The Soulmate Series Novel Axton and Ellie – ‘We can’t do this! He needs us!’ My wolf whined in my head. I shook my snout in response to her,’He was disgusted by the mere thought of this child. He believes I lied to him. He thinks that this child isn’t his.’ ‘But’ ‘There is no but, Raelynn,’ I interrupted her, ‘He swore to kill us and our child if we ever stepped foot back on his land. If we hadn’t of left, he would have executed us on the spot.’ ‘He rejected us. He used us, Raelynn. There is no going back.’ I shut off the mind link between us as I crossed the border. Fire burned my mark as I sprinted into the forest.
Ellie POV ‘We can’t do this! He needs us!’ My wolf whined in my head. Her whimpers on separating from our mate blocked my ears from the noise of nature around us, ‘He didn’t mean what he said! He loves us!’ She tried to tell me. ‘Then he wouldn’t have told us to leave’, I spoke back to her. After almost three months of accepting us, he changed his mind. All it took was three words for him to no longer love me, to make my entire world shatter around me. My wolf, Raelynn, continued to sob in my mind as I pushed to go faster. We had to make it to the border while we still had a head start. ‘We need to go faster’, I yelled to her.
She whimpered more at my request and my urgency to be as far from our mate as possible, but she did as I asked. The darkness of the forest lit up as we neared the pack border. All I had to do was cross the line and never look back. I was about to cross over when I heard her try to reason with me once more, ‘What if he changed his mind? What if he really does want it?’ I shook my snout in response to her, ‘He was disgusted by the mere thought of this child.
He believes I lied to him. He thinks that this child isn’t his.’ ‘Just go back and talk to him’, she pleaded. ‘If I go back, he will kill our child on sight. I will not let him hurt it, I reasoned with her. ‘But—’ ‘There is no but, Raelynn,’ I interrupted her, ‘He swore to kill us and our child if we ever stepped foot back on his land. If we hadn’t of left, he would have executed us on the spot.’ ‘We are his mate. He wouldn’t do that to us,’ she tried again. ‘He rejected us. He used us, Raelynn. There is no going back.’ I shut off the mind link between us as I crossed the border. Fire burned my mark as I sprinted into the forest. I pushed through the pain, refusing to turn back as a distant howl cracked my already fractured heart into shattered pieces.
Ellie POV It had been 7 years since I was forced to flee from my home, my life, my mate. I try not to look back at the life I had lost so many years ago. But as I look into the eyes of my child, all I see are her father’s. Zea danced around the field, laughing at her own silliness. Happiness seemed to surround her, a feeling she gave to all who knew her. She was the greatest gift I had ever been given. I watched as she played in the field behind the pack house. Her laughter filled the air around me as she giggled about some secrets she was sharing with her Aunt. When she was born, I moved to the Blue Moon Pack. The Alpha who had just arisen was my brother’s best friend, Madden. He promised to hide my child and me in his pack because of the great threat looming over us. As the years went by, Madden and his mate, Layla, became the closest thing to family.
A voice took me out of my thoughts of the past, “They still out there?” I turned to Madden as I nodded my head, grinning at my child and his mate,”They have promised the best bouquet of daisies for the dinner table.” “I love the way they act around each other. Layla will be a perfect mother.” I watched as his eyes shimmered at his love for his mate, my heart ached slightly that I would never see that in my own mate’s eyes when he watched our daughter. I took a small sip from the cup I held in my hands, “When is the littlest addition to our ever growing family supposed to be arriving?” He gave me a smile as he realized that I knew, “In about 7 months. How did you know?” I looked at his bewildered expression, “I have been pregnant before,” I said all knowingly before bringing my drink up to my lips. “And she told me two weeks ago.”
He gave me a small smile, “Thank you. Honestly, if you and Zea weren’t here, I don’t know how Layla would be doing. After she lost it, Zea was the only one she would talk to. She made Layla happy again.” I turned back to the perfect angel running around the field, “That’s what she does. She makes people happy, just like me.” We watched in silence as Layla and Zea continued to pick flowers and chase each other around the field. It was a perfect day, filled with happiness and laughter. Then Layla and Madden froze as horror crossed their faces. Their eyes glossed over as they were pulled into a mind link. In a split second, the perfect day came crashing down as the first horn whaled out over the trees. As each horn blared, fear seeped into my bones. The sentries around the pack only sound for one thing. Rogues.
