Chapter 133 Chapter 122

Chapter 133 Chapter 122
Rosemary
The forest blurred around me as I ran, the world melting into streaks of green, gold, and shadow in my periphery. My paws struck the earth with steady, deliberate force, matching the rhythm of Ethan’s, whose massive black wolf sprinted just ahead of me. The adrenaline of victory still hummed faintly in my veins, though it was fading, replaced by exhaustion that sank deep into my bones.
We had won.
Andromeda was dead, her dark power ripped from the world like a poison finally purged, and Asmodeus was banished to whatever forsaken abyss had birthed him. But even in victory, my chest felt heavy. The kind of weight that lingers when you’ve given everything and are still not sure it was enough.
A low howl rumbled from Ethan’s throat, breaking through the quiet. It was a sound of triumph, of survival, but there was a raw edge to it, like the lingering ache of a wound yet to heal. I howled back, softer and shakier, the sound tearing its way out of me as if it had been trapped there for hours. It carried everything I couldn’t say - the grief, the relief, the aching weariness.
The forest gave way to open ground, and through the thinning mist, I saw it: the pack house. The familiar towering structure stood like a beacon of safety amidst the chaos. Relief crashed over me like a wave, a primal need to be home, to see my people, to know the fight was truly over. My paws dug into the earth as I pushed harder, crossing the clearing alongside Ethan.
The closer we got, the clearer it became. Shapes moved outside - wolves shifting back to human form, some tending to injuries, others pacing along the perimeter as though unsure the battle had truly ended. The air smelled of blood and smoke, of sweat and grief, but under it all was something else: hope.
Ethan reached the steps first, skidding to a halt before shifting seamlessly back to his human form. The sound of bones snapping and rearranging echoed faintly in my ears, familiar now in a way I never thought it would be. I shifted next; the transformation wringing the last bit of strength from me. The world tilted for a moment as I stumbled, my legs trembling under the sudden weight of being human again.
Ethan caught me effortlessly, his hands steady on my shoulders. “You okay?” he murmured, his voice soft, but there was no missing the worry in his eyes.
I exhaled sharply, nodding as I found my footing. “Yeah. Just… tired.”
His hands lingered for a moment longer before he let me go, his gaze holding mine. “We’re almost there.”
Together, we climbed the stairs and stepped inside the pack house. It was eerily quiet - no joyous cheers of victory, no sounds of celebration. Only the low murmur of voices and the occasional clatter of someone tending to the wounded.
The smell of antiseptic hit me first, sharp and sterile, layered over the iron tang of blood that clung to the air like fog. A rack of robes stood near the entrance, always kept there for those returning from a shift. Ethan grabbed two, tossing one to me before pulling the other over his broad shoulders. I slipped mine on, the simple fabric a comfort against the chill seeping into my skin.
We moved deeper into the house, our footsteps soft against the wooden floor. Pack members passed us - some staggering, others with cuts hastily bandaged. Their faces were hollow with exhaustion, but there was something else in their eyes when they looked at us. Respect. Gratitude. The knot in my chest tightened from their looks.
At the foot of the grand staircase, I spotted them - Nathaniel, Liam, and Conor. The three of them were clustered together, looking just as battered and bruised as the others. But they were alive. That was enough.
“Nathaniel!” My voice broke slightly, but I didn’t care.
Nathaniel turned sharply, his face lighting up in a way that made me want to cry. “Mer! Ethan!” He crossed the distance in three strides, pulling me into a hug so fierce I could barely breathe.
“You’re back,” he said into my hair, his voice trembling. “Thank the Moon Goddess you’re back.”
I swallowed hard, my arms tightening around him before I finally pulled back. “What happened here?”
Ethan’s voice cut through the moment, steady and low. “The minions?”
Nathaniel stepped back, letting Liam speak. “They scattered as soon as Andromeda fell,” Liam said, scrubbing a hand through his messy, black hair. “It was like a switch flipped. Whatever hold she had over them broke with her death. Same with the rogues. They turned and ran, most of them back into the woods.”
“And the injured?” I asked softly. I didn’t want to hear the answer, but I had to know.
Conor, standing slightly behind Liam, shifted uncomfortably. “Some didn’t make it.” His voice was rough with grief, his usual sturdy presence now frayed at the edges. “We lost six. Another two dozen are in the hospital wing. Most of them will pull through, but… it’ll take time.”
Six. I repeated the number in my mind, like it might mean something different if I thought about it long enough. Six pack members. Six people with lives, with families, gone because of Andromeda, because of me. My throat tightened, and I closed my eyes for a moment, breathing through the guilt that clawed at me.
Ethan’s hand found the small of my back, his touch grounding me. “They knew the risks, Rose,” he said quietly, as if he could hear the storm in my head. “They fought for their pack, for their family. And we’ll honor them for it.”
I nodded faintly, unable to speak around the ache in my chest.
Nathaniel, ever perceptive, nudged my shoulder with his. “Hey. Don’t go all broody on us now. You saved everyone, Mer. You stopped Andromeda. That’s not nothing.”
I forced a small smile, though it wobbled. “Thanks, Nathaniel.”
“Come on,” Ethan said, his Alpha authority threading through his voice. “Let’s check on the injured. Then we’ll figure out the rest.”
We moved deeper into the house together, through the wide, familiar halls now filled with quiet murmurs and lingering tension. I saw faces I recognized, some of them sitting against walls, others helping where they could. Each nod or whispered “thank you” made my heart feel heavier.
We reached the end of the hall when Nathaniel’s voice broke the silence.
“There’s something else,” he said, his tone softer now. “Grace gave birth during the battle.”
I turned to stare at him, my exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “She… what?”
Nathaniel nodded, a faint smile breaking through the shadows on his face. “We were just about to go see her.”
My heart swelled at the thought of Grace bringing new life into a world that had seen so much death. I let out a shaky breath, exchanging a look with Ethan.
“Let’s go see her,” I said softly.