The Alphas Guard

Chapter 43

Leila - 2 weeks later

"You think you're prepared to face the mother of witches after tomorrow?" Kate's expression screamed shock, "Leila. My dear Leila. This is not a random Tuesday brunch with the wives of the king's old friends. This is war,"

"We have 600 beasts. I caught 64 myself. My wolf is more intact with me now that she's under your control. I feel more powerful than I ever have. I cannot get too comfortable in this routine - as nice as it is," I removed my mask and shut the door behind me, "We cannot let her get more powerful than she already is. You have a little over 70 witches under your wing that have agreed to fight alongside us now that we've blood bonded. We are ready, Kate,"

Kate ran a stressed hand through her stark white locks as she leaned against the dining chair, a coffee mug in her hand.

For a 200 year old witch, she lived quite a mundane life.

"As much as I hate to say it, I have to agree,"

I nodded silently, falling onto the leather couch I had become painfully accustomed to.

"But - Leila, you must go into war with a clear head. You have anything but,"

My eyes snapped to hers.

"What do you mean?"

"You are filled with rage. I can feel it through our bond. Your rage is overwhelming - even for me. I can see it when you fight. I can see it when you eat. I can see it when you sleep," She drummed her perfectly manicured fingers against her cup, swallowing in the process, "You've changed. Ever since Luca left, you've become a ticking time bomb,"

I scoffed.

"Rage is the only thing keeping me alive, Kate," I balled my hands into fists as I spoke, "Rage is probably the reason I haven't gone rogue, and besides, a ticking time bomb is all that witch needs,"

Kate sighed as she walked towards me, leaning down so her eyes levelled with my own, "My love, Rage is good for battles but it is not good for the heart. It shrivels the heart up and forces it to shrink in it's great size. It carves wrinkles onto the canvas of the heart, and eventually, scars,"

"Not good for the heart, you say?" My legs began bobbing up and down without my notice, "Not good for the fucking heart?"

The knots in my chest tightened.

"Not good for the heart," She confirmed, laying a comforting hand on my knee that forced me to look down for I feared she would see my eyes welling up with tears so great the rivers of the outskirts were envious.

"I wish we could back in time," My voice shook, "I wish I could go back in time and stop Luca from ever meeting me. There is nothing more I would want than to do so. My heart aches for him. I can feel his own hardening it's shell as the days pass, and its breaking me. He's been waiting for his other half for 80 years, Kate. Could you imagine the pain he's feeling right now? Can anyone?"

A traitorous tear slipped from my eyes and onto Kate's hardwood floors, separating into hundreds of different sized puddles.

"My dear, you are what we call a hero," 

Another scoff made its way up my throat.

"I don't want to be a hero. I want to be a warrior. A normal warrior who follows orders and climbs up the ranks of the golden castle. I want to be the warrior mother told me I should-" I halted in my words, fully registering the words that had just come out of my mouth, "I want to be the warrior my mother wished I could be,"

"And you are just that, Leila," Kate spoke, "You are that and so much more. You are so robustly ready to risk your life for the sake of others without a second thought. Whether you like it or not, you are and will remain a hero for the rest of your life. Your name will be engraved in great halls and written down in soon to be old books. You will pass on a legacy that nobody other than you can beat,"

"I hope so," A sob made it's way down my throat as I remembered the night the west had attacked us, "I really do hope so,"

"Your mother would be so proud of you, as would your father," Kate titled my chin upwards with her ring finger, "And those green eyes you keep thinking of are nothing but a blessing. You hear me?"

I nodded aggressively, unable to hear whatever bullshit she was spewing. I needed her to stop. The thought that mother could be smiling down at me brought upon me a pain so inexplicable even the most powerful seer would not be able muster up a cryptic rhyme to understand me.

For all the skies mother brought down for me, I would bring down the stars just to see her one last time. 

But I couldn't.

For all the stars Luca brought down for me, I would bring down galaxies just to see him one last time.

But I couldn't.

I could do nothing but force myself into a battle I did not consent to being apart of. Victory was my only option, and if I did not achieve that, millions of innocent souls would pass because of my incompetence.

It was all too much, but I had to deal with it.

Eventually, it would all pass.

I would either be in Luca's arms, safe and sound without a worry in the world, or in mothers warm sanctuary looking down on Luca as he lived a life without me. I knew which one I wanted more, but I didn't know which one I would achieve. Not even by half a percent.

A sudden heaviness sat upon my chest as I looked around frantically. 

Where was Fai?

I looked outside the windows of Kate's cottage and there was no sign of her. My heart accelerated in its beats far faster than what would be considered normal.

"Fai?" I called out, "Fai!"

There was no way the witch already got to my head. Kate ensured my safety by placing a guard spell on my soul.

A screech sounded from above us as Fai rested on a tree branch to the left of me. She sat outside the cottage in all her white beauty - a Phoenix in its rawest form.

"Leila, that guard spell was curated by 70+ witches. If the queen wanted to get through your head, all 70 witches would have to die or lose significant control of their powers," Kate said, "Don't worry, for now, at least,"

"How about we strike tomorrow?" I recommended, "Once dusk hits, we leave the cottage. I'll move in wolf form. The witch will not expect us to attack when the beasts are at peak power. We stab her where she can't see, nor feel,"

"It's a good plan, but a high risk one,"

"High risk, high reward," 

"Well, what do you feel? Deep down, what do you think is best?" Kate sat next to me, eyes awaiting my response, "This is your plan. We are your followers. We want the queen dead just as much as you do - and remember, several westerners will attack once we attack, so you're going up against an army of werewolves and beasts. We are merely two beings, they will be in the thousands,"

"The westerners have never encountered the beasts of the outskirts. I guarantee you it will take at least 10 to injure 1 of my trained beauties," I cracked my neck and leaned forward, "I will focus on physically injuring the witch, you and the rest of the witches try to weaken her mind so that I can take control of her,"

"And how will you take control of her?"

"The back of her neck," I slipped my dagger out of my boot, admiring the way it glimmered.

"I don't think it will be that easy,"

"And I think that's a matter for when we see her and stab a silver stake through her heart,"

"Easy there, hun,"

"Now here's the plan. Make sure to broadcast this to the rest of the witches. I'll take care of my beasts," I let out a shaky breath, "They're all I can control right now,"

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Leila is ready for war - but is she really? Don't forget to vote and comment!! I love to hear you guys's voices.