Innocent Little Runt
Chapter 73

Zay’s POV

I stared at Celeste, wide eyed. “What?” I finally spoke after what seemed forever of silence.

“Please don’t make me say it again. I almost threw up the first time.” I nodded but I couldn’t stop staring at her in shock.

“How do you know?” I’m the pack doctor, she should have come to me when she thought of it even being possible.

“I uh. . . I remembered that Lesa said she started to get morning sickness before she was even sure. I tried to keep it hidden from Xavier, thinking maybe I just got food poisoning. But after a few days I went into your office while Xavier was working and you weren’t there. I took a few of the pregnancy tests. When the first one said positive, I didn’t believe it but the next two said the same thing.” She put her head in her hands and let out a breath.

“You haven’t told Xavier?” She shook her head. “How long ago was this?” She looked back up to me, her eyes almost as worried as mine.

“Less than a week ago I think. I mean, I have been having the sickness for only about two weeks but Lesa had morning sickness early on. I figured it was normal. But I couldn’t tell Xavier. I knew that if I told him he wouldn’t leave and as much as I didn’t want him to I knew he needed to do his job.” A tear slipped out her eye but she quickly wiped it away. She pushed herself off of the bed, looking at the guards. “Please don’t tell him,” she told the guards but I could tell it was directed at me as well. “He won’t think straight and he’ll end up doing something he’ll regret.” They nodded and she went back to the balcony.

“Celeste.” She turned to me. “I don’t think it’s the best idea for you to be fighting, even if you are here and not out there.” She shrugged.

“I have a duty to protect this pack as well. If someone dies and I could have helped, what kind of Luna would I be? I’ll stay here like Lycer wants me to but no way am I going to cower away from the battle entirely.” I nodded, knowing Xavier will probably be mad once he learns that I let her participate while she’s in the state she’s in.

“Fine, but if it gets too dangerous we’re sneaking you into my office with Lesa and you guys are going to run.” She nodded and picked up an arrow, examining it.

“What about you?” I smiled at her, brushing some of her hair away from her eyes but it just went back to the way it was before. I pulled a clip out of my pocket and clipped her hair back as much as I could. She would need to be able to see well if she was to use that bow. Luckily, I usually have clips on me since my hair sometimes gets in the way.

“I’ll replace my mate and go help her. Till death do us part,” I whispered. Kaleshia and I never had an actual marriage despite the fact that those of rank usually do, being a beta’s daughter included. With her species there’s a special celebration you do. You go up to the highest point you can get to, slit your wrist, and then burn it in a special way. Kaleshia took our b***d in her hand, mixing them together and burning them in a way that turns it to ash. Then, you blow it off into the night and legend says it floats high enough to reach the stars and your love creates a new one. That was our marriage ceremony, we didn’t need white dresses and music. Just that.

I froze as I heard a scream. Celeste and I looked out to the training field and as far as we could see there were grotesque people running in to view. Some almost looked normal but the majority looked like versions of the monsters children are afraid hide under their bed. I watched as Celeste picked up the bow and the arrow. She put it in the proper placement and pulled it back, breathing calmly even though I could hear her heart beating rapidly.

I bit my l*p and picked up a knife, looking for an easy target or anyone who needed help. There weren’t a lot of knives so I’d have to use them carefully. My eyes automatically looked for Kaleshia but I didn’t see her. She must be on the other side of the house. I did however spot Josh near the tree line. Good. He focuses more near the trees. He held an experiment’s neck in his arms and I watched as he snapped his neck to the side, tossing the body to the side. He eyed held a look that resembled someone who has died. He was trying to block this out. I watched as three experiments surrounded him, his feet shifting to a steady position on the ground. The experiments were sloppy, leaning on one foot which was giving them a disadvantage yet an advantage at the same time. They could easily dodge him. One lunged towards him just as Josh lunged for a different one. I quickly raised my knife, ready to throw it at the third who Josh wasn’t paying attention to, when an arrow whirled through the air. The arrow struck the experiment in his head, coming straight out the other side. I watched with wide eyes as he fell to his knees and then fell forward, b***d starting to pool around his head.

I turned to Celeste who still had her bow in the right position. She put the bow down to her side, turning to look at me. “Look out for your mate,” she said but her voice sounded dead. Her eyes held no light. Just like Josh and many others probably, she was trying to block this out. She just killed a man and she was going to hate herself for it if she didn’t at least try to block this out. She nodded her head to a certain area in the yard and I saw my mate.

