The wolf lunged at me, striking my hip and sending us both tumbling to the ground in a chaotic struggle. I scrambled to my feet, eager to regain my footing before the next attack, but the wolf was one step ahead of me. It charged again, sinking its teeth into my neck, and I let out a howl of agony as blood began to flow. 

The creature pressed its paws into the very spot it had bitten, digging in deeper and sending waves of pain coursing through me. My vision began to fade as I fought to shake it off, but its strength was overwhelming—like that of a trained warrior. 

In the midst of my struggle, I faintly heard the growls of two wolves in the distance. Just then, the weight of the attacking wolf was lifted, and I fought to keep my eyes open. Everything was a blur, but I could make out Mateo and Marcus engaged in a fierce battle with the wolf. 

As I struggled to remain conscious, Jackson suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He clamped his jaws around the wolf's neck, tearing it apart with ferocity. The wolf's lifeless body crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud. 

And then, everything went dark. 

POV: JACKSON 

I growled at Mateo and Marcus as they approached Saint. They quickly retreated, allowing me to move closer to him. Saint lay there, unconscious, with blood seeping from his neck. If JJ hadn’t sensed Alex’s fear, I wouldn’t have arrived in time. 

Shifting back to my human form, I carefully cradled Saint in my arms and headed home. I linked mentally with the pack doctor, urging them to come to my house immediately. As I walked through the pack, many members looked at me in confusion and dread. 

Upon returning home, I found the pack doctor already waiting for me. He followed me as I headed straight to my room. After carefully laying Saint on the bed, I stepped aside for the doctor to examine him. 

"His neck is cut, but it's not very deep. I’ll put a treatment on it and wrap it up. He’ll recover quickly," the doctor reassured me. 

"When will he regain consciousness?" I inquired. 

"I can’t say for certain, but it shouldn’t be long. He’ll be alright," he replied, and I nodded, observing his careful treatment on Saint. 

The pack doctor paused, then asked, "He’s your mate, isn’t he?" 

I was taken aback by the question. "How did you know that?" 

"Werewolves heal faster when they’re surrounded by their mate’s scent, and this is your room," he explained. I only nodded at that, not bothered about him knowing. 

A few minutes later, Chris entered. "Is he going to be alright?" 

"Yes, but this situation is getting serious, Chris. I need to find out who is trying to harm him." 

"Sam informed me that the guards at the borders haven’t reported any suspicious entry. Everything seems normal on their end." 

"Who would want Saint dead? He’s new to the pack." 

"Could it be old enemies from your past? Perhaps someone with a grudge against you?" 

"I’ve considered that, Chris. But nothing comes to mind. I haven’t had any conflicts with anyone in the pack. You know I’ve never been challenged for my title before." 

We were silent as we both delved into our memories. Regarding the Alpha title, my lineage had never faced a challenge before. I hadn’t dealt with any high school rivals or similar issues. 

This situation felt unfamiliar and unsettling. 

"Eli hasn't mentioned any rogue attacks to me. Did he say anything to you?" I inquired, and he shook his head in response. 

"Ever since Saint joined our pack, we haven’t seen any rogue activity. It’s odd; we used to have them every couple of days before he arrived." 

"This is getting increasingly complicated," Chris remarked, massaging his temples. 

"I can’t help but wonder what he was doing there initially." 

"Where? In Marcus's backyard?" 

"Yes. Mateo and Marcus were battling the wolf when I got there. How did he end up so badly injured while they were present?" 

Chris nodded slowly, lost in thought. 

"I'm suspicious of both of them. They should be locked up." 

"What?!" 

"We can’t trust them." 

"I get the concern about Marcus, but Mateo? He’s Saint's friend." 

When I remained silent, he let out a sigh. "Saint’s not going to like this." 

"With that cut on his neck, he doesn’t really have an option." 

"All done. With him here, he’ll recover more quickly. He should be okay," the pack doctor announced as he packed up his supplies. 

I nodded in acknowledgment. He gave a slight bow before leaving. 

"Arrange an urgent meeting with all the pack leaders. Let’s meet in my office by 4 PM." 

"Sure, but who will look after Saint in the meantime?" 

"He’ll manage on his own." 

"Alright, I need to go pick up the kids now." I nodded again, and then he left. 

I approached the bed and settled onto it, my gaze fixed on Saint. The doctor had wrapped his injury in bandages. My fingers reached out instinctively to caress his face, my eyes never leaving his. "You'll be alright, I promise." 

«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«» 

Our meeting with the pack's leaders had just wrapped up. I filled them in on the current situation and urged them to stay vigilant. Additionally, I requested any details they might have on the wolf that had attacked Saint earlier. It's important for me to know if there’s any link between this wolf and the woman who attacked him previously. 

"Did you catch the confused looks directed your way?" Chris inquired as we made our way home. 

"No, why do you ask?" 

"When are you going to reveal who Saint really is?" 

I let out a scoff. "Are they suggesting I don’t care about my pack?" 

"Enough to set up a meeting? I think it's best to tell them soon to prevent any wild speculation." 

"I’ll do it once everything has settled down." 

Upon arriving at my house, we went upstairs to check on Saint. The place was serene, with the kids over at Chris's. As the guards stationed at my door exited, they offered a slight bow. 

"Seven guards doesn’t exactly scream ‘manage on his own,’ you know," Chris teased. I chose to ignore him, prompting a soft chuckle from him in response. 

As we stepped inside, Saint and his mother turned their attention towards us. I noticed her eyes appeared slightly swollen. The guards had mindlinked me, asking whether she should be allowed to visit him. 

I glanced at Saint; his injury was almost healed. Our eyes met, and he shot me a disapproving look, which I returned with a frown of my own. 

"I should head home now. Please be safe, alright? Don’t make me worry," she urged, gently stroking his hair. 

"I’ll be fine, Mom. You don’t need to stress," he reassured her. 

She nodded and made her way to the door, where Chris and I stood waiting. "Please look after him," she implored me. 

"I will, I promise," I replied. She offered a strained smile before she nodded and left. 

"I’ll ensure she gets home safely," Chris said as he followed her out. 

It was just Saint and I, his intense stare still fixed on me. He walked towards me, asking, "Don’t you have something to say?" 

I let out a scoff. "I should be the one asking you that." 

"You locked my friend up." 

"Mateo isn't in a cell." 

"I was referring to Marcus. Mom mentioned you locked him up. What was your reason for that?" 

"You were at his place when the attack happened." 

"Yeah, we were going for a run." 

"You only met him today. He's now your friend and you trust him?" I asked, folding my arms. 

"I genuinely don’t think he’s involved. Like you pointed out, I hardly know him, so why would he want to harm me?" 

"That isn’t even the main issue. You left early this morning and didn’t come home after training. I searched for you and found you at the pack house, a place you shouldn’t have been." 

"And who’s to blame for that? I was trying to stay away from you after yesterday." 

"Look where that got you—your neck slashed open and on the brink of death!" I exclaimed, my voice thick with anger and frustration. 

He clenched his jaw, visibly upset. "I’m sorry I couldn’t fight off a wolf that’s twice my size and strength." 

"Then stop placing your trust in strangers. This is exactly why I didn’t want another mate; your arrival brought all of this!" The words slipped out before I could hold them back. 

His body tensed, fists clenched, and his eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry for coming here, and I’m sorry for being your mate," he said, pushing past me and slamming the door behind him.