Oh gosh...I'm actually nervous for you guys to read this! Please let me know what you think.
********
The next few days were full of training, eating and sleeping, then starting all over again the next day.
They hadn't heard anymore rumors of Roman's wolves moving closer, so it was assumed they were getting ready for battle. Alpha Blaton upped patrol even more.
Lilia and Lev didn't have too much alone time anymore...only when they would wake up in the morning together and go to bed together in the evening.
It was safe to say they missed each other, but both of them knew the importance of what they had to do. Since Lilia's wolf would probably never be in enough shape to fight because of her illness, Johanna stepped in.
"I have no problem fighting," Johanna shrugged. She had been training with the warriors and was a strong fighter. Lilia fought it at first, but in the end, it was Johanna's decision.
As nervous as it made Lilia and Kate, they accepted it.
Lev woke up early and went to bed late but made sure to kiss his mate as much as he could. Their intimacy hadn't gone past that, and Lilia was okay with it. It was comforting, really.
"I have to go," Lev whispered through their link. He tried not to fully wake her up as he moved some of her hair out of her face and kissed her lips softly.
"Goodbye," she muttered sleepily. He waited until her breathing evened back out to exit the room. Leaving her alone for so long during the day and having to leave her alone during the imminent fight against Roman was constantly putting him on edge.
Lev always made sure his link with her was completely open at all times while he was away.
A few hours of training later and Lev looked to the sky to tell the time. Ten o'clock in the morning. Lilia would be up soon.
"I'm taking down a wolf with the same crazy eyes as that bastard on the southern border," a warrior on patrol broadcast through the link. Lev tensed and searched through the crowd for either of the Alphas.
Damnit! They'd skipped training today. They announced it last night.
"Was it attacking? Are there more?" Alpha Blaton's voice rumbled through our heads.
"I have arrived as backup, Alpha. The problem has been taken care of. It was just...walking across the border," another warrior answered.
"We don't see any more wolves," the first warrior said. "Wait! There's another—"
Lev's heart clenched when the words were cut off.
"Chuck? Bart? Someone check on patrol, now!" Alpha Blaton ordered.
"Alpha, I think it's more of Roman's wolves. I'll head to the border just in case," Lev told Blaton. Already shifted, Lev was quick to make his way to the southern border.
He could smell them before he saw them.
Rows upon rows of wolves infected with magic just like Alpha Howard were marching onto the June Pack territory.
"Thank you, Lev. I—"
"Hundreds," Lev interrupted. "There's hundreds of them. They're attacking now!"
"Sending backup. Standby...keep us updated, Lev. Stay alive," Alpha Blaton.
"Yes, sir," Lev said, then launched himself into the sea of wolves. Lev tore the head off of one and reached for one that had already attached itself to his flank.
his size and strength gave me a large advantage even when these wolves had magic in their system. Backup arrived shortly but Lev still took on the brunt of the wolves because he knew he could handle it.
He didn't want the wolves he had become to know to lose their lives. Though Lev's heart clenched at the sight of some wolves he could have called his friends, he knew they weren't fighting of their free will.
You will meet your maker, and you will finally be happy, Lev promised as he beheaded another magic wolf.
"Less than half left, but pack warriors are dropping like flies. Call them off!" Lev demanded to Alpha Blaton.
"You need all the help you can get," Alpha Blaton argued. It was clear he didn't like taking orders.
"Call them off or the rest will die before the rogues are dead," Lev snarled to him. This wasn't a matter of pride, it was a matter of life and death.
"All warriors except Lev retreat immediately," Alpha Blaton sighed in all of their heads. The rest of the warriors, whining confusedly, backed away from the fight. Lev ripped off yet another head.
The exhaustion was catching up to him.
Lilia woke up to banging on her door.
"What?" she groaned aloud, her face stuck in her pillow. Johanna burst through the door and pulled Lilia out of bed.
"We're being attacked," Johanna said hurriedly. That snapped Lilia out of her half-asleep state extremely quickly.
"Lev?" she read out while she was getting dressed.
"Busy," he grunted. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Lev. Answer the question," she demanded. Lilia yanked on her shirt and froze when there was no response.
"He's not answering," she whispered to Johanna. Her face had gone stark white. She ran downstairs and rushed towards the sound of shouting.
"Let me go!" Alpha Blaton shouted. She turned a corner to see him being held back by the Council.
"What's going on? Where's Lev?" She came to a stop.
"He's out there. Alone. The Council refuses to let me assist—"
"We can't risk the death of an Alpha over this, Blaton," Councilwoman Friedal said.
"We can't lose a Lycan over this! Where are your priorities?"
"I am sure he can handle himself, Alpha Blaton," Councilwoman tried to assure. Alpha Luke tried to break through the Council to his mate and growled frustratedly when he couldn't.
"He's out there alone?" Lilia shouted. She tried to go outside but was blocked by Johanna.
"Lev!" she called out but received no answer. "Please!"
"Outside," Lilia heard the faint whisper in her head. She broke out of Johanna's arms and burst through the front door.
"Lev!" she shouted. At the sound of her voice his large Lycan form collapsed onto the grass causing the ground to vibrate a little. She ignored the shakiness in her legs and raced to her mate's side.
He was panting loudly, like an injured animal, and Lilia screamed at someone to get the doctor. Her heart was pounding as she collapsed next to his head.
She could hear footsteps rushing after her and Lev used all the breath he had to growl at the intruders and stop them in their tracks.
"Calm him down, Lilia," Alpha Blaton commanded. "Dr. Walahan is on his way."
"It's okay, Lev," she whispered. He let out a low, painful whine and Lilia tried not to glance at the injuries on his body. Everyone tentatively took steps forward until they surrounded Lev.
"Lev, are the rogues gone?"
"Yes," Lev's voice was faint. Alpha Blaton visibly deflated with relief. Lilia glanced up when she caught movement and saw that every warrior from before was surrounding them, waiting to see what happened.
Lev let out another whine.
"It's alright, Lev. We'll fix you right up," Lilia promised. Alpha Blaton knelt next to her and Dr. Walahan finally rushed up to them.
"Keep him calm," Dr. Walahan ordered Lilia, "Lev, tell me what happened."
"Hundreds of...magic wolves. I was doing fine until..."
"Until what? Lev?" Dr. Walahan pressed a stethoscope all over Lev's body. His face paled.
"Doctor," Alpha Blaton warned as he stepped closer. Lilia looked down to see Lev unconscious and her grip on his fur tightened.
"I—I can't hear a heartbeat," Doctor Walahan whispered.
********
So...what did you think? I warned you!