Chapter Six.

Leon

Alpha, rogues. Andrew mind-linked me, waking me up in the process.

Where are they? How many? I asked.

Southern border. The wolves patrolling the area found five. He informed me. I cursed and leapt out from my bed. I quickly pulled on a shirt and pajamas on before exiting my room in the mansion. I ran down the stairs and out of the house, shifting into my wolf as I opened the front door.

It took me fifteen minutes to reach the southern border. Have you caught them? I asked and heard Andrew growl.

They're still being chased. From where they're heading, I'd guess they're going towards the waterfall. James, my gamma, third in command, mind-linked me.

I'm near it. I'll catch them. I replied. I increased my speed as the familiar sound of the waterfall reached my ears. I ran over to a bush and hid behind it, spying and waiting.

The guard's are re-routing them towards you. Be ready. Andrew mind-linked me and I huffed.

I really hate these rogues. My wolf commented and I nodded in agreement.

We waited five minutes when the sound of paws hitting the ground came. To my astonishment, a small brown pup appeared as if it was running for its life and five large wolves ran behind it, snapping and growling as if they were chasing the pup. That's when the scent of lilacs hit me.

Bella.

I growled loudly and they all froze. Jumping over the bush, I ran over to them and stood over Bella's frozen figure protectively and let out another growl, warning them.

Leon? Bella asked and I gave the slightest nod. One of the rogues growled at me and I growled louder, standing up to my full height.

Get the patrol here now! I growled through the mind link, using my Alpha command on them. As soon as they got the message, I got tense vibes through the link. They all knew how serious the situation had just gotten.

In a flash, eight wolves jumped, pinning the five rogues under them. The rogues struggled, but soon realised that it was futile. That's when I shifted back into myself. Bending down, I picked up Bella in my arms and she snuggled into me.

"Shift!" I commanded the rogues. They struggled under my command but slowly, they shifted into their human forms. All of them looked like they hadn't bathed in months. Their clothes were dirty and torn.

They snarled at me.

"Let us go!" One of them commanded and I scoffed, running my hand on Bella's head in a calming motion.

"You walk on my land, terrorize a pup and you think I'll let you go? What are you doing here on my land?" I asked, keeping my voice intimidating. One of them shuddered under my tone.

"We were land crossing the land. We are starving and that pup is the first meal we have seen in days. We want our food!" The other snarled and I growled loudly. So loud, that even some of the pack members jumped in fright.

"Drag them out of the land. Make sure they don't come back. I'll kill you if I ever see you on my land again." I threatened them. The guard's all nodded, pulling the rogues with their teeth by their clothes, yet only Andrew and James remained with me. That's when I turned my attention towards the pup in my arms. I placed her down and glared.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and Bella whimpered. "Shift, Bella." I commanded and in a second, Bella sat there on the ground, wearing pony pajamas, crying.

"I'm s-sorry, Leon." She choked out through her sobs.

"You're supposed to be in bed. What are you doing out?" I asked and she hesitated.

"I... I was looking for you." She whispered. I felt rage take over me and I tried hard not to lash out at her.

"Looking for me? Do you realise what would've happened to you tonight if I wasn't here!? Do you realise you could have died!? What your mother would have gone through!? How she would have blamed me because you were made a meal on my land, under my protection!?" I almost shouted and she cried harder.

"My pack doesn't know you! You could have been taken as a rogue and thrown out with them, or worse, killed!" I scolded her but she kept on crying. I shook my head. "This is really disappointing, Bella. Shift!" I commanded again and she shifted into her wolf without a word. I did the same after her.

I'm going to take her back to her house. You know what to really do about the rogues. I mind-linked the shell-shocked Andrew and James. They gave me a nod and ran off. I looked down at the small pup and took hold of her neck in my mouth to pick her up.

She whimpered at the touch of my fangs against her neck but she remained quiet otherwise. That's when I started running towards my mate's house.

Jennifer was pacing the back door of her house. I lowly growled to grab her attention and her head snapped towards me. Her eyes widened in fear but then she saw the pup hanging from my mouth.

"Bella! Where have you been!?" She exclaimed. I carefully dropped Bella to the ground and then shifted back into my human self.

"About to be someone's dinner. She's lucky my pack was doing patrols the same place she was running from rogues." I said and Jennifer pointed towards the house, an angry expression on her face.

"Inside. Now. You're grounded." My mate ordered and Bella quietly went in, her tail hanging between her legs. Jennifer turned towards me then. "Thank you for saving her." She said and I nodded.

"It's not a problem. She's spirited for a five-year-old. Too much, in fact." I said and Jennifer nodded.

"I know. I don't know what I would've done if she got hurt..." She trailed off as she started crying. I moved forward and took her in my arms, running my hand up and down her back to comfort her.

"It's alright. Don't cry. Nothing will harm her as long as I'm around. I promise." I tried to comfort her but Jennifer only cried harder. It made my heart constrict, my wolf howl in the sadness that our mate was sad. "Please, Jennifer, don't cry." I said as I rubbed her back.

It took a while before the hiccups took over. I looked at her before leading her into the house. I entered us in the kitchen and grabbed the water before handing it to Jennifer who took it with a 'Thanks.'. She gulped the water down. We stayed silent as the hiccups subsided. Not speaking a word.

"What do you do? When a person turns into a werewolf?" Jennifer asked suddenly and I cleared my throat.

"Train them. Like to protect the pack, its borders and in case we need to fight rogues." I said in honestly and Jennifer looked at me in the eye. An alarm rang through my brain.

"Can you train her? I don't like the thought of her being defenseless. She could've been dead if you hadn't saved her. I don't want her to be defenseless again." She said but I shook my head.

"No, Jennifer. Pack training is tough. Sometimes even the strongest fail. Bella's just a kid." I said and Jennifer shook her head.

"Don't you see? I can't have her defenseless. This isn't the first time she sneaked out to be in her wolf form." Jennifer said and my eyes widened.

"What? That's reckless of her." I said and Jennifer looked at me.

"What else do you suggest I do now? You won't train her, she won't stop doing this. What am I supposed to do?" She exclaimed and I sighed, rubbing my face.

Well? I asked my wolf. He hummed, deep in thought.

The pack? Move them in. Let both of them see how the werewolf life works. You work from the mansion's office anyway. Travelling from the mansion to the city office and back will get stressful soon enough. My wolf advised but I hesitated.

You sure? I asked him.

Yes. He replied and I took a deep breath.

"Why don't you move in with the pack? We can make Bella a member of it and then she'll have extra protection." I said and Jennifer's head snapped towards me, eyes weary.

"Would your Alpha agree?" She asked and I nodded.

"He will because I am the Alpha, Jennifer. This is my territory."

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