The Guardian Wolf And Her Alpha Mate
The Guardian Wolf and her Alpha Mate Chapter 149

Jax POV:

Walking to the pack hospital I feel the conflicted emotions

Nova is feeling so I wrap my arm around her shoulder comfortingly.

"The rest of the pack will be arriving in a couple of hours" I tell them both as I get a mindlink from Theo who I had asked to organise it.

"I'm looking forward to seeing them" Nova says with a genuine smile at the news.

"They're all ready to be home' Laurence agrees as his eyes brighten at the news his mate and pups will be home soon.

"We made the right decision sending them away" I say thinking back to the gruesome sight that was left for us last night. The dead have now been burnt and the fallen warriors were all ready to be transported to their respected packs for their traditional burials. Ours will be done once the full pack is in attendance.

"We did" Nova says quietly after a moment, her nerves growing as we reach her mother's door.

Pausing i hold her chin gently and look into her eyes, "I'm right with you" I murmur before kissing her softly.

"Thank the goddess for that" she chuckles lightly makes Laurence laugh from behind us. Holding her head high she pushes the door open without a second thought and walks into her mother's room, any sign of nerves long gone as the Luna within her becomes apparent.

"Athena?" I hear a timid voice whisper as I look towards the bed to see the hazel eyes of her mother trained on my mate.

Taking in her appearance I see the dark circles standing out against her pale skin, her eyes bloodshot and red from crying. Whilst her hands are shaking at her side, showing her fragility.

"It's just Nova now please mum" Nova says quietly as she moves closer. "How are you feeling?"

Feeling her sense of helplessness float through the bond as she takes in her mothers appearance I stay close behind, my hand resting on her lower back showing my support.

"Lost" her mum says with a sad smile. "I feel as if I'm a stranger in my own body."

"You will be ok mum" Nova whispers as I see Lizzie bite her lip unsure of Novas words. "What did they do to you? You look so much weaker than earlier this week?"

Taking a shakey breath in she gives Nova a heartbroken smile, "ll tell you what I can I promise. My memory is fragmented, some seem to be just out of reach, blurry almost" she says pursing her lips. "I'm weak without Cedric's magic coursing through me, but I'll take that over being under his control any day."

"Where were you all this time?" Nova asks.

Seeing her natural skin is deathly pale and lacking colour I murmur quietly, "were you kept in the bunkers too?"

Her eyes flash to mine and all I can see is pain in them, "yes" she whispers. "I was their prisoner, one they experimented on and kept alive solely to get your father and you. I was Cedric's little toy."

"When did they get you?" I ask, "how long after you dropped Nova off with her brothers family?"

"Days, that's it" she winces. "Without your father I was no good at staying hidden. I tried, I really tried" she cries as tears pour down her face. "But I'm weak, I always have been."

"You don't strike me as weak mum" Nova says quietly. "You have survived all this time, you have inner strength that people would be jealous of. I can tell."

Offering Nova a watery smile Lizzie shakes her head in defeat, "I was weak Nova. I should have fought for you both more, tried to get away. But I gave up on life, on everything. I would have died of my own doing if it wasn't for Cedric's magic. It was all a mask." "You've survived a mate bond breaking" I point out quietly.

"A mate bond that had been forced away from me for years, one that had weakened so much that it was barely there" she whispers as she shakily wipes her tears from her face. "My Kingsley thought I didn't love him."

"He knew" Nova interrupted. "He knew you did in your heart, you saw his reaction when he saw you. The guilt he felt because he hadn't found you was strong but the love shining in those eyes of his was even stronger. The matebond is what made you remember him, what got you out of whatever twisted world Charles and Cedric had created around you."

"I forgot how good those sparks felt" she says with a sad smile as she closes her eyes for a moment. "Now they're gone forever, I never even got chance to apologise to him."

"Do you know about Sophie?" Nova asks quietly as Lizzie eyes flash open looking surprised by her question before nodding slowly.

"I do" she whispers. "I was there, made to watch everything.

