Fight

RORY

“What’s going on?” I ask Ace, knowing that he’s keeping up with what’s happening through the mind-link.

“Everett’s talking to Nick right now. Don’t worry, Rory. He’ll be fine. You didn’t see him before at the citadel,” Ace reassures me.

Everett did tell me he ripped tens of wolves to shreds along with the rest of the pack to avenge me, even though I wasn’t truly dead. But, I could have been.

If I wasn’t a goddess, I would have been. I wouldn’t even have met Everett if I was human. But perhaps then I wouldn’t have been mated to him.

“You’ll tell me if he gets hurt, right?” I ask.

“Rory, you’re worrying over nothing. After what they all saw back at the citadel, they’re more confused than strong. They want to know what happened, whereas we all know. We’re in the better position.”

“What the fuck is going on?” Oliver questions loudly, gaining all of our attention.

“Nothing you need to worry your small brain about,” Ace snarks, then opens the door for Ophelia.

She hugs me tightly and fusses over me like a mother would. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her since I was taken by Nick and Victoria.

“Thank God you’re okay. Everett left me to take care of you, and I let Nick get to you. I’m so sorry,” she apologizes, but I just shake my head.

“You don’t have to be sorry. There was nothing that could have been done. Plus, I brought them all here. I just hope everyone will be okay. I just want peace.”

“Who are they?” Ophelia asks, pointing over at the three puzzled humans on the other side of the room.

“My so-called friends from school: Eddie, Jax, and Oliver.”

“Eddie? Your ex?” Ophelia questions.

“Who are you?” Eddie asks her accusingly.

“I’m Everett’s aunt. I believe you’ve met him,” she says bitterly, responding to his tone.

She respects manners and will treat others with the manners she receives.

“Rory, what’s going on with the whole Nemesis situation?” she whispers.

“I don’t know. I wanted to lure Nemesis out into the woods. She would think I was alone and, in fact, everyone would be there.

“She would be mortal, in human form, so we could defeat her. But Everett thinks it’s too dangerous for me.”

“Using you as bait is very dangerous for you.” She’s agreeing with Everett.

“I agree,” Ace chimes in, making me huff.

“What? Because I’m a weak little girl? This is the only way, and I need people to advocate that to Everett. It’s going to be a lot harder on my own, and by then, it might be too late. There’s no other plan,” I rant.

“There’s no other plan right now because those fucking three are here with no fucking reason. Once we sort out each issue, we’ll figure out a way,” Ace declares.

I roll my eyes at him. I’m his Luna and yet they all still side with the Alpha.

I understand their loyalty to him, but I’d have hoped these two could be logical and see that this is the way to keep us all safe, to defeat her.

She’s a goddess. It’s already quite impossible to defeat her as it is, but trying to keep everyone safe in the process is just not possible.

“I knew you would side with him.”

“I want to keep you safe like he does. You may not be mine, but we all love you here, Rory.”

“You have to keep me safe, but Everett can just go out there without a care?” I question.

“Everett is not…”

“Not what? Not defenseless. Out of all of you against her, I’m the closest match. I know more about her than any of you.”

“That doesn’t make you safe, and Everett would kill everyone if you got hurt again. Fuck, he’d kill himself if you died.”

I grimace at that, even though I fear it’s true.

“Shit, Nick and the others are gone. But they’ll come back.”

“But they’re gone? They’ve left the grounds?” I question.

He nods in response, and I rush out of the room to see my mate. They all follow me, including the humans, who are under watch by Ace and the guard wolves outside our room.

When I spot Everett a little bloodied, I jump into his arms and hug him tightly. Even though I knew he’d be okay, I’m still relieved to see him unharmed. Just his knuckles scraped.

“I told you to stay in the room, little one,” he whispers with a relieved sigh when he takes in my scent.

“Ace told me it was over.”

“You still should have stayed there until I got you,” he says sincerely, not in an angry way. “He only wanted to know what happened really.

“But they’ll come back. I’m not so worried about them—not as much as I am about the evil bitch goddess targeting my Luna. I heard your conversation with Ace. I can’t put you in danger.”

“I’m already in danger, Everett. I’ve put you in danger. What’s happening with Nick and Nemesis, that’s all on me. They’re my battles, and it’s fine if you want to fight them with me, but they want me.”

“Exactly, which is why you have to be as far as you can get from them.”

“It’s not ever going to be far enough with Nemesis. None of this is over until I face her. Last time, I was clueless about everything, and I wanted answers. Now, I go into this knowing her motives.”

“That’s not enough. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“What if we had every rogue in the area on our side? I’d be protected from all sides.”

“No. No, no, no, no, no. No.”

“I know you hate rogues, but it’s a smart move,” I say.

He pauses, staring deep into my eyes with this glossy look, as if he’s reliving a memory.

I didn’t mean to make him reminisce about painful experiences with his parents and the rogues. I just wanted him to consider this.

“Fine. I’m telling you now, I don’t like this plan and I’ll do everything in my power to protect you from harm, little one, so you need to be careful.”

I embrace him again, squeezing him tightly while on my tiptoes and nuzzling my nose into his neck as he does the same.

“I love you, Aurora.”

“I love you, too, Everett. I want us to be safe, to keep the pack safe. I want us all to live happily ever after.”

“They should go. Should we just let them leave?” He asks for my agreement on this decision as a partner in leading this pack.

I haven’t really gotten a chance to yet, what with getting run over by that car and going to the citadel to die again.

“Yeah. They don’t know anything anyway. They’re just…a little lost on everything, which doesn’t matter, I guess,” I reply, and he nods in response.

Guard wolves are ordered to escort the humans out to their car and to watch them leave, which the boys reluctantly do, although still curious.

***

Having this…subconscious protection from the rogues, it forms an alliance with them.

Rogues will never attack this pack again with me as Luna, and thinking to the future, that’s incredibly useful. We have every rogue on our side, good or bad, unconditionally.

I pretend like I’m sneaking out of the territory, because of everything that has been going on. I’m not sure whether it will work, but I have to try.

All the wolves hide out in rogue territory, with the pack continuing as normal so as not to raise suspicion. It’s late at night, so everyone should be asleep anyway.

I take a step over the border, fear creeping in and making me shiver. Anytime I notice movement, anxiety hits me, but then I realize it’s just the rustling of the trees or a small animal.

Attempting to trap and fight a goddess is a nerve-racking situation—even more so when it’s at night and I can barely see.

You would think that as a goddess, I would get some more abilities, like heightened senses. But no such luck.

As I travel farther into the unknown, seemingly alone, I feel Everett close, keeping me safe. I just hope I can keep him safe.

This is my fight, and I’m overjoyed that all these wolves are joining me and helping me. But, it’s still my fight, my responsibility this time.

“Innocent little Aurora is trying to trap me, huh?” a voice says behind me, making me whip around.

My eyes widen at the sight of Nemesis, who is not alone. She has a whole group of monstrous creatures behind her. But what terrifies me right to my core is what I see in her arms—who I see.

My mama. Trapped and with tears streaming down her face.