Luna Cherry

35. pain but safety

James tugs the lock off the door slipping into the room quickly. He's gentle when he grabs me wrapping his arms around my lower waist careful about my elbow. I use my good arm to hold his neck biting my tongue from the screams that want to leave me, "Stay as quiet as possible, bite my shirt if you have to."

"Okay." I groan when we move. My body is soaking wet, the wind from his run chilling me to the bone. My wounds cry out from the new momentum, but as promised I hold my breath thanking everything I could think of for James. We exit the room, the hallways clear. He flexes his ears listening in on something down the hall.

"The pack is here. Guns are going off. We will take the left exit." He's here. Levi is here with his pack. The wonderful people that I haven't truly met other than in my drunkest moments. I beg to see him, let him hold me and make it better, but sadly... we much protect ourselves first. He runs us down the left side breaking quickly through a door way. Pack members surround us, mafia fuckers as well. The pack is staying mostly human only wolves fighting wolves from what I can see.

Most ignore me and James as we run through the space staying as covered as possible, "Wolves have respects towards humans lack of shift. Any upstanding wolf will only fight a human in their human form." James answers my un-asked question as we break into the outside world sun pooling over my skin.

"And where might you be going?" I turn my head away from James looking to see the crazy mother with a shotgun pointed directly at my head. Mrs. Bloom gives a cynical smile. Her eyes are wild, a crazy that can't be understood. James holds me as tight as possible, but I know that my injuries are a hinderance, something that I can't ask him to deal with.

"Put me down James."

"Absolutely not."

"She's here for me. You need to find Mary, our Gamma. She will know what to do." I whisper back. He seethes, eyes flashing a deep black color. He doesn't take note on what I name her, our. She's just as much his and she's my friend. The way he takes in my scent is indication enough on who is his mate, his fate. And if I die today, Mary deserve happiness. She's always provided for me and the least I can do is send her a little blessing of hope.

"You're not my Luna. I don't have to listen."

Mrs. Bloom cackles, "I expect this conversation to be ending quickly before I shoot both of you!"

"I will be, if you allow it. Now go before I get angry." I push off his chest, he drops me nicely on the ground where Mrs. Bloom starts to storm up towards me, "She's blonde and a fucking badass. You'll know."

He runs off with a blinding speed. One of the wolves. My tears stream down my face, the freedom I had hoped for stripped from my fingers. The team of men that she has coming in around her tells me enough. James couldn't have won on his own, and it was best to send him away, "You fucking dumbass! Did you really think we wouldn't have found you? Our perfect submissive for our darling son?"

"I hope you burn in hell you bitch." I spit at her feet. She throws the back of her hand across my face. I fall back screaming in pain. My entire body goes into flames all at once. She stands over me, body towering.

"Watch your tongue!" She drops her weight on my bloodied ankle. I scream but quickly recover.

"Come on! Show me your fucking worst! Your son sure did." She throws her foot into my abdomen. Blood pools in my mouth, I simply spit it over the grass, "Don't think I can take a hit? Pussy shit if I've ever felt it."

I ignore the body screaming pain as I force weight on my wrecked ankle. My fingers crack and pop with each pressure point. Blood dribbles down my skin, everything fucking hurts. But this pain, this pain reminds me that I'm living. She throws another punch towards my gut. I use my good hand and grab her. Mrs. Bloom raises her gaze up to mine, "Think you can truly win? You're so broken that I'm convinced to let the wind finish you off."

"Do you ever shut up?" I channel all my energy into a punch. Her head rears back, teeth clamping together. I step zombie like forward throwing another into her neck so she chokes back onto the ground. Just hold her off. Keep her distracted.

"Luna!" The violent scream of Mary beautifully falls over my ears. She runs towards me, her eyes a solid black. Blood covers her, but she looks fine. James follows behind closely, his own eyes tracing over her every movement. Mrs. Bloom stands back up, lifting her shot gun. I look to Mary who is farther away.

"Go to fucking hell." The triggers pulled, my body shooting back into the ground. Mary's screams are the only thing I can focus on as she falls next to me. James breaks his own rule calling to the pack and shifting. Multiple wolves break into the grass ripping the heads off the mafia fuckers. I wish you had been here sooner.

"Luna. Cherry. Honey."

James drops to my side trying to avoid touching me. I give him a small smile but the blur is over taking me, "You were so amazing, Luna. You helped the pack and you don't even know it."

"We need the Alpha. She has to shift. We can't... goddess her fucking leg."

My leg? What's wrong with my leg?

"Sanders! Over here!" She calls out. I feel his familiar presence drop to my side. His hand goes over his mouth at the sight of me. I know I look like shit man, but please act like I look somewhat normal, "Is she going to be able to recover?"

"Alpha Levi is heading this way. He will mark her. The heat begins tonight, it should be enough to save her from most her injuries... but the bullet took out her knee and lower leg. I don't think shifting will..." He sighs, "Let's focus on the now. James. I need a piece of your shirt. I need to stop the bleeding for the shift, Mary you have compatible blood to the Luna. I need you ready for a transfusion."

"Yes, Healer."

"Of course, Healer."

"San..." I try to get the words out but he comes close to my face whispering sweet words of encouragement.

"Hush, my child. You need to focus on staying awake. James, don't let her sleep." He calls. I hear the muted sound of him ripping off a piece of his shirt.

"Ironic, but okay. Hey, Cherry. Focus on me. Tell me something you've always wanted to do." He pats my face lightly. I roll my head over to look at him.

"Happy. I want to be happy."

"Yes. That's good. Tell me more, anything at all."

"You and Mary?"

James laughs with choked tears. In the short time we've been together I've begun to fiercely care about him, "You were right. I knew exactly who she was. Thank you... Luna."

"Welcome. Mary happy?" She has nasty tears running down her face. My speech is broken and almost non-comprehensible, but she forces a nod while rubbing her thumb back and forth over my cheek.

"I am very happy. How are you feeling?"

"So much... pain." I groan. I hear the loud footsteps of another approach. My skin tingles with their arrival, heart starting to quicken. Is this him?

"Alpha. We need you here. Mary is going to donate blood, I need you to hold that knot to keep her from loosing too much blood. As soon as I call the signal I need you to mark her initiating her shift."

"My darling." He whispers looking me over. I can hear the pain that warps through his voice, the absolute sadness that racks through his bones. I feel it too.

"I love..." My eyes turn to black, heart slowing. Sanders starts yelling for Mary and Levi. Both are at attention as James is thrown off me. But I don't care anymore. My pain... well my pain is gone.

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