The Lord ✔️

Chapter 44

Chapter 44: The Lord Has Returned

Andromeda's heart was thudding so fast that she could race a cheetah. Her eyes were closed, her body tense, her breathing quick, and fresh tears sprang to her eyes as she realized that now, she'd never see her true mother. She backed up a little more, preparing for the worst, glancing at Ina for the last time, before...
"No!"
Andromeda couldn't feel Saeva's breathing on her face anymore, but a gust of wind flew past her and her eyes flew open, as a male voice screamed. She turned her head, shocked at what she saw.
Saeva had been knocked to the ground against a cave wall, and a male, with the same facial markings and coat colour stood over her, panic thick in his voice and evident on his face. He nodded at Andromeda, smiling softly, then stepped towards Saeva and bent his head so they were face-to-face.
"Mother, you weren't really thinking about—"
Andromeda didn't get to hear the rest of that sentence. Her thoughts pulled her in, instead. The wolf was Saeva's son, who had stopped her mother from escaping, who had never left his mother, yet, here he was, having saved her life and having stopped Saeva from killing her. Shock stopped her from moving.
She relaxed the slightest bit. She mumbled "thank you," to which he nodded at, but she was speaking again. "Where is my mother?"
Saeva scuffled up. She growled at her son. "You have betrayed me. You have saved the enemy. I will kill you before I kill her." She pointed to Andromeda.
Saeva's son bowed. His head touched the ground. Saeva's claw flew into the air as it came crashing down.
Time seemed to slow. As soon as she had registered what was happening, Andromeda's hind legs sprung into action. She leaped forward, over Ina. She threw herself in front of the male, trying to repay the favour, to take the blow instead of him, to let him live another day. To help him defeat Saeva.
Claws collided with her underbelly. There was bliss for a moment, and she felt herself drifting. Was she dead? But no, her eyes fluttered open and she realized, with a jolt, that both herself, Saeva, and the male were still living.
There was some blood pouring out her stomach, but she payed it no heed. She stalked towards Saeva. Her eyes narrowed, turning to slits, and they brushed against the ground. Her teeth were bared, as were The Fake-One's.
It took just a split second. Saeva, Ruler of Evil, Lady of Darkness, The Fake-One, turned her head. It was just a moment of not being alert, but it was all it took for Andromeda to grab onto her enemy with her claws, ripping and tearing, watching blood spill, and clamping her jaws to Saeva's neck, blocking her windpipe.
Saeva's body lay limp in her jaws. Andromeda released her, but she stared at the body, her gaze shocked. She brushed her paw against Saeva's left flank and over her heart, but there was no beating, no thump. Saeva was dead.
Andromeda turned around. She came to face Ina, who's smile was as bright as the sun, glowing like embers, the moon, fire, and the male who had saved her. His eyes were closed, yet Andromeda could tell his mixed emotions held nothing against her: anger, sadness, happiness, relief, everything.
She let herself sit down, closing her eyes, playing the thought 'it's over, it's done,' in her head, letting the feeling of triumph, of relief, of comfort, slowly edge towards her heart. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a voice.
"I see The Lord has returned."