The Unmarked Mate

Chapter 42

Liam

As I was pushing the Crimson Moon Pack members toward Elestren, some of them recognized me. I glimpsed at Freddy's wolf, Freddy was my friend, he was struggling. I could see he was trying very hard to fight against the urge to attack me.

"Liam, I'm sorry, get away, please! I don't want to hurt you!"

"Then why are you attacking us?" I growled. But then I glimpsed at Eli walking in the middle of the street, standing taller than everybody in her scary black wolf, her red eyes glistening in the dark and she howled. She called them, she called us from Crimson Moon Pack to her. They all stopped fighting and they joined her. About forty wolves gathered in front of her. I made sure no one would attack them, but it was so chaotic around us that no one seemed to care.

"What are you doing? Why are you attacking us?" She commanded.

"We have no choice, it's Alpha Command, Lucius made us attack." Answered Freddy. She growled. A rogue tried to attack her from her side but a grey wolf jumped on him and killed him instantly. She howled again and growled; she was willing all of us into submission. She was claiming her Alpha title at long last. I bared my neck and bowed, accepting her as my Alpha, and I sensed it got her stronger. One pack member recognizing someone as his true Alpha was sometimes enough to start a war. Some of them were resisting, as Lucius' command made them, they growled. Another rogue tried to bring her down, she didn't see him, submitting all of them took every focus she had. But again, the grey wolf stopped him, he was scratched badly on one of his front legs but overpowered the other. While this was happening, she stepped forward, asserting her dominance over the Crimson Moon pack member using all her stature.

"I, Alpha Elestren Dahlia Belladonna Warwick, daughter of Alpha Richard Warwick and Luna Amelia Belladonna, rightful leader of the Crimson Moon Pack, command you to reject the unlawful yoke of the usurper Lucius Bate. Protect the Yew tree Pack and kill the rogues!"

I sensed it, the shift in allegiance. She howled again calling us to rally behind her, and we all howled with her. Forty wolves howling as one. Everyone turned their heads in surprise: the rogues, the lycans and the werewolves. She ran into the fight and we all followed her, in a couple of minutes most of the rogues were dead and some had surrendered. It was over.

"Is it over, can we come out?" Maisie asked me in my head.

"Yeah it's over!" I answered. While all the people who couldn't fight ran out of the training building, they all looked shocked. Dozens of dead bodies covered the ground. About a dozen rogues had shifted back and were sitting naked on the ground waiting to know their fate, surrounded by Lycan and werewolf warriors. A few wolves went behind a tree or a building to shift back and get dressed. Some did not even bother and ran naked to find their loved ones. Matthew had shifted back, put on some shorts and ordered to bring the injured to Dr. Roger. Dahlia was still in her wolf with all the Crimson Moon Pack members surrounding her and we all bowed our heads to her. I felt so much pride for her, so much love, she was my best friend, my family, the only one I had left with Maisie, and finally she had claimed back what was hers. I was sure Lucius felt the betrayal, felt the loss of allegiance of all these men and women. Soon I would help her get back what was hers, soon I would kill Alfred for what he had done to Maisie!

James

When we got to the village's main street all the remaining Lycans gathered to me. Those living in the packhouse were led by Arthur's wolf who had stayed there to deal with Oswald. He had brought him to fight. Oswald was still a Lycan with good fighting ability and we did not have the luxury to do without him now. When they joined me, Elestren gave me a last look before we partied, I sensed she was telling me to be careful. Even though I knew she was a better fighter than most of the people there, I was scared for her. I realized I had never seen her fight before, I had not taken part in training with her. Still I had to focus on the situation: I shifted and we all attacked together. We were only eighteen lycans but, honestly, we had no idea how many they were, at least a hundred.