Layla POV Rogues crossed the border, one of the sentries sent out in the mind link. “Layla!” I heard Madden scream to me as he ran across the field in order to reach us. But he didn’t reach us in time. Rogues poured out of the woods in a blind rage as they charged from the pack house. They moved in a frenzy as blood of our pack members soaked their clothes and covered their features in the sticky red substance. “Zea!” I heard Ellie scream over the snarls of the hoard of rogues emerging from the woods. The second her voice hit my ears, I snapped into movement and ran toward the little girl I had come to call family. Her little arms wrapped around my neck as I swept her into my arms and ran toward the house. I could hear the stomping of rogues chasing us as I pushed my legs to sprint faster toward my charging husband.
My only thought was to protect the child we currently held in our arms and the one growing inside me. Layla! Get down! Madden yelled to me through our mate bond. I immediately dropped as he sailed over me in his wolf form, charging into the middle of the rogues threatening the lives of his mate and family. I looked back and froze as I watched my mate fight off an attack of over fifteen crazed rogues attacking him from all sides. My wolf whimpered and snarled at the rogues as we watched one of them take a swipe at our mate. Madden! She called out in my head. “Layla!” Ellie came to our side, pulling her daughter into her arms, “We need to get out of here!” I looked back to her as if she just said the craziest thing in the world, “What?! No, I will not leave Madden here to fight without me!” “You don’t have a choice!” she argued back as she tried to pull me toward the other side of the field.”Listen to me, you are pregnant! You can’t be here and protect your child!”
I understood her reason for wanting to protect me, but I couldn’t just leave my mate, “I can’t leave Madden.” “You will only put him in danger by staying,” she spoke over the roar of the raging war, “Your being here is a distraction that will get him killed. We need to run.” I nodded my head as we took off to the forest. We ran deep into the underbrush before Ellie pulled me to an abrupt stop. “What are you do—” she slapped a hand over my mouth as she dragged us down to the forest floor in a crouch. What is it? I ask her through the pack link. Her voice shook even through the link as she replied, It’s him, the one who tried to kill me after I left my mate. I need you to take Zea, she said as she carefully handed me her daughter. Where am I supposed to take her? We are surrounded and from what you’ve told me about him, he won’t give up until he has both you and your daughter, if he even knows she exists. Take her to the only person that can protect her, she said, hesitation clearly in her voice.
What! He will kill her on sight, he told you he would, I argued with her to reconsider this choice. I know what he said, she told me, her eyes drifting to the frightened little girl I was holding in my arms as she cried silently as if aware of the danger around her, But no one, not even this monster, would go against him. But if he recognizes her— He won’t. You will say that she is your daughter. He won’t believe that, I argued with her, The second he looks at you, he will know that she is his. Her eyes sunk to the ground as she spoke back to me, her voice heavy, That’s why I’m not going with you. No! I cried to her, If you stay here, you will be caught. Cortez will kill you. She shook her head at me, Not until he gets what he wants, she gently stroked Zea’s hair as she stood firm, and he will never get to her. Just keep her safe. I promise.
Quickly k-ssing her daughter on the forehead, she silently said goodbye before running back into the field of battle. Stay strong, I sent those last words to her and I took off with her daughter towards the one place she swore never to return to. Back to her home. Slowly sliding Zea off my back, I went to take a deep breath to calm my raging heart. I didn’t even have the chance as I heard the thunder of running paws came closer to us. I pushed Zea behind me in a protective position as four wolves emerged in front of us. One shifted in front of us, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. His brown hair was matted to his forehead from sweat as he watched us with his blue eyes. His tone muscles rippled as I was hit by a wave of his power.
