Last Guardian

It started like any other day. Up at dawn, shower, breakfast and off to help train the younger wolves. Then to go through his own challenging routine. At about 10 am. Alpha Andrew finished training, shook hands and thanked Carrie, his Dad’s former Beta for sparring with him, she was one of the few warriors who could equal him -sometimes. He headed off straight away to the southern border hoping to join up with the patrol worried about reports that something or someone unknown had been in the area for at least a week now.

The plan was to meet up with Mark, his beta and they could investigate together. Not far from the border, he stopped to have a drink when the mind link came through.

" Attack on the southern border. All guards in the area, head here now!”

Andrew looked up immediately also hearing the screams of his sister’s children.

“A ROGUE! IT’S ATTACKING ISSY! HELP!!!”

“Let’s go Aster!” " Save the pups!”

Shifting straight into his sleek black wolf, he charged straight towards the noise. As he reached the clearing , Dan , his nephew ran towards him. Behind him on the other side he saw Isabel his niece on the ground and a figure bent over her. From the smell, he could tell both were drenched in blood, the figure stood up slowly as if in a daze.

Losing no time, he charged, teeth bared , ready to kill...

A voice behind him yelled

" NO... Uncle , she saved us and told me to run for help!”

The words registered only just in time for his to close his powerful jaws but not in time to stop him crashing full pelt into the woman. She was knocked backwards, her head hitting the floor with a dull thud. Andrew shifted back as the patrol guards sprinted onto the scene.

His Beta Mark bowed in respect and stated “Alpha, there were rogues on the border, we fought them off but one got through, I see you got it though, we found him against the tree, you didn’t leave many of his ribs unbroken. Alain and Simon are taking it back to the pack house to await interrogation.”

" Wait ! What is going on? ” Andrew demanded. ” Another rogue? I haven’t seen anyone but her ” pointing to the woman.

"We found him, the one that got past us, over there. It looked like you smashed him against the tree, he wasn't going anywhere. I..I assumed you must have ...but if not then who? " Mark's words trailed off.

Dan ran up crying and out of breath, “Rogue... came... out of .. nowhere. Attacked Issy... but then she .. came, she threw if off Issy like it was a .. a ... twig. She told me to run for help. Is it too late? It is isn’t it ? Issy was hurt bad, it clawed her, so much blood..” Dan collapsed to the floor sobbing “I should’ve stayed to protect her. I should have..”

Ignoring the unmoving woman on the floor, Andrew rushed to Issy’s side. She lay still, her hands on her stomach, her once blue jacket and dress now stained with dark sticky blood.

"Oh please no! please let her be OK, let me be in time..."

Andrew begged any God or Goddess who would hear him . Charis, his sister would be devastated if she lost any of her pups. As would he, with no pups of his own, he loved them as if they were his as well.

As he got to her and reached out to examine her, she opened her eyes and saw the tears in his eyes and panic on his face . ” Are you ok Uncle Andrew ?”

Taking her into his arms gently and trying to stay calm, he said

" You were attacked Issy, it's OK, I’m here now, please tell me where does it hurt, there’s so much blood I can’t tell where your injuries are. Let me help you. ”

A confused frown formed on Isabel’s face “I feel fine Uncle, I can’t be injured, nothing hurts.”

” Let me look , there’s so much blood” He gently opened and lifted the jacket where the bloodstains were the heaviest. Expecting the worst, he looked carefully down, gasped, looked again then tentatively felt the skin of Issy’s stomach. “There’s no sign of injury ! There must be.. Where does it hurt Issy? ”

" I told you it doesn’t. Well... it did, it came out of the trees straight for us , I put Dan behind me but when I turned to face it, it .. I... The rogue, it slashed right across my stomach, it hurt so much but... but it she came, she said it will be alright, she touched me and it stopped hurting. I think I passed out then you came. ”

Then Issy started to panic ,” Where’s Dan is he safe? Where is the women who saved me ? DAN ? DAN??”

" I’m here , I’m here! ” Dan cried throwing himself onto his older sister and sobbing his heart out, ” I’m sorry sis.. I should have stayed and protected you.. I should’ve.. I’m sorry”

Enveloping her little brother in her arms they both cried as she shushed him

" Hey it’s ok, you’re ok , we’re ok... It was twice your size, you did the right thing going for help shush shhh.... it’s OK...”

A voice from the patrol guard behind Andrew cleared their throat and asked

” What do you want us to do with this woman? ” pointing at her still lying unconscious. ” Is she to be taken prisoner?”

“NO ! Uncle, she saved me, you have to help her! ” Issy shouted. Realising he had completely ignored the woman once she fell to the floor, Andrew rushed over to check on her . There was a small pool of blood forming under her head and no sign of consciousness . “Shit ! ” he swore and mind linked Doctor Scott at the pack hospital

I’m bringing a casualty in, a woman with a head injury and possibly other wounds, it was a rogue attack. Be ready.

“I’ll take her straight to the hospital it’s the quickest way” he said.

He reached out to move the blood matted hair from her face to see for the first time , the most beautiful woman he had ever seen despite the mess and her far too pale cheeks. Still naked from shifting into his wolf, he decided to waste no time worrying about dressing , he gently picked her up bridal style. As he did so he went to tuck her head under his chin. As skin touched skin, his wolf Aster, immediately went crazy in his head and electric tingles ran throughout his body... He nearly dropped her in total shock.

“Mate ! Mate is hurt, help her quickly!” howled Aster.

“She’s my mate?” Andrew whispered.

“Yes, get help now!!!”

“But why didn’t I smell her?”

“Too much blood, we don’t have time to argue, hospital now!”

Andrew looked at the scene around him and sprung into action.

“Mark, get Issy and Dan back to the hospital , let Micah and my sister know what’s happened and to meet us there. ” he ordered.

“The rest of you , I want to know how rogues got through and why.” then he sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him straight to the hospital. All the way Aster urged him to go faster...Please be ok... Please mate be ok... he whined.