Chapter 126

Alyson

Whatever causes the fight, I'm not exactly sure, but it breaks out anyways. Every single wolf in the courtyard has shifted, the movements so fast that I don't even release that I've been thrown out of the hecticness, my side slamming against the brick wall and my head smacking right up against it until I feel the blood flow from a cut on my temple.

I curl into a ball, my hands instinctively curling to my stomach, so dazed that instead of being able to see what has caused this fight to break out, I only spot wolves tearing into one another, biting into flesh and blood being poured.

Ryan, I reach through the mind link, not capable of spotting him through the haze in my eyesight. What the hell is going on?

Rouges came from the pack lands; they must have been waiting to ambush. Where are you, mate? Get out of here! Go inside, now!

I aim to sit up, my head so discombobulated that I can't even dictate which direction would take me back into the palace. I feel nauseous, the blinding pain in my stomach back. I let out a growl, weeping loudly as I try to arch my back to alleviate the pain but it doesn't work too well. I struggle to even get off my back at this rate.

"Come here," Olivera hisses, snatching me off the floor.

I release a scream in pain so loud that it has to flood into the pack lands below.

I'll kill him, Ryan says into my mind, seeing and hearing everything go down.

There's a scuffle that sends me back to the ground, Olivera tearing into his wolf form, sizing up my mate who has brought out his wolf to fight, his back shoulder still exposed and bloody. I can't believe he was able to shift with such a gash open.

I want to break them up, but the pain in my stomach is my main concern, praying the pups don't take any brunt of this fight. I have to put them first, above everyone else, so I crawl my way out from Olivera's stance, on my hands and knees while I navigate inside through a shattered window.

My fingers cut and bleed, my knees crunching through the glass shards, but I press on, finally feeling safe enough to turn around and take in the gruesome sight of the fight outside. I spot Ryan, frantically trying to dodge Olivera, both of their wolves so hateful and furious.

They snap at one another, their teeth coming within centimeters of each other faces.

I can't stand to watch this continue.

I hurry to the cafeteria, snatching up a bottle of clear liquor and a match box. This isn't my brightest plan and I haven't thought it through completely, but I have to get these rogues to disperse and separate Olivera and Ryan from killing one another. I break back through the busted window, hearing wolves cry out in pain as there is an obvious slaughter happening here today.

Throwing the bottle, it breaks in the center of the courtyard, followed soon by the match I strike. A bonfire implodes, rising clear over my head and throwing me back to the ground. The rouges that aren't too wounded to run, scatter. There are a few left, pinned under the warriors of my pack, the fire catching everyone's attention.

Finally, Ryan shifts back and sneaks into my side, grabbing my wrists and shaking his head at the sight of my palms cut. I'm breathless, ducking away from the towering wall of fire, Ryan instructing his warriors to put it out and seal off whatever hole the rogues slipped in through. He pulls me into his side, kissing my cheek.

"Very smart thinking, darling." Ryan looks to Olivera, back in mortal form. "Obviously the cure works. Does that mean we can cut the mutt loose now?"

I bat at his shoulder, wanting to go check on Olivera after shifting for the first time since taking the experimental cure, but when I move, I become immediately aware of the blood pooling down my thigh.

I freeze between Alphas, too petrified to look down.

Olivera comes forward, his brows pinched and his eyes glowering as they slowly, shamefully pace down the length of my body until he sees what I can feel. I hold my wrist to my mouth, scared I may scream or break down, I'm not sure.

The rogue Alpha snatches me up, sprinting inside the palace and screaming for a healer. I can't make out all his words, only tipping my head back as I feel tingly all over, blood and pain swirling my mind.

"Are the—Am I going to—" I pant, tipping my head back to see Ryan sprinting after us.

Olivera manages to lay me in the healers office, on the cot, before Ryan completely slams Olivera against the wall. The two are showing teeth, but all I can do is swipe the blood that paints my thigh, worried that I may have injured myself and the pups.

Olivera and Ryan seem to straighten up when I sniffle a cry, pulling my palm up to see my fingers drenched in the new blood I swiped from my shorts. I cry at the sight, sniffling so hard that I choke, Ryan diving to my side in a heartbeat while the healer lets himself into the office.

"What is going on, darling?" Ryan pants, his pulse beating so hard that I can hear it.

For some reason, perhaps by the mere fact that Olivera knows and Ryan doesn't, but I find myself looking to the rogue Alpha for answers. I know it looks bad, and I see the hurt flicker across Ryan's features at once, but it wounds me so deeply to see Ryan turn away from me.

He looks to the healer, shaking his hand quick before limping out of the room, leaving me on this cot. I know I hurt him; it was never my intentions to do so. I just was too afraid to tell him, too scared that if the pups are hurt and I've done something to lose them, I will have to break the news to my mate that I'm pregnant, or that I may not be anymore.

I break down harder, feeling him so cold in the mind link.

Please, Ryan, come—

You have the man you want with you, he mutters, sour in my head. You can't even answer your mate without looking to him, as though you need permission. I don't know what side you're on anymore, darling.

The healer stands before me, eyeing the blood on my thighs, his mind curiously piqued as he stares down at his panting, sobbing Luna. Olivera whispers into the healer's ear, his eyes wide in shock. I swallow hard, fearing the worst.

"I'll need the Alpha here to do this examination," he says, firm.

Please, Ryan, you have to be here, I beg.

My mate connects, though still wounded, You don't need me for anything, anymore.

I need you to be my mate, I reply. I am your mate, your pregnant mate.

Silence fills the mind link.