Forsaken by the Moon Goddess novel Chapter 84

Sloane

When Scarlet and I returned to the pack, we were both exhausted. Thankfully, I didn’t have to tell my Beta that our day was just beginning. She could feel the pack’s pain and sorrow as easily as I could. Underneath that, there was a level of respect from our pack members that hadn’t been there before.

After showering off the blood and grime, I ordered Felix to be placed in the cells with a feeding tube down his throat to keep him alive. I ordered pyres to be built for our four fallen pack members. I checked to make sure Benedict hadn’t lost any warriors, but I heard that many of his warriors were in their own pack hospital. Then I went to my pack hospital, finding Benedict stable with a teary-eyed Bethany at his bedside.

“He can’t die,” she whispered.

I put an arm around her shoulder, reaching out to touch my mate whose face is much too pale and whose powerful body is much too still. He has a large bandage around his neck where his flesh was ripped off.

“He’s strong, Bethany, and he has a lot of reasons to live. We’re going to stay strong for him, okay?”

She presses her face to my chest, and I hold her while she cries. When she finally pulls away, I ask if she contacted their father. “Yes, he’s coming back. He’ll hopefully be here soon.”

“I’ll make sure the guards know to let him in. I’m going to go check on my pack members, then I’m going to your pack to check on things there.”

She nods again and I debate on telling her about her mother. I know that, even at her age, I hated when people treated me like a child, so I give her the same respect I would want if the roles were reversed.

“Bethany, your mother was there. She was Alpha Felix’s pack,” I tell her.

I watch as the reality of her mother’s betrayal hits her.

“She knew and probably had a hand in giving information to Alpha Felix so he could attack. I didn’t kill her. I wanted to wait until Benedict was awake and see what he wants to do, but she’s going to my uncle’s cells. I don’t trust myself not to kill her if I put her in either of our pack’s cells.”

She sniffs, then straightens her shoulders. “I hate her. She is partly responsible for what happened to Bene. She is no mother of mine,” she growls.

I reach out and squeeze her hand. “I’ll be back soon. Scarlet and Daniel are here if you need anything.”

I left her there, then went to visit my wounded pack members and the ones who were in the hospital because they lost their loved ones. For the ones who were conscious, I held them while they cried. I held pups who would never see one of their parents again. I told them that life isn’t always fair, but I would do everything in my power to make sure that this never happened again and that, no matter what, they would always be taken care of.

Afterward, I made sure the omegas were okay and able to make food for the pack. I checked in with Alpha Austin, then I mind linked Scarlet to let her know I was going to check on Benedict’s pack. They have no Alpha, no Beta, and I’m not sure what the status is on their Gamma.

‘Do you need me to come with you, Sloane?” Scarlet asks.

‘No. You stay and take care of our pack. Alpha Benedict IV is coming to sit with Benedict. Make sure he’s allowed on our pack lands. If there are any problems at Benedict’s pack, I’ll let you know. We have enough of Uncle Roman’s, Alpha Austin’s and Alpha Adam’s warriors to cover any issues that might arise. I just want to make sure no one thinks now is a good time to try and take over Benedict’s pack.’ When I cross the borders, I howl my approach and continue walking to the packhouse.

“Alpha Sloane! How is Alpha Benedict?”

The pack begins to surround me and I stop, looking at everyone.

“Alpha Benedict is stable, but still unconscious. Alpha Bethany is at his side. I’ve come to make sure everyone here is okay and being cared for,” I tell them.

“Thank you, Alpha I know I speak for the pack when I say that we appreciate it.”

“You’re Travis, right?” I ask him.

“Yes, Alpha. I’ve contacted my father and Beta Elliot, Ellis’ father, to return home while Alpha Benedict is unconscious.”

“Tonight is a sad night. Tonight, we lay our pack members to rest. Tonight, we grieve for lives that were ended too soon, families who will never see their loved ones again, pups who will never again be held in the arms of their loving parent. I am angry, so angry, that anyone thought they could come into our pack and take what belongs to us. They thought we were weak. They thought they could defeat us. But our enemies are dead. Our allies answered our call for assistance. We, as a pack, fought together to protect what is ours.”

I look around at the group of people watching me with various levels of sadness on their faces.

“I believe, as Aisling does, that there are still some within our pack who betrayed us. If you did, if you thought that you could help our enemies come into our home, hurt our pack members, try to force their mark on me and overthrow me as the Alpha of this pack, then you’ve just made me and every other member of this pack your enemy. When I find you, because I will, you will meet the same fate that our enemies met.”

I stop, taking a deep breath and watching the faces of those in the crowd. Several refuse to meet my gaze, and I make a note of who those individuals are.

“I haven’t been your Alpha for very long, but I promise you this. We will get stronger together. Word will spread about today’s decimation of Alpha Felix’s pack and the other packs will learn that our pack isn’t so easy to defeat. Our pack members will not die in vain. Their legacy will live on through us, through our commitment to getting stronger so this will never happen again.” I offer an opportunity for people to come forward and say something about our fallen pack members. I’m pleasantly surprised when several people come up to say how much they will miss someone or how much someone brightened their day.

When everyone who wants to speak has had a chance, the sun has set and the moon is starting to make her way across the sky. Scarlet, Daniel, and I light our torches and then we light the pyres. We step off the stage and stand back with our pack, watching as our fallen are burned and returned to the Moon Goddess’ realm. Scarlet reaches out, holding my hand as the flames burn high in the sky, the heat of the fire blowing against my skin.

“You need to eat, Sloane,” Samara says, walking up and taking my other hand, still looking out over the burning pyres.

“I’m afraid if I eat, I won’t be able to stay awake,” I tell her honestly.

“That’s okay. Your uncle and I are going to go to Alpha Benedict’s pack so they feel more settled. We’ll sleep there tonight. Austin and Elizabeth already slept, so they’re prepared to stay awake and make sure your pack stays calm and secure. Get something to eat and go be with your mate. It will do both of you a world of good,” she says, turning to look at me.

I nod. It’s almost as if the last of my strength begins to seep out of my feet. My limbs feel too heavy, almost too heavy to even make the trip to the pack hospital. Somehow, I force myself to walk over there, picking up a sandwich on the way.

When I get to Benedict’s room, Benedict Senior is holding a sleeping Bethany in his arms. I nod at him, then pull up a chair next to Benedict, and take his hand in mine. I breathe in his scent of a fine wine, letting it calm my mind, heart, and soul. Then I lay my head down beside him, pulling his hand to my face so I can continue to breathe him in and almost before I know it, sleep has pulled me under.