Ascension of a Gamma novel Chapter 37

Chapter 37 Luna‘s Pleas

-Anna

His body went limp as he closed his eyes, lips parted, a single breath leaving his mouth.

“No. No. Liam. Liam…”

I slapped his face gently for a few times t o wake him. He couldn’t just leave me. He couldn’t just…

I screamed his name over and over as I slapped his face harder, but he didn’t respond. Sweat and blood slicked his face and arms. He had bruises all over his torso. He felt cold. Too cold like he had been submerged in icy water for hours.

“Liam…” I whispered, choking at the words I wanted to say. More tears flowed as I cupped his cheek.

Please open your eyes. Please… you can’t just leave me… us. The pack needs you. I need you.

A firm grip on my shoulder made me jerk my head up. The pack members had surrounded us, looking down at us with

nee your

A firm grip on my shoulder made me jerk my head up. The pack members had surrounded us, looking down at us with pained faces, most of them in tears. I looked back to the person behind me. It was Rigel. He wore a calm expression, but his eyes flickered momentarily into a deeper shade of forest green.

“Anna! Liam!” a voice shouted. Lexy came running to us, the pack making way for her and three more members. “Le… he

She got down on her knees and pressed two fingers below his ear.

“He has a pulse,” she said, beckoning for her companions to put the stretcher down.

I hesitantly handed him to them, and with Rigel’s help, I shakily got to my feet.

Lexy’s face hardened and her brows furrowed.

“Come with us,” she said, joining the rest who were already carrying Liam away from the scene. I nodded and was about to follow when the murmuring of the pack stopped me. Their eyes were

pack stopped me. Their eyes were glued to Liam, a glimmer of hope in their eyes. None of them looked back at us as they hurried to get him to the clinic.

I took deep breaths to calm myself.

He’s going to be alright. Lexy’s the best healer there was. He’ll wake up, right?

He fought hard for us. Seeing him get kicked and punched and stepped on was mortifying, but he always got back up. He didn’t scream in pain, he didn’t ask for a break, he never pleaded for his opponentt o stop. He kept denying, he kept saying “n o”, and he kept fighting back.

The pack cheered him on regardless. They believed he’d win, and he did. They trusted their futures upon him completely, even though he accepted the challenge suddenly and on his own. And even now, they continued to hope that he would return to them.

Noble. Admirable.

For his people to place this much faith in him, I was yet to understand how burdensome it must be for him. I was Willing to share it. He didn’t have to bear the weight alone. Not anymore.

ughtful expression on his face. His eyes were set on me, shifting from timet o time to the background.

“Alphas, name your Betas,” said Rigel.

“Beta Gale Gavyn,” I said aloud.

A snarl came from behind me, followed b y howls.

“I have none,” said Myron. “My daughter, the future Luna shall take the Beta’s place.”

Howls came from his own pack.

“I accept.”

Rigel nodded, then stepped back from us.

Myron took off his shirt, showing the death marks that were almost upon his heart. We were running out of time,

He lowered himself on a solid stance. His breathing was controlled, and his eyes on me. His pack howled for him, and he raised both arms in a defensive position.

I raised my shirt over my head and threw i t to the side. My pack howled, a plethora o femotions pulsing through the open channel. It felt hotter still. I hadn’t drunk

zone immediately.

The children began to wail, and their mothers gathered them in their arms.

“Mind-link everyone left in the village. Retreat to the Forbidden Area, Block 2E.”

As soon as he finished, the pack ran ahead of us. Most of them shifted into their wolves and sprinted, into the Forbidden Area Rigel had just mentioned.

Everyone in the village?

I watched the pack members frantically run over to safety. This wasn’t an evacuation. They were retreating,

Why?

The Alpha was down. No one to issue orders and coordinate a counterattack among the different units. They could communicate via a mind-link but that’d only lead to more confusion. They were sitting ducks, we all were. Loyal to the Alpha, the Gammas would fight to their last. The howls grew louder. This time, it came in random intervals, and most sounded pained.

Rigel was gripping my arm painfully as h e dragged me forward. I was a distraction,

ragged me forward. I was a distraction. They needed their Head Gamma and here he was, dragging my sorry self to safety. Could we win without him?

They knew more about this pack than I did. This was the Red Claw Pack! They took down other packs and they were the largest pack on the continent.

I had to trust them… trust Gale…

And yet my gut shouted at me to interfere.

