Nicklaus POV
What should I do? If the bullet hits me, I might not survive this. I shut my eyes, thoughts of Gabriella and Estella flooding my mind. Will I die without being able to protect them? Moon goddess, please save me. There are things I must do to make things right. Gabby and my daughter need me, and the entire pack relies on my leadership. Amidst the chaos, I heard a loud gunshot, but when I opened my eyes, I was unharmed. Looking around, I saw a large figure falling to his death, his dark eyes still gleaming.
“What’s going on here?”
“It’s been a while, Alpha. I suppose I arrived just in time,” Jessica remarked.
“Jessica, you’re here? How did you know I was here and in danger?”
“It’s one of the mysteries of being a witch, but a simple ‘thank you’ will suffice. If I had been a minute later, you’d be dead by now.”
“Thank you,” I expressed my gratitude, and she smiled, asking, “Where’s Mateo?”
“He’s covering the other side.”
“Alright, let’s find him and see what we can discover. Can’t I run into you on a normal day instead of saving your life?” She playfully chided, and I chuckled, knowing she was probably being modest about her true intentions.
We scoured the deceased man’s body and found a mixture of silver and wolfsbane-a deadly combination that surely would have killed me.
“Jessica,” Mateo’s voice resonated, clearly surprised to see her.
“Hello, love. I was just passing through and happened to save your Alpha. I suppose I need a spot in your pack, like the Witch Beta,” she quipped.
“I’ll keep that in mind. What do you think, Mateo?”
“I think it’s not a priority now. But I’ve apprehended someone; I believe we can find Luna Gabriella,” Mateo informed us, reigniting my hope and gratitude to the Moon Goddess for sparing me.
“Where’s the Luna?” Mateo demanded of the captive. The man’s mocking laughter pierced the air.
“Go to hell. You’ll never find her. And even if you do, she’ll be dead by then.”
I delivered a swift blow to his face, sending him sprawling. “Tell us where she is right now, or I’ll end you.”
“I’ll take over from here,” Jessica intervened, clearly intending to employ her witchcraft.
“Are you going to reveal where you’ve kept our Queen, or do we have to resort to harsher methods?” she warned him.
“Go to hell, witch.”
“Then I’ll send you there myself. En la ne tu abi la ng englus.” Immediately, he cried out in agony, confessing, “At the ex-military base.”
“Thank you. Rest in hell.”
“Please don’t kill me, I beg you,” he pleaded, blood streaming from his eyes before he succumbed to death.
“They’re still within our pack. How foolish of them. Let’s go before they relocate them,” I declared.
“Yes, Alpha. But is Jessica accompanying us?”
“Yes, she is. As she mentioned, she deserves a place among us. Let’s move, Jessica, and I want you to work closely with Mateo.”
“Alpha, I don’t need her assistance,” Mateo protested, but I could tell he secretly appreciated it.
“You might not need it now, but you’ll thank me for it later,” I assured him, winking playfully. He seemed a tad exasperated as Jessica clung to him, insisting on staying close despite his protests.
After a few hours, we reached the location, and Gabriella’s scent was unmistakable. I was now ready to exact vengeance on those who harmed her.
“Jessica, you first,” I directed.
“Understood.” She attempted her spells, but nothing seemed to work.
“What’s wrong, Jessica?” Mateo inquired.
“My powers are being blocked. My spells won’t work here.”
This must be the reason Gabriella couldn’t use her spells she had learned from Margaret to save herself.
“How is this possible?” I asked her.
“There is a particular leaf that can stop our powers’ flow, but don’t worry, I can deactivate it,” she added, and we exchanged confident smiles.
She attempted again, and we heard the loud screams of the Black Blood Pack members. We seized the opportunity and attacked them, successfully rescuing everyone by the end of the day. I carried Gabby, whose eyes were still closed. My worry eased when Jessica cast a spell to revive her and assured me that she would wake up soon.