Stronger by Ang Chris
Chapter 49

*Good morning

Once again the bed was cold but this time not quite so desolate. When he’d left early in the morning hek*ssed me goodbye after holding me in his arms against his chest. I did all I could to soak up hiswarmth before he had to go.

I had duties to do, ledgers to look at, warriors to train, walls to defend. He left me in charge so I got upand took stock of the harvests, then I trained with the warriors. I communicated with the nearby alpha’sas to their defenses and the timing of trade. And I did this all while missing him so so much.

He was somewhere in the wilderness possibly fighting a losing battle and I was waiting for him in thelovely safest home he’d built.

When he got back I was going to have to help start canning and preserving the food we were growing. Ialso needed to check out the progress on the root cellar.

Every family grew their own garden and preserved their own food. Which means I had to preserve foodfor the breakfasts and lunches Grayson and I would eat until next summer. The size of my mate meantmy days were going to be filled with canning for days and days to come.

I miss yo…

It took a full night’s sleep to give me the extra hand to talk to him in the morning. I doubt he had enoughenergy to talk back beside nothing would stop that man from returning.

Every time I tried to talk to him throughout the day it never made the distance. Still he knew I was safeand if he knew that he could focus on the bear and come home.

Look at me, pretending not to worry. Everything I do today I do to keep myself from trying over and overto see if he’s alright.

Nothing would stop him from returning.

I have a whole pack trying to kill us and I’m worried about a bear Grayson could tear in two no problem.I suppose it’s stupid but I am his wife, and I truly have started to fall for him.

The second he was gone I realized it, that he now owned part of my heart with his gruff voice, his smallsecret smiles, his laugh that sent chills up my b*dy. I was falling in love with him with no return and Iwas not intending to stop the

ride.

“Luna, the archers on the east wall tower have given the all clear,” Aarron told me.

I checked them off the list for the noon call. No sign of attack right now, though I would think they wouldhave more intelligence than to attack midday. Still they are attacking one of the largest alpha’s in thecountry they didn’t seem to be all there in the first place.

“West tower says all clear,”

1/6.

Home 19

“What’s all them then, tell the cast tower I will see them at 2 for guard duty. Inutilitarrom.

1. ka. E lehian go and see the new warriors my shadows came along with me. Elizabeth and Wattnow were two little flie bussing thout me all day long. I would be annoyed or upset if I didn’t knowthat it was and the truk with honor

The new waiting were actually coming along a lot better than i had anticipated, their speed and samimyrs impressive und valed thm of the seasoned veterans still they had one final lesson to leam..

Grayson had a more brutal hat effective training for his warriors, learning how to take a hit. They withfight one amutter in real tigh aming to wound and strike with force. If they were able to absorb blowsand keeption senses, actand: bare wouldn’t he quite so hard. I know it’s barbaric but it made sense andright now I wanted everym prepared.

Along with this they were temp off against Elizabeth, Brian, Aarron, Leon, and normally Grayson, andme. Though mate would mither I never how to see a moment of strife, the world never worked that way,he knew I was good fighter and I had the strength to defend myself against men much larger than me.

Which is how he agreed na lieting me help train the new recruits. It was good practice to fight everydayand everyday! switched partners and that kept me on my feet.

Then again I might be pregnant wom. Even I wasn’t blind enough to think I should fight while pregnant.

But they might attack befine them salill wanted to be prepared.

All we could do was prepare for anything, everything.. We didn’t know what they were planning, onlythat they wanted to hurt Grayson. They could come here and try and burn this whole place down, theycould try and kill me, they could try and kill Amaria.

So everyone needed to do what they could be ready. If Elizabeth wasn’t with me she was with Amaria,if Matt wasn’t taking a turn defending the walls he was standing in my eye sight. Amaria decided tosave the guards the trouble and spend most of her time near me so they distint live to check with eachother all the time.

If he was able to get a signal I am positive Gays would he radioed every five minutes with mywhereabouts. If he was able to get a signal I’d make him tell me he was ally every five minutes.

I changed and got set to spar with a young female who was thut her reflexes weren’t quite up to par, Iwanted her to be able to stop anything coming her way.

“Arms up,” I commanded and she set herself for a beating.

She swung at me when she could, her strength was the fam sure and f’m sure she could leave a markbut she was

wide with her swings.

