24 Exposed

I made an effort to ease off on Niko's injuries by carrying some of my own weight but he only tightened his arms to secure me in place when I tried to pull myself closer to him.

"I'm not uncomfortable," he said after I gave up and leaned back on him.

His wound was almost sealed up albeit the scarring tissue that stained his porcelain skin. His god-sculpted figure was also becoming visible again, but I wasn't going to let that fool me. I knew the anatomy of their kind all too well.

Nikolaj may have descended from a superior bloodline which resulted in greater recovery rates, but injuries were still injuries. They have healed on the surface but the internal organs are far from top shape. It worried me that earlier his wounds weren't even responding.

"Wolf bites have a different effect on vampires, right?" I tugged on his neck a little when he didn't respond. He glanced at me for a brief second before facing ahead.

"You're a lot more talkative than before."

"You're avoiding the question again."

"My answering won't alleviate the current situation."

I snickered. "Don't trust me enough to answer?" After all, who'd reveal their own weaknesses. With his status and vampire pride, he wouldn't admit to such things anyway.

"They do." Niko dropped his eyes on me and I gaped back. "Wolf bites have a paralysis effect on us. If we don't replenish our blood, we can die. But no need to worry, the time threshold for nobles are higher with our ranks. Still, we do well to dodge their attacks as much as possible."

If he knew that and still threw himself in harm's way to shield me...

"It's your fault for saving me. But ultimately it's my fault so you should take some of my blood-"

"You can die of exsanguination," he shot down in a heartbeat.

"But you-"

"There's a difference between drinking for pleasure and actually needing to drink. When we drink, we don't stop until our thirst is quenched." His tone was grave with emphasis on the last word. I understood the situation so didn't bother to argue as there was no denying I was helpless to him. "That's why I don't tell you things," he said immediately after I lowered my head. "You worry too much."

"Because I have a cause of worry."

"If only you have a little more faith in me..." Nikolaj said more to himself than to me who was directly in his arms.

"You brought home Valerie without saying a word to me," I reminded him.

A husband who'd marry someone else when he's only a few months from being a father to a child of another woman has no right to demand trust.

Niko's arms around me tightened. "If you give me the chance, I'd wish to clarify things with you one day..."

A gorgeous smile produced on Niko's face before he whispered something I didn't catch and hurled me like a ball in the direction of the Border. I turned to look at him, but he was already backtracking to where we came from.

The wolves have caught up and he's stalling time to keep me safe. Again.

With all my might, I ran to the Border. My eyes fogged up plenty of times and I was fighting my hardest not to turn my head or let my legs slow. It felt as if I did, I'd just plummet to the floor because I was just so tired.

Tired of running. Tired of fighting. Tired of living you could say.

Strange thoughts tended to gather in my head whenever I see Niko. My heart becomes soft and where there were no doubts, it becomes filled with a bunch of what ifs. That power he had over me still lingers somewhere.

A part of me wanted to turn around so bad so watch him, to make sure he'd make it out alive. After all, that man was literally how old...his reflexes may not be as sharp. Or it could be the opposite since he was of noble blood.

But he made the right choice. If I were by his side, he may be hindered. He wasn't like Ralphie. He didn't feel empowered with me around. For him, the best way I could help was to be gone. So I ran and ran and ran until I began to see familiar terrain.

I could feel my heart thumping against my chest as I sprinted across the snowy fields that covered the Border. At that point, I didn't care to remain discreet. As long as someone from my pack was around, Ralphie would know I've arrived.

Even if they decided to attack me. He'd know. And that was exactly what enfolded.

Half way across the field, I was being chased by a pack of three wolves. They didn't howl or call out to me, only ran after me like their life depended on it, teeth ready to rip me apart. I could smell their bloodlust from a mile away.

From the corner of my eye, a black wolf dashed towards me from the other side of the field like a bull seeing red. Shock crossed all of my pursuers faces when the wolf dived under and scooped me up and began running.

