Saved By The King’s Gamma novel Chapter 12

I thrash trying to break free of his grip. “I reject you; I reject you!!” I scream, but his grip doesn’t relent, nor does he seem bothered by my words. Instead Kade tosses me to the ground, and I try to crawl away from him.

“Doesn’t work like that, love. That is not how you reject someone,” he growls behind me, and I can hear his feet crunching the dried leaves and grass as he stomps after me. My arms and legs feel weak as I claw the ground trying to find the strength to stand, when I hear a visceral scream ring out. My entire body jolts as I turn my head expecting to see Kade, but my eyes move to Ivy, and the rock clutched in her hand as she rushes at him. Kade spins and easily deflects her raised hand. Kade and Ivy crash to the ground. The rock flies from her grip as he lands on top of her. Kade growls, trying to pin her.

“What are you doing here?” He snaps at her, holding her down on her back. I panic as adrenaline forces me to my feet to snatch the rock. Ivy struggles against him trying to toss his weight off and I react. My mind operates on pure instinct screaming ‘not her!’ as I strike him on the top of the head with as much strength as I can muster. Kade abruptly freezes and tenses.

His head cracks open, blood soaking his hair and pain ripples through the bond and I grit my teeth against the now pounding headache his pain is causing me. Yet still, it isn’t enough because Kade turns to attack me. I back away when Ivy grabs his ankle, tripping him. Not losing my chance, I smash him in the head with the rock again, and he seems stunned for a second as he stares at me in horror then goes limp, his body crashing face down and unmoving at my feet.

The rock drops from my hand as Ivy and I rush to her, tears streaming down my face as I help her sit properly.

“Ivy!” I panic, clutching her arms as I haul her upright. A sigh escapes her, and I grab her face in my hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Only the moment I do, Ivy’s eyes go behind me and I freeze feeling the bond stir to life inside me as he regains consciousness.

“Abbie!” Ivy gasps, and I turn to see Kade stumble on his feet, I shove Ivy behind me.

“Can you shift?” Ivy asks me and I bite back a whimper knowing I can’t and shake my head.

“You?” I ask hopeful. I glance at Ivy only my eyes are drawn to her stomach which is bleeding profusely. I hadn’t noticed the blood coating her, or the wound it is pouring from. Ivy gasps and clutches her stomach. She shakes her head, making me whimper, knowing she is hurt because of me. Suddenly, howls in the distance ring out loudly, sending my blood cold. An icy shiver slivers up my spine as I glance back toward the forest knowing Kade has called on his pack.

“That’s his pack, he’s called on his pack,” I tell her in panic knowing we need to get out of here.

“We need to get to Dustin! But I can’t shift,” Ivy chokes out, while nodding toward the treeline. I peer over at the steep incline when I am suddenly tackled. I scream when Kade sinks his teeth into my neck, re-marking me and reinforcing our bond. Wolves burst from the trees and across the road, coming out from behind the service station, racing toward us. He rips his teeth from my neck and turns toward his men.

“You can’t touch the girl!” Kade screams at them while pointing at Ivy before turning his attention back to me. He grips my shoulders, slamming me onto the ground. My head bounces off the ground and I see the stars above, blurring as they twinkle back at me.

“Submit!” Kade screams at me. My body seizes at his command and I blink dazed at him.

I shake my head, trying to fight it off, and Ivy falls on the ground beside me trying to shove him off.

My eyes go wide when I see wolves rushing straight at us, snapping their teeth and snarling at us. I close my eyes, waiting for my death, I reach out and grip Ivy’s fingers, as my head rolls to the side to look at her.

“More than my life,” I whisper, tears filling my eyes as my lips quiver.

“More than my life,” Ivy murmurs, closing her eyes and I do the same waiting for death. Together we wait for death, like we have before. Their paws on the earth grow closer when I hear a feral snarl rip through the air, bouncing off the trees, and I hear the wolve’s claws digging into the soft ground as they skid around us.

My eyes fly open to find Dustin stepping over the top of us in his Lycan form. Dustin kicks Kade in the face as he tries to stand. Blood drenches him as he moves to block them from us. Dustin growls, but it comes out with more of a roar. The wolves jump back, and Kade gets to his feet and staggers backward.

“Kill him,” Ivy murmurs to Dustin. My eyes flicker as I fight to remain conscious.

