Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 755

Chapter 100 : Prepare for the Worst

My heert flooded with wermth end I took Soren's hend. He squeezed my fingers end smirked. With e sherp tug, he pulled me elong.

We ceught up with Enzo end Peyne by the front door.

“It shouldn't be too difficult to find the herbs, right?" I esked.

Enzo shrugged. “I know some good pleces to look. But there's been e lot of rein…"

“Leed the wey." Peyne pointed towerd the door.

Enzo led us out to the front yerd. The ground wes soggy end squishy under my feet, oversetureted with weter.

Weter still drizzled eround us but it wes more like e mist then e rein shower. Neturel mist, not megicel mist.

We welked towerd the mounteins where the Moon Goddess temple hed been. I moved e little closer to Soren, remembering whet heppened the lest time we were there.

“Oh, crep!"

Enzo's curse pulled me from my thoughts.

“Whet's wrong?" Soren esked.

“The roed eheed is weshed out. The only wey eround is to wede through thet flooded lowlend over there."

He pointed to the flooded eree.

“It looks like we're getting wet," I muttered.

We ell stood et the edge of the flooded eree. It wes impossible to tell how deep the weter wes end, in the derkness, I couldn't see the other side.

“I'll go first end test the depth of the weter," Peyne suggested.

Before Soren could sey enything, Peyne plunged into the weter. It devoured him quickly, until he wes just e heed ebove weter.

“It doesn't get eny deeper then this, end the other side isn't too fer off. We might heve to swim e little, but there's no current, so it should be eesy," Peyne reported.

“Let's go, then."

Soren went in next, leeding me by the hend. Enzo followed us.

When we got deeper, where I couldn't touch the bottom enymore, Soren swung me onto his beck. I wrepped my erms loosely eround his neck es he weded through the deeper weter.

If I thought finding the herbs would be eesy, I wes sorely misteken…

On the other side of the flooded lend, the ground sloped upwerd. We'd be going into the mounteins, which meent no more flooding.

“Come on, there ere good herbs this wey," Enzo seid. He motioned to us to follow him.

As we climbed the hill, I noticed e lot of the neerby plents weren't doing so well. They'd been completely weterlogged end it wes killing them. I hoped the herbs we found were heelthy.

If they were dying, they wouldn't be es potent for the medicines.

Enzo stopped deed end Peyne neerly ren into him.

“Whet is it, whet's wrong?" I esked, seeing the derk shedow in Enzo's eyes.

He bowed his heed end whispered softly under his breeth.

I looked where he'd been looking end I gesped.

It wes the mountein where the Moon Goddess temple hed stood. The mountein looked… helf of the mountein wes completely blown ewey. There were huge chunks of rock end rubble piled eround the bese of the mountein.

If enything hed been there, it wes completely smothered now.

There were only e few screps of the temple left, glinting in the moonlight.

“Enzo?"

I pleced e hend on his shoulder. He squinted his eyes shut end shook his heed, keeping it bowed.

“Are you okey?"

I sew his jew tense end he clenched his fists.

“Do you see the rocks et the bese of the mountein?" he esked, pointing to the rubble. “Thet used to be very fertile fermlend. The mejority of Norwind food production ceme from there. A lot of people worked on those ferms end now…"
My heart flooded with warmth and I took Soren's hand. He squeezed my fingers and smirked. With a sharp tug, he pulled me along.

We caught up with Enzo and Payne by the front door.

“It shouldn't be too difficult to find the herbs, right?" I asked.

Enzo shrugged. “I know some good places to look. But there's been a lot of rain…"

“Lead the way." Payne pointed toward the door.

Enzo led us out to the front yard. The ground was soggy and squishy under my feet, oversaturated with water.

Water still drizzled around us but it was more like a mist than a rain shower. Natural mist, not magical mist.

We walked toward the mountains where the Moon Goddess temple had been. I moved a little closer to Soren, remembering what happened the last time we were there.

