LYRA
________
If I had thought Gabriel attacking my friends was a bad sight, when more Wolves poured in to the underground, I cowered back on the floor. The weakness I felt in that moment made me feel disqualified to be a Luna.
Ava wrapped her arm around me, but I could feel the shock radiating through her too. I should be out there protecting my people, not be locked up in the cell for my own protection. It was unfair.
Gulping loudly, I watched in terror as Gabriel advanced towards Jaxon. It was a scene that saddened me. They were brothers. Family. And yet, here they were tearing at each other's throats.
Zynthéa and Matteo were fighting the other Wolves, but my eyes remained glued on Jaxon. I was concerned.
Gabriel viciously snarled at his little brother, and I realised he wasn't trying to hurt Jaxon. Jaxon on the other hand, ignored his brother's warning and charged towards him.
Except this time, Gabriel was not having it. The second that Jaxon tried to attack his brother, the older, with much force nudged his brother to the side. The younger boy landed hard against the wall with a loud thud.
"Jaxon!" I screamed, hoping he was okay.
I watched in horror as my best friend shifted back to his human form and laid there, lifeless. Tears trailed down my face and I tried to stand up, but Ava kept me glued to the ground.
"Your mate specifically ordered that I have you stay inside of this cell," she told me, but her voice broke off.
"I can't watch them die," I responded quickly, trying to push against Ava. "Let me go!"
Ava was strong, but I proved to be stronger when I finally managed to break free from her grip. As I readied myself to attack the bars, I came to a complete halt when my wolf growled loudly.
Alexander was here.
'Lyra, you alright?'
Our eyes connected, with his quickly scanning me up and down, before he realised what I was trying to do.
'I can't watch them die,' I explained in desperation, hoping he would understand.
'And I won't watch you get hurt. Stay there, please. I don't want to be distracted by concerns for you.'
Alexander didn't waste time, instead he sent me another message telling me to look away and with that, he completely shut me out.
I wanted to follow his order, but when Zynthéa's scream echoed throughout the entire underground, all of our heads snapped in the direction of her voice. It was another reason reminding me why I should have been out there in the first place, protecting her!
My eyes bulged out of their socket at the scene before me. Gabriel was holding Zynthéa by her waist with his teeth, in her naked human form.
Before I could even react, another Wolf charged at Gabriel. The Pale Moon Alpha in a similar manner that he had with Jaxon, tossed the girl to the side, causing her to land her on the floor.
I tried to mind-link Jaxon, but my thoughts bounced back. Zynthéa remained on the cold ground not too far from the boy, and all I could do was watch in pain and call for them. I fought the urge to break free, but I didn't want to distract Alexander. It was hard to watch from behind the bars.
My eyes darted back to my mate. He was tearing Wolves apart, and the more he killed, the fewer of them there were to fight.
My Wolf could feel his, and meanwhile his Wolf was trying to comfort us, the anger that radiated through the connection frightened me. I was worried he would get hurt.
"Wait!"
I was completely in shock when the girl had shifted and stood there completely nude.
"What the hell is she doing?" Ava hissed by my side.
"I have something important to tell you," Jasmine said, holding her hands in the air in defence.
At this point, Gabriel was fighting a Wolf. My mate had just finished off another Wolf and was going to charge at Jasmine until she shifted. He had actually stopped in his track when she had shifted.
My mate snarled at the naked girl.
"If you're going to kill me, I might as well reveal the truth," the girl shrugged, her voice filled with confidence.
She turned to me, an evil grin appearing on her face. "You don't actually think that Gabriel wanted you because he loves you, do you?"
My eyes narrowed at her. What the hell was she blabbering about?
"Jas," I whispered, hoping she could just leave so that she wouldn't get hurt.
"Be quiet, Lyra!" she snapped but that caused for Alexander to growl loudly, making the girl cower back slightly. "You had Alana killed and now I'm dying too. But I'm nice, I want you to know the truth. I suppose we owe it to you."
"What are you doing?" I whispered, my voice croaky from all the screaming.