“If I do, it may kill Abbie,” he growls, and I glance at Ivy, tears glistening in her eyes.

“Reject her now!” Dustin tells Kade, speaking through gritted teeth. However, there was no command behind it. Rolling on my side, Ivy grabs Dustin’s leg, and his hand reaches down, gripping her arm to pull her upright.

“Order him!” Ivy chokes out with a gasp as I try to get up.

“I can’t,” Dustin grinds out, and I look at him, not understanding.

“You’re Lycan,” Ivy whispers to him.

“I’m under oath. Being a Royal Guard, I can’t break a mate bond. It is the law and pact sworn to be upheld. I am bound by that oath, Azalea!” he snarls.

Kade laughs, getting to his feet and I glance at him, my entire body trembling.

“Come here, Abbie.” Kade orders, and I feel the command as my eyes glaze over. My body obeys and forces me to my feet, and I take a step toward him, though I want to run from him. My heart skips a beat as I dazedly start walking around Ivy toward my mate, tears prick my eyes, a whimper escaping me unable to fight the command. Dustin grabs my arm, and Kade clicks his tongue.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Kade says to him, as his pack of wolves start circling around us. We are severely outnumbered. Dustin glances around nervously. Lycans are lethal, but against fifty plus wolves, I am not sure how we will fare when Dustin is the only one who is shifted.

“You are aware of the repercussions, Dustin! Don’t be foolish!” Kade snarls. Dustin’s grip on my arm is unwavering, preventing me from going to Kade despite the pain the command is causing me. And his other hand holding Ivy against him when she moves behind him her hand locks around my arm.

Ivy rips me backward and away from Kade. Gripping my arms, she shakes me, but my fresh mark seems to have done something because I can’t break the urge to go to him.

“Abbie, reject him!” Ivy murmurs, shaking me.

Kade laughs and steps forward, which makes Dustin growl threateningly.

“You can’t touch me! I am just collecting my mate. I haven’t injured your queen, only tried to hold her. Though by law I could! Considering she tried to take my mate from me by force,” Kade says cockily. “You do anything, and I have a lot of witnesses,” Kade says, motioning around to his pack. Dustin moves in front of us, but even I know if he attacks Kade, the rest of those wolves would rip us apart.

“Abbie, reject him!” Ivy begs and I try to fight off his command.

Kade laughs louder and claps his hands. “She really doesn’t know, and she is expected to be our queen? Pathetic! Foolish girl. You would expect the king to have more sense to pick a mate more suited to the position and keep his whore on the side! She can’t run a pack. Noble blood or not, she isn’t fit for the title,” Kade chuckles.

“Hold your tongue, mutt! You do not know what you speak of!” Dustin snaps at him.

“No? Your oblivious queen isn’t aware of the law. Should I educate her simple mind?” Kade mocks.

Ivy glances at him over her shoulder. “For Abbie to reject me, I have to accept it. Which I won’t. She will never leave me.”

“No! She rejects you, she can come home,” Ivy tells him.

“Wrong. There’s a minor flaw in the king’s law. Both parties must accept. And if one doesn’t, it is decided by the council. Only then is it forced. But until then, she is mine! And I would like to collect her, now!” Kade says, moving toward us. I peek at Dustin out of the corner of my eye, whose entire body is tensed, and Ivy glances back at me. She shakes me furiously, her eyes flickering and glowing fluorescent and her teeth turn to points.

“Reject him!” she snaps at me.

“Abbie, reject him!” Ivy yells in my face, the words more of a roar and I am jolted by it. Something she says clicks, and I feel Kade’s command snap and straighten, blinking away the haze of his command, shaking my head.

“I don’t know how. It didn’t work,” I murmur, coming out of whatever stupor I was in.

“He is an Alpha, you have to reject him as your mate and as your Alpha. State your full name and reject him using his title,” Dustin murmurs, not taking his eyes off Kade. “But he is right, Azalea,” Dustin glances at me. “I can’t force him to accept it,” Dustin whispers.

“Reject him,” Ivy tells me, a spark of pure determination glistens in her eyes as she shakes me, her features twisting into a feral snarl of her rage. Kade just laughs evilly. Stepping toward me, his hand goes to wrap around my arm.

