Help Me, Alpha Book 2

HAYLEY

We all stumble into the packhouse, drenched in sweat and worn out from training. Every inch of me is sore—Axton really pushed me to my limits.

I’m the last one to step inside, but instead of everyone scattering to clean up like they usually do, they’ve gathered in the spacious living room.

All eyes are glued to the massive TV hanging on the wall, but the room is eerily silent. The pack is in shock, absorbing the news that could mean our end.

The news is on, and I instantly recognize what’s being shown. “Breaking News” flashes across the screen, and the camera pans to a woman standing in front of a sleek, modern building.

“I am standing outside the laboratory in London where it has been confirmed that officials have captured several, what we are calling, werewolves. Rumor has it that there are twelve more werewolves who attacked first.

“This is on top of the other twenty-seven werewolves that were captured earlier this week.”

Lizzie, one of the pack members, yells at the TV, “They were just defending themselves from you awful humans, you idiot!”

She’s right. We’ve lived among humans for centuries without causing harm. But now, suddenly, humans discover our existence and we start attacking? That doesn’t add up.

It’s obvious that the humans are the ones attacking first and blaming us. But it’s easier to pin it on the strange freaks, which is how the world already views us.

“How did you capture these dangerous beasts?” the reporter asks a man in a police uniform.

The room erupts. Everyone starts shouting in anger at the derogatory term we’re being labeled with.

Beast? They know nothing about us. But because we don’t fit their definition of normal, we’re judged and called cruel names.

Humans are buying into old folklore that says werewolves shift on the full moon and tear through villages until no one is left alive.

It’s all lies, fiction. Nothing more than made-up stories to instill fear in the gullible.

This is the new threat that’s putting the werewolf species in grave danger. Humans have discovered us. They want to experiment on us. Torture us. Kill us.

Feeling Jax’s presence, I turn my head to meet his troubled gaze. His arms are crossed as he leans against the wall, and he nods toward the stairs, signaling for me to follow him.

Getting his message, I grab Axton’s arm and pull him along with me.

As I follow Jax to his office, I try to read his emotions. Anger. Panic. Numbness. Fear. Anxiety.

Once inside, I lean against Jax’s desk while he takes a seat.

“It’s getting worse,” Axton says as soon as the door is closed. Jax’s office is soundproof, so no one outside can hear us.

Jax sighs and runs his hands through his hair.

“I just got out of a meeting with the council and alphas from around the world. The council insists they have everything under control.”

“Well, they’re obviously not doing a good enough job if more of us are dying, are they?” Axton snaps, his teeth clenched.

“Axton, they’re doing the best they can. This is uncharted territory. Humans have never discovered us—aside from old legends that have turned into fantasy tales.”

In times like these, it’s beneficial for a pack to have a luna. When a pack is in distress, its luna can have a calming effect. My job is not only to protect my pack, but also to prevent panic or chaos.

It’s like I instinctively know how to do it. I just flip a switch in my mind and everyone around me feels a bit more at peace.

The downside is that it doesn’t work on me. The stress I feel still weighs heavily on my shoulders.

“What if one of us is next? What if one of our pack members dies because humans attack us? What if it happens to Lily?” Axton says angrily, trying to provoke us. And by bringing up Lily, he succeeds.

Jax and I both growl, displeased—we can’t stand the thought of our daughter in danger.

“Don’t start, Axton,” Jax warns, barely keeping his composure.

He can’t stand the thought of his family getting hurt or worse—we’ve all had enough of that already. If Axton keeps pushing, Jax will definitely push back harder.

Alphas and lunas experience emotions more intensely than other werewolves. We feel things ten times stronger.

We hate more fiercely, but we also love with the same intensity—it keeps us balanced.

If Jax is already on edge and his pack members keep pushing him, he’ll eventually snap—and that’s not like Jax. He always keeps a cool and composed exterior.

If Jax loses control, it will cause more panic within the pack.

We can’t solve this with pent-up anger, so I do the only thing I can to defuse the situation.

“We will find a way. I don’t know how, but we will find a way,” I say, trying to convince not only them, but myself. I flip the switch, and Axton and Jax both calm down.

After a few tense moments, Jax gives me a grateful nod. The last thing he needs is to deal with angry pack members.

We’ve been trying to downplay the escalating situation to the pack, but now that it’s public knowledge, we need to assure them that we’re handling it.

We don’t need the pack living in fear for their lives and their loved ones—especially the pregnant females. All that stress and worry wouldn’t be good for their pups.

“There’s another problem. Now that humans have discovered werewolves exist, they’re starting to look for other species,” Jax says, leaning back in his chair.

“Other species?” Axton asks.

“Vampires, witches, hybrids. The list goes on.”

“Humans are going to try to wipe out the entire supernatural species,” I whisper in disbelief.