Trap of the King Alpha Triplet
Chapter 30 Blood and Borders

Luca's

POV.

The forest blurred past us as we raced through the trees, our paws pounding against the earth in a frantic rhythm. The scent of intruders burned in my nostrils, sharp and wrong, setting every instinct on high alert. My brothers flanked me, Leo's midnight fur to my left and Logan's steely grey to my right. We moved as one, a unit forged by blood and bond.

'Dad,' Leo's voice echoed in our minds, taut with urgency. 'We've got a situation.'

There was a moment of silence before Alpha Christ's voice filled our heads, strong and authoritative even from a distance. 'Report.'

As Leo filled him in on the details, I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift to Emily. The memory of her soft skin under my lips as I'd kissed her forehead goodbye sent a pang through my chest. I hoped she was safe, that she'd made it home without incident.

'Luca, focus,' Logan's voice cut through my wandering thoughts, tinged with a mixture of understanding and exasperation.

I shook my head, forcing myself back to the present. This wasn't the time for daydreaming about our mate. We had a pack to protect.

'I've alerted Beta Russell and the warriors,' Alpha Christ's voice came through again, strong and reassuring. 'They're mobilizing now. Your mother and I are on our way back. Be careful, boys. Don't engage unless absolutely necessary. We don't know what we're dealing with yet.'

'Yes, Alpha,' we responded in unison.

As we neared the border, a horrifying sight greeted us. It wasn't just a few drunken bears or rogue wolves looking for trouble. No, this was far worse.

At least fifty wolves prowled along our territory line, their fur matted and eyes wild with bloodlust. The scent of violence hung thick in the air, mixed with something else - something feline and decidedly un-wolfish.

'Holy shit,' Logan breathed. 'Are those... Lynx?'

Sure enough, two large felines stalked among the wolves, their spotted coats standing out starkly against the sea of fur. It was an unholy alliance if I'd ever seen one. 'RiverFang,' Leo growled, his hackles rising at the sight of the infamous crescent moon tattoos visible even through the wolves' fur. 'This is a full-scale attack.'

My heart raced, a mix of fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins. We were outnumbered, outgunned, and our backup was still minutes away. But we were Alphas, dammit. This was our home, our pack. We'd die before we let these mutts set one paw over our borders.

'Remember your training,' Leo's voice cut through the chaos of my thoughts, steady and sure. 'We just need to hold them off until reinforcements arrive. Watch each other's backs and don't take unnecessary risks.'

Logan and I nodded, falling into formation beside our brother. As one, we let out a bone-chilling howl - a warning, a challenge, and a call to arms all rolled into one.

The response was immediate. The RiverFang wolves surged forward, a wave of snarling, snapping jaws and razor-sharp claws. And just like that, we were plunged into the midst of battle.

I lost track of time as we fought, my world narrowing down to a blur of fur and fangs. A grey wolf lunged at me, jaws snapping for my throat. I ducked, using my smaller size to my advantage as I darted under him, raking my claws along his belly. He yelped in pain, giving me the opening I needed to clamp my jaws around his throat. With a vicious shake, I felt something give way, and the wolf went limp in my grasp.

There was no time to catch my breath. As soon as I dropped the lifeless body, two more took its place. I snarled, baring my bloodstained teeth in a feral grin. If these bastards wanted a fight, I'd give them one they'd never forget. Through the chaos, I caught glimpses of my brothers. Leo was a force of nature, his massive black form tearing through the enemy ranks like a wrecking ball. He fought with a cold, calculated fury that was terrifying to behold. One particularly brave (or stupid) RiverFang wolf managed to sink his teeth into Leo's shoulder. My brother didn't even flinch. He simply reached back, grabbed the wolf by the scruff of his neck, and hurled him into a nearby tree with a sickening crunch. Logan, ever the strategist, was using the terrain to his advantage. He'd back himself up against trees or rocks, forcing the enemy to come at him head-on where he could pick them off one by one. His jaws were a blur, snapping and tearing with deadly precision. At one point, I saw him take on three wolves at once, dancing between them with a grace that would have been beautiful if it wasn't so lethal.

