Mated To An Enemy

Peter had been worried about Myka since the night before he had said he would enter Spring. That was why when Axel suggested he be part of the emergency response team, Peter agreed immediately.

But when Axel had sent the team even without the signal, he was concerned. So Axel told him that he was only sending them early to ensure they were close if and when the signal came through.

Peter understood. Axel was just as worried about Alice as he was about Myka. It made sense. So why did Peter feel such a strange foreboding when they arrived just outside Spring?

The team had only been there for two hours when it happened. The emergency beacon sent a signal.

Peter was prepared for this. They had told him it would happen. The signal would come through as a blue light on the small machine the team leader carried. It would give them a location, and they would know exactly where to go.

The only problem was that the light wasn't blue. It was red.

"Why is it red?" Peter had asked, staring at the flashing light as the trackers spoke in hushed tones.

The team leader looked at Peter, he tried to mask his expression, but it was too late. Peter saw the concern, the grim look that he had worn on more than one occasion, usually when he had to tell a patient or their family that there was nothing left that he could do.

"Why is it red?" Peter asked again.

"Doc," the team leader began, but he paused and looked away.

Peter looked at the other man in the tent, but that man also looked away.

"Fine," Peter said, not hiding his frustration.

He pulled out his phone and immediately called Axel.

The phone rang only once.

"Do you have them?" Axel asked as he answered the call. "Is everyone all right?"

"The light is supposed to be blue," Peter replied, "why is it red?"

Axel didn't reply right away.

"…Red?" he asked quietly.

"Red," Peter replied, keeping his eyes locked on the flashing light.

He heard Axel swallow and take a deep breath.

"It means…" Axel began, "It means they didn't send the signal."

"What does that mean?" Peter asked.

"The red light," Axel continued. "Means that the beacon was destroyed. It is programmed to send an emergency signal automatically with a red light."

Peter clenched his jaw and looked at the team leader. The team leader gave him a mournful look and then looked away.

"Peter," Axel called to him, "it may seem bad, but it doesn't mean–"

"They're fine," Peter interrupted.

Axel was quiet and then took a deep breath.

"Bring them home," he said softly.

"Yes, my Alpha," Peter replied before hanging up the call.

The next hour was spent running at breakneck speeds. Peter did his best to keep up, but he was not trained. He could do much as a wolf, but the other team members trained for speed and stamina.

Whenever he fell behind, he told them to hurry on. He would catch up. But when they finally escaped the dense forest, they all stopped. When he caught up and shifted, he wanted to know why.

"What are you doing? We need to–"

Before he could finish his sentence, his mouth was covered, and he was pulled back behind a large boulder.

The team leader held his finger to his lips, signaling for silence. He then pointed up the path. As Peter's eyes went up the pathway, he saw a giant bat creature. His eyes widened.

The team waited until the beast had walked by them, making sure that it made its way into the forest before they came out from their hiding places.

The team leader looked around again and then looked down at his machine. Then, finally, he looked at one of the mountains not far from them and back down again.

"The signal was definitely coming from inside that mountain," he said. "This path looks like the only way–"

There was suddenly a loud rumble and slight shaking in the ground. All eyes turned to the mountain.

"Did that just come from–" Peter began to ask.

"Go!" the team leader shouted.

Immediately they all ran up toward the mountain with Peter close behind. As they approached the actual mountain, they ran into another creature, a frog, which jumped at them. Shooting its tongue out like a spear. One member of the team was cut. Peter tended to him while the team leader and another man took down the beast.

Finally, they made their way up the mountain path, finding the entrance to the cave covered in lilies of the valley. They opened their packs, put on headlamps, and made their way down the tunnel.

Peter and the man that had been injured were at the end of the line.

"There!" the team leader shouted.

Peter's heart picked up. What had they seen? Was it a monster? Or was it them? The others rushed ahead, and Peter followed close behind.

"Whoa…" he heard the team leader say quietly. "Take it easy. We are here to help."

Peter moved forward, pushing past one of the other men, trying to get a good look at the situation.

"Who are you?!" a familiar voice shouted. "Why are you here?!"

His breath caught in his throat. It was Myka. He was alive. He was fine. Peter felt like he could breathe for the first time in two weeks.

He took a deep breath and looked past the three men in front of him at his idiot mate.

"Put the damn weapons down, you idiot!" he shouted as he moved forward.

"Peter?" Myka called out.

The three men in the front stepped aside as Peter moved past them, glaring at Myka with irritation.

"Peter!" Myka shouted, dropping the daggers and jumping at him.

Peter was happy to be near him again, to smell his scent, to feel his warmth. That was why he allowed Myka to jump on and kiss him. But as Myka tried to deepen the kiss, Peter pushed him back.

"Really?" Peter growled. "Does this look like the appropriate time for that?"

Myka smiled and reached a hand to Peter.

"Anytime, anywhere," he whispered.

Peter was suddenly very thankful for the darkness of this tunnel. But then he looked past Myka to see Ashleigh and Alice unconscious. His eyes widened, and he quickly shoved Myka aside to check their vitals.

"What happened?"

Myka gave the team a quick rundown of the day's events, leaving out only the details of his conversation with the Dark Queen and his new abilities.

While Myka gave his update, Peter and one of the other men treated Ashleigh and Alice's wounds, cleaning and repacking them. Finally, the team leader and one of the trackers put together makeshift stretchers, and the team safely got everyone out of the tunnel.

They hurried back through the forest, being careful to avoid any creatures. Myka helped steer them away from danger, though no one knew precisely how he could do so.

When they made it safely out of Spring, they had three SUVs waiting to get them back to Winter.

They loaded the women into their SUVs, and the team leader called Axel to give him an update before they left. Then, Peter and Myka were left to go back together in the last SUV.

As soon as the other cars were out of sight, Peter grabbed Myka and threw him against the vehicle before kissing him hard and with every ounce of longing he had in him.

When they pulled away to breathe, Myka smiled and wrapped his arms around Peter.

"I missed you, too," he whispered.

Peter scoffed and pulled away.

"Get in the car," he huffed, climbing into the driver's seat with a smile and a deep blush.