“I might be your Luna but I have ho intention of taking things own wan you need to stop taking this easyon me. Fight.” Most of them had to overcome the idea of fighting the two empile they owed all safety,affluence, property,

and home to.

For the young women they were especially nervous to spar with me, I was the woman who theymodeled themselves after 1 was the perfect person they wanted to become and they had to nun nuktre to hurt me but get me to surrender

Dessa, the girl I was sparring with, seemed to have a hard time even looking me in the eyes.

“I please spar with Elizabeth Luna,” She begged.

You may have to fight someone who outranks you and if you can take a blow from an Alpha you’llsurvive all their warmers, shook my head, and took my fighting position. “Come on,”

1bsuppose I should be thankful that the young women respected me so much, and that they alreadyhad me as a lea intends. It didn’t deter me from my duties to them though, in fact it pushed me to push

them. If they looked tommel Moould protect them and teach them to protect themselves.

Sejabbed at me with ten times the precision she was showing before. I smiled and goaded her into thecorner, strategy blodhod to play a part in a fight. She came towards me but she was smarter than shelet on and swiveled o

the venattisst second when I had planned to slam her into the corner.

I still range co trip in the advanced movement she used to evade me. She growled in frustration and Idid not

attempt to ibidamysle “Come on your fast enough trust your instincts,”

She swallowed handhafted in heavy breath standing up. She faked left and jabbed at my ribs and I wasimpressed but

gave me a chancetokoned her in the stomach as she backed off.

She had been overcooident in her move and didn’t think I had absorbed it. That was the whole point ofthese sparr sessions she still cooldrake full hit. She gasped a breath like it was a lifeline hauling it intoherself to focus.

Grayson never pulled his spenthes so I couldn’t either. He was right, if they were able to take mypunches they’d be able to take some little enemy’s panth.

She wasn’t able to get mobbrettbookmand tapped out.

“When you see a blow clenchlundt rytobbsorb it you have the instincts to do this you know it,” Icoached her.

“Thank you Lima,” she managed togettot.

“Your speed is as good as mine, you meremaneant to be a warrior,” I patted her shoulder.

“Your lucky your Luna respects you enoughto not pill her punches, you will be invincible,” Amariawalked over wit some water, handing it to her and fringe mythiir.

I stood and walked away with my mother

warrand arm. She has been unflinching during all of this, never or seeming afraid. She had startedgiving Grayyon coolant support whenever he needed and visiting with me to m sure I knew what to doas this was not something notareLuna’s knew how to handle.

“You are doing well only I seem to be able to tell yourbling.” She whispered to me.

A soft gasp escaped me in shock at her sudden urinationedime

*I am happy that you two have finally come together,tillbeeyoudain and you are scared for hini,”

hund.

She patter

patter

“He’s off on his own fighting this beast, I’m worried he’ll be hearthind bear Tawerniest this pack will replaceout w

he is, and then I remember how strong he is and I calm down until another scenario enters my mind,” Iconfessed to her.

“That’s called caring for someone. I’m sure you’ve worried over your family members it’s just strongerwhen it’s romance,” She smirked to me.

“I just want to see him.” I wished out loud.

“You two havent been able to send images yet?”

“No, I can barely get a thought to him. I tell him good morning after I’ve rested but during the day. I canfeel the words fall on the distance between us,” I explained the complications we had been having

“Hmm,” she stopped and turned to me. “I may have something that could help then,”

My heart leapt before the words reached my l*ps. “How? I wanted to see him. If there was a chancethat I can know he’s alright I would jump at it.

Amaria spun around facing our four protectors. “The luna wishe

to go to the moon pool to pray for the Alpha’s safety.

“No, that’s in the woods,” Elizabeth denied me immediately, causing me to raise an eyebrow. “Nodisrespect Luna but we, we have strict instructions to stay in the main grounds and by your side,” shelooked down.

“If the Luna can pray and ensure your Alpha’s return you have no right to refuse her,” Amaria flared hereyes in disapproval at the warriors set on us.

“Elder Am-”

Amaria held up a hand stopping Matt from finishing his sentence. “You shall get five more warriors toprotect Luna and you will guard her as she prays,” she commanded.

“Bu-”

“I’m not going beyond the walls. I want to make sure he’s alright, and if you refuse one more time I willnot take it as caution I will take it as disrespect,” I asserted myself, normally I wouldn’t push but Amariawas right I was unraveling.