We might be outnumbered, but we were far from outmatched.

A flash of movement caught my eye, and I turned just in time to see one of the Lynx stalking towards me, its yellow eyes gleaming with malice.

'Guys, we've got a cat problem,' I called out through our link, falling into a defensive crouch.

'Little busy here, Luca,' Logan grunted, his mental voice strained as he grappled with two particularly large wolves.

'Handle it,' Leo ordered, his own jaws currently wrapped around the throat of a snarling RiverFang wolf. 'You've got this, little brother.'

I swallowed hard, facing down the approaching Lynx. It was easily twice my size, with paws the size of dinner plates and claws that looked sharp enough to gut me in one swipe. But I was a King, dammit. I wasn't about to back down from some overgrown housecat.

The Lynx lunged, surprisingly fast for its size. I barely managed to dodge, feeling the wind of its massive paw as it sailed past my head. Taking advantage of its momentary overextension, I darted in, sinking my teeth into its hind leg. The taste of its blood was foul in my mouth, like rotten meat and something chemical. I gagged, but didn't let go, even as the big cat yowled and thrashed.

It managed to shake me off, sending me tumbling across the forest floor. I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the ache in my ribs where I'd hit a rock. The Lynx was already coming at me again, its eyes wild with pain and rage.

This time, I met its charge head-on. We collided in a tangle of fur and claws, rolling across the ground in a deadly dance. Its claws raked down my side, leaving trails of fire in their wake, but I barely felt it through the haze of adrenaline. I fought with everything I had, channeling every lesson, every sparring match, every bit of training we'd ever had. Finally, I saw my opening. As the Lynx reared back for another swipe, I lunged forward, clamping my jaws around its throat. I could taste its pulse, frantic and furious, against my tongue. I clenched my jaw and twisted.

There was a wet, tearing sound, and suddenly my mouth was filled with blood. The Lynx went limp, its massive body crashing to the ground and taking me with it.

For a moment, I just lay there, panting heavily. My entire body ached, and I could feel blood - mine and the Lynx's - matting my fur.

'Luca!' Logan's panicked voice cut through my daze. 'Behind you!'

I whirled around, my heart sinking as I saw a large, reddish-brown wolf bearing down on me. I was too slow, too tired from my fight with the Lynx. Its jaws clamped down on my hind leg, and white-hot pain exploded through me. I howled in agony, feeling flesh tear and bone creak under the pressure of its bite. Through the haze of pain, I could hear my brothers calling out to me, their voices frantic.

But their concern only fueled my determination. I was a King, an Alpha. I wouldn't go down like this.

Gritting my teeth against the pain, I twisted around, sinking my claws into the rogue's face. It yelped, loosening its grip just enough for me to wrench my leg free. I didn't give it time to recover. With a roar of fury, I lunged, my jaws closing around its throat.

I tasted blood again, but this time I welcomed it. With a savage jerk of my head, I tore the wolf's throat out. Its body went limp, blood spurting from the gaping wound in its neck. I spat out the chunk of flesh, a growl rumbling deep in my chest.

The remaining rogues seemed to falter at the sight, their confidence wavering. And then I heard the thundering of paws, the collective howl of our packmates coming to our aid. 'Cavalry's here, boys,' Logan called out, his mental voice tinged with relief and triumph.

The effect was immediate. The rogues, realizing they were about to be severely outnumbered, began to retreat. The remaining Lynx let out a yowl, signaling a full withdrawal.

We didn't let them go quietly. Along with the newly arrived warriors, we chased them to the border, snapping at their heels and letting out victorious howls. The message was clear: The Windridge Pack was not to be trifled with.

As the last of the rogues disappeared into the distance, the adrenaline began to fade, and the pain hit me full force. My leg felt like it was on fire, and I could feel blood still oozing from the wound.

'Luca?' Leo's concerned voice filled my head. 'You okay, little brother?'

I tried to respond, to assure them I was fine, but the world was starting to spin. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was my brothers' worried faces, their faces stained with blood of us and our enemies'. As consciousness slipped away, one thought floated through my mind:

'I hope Emily's okay...'