"ARES! Take me to Ralphie!" I yelled with joy, finally taking real breaths. It felt good to finally see an ally who was fully on my team.

The boy was a fast runner, even faster than before. I knew he was on my side because he didn't slow a millisecond but I'm sure he was confused with the situation.

"DON'T HELP THE TRAITOR!" I heard a loud roar from the direction we were heading. It was Little Roy. I'd recognize his look. He was guarding where Ralphie was.

Ares whimpered when he slowed at the block roads. On the other side, another wolf came closing in.

"I need you to run as close to the barracks as you can. When I'm close enough, I'll knock down Little Roy," I whispered into his ear so not to let the others hear well. "Call Ralphie and Diane for me first."

His furry black ears curled, almost as if unsure I could accomplish the feat of knocking down an adult wolf three times my size. If only he had seen the others I've run into and outran. I'm still on some kind of vampire blood. It shouldn't be impossible. I've done worse damage.

"AAAHHHWOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

Ares' howl echoed through the area, loud enough for the vampires to hear too I bet. I gripped on to his fur as he galloped head on at Roy who didn't budge. Size-wise, despite being called Little Roy, he was far from petite. Ares was still growing and not half his size yet, but he had strength and he most likely felt mine when I gave him a pat.

The tiny gesture put him at ease as he hurled me at Little Roy who had his jaws wide open to clamp down on my skin. At the last second before contact, I shifted my body weight and landed a perfect kick on his side. Using the impact as a bounce off, I landed right back on top of Ares who was grinning giddily. All his sharp fangs were showing.

"Nice kick Luna!" he complimented in wolf tongue.

"Nice catch," I responded.

Ares darted across the tents and camps and curious faces poked out. They didn't seem to be at war yet or at least haven't initiated anything. When they recognized me, their expressions grew softer and some even waved.

"Welcome home Luna!"

"LUNA!!!"

The other Alphas must've kept it among themselves to kill me off without Ralphie knowing. There was no way the team defending the Border didn't know a thing.

It was almost ironic. My people putting their lives on the front lines while the other Alphas hide behind in the safer regions and plot to assassinate me for their own peace of mind.

We were speeding down the open area until a super human appeared in the center of everything causing Ares to pull the breaks from crashing into him.

As soon as we made eye contact, I leapt into his arms and was immediately surrounded by warmth. I didn't even know I was cold until I returned in his embrace. He smelled of cinnamon and firewood, much more pleasant than what I reeked of for the past week--blood and sweat.

"Seems like I've been on the battlefield first, huh?" I joked before stifling a laugh. "I missed you Ralphie..." It was hard to contain how happy I was. I felt so safe. Finally.

After holding me like he hadn't seen me in a decade, he loosened his arms enough to look at my face, which I'm sure also wasn't the prettiest or the cleanest at the moment. Ralphie scanned me from head to toe and it was almost embarrassing to appear so tattered and dirtied. He wiped away some dried stain from my face and his eyebrows creased. With his sharp nose I'm sure he could deduct what went down.

"Which pack?" he growled.

My face scrunched for a second before softening up. "I'm really glad to be home," I said as I cupped my hands around his beautiful face. It didn't suit him to look so angry.

Ralphie removed my hands and was glaring with the most menacing eyes I've seen on him or actually anyone. Not at me though. I turned to look at a mixture of befuddled and frightened faces.

"Which pack?" he repeated in a lower voice with much less patience.

A few seconds later, a loud yelp was heard from one direction and our heads turned to see Diane pressing down the arm of a new recruit. In a split second, Ralphie was atop another new face that tried to make a run for it. Ares got the other one.

"WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO HARM MY LUNA?" Ralphie roared in wolf tongue.

"Because she's the Bloodsucker breeder."

It was one of the older alphas. Abram, the other Lycan, and Little Roy shadowed him. The alpha's statement broke the crowd's earlier silence, causing gasps to circulate around the quarters and building unsettlement in the wake of confusion.

"Is this true Alpha Grayson?"

"Is Luna really the breeder?"

