Chapter 77
1105 Words
I was still trying to calm my racing heartbeat when a scream pierced the air. It came from outside our room, sharp and panicked, making my blood run cold. My hands instinctively went to my belly, clutching it like I could somehow shield our child from whatever was happening.
“Devon?” I called, my voice trembling. “Did you hear that?”
His head popped up from where he was adjusting our blankets, his brows knitting together. “Yeah,” he said, already on his feet. “Something’s wrong. Stay here if it’s dangerous.”
I shook my head immediately, frustration and fear mingling in my chest. “No. I can’t stay here. Not this time. I need to be with you. If it’s Levi…” My voice broke, the name barely leaving my lips.
Devon’s jaw tightened, and I could see the tension coiling in him. “Okay. Stay close,” he said, and without another word, he grabbed my hand and we bolted toward the doorway.
The hallway was empty, but the sound of hurried footsteps, mixed with more screams, carried toward us. We rounded the corner just as a young warrior came barreling toward the inner keep, face pale, eyes wide, his arms flailing.
“Stop! Stop!” he shouted, gasping for breath. “It’s… it’s Levi! He… he’s inside the territory!”
I froze. My stomach dropped, a mixture of fear and dread squeezing me tight. “What do you mean inside?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
The warrior stumbled, catching himself on a wall. “He… he came through the border! Not alone… he has… he has Patricia with him!”
My chest constricted. Patricia. That witch. She had already tried to claim the pack, had already poisoned minds against me once before. And now… she was back, and this time with Levi. My pulse thundered painfully in my ears.
Devon’s hand tightened around mine. “Stay behind me,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. His alpha presence seemed to ripple in the air, and for a moment I could feel my fear slightly ease. But the dread didn’t disappear it only sharpened.
We sprinted toward the courtyard where the pack usually trained, and from the open gates, the screams and shouts became clearer. I could hear the chaos wolves barking orders, some running, some holding defensive stances. My heart raced even faster.
“They’re coming for us,” I whispered.
“No,” Devon corrected, eyes scanning the horizon, muscles tensing. “Levi and that witch are coming for me… for you… for us. But we’re ready.”
I swallowed hard, trying to summon courage. “Ready? Devon… I’m pregnant. I can’t…” My voice trailed off, caught by a wave of panic.
He turned, cupping my face, forcing me to look at him. “You are stronger than you think. And I am here. Always. Nothing will touch you. Nothing. Not Levi, not Patricia, not anyone.”
I let my hands rest on his chest, feeling the thrum of his heart, trying to anchor myself to reality. “But Patricia…” I murmured. “She’s powerful. She controlled the pack before. How do we stop her now?”
Devon’s gaze darkened, alpha dominance radiating off him like fire. “We stop her the same way we stop anyone who threatens my Luna. We fight. And we win.”
I drew in a shaky breath, my hands tightening on his chest. “I… I just don’t want history to repeat itself. I can’t lose this baby. I can’t lose you.”
He pulled me closer, pressing a reassuring kiss to my temple. “You won’t. We’ve survived everything else. This is nothing compared to what we’ve already endured. Trust me.”
The commotion outside intensified. I could hear Levi’s voice now, sharp, commanding, filled with malice. And alongside it, Patricia’s cold, musical laughter, mocking and cruel, echoing across the courtyard.
“They think they can intimidate us?” Devon growled, stepping forward. His hands glowed faintly, elemental energy simmering beneath his skin, a warning that he was ready to unleash it if needed. “They have no idea who they are dealing with.”
I pressed against him, feeling the warmth and power radiating from him. “I want to fight too,” I said, the fire inside me stirring despite my fear. “I can’t just stand here.”
“Not yet,” Devon said firmly, but his eyes softened. “We protect the baby first. You survive. That is your strength right now. We need you alive. Everything else, I’ll handle.”
I nodded reluctantly, my body still trembling, but I could feel the bond between us tighten, a tether of love and power that neither Levi nor Patricia could sever.
Then the first wave of the pack appeared, some cautious, some unsure, their eyes flicking between me and Devon. I saw the remnants of the old fear in their gazes, hesitation lingering from Patricia’s previous manipulation. But Devon’s aura silenced them. They instinctively recognized his alpha authority, and their murmurs quieted.
A young warrior ran past us, yelling, “They’re here! Levi is leading the charge! Patricia is casting spells don’t let her near the center!”
Devon’s hands flared, elemental energy weaving around his fists. “We move, Addy. Stay close. We fight together. Nothing harms you. I swear it.”
I nodded, gripping his arm. The memories of Kyle, the loss, the betrayal, and the miscarriage loomed in my mind. My chest ached with the fear of repeating history, but Devon’s presence steadied me. “I trust you,” I whispered.
He turned his gaze toward me, eyes blazing with intensity and love. “And I trust you to survive. Together, we are unstoppable. No one can break us.”
The sounds of approaching footsteps and spells hitting the walls drew nearer. I could feel the air crackle with magic and malice. Patricia’s laughter echoed like poison in my ears, and Levi’s voice barked orders, cold and merciless.
I took a deep, steadying breath, pressing my forehead against Devon’s chest. The bond between us pulsed with warmth and strength, and I realized, despite the fear, that we were ready.
No matter the witch, no matter the rogue Alpha, we would face them. And together, we would survive.
Even with Levi and Patricia coming, I felt, for the first time in a long while, a spark of hope. With Devon, I could face anything.
And nothing not Levi, not Patricia, not the past would take this from me.
- Writer