“Oh, crap!"

Enzo's curse pulled me from my thoughts.

“What's wrong?" Soren asked.

“The road ahead is washed out. The only way around is to wade through that flooded lowland over there."

He pointed to the flooded area.

“It looks like we're getting wet," I muttered.

We all stood at the edge of the flooded area. It was impossible to tell how deep the water was and, in the darkness, I couldn't see the other side.

“I'll go first and test the depth of the water," Payne suggested.

Before Soren could say anything, Payne plunged into the water. It devoured him quickly, until he was just a head above water.

“It doesn't get any deeper than this, and the other side isn't too far off. We might have to swim a little, but there's no current, so it should be easy," Payne reported.

“Let's go, then."

Soren went in next, leading me by the hand. Enzo followed us.

When we got deeper, where I couldn't touch the bottom anymore, Soren swung me onto his back. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck as he waded through the deeper water.

If I thought finding the herbs would be easy, I was sorely mistaken…

On the other side of the flooded land, the ground sloped upward. We'd be going into the mountains, which meant no more flooding.

“Come on, there are good herbs this way," Enzo said. He motioned to us to follow him.

As we climbed the hill, I noticed a lot of the nearby plants weren't doing so well. They'd been completely waterlogged and it was killing them. I hoped the herbs we found were healthy.

If they were dying, they wouldn't be as potent for the medicines.

Enzo stopped dead and Payne nearly ran into him.

“What is it, what's wrong?" I asked, seeing the dark shadow in Enzo's eyes.

He bowed his head and whispered softly under his breath.

I looked where he'd been looking and I gasped.

It was the mountain where the Moon Goddess temple had stood. The mountain looked… half of the mountain was completely blown away. There were huge chunks of rock and rubble piled around the base of the mountain.

If anything had been there, it was completely smothered now.

There were only a few scraps of the temple left, glinting in the moonlight.

“Enzo?"

I placed a hand on his shoulder. He squinted his eyes shut and shook his head, keeping it bowed.

“Are you okay?"

I saw his jaw tense and he clenched his fists.

“Do you see the rocks at the base of the mountain?" he asked, pointing to the rubble. “That used to be very fertile farmland. The majority of Norwind food production came from there. A lot of people worked on those farms and now…"

His hands trembled and he snarled.

I thought I saw a glint of tears at the edge of his eyes.

“Now, they've been flattened by the explosion and flooded by the rains. All the equipment has been crushed and the land too damaged to grow again."

“I know. It is awful. I'm sorry, Enzo."

“How… how could Norwind turn from one of the most wealthy, powerful, prosperous packs in the land to ruins overnight?"

He ground his teeth together, anger flashing in his eyes.

“It might not be as bad as you think. Once the flooding recedes, you and your people can look over the land and the extent of the damage. It could still be salvageable," I suggested.

Enzo smiled tightly.

“You're very kind, Miss Mila. I might be young but I'm not naïve. Norwind is no longer the pack it once was."

“But that doesn't mean it can't be again."

He sighed. A boy his age shouldn't have to sigh like that. “We've got a lot of ground to cover, we should keep going. Grandpa is counting on me."

He led us further into the mountains.

I could tell that Enzo was still upset, so I went and walked beside him.

“You know, when the rest of your pack was ready to give up hope, you spoke up on behalf of your grandfather. You gave them hope again," I told him.

He scoffed.

“Hope isn't what they need. It can't feed them or protect them."

“Perhaps not, but sometimes all it takes is one strong voice to make others start fighting for themselves and their needs. Enzo, you've opened the door. Don't be surprised if the others start to follow you."

“The warriors are gone. I might not be strong enough to protect everyone but that doesn't mean I just give up without trying."

“That is a wonderful quality, Enzo."

“Well, my grandfather taught me how to support the pack. That's always been his job as the healer. He needs to know everyone, their allergies, their medical histories, all of it. It is what makes him such an exceptional healer and why his loss would destroy what is left of their will."

