Chapter 75 Circle of Life
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My wolf howled violently, and every fiber of my being twisted inside when I caught a glimpse of Beverly rearranging her position to attack Alpha Jaxon. It was clear she was eager—bloodthirsty, specifically for the Alpha's blood. In that split second, there was no time to devise a plan. There was only time to act.
Alpha Jaxon was my one true mate; there was no question that I was ready to sacrifice my life for his. Whatever it took, I was ready.
My body was already weak and powerless from the mixture of silver they had been cutting me with over the past ten hours. The wolfsbane they had been injecting into my bloodstream was another story; it caused me to vomit more times than I had in my entire life and caused my body to convulse. I had never felt anything like this. I was simply depleted. I was ready to give up before Alpha Jaxon showed up at the bottom of the wooden staircase in the basement, but all it took was one look at the anger blazing from his eyes to reignite the burning flame deep inside me.
I launched my body in front of Alpha Jaxon, and when I felt sharp canines pressed deep into my skin, I knew that I had succeeded in dodging Beverly's attack on my mate. She shook her head violently, tearing my skin open, and held on for dear life. I had always felt that hate was a spiteful and bitter word, but it was the only word to describe how I felt about Beverly.
When she finally dropped my frail body onto the concrete floor, blood had already begun to gush out of the wound. I pressed my hand quickly against the wound, hopeful to slow the spill, and looked down to notice a piece of my flesh was now missing from my arm. I was nearly decapitated. Instant regret flooded my chest at the realization of how stupid I had been. I should have marked Alpha Jaxon after he had marked me; our wolves would have fully mated and both been stronger, even with the wolfsbane we had both been stabbed with. Instead, I had acted like a child—furious that he had marked me without my knowledge.
My heart pounded outside of my chest; the adrenaline of staying alive and finishing this thing was the only thing on my mind. Beverly bared her canines at Alpha Jaxon, as if she was sending a warning to his wolf. I called on my wolf again, ready for the shift. My claws extended slightly before they retreated back. My wolf was mitigated from the wolfsbane—my call to her was registering too late.
A bright flash from the corner of my eye startled me. Instinctively, my head shot up. Time felt like it slowed down. Every moment played out slower than the last. It was in that moment that I learned what unbreakable mother's love was. Alpha Jaxon's mother soared through the air like some kind of superhero in a movie and knocked Beverly down, both of them rolling fiercely on the floor, snapping their jaws at each other. One wrong move was all it took for Beverly to flip the Luna over and dig her teeth into her neck. She pulled up and plucked the Luna's throat out, sending it flying against the other side of the room.
The musky air thickened around me, and I struggled to breathe. My heart shattered into tiny, unrepairable pieces. Luna Fraya was the only person who understood me. She had devoted so much unconditional love to help me thrive and finally fulfill my destiny. I knew I would carry this hole in my heart forever. I couldn't even imagine the pain Alpha Jaxon and Sophia would feel with their mother's passing. I struggled with that idea too, wishing I could take the pain away.
My eyes narrowed on the brown wolf; everything else around her promptly blurred. My wolf pushed forward—I craved her blood like a vampire during the blood moon. She skipped over the Luna's body, setting her intentions on my mate.
Clip! The silver cuffs split open, and as if I couldn't control my own body, I shifted easily into my wolf—the red wolf I had been warned not to expose. This was the moment I had been told to anticipate. It was time.
My growl vibrated against the walls, the silver cuffs that now lay on the floor even jiggled against the concrete from my thundering warning. I moved with agility, crisscrossing to throw Beverly off until I found that perfect moment and sprung on top of her. I was the lion, and she was the prey.
She bared her canines at me, but I felt my wolf unaffected. This wasn't going to end until I got the revenge I sought. I knew what I had to do. I knew it was my duty to avenge Luna Fraya. My wolf scoffed at her pathetic attempt to scare us and struck the side of the brown wolf's face with our sharp claws. She winced for a second, but before she could recomposed herself, I violently ripped her left arm right from her socket and tossed it against the staircase.
"That was for Luna Fraya," I spat with gritted teeth through the mind link to the entire pack, "but this one's for me, traitor."
Beverly was frozen and wincing in pain, presumably unable to move now after losing a limb. I dodged my head forward and sunk my canines into her neck. I refused to let go like my life depended on it. The only thought flooding my mind was Luna Fraya. I felt her fur rip all the way down to her shoulder as I whipped her throat beside Luna Fraya's. Payback was indeed a bitch.
The fur of my red wolf was stained with Beverly's blood, but it didn't bother me as I towered over and stared down at the woman I had grown to despise. Not a single ounce of regret flowed through me.
It was only then that I turned my head to see a crowd of stunned enforcers staring wide-eyed. They had watched the entire encounter and were clearly having a difficult time processing the bloodbath they had just witnessed.
I mind-linked Beta Don, and a power I had never felt enlaced my voice, "I want her body burned, her soul never to return to this Earth. I will be there to watch."
Alpha Jaxon stood on all fours over his mother's limp wolf. There was so much pain in his eyes when he looked up and his gaze met mine. I almost thought I saw his wolf eyes pool with water. I nuzzled my head against his wolf's head, signaling my affection and devotion to him. He pushed back against mine, letting me know that he needed me. I shifted into my human body and knelt down beside the massive black wolf, throwing my hands around his neck.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," I repeated like a broken circuit. Tears began to flow freely down my face and onto his black fur. "I should have listened to Sophia. I should have listened to you. She was locked in there because of me," he told me through the mind link.
It was as if someone stabbed me in the gut hearing his confession. I knew this would be a lifelong battle he would now have to face. Beta Don approached the limp red wolf and knelt in front of her, baring his neck and lowering his gaze. One by one, the other enforcers joined in. Soon, the entire room was in an identical position. I knew most of them were confused; most of them didn't even know she was still alive, after all.
I moaned when I tried to lift my injured arm. It burned like hell, but the edges of the torn skin were beginning to repair themselves thanks to my shifter healing. Alpha Jaxon took a deep breath and shifted back into his human form. "Take Adeline directly to the pack doctor and contact the entire pack. Luna Fraya's body will be buried tonight."
My eyes widened. I knew he was hurting from the loss of his mother, but tonight? I had never heard of a shifter being buried so urgently.
"I know it's all been a lot to process, but Jaxon, tonight seems a little rash to give her a proper send-off," I whispered to him.
He shook his head. "It will be tonight. I need to ensure her soul returns to the Moon Goddess."
