Chapter 50

Eric.

It all happened faster than I expected. I knew the moment before she did it that Emily was going to escape. I knew that would be my only chance to take Dylon down for good. So once she moved, I charged. And I plowed into him only a moment after she got away.

Red fury blurred my vision as I knocked him over onto his back. After that, I'm not sure what happened. The next thing I knew, I was standing in a puddle of blood, a coppery taste in my mouth.

I looked down and Dylon's lifeless eyes stared back.

*It's over. It's really over.* I couldn't believe it.

I howled into the sky - a howl of victory and relief. Wolves around me joined in, filling me with strength. I could feel it in my bones, my own power increasing as I naturally became the alpha of two packs. With Dylon dead, killed by my own paw, I assumed his position and in turn, took over his pack and his territory. Nobody could dispute that. Those who tried to deny it would be banished. I didn't allow dissension in my ranks.

Emily ran up to me, nearly knocking me over. “You did it. You killed him!” I couldn't quite tell if she was ecstatic or angry. But soon, she buried her muzzle into my chest, sighing contently. She fit against me so perfectly, like a piece to the puzzle I didn't realize I had been missing.

I snuggled her close, relishing the feeling. Time seemed to slow and I could swear it was just the two of us. But I knew there was an aftermath I had to deal with.

“Sorry,” I whispered as I pulled away.

I shifted back into my human form and stood before the small group that was left - maybe ten warriors from each pack remained. The devastation littering the ground was appalling. But before I could get a word out, I stopped. Something was wrong. I scanned the crowd trying to figure out what.

I couldn't see Tyler anywhere. My heart seized and my eyes raced across the fallen bodies, searching for his face.

“Tyler?” I called out, walking among the fallen, completely forgetting everyone else. “Tyler! Answer me!”

“Over here, boss,” a weak voice called out to my left.

I turned and walked as fast as I could over to his side. I knelt down next to his prone body. His pale face greeted me with a smile, which quickly turned to a grimace as he clutched his abdomen. My eyes followed the movement of his hand and saw multiple gashes along his torso. My eyes darted back and forth as I tried to count all his injuries. Bruises speckled his body and one arm looked to be fractured - a large bruise already forming.

“Fuck,” I whispered under my breath.

“Don't look so worried,” he said with a smile. “I've been in worse scrapes.”

I couldn't help but smile a little and shake my head. “Bullshit.”

He let out a breathy chuckle before wincing again. I looked around his body for anything I could use to stop the bleeding. A torn shirt, a remnant of someone's outfit before shifting, lay on the ground. I pressed two patches onto the biggest wounds before tying the rest of the larger pieces together to form a rope I could use to tie them down.

“Don't worry,” I promised. “I'll get you right to the hospital. They'll know what to do. And once you're not in so much pain, you'll heal. And then you'll be okay. And you better be okay because I need to kick your stupid butt for taking Dylon head-on.”

“Couldn't let you take all the glory,” he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

I stood up and looked around before pointing to two of my men. “Get him back home and to the hospital. Carry him the entire way if you have to, but get him there, and fast.”

They nodded. “Yes, Alpha.” And the two of them hefted Tyler up to carry him to the nearest road.

I turned to the rest of the group. “The rest of you, let's gather the dead and bury them. Check for survivors who might need medical attention.”

Thankfully, none of them hesitated. Everyone nodded, and a resounding “Yes, Alpha” rang out across the battlefield.

***

Emily.

I could feel his fear as he ran through the sea of bodies trying to find his best friend. Then, a ray of hope, followed by a sinking feeling of despair. My heart ached knowing he was feeling that way.

I walked over, thinking to comfort him, but I stopped myself. *This is a moment for them. Not for me.* And I backed up, watching Eric tend to his friend's wounds from a few trees away.

I would be here if he needed me. But I would stay away, giving him this time, until then. He then stood and commanded two of his men to take Tyler to the hospital. *Would he make it?* I hoped he would. I had grown fond of Tyler. He made a great, loyal, friend. I could see why he and Eric were so close.

I moved to stand next to Eric after he commanded the rest to collect the dead bodies for burial. For the first time in my life, probably, I stood completely straight, my head held high. I knew who I was, and I knew who I was mated to, and nothing could demolish that.

He turned to me and as he noticed my posture, he grinned, making me blush and turn away.

“Don't,” he said, turning my head back. “Confidence looks good on you.”

I smiled and he leaned in to kiss me. “I love it when you smile,” he mumbled against my lips, sending a tingle from my head to my feet. He kissed me deeply and I felt my arms loop around his neck as if they had a mind of their own. I pulled him closer and parted my lips, inviting him in.

I felt him grin against me, and he pulled back a little, resting his forehead on mine. “As much fun as I think this would be, here and now it's not the time nor place. Let's save it for when we get home.”

Reluctantly, I nodded. He was right. I felt slightly embarrassed for forgetting where we were and even opening up to him here. But before I could think too much into it, Eric pulled me along.

“We should help too. That's what good leaders do.”

I gave him a single nod in understanding before going body by body checking for a pulse or a breath, maybe a blink. So many of them stared blankly at the sky or the ground or off into the distance. I tried not to cry as I lost count of those I checked, each one as dead as the last.

When we had finished, and the bodies were placed together, Eric addressed the pack members.

“Let us remember this day, and all the bloodshed that happened. All because of one madman. We are all brothers now. Brothers we can rely on, brothers we can trust.”

A clamoring of agreement spread through the crowd.

“Now, then,” Eric continued. “Let us bury these men and women away, and with them, we bury our hatred and resentment towards each other to start anew.”

I marveled at his amazing words and ability to unite two packs that had just been at each other's throats, quite literally.

With that, he reverently rolled the first body into the large mass grave that had been dug. Everyone else followed suit until all the deceased lay together. Everyone started scooping mounds of dirt onto the pile, and they continued until there was no trace.

“Those of you that were Enforcers,” Eric announced once it was over, “Go back to your families, to your city, and spread the word of Dylon's downfall. I shall have a meeting with the council tomorrow to discuss the details of our two packs merging as one.”

They nodded and ran off.

Eric enveloped me in his arms, laying a small kiss to my cheek. “Let's go home,” he sighed.