I'M SO SORRY FOR TAKING TWO WEEKS TO UPDATE! I KNOW THIS STORY IS NEAR TO BEING FINISHED BUT I'M REALLY SO SO SO BUSY THAT I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO UPDATE. *sigh* I'm really sorry.

Chapter 33

The battle started and Akira caught her mother and her father facing off in the corner of her eyes. She clung tightly to Adam’s fur at the sight, but looked away immediately.

      Feeling like the area got even noisier than it was before, Akira decided to help Adam with the current fight at hand and warned him whenever someone would try to sneak up on them. Adam told her it was unnecessary for her to worry, but she insisted on doing it anyway.

      ‘Alpha!’ Someone yelled in her mind. ‘Are you injured? Hurt anywhere?’

      ‘I’m fine.’ Adam replied. ‘But my mate is hurt. She needs to be treated.’

      ‘Do you prefer we take her away?’ The other wolf asked.

      “What?!” Akira yelled. “No way! I’m staying here!”

      ‘But, Luna,’ The wolf protested. ‘I don’t mean any offence, but you cause the alpha worry when you are in the battlefield in such condition. It’s best if you are taken to a safer place where Alpha Adam would be confident you are free from the confines of danger.’

      “Don’t expect me to just leave!” She yelled.

      ‘Go with him, Akira.’ Adam said. ‘He’s perfectly right.”

      “Adam?!” She exclaimed in disbelief. “You are not being rational!”

      ‘I am.’ He firmly answered. ‘I almost died just thinking what could possibly happen to you. You’re injured, Akira, and I admit I can’t focus on the fight properly with you in that condition. I’ll be more than happy if you get proper treatment.’

      “But I thought we were in this together! Besides, this is my father we’re talking about! You’re going up against him!”

      ‘I know that, Akira.’ He somehow sounded desperate. ‘I know. But give me some peace of mind . . . free me from worry. Your father’s a completely deranged man, and I mean no offence to you, but I have a feeling he’ll stop at nothing to kill me to get both of you and your mother.’

      “You . . .”

      ‘You’ll be safer if you go back to the pack house. Go with him. He’ll protect you with his life. Isn’t that right?’

      ‘Right, Alpha.’

      Akira glared at Adam spitefully, not moving.

      ‘Please, Akira. Listen to me just this one time. I beg of you. I’ll listen to your lecture later, just please go.’

      He sounded pained that moment that Akira couldn’t resist. “Fine! But you owe me one, Adam!”

      He gave her a wolf-y grin. ‘Go, Dan.’ He told the wolf. ‘Please take Akira and Ann with you.’

      ‘Will do, sir!’

      Akira hesitantly dismounted from Adam’s back with Ann and rode the other wolf with sterling grey fur. He was smaller compared to Adam, and Akira felt the sudden loss of his warmth uncomfortable. She casted a worried glance Adam’s way, her eyes meeting his for a moment before his wolf head bobbed up and down as a sign of encouragement. He then turned back to battle and bit down at the enemy.

      ‘It’s an honor to finally meet you, Luna.’ Said the wolf named Dan. ‘I’m one of the pack’s zeta, Dan Carter. I’ve heard a lot about you from my colleagues.’

      “Nice to meet you . . . I guess.”

      “I’m glad you came, Dan!” Ann said with visible relief.

      ‘Nice to see that you’re well, too, Ann.’ He replied. ‘I’m sorry for taking you away from your mate like this, Luna. But Alpha Adam cannot be hindered in battle.’

      “Hinder him in battle?” Akira’s blood boiled. “How can I hinder him in battle?!”

      The wolf under her visibly flinched. ‘Pardon me. I meant no offense. I know that of all people who would be able to stand by our alpha in the middle of a fight, it’s you, Luna, but you are currently in no condition to do so. My point is to let Alpha Adam have a peace of mind. Let’s cut him off some slack and let him focus solely on the fight ahead without worrying him. Besides, I am certain that you are not used to seeing this much violence and gore.’

      Akira went silent from his words. He was certainly correct about that. With the wound on her shoulder, Akira could hardly move her hand. Being shot by an arrow felt more painful from what she originally had imagined.

      She felt uncomfortable discussing the topic. Hearing him say that and for her to actually think this way made her feel useless and weak. She never was like this before.

      Instead of prodding the matter further, she decided to change the main focus of their conversation. “Where are we going?” She asked.

      ‘We’ll be heading straight out from here.’ He answered. ‘A few of our pack members will accompany us for protection. But since Luna cannot be away from Alpha Adam too much, we’ll stay somewhere near but safe.’

      “I can perfectly handle myself. You’re enough.”

      ‘That may be the case, Luna.’ He told her. ‘But what about Ann?’

      Akira suddenly remembered the young girl sitting behind her. She looked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the teenager trying hard to keep herself calm. It was unnerving for someone of her age to be in the middle of a dangerous encounter.

      She sighed at her selfishness. She needed to be more considerate.

      “I see.” She sighed.

      My pride’s been totally crushed. She whispered mentally.

