Azalea

Liam and I sat on the couch in the cottage. He was still grumpy after dinner, but he had agreed to allow Theodore to remain in our territory for now, so I was taking it as a win. Liam was flicking through the TV channels. I sat with my legs over his lap and a blanket wrapped around me. Even after being mated for so long, I cannot get used to being away from him and feel much better when we go places together. He was mindlessly stroking my skin; eyes fixed on the TV with a scowl on his face while I watched him.

So much had been happening lately, it was hard to take a minute and just breathe. When I convinced Liam to sit down to dinner with Theodore, I called Amy, and we decided to get together for lunch tomorrow. Lemon and I went through most of her plans for the Inn and ideas for the future this afternoon. Hopefully, I would be mostly free of obligation for tomorrow to spend some time with the kids and Liam.

“Stop staring, Little Luna.” Liam’s face didn’t turn from the TV. I smiled at him.

“Are you going to stop me from looking at you, My Alpha?” I taunted. He ignored me and continued flipping through the channels. I snuggled back against the couch.

“It’s getting late. When are the kids supposed to be back?” he asked aloud this time.

“Well, I asked Missy and Maddox to come back by midnight. They went out for a run around dinner time, but Missy knows to stay in the trees. I expected the boys to come running in here any time now. It’s getting dark now….” I slowly realized. I went to move off the couch, but Liam gripped my legs into his lap. He was tense, and I immediately began to worry.

“s**t,” he cursed.

“What?” I asked instantly. He turned to me.

“Stay here,” he ordered.

“Liam, where are they?” I was panicking now. His hand came up and cupped my face.

“The patrols lost them earlier when I ordered everyone to focus their attention on the vampire and us. I am going to find them now,” he tried to calm me.

“Liam, what if they got hurt? I let them run as they please because you always have people watching us,” I began to cry.

“Shhh. It’s okay. I am sure they are fine, and someone will be punished for this. I am going to get them. And Missy too. Just stay here. Axel is going to be outside the door,” he said softly. I nodded as my l*p trembled. Liam extricated himself from me and moved towards the door. When he opened the front door, Felix was standing there, breathing heavily. Liam gave him a menacing look.

“I’m sorry-” he started, but Liam pushed past him. Felix looked at me, and I saw hurt across his face for the first time ever.

“Felix,” my voice shook.

“They will be found, Luna,” he said in a stern voice. He straightened up and turned to leave the cottage. I got up from the couch and moved quickly over to the kitchen counter where my phone was sitting. I grabbed it, dialing Missy quickly. Her phone rang and rang; she must still be shifted and running around with Maddox. More tears streamed down my cheeks now. If only I could link her; I could send her and Maddox to look for them too. Maybe Liam already has.

For the first time in a long time, I cursed the Moon Goddess for leaving me like this.

Liam Jr.

The rogues have been there for a long time. Leo started crying and shaking at some point, but he was still quiet. We were too far from the nearest tree to jump. Plus, we would make enough noise and commotion that they would notice. It wouldn’t take them long to catch us. We’re too small, and Leo can’t move through trees as fast as I can. I wish my dad were here. He would get rid of these rogues in no time. He is the strongest wolf in our pack. No one can hurt him, not even Uncle Damien.

I slowly inched closer to Leo so I could put my arm around him. The sun was almost set now. Didn’t anyone notice we were gone yet?

“Young man, please do not be alarmed,” a strange man said. I looked around but didn’t see anything. Leo was still staring down at the rogues below us. “My name is Theodore. Your brother cannot hear me.” I looked around more slowly this time.

“How can you talk to me?” I thought.

“Ah, it seems you have some special gifts. Would you happen to be the children of the Alpha and Luna?” How did he know?

“You’re a stranger,” I told him. Dad said we shouldn’t just hand over information to people we don’t know.

“That wants to help you. You seem to be stuck,” the man said.

“What if we are up here on purpose?”

“You are definitely the son of an Alpha. While I am not sure how you got yourself in this situation, I can help you get away from those men down there. They smell awfully foul.”

“They are rogues. Rogues smell like trash.”

“Right you are. Do not move and keep your brother still. I am going to come to you.” I looked at Leo. I didn’t know who this voice belonged to. I have never heard it before. Right now, I wasn’t sure I could do anything other than trust it. We had been in this tree a long time, and none of the patrols have come to find us. Dad was all the way at the packhouse, and Mom wouldn’t come out to the woods. She might send Felix, but Dad might get mad if he leaves her.

“Leo,” I linked him. “Someone is coming to help us. Stay still, okay. Don’t be scared. I’ll keep us safe.” He looked up at me and nodded.

I looked around us, waiting for someone to appear. When my head turned back to Leo, a man was sitting right behind him, smiling with his finger up to his lips. “It’s alright, little wolves. Let’s get you back to your parents. I am sure your mother is worried by now.”

I nodded my head. Leo gave me a weird look before turning around to see the man sitting there.

“If you both can climb on my back, I will take you out of here,” the man whispered very quietly. Leo turned to look at me. I nodded to him. The man turned, and Leo grabbed onto him first. I held on to the man and Leo, not wanting my little brother to get hurt. “Hold on tight; I move very fast,” he whispered one more time. Leo squeezed his eyes shut, and the man moved. I was surprised he moved so fast. I held on tighter. The trees were passing us so quickly they were just a green blur. This was faster than Dad had ever run, I was sure.

