Chapter 158
Amica
I follow the men Leonard assigned to me, and we run as our lives depend on it. Getting caught by Darth’s men would be the worst thing that could happen to me right now! I can’t go back to that shit place!
We race into the night, aware of eyes on us, but everyone minds their business. I’m guessing it’s because they don’t know who I am since my face is concealed by the cloak.
Since the rogues outnumber us, we split into groups to keep them off our trail.
Two gamma warriors, Peter and Jack, run with me as we take strategic turns and corners until we reach a port, where we hide and wait for Leonard. We have to stay hidden because the rogues are now searching and asking questions.
For half an hour, we wait for Leonard, but he doesn’t come.
As we sense the rogues drawing closer
we start to move slowly from one position to another to hide. At some point, waiting becomes too dangerous. We are already here we need to Jeave! We don’t know the condition of the other two gamma who got seperated from us while running, and they don’t know ours either but Leonard is the one person I am worried about. I hope he isn’t hurt!
“We have to leave now!” one of the men says, his breath raspy and urgent.
“No! Leonard said he’s coming!” I protest, unwilling to leave him behind.
“He’ll meet us, but we have to go now! If we stay here any longer, we’ll get caught!“the other gamma insists. Without further argument, I nod in agreement.
Slowly, Peter of the gammas warriors leaves our hiding place docking low to reach the bank to prepare the boat while we watch from our hiding spot. We hold our breath as he undocks the boat, moving carefully to avoid being seen. He succeeds in starting the engine, then signals for us to
come.
Jack grabs my hand, and we run toward the boat as fast as we can. I climb in quickly, but just as we’re running, one of the rogues spots us! He quickly chase off after us, closing the distance fast. We barely manage to get on the boat, but before we can push off, the rogue leaps onto Peter’s back, digging his claws in viciously into his spine!
Peter struggles to fight off the rogue despite his injuries, but between steadying the boat and defending himself, he’s losing ground fast.
Peter fought as hard as he could but the rogue kept reaching to damage him digging his claws and teeth his body and tearing him to bleed. Peter’s fight back was weak compared to the damage he was getting from the rogue
Jack keeps me behind him, shielding me before jumping in to help. The rogue has already done serious damage to Peter, but Jack doesn’t hesitate- he slashes the
creature’s throat and drives his blade deeper before shoving him into the water. The rogue vanishes beneath the surface as we speed off.
Peter is slumped on the deck now, bleeding heavily. His breaths are heavy, his face pale. It’s clear he’s not going to make it. Or maybe he will–I don’t know.
I rush to him, lifting his head into my lap.
“Peter, Peter, you’re going to be okay,” I whisper, but I’m running out of words and positivity.
I’m no healer like Mary. I didn’t prepare for this. I never thought we’d be facing a life–or–death situation like this.
I ask, my voice trembling, fear twisting in my chest.
“What do you want me to do?”
Jack’s voice is sharp, almost cold.
“Just leave him, Luna.”
I snap my head up, my heart “What do you mean?” My voice filled with irritation and the sound of tears threatening to fall.
I can’t leave him! Can’t you see he’s dying?” I cried out.
“He’s gonna die anyway! He’s going to slow us down!” Jack snapped.
“We are going to Red Valley. It’s a long way from here, and we’re being chased. He’s going to slow us down!” Jack hammered.
“No! I’m not feaving him. He’s coming with us, and we will get him treated, I commanded. Jack didn’t argue further, but I could hear the surrender
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in his voice. He didn’t agree with me, though.
Jack focused on steering the boat while I tended to Peter. His breathing was growing louder but weaker. Blood flowed heavily from his back and neck.
I pressed my hands against his neck, trying to slow the bleeding, but his gasps for air were getting shorter. I had never had so much blood on my hands and clothes before.
He isn’t going to make it. I know it.
Maybe Jack was right. Maybe trying to save Peter was a waste of time. But it is too late, I was already too emotionally invested.
I looked up at Jack. He was just staring at me, waiting for me to accept the inevitable.
Our eyes meet, and then I look back at Peter. He has gone completely still, his body stiff, his
Dead.
eyes cold.
“You have to get yourself cleaned up for the journey ahead, Luna,” Jack says. After the weird silence of death
I wipe my eyes and slowly push Peter’s lifeless body off me.
Will you hold the wheel for me, Luna?” Jack asks.
I move over and take the wheel while he pulls Peter’s cold body up and dumps it into the sea. Without a word, he steps back and takes control of the boat again.
The rest of the ride is silent until we reach a secluded river bank where we finally step onto land.
This bank had no people in it, just rocky and cold, separate from the main bank because it has no people in it.
We abandon the boat, letting it drift away, and I take a moment to wash the blood off me.
Thankfully, my cloak is dark colored but the bright–colored gown underneath is stained. Washing it only leaves me drenched and itbis still colored with bright red even after washing.
“The cloak is fine, but your gown… we need to get you something new,” Jack says.
Without another word, we head into the nearest town. We blend in with the bustling market crowd and continue our journey on foot.
I know we’re still within sight of the rogues, but the stranger we act, the more likely we are to get caught.
Jack manages to steal a new set of clothes for me, and once I change, we set off on the next phase of our journey.
From one city to another, town to town, village to village, we move steadily, never staying stoping for any sort of leisure. Finally, we reach the last stretch of the journey the next journey that will take us to Red Valley.
At this point, worry gnaws at me. What about Leonard and the others? The men who fought to give us a chance to escape–are they even still alive?
Before we set off for Red Valley, doubt creeps in.
Why the hell are we even going there?
I’ve heard of Red Valley before, and it’s not the kind of place people just walk into. It’s dangerous. A place spoken about in whispers, with fear laced into every word.
We’re in a different town now, far from where we started. Why can’t we just settle here? What’s in Red Valley that makes it worth the risk?
“I think we should wait for Leonard,” I say, my voice firm.
“No, ma’am, we have to keep moving now! We need to reach Red Valley as soon as possible–there’s no time!” Jack says urgently.
“Why the hell are we even going there?” I snap. “That place is too dangerous! We should be heading for the Apex Circle. We need its members to know what is going on They can help us fight and take back our city instead of running like cowards!”
“We’re going to see the Alpha!” Jack shouts back.
His words hit me like a slap. My anger falters. “What Alpha?” My voice lowers.
Alpha Deckard, he says. “He’s in a terrible state, and he needs you to get better. We have to…”
I don’t hear the rest. The only thing that registers is Alpha Deckard.
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“My Alpha is alive?” My heart pounds in my chest.
“Yes, he is, but we need to…”
“And he’s in Red Valley?” I cut him off urgently,
“Yes, but-
“Then what the hell are we waiting for?” I yell. “Let’s get a damn horse!”
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