Chapter 24

Anna and Roza watched a carefree Maksim run around the fields chasing after his kitty. Silently, Roza thought about her life in the past few weeks. If anybody had asked her a couple months ago, she would never have believed a single word.

Nikolai...

It would never be on her mind back then that he cared for her. After marking him, she had to admit to feeling all his emotions freely without any resistance. She knew why he was doing this and honestly, she was feeling touched by his kindness after her uncontrolled jealousy.

However, feeling his emotions wasn’t an exact science, she could feel them but she couldn’t name all his emotions. It felt like a foggy day, she could only see so much.

“Are you playing a horrible joke on me?” Anna asked seriously.

Roza had just told her that Nikolai woke up with his eyesight back, but the look of disbelief on Anna’s face was a little hilarious. It was a feeling Roza had felt when Nikolai told her.

“I had the same reaction this morning but I am not kidding. He can see.” Roza said with a shrug before crossing her arms under her chest. She changed into a pair of old jeans and snuck one of Nikolai’s old t-shirts on.

“You marked him.” Anna stated still with a disbelieving voice.

Roza blushed in response. It was something she wasn’t too proud of. She was usually a very calm person but yesterday, jealousy ate her like a snack. She couldn’t contain the monster inside of her.

Anna giggled upon seeing Roza blush. “Don’t worry too much, Roza. If anything, I am glad you marked him and I know for a fact he is too. You know, he really isn’t a bad person. People make mistakes. If we don’t make them, we will never learn from them. I really am hoping it works out between you two.”

“It is just that -- that isn’t me. When I marked him, I wasn’t thinking about us. I was thinking more about me.” Roza explained. She watched as Maksim joined some other pups his age in a game of Duck, Duck, Goose. Anna stopped walking and stood next to Roza.

“You are ashamed of what you have done? I think that things happen for a reason, Roza.” Anna muttered. “On a more serious note though, if it was me, Faith would be dead. Marking him is minor compared to ripping her throat. I say you have good self control.”

“But I shouldn’t be jealous. They are friends...”

Anna scoffed. “Faith has been chasing after Alpha for so many years.”

“They didn’t-” Roza began but didn’t know how to proceed without getting the sickening feeling in her stomach.

Anna shook her head immediately. She knew what Roza was asking.

“Of course not. Faith and Alpha have known each other for a very long time. Faith’s family served this pack as Beta for many years. They grew up together but Alpha never took interest in Faith in the way you are thinking.” Anna pointed out.

Roza’s body relaxed and she breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear.”

Anna bumped Roza’s shoulder playfully with hers. “Seriously though, Roza, you shouldn’t worry so much. Things happen for a reason. You didn’t come here just so that Maksim will have a father. You came here because you still cared for him. We are all afraid of getting hurt but love takes risk. You might not have been able to feel it then, but feel it now. You marked him. I am sure you feel what he feels.”

Roza smiled sheepishly. “I do. He isn’t blocking anything. I can feel how happy he is. I don’t know if it is because of the relationship between us, or if it is because he can see again, but he is happy. Strangely, it makes me happy.”

“It’s the bond. It works in ways you don’t understand. He is your other half, the one person made to fit perfectly with you. The Moon Goddess didn’t make a mistake. She knew what she was doing when she made Alpha to be yours and you to be his soulmate.” Anna spoke.

“Give it a chance?” Roza asked feeling a little foolish for asking.

“Give him a chance and don’t worry so much. Fate has already been decided, even if we tried to thwart it.” Anna answered.

Roza and Anna continued to watch Maksim play with the other pups. His kitty chasing them all around before curling up into a ball in the middle of the circle of pups. Watching them silently as they laughed and chased each other on the grass. Roza chuckled when she saw a little girl pup chasing after Maksim.

“Pathetic.” A voice came from behind Roza and Anna. They both turned to see Faith glaring at them from behind. Her arms crossed underneath her chest as she cocked her hips. Her gaze held so much hate for Roza.

“Excuse me?” Anna asked and moved to stand in front of Roza, but Roza didn’t need anyone to stand up for her. Roza moved Anna back to her side before looking at Faith.

“You heard me. Pathetic. Pathetic excuse of a Luna. Weak. I don’t get why Nikolai is so crazy over you.” She sneered.

“Pathetic?” Roza quirked an eyebrow. “I’m not the one chasing after a tail that doesn’t belong to you. Don’t you have a mate somewhere you should be faithful to? If anyone is pathetic here, it is you.”

Faith growled and took a step closer to Roza. She was a few inches shorter than Roza, but Roza wouldn’t underestimate her capabilities. Faith was strong, of that Roza has no doubt.

“Shut up! You don’t know him the way I do. I grew up with him. I know what he likes. I know what makes him angry and what calms him down. I have always been there for him and now you come waltzing into his life as if you have every right to be. You are nothing more than his mate and he doesn’t even want you.” Faith snarled. Her eyes flashed between black and her normal eye color.

