My fated alpha by Natalie
Chapter 9

Hayden

I didn't even know when or how I had opened my arms and when she had slid into my embrace but it had felt the right thing to do. Madeleine was afraid and hurt and possibly someone had tried to take advantage of her.

The thought of Steve forcing him upon her made me feel murderously angry. She was sobbing in my chest and I let her cry as my hands closed around her in a warm embrace. I could feel her heart beating wildly and I gave her a minute to help her calm herself.

I had no idea how she had reached here or why but all I could be thankful for was that she was safe and in front of my eyes.

Charlie was surprised to see me hug a stranger or how that girl knew me but he didn't comment. I only asked him to give us some space and he obeyed me by leaving us alone.

When he had left, it was just me and her by the river. The only sound was of her quite sobbing and of the water gently flowing by. I tried to pat her hair and make her sit on a nearby boulder but she clung to me even tighter.

Not knowing what else to do, I only let her hug me thinking that she needed some comfort right now. As my eyes flitted through her shoulders, I saw that there were nail marks on her arms as if somebody had clawed at her.

It took me no time or effort to guess who it was. Luke growled at me and wanted to run through the forest and tear that a**hole into two but I stopped him.

Madeleine was hurt and she needed me. And I felt the need to be for her.

"Shh, it's okay, relax," I added in a gentle voice.

Listening to me, she nodded her head as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. My t-shirt had soaked wet due to the tears that had fallen down her eyes but at least she had stopped sobbing. I took her face in my hands and helped wipe the rest of the tears from her cheeks with the pad of my thumbs. Her eyes were swollen and puffed while her face looked red.

I had no idea how long had she been searching for me or why. Before I could ask her any of it, she looked me in the eye and whispered in a small voice, "I thought something had happened to you..." 'Something happened to me?'

My eyebrows furrowed at that line and I couldn't understand her. Trying to get a clearer picture, I reassured her, "Nothing has happened to me...see, I am fine, but why would you worry about me? It's you who is injured..."

Her hair looked a little matted and even her shoes looked as if she didn't own another pair. She looked at me with relief and it made me feel powerless.

Half of my mind wanted to run back to Garron and nail him on a wall for treating someone like this. How could he allow such filth of a person named Steve to even be in his pack?

Madeleine was trying to pull down her t-shirt to hide her skin and I immediately removed the t-shirt I was wearing and gave it to her. Her clothes were torn and I didn't want to take her to the packhouse like that. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I would have given her my jacket had I been wearing one but sadly I wasn't. Thus, I simply removed my shirt and held it out to her which she took reluctantly.

Wanting to give her some privacy, I turned around as she put on the shirt. She had been manhandled and I didn't want her to think that I was ogling at her.

After she was done, I felt a hand touch my back lightly. I turned around to see her wearing my shirt. It looked a little oversized and didn't fit her but that would have to do for now.

"Let's get you someplace safe to rest and then you can tell me what was the matter, alright?"

I asked her in a soft voice and she nodded her head while studying the ground. My shirt looked cute on her and I wanted to make her feel comfortable again.

But, I didn't know if I should take a step ahead and embrace her because I didn't want her to think that I was taking advantage of the situation.

Hence, I simply fell in step beside her and began walking through the forest. I mind-linked Charlie to ensure that nobody would be around while I took her to the packhouse and he only gave me a curt response.

But then he could wait.

"What about Garron? Are you done with your meeting with him?" He asked me and I replied, "Not yet"

My voice was annoyed and even Charlie sensed that I was trying to keep my anger at bay.

Garron had been loitering outside the office when he saw me walk towards the packhouse with a girl. His eyes looked at me meaningfully thinking that we two had been doing something.

I was shirtless after all. But when he saw who it was, his smile vanished.

Madeleine ducked behind me on seeing him and I slipped my hand into hers, trying to make her stand her ground.

If she kept running away from them, she would never grow strong.

Garron saw my hand intertwining with hers and asked, "May I ask what you are doing with my pack member, alpha?"

I snarled at him, "Doing what you should, caring for your own."

Gritting his teeth, he nearly bumped into me but I kept my eyes trained on him, "You very well know that this is my territory, don't you?"

He laughed at me mirthlessly, "Doesn't give you any right to be with one of my pack members."

"One, you are forgetting that she showed up near my territory to ask for help, so technically I am supposed to help her. Two, had your slime of a gamma treated her well, she wouldn't be in tattered clothes and bruised whenever I found her, and three....just shut up."

My voice was edgy and I almost barked the last three words.

Hearing me, even Garron staggered backward a little to see me lose my control. It was seldom that I showed my rage and he knew better than to argue with me.

Looking behind at Madeleine, I pulled her forward gently and began walking towards the packhouse.

Leading her to one of the empty rooms, I opened the door for her and said, "Please take your time and rest here until you feel okay. When you feel alright, you may come to that building and meet me in my office."

I said while pointing to my office that was on the other side of the packhouse. She nodded her head and I closed the door.

I would not have left her so scared and startled but I had Garron still eyeing me from outside.

Thus, I walked towards him with my fists clenched and my eyes that were anything but calm. Holding him by the arm, I dragged him into the office and slammed the door shut before yelling, "You are a disgrace in the name of both a werewolf and an alpha, do you know that?"

Before Garron could speak another word, I added, "I will train all the recruits and your betas and gammas of the other packs, on the condition that you sent your entire pack here to train as well." His eyes went wide at my statement. "No, my pack members are doing fine and I need them to help me prepare for the ball."

I knew he was lying. His pack members were good for nothing, at least from what I had seen on that night.

"I don't care how you manage things, that's for you to decide. But, if you want to not irk the other alphas, that is my condition."

Garron grew restless. The ball was a big event and his reputation would be at stake if the other alphas and their pack members decided to not show up. And, I knew how petty some of them could be. They would hold a grudge against him for not being able to convince me.

"But, that is not what we had agreed to earlier."

I held my ground.

"Agree to it now. I want to see how well trained your pack members are."

I knew I had used the line to hurt his ego. The pride of any alpha was his pack members' strength and if I could doubt his pack's strength, I was doubting on his 'alpha' claim as well.

Letting out a big sigh, he answered, "Look, Hayden. If this is about the girl, she can be yours, she is a wolfless abomination so she is of no real use to us. You can use her as your slave, I don't mind..." He tried to relax me but did the exact opposite. The anger that had been flaring inside me erupted as I heard those lines and before I could stop myself, my fist had connected with his jaw.

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