Chapter 146

Cara’s POV

With my wolf locked in slumber, I cannot shift to save myself. Regardless of whether the bullets in the gun are silver or not, I will likely die if struck by one or several of them.

The fury in Lilia’s face tells me she will not stop firing until I am nothing more than a blood smear on the ground.

Still I won’t make it easy on her.

Right as I tense, ready to try to dodge somehow, the door to the warehouse bursts open. I can’t turn to see who is there, but my heart already knows it’s Alaric.

Lilia pulls on the trigger and the gun fires with a loud popping sound.

A flash of gray fur jumps in front of me. The bullet hits the wolf, but he does not stop. The minute his paws are on the ground once more, he repositions himself and springs forward toward Lilia.

Before he can reach her though, George shifts, tossing Mia aside and jumping to save Lilia.

He catches Alaric, but not before Alaric can tackle into Lilia, jostling the gun free.

The gun clatters onto the floor, miraculously not going off again, and then slides down across the floor in the opposite direction of where Mia is.

As the wolves start to tussle, my eyes fall onto the gun.

I want nothing more than to go to my daughter and comfort her, but with that gun in play, neither of us can be fully safe.

I hope she understands my delay, I think, as I dash forward toward the gun.

Unfortunately, Lilia has recovered by now and races me for it. I can’t let her get to it first, though she is quick.

The only thing I can think to do in the moment to stop her is to drop my shoulder and ram into her like a football player. The blow connects and she lets out a loud grunt, even as she reaches out, grabs me by the arm and drags me down to the ground with her.

We roll for a moment, and then she tries to push me away. She’s successful on her first attempt, but I refuse to give up so easily.

If she gets that gun, she’ll try to kill me again, and maybe aim for Mia this time too. I can’t allow that to happen.

She crawls toward the gun, using her elbows to drag her forward across the floor. I hop up and lunge, grabbing her around the waist, I yank her backwards, away from the gun.

She turns onto her back and tries to swing at me, but her blows are easily avoided. On one failed attempt, I grab her arm, and drag it down to the ground, pinning her against the floor.

She rages, thrashing back and forth in an effort to escape. The attempt makes her look like she is possessed. I’m half-surprised she isn’t foaming at the mouth.

She can’t escape my hold though. Fueled by the need to protect my family, I have almost super human strength.

Confident I have Lilia contained, I glance back to see how Alaric is fairing. George, as once Gamma, is bigger and stronger than a typical werewolf – yet his size and strength is nothing compared to the Alpha King. Every blow George tries to land on Alaric is bet with one ten times more powerful.

It doesn’t take long at all for George to look tattered, covered in bites, with much of his fur torn out. He’s favoring one leg and whimpering like it hurts to stand. Alaric towers over him, murder in his wolf eyes.

I have no doubt that, to protect his family, Alaric is willing to kill for us.

But I do not want him to bear that burden. True justice would see this pair rotting in a jail cell.

“Alaric,” I call.

His gaze snaps to me, and though he softens slightly, I can still see the fury in his eyes. It’s almost like he’s asking me a question… for permission.

“Think of Mia,” I say.

Glancing back, I can see that the third of Lilia’s party, the old woman, is shielding Mia with her body. Yet Mia still cautiously looks around her, taking in the entire scene.

If Alaric were to tear George’s throat out, as I know he wants to do, then Mia would be the one to suffer, seeing such carnage.

I never wanted her to be heir because I’ve been trying to protect her from such brutality. With her constantly weakened health, even what she has already encountered might be too much for her. To see her own father mutilate someone would be too much…

She’s too young. Too innocent.

Alaric looks at Mia and then at me. He chuffs, and then with a lunge, tackles George. I brace myself, expecting bloodshed. Instead, Alaric uses both paws to smack George’s wolf head against the floor. Immediately, he goes slack, unconscious. The rise and fall of his chest tells us he is still alive.

“You asshole!” Lilia shouts. “Both of you. Nanny, do something!”

Alaric, shifting back into human form, takes a step toward the old woman. She is shaking, but bravely lifts her fists, as if she still intends to fight Alaric despite the show of strength she just witnessed.

“Give it up,” Alaric says. “You cannot win.”

“I won’t let you hurt my daughter,” she says.

“I’m over here, you crazy bat,” Lilia snaps.

Nanny shifts, keeping herself fully wedged between Alaric and Mia. I realize then, it’s not Lilia she hopes to protect… It’s Mia.

“That’s my daughter,” Alaric says, gesturing to Mia. He speaks softly and gently. “I thank you for keeping her safe, but I can be the one to protect her now.”

The old woman seems confused. She glances back at Mia.

“It’s okay,” Mia says, and my heart fills with pride. “I’m safe now.”

The old woman stills, watchful but unmoving as Mia walks around her and at first moves slowly, but then runs toward Alaric.

He scoops her into his arms at once and plants soft butterfly kisses along the side of her face.

Alaric’s relief is palpable. And so is mine.

Mia is safe.

Not long after, Noel and Aidan arrive with the police in tow. At once, they take Lilia and the still unconscious George into custody, though they still linger in the warehouse.

The old woman they approach with caution. She’s gone quiet since releasing her protection on Mia. Now she stares off like she is somewhere else, far away, in her mind. Her eyes are glassy.

“I did it, my love,” she mumbles. “Now, I am free to marry you and be Luna of the BloodyMoon pack…”

Her words make the rest of us still.

Aidan steps closer to her. “What did you just say?”

She glances at Aidan, and I wonder if she sees the BloodyMoon Alpha she remembers when she looks at him. Because when she speaks, she is certainly not talking to Aidan.

“I’ve poisoned her,” she says. “She won’t survive. But no… why do you look so sad, my love? Or… angry? Didn’t I do what you want? What you’ve been too afraid to do?”

I go still as well. I might not remember my time at BloodyMoon, but I know the story well enough.

Of my father, the Alpha King, who was not the most faithful sort. And of my mother, the Luna… who had been poisoned.