"That's impossible! How can our Luna be the vampire breeder?"

"Wait! She did come from the Vampire Territory..."

"She must be their spy!"

"But she lived among us and is one of us!"

"Did she lead them over?"

Ralphie didn't flinch, only stood taller and held me closer. His reaction didn't sit well with the old Alpha who was expecting a much different result.

"You know and still protected her?" The old Alpha was far from displeased and sounded as if he was the one who was betrayed.

Everyone waited to hear my Alpha respond to the accusation.

"Why wouldn't I?" Ralphie's tone was brimming with authority, which grounded some of the bystanders. "She's my Luna," he stated and smiled at me before turning his attention back to his senior though equal in title.

"She is a threat to us. She gave birth to a PUREBLOOD!" the alpha stormed. "What if she gives birth to another one? What then?" He pointed his finger at me. "She'll cause our downfall! She mustn't live!"

"Touch her and you won't see another tomorrow."

This riled the crowd up once more and everyone was becoming anxious, debating between which alphas command to follow.

Abram shifted into a Lycan and Bryant who appeared from behind us mirrored his action. Diane shifted into a gorgeous white wolf and stood in front of us, followed by Ares and Sheila.

"You don't want to fight us," Diane advised.

"She lives, we all die!" Little Roy retorted.

Ralphie gently pushed me to Diane before stepping forth. "This is not the time for civil war." He looked upon his companions who had staked out at the Border with him for the past weeks.

He stepped closer to the other alpha, already towering over him a few inches. "She has done nothing wrong. I'm willing to look over the fact that you and the others lied, but if you dare suggest anything so irrational again, I'll make sure you won't ever lead another pack in your life."

That was a challenge. I hoped things didn't have to come to this.

I was about to throw in a few words of reason for my own self-defense but the older alpha had his pride to protect and pounced on Ralphie before I had the chance. It was an honor code I guess since Ralphie didn't manifest as a Lycan but instead shifted into beast form to counter.

Diane's long white tail curled around me. "The other four Alphas made a choice to act without our consent. It's a declaration that they are ready to discard our pack. After Ralphie wins, we will have to leave." It didn't sound like we were going to lose, but that outcome made it sound like we already lost.

I nodded and directed my focus back on the fight. Ralphie had his teeth sunk into the old wolf's torso and incapacitated him. Blood trickled from his mouth to the snow as he dropped the limp body to the ground and walked over it to showcase his victory. Little Roy tried to ram himself against Ralphie but he was no match and was shoved aside like a little pup.

Abram stood in front next, but before Ralphie fully shifted, the silver-lined wolf took on his human form. Ralphie copied and both men stood together in an awkward exchange.

I couldn't hear what they were saying from afar but Ares helped translate.

"We need to defend the Border. If you leave because of your Luna, you endanger the entire Wolf Clan and should we encounter losses, she will garner more blame."

"You guys decided to discard her. That means, you already discarded me."

"What good would that mindset do? Can you defend against all of us?"

"I will if I need to try."

Diane rolled her eyes when Ares repeated the line for me to hear. It was a bit dramatic.

"Even if you do, you can't stop the Bloodsuckers from trying to take her back if they learn of her existence."

"She will not return to them."

"She has vampire blood on her, mixed with the blood of our kin."

"Alvena is with us."

"Physically she is. But where is her heart?"

Ralphie's body began to shake with rage and his hands balled up into fists.

"Take Alvena where she needs to go. I'll catch up soon."

Bryant lowered his body for me to climb on. Once I was positioned on top of him, he bolted like lightning. He was much larger than Ares so it was harder to hold on, but Bryant was insanely fast. I didn't dare whip my head around in case of falling.

"Diane and Ares are right behind us. Sheila will stay to support our Alpha."

I nodded.

"Where do you need to go Luna?" Bryant asked.

I thought it was strange that Ralphie didn't directly issue an order to take me to safety. He probably knew I saw him again...

"Towards the snowy hills," I replied. "I need to find someone."