," Seth said more than asked, looking over her with pride before frowning at the bruises. "What the fuck," he asked, and I pursed my lips with a shake of my head.

"I don't know, but when I find out."

Seth shook his head understanding completely, not needing me to finish my sentence. He had a mate; he understood the pain and anger I was feeling, and he also knew that when I found out who had marked her body with bruises, their days were limited - and he would be standing behind me.

"Do we know anything about her?"

I let out a slow exhale, shaking my head. "Not a clue. I have no idea where she was running from, who she was with. Hell, I don't even know her name yet." I ran a hand through my hair, pulling lightly. It was a strange feeling having her so close to touch without knowing as much as her name.

It was also kind of creepy the more that I thought about it.

Another knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned to find a smiling Addison with a little bundle in her arms. I was instantly on my feet, making my way towards her just as Seth was, but whereas I was eager to see the little one in her arms, Seth eyed his mate in disapproval.

"Addi, what are you doing? You shouldn't be walking around," he chastised, placing both hands on her shoulders, even though she was perfectly steady. Addison rolled her blue eyes, shooting me a look of exasperation, and I chuckled.

For a she-wolf that just gave birth, she looked happy and healthy, not showing any traces of pain. However, that wasn't uncommon. Being mated to a Beta heightened Addison's supernatural abilities allowing her to heal quicker than other she-wolves.

She was also a daughter of two warriors, so that more than likely helped.

"Seth, calm down. I'm fine," she claimed, shaking her head and trying to blow a piece of blonde hair from her eyes. Seth reached up to tuck it behind her ear. She turned to me, a smile just as big as Seth's had been. "I'm here for you to meet your nephew, and to see my future Luna."

My own smile flooded my face as I bent down, hugging her carefully before looking down at the baby in her arms. The sight of him tugged at my chest, and I knew at that moment he would have me wrapped around his finger.

"What's his name?"

"Wyatt Rayne," Seth replied softly.

"He's perfect," I whispered, and Addison looked at Seth, a look filled with love and pride before looking back up at me.

"Would you like to hold him," she asked, and I tensed, causing Seth to laugh loudly before I slapped his arm, motioning towards my mate. He popped his mouth shut, mouthing an apology as we all stared at the woman in the hospital, wondering if the noise would cause her to stir. A part of me had wanted her to, while another part of me knew she wasn't asleep by choice and even Seth's loud cackles wouldn't wake her.

Addison watched her adoringly for a moment before holding her son out towards me again. With a tentative sigh, I held my arms out, feeling more and more apprehensive the closer Addison got. Once he was placed in my arms and Addison no longer touched any part of him, I looked at her in panic.

"It's okay," she laughed softly, patting my arm. "You are doing perfectly. All you have to do is make sure his head is elevated."

He didn't move an inch as he slept soundly in my arms, and I gazed down at him, taking in the face that looked more like Addison than Seth. His little fingers clenched into a fist as he cooed and I began to sway.

"You're a natural," Addison mused, leaning into Seth's side as they watched me.

"The strongest Alpha in the nation is just a big softie. Imagine what our enemies would think right now."

I rolled my eyes at Seth, continuing to rock Wyatt, but I'm sure it was a sight. My father had given our pack the reputation of being ruthless with little mercy, and although I had managed to keep conflict to a minimum, I didn't try to change it.

Besides, behind every successful Alpha was those that he loved that was driving motivation, and to them, I never wanted to be any other version but this in their eyes.

A little hum brought us out of the moment, and I quickly whirled around to find the beautiful green eyes of my mate staring back at me laced with fear and unshed tears.