Chapter 126 Exhausting Herself
Lira pov
"I gave them freedom." I swayed slightly, the world tilting around me. "Seemed like the right choice."
"The right choice." Kael caught me as I stumbled. "Is not collapsing from exhaustion. Aria!"
She rushed over with medical supplies, the sharp smell of herbs filling my nose. "She pushed too hard and used too much power, she needs rest immediately."
"After." I protested weakly, my tongue thick in my mouth. "After we secure the perimeter we need to make sure everyone's safe."
"Everyone is safe." Thomas reported, blood staining his knuckles. "Minimal casualties on our side. The assassins who didn't convert are unconscious but alive so we won."
"We won." I repeated. Then the weight of it hit me, made my knees weak. "We actually won."
The assembled wolves erupted in cheers. Proof that the council could be challenged and beaten. "Luna Lira!" Someone started chanting. "Luna Lira!"
Others joined. Warriors and refugees and former assassins all chanting my name.
"Let's get you inside." Kael lifted me despite my protests. "You can celebrate after you rest."
"But"
"That's your mate command." He said firmly, his breath warm against my temple. "You're resting end of discussion."
I wanted to argue but exhaustion crashed over me like a wave. "Fine." I mumbled, my head heavy against his shoulder. "But wake me if anything important happens."
"Everything important just happened." He carried me toward the packhouse, each step jarring slightly. "The revolution just won its first real battle, that is historic enough for one night."
The Luna witnesses gathered as we passed. Their expressions showed awe. Respect and something like reverence.
"We'll spread word of what happened here." The elderly Luna said. "Every pack will know, the council sent assassins and you converted them, Thats power they can't fight."
"It's truth." I corrected sleepily. "Truth is the only power that matters."
Kael carried me to our chambers, the stairs creaked under his weight. Laid me gently on the bed, the mattress soft beneath me. "Sleep." He brushed hair from my face, his fingers catching on tangles. "I'll handle everything else, you have done enough."
"Have I though?" I grabbed his hand. "Have I done enough to keep everyone safe? To protect what we're building?"
"You've done more than enough." He kissed my forehead. "You've given us hope, Victory. A future worth fighting for now rest and let your body recover."
I wanted to stay awake but my body had other ideas as darkness pulled me under. I woke hours later to voices arguing outside the chambers.
"She needs more time." Aria's voice was firm. "Using that much power was dangerous and reckless."
"It was necessary." Kael countered. "And it worked because we won because of her sacrifice."
"A sacrifice that could've cost her everything." Aria said meaningfully. "Everything including things you don't know about yet."
I sat up, my body aching all over, I pushed open the door to find them in the hallway.
"What things?" Kael demanded. "What don't I know?"
Aria looked at me, guilt and fear mixing in her expression.
"Nothing." I said quickly. "She's just worried about my health, being overprotective."
"Lira." Kael's eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me as least not now. Not after everything, what is she talking about?"
I looked between them at Aria's pleading expression, at Kael's suspicious one. The secret couldn't hold not anymore. Not when it affected everything. "I'm pregnant." I said quietly.
Kael froze."You're..." He couldn't finish the sentence. "We're having a baby?"
"Yes." I touched my stomach. "And before you ask, that's why I was careful tonight. Why I held back when I could've pushed harder, i was protecting our child."
He crossed the distance in two strides. Pulled me close, his hands shaking as they touched my stomach. "A baby." He breathed. "We're having a baby."
"Are you happy?" I asked nervously. "Or angry that I didn't tell you sooner?"
"I'm terrified." He admitted. "Terrified and thrilled and completely overwhelmed. A Moonblood heir, our child. It's..."
"Impossible." I finished. "Miraculously dangerous, infact all of the above."
"When were you going to tell me?" He pulled back slightly. "Were you ever going to tell me?"
"After we won." I said. "After we secured our position. After the immediate danger passed, i didn't want you distracted during the battle."
"Distracted?" His voice rose. "You let me watch you fight while carrying our child and you think I'd be distracted knowing?"
"I think you'd have tried to stop me." I said honestly. "Tried to protect me instead of letting me lead and we needed me to lead."
He opened his mouth, closed it and opened it again. "You're right." He finally said. "I would've locked you in these chambers. Posted guards, I would have refused to let you anywhere near danger."
"Exactly." I touched his face. "Which is why I waited, why I kept the secret until we'd won."
"And now?" He asked. "What happens now that the council knows we can win? That their assassins converted? That packs are rallying to you?"
"Now we expand." I said firmly. "We claim territories and try to build more alliances, we create something strong enough that the council can't just eliminate us."
Thomas appeared at the end of the hallway. "Sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation. Multiple packs are requesting entry to our territory. They want to join us, they want to be part of the revolution."
"How many?" Kael asked.
"Six packs so far." Thomas said. "With more sending messengers. They heard about last night, how we won. Heard we're offering something different than council rule."
I looked at Kael. "Our territory can't hold that many wolves. We need to expand and claim more land."
"The Borderlands." Freya appeared behind Thomas. "Unclaimed territory between here and Silvermoon, cursed lands that no pack wanted but with your purification abilities..."
"I could heal them." I realized. "Could turn cursed wasteland into viable territory, give us room to grow."
"That's insane." Aria protested. "You just recovered from one massive power use, you can't immediately do another."
"I'm not doing it alone." I turned to the former assassins who'd gathered. "You were trained to kill. But I'm betting you can also build, you can also fight in different ways so will you help me reclaim the Borderlands?"
The lead assassin stepped forward. "We pledged to you, Luna. We'll do whatever you need. Building is better than killing anyway."
"Then we start tomorrow." I decided. "We take teams into the Borderlands, purify and mark the new territory. Show everyone that we're not just surviving, we are thriving."
"You're pregnant." Kael said flatly. "You're not going anywhere near cursed lands."
"I'm the only one who can purify them." I countered. "The only one with the power to heal that kind of corruption. If we wait, we lose momentum and lose the chance to expand while packs are willing to join us."
"Then we find another way." He said stubbornly. "Any way that doesn't risk you or our child."
"There is no other way." I met his eyes. "This is what leadership means. Making hard choices and taking necessary risks, being the catalyst for change."
We stared at each other. "Fine." He finally said. "But I'm coming with you and Aria, you need to rest every hour and if anything feels wrong, we stop immediately."
"Deal." I agreed.
"Unbelievable." He ran his hand through his hair. "You are weeks pregnant and already making me regret getting you pregnant."
"You can’t blame me." I almost smiled.
Thomas cleared his throat. "There's one more thing. Elias Thornfield sent a message, he is formally challenging your claim to Silvermoon. Says if you want your birthright, you'll have to take it from him directly."
"Good." I said. "Let him make himself a target because when I'm done with the Borderlands, when I've built something that can't be ignored or destroyed, I'm coming for Silvermoon. I'm coming for my birthright and nothing will stop me."