His Ghost

His Rage. 21

Erikas POV

Pushing through the medical unit doors, anger surged within me. I wanted to blame Carter for Emma's capture. But my attention snapped to the escalating confrontation in front of me. Carter and Rodney stood toe-to-toe, both their alpha personalities now clashing. Max, Niko, and Guy looked ready to attack Rodney at a moment's notice. It was a mess. And this was pent-up rage well beyond what happened with Emma.

Aiden and Sam attempted to keep the peace. Leo's enforcers tensed nearby; all eyes fixated on a rapidly unravelling Carter. Suddenly, another Alpha charged in with four men - all eager for a fight.

To my horror, Carter openly claimed me as his mate and called out Rodney for his death wish on me. With unleashed fury, he tackled Rodney through a glass wall. A maelstrom of blood, sweat, and adrenaline filled the room as more joined the fray. The scent of power hung heavy in the air.

Despite efforts to pull them apart, Guy and Carter's Lycan strength made it impossible. As quickly as it began, chaos ceased. Guy and Carter released their grip on Rodney, who lay broken on the floor. This would have severe consequences for Carter.

The ground quaked; furniture splintered, and glass shattered as Carter's power surged. He flung Rodney through the glass wall, Guy on his heels. Blood, sweat, and adrenaline filled the air. They mingled with the Alphas' and Enforcers' scents of power and dominance.

Attempts to separate Guy and Carter were in vain. Both possessed formidable strength from their Lycan lineage. Rodney was lost beneath a heap of bodies. He must have made it to challenge Carter.

As suddenly as it began, the brawl ceased. Guy and Carter released Rodney, leaving his battered form sprawled on the floor. The thought crossed my mind: Carter might face severe repercussions for this.

Carter now stood against the wall. I watched as he slid down on his haunches, his head dropping into his hands. He looked exhausted, emotionally broken and vulnerable. Something deeper, forgiving and desperate to help him, shot through me. I wasn't sure what he needed.

Then his eyes met mine. He shot up like a rocket, with an injured and unsure gaze on me. Something in his eyes, most likely his wolf, told me he wanted me near him. But did he? My emotional awkwardness and fear of rejection held me to my spot against the wall.

I was at a loss, my mind racing as I looked across the room at Carter. This was not the side of him I had ever seen before. I was never anybody's girlfriend or friend who consoled and tendered to people emotionally. I fought, I defended, I strategized.

I felt my Lycan pulse like a rapidly beating heart in my head. The thunderous noise of my spirit side demanded to be heard. 'She is the other half of my soul. Ignore it at your peril,' my family and ancestors said. I followed her lead and took a chance.

An injured Alpha was a dangerous species. Would he reject me, scream at me, and make a scene? Would he see me as the cause of his problems, as he had before? Or was he more broken than even his ego could override? I approached Carter cautiously. I held my heart in my hand, which may be about to take another beating.

I took his hand, gently squeezing it to say it would be OK. I was there, and he returned the same gentle squeeze. I nudged him back towards the floor where he had sat earlier, in his thoughts.

We remained like that for so long, everyone moving around us. Finally, he broke the silence. The pulsing in my head stopped, replaced by a gentle hum running through my veins.

It was not long before Monica and Erika arrived, and then Henley. Henley epitomized a self-made Shifter; old and new money smelled very different.

Like Theo, he was scarred, tattooed and fierce. He looked no more than Carter's age—nothing like the glamour boys of Carter's Team.