Chapter 12

Justin's POV

I allowed Melanie to train by herself. I didn't want to at first, but I decided to let her because I knew she could handle herself if anything went south. "What are some things that we need to address towards Shadow Dark Fire pack?" I looked around the room at each of the members. No one seemed to want to talk about it. Sighing, I gave up and flopped into my chair. "Alright, well, if no one wants to speak, then you may leave. We will continue this meeting another day." As if their tails were on fire, the men jumped up and sprinted out of the room. Sitting down, I shuffled through the papers sitting in front of me, and sometimes I hate being Alpha. Dealing with school, the pack, and everything is just too much. I had to take Melanie and me out of school because of everything that's happened. "Jesus, fuck!" Looking around, I picked up the Peace Treaty and read through it again. I agreed because of Melanie. Her best friend was in the pack now, yes Daemon is a bad guy, but I believe that Lilac will straighten him out. 'Justin, do we have a light brown wolf with one blonde eye in the pack?' Melanie's voice popped in through the mental link.

'Not that I know of Melanie, why?' I sat up and waited for her response, on the verge of shifting. 'Because there's one standing in front of me dripping blood and badly hurt. I am going to try to get him to shift. It'd be alright to bring him back to the packhouse, right?' I wanted to tell her no and to come back right away, but knowing Melanie as long as I've known her, she wouldn't be able just to leave someone there. Even a rouge. 'Just be careful little mate. If you need help, call for me, and I will be there in one second.' I took a deep breath and tried to focus on work, but I listened closely to Melanie's emotions. I trust her, but I am her mate. I have to be there to protect her no matter what. Grabbing my laptop, I started researching the Shadow Dark Fire pack. I had this uneasy feeling that this was Daemon, most likely before setting up the peace treaty. "Oh, what's this?" Clicking open a file, I read through it quickly. Shadow Dark Fire pack is known for using Rouges to get through to other packs. More commonly used to kidnap someone they want or need. Be cautious when creating treaties with Dark Shadow Fire. "Daemon, you better not have anything to do with this or that treaty will be on the line."

I was going to look into it more when a voice halted all my movements. "Justin!" Jumping up, I ran down the stairs. Melanie screamed my name. I knew something was wrong. Bursting into the living room there, Melanie stood holding up a bleed rouge. "Melanie, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Melanie looked up at me and shook her head. She moved towards me and gave me the rouges arm. "We need to help him." Fuck, this is a rouge. I shouldn't be helping him, but Melanie made her decision. There was nothing I could do to change her mind. I picked up the rouge and ran to the medical wing. "We need help here, Calum. "Quickly!" As soon as I finished my sentence, Calum was standing there full doctor mode. "What happened to him?" I glanced over at Melanie, and she was starring at the rouge. Rhydian growled slightly, but I pushed him back. 'Mate is starring at another male.' 'Stupid, she's Luna. She's caring for him.' Rhydian just grumbled and walked to the back of my mind. "He was cut twice on his chest with I believe a knife and then was in wolf form when he got cut on his abdomen. I don't know exactly what happened. I found him like this." Calum began working on the rouge, and Melanie stood by his side, holding his hand. I smiled, knowing that she was going to be the best Luna ever.

