“Stay with David.” Kai said to Karen. He got out of bed, and Karne could see his muscles taunt with tension. David got out if bed and ran to Karen’s side hugging her legs tightly.
“Kai I can fight!”
“I’m not saying you can’t,” Kai wore a shirt and turned to her. She sobbed, the shirt was already soaking with blood. “Look at me, please ” She raised her head and met his eyes.
“You are my entire world now.” He said. “I know you’re strong, Karen. You are an alpha yourself, no matter how many times they try to convince you otherwise.”
“Let me fight… please. I don’t want anything to happen to you!”
“Nothing will happen to me okay. But if anything happens to you or David or our unborn child, I could never live with myself.”
Karne bit her lip to try and control her sobs. “Kai…”
“Nicolas will be here with you,” Kai turned to Nicolas. “Please,”
Nicolas nodded. “We have to move though, we can’t stay here. I’ll take you and Verena and we can leave.”
“Is daddy going to fight again?” David asked Karen, his voice small.
“Yes baby,” Karen replied. She picked him up and held him to her chest. He was getting too big for her to carry like this. “Daddy’s going to o fight the bad guys.”
“My little warrior,” Kai said with a smile, ruffling David’s hair. “I’ll be back okay? Your daddy will defeat all the bad guys and protect you.”
David smiled. “I know you will. I believe in you.”
Kai turned to Karen and kissed her softly on the lips. “I’ll be back, okay?” He whispered to her.
“Don’t die ” She said.
Kai turned and walked out of the room. Karen held David close to her. Outside she could hear the sounds of commotion as everyone riled up
“We have to go now ” Nicolas said, leading them to the living room. “We have to make sure that,”
“Finally!” A voice sighed. “I thought he’d never leave.”
Karne felt her blood turn to ice as Asher walked into the suite. He looked at Karen, golden eyes that had been the subject of her nightmares for so long glinting with malice.
“Hello Karen. You look well.” His eyes moved to David.. “Ah, the young alpha had a young alpha! Who would have thought?”
“You should leave.” Nicolas hissed. “While there’s still a chance for you.”
“Stay out iyf this ” Asher hissed at Nicolas. “Just because you’re her mate doesn’t mean I’ll take it easy on you .”
“Get the fuck out of our way.” Karne said coldly. “Or I’ll be forced to move you ”
Asher laughed. “Move me?! You couldn’t even try.”
Nicolas lunged at Asher, catching him off guard and slamming his elbow into the man’s face. Asher stumbled back, his eyes flashing red. He attacked Nicolas, the beta moving out of the way to avoid a fatal claw swipe. Nicolas strangled the man, holding him in place.
“Karen go!” Nicolas screamed. “I’ll take care of him!”
“You couldn’t even dream ” Asher growled.
He pulled a dagger out of his belt and raised it.
“Nicolas!” Karne cried out, reaching forward.
Asher stopped mid air, the dagger hanging in the air. Nicolas released him and stood protectively in front of Karen.
Blood spurted from Asher’s mouth. He cranked his head to the back, his eyes widening in shock.
Verena emerged from behind him, blood splattered on her face and clothes. Her eyes were wide with horror, tears streaming down her face.
“You bitch” Asher hissed, his voice sounding weak
Verena sobbed quietly “I’m sorry daddy,” She whispered. “I had to … I can’t let you hurt anyone anymore.”
Asher reached behind him and pulled out the dagger Impaled in his back. He looked at it, recognizing the designs on the girl. He scoffed. “The wolfsbane I gifted you for your eighteenth birthday, ironic.”
“I’m sorry … I’m so sorry…”
Asher’s body fell forward, hitting the floor with a loud thud. Verena rushed to his side, throwing herself over his lifeless body. She hid her face in his back, her body shaking with sobs.
Karen turned to Nicolas. He appeared as shocked as she was. He took calculated steps over to Verena.
“Verena,” He said softly, touching her shoulder.
She knocked his hand off “I killed my father….” She gasped. “I had to ….. I really had to.”
Kai appeared in the doorway, covered with blood that wasn’t his. “What happened here?!”He commanded, his eyes looking around . He saw Verena, sobbing over the corpse of her father and apologizing over and over again. Nicolas standing beside her, watching her with sad eyes.
Kai turned to Karen. He rushed over to her and hugged her tight, not caring if he got blood on her. “Is everything okay?”
Karen nodded .
“You’re back daddy!” David said. “You’re okay ”
“Yes, I am. Were you a good boy? did you protect your mother?”
David shook his head sadly. He pointed at Verena. “She protected mommy.”
“She killed him…” Karne whispered, her eyes clouding with tears. “Kai …”
Kai hugged her again, his mind racing. Verena killed Asher?! In as much as Kai hated the man and wanted him dead, he had never imagined things turning out like this. Verena’s sobs were the only sounds that filled the air. Kai could feel her pain.
