Chapter 30: Sacrifice for the Pack

Aurora

I woke up to see Tallulah standing near the foot of my bed.

“You’re finally awake,” she said.

I looked around. I was in a clean, white room. It must be the hospital.

The last thing I could remember was Max running up to me as I fainted.

Tallulah had accused me of stealing the silverware, and I’d been given thirty lashes.

As a wolf, my body should have recovered quickly from the lashing, but something had been wrong.

Then Max brought me here, and left with Aspen to meet with the alpha and gamma.

“Why are you here, Tallulah? I doubt it’s to make sure that I’m recovering properly,” I said.

I still felt weak. Why was I healing so slowly?

I still couldn’t contact my wolf either.

“I’m going to warn you one last time,” she spat venomously. “Leave the pack. Don’t bother Alpha Wolfgang anymore. Isn’t it clear that he loves me over you?”

My chest hurt. She was right. He loved her, not me.

Even though I was his rightful mate, he’d ignored me, and had proclaimed Tallulah as his luna. He’d threatened to mark me as a rogue if I told anyone I was his mate.

“I don’t care about him. You can have him, for all I care,” I said, dropping my eyes.

I couldn’t bear to look at that woman for another minute.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the door. Something told me to be wary.

I got out of bed, and tried once more to contact my wolf, but still I couldn’t reach her.

The door burst open, revealing a handful of rogues.

Tallulah and I prepared to defend ourselves.

“There you are,” the biggest one said with a sinister sneer.

Outside the door, I could see the nurses cowering in a corner. Guards and fighters from the pack lay unconscious on the ground.

At least, I hoped they were unconscious, not dead.

“What do you want from us?” I shouted at them, anger flaring up in me.

“We are here to take the luna hostage,” the man said nonchalantly. “Now, come with us peacefully and no more harm will be done.”

He stepped forward to grab Tallulah. She backed away in fear.

“Wh—Why would I do that?” she asked, fear written all over her face.

“Because you are the luna, my dear. As such, you will sacrifice yourself, for the wellbeing of your pack,” he said with a sinister smirk.

I saw Tallulah back away, trembling with fear. Where was her bravery now, when we needed it?

The rogue was right. The luna must put her pack before anyone else.

I took a step forward and stood in front of Tallulah.

“It’s not her you are after. It’s me,” I said, trying to muster as much courage as I could.

The leader of the rogues started laughing as if I’d told him a joke.

“What are you doing, Aurora? You’re going to get us killed!” Tallulah whispered from behind me.

“You? Why would we want to take you?” he said between laughs. “You’d be worthless to us.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m the true mate of Alpha Wolfgang, and the rightful luna of this pack.” I said.

“Why would we believe that?” the rogue asked, still not convinced.

I dragged my shirt collar down, revealing the mark Wolfgang had given me the night we were together, before he had left for the alphas summit.

“Is this proof enough?” I asked.

The rogues stood there, shocked. I heard Tallulah gasp from behind me.

“Those are Wolfgang’s fang marks. When…?” she began.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “You were right. Even though I am his mate, he still chose you over me.”

I gave her a faint smile, then turned my attention back to the rogues.

“If I agree to go, do you agree that you will not harm the pack?” I asked, looking the rogue’s leader in the eye.

“Well, it’s less fun if you aren’t struggling, but I will do as promised. I will not harm anyone, as long as you come with us peacefully,” he said.

He turned his attention to Tallulah.

“And you will give the alpha this message: We have captured your luna. Meet our demands, and she shall return to you unharmed. Do otherwise, and she’ll be the latest of many murders we’ve committed.”

“Get the girl. We’re leaving,” he ordered one of his men. The man walked up to me and grabbed my arm forcefully. I whimpered in pain.

I turned to Tallulah and gave her a faint smile.

“It’ll all be okay,” I said, trying to put her at ease. But mostly, I was trying to convince myself that everything ~would~ actually be alright.

I tried again to contact my inner wolf, but she was still nowhere in sight.

I walked out of the room with the rogues, not knowing what waited ahead for me.

~Oh Moon Goddess. Give me strength.~