He was the beta. “Shift,” he ordered. I did as he said, shifting back into my human form. I wore the same outfit I had on when the attack first happened although now it was covered in tears and blood from the attacks by rogues trying to get to Zea and me as we ran here. “Luna Layla?!” shock covered his face as he took in my appearance, bowing slightly for respect, “What are you doing here?” I cleared my throat as I pulled Zea closer to me, “I need to speak to the alpha.” “What happened?” he asked, clearly trying to stop me from making a mistake by asking for this request. “I must speak with Alpha Axton immediately, Beta,” I said in the tone of Luna, authority demanding respect. “I don’t—” I cut him off immediately from trying to stop me.
“Blue Moon has been attacked. I need to speak to the Alpha now,” shock covered his face as he took in the thought of one of the strongest packs being attacked by the group of rogues. I lowered my voice to a softer tone, “Please. Before my pack and my mate are dead.” … Axton POV Alpha, someone did cross over. She says she needs to speak with you. I take no prisoners, Beta, I growled to him as my wolf started to surface at the thought. Alpha, it’s Alpha Madden’s mate, Luna Layla, he told me, The Blue Moon Pack has been attacked. Bring her here immediately, I order him. Yes Alpha, he immediately replies. How could the Blue Moon Pack been attacked and no one had received word about it. There was no distress call sent out.
They were one of my pack’s greatest allies and supporters of me when I took over Alpha after my father was killed. How could the rogues have beaten them? After about ten minutes thinking over what could have happened, I heard voices in the forest. I could hear the soft words as my beta guided the poor Luna to the house. As swiftly as I could, I left my office and pounded down the steps of the pack house until I reached the solid oak front door. Without a thought, I opened the door to greet Luna Layla. The second the door was open, I didn’t see the Luna in front of me. All I saw was two deep blue eyes reflecting sadness and need for comfort. I stared at the soft face as silent tears flowed down her face.
She looked so small and helpless as she clutched closer in the arms of the Luna. I could hear my wolf in the pack of my mind calling out to me, Pup! Protect pup! Protect pup! My wolf, Knox, kept yelling at me. What? I asked him, confusion crossing my face, What are you talking about? We must protect this pup, under any circumstances, he answers me. Why? I ask him, clearly not understanding the need to protect one small child. It’s important. You must trust me, he tells me, clearly hiding his reasons. Alright, I tell him to calm his agitated behavior over my hesitance to automatically agree with him. “Alpha Axton,” a voice pulls me out of my daze. I move my eyes to Luna Layla. “Layla,” I greet her. Her face and clothes are covered in dried blood. Mud plagued her skin as she clutched the child closer to her when she saw my immediate fascination with her, “Come in.” I hold the door for her as she hesitantly enters the house. Walker leads her deeper into the house and back to my office.
I follow behind her, staring into the blue eyes of the little pup she held as the pup stared at me with the same fascination. “Can you tell us what happened?” I asked Layla. She cleared her throat before answering, “We were attacked by rogues. Madden and I were at the pack house when the first warning signal sounded.” Her head dipped as she tried to hold back the tears that wanted to flow, “What happened next?” “They came from everywhere. They were attacking everyone, not just the warriors. Women, children, they went after all of them,” she said as a single tear escaped her eyes. Before she could lift her hand, the little girl in her arms reached up to her cheek and caught the fallen tear. Layla gave her a small smile as she stared down at the little girl and whispered quietly, “Thank you.” The little girl just nodded slowly back to her and went back to staring around the room in wonder. “Is this your daughter?” Walker asked her, trying to get her mind off of the attack for a second.
“This is my Aunt Layla,” the little girl spoke out before Layla even had a chance to say anything. The girl’s laughter jingled out as Walker started to mess around with her, allowing her to escape from any horror she witnessed. “What is your name?” he asked her. “Zea!” she yelled out loudly. I smiled slightly at her hearty response. “I’m going to send some pack members to your territory to drive the rogues out,” I look back to Layla, picking up the conversation again. “No!” she says automatically, “As much as I wish for this, just a few pack members will not be enough. These rogues will tear apart anyone you send.” “I’m sure we can handle it,” I said reassuringly, “I will send some men over to help with the rogue problem immediately.” She shook her head violently, standing up to make her point clear, “You don’t understand. It was as if they were in a frenzy. It was if all they wanted was one thing.” “What?” Her eyes were cold and haunted by the memories she witnessed, “Blood.”