Asher was her father. And he knew Verena loved him like no bodys business.
“It’s all over now. All of it.” Kai said. “We can breathe now.”
The worst was now behind them. As Kai hugged his family, he could feel the adrenalin that kept him going thin out and wear off. His body was assaulted by pain. It hit him so hard his legs went weak and he fell to the ground
“Kai!” Karen cried, her voice ringing in his ears.
“Daddy!”
Kai felt his head grow heavy, he felt like the world was spinning around him.
“Send for the healer!” Karne was saying to someone. “Quick, he’s bleeding fast!”
He heard the sound of rushed footsteps, barked orders. His eyes slowly drifted shut, the darkness embracing him.
****
The next few days that followed were like a fever dream.
The aftermath of the short but bloody war had to be mediated. Lives were lost on both ends, even though Kai emerged victorious . It was a long recovery process for him.
Karen stayed by his side, watching him and making sure he was okay.
Verena handled herself more than Karen had imagined. She was still hurt, but she was handing herself well. Karen felt indebted to her, what she had done required courage to do, something Karen had been unable to do during her time.
Soon two weeks had passed, and the wound in Kai’s Chets had closed up enough to allow him move around and lift things up . His favorite thing to lift was David, the boy would hang on his bicep, squealing in excitement as Kai lifted him like a weight.
Soon it was the day of the party. The biggest party the pack had ever seen. The members gathered in the field under the full moon. There was music and long dinner tables. Everyone had smiles on their faces, no brighter than Karen and Kai.
The alpha and his soon to be announced Luna were seated on the elevated platform, overseeing the pack.
“This is a big party.” Karen said to Kai.
“I like parties.” David chirped in. He was seated in Karen’s lap, playing with a fidget toy.
“It’s a celebration.” Kai replied. “And a coronatiob at once.”
“Ah,” Karen laughed a bit.
Kai rose to his feet and raised his hand over the crowd. All talking and music ceased, every person turning to their alpha.
“I greet you all this beautiful evening.”Kai spoke, his voice steady and deep.
“Good evening alpha,”The Pack replied with once voice.
Kai smiled. “Thank you. Tonight we celebrate, our victory against those who sought to destroy us. and above all, the crowning of out very first Luna.” Kai gestured to Karen. “And of course, meet my heir. David.”
Cheers broke out in the crowd. Loud and ringing through the night. Kai let them rejoice. It was good news
“It hasn’t been an easy ride,” Kai said as the shouts died down. “Being your alpha had been a great honors to me. And today I am glad to share that honour with my eternal mate, and my Luna. We will continue to lead you and make sure that you have a safe and protected life.”
Kai searched for Verena’s face in the crowd. He saw her, their eyes met. He had been thinking about what she did for the period of his recovery. If it wasn’t for her, he wants sure what would have happened to Karen and their baby.
“Verena,” Kai said. “Come up here.”
She shuddered, her eyes widening in shock. The crowd made a path for her to the platform. She walked up to him, bowing her head.
“My alpha,” She whispered.
“Verena’s sacrifice will never be forgotten in the history of our pack.” Kai spoke up , gesturing for her to raise her head. “I grant to you, Verena Conan, a royal pardon for all your previous grievances against my Luna.”
Verena gasped. “Oh my alpha,” Tears rushed to her eyes. She bowed. “Thank you so much! I’m grateful for this kindness. I ..”
“I thank you from the depths of my heart ” Kai said warmly at her. “Thank you, Verena. You are pardoned.”
Verena rushed to Karen and hugged her tightly. “Thank you so so much Karen … I mean Luna…. I mean….”
David jumped off her lap. Karne rose to her feet and hugged Verena back. “No, I thank you. What you did required guts, I admire you for that.”
Verena riased her head and gazed itno her eyes. “I’m really sorry for all I did and….”
“Your alpha has pardoned you.” Karen said. “We both have pardoned you. I forgive you, Verena. Don’t continue to live in guilt.”
Verena nodded, tears rushing down her face. “Yeah, I won’t.”
“What did I miss?!” Nicolas shouted as he burst onto the platform. All eyes turned to him. He noticed this and laughed shyly. “I’m sorry I’m late.”
Kai sighed and walked duo to him. He slung an arm over his shoulder and turned him to the crowd. “My beta is going to be a father!” Kai announced. “And he is going to be an uncle for the second time”
Thunderous shouts of joy filled the air.
Karne looked around her, surrounded by the people she loved and would do anything for. Her mate, her alpha, her love. Her son, her friends, the unlikely sister she had found in Verena.
She wiped tears from her eyes.
Her life was perfect now. There was nothing more she could hope for.
“Let the feasts begin!”