Kaleshia had a green glow surrounding her as at least ten experiments. She moved her feet and pushed her hands off the the side, not moving her hands past the green glow. She started to push it away from her until it flew away from her. Seven of the ten experiments fell to the ground, b***d falling out of their mouth. Before I could assess the situation further she turned towards one of them. Her hand hit the experiment in the center of the chest and they fell. Another one came behind her and before she could stop it they had her arms pinned to her side. I quickly raised one of the knives and aimed it just a bit right of his neck, knowing my aim always moves left in the air. As Kaleshia struggled to get out of his hold, the knife struck its target. Kaleshia’s eyes snapped to mine as the experiment staggered away to choke on his own b***d. I gave her a smirk, taking another knife and throwing it at the experiment she forgot about. I knew she could take him but her eyes were still on me. The knife soared through the air and hit the experiment in the eye.

Focus my darling

An arrow shoots just in front of me and off to my left side. I look just in time to see an experiment that was strangling someone against a tree fall to the ground, an arrow sticking out the side of his neck. I looked around the yard seeing bodies already stacking up. Maybe this would be over sooner than I thought. I was sad to see a few of the bodies were people I’ve seen around the pack before. I had to fight off the urge to help those that I saw were still breathing. I saw people who I was glad could help. They were taking the people who were still breathing back in the pack house. If I wasn’t so worried about Kaleshia right now I would go downstairs and help them.

The sound of clothes ripping sounded throughout the pack as people started to shift, Josh being one of them. Jake had been training him well these past few weeks. I’ve seen him improve more these past few months than I did for half of the time he has been at this pack. Josh lunged for an experiment, ripping the head off of it. Another one jumped on his back and wrapped his hands around his neck. He was going to kill Josh. . . I was raising my next knife when he jumped into the air, twisting at his highest point. He stopped twisted so he would fall on the ground with the experiment crushed under him. Even from here I could hear the snap of the experiment’s bones as they crushed under the weight of a wolf.

I didn’t put my knife down as I saw an experiment lunge for one of the people dragging the injured inside. The knife slipped at the last minute, only clumsily hitting his head. It worked well enough, distracting him from the person. He looked towards me and went to run at the pack house. I held my breath as he hit the barrier, an electric shock visibly going throughout his body.

Even after all the experiments that had been killed so far, they just kept coming. It didn’t stop. Our casualties were starting to rise too. Not as much as the experiments though.

“I’m going to run out of arrows if this doesn’t end soon.” I looked to Celeste. She only had about 20 left but she had almost 60 when this started. Her eyes started to show her worry. She was scared.

“Save them for necessities only.” She nodded.

“You should do the same.” I looked down and realized there was only two knives left. I grabbed one just in case but nodded nonetheless.

Celeste froze as the ground started to shake. I held onto her as the guards looked at us in worry. One grabbed onto Celeste but I didn’t let go of her, having an automatic instinct to protect my Luna. Celeste’s eyes started to darken and her wolf growled. “Let go,” her wolf growled to the guard and me. She ran to the edge of the balcony. She tried to push herself over but both guards grabbed her. I looked up, knowing why her wolf was acting like this. I smiled as Xavier and the other warriors came into sight. They must have run here. No way could they make up for a three day trip on foot unless they ran in wolf form.

Xavier stood tall, looking around his pack, growling at the sight of his people injured or dead. His eyes scanned everything in sight as the warriors went to help in the fight, Jake joining Josh. His eyes snapped up to us and I could feel Celeste slumping to the ground as she calmed down. One of the guards picked her up and nodded to Xavier, probably mind linking him that she’s okay.

“Lay her on the bed,” I ordered them. The guard with her in his arms did as I said. “Celeste? Look at me sweetheart.” Her eyes moved to mine.

“I’m okay.” I nodded.

“Feel free to come back over here in a few minutes. Just rest for now. You don’t have as much energy as we do and you don’t want to hurt the-” I nodded down to her stomach, not sure if Xavier was trying to listen to us or not. I looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand and saw that at least 6 hours had passed. I didn’t think it had been that long. . .

I heard a familiar scream of irritation and I ran back to the balcony. My eyes went to Kaleshia who was being pinned down by two experiments. Another one was above her, a smirk on its face. I looked down and saw only one knife. I dropped mine when the warriors came back. It must have fallen off the balcony. I did the only thing I could think of. I jumped over the balcony, twisting in the air until I could crouch and land safely on my feet. I ran towards Kaleshia faster than I’ve ever ran before. She struggled in their hold and the third one stepped on her neck. I quickly threw the knife at him, impaling his neck. He staggered away from her as I lunged for one of the experiments holding her down. They were even more grotesque up close. I shifted and held him to the ground, leaning down to rip out it’s throat.

“ZAY!” I heard Kaleshia scream but it was too late. I felt hands on my neck harshly twist to the side. I fell to the ground, shifting back as darkness clouded my vision.