The Alpha's Guardian

Wade POV

I can feel her, but I can't see her. I have been collecting injured pack members and taking them as fast as I can to the med center. There is a sharp pricking of pain in my head. A mental fog slowly rolls in, encasing me in a paralyzing moment of calm and agony. I know it's her, the way the pain is reserved, almost subdued as if she is fighting to keep it caged. It's seeping through the mental wall that sits in my mind, the one erected to protect her if I had been in any pain. Her pain must be too much for her to bear. I look around frantically, trying to get my eyes on her. Where is she? I realize I sent her with Kane and Francis to the border to be sure the rogues left. I spot Kane, but I don't see Francis or Ali. -What is happening?- I ask Ali through our link.

-Rogues have left- she says, even her mind sounds weary. -You are injured. Come to the med center to get sorted out-

-I am fine- she says and I intentionally let my mental barrier down so she can feel my anger over her comment.

-Fine- and she shuts off the link, the pain disappearing with it.

She finally emerges, her arm over Francis' shoulder as she slumps and struggles to get her legs to comply with her body. I'm by her side in a moment, and I offer Francis a look of gratitude as he nods and smirks at me. I must do a terrible job keeping my attraction to her hidden. Though I can easily blame the pansy that has apparently been plaguing my mind for at least a year now.

I slip my arm under hers and hoist her up, her head tipping back slightly and her eyes flutter closed for a moment. Her pain is lapping at the recess of my mind as her consciousness wanes and I move my arm to get a better grip. When it sticks, I lean back slightly and realize the gravity of her wound. I reach down, scooping her up behind her knees, and hasten towards the building. She groans in displeasure as her eyes close again and her head slowly lies on my che3st.

I take a moment to look down at her in her unconscious state and I regret it. My heart pounds against my che3st and I can feel it, a stirring inside me. There is nothing I wouldn't do for this woman in my arms. I can't call it love, love would take knowing someone. This is instant, deeper than a bond. It's my soul wanting to know hers. This is troublesome. Maybe it is the bond. As she mentioned, it would grow deeper as we trust each other more. But it feels like more. My instinct tells me it's more.

Upon entering the med center, Francis flags down the doctor. Who looks her over in my arms? He pushes his glasses up further on his nose as he looks over her back. I watch him with careful eyes, trying to read his face. He gives nothing away as he reaches out, touching her neck and muttering under his breath.

"It appears to be healing." He declares as he stands, looking at me. "It's strange that it is healing so fast, but perhaps it is a guardian thing?"

"Is it possible she was a healer before a guardian?" Francis asks, knowing that healers heal quicker than other wolves. Therefore, they can help heal others. They use their energy to channel their speed of healing to the person they are working on.

"I don't think so," I say, remembering the flashes of her past I got when we completed our bond. "She started guardian training as a little kid, plus she is an omega." I remind him.

"Is her mate nearby?" The doctor asks.

"She is unmated- she isn't allowed one until she leaves the Guardian sect," I answer, looking at her again. She looks like an angel, sent down from the purest of places to protect a jaded broken alpha.

"Interesting. Well, she will live. I will grab you some herbs and a salve to place on her wounds, but she needs rest. It is too loud here, there is too much going on. I would suggest taking her to her room." He turns to grab a nurse, who he instructs to grab what is needed.

"Francis, follow when you get the supplies. I will get her to the packhouse and settled." Francis nods, following the nurse as I head back out the doors.

The pack members move about furiously, making quick work of the mess in the center of the city. I can't believe how easily our defenses fell. They made it to the city center and attacked while my patrol was still informing me of what was happening. They must have come from several angles. I'm cursing myself for thinking I could protect them by taking all this on myself. I should have trained them instead of insisting I would take it all for them. What I find even more frustrating is not knowing what they even want from me. Ali groans in my arms and shifts slightly. Her eyes open slightly and she smirks at me through a haze.

"Can't keep your hands off me, huh?" she says, sounding weak. I can't help but laugh.

"Can I still blame the poison?" her eyes softly close again and I smile at her still face once more. She then sighs heavily.

"I can feel your emotions, Alpha Wade." She says, snuggling her head closer to my che3st. I'm struggling to tell if she is actually awake or not.

"I'm worried about you," I say truthfully.

"I will heal, I always do." She answers simply with a small yawn escaping her lips.

"How did you get injured?" I ask, curious.

"I didn't" is all she says. I scoff as I climb the stairs to the packhouse, pushing the door open with a mild struggle. When I bring her upstairs, I walk right into her room and place her in a chair. She moans slightly, opening her eyes and watching me as I scurry around the room looking for something to change her into. I can't seem to find anything but stretchy yoga pants, black skinny jeans, or leather pants. I sigh and rush to my room, grabbing a pair of my basketball shorts and jogging back over. When I walk in, I see her standing, leaning slightly against her dresser, trying to reach back and unzip her dress.NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

"Ali. You should sit down," I say, finally getting the full view of the wound on her neck and shoulders. Large gaping gashes still seep slightly with fresh blood as her entire back and dress are coated in now dried blood. I make my way to her and ease her hands away from the zipper.

Slowly, I lower the zipper, trying hard to remind myself to breathe. Each inch exposes more of her porcelain skin, bringing along with it heaps of guilt. I can see her lashings from this morning in a faded pink across her bareback. Spots covered in blood and others not. She loses her balance a little as she falls back into my che3st. My hand instinctively wrap around the front of her wa!st, pulling her closer to me. She is intoxicating. I have to stop and take a deep breath as to not nuzzle her neck.

"We need to clean up you back, I tell her, stepping back from her. She nods in understanding and turns towards the bathroom. Neither of us was thinking clearly, so when she moved and her dress fell away from her body completely, I could only stare. Exquisite is not powerful enough of a word to describe her. She stands with her back to me and her dress around her feet in a crumpled, bloody mess on the floor. Her back is a mess, but her muscles are pronounced. Lining her frame and leading down to her perfectly tight bottom that is clad in only a lacy purple pair of boy shorts underwe@r.

She takes a step and falls forward yet again, and I reach out to help her. I catch her hand and she spins to face me. My heart is in my throat as she looks up at me, confused, her eyes foggy. I can only assume since I feel no pain, that she has thrown up her barrier. Which works out better for me, considering the things I am feeling in my chest and in my groin.

I try not to look down, to explore the beauty that she is with my eyes, but I fail and I stare at the most perfect pair of perky bre@sts. Quickly, I look away and move to step back when the door opens. I panic. I don't want whoever it is to see her like this. She is mine and no one else can look at her. I pull her roughly to my che3st, and she squeaks in surprise.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry!" Francis says, pivoting. Ali looks up at me and then down at herself and gasps. Her arms wrap around me tightly as she pulls me closer, looking for coverage. I blush knowing that though she found coverage, she also found out how turned on I am "Leave the supplies. I am trying to get her into a bath. Could you get Ethel to come and help her?" Francis looks at me and frowns.

-Ethel is with her granddaughter. It's not looking like she will survive.- He says to me through the mind link.

“Fvck” I mutter. “How about Sammy then?" I ask hopefully. I really, really don't want to test my patience by bathing this woman. "She is helping with bodies." He answers.

"Fine. I'll do it." Ali goes rigid, and she looks up at me.

"No! NO! I can bathe myself."

"Oh, just like you are capable enough to get injured?" I ask.

"It is YOUR wound Alpha!" She demands. "I have never had to work so hard to protect an alpha on the first day before."

"Well, if it's mine then I will fix it," I say, scooping her up and walking her directly to the bathroom without looking at her na*ked che3st.