      “I’ll be fine, Akira.” Ann smiled at her cheerfully, but Akira did not miss a beat and managed to take notice of her trembling hands. “Werewolves learn to fight at birth remember? I think I’ll be just fine.”

      ‘That won’t do, Ann.’ Dan said. ‘Even though you’re a highly trained fighter, you’re still not in the right age to engage into battle.’

      “He’s right.” Akira agreed.

      ‘Besides,’ he continued. ‘It’s our responsibility as the pack’s warriors to defend each and every one of our members that aren’t that strong to defend themselves yet. So for long as we live, we’ll do our very best trying to keep you safe. Luna even. Although she doesn’t want to be protected.’

      Ann’s trembling lessened at the man’s words and Akira saw a tear that slid down her cheek. The girl sniffed and buried her face on Akira’s back, soaking her top with tears.

      “Ah,” she sobbed. “I’m so sorry.” She said in between hiccups.

      “It’s alright.”

      “Truth is I’m really scared.” She whispered. “I never expected myself to ever be in a situation like this.”

      “You did a good job remaining strong, Ann.” Akira comforted her, placing a hand over her tensed ones. “It’s more than enough. Sometimes, it’s alright to be scared. Truth is, I was, too.” She shamefully admitted in hopes of trying to calm the girl.

      “What?” Ann looked up at her with misty eyes.

      “I was . . . afraid. Although I didn’t show it.” She muttered, unwilling to let anyone hear her confession. “But that soon went away since . . . there was someone who didn’t leave me alone.”

      “You mean Alpha Adam?”

      Akira flushed at the mention of his name. “Y-y . . . anyhow, what I was saying is that it’s alright to be afraid sometimes since there will be people who’ll protect you. You cannot always hope that you’ll survive alone . . . I learned that the hard way.”

      Ann slowly stopped her tears. “I see.” She muttered. “Then please protect us, Zeta Dan!” She exclaimed, quite cheerfully.

      Akira smiled. “I’ll be relying on you.”

      ‘Thank you for trusting us, Luna. You too, Ann.’

      “You’re welcome.”

      ‘Kyler! Sam!’ He shouted. ‘Hunter! Zyke!’

      Four wolves came in response to the call, each one varying in fur color. It amused Akira for some weird reason, but paid no mind to it. She now stared at their new company and wondered if she could start a conversation with them. Fortunately, she didn’t have to since they beat her to it.

      ‘An honor to finally join you, Luna!’ Someone said, although Akira was unsure who.

      ‘We’ll be the ones escorting you back a safe place somewhere near.’ Said another one.

      ‘We’ll do our best to get you there safe and sound.’

      ‘You can count on it!’

      “T-thanks, I guess.” She said, and couldn’t help but feel somehow happy knowing there were people willing to protect her.

      She truly was not the Akira she was before.

      ‘Hunter, Zyke,’ Dan addressed firmly.

      ‘Yes, sir! Your orders?’

      ‘You two walk ahead of us to ensure we don’t run in to any hunters. Kyler and Sam, you two guard the rear. We don’t want anyone sneaking up on us. Do your jobs correctly. Our main priority is to keep the Luna and Ann safe! Understood?’

      ‘Will do, sir!’ They all chorused.

      The four wolves moved into position and did as directed. Akira could feel the lithe body of the wolf under her running so fast towards one direction and she couldn’t help but notice how their speed gradually got even faster.

      They really must be in a hurry.

      Hunter and Zyke took out the men that dared block their path and Dan skillfully evaded the bullets that came firing their way. Akira didn’t know about the two from the rear, but she knew they were cautiously guarding their little group as well.

      They passed by a lot of people in the middle of a fight. Akira kept her gaze straight ahead since she figured she wasn’t fond of seeing violence personally. Sure she loved gory movies, but seeing things happen in person made her stomach churn.

      Almost soon enough, they finally left the area where the fight was happening. Akira couldn’t help but feel worried for Adam and looked back. She felt a sudden sting and the mark of Adam burned on her shoulder—and it wasn’t the wound.

      No good. Maybe a little too far away.

      ‘Are you still feeling alright, Luna?’ Dan said.

      “I can bear with it.” She answered. “This pain is something I don’t have to mind too much.”

      ‘I see. Then, we’ll stop here.’ He told her. ‘There must be somewhere that’s safe to hide in. We cannot be concealed by these trees alone.’

      “Damn. Am I going to be like this forever?”

      ‘If you let yourself complete the mating stage with Alpha Adam, it will go away.’

      “C-complete the mating stage?”

      ‘I mean . . . uh . . . that, Luna. As in . . . consummate your relationship?’

      “Huh . . . oh . . .” She trailed off when she realized what he talking about and went red all the way up to her ears. “I . . . see . . .”

      ‘It’s not that bad—’

      ‘Zeta! Something’s coming this way!’

      They heard a rustle. All wolves crouched and bared their teeth cautiously in warning. The four wolves guarded all directions with their backs on Akira and the other two.

      Not more than a moment later, a figure popped out from the trees.

      “I came to take the princess back.”

      Akira gasped. “Bradley.”

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I left you guys in a suspense, but . . . I'll try to upload SOON! Argh. Please don't get angry.