Chapter 3

Lucas hadn't realized the Lotus pack was so far. Every time his parents travelled to visit, he never accompanied them. He was either busy or out of town on duty. Joel, Lucas, and a second group of warriors had left home three hours ago. The sun has set, and darkness is creeping in. Upon arriving at the border a few minutes ago, the warriors have already cleaned up the mess. The blood splatter reveals they had put up a strong fight.

"Beta Joel, we've checked almost everywhere. There isn't a single soul alive. No rogues either. Whoever did this is long gone," one of the pack's warrior leaders reports to Joel.

"Are you sure there are no rogues?" Joel asks.

"Yes, sir," the warrior responds, sounding both confident and frightened.

Lucas can't blame him. All their pack warriors respected Joel immensely. After all, he was huge, he could've been a bear, not a wolf. His large size intimidated many, though not Lucas. He'd known Joel his whole life. If he didn't, he might fear him too, but Lucas was the Alpha, and he was stronger than Joel, regardless of size.

"Have you thoroughly checked the packhouse?" Lucas asks. His mother had been certain they would find someone alive.

"We did, but not thoroughly," the warrior replies.

"Do you want to check it out?" Joel links.

"Yes. I have a feeling we might find something, or even someone."

"Okay."

"Please, lead us to the packhouse," Joel commands the warrior.

They follow as the warrior leads the way. Their pack was as large as theirs, with bodies scattered around. None were in wolf form. Lucas had to figure out the poison used on them, it must have been lethal.

"What's the plan for all these bodies?" Lucas asks.

"Beta Convel instructed us to load them into the trucks as we await a decision on whether they'll be buried here or not," the warrior responds.

It was a mass murder, and whoever had done this needed to be caught. Who knew how many other packs lived in fear of being next? But not his pack. Lucas would snap every one of their necks.

"Here we are."

The moment the warrior speaks, Lucas feels a strange pain in his chest and catches a scent, a beautiful blend of forest and lavender.

Derek, his wolf, grows alert and jumpy.

"How is this possible, with all this blood?" Lucas wonders.

Are you okay? Joel links not wanting to reveal the Alpha's weakness in front of the warriors.

Something's strange. Derek is jumpy, and at the same time, I feel a weird sensation in my chest.

Stay alert, Joel says and steps into the packhouse before Lucas, ready for an attack.

They walk through the house, encountering lifeless bodies at every turn. The feeling in Lucas's chest intensifies the deeper they go.

Joel turns into a room that looks like a family room. Sofas, side tables, a large fireplace, and of course more lifeless bodies. But in this room, the scent of forest and lavender is stronger.

Calm down! Lucas commands Derek, but his wolf is too hyper to listen.

"What's wrong?" Joel asks when he turns to face Lucas, who has stopped at the entrance.

"Derek's too hyper," Lucas replies, holding his head with one hand. He can't make sense of it.

"Could it be...?" Before Joel finishes his thought, Derek growls loudly, taking control.

"Mate!!"

***

Tara had lost track of time. The sun had long set, and she remained still, clinging to the lifeless bodies of her mother and sister. Her body was weak, her throat sore from screaming for help, her eyes swollen and barely open.

Everyone she loved was gone. She might as well die here, alone. No one would find her, no one would care.

No, Tara. Don't give up. Someone will find us.

Ruby, tried to keep her spirits up.

"We've lost everything."

No, we haven't. There's still hope. Someone will come looking for us.

"No one will come, Ruby. This is the end."

Ruby pushed back, desperate for control over Tara's body, but Tara was too weak. She couldn't shift. Ruby's forceful attempts failed, and Tara gave in, closing her eyes to block her out.

Before she could fully pass out, a new scent filled the air, unfamiliar and captivating. It made her chest ache.

Ruby became hyper-alert and jumpy. Within moments, Tara heard a wolf's shout Mate! before strong arms lifted her from the ground, separating her from her family's bodies.

"Is she the one?" a voice asked.

"Yes, I think so. I can feel the bond, and Derek is too excited. I can't calm him down," the person carrying her responded.

Bond? Could this be her mate?

How could this be, when she wasn't feeling anything?

"Let's get her out of here," the voice ordered, his voice commanding.

"Let me check if anyone else is alive," the other voice replied.

Tara tried to speak, but no sound came out.

"Relax, little Luna. We're going home," the voice said before she lost consciousness.

***

"How far is that damn helicopter?" Lucas growls.

"It's coming, just a few minutes," Joel tries to reassure him.

Lucas is holding his mate's lifeless body in his arms, sitting outside their packhouse. The helicopter is the fastest way to get her to safety, but it's taking longer than expected. Shifting would be faster, but it would be impossible to run 350 miles with her unconscious form in tow, so the helicopter had to be the option.

His mother always told him about the beauty of the mate bond. He had spent less than two hours with her, but the need to protect her has consumed him. Derek, has been trying to contact her wolf, but there is no response. He whines and howled endlessly in Lucas's mind, giving him a headache.

She'll be fine. Hang in there.

Lucas looks down at her, drenched in blood, yet beyond that, he sees a beauty he's never known. He's been with many women, especially during a recent trip with Joel, but none of them, not even Beth, compare to the woman in his arms.

Long ginger-red hair, straight eyelashes, a perfect nose, heart-shaped lips he can't wait to taste and an incredible body. He can hardly believe she's his mate.

The Moon Goddess has her ways of choosing mates, and Lucas will make sure she survives. He will be Alpha of the Blood Eclipse Pack, and she will be his Luna.

His anger to find whoever is behind this grows stronger. What happened here was a catastrophe. He will get justice for her pack, even if it's the last thing he does.

He never imagined he would find his mate like this, covered in blood among all these dead bodies. He can't imagine the confusion she'll feel when she wakes up in a different packhouse. Now he understands how Cam feels, with her mate unconscious and fighting for his life.

As Joel mentioned, the helicopter arrives within minutes, with a pilot and a nurse ready to attend to his mate. Lucas stands and walks to the helicopter, laying her gently on the stretcher. The nurse immediately begins her work.

"She'll be fine," Joel says, settling beside Lucas.

Lucas remains silent.

"I want the head of the bastard who's behind this," he links angrily.