Marco draven's pov
Marco was in a meeting when a sudden wave of pain crashed over him. It started as a dull ache, then quickly spread through his entire body, making his wolf restless. His hands clenched into fists, his breathing uneven.
Darius, his beta and most trusted warrior, immediately noticed. "Alpha, are you okay?" he asked, his brows furrowed in concern.
Marco gritted his teeth. "I feel… pain. All over."
Before Darius could respond, a sharp, unbearable agony tore through Marco's leg. He hissed, gripping the edge of the table as his vision darkened for a split second.
Darius' eyes widened in alarm. "That's not your pain," he realized.
Marco's heart pounded as the truth hit him. Matilda. He was feeling her pain through the mate bond. She was hurt.
Without hesitation, Marco pushed back his chair and stood abruptly. "We have to go. Now." His voice was deep, laced with barely contained fury.
Darius nodded without question, already following as Marco stormed out of the meeting room. Whoever dared to harm Matilda was about to meet the wrath of the Lycan king.
I rushed to the car, my voice booming as I commanded my warriors, "Move! Now!" The urgency in my tone left no room for hesitation. My wolf was on edge, clawing beneath my skin, demanding I get to Matilda before it was too late.
As the car sped through the streets, I yanked out my phone and dialed the estate. Ring. Ring. Ring. No one picked up. My grip tightened around the device, my claws threatening to pierce through it. Why isn't anyone answering? My patience was razor-thin, and the pain in my leg only grew worse.
Darius, seated beside me, kept his eyes on me. "Alpha, we'll get there in time," he assured, but I could hear the doubt beneath his words.
I wasn't willing to take any chances.
The moment we reached the estate gates, I barely waited for the car to stop before shoving the door open and stepping out. My heart pounded as I took in the eerie silence. Something was wrong.
Then I smelled it.
Blood.
My vision turned red as I stormed toward the house, my warriors flanking me. "Find her. Now!" I bellowed, my voice shaking with rage.
I followed the scent of blood, my pulse hammering with each step. The trail led me straight to the library, and when I pushed the door open, the sight before me made my blood boil.
A pack member was hovering over Matilda, forcing a kiss on her. She struggled beneath him, her face twisted in fear and pain. Her clothes were torn at the shoulder, and there was blood smeared on the corner of her lips.
A deafening growl tore from my throat. Mine.
Before the bastard even realized I was there, I moved. Faster than lightning, I grabbed him by the throat and hurled him across the room. He crashed into a bookshelf, sending books tumbling to the ground.
Everything turned red.
I couldn't remember all of what happened next. My wolf had taken over, fueled by uncontrollable rage. The only thing I knew was that when I came back to my senses, my knuckles were dripping with blood.
Darius' voice finally broke through the red haze clouding my mind.
"Alpha, let him go! Focus on the Luna!"
Luna. My mate.
Samuel was nothing but a pile of broken bones beneath my grip, but Matilda she was all that mattered. I dropped him instantly, my chest rising and falling with heavy breaths as I turned to her.
Before I could reach her, she threw herself into my arms, her small body trembling violently against mine. Her sobs wracked through her fragile frame, each one stabbing at me like a dagger straight to the heart.
That broke me.
I wrapped my arms around her, holding her as close as I could without hurting her. Her warmth, her scent everything about her was fragile in that moment, and I hated myself for not being there sooner.
Then, I noticed it. The torn fabric, the bruises marring her delicate skin. My entire body tensed with renewed fury.
She was half-naked.
My jaw clenched so tight it could snap. I turned to my warriors, my voice thundering through the room. "Look away! Now!"
They obeyed immediately, heads bowing in respect, but I didn't care about them. I only cared about the woman in my arms.
I felt her body go limp just as I was about to whisper reassurances to her.
No.
"Matilda?" I shook her gently, but she didn't respond. Her head lolled against my chest, her breathing shallow.
Panic gripped me. I lifted her effortlessly, cradling her against me as if she were the most precious thing in the world—because she was.
"Call the pack doctor," I ordered, my voice cold, lethal. "Now."
Darius nodded and rushed out, while I carried my mate away from the scene.The moment the male doctor entered, I felt my wolf snap.
"You won't touch my mate!" I roared, my voice shaking the very walls of the estate. My protective instincts were uncontrollable, the thought of any man, pack doctor or not laying hands on Matilda made my blood boil.
The doctor backed away instantly, his head bowed in submission. A female doctor rushed in, quickly taking over. My eyes never left Matilda as the woman carefully examined her fragile form.
Her voice was calm but her words were anything but. "Broken ribs, broken leg, severe head trauma. she's lost a lot of blood."
I saw red.
My breathing turned ragged, my body trembling as my wolf pushed against my skin, demanding to be released. My claws extended involuntarily, and a deep, guttural growl ripped through me.
I was going to kill Samuel all over again.
The doctor noticed the shift in my aura and quickly stepped back. "Alpha, please not here. She needs peace to heal."
She was right. If I lost control now, I could hurt Matilda without meaning to.
With a final look at my unconscious mate, I turned and stormed out of the room. My vision blurred with rage as I ran straight into the woods, my body already shifting before I even reached the clearing.
Bones cracked, muscles tore and reshaped, and within seconds, I stood on four massive legs. My Lycan form was monstrous twice the size of any normal wolf, my dark fur blending into the night.
Then, I let it out.
A deafening, rage-filled howl tore from my throat, shaking the very ground beneath me. Trees snapped and fell as I slammed my massive paws against them, destroying everything in my path. The entire forest trembled with the force of my fury.
When I returned, the sight of Matilda nearly brought me to my knees.
She was covered in bandages, her delicate body wrapped in white cloth stained faintly with blood. Her face was pale, her breathing soft but uneven. She looked so small, so fragile so pitiful.
My chest ached.
"My dear love.you don't deserve this," I whispered, my voice thick with guilt.
I didn't deserve her. I had failed her. I should have been there before she got hurt.
I turned to leave, thinking she needed rest, but before I could take a step, I felt a weak, trembling hand grasp mine.
"Stay…"
Her voice was barely a whisper, but it was enough to shatter whatever was left of my restraint.
I moved to the bed immediately, sliding in beside her with careful movements, afraid to hurt her even more. She curled into me, her small frame trembling as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.
I held her as close as I dared, resting my chin gently against the top of her head. I would never let this happen again.
She clung to me, scared, vulnerable, and as much as it hurt to see her like this, I was grateful,grateful that she still wanted me near.
Her soft cries eventually faded, her breathing evening out as sleep took over.
I stayed awake, watching over her. My mate. My everything.
No one would ever hurt her again. And if they tried, I would burn the world to the ground.