Stronger by Ang Chris
Chapter 53

The Crescent mountain pack had been attacked in the middle of the night. The enemy had used a fireto attack, three injured, four dead..

“I want medical relief sent, I want builders sent to help secure their defenses, and I want Aarron overthere now,” Grayson spouted the orders.

I turned to look at Elizabeth when Aarron was told to help them but if she was scared for her husbandshe didn’t show

1. it.

“They have one man in need of critical care,” Matt interjected.

“Have him helicoptered here,” Grayson dismissed everyone.

We had one moment of bliss and now the world was up in flames.

“They’re expecting me to send men but that’s not possible right now. Richard knows that he won’texpect any men beyond what I’m sending,” he came up to me.

“Tell him to send his elders elsewhere, maybe even the children. They know who’s the smallest packamong us and who has the least defenses,” I brought up to him.

“Where would they go?”

“My family?” I suggested.

“They are not to know of this Annette this is not their fight and I can defend our people,”

“We need a safe place for our people to go if it gets any worse. Alpha Richard has lost four men weneed to give sanctuary,” I shot back.

“I do not want to burden or worry your parents,” he shook his head.

“This is what families do Grayson, besides it’s time they know,” I grabbed his hand.

“They will not let you stay here and this is where I can keep you safe. You’re families lands are faraway but they are open to enemies along the cliff face,”

“You know I’m not leaving you at a time like this if my family wants me to return they’ll have to replace away to cope just like we have. But we need more allies,”

“Alright,” he relented.

He would do anything to keep his people and allies safe including swallowing his pride.

“I am of course willing to give sanctuary to anyone who needs it. But if you keep the safety of mydaughter secret from me again I’ll kill you myself,” My father looked at us sternly over the video call.

“I’ll send Charlie and James up there mw. I want people there helping and your brothers will keep youas safe ass Grayson.” my father continued..

“No it’s too dangerous I do not want theme”

“They’re my children and two strong alpin wamions the more alpha blood you have the less of a chancethey stand it’s not up for discussion.”

“I have to agree Annette we have the one thing they cannot acquire,” Grayson sided with my father.“Besides James was due soon anyways,

Mom will not allow this,” I told my father hoping the tent of a fight with my mother would deter him fromsending my brothers here..

“She will want family beside you, Grayson is your husband hut we are your blood and she will listen tome.”

Not once in my life had I heard my father so cold.. He was always a family man. A man devoted to hiswife and children, this threat to me has shown me a side of my dindi mem thought existed.

“Grayson I know it just took a good amount of your strength it: fer help. Thank you for keeping hersafe,”

How my father said something so nice with such edge scared me.

“Thank you Alpha Jonathan. I want you to know I’d die before I la single scratch hurt Annette,” Graysonpromised.

The respect the two men shared warmed my heart.

“Good or else I’d do worse to you,” my father threatened him.

“The boys will leave tonight. I love you darling,” my father finished speaking time allone.

We ended the call and I slumped in my chair defeated that my brothers were muww.im dhungerthecuse of me.

“Do not feel guilty they’re strong men they’ll survive,” Grayson touched my cheek..

“I can’t not worry over them now. Just more lives we have to watch over,” I felt my throat death as myeyes watered,

Charlie would love that much I knew, but James. He was too unpredictable to be put into lie the budany chance at a fight he’d take it and that’s exactly what our enemy wanted. I could not live with him u

thuill.

“They have a duty to protect you Netta I’m not going to lie having someone with the dietitions protectvou malus

feber, he held me to his chest.

ofertion us the utmost concern to him and having to more alpita blondind weiben, with the same

something he’d want

Te’ll need to prepare for them in the house,” I sighed pulling away from him.

Not only that but we should send meals to our allies, give them comfort during this time. Then test nomule

preserves food and packs in case of escape for the elders and children of our pack.

I called a lot of the mothers, wives, and young women and we set to work on cooking for the peoplewho fought for us.

“This is a kind gesture Luna,” Elizabeth smiled at me.

“This war was incited because of Graysons defense of our pack. I think it only right we care for thosewho defended these lands because of our enemy,” I noted.

A lot of women smiled and nodded at me. The look of pride in their eyes scared me. I was their leaderthe one they looked to for hope.

And all I wanted to do was hide. My brothers were now in the firing line because of me, hiding andwaiting it out seemed like the only way no one I cared about got hurt.

Wolves didn’t do that though, we fought, we stood our ground, we protected what we loved. So nomatter what someone of my family would have come here to help us.

“Your brothers are coming then?” Charlotte asked me.

“Yes Charlie the eldest and James the youngest. My father wants to make sure he knows I’m safe,”

“Alpha wouldn’t let anything happen to you,” Elizabeth bristled stopping her chopping of some onions.

“As a parent it’s hard for him not to worry despite his respect for Grayson,” I smiled at her to calm herinsulted

manner.

All Elizabeth did was purse her l*ps in response,

Before I could continue my work my phone rang I knew who it was before I even looked.

“Mama…” I didn’t say much more because I knew she was going to rant. I excused myself and went tomy room

“Do not even start Annette I want you to come home. This is the only way you’ll be fully protected, Idon’t want you brothers there there is no way I’m letting you stay there. You’re father has this

completely backwards!” She rushed her

words in a flurry of fear.

I held my breath for a couple second seeing if she was done.

“I cannot run that is not how a Luna behaves you taught me that,” I did my best to reason with her.

“No, no for all we know they don’t know what pack you hail from so no. I want you to come home whereyou’ll be

safe.”

*You have visited mom the puck symbol was on banners at our binding I have no doubt they’ve beenwatching u.”

deserve come home

“How could he have let this happen. What kind of alpha is unaware of this kind of threat to his pack.What kind of mute leaves his wife to go hunt à bear this is not what I wanted for you no. This is notwhat you’ll be safer, happier, and we can turn this around,”

“Mama that isn’t what I want. I don’t want to leave him. He was aware of the threat and he’s sentwolves after these people; they’re a shadowy enemy. Cowards,” I almost growled.

“I do not trust him. He will fail you and then you will get hurt,” she started choking up.

“But I trust him he is not just some potential mate any more mama, he’s my soulmate, my husband..m–my lover,”

She wouldn’t try and take me from him if she knew we had crossed the boundary of intimacy.

Her silence rang through louder than any of her raging.

“Mama?”

“Are you pregnant?”

“No, I’m not but it’s, it won’t be long.” I covered my eyes waiting for another wave of maternal anxiety.

“Then I’m coming too,”

“No!” 1 whined. Having my brothers here during my heat would be mortifying enough.

“But-”

“Mom! I’m a grown women, a Luna! I cannot have you here during my heat. I will die from shame,” Ibegged her to stay home.

“You need me there to help you through this,” She insisted.

“No, at least, just wait until we’re sure I’m with child, after my heat,” I told her.

“So you’ve had the dreams then,”

“How did you know? Did you have them?,” I was shocked. ‘You never told me about them,”

“I only had the dreams once, when I got pregnant with you. I knew I was going to get pregnant with ababy girl,” She sounded far off in her mind. “I was running through the forest, your father was running

with me, and then when the moon came out we went swimming and when we came out of the water asmall tiny pup followed us, a little girl….

You,”

“That was the only time you dreamt of pups?”

“I’d had feelings but no dreams,”

“I’m scared to bring a baby into all this,”

“Nothing will happen to your baby it’ll have you,”

Chapter Comments

ruby!

freaking goosebumps

Beth Michalak

having two more alpha

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