“I suggest you stop talking right now.” Anna’s normally controlled demeanor changed. Her eyes were also flickering between her wolf and her.

“You might have grown up with him but I am his mate. You used to know him but not anymore. If you ask him what he likes now, it will be me. If you ask him what makes him angry and what calms him down, it will be me. Telling me that you were a part of his life, doesn’t mean anything to me. He is mine." Roza growled.

“Not if I am still breathing!” Faith sneered and her hand came up to slap Roza across the face. Roza felt the sting right across her face before she turned back to look at Faith. She saw Faith’s hand come up to slap her once again before Roza grabbed onto her wrist and twisted it hard, snapping her wrist.

“Get away from my mommy!” Maksim kicked Faith on her shin and then pushed Faith away. Roza got distracted when she saw Maksim next to her. Faith took the opportunity to push Maksim to the ground with her feet. Maksim went flying back.

A fierce growl left Roza’s lips. She was angry beyond control. Her wolf fully on the surface, she shifted immediately and attacked Faith. Nobody hurts what was hers and nobody hurts her pup. Roza pinned Faith’s body below her wolf. She snarled and clamped her canines onto Faith’s shoulder.

She heard distant voices as she tore Faith’s shoulder up and then cracked her rib cage before breaking her arms. Everything in her told her to protect her pup. Faith was a danger to her family and she needed to be eliminated.

Frantic voices shouted again, louder this time, before she felt fur brush up against her. Tingles erupted from the touch and her vision cleared up from seeing red. She let go of Faith, who was unconscious on the ground and turned her head to see Nikolai. His eyes were black with anger but it wasn’t towards her. His eyes moved down to Faith.

Kill. She could see it in his eyes. He wanted to kill.

Snarling, Nikolai pushed Roza’s wolf off from Faith. Roza growled her protest but Nikolai wanted no arguments. Roza knew that Nikolai wanted to kill Faith and her wolf was humming with happiness. The animal side of her had no logic to the consequences that might ensue if they killed based on their emotions. A small part of her -- the human part of her knew that this was not right. They couldn’t kill her like this. It will not only make her look like a jealous raged Luna, but it will also have everyone questioning the ruling of their Alpha and Luna.

She pushed Nikolai away but he growled as he bared his canines to her. She shook her head and pushed at him again. He growled louder and snapped his jaws on her neck to make her submit to him.

She struggled underneath his jaws, not wanting to submit and for him to release her. Pain erupted from her shoulders as he held on harder. Fresh blood seeped from the wound. She refused to submit, but she felt his body stiffen before he slowly released his hold on her neck. His eyes flickering back from black to his normal eye color. He must’ve noticed that he was hurting her because she instantly felt his guilt through the bond. His head lowered slightly before he whimpered and began licking her wound.

She wanted to reassure him. She saw Anna walking up to her with a blanket. She shifted with Anna’s blanket safely wrapped around her. The wound that Nikolai created covered her whole left shoulder. She turned to Anna.

“Take Faith to the medical wing. Have someone watch her at all times.” Roza said. “She is not to be let out from sight until we determine her future.”

Anna nodded and several warriors came to help lift her body up. Nikolai shifted after he was handed a pair of shorts. He put it on quickly before moving to Roza’s side.

“I hurt you.” He said in a hoarse voice. His eyes looking remorseful and upset as he gently peeled away the blanket from her shoulder to see what he has done.

“I’m okay.”

“I wasn’t thinking straight. When I saw what she did to Maksim and Anna told me the things she said to you...” He paused as he licked his lips and looked back up at her. “I wanted to kill her. I still want to kill her.”

“I know. I do too, but what does that make us? Are we murderers? We shouldn’t instill fear into our pack and give them the image that their Alpha is unreasonable and uncontrollable. Our wolves might control most of our strong feelings, but we still have to maintain some kind of compassion. It is what makes us different from everyone else. It is what makes us be able to lead a pack.” Roza spoke. “God knows how much I want to snap her neck for pushing Maksim, but we are not executioners.”

“Fine.” Nikolai said a little upset still. “We will have the pack decide what her punishment should be.”

Roza smiled but Nikolai shook his head. “A few days ago I would have killed without hesitation.”

“I know.” Roza answered.

“I still want to kill her.”

Roza laughed softly but that caused her shoulder to rub against the blanket. She winced and Nikolai’s attention went to her shoulder.

“We need to get you to the medical wing.” He said.

“I’m fine. It should heal fairly quickly.” Roza interjected. “We have to check on Maksim.”

“He’s fine. Dimitri looked him over. He didn’t get any injuries.” Nikolai answered before placing a hand on the crook of her back.

“But-”

“Let’s go see Doctor Trevin.” He interrupted her. His voice held no room for arguments. She sighed and allowed him to lead her back to the pack house.