Chapter 121

The aftermath.

Derek's POV.

"What's the report?" The gamma officer in front of me bowed then started droning on about the losses we had incurred and how everyone was recovering from it. It had been a month since we waged war on the Hidden Moon Pack and the Pack was still shaken up about it.

"And the injured warriors?"

"All recovered, but some are still off from their duties." I nodded at his words. That was understandable. I was just glad that as surprising as it was, there were no fatalities and all my warriors made it out alive. And for that, we had the Shadow Wolf Pack to thank for that. If they hadn't chosen to wage war the same time we had, then we would have been in way over our heads. Rush had to take his forces and fall back because the Shadow Wolf Pack were a sly one. They had gone straight for the pack in search of the she wolves and children and they might have succeeded too.

I paused, then walked over to the window and stared out. The sky was a blazing blue, a far cry from the grey clouds that had occupied it that day.

"What's the report on the Hidden Moon Pack? Any new information?" So far, we only knew that they were able to drive out the Shadow Moon Pack after we retreated but that was it. I turned away from the window and stared at the Gamma officer. The other two that flanked his sides has remained quiet, but at that moment, they looked at one another as if talking to each other.

"The Shadow Moon Pack ended up destroying a lot of things but that was nothing the Hidden Moon Pack couldn't handle," the Gamma officer from before said. The officer flanking his right bowed subtly then stepped forward, picking up where the other left off.

"There were a few casualties on both sides but nothing too much," he said. My brows shot up.

"Is that all?"

There was a pause before the officer continued. "From what we've found out, the Hidden Moon Pack is looking to repair the damages done to their pack house so they will likely be down for the time being." So that meant there would be no retaliation for some time. I let out a whoosh of air, feeling relieved. I didn't know know what I would do if they came back full force in such a short time, and again, I had to thank the Shadow Moon Pack for showing up the time that they did.

The gamma officers chatted about what I could care less about while I lost myself in my thoughts again. It flashed back to the war, the storm and... Scarlett. She had been the only constant circling in my mind and no matter what I did, I couldn't wash out the image of her dripping blood as I watched the lights fade from her eyes. That image had haunted me whenever I tried to sleep, and I tried. I stared at my beat up expression, even the window panes couldn't hide the dark circles under my eyes and mask my ever tired face.

I sighed, my heart clenching and twisting in my chest from the pain. I hated this feeling, it was like an invisible weight was constantly weighing down on my shoulders and my chest and if I thought about Scarlett for even a second, they doubled their weight. And she wasn't even dead... Yet.

Besides Ray, no single soul knew that I had logged her bleeding body back because I was the first to get off the field that day, leaving Ray in charge. Some warriors might have seen something, but they couldn't be sure what it was because the weather had been unforgiving and wasn't the best for being nosy. I had been following my instincts and I took her straight to a trusted doctor about stayed close to our pack because I couldn't risk taken her back to mine. I had been fully prepared to hear she was dead but I could still remember the doctor's confused face when he said she was dead but not. I still didn't understand what that fully meant but he had told me she could die anytime and I should just let it happen naturally. That was how the agony began and was still going. Everyday I woke up thinking maybe this was finally the day she would die and I would finally feel what it was truly like to lose a huge part of me because no matter what how far we had become from each other, she was still my mate and I would feel the loss of her.

"We'll excuse ourselves Alpha," the officer at the centre said, then they all bowed. I hadn't noticed it before, but I didn't miss the look of concern that passed between all three of them when they looked at me briefly. I didn't bother calling them back because if I were in their place I would equally be concerned if the Alpha was okay especially when he looked like he was a step away from losing his mind.

I stayed by the window for a long time, I didn't look up when the door creaked and heavy footsteps padded across the floor to me.

"You weren't interested in hearing any reports?" I asked Ray without looking at him and I heard him shrug.

"It's the same thing every time, nothing has changed." Yet everything has, I wanted to add silently under my breath but I refrained from it. Most of the people involved in the war has physical injuries that would heal and then they would forget all about it. But my injury was an internal one, a heartfelt one. There was nothing I could do to bring Scarlett the vibrancy of life, I had tried that already.

I let out another breath. I felt so weak about whatever it was I was trying to do. Scarlett had run off to that Pack, gotten treated badly, now she was hovering in the brink of death and I was willing to do anything to change that.

"I was going to ask if you're okay but it's clear

the answer is no."