Chapter 89

What happened after that was a flurry of events which barely registered. I flew around like a headless chicken trying to get the people who Valens couldn’t get in touch with. The elders had been alerted but some of them fell off the grid. The borders had been secured, Valens and Jabari in a meeting while I gathered the other elders.

“Elder Malek?”) I asked Luna Levana who was running around with me.

“A traitor.”

There’s still one elder left that I haven’t been able to contact.” I sank into my seat, my back aching along with my feet.

“Is it the Elder that was taken to the dungeons this morning?” My attention snapped back to Levana.

“Yes! Goddess, I’m already out of it!” I sighed, realizing I’d already forgotten about the earlier incident with Elder James. Everything was happening all at once and I just woke up. It was already driving me insane.

How much trouble would skylar cause me before she actually succeeded in ruining my life? How much longer would I have to deal with her terrorizing me? I was honestly sick of it and I hoped

I could get rid of her once and for all. Yet, I knew she was coming with a blazing fire.

My phone rang as I reviewed the plan Jabari sent me before they went in for a meeting. It seemed foolproof. Whatever Skylar was bringing, it would not be enough. If I was her target, she would have another thing coming. But it didn’t stop my heart from beating faster as the seconds passed. We were expecting a full-blown confrontation in a few hours.

“What is it?” I asked as I picked up my phone without checking the caller.

There’s a problem in the dungeons and we can’t connect with the Beta,” a male voice called from the other end of the line.

“Who is this? What is the problem?”

“I am Boris, the head of the guards around Zavier today.” The man’s voice was deep, his speech hard to make out. “There has been an attempt to break out the Alpha just now. We rounded up some people involved but half of my men are seriously injured.”

“The Alpha and his aides are in a meeting now. I’ll alert them when they are out. In the meantime, how many men do you need as backup? I’ll send over You are not the Luna yet. You still do not have the power to command the warriors,” the man on the other end of the call gently reminded me.

“Tà like to see someone disobey my order at this point.” I pinched the point between my brows.

“How many men? I don’t have all day for this call.”

“Fifteen men should be enough.”

“Good.” I ended the call. I picked up the office landline as I searched through the directory of squad leaders.

The casual reminder that I hadn’t been officiallyinstalled pricked my skin and made me pause over every number I decided to call.

“Is there a problem?” Levana asked, coming back into the office after stepping out for a second during my call.

“They are trying to break out Zavier once more. A guard just reached out to me as he couldn’t contact Jabari. His men are injured and they need backup.”

That’s weird,” Levana said, taking a seat. “My mate just called. We are expecting attacks on all forty-four packs and our dungeons were attacked too.”

“Can Skylar really do that?” I asked out loud.

“She has good connections now. That’s my best bet.”

It was mine too. It was weird to think of the number of enemies Valens had amassed in his lifetime, enough to form an army enough to threaten forty-four powerful packs.

“The man says he needs backup so I’m thinking of the fastest troop that can get to him at this point considering everyone is engaged one way or another.” I left out the part where there was a possibility I wouldn’t be able to order a troop considering my status as Luna was still unofficial.

“Let’s wait for Jabari. He knows what to do best at this point. This is his jurisdiction.”

My phone rang again at that point. I checked the caller id before picking up this time. It was a call from Celeste.

“What’s up, babe?” I asked once I picked up.

“Where is Jabari?” She demanded.

“They’re in a meeting. They will be out soon,” I answered.

“Someone needs to go to the dungeons right now.

I just received a call from Lucien.” I was out of my seat once she mentioned that name.

“What? What did he say?”

“The line kept breaking but I know prisoners can’t just make calls so I’m worried something happened.

I’ve been trying Jabari but he isn’t picking up.” I almost ran to the meeting room but Jabari came bursting out before I got to the door.

He didn’t look like the Jabari I knew. He was scary.

The expression on his face made me stumble out of his way as he strode over.

They broke them out,” he hissed. I knew who he wasreferring to without him mentioning names.

“Im going to crush that bastard’s skull.”

Valens came striding out after him, his expression calm but I knew him too well for his neutral expression to fool me. His shoulders were tight and I felt him. I felt the bristle of anger that stiffened his shoulder and made his eyes colder than I’d ever seen them.

“Jabari, take her home.” Jabari and I exchanged surprised glances. “I want the Alpha squad and Bane stationed around the house. No one comes in or goes out. Anyone who strays too close to the fence should be taken out.”

“What – what do you mean?” I asked the same time Jabari said;

“What are you saying? I have to find them and round up those involved.”

“I’ll handle everything. Your duty is to keep her protected.” His words were flat and his eyes cold.

“You have to be kidding me.” I turned to Jabari, then to Levana, and then my mate. “You must be joking.”

“Your life is the last thing I would joke with. You are at the top of their hit list and I am not risking it.

Come, I’ll walk you to the car. Your guards should be here by now.” He took my hand but I ripped it out of his.

“I am your Luna. I am not going to hide out with your Beta when –

“You are my Luna and that is exactly why you will do as I say. You will not argue with me on this, Aysel.” He took my hand and proceeded to pull me with him to the elevator.

“Valens, I have not trained every day for -“

“Aysel, you are giving me a headache. Do not argue with me.”

“I – I am giving you a headache?” I asked incredulously. “I am giving you a headache, Valens!?”

I almost shouted.

He turned to Jabari who got into the elevator with us. “Celeste is alone at home. Pick her up on your way.” He totally ignored me as I stared at him. He turned to Levana and said, You will stay with her.” Levana nodded although I read the displeasure on her face.

“Valens, this is ridiculous. At least take Jabari with you.”

“Aysel –

You have never fought without him. You can’t do everything yourself!”

“And you’ve never been under siege. Stop arguing with me.” There was nothing more to say after that. I let him be as the elevator took us down and he walked me to the car waiting in front of the office.

It was surprising that everyone was going about their work as if nothing had happened while I was on my way to hide. Hadn’t they heard?

“I love you.” Valens caught my hand as I was about to get into the car. He pressed a k!ss to my l!ps before letting me go. I kept quiet as I got into the car with Levana, Jabari driving. Another car followed behind us while I stewed.

Jabari’s annoyance made the whole car ride unbearable. I was tired of the silence. It felt as if I’d ruined everything for the people in the car with me.

They were stuck babysitting me when they could be helping the pack.

It didn’t matter that I’d trained hard every day to be able to defend myself. It didn’t matter that I was the only person on the planet with magic. It didn’t matter that I was supposed to be the Luna to a powerful Alpha. I was going to hide out at home while my pack fought a battle.

“We can work from home and we’ll be updated on whatever is happening. I’m sure the Alpha will have everything under control by himself,” Levana said, placing a hand on my th!gh.

I didn’t say anything as Jabari pulled into Celeste’s driveway and my skin pricked, my stomach churning as a familiar sense of disgust crawled up my spine.

“Lucien is here.”