Chapter 181: PRAYER FOR PROTECTION
UNKNOWN'S POV
“I have to go Sebastian, before they're drawn here by my scent.”
The words are firm and absolute.
“I’ll come back, I swear it.”
Sebastian hesitates for just for a second then he nods.
He knows if they follow his scent back here to the both of them, especially this far in the forest, Ragnar won't be able to fight and protect him at the same time without getting distracted.
Or worse, hurt.
And Alisander's in a fucking coma so yeah tanks Yurik.
Ragnar watches him descend into the darkness and waits until he’s fully inside before pulling the panel shut and burying it with the rug.
He's hidden and he's safe.
After confirming that fact, Ragnar moves again quickly and starts grabbing several Halloween and pumpkin spice candles.
He's moving fastly as he's lighting them all up one after the other and spreading it out all over the house.
He's not doing this for light or attention, he needs it for the overpowering scent.
The strong pumpkin spice scent is strong enough to mask and erase Sebastian’s scent from the house.
By the time he’s done, the cabin smells like it's stuck in a suburban woman's kitchen that is obsessed with Halloween.
Perfect.
For good measure, he takes several sniffs around and doesn't find Sebastian’s scent so he exhales in relief.
Just for a moment, he pauses and looks back at the floor where Sebastian is hidden deep beneath layers of wood and secrecy.
His expression softens just slightly as he's almost a 100% sure that he's safe this way.
“Stay safe baby,” he mutters under his breath as he quietly adds a prayer under his breath.
“Moon Goddess, protect him.”
And then, he’s gone out the door in a sharp dash straight into the fight to end this whole farce.
The candles flicker in the room as the accent lingers everywhere.
But around the living room, so close to one candle, something stirs.
You could almost hear her faint cackling as the wind started circling softly in the house.
Even with everything practically shut so no smell could escape or come in, wind started causing the curtains to sway and move.
An older and more malevolent presence is felt just like the peak of any villain novel where it's time for the great evil to reveal itself.
And without any human interference, the candlelight just happened to coincidentally flicker really close to a swaying curtain and the curtains caught a spark.
It turns into a small fire that doesn't look harmless but the swaying wind only blows at the fire, causing it to spread and move about the curtain.
Ragnar's prayers don't go unanswered, just not in the way Ragnar thinks.
After all, far above the sky is the goddess they all adore and worship and protection…?
Protection is just another word for attention, especially from her.
And attention is something Sebastian needs desperately right now.
The faint cackling is heard once more as just like magic, the wind disappears into nothing.
.
.
.
.
The attack began like a thunder strike as one moment, the pack grounds were abuzz with discussions about the Alpha and the next?
Screaming.
Howls ripped through the night from every direction all at once as they were loud and sharp enough to freeze even blood in the veins.
Then came the smell of the actual blood.
Chaos swallowed the entire territory within minutes as many warriors didn't even bother undressing as they just shifted mid run as alarms echoed everywhere.
Shoutings and orders were shouted over one another while the visiting Alphas and their guards also surged into battle with MoonCrest pack warriors.
No one had expected an attack today especially during a challenge gathering with this many powerful wolves all gathered in one place.
And certainly not from Rogues either.
But they kept coming in dozens at first then in hundreds.
They were wild eyed and foaming in their mouths as they were throwing their bodies against the defensive lines regardless of their injury or death.
Their attacks were savage and disorganized in summary, driven more by instincts rather than strategy.
And that was the only reason the pack still stood strong and were able to defend themselves.
Because Rogues were dangerous and brutal beasts, but in the end they were still mindless.
Basically animals without human counterparts that fought like starving predators.
And tonight?
They were animalistic predators that fought and attacked themselves into what would be a regrettable move if they could think.
Tonight they were fighting against several packs even more than their countless numbers.
Warriors tore through them brutally as many Alphas ripped Rogues apart with terrifying brutality.
The pack grounds shook with snarls and bloodshed as several bodies hit the ground one after another.
Still yet–
The Rogues kept on coming without any stop.
.
.
.
.
Far from the battlefield and hidden deep within the forest, Sebastian sat alone beneath Ragnar’s house.
The cellar was dark except for a single lantern he had found and lit that was now flickering weakly beside him.
There was a lot of dust lingering in the stale air that was now mixing with the burning smell from the lantern.
Above him is nothing but silence.
Or rather, what should have been silence but instead, even from all the way here he could hear distant sounds of screams and howling.
Each one that came into his ears tightened the knot in Sebastian’s chest further making him feel dread only more.
Ragnar had locked him down here personally as there was no time but he was regretting it now.
Maybe if they both shifted and ran really fast, maybe he would've been able to reach the bunker in time.
The place was supposed to be safe and hidden but it's only making him feel fear and dread especially when he realizes he's all alone here.
Protected.
Above him, like a response to his fear and dread, he heard something crackle like someone stepping on a dried leaf.
He immediately sat up and blew the lantern out with dread.
Oh fuck.