They had a strong chain of command until the Alpha, the head, was cut off the picture. The Beta was next, but if the attack was widespread…

Gale could handle it. I didn’t underestimate any of them in the slightest. I shouldn’t do this. I’d only get i n the way. But… I couldn’t let them do this alone when I could do something…

I forced myself to a stop.

Rigel glared at me. “What are you doing? We have to get you out of here,” he implored.

Take me to Liam,” I said firmly.

“Lexy will –

I shook my arm off his grasp and started t o run, more like limp, towards the clinic. He had no choice but to follow.

“What are you doing?” he asked, irritated.

“I need to be with him. Get me a map and give me a run-down of our units. You’ll b erny eyes and ears until this is over.”

“Anna, I have to get you to safety!” he shouted, his eyes flashing a dangerous glare.

I understood that keeping him here was frustrating him. His men were on the frontlines and he should be there with them. But he had to make up for my shortcoming. I didn’t have a wolf.

He made a move to grab my hand, but I jumped to my side to avoid it, balancing o n one foot. I kept up with my pace.

“Anna please!” he shouted. “Listen to m

e!”

“I need… I need you to relay orders to our

fighters!

My mind was thinking up how we could survive this, years of training under my father kicking in.

Tamen RICKING m.

“I’m joining the fight.”

“Liam is unconscious, for fu-”

“Not Liam’s,” I said, looking him right in the eye. “Mine.”

The door opened with a bang. One of Lexy’s assistants was on his way out.

“Where is he?” I demanded, and he pointed to a hallway. My voice must’ve shocked him – I was beyond anxious and

furious.

We passed by a line of displayed lockers. A map was spread out on the wall beside the pack crest. I hurriedly removed the pins and clung to the map.

“This way,” said Rigel, passing me by and leading the way

When we reached the room, from the small circular glass window, I could see him lying down on a bed, with an oxygen mask on and different tubes attached to his body. The people gathered around him, every single one of them busy with their own tasks.

“You’re taking his place?” Rigel asked

ou’re taking his place?” Rigel asked silently, his lips set in a deep frown.

He reached for my arm, but I pulled it back, avoiding him. “No, Rigel!”

“I have to get you to safety, Sarina!” he shouted, making me gasp. He slapped himself once, hard, leaving a red handprint on his cheek. “I’m sorry. Anna, please…”

I shook my head, dismissing his outburst. We’d discuss it later. Right now, we had three forces to deal with.

“Their positions and units. Mark all of it o in the map.”

“Anna…”

“I am your Luna, and you will obey my commands!” I shouted.

His eyes widened then he recovered, his eyes the normal clear green.

“Now do as you’re told, Head Gamma.”

His gaze hardened as he stared down at m

“Fine,” he said through gritted teeth. He snatched the man from muhand and

atched the map from my hand and spread it on the floor. He pointed to several spots as he gave a brief summary of their positions and numbers.

The rogues are here,” he said, pointing t o an area in the northeast borders, “and here.” Another area on the eastern borders. “Right now, the special units are on standby. The remaining Gammas have split into two.”

From the north, it was closer to the castle. The attack on the east most likely targeted the villagers. But why? The timing was impeccable. There weren’t many members in the village. If they attacked earlier, they would’ve had more advantages.

Their number was too many and rogues usually acted alone or in small groups. This seemed like a coordinated attack. It couldn’t have been a coincidence. What were they really after?

“Where’s the Forbidden Area?” I asked,” Block2E?”

“Here,” he said, pointing to a spot the farthest from the attacks.

“Why’s it forbidden?”

Why’s it forbidden?”

“The pack’s craziest member lives there. He’s isolated for many reasons, but when need be, he will protect the pack,” he replied

“How?” I ask, “Who… what… is he?”

He hesitated in answering. “He… he’s a very powerful witch.”

Witch! That’s it!

“Where’s the witch who came with the Blue Moon Pack?” I overheard Lexy talking to some scary-looking warriors earlier at the mansion about a witch.

“We don’t know,” he admitted.

“Keep the channel open. Pass this to

Gale.”

His eyes glazed over.

“Tell him I’m taking command. Pull back our fighters on the east borders and have them join our forces on the northeast.”

“The rogues will enter.”

“Let them. Mobilize all special units near the area. Draw them into the territory. The slope should slow them down. Tell

The slope should slow them down. Tell those units to repeatedly engage and retreat.”

TULCEM

She stared at me with widened eyes like I had just gone insane. Maybe I was. It sounded insane in my mind, it sounded