I'd had two years of being alone, confined in a cell underground not seeing the light of day. Then I was brought into a room and Cedric was there, on the other side there was your father. But I couldn't sense him like I normally could, nor could he sense me. Cedric's magic got between us, at the time I was heartbroken, watching my mate with another. I felt all the pain and heartbreak a mate would, the stabbing in my heart was so horrific I screamed until I passed out. To physically see it broke me. But he never once reacted, not once. I knew deep down he wasn't himself and that he would never betray me like that, but with everything Cedric did to me overtime I began to believe he'd done it because I left him." "That's awful" I say sadly as Nova begins to cry quietly

"She's telling the truth, her emotions are so raw" she sobs through the bond as I bring her into my side

"Sophie is here mum" Nova says after a moments quiet.

Lizzie freezes at that comment staring at the sheet covering her before slowly looking at Nova.

"She's alive?" She whispers.

"She is. I don't know exactly how, perhaps Sophie does, but her mum died to protect her and our father. Shes mated to my adoptive brother. Luca" Nova says with a smile at the fact. When Lizzie doesn't reply Nova speaks again.

"I know it may be hard." she begins before Lizzie hastily interrupts her.

"I don't blame her Nova. For the first time in 25 years I can think and see clearly, she is the product of my father and Cedric's misdeeds. She is a part of Kingsley, of my mate" she says. Her voice the strongest it has been since speaking to us. "Her mother died for her, the ultimate sacrifice. Can I meet her?" She asks her voice trembling at the end.

"Of course" Nova says softly. "She has dad's eyes" she tells Lizzie with a smile.

"Brilliant, those eyes are far too gorgeous to not be in this world. Now there are two people with them" Lizzie says emotionally.

"3" I correct her before I can help myself. "His brother.. he's an Elder" I say quickly so she doesn't assume he had another pup. "You found him" she breaths.

"Well he kind of found me" Nova says with a chuckle.

Faking a deep breath she tentatively reaches for her mother's hand, "I know moving forward will be difficult at times and there is still a lot we don't know of each other.

But I want you to know I'm here for you, to help you recover and rediscover the woman you were that my father fell in love with. Can you do that for him? For me?" "I will try" Lizzie says as she squeezes her daughter's hand.

"And for Sophie."

"Really?" Nova gasps.

"She is your sister and my mates child. She too doesn't have any family, I want to know her as well" Lizzie explains quietly.

"Thank you Lizzie" I say as Nova becomes to emotional to talk.

"I need to thank you Alpha Jax,for protecting me the way you did. I am more grateful than you know" she says quietly. When I see Nova look at me and nod I chuckle.

"I know you are, Nova can tell" is all I say, knowing that is a story for another day. "This here is my Beta, Laurence, who you've already met. I hate to ask but is there anything you can tell us about the bunkers and the breeding program?" When her breath hitches Nova begins to rub soothing circles on the back of her hand. "You won't be going back there mum, it's to help others" she explains softly.

"They..they killed any pups who didn't grow big enough, strong enough or didn't train to their standards. If they failed the test at 15 then Charles killed them, just like that" she whimpers. "After turning 28 Cedric said their minds were too mature to control in the masses. They weren't at their prime for fighting and wouldn't be able to assist in their long term plan. If they had performed well they moved on to the breeding program and were required to produce a minimum of 3 pups for a women or 5 for a male. If they failed they too were killed by Charles. The same once they had reached their targets, he killed them."

"But he was a hunter it was against his morals wasn't it?"

Laurence asks furrowing his brows.

"His morals as wrong as they were disappeared a long time ago, he was desperate and ruthless, downright disturbing to be honest" Lizzie admits. "Do you know where the bunkers are?" I ask moving closer.

Shaking her head her lips tremble as she whispers "no. I can picture it, and it's almost within reach. I just can't focus on them properly" she cries.

"I think in time you may have more luck Lizzie" Laurence says softly. "It's going to take time for both your mind and body to recover.""

Nodding slowly she looks at us all, 'I'll remember for you, I will."

"We only ask that you try" I say gently.

"Get some rest mum" Nova says squeezing her hand and standing beside me. "I'll come back later or tomorrow with Sophie, focus on getting some rest." "Thank you..all of you" she whispers, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Get some rest" I reiterate before we leave the room quietly.