"Trying to set things straight when you couldn't!" she snarled. "Gabriel wanted you because of your bloodline. Did it ever occur to you why you had to grow up without a father?"
In the midst of every emotion that raced through me, at her words, everything stopped. It was like time froze. I was confused. She spoke as if she knew my father.
The smug expression on Jasmine's face was wiped off when something struck her. Her panicked face was the last thing that I registered in my mind before she fell to the ground and blood poured out of her.
Gasping in shock, I turned my gaze on the man whom had my life a living hell. Gabriel snarled as he retreated his bloody paw. He had killed her.
All the Wolves that had accompanied Gabriel were lying lifeless in their human form on the prison ground.
Alexander growled loudly, causing all of our heads to turn to him. The Alpha power radiating through him was enough to make all of us cower back. His eyes were charcoal and his canines were on display. My mate was infuriated.
Matteo and another Wolf had attended to Zynthéa and Jaxon, meanwhile I watched with my breathing hitched as my mate launched himself on my former Alpha.
In that moment, the anxiety eating me from the inside had me glance away from the scene that was about to unfold. Alexander was going to tear Gabriel apart, and my wolf was eager to see the sight, but I couldn't watch it happen. This was all happening because of me.
I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but all I could hear was growling and grunts, and the occasional sound of impact.
When all fell silent, and loud breathing was all I could hear, I lifted my head out of curiosity.
Before I could turn my head to see what had happened, someone snatched me towards them, making me want to fight back in the process.
"Baby, it's okay," Alexander cooed. "It's me."
At his voice, I melted in to his arms. He was okay. His embrace was what I needed the most in that moment. Until that moment, I hadn't realised how weak I actually was.
Alexander had his arms wrapped around me securely, my face buried in to his naked chest. I inhaled his scent a couple of times to calm the horror that I had seen unfold before my eyes.
"Are you alright?" he asked, pulling away to examine me.
But I couldn't speak. Instead, I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face in his chest again.
"I was so scared," I admitted, but my voice was muffled.
"I know, Lyra. It's all over now," he assured, nestling his head in my neck as he held me tightly in his arms.
"Is he dead?"
"He is."
I exhaled a shaky breath, then remembered my injured friends.
"Jaxon!" I said in a panic before pulling away from Alexander.
My mate took a hold of my hand and pulled me back in to him. "He is hurt, but the pack doctor is going to take care of it."
"Will he be okay?"
Alexander nodded. "He is a strong wolf."
"What about Zynthéa?" I asked, and panicked again.
"Dyami has already taken her. She is being treated as we speak," my mate calmly explained. "They are going to be okay. I want to know if you are alright, though."
My eyes landed back on his, and I heaved a loud sigh.
"I'm just a little shaken. What about you? Did you get hurt?" I asked him, my eyes roaming over his naked body. "I should have been out there protecting them!"
"They will be fine," Alexander reminded me. "There are some things that you need to know, though."
"Does it have to do with what Jasmine was trying to tell me?"
"Jasmine?" he asked, confused, tilting his head to the side.
"The girl who tried to speak before Gabriel killed her," I explained.
"Yes," he confirmed, rubbing at my small back. "I need to check the safety of the pack, then we can talk."
Nodding, I wiped at my tears, but didn't say anything else as guilt started to eat me up again.
Alexander pulled me tightly to him again, his arms wrapped around me. He inhaled my scent deeply, before releasing me slightly. His hand cupped my face and he brought me closer to peck at my cheek.
"I want you by my side today," he murmured, his blue eyes boring in to mine. "Stay with me."
I didn't get a chance to respond when he tugged at my hand and started to lead us out of the prison.
On the way, I watched in sadness at all the lifeless Wolves on the floor. Gabriel had driven more innocent Wolves to their death, and I whimpered at the thought.
A couple of pack members were already disposing the bodies, but Alexander had me out of there before I could see anything else.
The words that Jasmine had spoken were the last thoughts running through my mind as we exited.