After a minute, the man slowed down, and I realized we were moving towards the ground. When he stopped on the ground, he crouched down low so Leo and I could get off him. When he turned around, he smiled at us. “I suspect it won’t be long until someone finds you now,” he said in a regular voice.

“Thanks,” I said.

“What’s your name?” Leo asked, tilting his head curiously.

“My name is Theodore,” the man answered. Leo held out his hand.

“Hi, Theodore. My name is Leo Blackfur. Thank you for saving us,” Leo said, holding his hand out to shake. I rolled my eyes. Leo didn’t know when we weren’t supposed to be polite. Then, I heard a big growl and turned.

“Dad?” I tried to link him. There was no response, but then a group of wolves burst through the trees into sight. I recognized Dad’s giant wolf right at the front.

“Daddy!” Leo yelled his attention now away from Theodore. Theodore stood there relaxed, like he wasn’t scared of my dad at all. Then, dad shifted, and someone threw him shorts. When he pulled them on, Leo and I ran over to him.

“Theodore saved us from the bad people!” Leo told Dad excitedly. Dad looked at me, confused.

“I think they were rogues. We were climbing the trees, and then I smelled the gross, trash smell,” I told him. He turned and looked at the other wolves with him. They took off into the trees immediately.

“How many?” my dad questioned.

“Six,” Theodore said. “The boys did the right thing and stayed put. The group couldn’t find the children. Apparently, they didn’t expect them to be in a tree.” My dad gave Theodore a hard look. I felt sorry for Theodore; Dad was angry.

“Theodore moved so fast, Daddy. The bad guys didn’t know at all!” Leo said. I guess he decided Theodore was a good guy.

“Thank you for helping my children,” Dad said, although his voice sounded mad.

“Of course, Alpha,” Theodore bowed his head to Dad. “I told you, I mean no one in your pack any harm.” Dad nodded and turned to us.

“Let’s take you back. Your mother is worried,” he said. He turned and started walking away. Leo waved to Theodore and then ran after Dad. I hesitated for a moment.

“Go on. You don’t want to keep your mother waiting,” he said in my head again. I gave him a quizzical look but then turned around and ran after Dad and Leo.

Liam

“I want the rogues dealt with immediately. They were looking for my pups,” I linked the patrols that had already run off. “The vampire confirmed six of them.”

“Alpha, were the boys found?” Felix asked.

“Yes,” I told him.

“Alpha, I am sorry. I should have made sure they were watched. I should not have left them unattended today,” he apologized. I was still too angry to forgive him at the moment. I trusted him to make sure that my family was safe. I understand he found his second chance mate today, and he deserved it, but my pups were left in danger. Missy should be back at the cottage any second now, which will calm Azalea’s terror. I can’t think straight when she is like this. She’s been getting increasingly more upset the longer I have been gone. I was beginning to worry about the baby again.

“Missy and Maddox are dressing now. They should be back in the cottage in less than 5 minutes,” Felix linked again. I threw up my block and continued towards the Inn with the boys following. Leo was struggling to keep up, so I bent down and scooped him up. Gavin was ready to find the rogues and rip them to shreds himself thinking about what would have happened if they spotted the boys. Or worse, if Missy had run into them.

It was everything I could do not to send the boys on their way and go kill the rogues myself. I knew if I didn’t come back and calm Azalea down, she would be a mess all night. I need the kids home and safe and Azalea calm. Felix would know soon enough about the rogues. I am sure without my response he would be speaking to Axel shortly.

We came to the edge of the trees, and I grabbed up my clothes from the ground. Then, I fished my phone from my pocket.

ME

| Can you please send something back to the cottage? The boys missed dinner. Also, I would appreciate some tea to calm Azalea down.

FRUIT GIRL

| No problem. Someone will be back there in about 30 minutes. Did Missy and Maddox eat?

ME

| I don’t know.

FRUIT GIRL

| I’ll send extra, just in case.

Lemon had come a long way from the jealous, batty-eyed teenager she was when I found Azalea at the Inn. I still occasionally caught her staring, but she was far more discreet now. She worked hard and respected Azalea, so I had no complaints.

“Boys, let’s not tell Mommy about the bad guys, okay? She is already worried you ran off from the patrols,” I said gently to them.

“Can we tell her that Theodore saved us?” Leo asked.

“Sure. Just don’t mention the bad guys,” I told them. I looked down at Junior, who was scowling at me but still nodding his head.Belongs to - All rights reserved.

Leo wiggled down from my arms when we got to the cottage and ran with Junior to the door. When they threw the door open, I heard Azalea gasp and sob. When I got to the door, Missy stood next to her with a sympathetic look while Maddox stood to the side of the room, confused. Azalea held both boys in her arms, tightly hugging them. Missy’s eyes met mine.

“Liam was there rogues in the woods?” she linked.

“Did you tell her?”

“No….”

“Don’t. She is just upset the patrols lost sight of you all for a while. Leave it at that.” I sighed.