“Come, Abbie,” Kade says, clicking his fingers at me when I pull away only to be resized by his command. Ivy swallows, when my body pushes past her and she grabs both my arms, jerking me back to her, her grip tight.

“Reject him!” Ivy growls, and much to my astonishment, I do, feeling her aura wash over me stronger than anything I have ever felt before. My body turns and looks at Kade, the words spilling from my lips clearly.

“I, Abbie Marie Barker, reject you, Alpha Kade, as my mate and Alpha!” I snap. Kade growls, clutching his chest while I shake my head and blink rapidly, the command falling off me.

“I, Alpha Kade, reject your rejection!” he snarls, and I whimper, knowing it is of no use. Yet I feel Ivy begin to shake and she lets me go stepping past me. Her aura makes me cringe as it slips out powerful and strong.

“Accept it!” she roared, and it was like a burst erupted out of her. Her words don’t feel like words, but something else entirely. All the surrounding wolves yelp and cry out. I feel the tingling sensation wash over my body and out of me as the command takes hold of him and makes him tense.

“I Alpha Kade, accept your rejection, as my Luna and Mate!” Kade blurts out, unable to fight the command. I scream, clutching my chest and falling to my knees as it feels like my heart is ripped from my chest and burned to a crisp. Kade staggers backward, clutching his chest, looking dazed while I try to breathe through the pain.

Rattled by what happened, Kade shakes his head. “You stupid girl!” he snarls before lunging at Ivy. Dustin is quicker however, and punches him, sending him flying backward when all the wolves suddenly run toward us menacingly.

“Run!” Dustin screams as he starts fighting them off and keeping them from us. The sound of flesh tearing mixes with the horrible sound of whimpers and broken bones as Dustin grabs any wolf that gets too close. The sounds are savage, but as he got rid of one, another came in its place.

My heart thuds painfully in my chest, and Ivy grabs my arm, pulling me to my feet. We run for the trees, and I hear Dustin fending them off. Wolves start dropping like flies as he takes them out. We start racing up the hill, only for one to slip past him, pouncing on us, and knocking us down.

The moment we both hit the ground, Ivy’s weight crushes me. Then the weight lifts abruptly, and a furious growl rings through the air. His feet are next to my face, and I gasp, staring over to see the king in his Lycan form. The wolf that attacked us was held off of us by his hand wrapped around its throat. He squeezes his hand, and I squeeze my eyes shut tight when I hear the sickening crunch of its neck breaking before he flings it away.

The king glares down at Ivy, and I drop my gaze back to the ground at the angry look on his face when he steps over us. Gannon is right behind him, and he grabs both me and Ivy, pulling us to our feet and away from the fighting.

“Thank Goddess!” I hear him murmur, clutching us tightly in his arms. I look down toward Dustin, who is still fighting the wolves. Suddenly, Kyson’s aura slips out, and his voice booms around us, echoing through the night.

“Enough! Now, stop!” he bellows, and everyone freezes under his command. Dustin clutches his knees breathlessly. Kyson stomps past him and shoots him a glare as he makes his way to Kade.

Kade backs away from the king, his hands raised in surrender. At this moment, he truly looks like the Lycan King. He towers over everyone, standing tall and intimidating. Power oozes off him and his aura feels deadly, suffocating the wolves pinned to the ground by it.

“I have done nothing wrong! I was merely getting my mate!” Kade chokes out before falling backward as the king’s massive Lycan form growls menacingly, stalking toward him with calculated steps.

“Wrong,” Kyson says with a deadly calm. Somehow, that made him even more sinister as I watch him approach Kade. Kade shakes his head, and the wolves all look away from him, cowering and whimpering.

“I hereby sentence you to death for treason!” King Kyson tells him, stepping on Kade’s foot and making him fall on his ass.

“Treason? But I didn’t commit treason!” Kade stammers, his voice more of a petrified squeak.

“Wrong! You touched my queen! Your pack just tried to kill her!” The king snarls, grabbing the front of his shirt and jerking him forward.

“And for that, I sentence you to death!” The king snaps before punching him square in the face. Or I thought he hit him until I heard Kade gasp and the sickening sound of flesh on flesh and a gross tearing noise. The wolves near him wail, writhing on the ground in what looked like pain. The king shoves him backward, letting him go.

