Help Me, Alpha: The Finale

HAYLEY

What do I say? Is it time?

My stomach is in my throat as I gaze into my mate’s face. I want to tell him about the baby but know he will be more devastated than happy.

How could I blame him for that?

It’s hard to be excited about a new life when our own lives are being so heavily threatened.

Axton interrupts us, and I have never been more thankful. It’s not that I want to keep this news from him; I know he deserves to know. But, as his wife, I need to protect him.

He can’t take this burden on. Not yet.

He releases me, and I see his wolf flash behind his eyes. The fury inside him is reignited.

“I’m coming. Gather the pack,” he instructs, releasing me from his grasp.

As if the mere mention of the word human gets under his skin, his walls go back up, too. Without a word, Jax turns abruptly to walk out the door.

I’m frozen.

I am not scared of him; I love him. But unsure of where I fit in this plan of his.

Suddenly, he stops, “Hayley,” he says, still facing the door, his head hanging down, “I still need you, mate.”

My heart is joyous, even if it’s only for a second. There is no way to soothe the loss of Lily, but her father’s determination is comforting.

I know he’s going to find our baby girl.

I follow him quietly downstairs, where we meet the gathering pack.

The emotions and tensions are running high now. There’s a lot to lose; we all know that. In some ways, I feel like it’s selfish to only worry about Lily, knowing that this is a game of survival for the whole pack.

This is the burden of being a luna.

I try to breathe deeply and take in the storm of noise surrounding me.

I can’t recall a time when the packhouse was ever this hectic.

No matter where I look, women are crying, some pups, too. The warriors are antsy, ready to fight. The husbands are conflicted between comforting a distressed mate and going for blood.

This is a total mess

I think about our conversation upstairs, and there’s something that Jax does need to know.

“I’m Luna Jax,” I say, trying not to challenge him outright again. “I am just as important here. They need me, too.”

I’m not telling him anything he doesn’t already know. But, in recent days, something tells me I’m being shielded from most of the weight he’s carrying. But, like it or not, I have a job to do.

“Let’s get them in order then, Luna,” he says with a slight wink that reminds me instantly why I’m so in love with him. He feels at home.

As I try to follow him to the head of the table, I feel a violent brush against my body.

It’s Samantha charging forward to stand behind Jax.

In all the chaos, I cannot overtake her without looking like a lunatic, but it’s almost impossible to control Aurora.

I let out a heavy growl, fast losing my temper along with my wolf.

How dare she! I’m the luna!

I have never felt outright jealous of Samantha. I know Jax only has eyes for me and that she is a power-hungry showboat, but still, this is my pack.

I feel a gentle hand touch mine, and I look down.

It’s Isabella. She smiles at me knowingly, and I take it as a sign to hold back, at least for now.

As I sit beside Isabella to listen to my mate address the pack, it takes me all of my self-control to keep Aurora at bay.

“I want to start by saying I know we have some major threats facing the pack,” Jax begins, trying to be louder than the worried murmurs of the crowd.

“It’s come to my attention.” He continues, putting two hands up to signal quiet, “that there’s human scent near the territory.”

With this news, the pack erupts.

Warriors start to yell, and some shift. Pregnant women cry with their pups.

I can feel my blood boiling, knowing I should be up there with him, not Samantha.

They need me. They need peace.

“BEFORE!” He yells now, and the pack quiets again, “We get too excited. The plan is to investigate. I’m going to take the warriors to the borders.”

“What’s that gonna do?” Patrick yells from the back, his friends nodding in agreement. I can see Aaron flash in Jax’s eyes. It’s a wonder he doesn’t explode again.

“It’s going to tell us where the humans are camped out. It will tell us if they have my daughter’s scent, too!” he yelled to the back.

The room is so quiet now that you could hear a pin drop.

Jax continues, “From now on, this territory is on lockdown! Meaning warriors will patrol on a 24/7 basis. Women will stay together in the pack house with the pups.”

Again, the pack erupts. The last thing anyone wants is to feel like a prisoner.

Jax, what are you doing? I plead inside, sure that anarchy is around the corner.

Suddenly, he lets out a growl that terrifies even me, as shifts into Aaron and leaps onto the table, baring his teeth.

He shifts again, standing now the height of a giant, “I AM ALPHA HERE!” He bellows.

I look down, knowing he’s trying his best, but the message is getting muddy.

“Am I doing the right thing, Luna?” I hear him in my mind, and I look up.

“We are your pack. You’re doing what you need to.” I reply, happy that we are once again connected.

If Samantha could tell that the alpha was focused on me, she, too, gets onto the table.

“As one of Jax’s warriors,” she says smiling, her eyes smug as they fall on me, “I want to assure you that our warriors are as strong as we are diligent!”

There are cheers from the back of the room.

“When we were searching for Lily in the rogue territory, we did find a piece of her dress,” she declares, her words met with worried murmurs from the pregnant women.

“But until we have proof,” Jax adds, “Lily is presumed alive. Kidnapped by the humans.”

“Be advised,” Samantha continues, getting closer to Jax and putting her hand on his shoulder, “Jax and I are going to keep you all safe!”

Aurora is growling harder as I watch Jax and Samantha jump off the table. I look at Isabella, but she’s focused on the crying pup.

At this moment, I feel alone and hurt.

I cannot see Jax, but I hear him clearly, “Axton, meet me in the office.”

I try to mind-link him, but he’s blocked me out.

Sitting here, I’m wondering what this is all for. Will any of this get us any closer to finding Lily?

Suddenly, I hear him, “Take care of them, Luna.”

Rising from my seat, I approach the front of the room. I’m unsure what to say, but I can see it in their eyes—fear.

I take a deep breath, and as I walk to the front of the room, Samantha is passing me, clearly trying to catch up to Jax.

Our shoulders hit hard.

Aurora is as fed up as I am, and I release a growl from deep inside.

At this moment, I want nothing more than to shift.

I wouldn’t want to injure her, but I won’t stand for this either.

She says nothing, but I can see it in her face.

She’s judging me.

I watch as Samantha shifts into her wolf, Aubina. I remain still, breathing deeply, trying to keep my composure.

All I feel is rage, but I know the baby is making this worse than it needs to be. My emotions are like hurricanes.

Rage or tears, there’s no in-between.

Aubina starts to circle me, but I remain still but acutely aware of the eyes watching how this story will play out.

The pack is strict about its hierarchy. Samantha knows this.

What are you trying to pull off? I think to myself as I inspect her movements.

Samantha is one of the best warriors next to Jax. I’d always bet on her for protection if my life were in danger.

No one besides Ruth knows I’m with pup, so they must be wondering, like Jax is, why I’m not shifting.

Maybe they think I’m weak?

I can’t give in, and it will kill the pregnancy.

Breathe, Hayley. Keep holding. Do. Not. Back. Down! I tell myself as she starts to snap at me, still growling.

“What kind of luna doesn’t accept a challenge?” She mind-links me, knowing that my confidence as a mother and a leader is already shot.

She’s going for you because you’re weakened with sadness. Do not give in!

I feel the pressure of this rage inside me. It’s bubbling in my belly, begging now to be let go. I feel Aurora. She’s hanging on by a thread. One wrong move, and it will be all over.

All of it.