I tried to keep my steps calm but I was frantic to see if I could see him. I wanted any chance to know hewas alright.

We made out way into the woods on our land, the pool was in the middle. I should be just fine. Still thiswas risky in the pool. I would be focused on him and my senses on him. The extra wolves should beable to defend me if anything somehow happened.

“Turn around the luna must take off some layers before getting into the pool,” AMaria commanded andthey followed. “Take off your dress and lay in the water in your shift,”

I took off the thin denim dress I had been wearing and slowly stepped into the water. It was warmerthan the last time I had bathed here. I laid here before we were bound so it makes sense it wouldamplify my connection to him.

I laid myself down and managed to float on the surface of the water and closed my eyes.

Nothing came to my eyes, I couldn’t see him. I kept wading through the darkness. I began thinking ofhim, the ice, the woods, his warmth, his arms.

Slowly fog appeared in front of me and I could smell him, then I heard him but it brought no calm to me.He was groaning and he was fumbling around. I started running for him as fast as my feet could carryme. I felt the pine needles on the ground and the mountain rocks.

1 saw the bear charge at him, its size beyond even what I had imagined an armored vehicle of ananimal raging toward my husband who was bleeding so heavily I could smell him.

Someone grabbed me and pulled me up.

“Grayson!”

I screamed for him trying to reach him and somehow I was running through the water of the moon poolAmarial clutching me close to herr.

The

scene before me was not the one I had left behind. Two stanger wolves were before my warriorsgrowling and fighting with the warriors. When i called out Graysons name they looked for him and thatwas all my warriors needed.

Aarron took his knife and plunged it into the heart of one of the wolves that Elizabeth had pinned on itsback, the other wolf was taken down by Matt who shot him with a tranquilizing laced arrow, the wolfwent down groggily.

“Take the una to her home,” Elizabeth commanded Brian.

He grabbed me and Amaria and rushed us towards my home.

“He’s not safe, the bear was rushing him, he was bleeding.” I almost cried as Brian shuffled us forward.

“He was hurt, Amaria turned pale.

The second we entered my home I ran to the kitchen and pulled my cell phone out of my pocketgrabbing the sheet of paper Grayson had left for me and dialed.

One ring in and she picked up. “Darling? Your timing is-

“Liliana, is he okay?” I didn’t let her finish my heart running at the speed of a racehorse, I paced in frontof the island in the kitchen he’d built for his family for me.

“Annette, are you okay? He’d heard you demanded a helicopter. He’ll be on his way. What happened?”She shot back rapid fire questions to me.

“He heard me?…he’s okay?” I breathed calming down by repeating what she said.

“He’s okay?” Amaria ran over grabbing my arm.

“What Happened.” She pressed.

“They got two wolves over the wall at some point they tried to attack while I was in the moon poolsearching for him… when I called to him I must have said aloud because they turned to look. Thewarriors guarding me took care of them.

One is in custody I think,” I gave the best of what I thought had happened.

“I will try and get word to him that you are alright, what in the name of the goddess convinced you to goto your moon pool?” She screamed at me, the normally charismatic women seemed outraged.

“I had to know he was alright!” I shouted back furious she was confused as to why.

“He’s Grayson he lives off of stubbornness alone,” Liliana berated me but her tone was once again hersoft musical voice. “Stay in your home until he gets there,” She told me.

Amaria took the phone from me. “We will, thank you Lilianna,” She hung up for me.

“Get twenty warriors here now, sweep the forest with silver arrows, get that wolf chained up, andprepare for the Alpha’s return,” Amaria told Brian who got on the phone and gave the orders.

After sitting on my couch wrapped in a blanket with Amaria on one side and Ella on the other for acouple hours I heard the thundering whirring of a helicopter.

I stood and Ella had to hold me back from stepping outside. I watched as he ruined our front walk to getto me.

“Annette!” He called for me as he opened the door.

I jumped into his arms and my face became bloody from his wounds but he didn’t let me go.

“He came back.

He breushed my hair out of my face and k*ssed my forehead before pulling me back into his chest.

“Bring me that wolf,” He growled.

Chapter Comments

Susan Moledor

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Maybe there will a pup on the way before she goes into heat. If that happens she won’t have a heatuntil the baby is born.

Krystal

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