🖤 V O T E & COMMENT 🖤
The once perfectly manicured streets lay ridden with rubble. Cracks ran across the surface of all the cobblestones; the impact of bodies having left their imprint on the ground. The kick-up of stones and dirt left a haze in the air. I found myself blinking rapidly to prevent a dull sting that came with keeping my eyes open too long.
However, the scene depicted in front of me was not hard to make out. The guards were brutalizing the people in the streets. There was no method to their madness other than to remove as many people as possible.
The guards had weapons. The Guards had shields. They had padded gear. They had silver.
I could see the glinting silver-studded batons that swung from side to side. People tried to jump out of their way, civilians held up their paper signs in a last attempt to avoid getting hit by the wild bats. There seemed to be a never-ending flow of the officers streaming from everywhere, far outnumbering the protestors.
Orion and Iris stepped in front of me, however, I knew that their energy did not need to be spent protecting me but rather, stopping The Guard.
"Both of you stop, and turn and look at me!" I needed their full attention, the only way they would leave my side is if they saw the desperation in my eyes. They were obedient and instantly met my gaze.
"We need to split up. Iris, you are going to head to the back of everything, find a way around and then try to move everyone as quickly as possible back into their homes."
I switched my attention now, holding Orion's shocked gaze.
"Orion, I want you to find out how far into the town The Guards have gotten. Then I need you to hold them there. Don't let them gain any more ground."
I gave them a moment to process what I had just said to them before prompting them to follow their orders. I felt horrible pulling the 'I'm in charge card' but there was only so much time to make efficient action.
"And where are you going to go, Luna?" I thought for a second before realizing what I had to do.
"I am going to stay here and to stop the incoming guards, I am the only one they will listen to in this moment."
Iris and Orion hesitated, swaying side to side. I could see both of them glance down at my belly. Their fluttering glares made me upset, I could protect my baby better than both of them. So, I was the first one to walk away.
I marched away towards the new group of guards that was preparing to enter from a new section of the streets. When I glanced back, I smirked when I saw both Orion and Iris running towards the positions I assigned them.
I was in the middle of The Guard now, shouting, trying to get them to disperse. They were still attacking the few people that remained here. While I was spinning around and trying to get their attention, I put my hand on my belly out of habit more than anything else and screamed in frustration. But at the motion, it was almost as if the clocks stopped.
I felt the oncoming eerie silence before I heard it. The members of The Guard stopped and turned. Hands shot out to me as if they were expecting me to fall.
I don't know what came over me next. Maybe I was channelling Destiny.
But in the most dramatic fashion, I fell into the nearest pair of arms, feigning that the pregnancy was making me weak.
It felt like the whole world was watching the next moment as I took a collective breath. I was staring up into the eyes of a Guard who seconds earlier, was swinging silver at innocent pedestrians.
So, I swung at him.
It was a nasty right hook; I caught the edge of his jaw and watched his head snap to the side at the unexpected impact. His arms released me, and my butt hit the ground. The next minute was a flurry.
I knew Iris had made it to the back of the group because no new civilians were moving forward, and Guards were retreating.
However, I don't think it was Orion or Iris that made them scatter in fear —but it was the sight of me on the ground and the Alpha who was starting to loom over the hill— his pace quick and determined.
I could see him now; I could see that he was shouting, probably some sort of order to stop The Guards. His own team. People flocked at his heels and seemed to be having their own silent conversations, arms were swinging in the air, fingers were pointing behind the back of the Alpha.
It looked as if they were trying to decide who was going to be in more trouble if they didn't stop the damage now.
Paxton's eyes didn't leave my body, but I wouldn't give him the same satisfaction. I stood up, first crawling onto my knees before pushing myself up. I turned away from his advancing figure and found my way over to a woman who was cowering under her paper shield.
The writing was smeared on the poster like the makeup under her eyes. I extended my battered hand, small cracks in my knuckles opening up and bleeding. It stung like a papercut but just made me grip her hand tighter. The pain kept me sane.
I pulled her up and instantly into my arms. She seemed shocked and tried to bow to me as I held her. I almost had to pull her back up into a standing position.
"Thank you, Luna," She said as she held my gaze. I felt sick as I looked into her innocent eyes. I was the one who encouraged the protests without telling Paxton. I felt a responsibility to protect her.
I could feel Paxton getting closer, but I wasn't done yet.
"Go home, and encourage others to do the same. I will send updates as soon as I can." I instructed her as I walked to a guy holding the hand of a little girl. They looked around aimlessly as if they had given up looking for someone.
I approached them, hoping to help them in their efforts. As I looked back, almost all The Guards had cleared and Paxton was helping others up. Yet his eye line never left my stomach, his head always turned towards me and watching.
"Who are you looking for?" I say in a soft voice as I approach the two individuals. I start to bend down; it is a slow process with my big belly, but I find myself on my knees in front of the little girl. I could see the lost look in her eyes as she stared at the carnage around us. It was as if she didn't even notice me sitting directly in front of her.
I glance up at the man she stands with, but at a close view, I can see he is younger than I first thought. His face is perfectly smooth, no sign of age at all. It must have been his tall figure that threw me off. I asked again because they remained silent as he watched me on the ground.
"Are you looking for someone? Can I help you get home?" I offer innocently. He nods and then shakes his head. He clears his voice before he finally answers me.
"Um, I just wanted to show my sister the protest... it was going to be history in the making. I wanted to be part of it because it affects her future... I never would have brought her if I knew, I promise."
I am struck by his words. The Guards attacked with that aggression because they saw the protest as a threat. Their precious system was under attack, under investigation. People had real complaints about rights and laws, and they had salient evidence that would change forever how life here would be governed.
They attacked and became defensive because they were wrong.
My blood boiled, but I took the moment to look back at the little girl, who could not be over the age of seven, and tell her, "Even if people fight back against you, never settle. You should push them again and again until they give you more than you wanted in the first place. Fight for what you deserve."
I wanted to make sure the little girl knew that this fight today was not over. My fight for her future was never going to be over.
I sent them on their way, pointing out the direction they need to go to reach the town square.
Paxton finally found his way over to me. He reached for me but I danced around his arms, effectively getting out of my mate's reach at the moment.
His silence was an indication that he knew he fucked up. He knew that this was permanent. This could and would not be overlooked.
I had a duty as Luna, and him as Alpha. And right now we were not a couple, but political partners that just broke up in the middle of the campaign.
I marched past him, making sure I didn't brush his skin. I didn't need to give him any satisfaction.
I don't look back as I addressed him.
"You and I are going to meet in the conference room in twenty minutes. Come prepared to discuss the events of today. Before you come make sure your Guards are all sent back and confined to their homes for the next 24 hours. No exceptions, the only war I am worried about right now is a civil one."
I spit my words at him as I march home. I could feel the kicks in my stomach and feel the fluttering raise into my throat.
And then I felt pressure in my back. I scrunched my eyebrows at the unexpected pain.
Not the time little one. I thought as I prayed that I wouldn't feel that pain again.
~
I found myself, in new clothes, sitting at the head of the large rectangular table in a meeting room near Paxton's office. I had the room set up so Paxton would have no choice but to sit on the other end, far from reaching distance.
As I sat down I felt the pressure in my back again. I shut it out of my brain. I needed one more day, I pleaded internally.
When Paxton entered the room I didn't speak. I let him take his place in silence, allowing him to sit in this own thoughts. He would need every moment to collect himself before he was going to deal with me.
I was a pregnant woman, possibly in the first stages of labour, and I could still do anything I set my mind to.
He wasn't prepared for the true power of me as a woman first, and mate second.