His back is tense when he drops something on the ground, his breathing loud while the muscles of his back flex. Kyson peers around at the wolves as they all run for the trees. I notice Cassandra standing out the front of the service station. I can’t make out her features with my blurry vision but seeing her for some reason makes goosebumps rise all over me as she watches. She then simply turns and walks away, disappearing into the night.

I feel the bile rise in my throat when I realize what Kyson dropped was Kade’s heart. Kyson then turns toward us, and his eyes go to Dustin. Ivy struggles in Gannon’s grip. I watch, horrified, as Kyson stalks toward Dustin like a predator hunting its prey.

Dustin doesn’t even move like he simply accepts the repercussions. Lycans burst from the treeline forming a circle around us, looking for any threat having caught up with their king. Damian is among them. I turn my attention back to Dustin, only to see Kyson punch him so hard it knocks him out cold. Dustin drops at Kyson’s feet, and he just takes it. He doesn’t even fight back, just allows the king to hit him.

Ivy whimpers seeing her friend hurt, and the king’s head snaps in her direction. He snarls, his upper lip pulling back to reveal his razor-sharp teeth. He moves toward us, and Ivy presses closer to me, a sob tears out of me seeing his anger at her. Would he hurt her for helping me? Gannon tries to soothe me whispering in my ear.

“Grab him!” Kyson snaps at Damian as he passes him on his way toward us. His eyes do not leave Ivy. Damian rushes to do his bidding and grabs Dustin, tossing him over his shoulder. Kyson nods to Gannon, and he lets Ivy go as the king approaches. His eyes look her over before he grabs her.

“You disobeyed me!” The king growls. “And now you’re injured!” he snaps at her. Ivy groans in pain and tries to defend herself, my hands raise to reach for her when Gannon pins my arms by my sides.

“But Abbie…” Ivy tries to say before he cuts her off.

“No, Abbie,” Gannon cuts me off gently but insistently. “I know you’re worried, but right now, the king isn’t safe to be around. Don’t provoke him while she is in that state.”

I force myself to stay still, though it’s agonizing not to do something. I sniff the air slightly, and a strange, heady scent hits me, making my nose wrinkle instinctively. It’s so strong, almost overpowering. I glance at Kyson again. His jaw is clenched tightly, his entire body tense as if it’s taking every ounce of his willpower not to act on whatever urges are clawing at him.

The rest of the ride is tense and quiet, the only sounds coming from the wind outside the open windows and Kyson’s heavy breathing. It feels like hours before we finally pull into the driveway. As soon as we stop, Gannon wastes no time opening the door and helping me out of the car. I’m relieved to be outside, but that relief is short-lived when Liam appears, his expression serious.

“The boys?” Gannon asks immediately, and I stare at Gannon wondering what he is talking about.

“Clarice has them. They are both tucked away in their beds, safe,” Liam answers. Damian clears his throat, drawing everyone’s attention back to the car. I move closer wondering why he hasn’t got out of the car with Azalea yet. “Kyson, where do you want me to put Dustin?” Damian asks the king.

I stiffen slightly at the mention of Dustin, my eyes darting to Kyson who I can just make out inside the car. I know how close Azalea and Dustin are, but right now, Kyson doesn’t look like the king I know, he looks dangerous, unhinged, a predator barely holding himself back.

“My King, I’m not making excuses for him; he did the wrong thing, but…” Liam starts to say wandering closer to the car, but Kyson’s sharp growl cuts him off. Liam presses his lips together tightly, not saying another word. I can tell Liam is protective of Dustin, but it’s clear Kyson’s patience is thin.

Damian steps closer, one hand on the car door, lowering his voice. “You know it wouldn’t have been a deliberate act of putting her in harm’s way,” he says carefully. “Just think of Azalea’s reaction before you act, My King. You know she won’t be happy if you hurt him.”

“He needs to be punished,” Kyson mutters darkly, and I shiver at the cold finality in his tone and glance at Gannon nervously, surely he wouldn’t hurt his own guard, right?

Damian nods, though he doesn’t look pleased. “He does, but maybe sleep on it tonight and clear your head before deciding what that punishment should be. Dungeons? Or am I sending him to his room?”

“Fuck!” Kyson curses under his breath, clearly torn.

“His room. I will deal with him tomorrow,” Kyson finally says, though it’s obvious he’s far from happy about it. Damian gives a brief nod of acknowledgement and starts walking away to handle Dustin, but Kyson remains where he is, frozen in place.