Hours had gone by; eventually, Calum had finished and moved us to a room. I stood by the door, arms crossed as Melanie waited by his bedside. "Thank you, Justin. I know Rhydian must be angry but thank you for letting me stay by him. I don't want him to be alone." My heart swelled. Melanie was perfect. "You are welcome, Rhydian can deal with this for now. This just proves to him how well of a Luna you are." Melanie's head snapped over to me, cheeks red as ever, she smiled and turned back towards the rouge. "What's his name?" Melanie sighed and lowered her head. "His name is Ace. That's all I got before he passed out." Ace gasped and jumped up. He retracted his hand away from Melanie and pulled his body into a small ball. Looking around, he made eye contact with me. "Where am I?" His voice was scratchy, and he sounded terrified. "In the Black Night Pack medical ward." Ace's eyes grew wide as his eyes flickered to Melanie. "Why?" Ace started to look around again, but Melanie gained his attention. "You were hurt, and I found you out in the woods with rouges. They used you as bait. You passed out on me, so I brought you here." Ace's facial features turned from scared to confusion. "But what about my Alpha? How did I end up with rouges?" I pushed myself off the wall and took a step forward. I stopped in my tracks when Ace gasped and crawled away from me. "I don't think you have a pack, Ace. We can double-check in my office." Backing up, I nudged Melanie, and she got the memo. Melanie took a step towards Ace and helped him stand up. I walked out and headed to my office. As soon as I sat down, Melanie walked in, holding Ace up with one of his arms. "Alright, Ace, what was your pack's name. I will try to see if there's a way to contact them." Ace hesitated and looked at Melanie for permission, she nodded, and Ace took a seat in the chair in front of me. "Star Light Pack." My eyes went wide at that name. I knew what happened. There was a rouge attack, no survivors, or so I thought. "November 23. Star Light Pack was attacked by rouges and destroyed. There were no survivors as far as anyone knew, but I guess there was one since you are here." Ace's face froze, so many emotions flashed through his eyes until it landed on one. Sadness. Tears started pouring down his face, and Ace emitted a heart-wrenching cry from his mouth. Melanie rushed to his side and pulled Ace into her arms. I sat there listening to Ace completely breakdown. Whimpers and moans were the only sound I could hear. "Shh, shh. Ace, you are going to be okay. You are not alone. You have me. You have this pack. You are apart of our pack." Melanie glanced up at me for permission, and I nodded. Ace needed a pack. He has gone through so much, and I knew Alpha Brice would want someone to take care of his pack member. Ace looked up at Melanie, and he looked so broken. "Really?" Melanie nodded and cradled Ace to her. "Yes, you are in my pack. I will take care of you. Nothing will ever hurt you again. You will find your mate, and you will live a happy life. No one will ever, and I mean ever hurt you again. If they do, they will have to deal with Justin and me." I smiled at my mate. There she was helping a wolf in need. This picture right here describes what Luna is. This picture right here made me fall more in love with Melanie.

Eventually, Melanie had gotten Ace to stop crying. Standing up, I walked over to the two of them and looked at Ace. "I, Justin Norris Alpha of Black Night Pack, hereby announce that Ace. What's your last name?" Ace looked up at me and smiled slightly. "Ace Franzen." My body went cold. Franzen. Like Alpha Franzen from Star Light Pack. "You were Alpha Brice Franzen's son?" Ace's smile disappeared, and a sad look replaced it. "Yes, I was being announced Alpha when we had gotten attacked. I was sent away by my mother. She made me run. I thought they survived. I didn't know they were. That they were dead." His eyes filled with tears again, but Melanie jumped in again. "Ace, it's okay. You had to listen to your mother. If you didn't, I wouldn't have found you." Shuffling my feet, I lightly grabbed Ace's arm. Pulling Ace to his feet, I brought him into a hug, and I hugged him tightly. Alpha Brice was like a second father to me since mine had passed. "I, Justin Norris Alpha of Black Night Pack hereby announce you, Ace Franzen, a pack member of Black Night Pack." Pulling away, I looked at Ace.

"No matter what, my pack now protects you by me. You are one of my wolves now. I will help you get better. I will help teach you everything. No one will ever hurt you again, Ace." Ace nodded and wiped the tears from his eyes. He took a step back and took a deep breath. "Thank you. Both of you. I don't think I would be alive if it weren't for you two. I will train hard, and I will become a good member. For now, I am going to look around and shower if that's alright, Alpha." I nodded and watched as he walked out of the room. Looking down at Melanie, I noticed that she hadn't moved an inch. "Melanie, what's wrong? I thought you'd be happy right now?" Crouching down, I saw that the tears had not stopped falling her beautiful face. Grabbing her arm, I hauled Melanie into my arms, just as a throat scratching cry left her body. "Breathe, baby. Take a deep breath." Melanie bawled her eyes out into my shoulder, letting everything that she had kept it out. "It's okay. Melanie, we saved him." Taking a deep breath in, Melanie looked up at me. Her arm snaked around the back of my neck, and she yanked me down to her. Melanie's lips landed on mine as she kissed me roughly. Kissing her back, I slowly shifted our position so that Melanie was straddling my hips. Pulling away, Melanie looked into my eyes. "Thank you, Justin. I didn't properly thank you earlier. I could only take so much of the heartache. Ace has gone through so much, but it started to get to me." I shushed her with my finger. "I know. Why do you think I walked over to the both of you. I felt your emotions shift. I will always be here, no matter what. You are not alone, either. I will be your rock. I will be the person that you can cry your eyes out too. I am your mate."