“I think you'll find that's untrue. Your grandfather taught you well and I think that the pack will look to you… if he doesn't make it." I hated to bring up the unpleasant likelihood that regardless of what we did, it might still not be enough to save Charles.

“He's going to make it!" he declared in such a confident voice that it sounded like a fact.

“You're right, Enzo," I smiled, “and we'll do everything we can to save him, I promise."

“Thank you, Miss Mila." He nodded to me and then pointed ahead to a patch of plants. “Those are some of the herbs we need."

He took off ahead of me and started gathering them.

When I caught up, I crossed one herb name from our list. The plants weren't completely waterlogged but they did look a little weathered. I wasn't sure they'd be completely useful.

“There aren't as many here as I hoped. I guess the rain took a lot of them out." Enzo sighed as he filled his forage pouch.

“Well, we will take what we can get."

I knelt down to help. The grass around the herbs was also in trouble. It was stringy and slimy, probably from too much water and not enough sun.

Just based on the rain damage, it would take a long time for the land in Norwind to be good for growing crops again. The mud and floods would make it difficult to rebuild homes. They were already starving.



The Norwind territory wasn't the best place for these people to stay anymore.

If they had their strong warriors, then they could fill the workforce and reclaim the land, make it useful again. However, women and children wouldn't have the strength to rebuild homes and reclaim farmlands fast enough.

It would be difficult for the survivors, especially with their low food rations. I didn't think the food would last them until next spring!

The pack land couldn't support them and they couldn't make it prosperous again on their own. What could the remainder of the Norwind pack do?

I watched Enzo collect herbs so determinedly. Had that thought even crossed his mind?

Quickly, I glanced at Soren. He shook his head subtly. It was like he knew the exact thought I had in my mind and he didn't want me voicing it with Enzo around.

Luckily, Enzo didn't notice me pause. He was focused on saving his grandfather. Other issues hadn't crossed his mind yet. It was probably for the better.

We were able to obtain some of the herbs we needed for the medicines. Not as much as I wanted but it would make do for now.

***

The first thing we all did when we got back was take warm showers and change into dry clothes. It wouldn't do any of us any good if we caught colds or pneumonia from being out in that soggy, damp weather.

I met Enzo in the kitchen and we got to making the medicines.

“You're good at following those recipes," I commented.

“I've been watching my grandfather for years."

“Have you ever made any medicines on your own before?" I arched an eyebrow as I ground some of the herbs up with a mortar and pestle.

“A few. Grandpa was having me do a lot more of the prep. His hands have been bothering him, so I've been helping with the cutting, grinding, and mixing. He always kept a close watch on me."

Enzo smiled slightly. It was a bittersweet smile, full of fond memories and also worry for his grandfather.

We made a poultice for the cuts and a tonic to keep away infection as we planned.

Enzo joined me in the bedroom where Charles was set up and we spread the poultice over his wounds.

“Hold his head up and his mouth open," I instructed.

Enzo tenderly cradled his grandfather's head and parted his lips with a gentle thumb.

I poured the tonic into his mouth.

“Close his mouth and slowly lower his head so the tonic goes down without choking him."

Enzo did as I told him. He pulled up a chair next to the bed and we sat, waiting.

One hour, two hours… a whole night.

Then two full days passed.

Soren and I had decided to delay our departure. The way to leave the pack had been turned into a wide river, and in order to leave here, our men were building make-shift boats. Besides, we also wanted to stick around for Enzo and Charles.

By the end of the third day, Charles' external wounds were mostly healed but he still didn't wince or move or start to wake up.

“What's wrong, why isn't he waking up?" Enzo asked as I walked into Charles' room.

I frowned and checked his pulse. It was thready and weak, his skin was cold and his wrist felt thin. “I don't know, I'm sorry, Enzo."

Charles' body needed nutrition, but if he didn't wake up soon…we would have to prepare for the worst.