I watch him closely, noticing the sheen of sweat on his forehead and the rigid way he’s holding himself. He hasn’t moved from the car, and something about his expression makes my stomach knot with unease.

“My King?” Damian asks cautiously, holding the door open.

“I can’t move,” Kyson grits out, his voice strained.

I feel Gannon tense beside me, and even Damian looks momentarily uncertain. None of us know what to do. Kyson looks on the verge of losing control, and the last thing anyone wants is for him to snap.

“Right, I um… I can take her,” Damian offers hesitantly, though it’s clear he’s not confident in that suggestion.

There’s a long, tense silence before Kyson speaks, his voice low and hoarse. “Please ask Dustin to come take her.”

The tension in the air is almost unbearable, but Damian doesn’t hesitate to get Dustin, but I don’t see where from, my focus on the car.

“You should head inside,” Gannon tells me nudging me toward the doors of the castle, his hand on my lower back, we barely step inside when we freeze hearing Damian’s panicked voice.

“Kyson!” Damian calls out. Gannon rushes back out and I stand in the doorway watching in horror. Damian is struggling to hold the king who has collapsed, Gannon and Liam are quick to help while Dustin is clutching Azalea’s limp body.

“He’s burning up,” Gannon mutters, leaning over to inspect Kyson. I can see beads of sweat rolling down the king’s face, his breathing coming in ragged gasps. His usually commanding presence is gone, replaced by something fragile and unsettling.

“What’s happening to him?” I whisper, my voice trembling as I glance between Gannon and Damian.

Gannon gives me a quick glance. “The king’s bond with Azalea. Her scent—her heat—it’s overwhelming his senses. She refused to mate because he wouldn’t retrieve you; this is a consequence of that. Lycans can’t ignore their heat cycles; it affects both the male and female.” He glances at Kyson again, his expression tense.

“Wait, she came to get me knowing she was in heat?” I ask horrified at the sacrifices she continually makes because of me.

“The king stopped her heat but it didn’t stop for him, and now she is injured and her medication worn off, they are in full blown heat. I should lock them in a fucking room until they complete the bond,” Damian growls angrily, like this whole situation has him infuriated.

I nod slowly. It makes sense, in a way, but seeing the king like this—vulnerable and barely holding on—feels strange. He’s always seemed so untouchable, so powerful. To see him brought low by something he can’t control is… unsettling.

“We need to get them inside,” he says. “Gannon, help me carry the king,” Damian says.

Gannon steps forward to assist Damian. Together, they lift Kyson, careful not to jostle him too much. The king mumbles something under his breath, but his words are slurred and unintelligible. Azalea remains unconscious, her head resting against Dustin’s shoulder as they start toward the castle.

I trail behind them, feeling out of place. My body aches with every step, but I push the pain aside, too concerned about Azalea—and even Kyson—to care about my own discomfort. I watch as they disappear through the grand doors of the castle, leaving me standing outside in the cool night air, unsure of what to do.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but the weight of everything that’s happened crashes down on me. I was rescued—but at what cost? Azalea is unconscious, the king is barely holding on, and I’m standing here covered in dried blood, dirt, and the lingering scent of Kade.

I swallow hard, pushing the memories away. This isn’t the time to fall apart.

I take a shaky step forward, forcing myself to follow them inside. Chaos reigns the moment I step through the grand doors. Damian yells for assistance echo through the corridor, summoning other guards to help. Gannon and Damian rush past me, carrying Kyson toward his quarters while Dustin follows with Azalea. My heart clenches at the sight of her, so small and fragile in his arms.

Standing in the corridor, I don’t know what to do with myself. I feel like a ghost, invisible amidst the frantic movement of guards and servants. I want to follow them, to check on Azalea, but I know better. The timing isn’t right. The king is unwell, and they’ll be focused on him. I’d only be in the way.

My gaze drifts back toward where they disappeared down the hall, and for a moment, I’m torn. Should I wait here for Gannon? Or go find Clarice? I hesitate, unsure. Gannon already did so much for me. I don’t want to be a burden by bothering him now.

Uncertain of what to do, I walk around. The castle feels both familiar and foreign at the same time. It’s strange being back here, like stepping into a life I thought I’d left behind.