Defiance

4.1

Chapter 41

A L D R I C

Explaining the wolves how exactly I survived was a conversation I wasn't ready to have. The Alphas of the other packs stared at me, blinking. Ella and Freya managed to convince the majority of the wolves I survived because of the Moon Goddess' blessings.

"Only a witch can undo Svesta," Alpha Maddox flatly said, his eyes glaring at me in disbelief.

"Clearly, we were wrong."

"Isn't it funny, Alpha Aldric," Alpha Lukas began. "That our Goddess has the power to undo Svesta on all who suffer under it but she only chose to save your life?"

"Well, if anyone deserves to be under the Moon Goddess' blessings, it's Alpha Aldric," Claude said before I could say anything.

"There are hundreds of wolves under Svesta - my mate -" Lukas continued.

"So this is personal," I cut Lukas off, ignoring the slight jab in my chest. Lukas had every right to be angry. His mate was suffering under the curse I survived. But I only survived because of a witch.

"Just say you are angry Alpha Aldric got the Moon Goddess' blessings but your mate did not," Cole muttered, rolling his eyes at Lukas.

Lukas turned to Cole in anger and suddenly, he pushed Cole down with a punch. I grabbed Lukas from the back of his shirt immediately, I turned him around to face me. Lukas threw punches at me but I grabbed his fists before he could even attack.

"You shouldn't be alive," Lukas spat at me, his eyes were in a dangerous fury. "There is no way you would have got more blessings than Kiara -"

I grabbed his shirt harder then and pushed him straight into the wall. I punched him across his jaw hard, enough to hear a cracking sound.

"Speak to me like that again and I will make sure you and your mate suffer far worse things than the Svesta curse."

Lukas looked like he was going to fight me but he did not. Instead, he looked down. His eyes did not meet mine. I was keeping his pack alive and he knew it. The food rations he received were from me. The weapons he received were from me. His wolves were far more my wolves than they were his.

"If the Moon Goddess favors you," Lukas' voice was quaint now. The anger in them was present but the pain was stronger. "Tell her to cure her."

I knew he was acting in anger. I knew he was acting in frustration. After each meeting, he went back to the tent with his mate, Kiara, who was dying before him everyday, crying of pain slowly. Soon, he would have to kill her himself because the pain she would feel would be too much.

"Kiara is dying, Alpha," Lukas fell to his knees then. There were tears in his eyes.

"Get a hold of yourself, Lukas," I hissed at him, pulling him from one arm.

My wolves were breaking.

This war was breaking them, one by one.

The other Alphas finally moved, too shocked to even realize what had happened. Lukas was a naive Alpha, it was a fact. Yet, he was protective and caring and seeing him break apart was enough to have them turn their heads. I could see the pain in their eyes, the fear for their soldiers. They too, were losing their mates, friends, loved ones.

I grabbed him so he could face me. "Listen to me - I don't give a flying fuck if your mate is dead."

Lukas stared at me, his face faltering. The pain in his eyes was like glass.