With the tear of her throat, the female warrior fell to the ground dead. She threw herself in front of her Beta, her whole life serving and protecting her pack — today, it happened as if it was her second nature.

Ally, the female warrior, had a bright future ahead of herself. She was strong and determined to protect her pack. Many believed her to become a Head when her time came, but the day will never show itself.

She laid on her floor, with fire in her eyes. She didn't go peacefully. There wasn't a final breath, for everything was ripped away from her.

With her life, she saved the Beta's, a very high honor indeed.

The last thing she heard was a painful howl, and her own mate felt the unactivated mate bond die within side of him. Somewhere on the earth, someone was dying on the inside for the lost of love they never got to meet.

It wouldn't be the last mateless howl as war was coming closer and closer, greedy for more.

Ally's sacrifice never had the power of stopping the war; she was just a pawn a pack had to play — and the thought may had hurt more that her actually death.

Her body dropped to the ground, and a loud thump echoed across the room. Warriors were taking action, quick to grab Jasmine; however, they were all unprepared for what was about to happen.

Jasmine lifted her hands, and with the sunlight breaking in from the windows, there was a simmer on her claws. She scratched the closet wolf in the face, and he fell to the floor, trembling.

No matter the consequences, the continued to near her, attempting to seize her and punish her for her crimes. Someone started to round up the non-fighters, pushing them to go through the doors to espace and leading them away from someone they once trusted.

"She has wolfsbane on her claws," Luna Denice yelled, and she headed towards her younger sister in fit of rage. As Jasmine was about to take another victim, Luna Denice pushed her way through. After everything the pack had been through, Denice could not watch as her sister took advantage of every wolf here. As Luna, it was her duty to protect her pack, and she went into the kill zone.

Right before Denice was hit, Jasmine pulled back, and attacked someone else. She hissed, "You betrayed him." She slammed through, making a path before she shifted into her wolf and breaking a window to escape.

It wasn't long before she raced away into the wildness, getting lost into the unknown.

The Luna stared at her, confusion on her facial features.

Beta Roger took over, "Everyone who needs to go to the Hospital needs to go now. Do not worry about those who are dead; worry about those who are fighting for their lives."

Pack members who haven't left the room in a frenzy came to their pack warriors' aid.

There on the floor laid Ally along with five new individuals who had an unlucky blow to the chest or neck, leaving them dead. They too would join the casualties in the war as they laid in their own blood, with their hopes and dreams gone.

Beta Roger had no choice but to leave Luna Denice standing alone in the court room as he carried Marley closer to Layla and the Pack Hospital.

"Beta Roger."

Standing before him was Luke.

"Doctor Brian had attempted to kill Gabby and Eliza," he informed, walking alongside the Beta's quick pace. "He's locked up with multiple guards supervising him."

Beta Roger growled, "Jasmine got away."

"All pack mind links are down," Luke began, "we think it's because of the wolfsbane. We don't know how, and the pack is freaking out because of it."

The reached the Hospital, and the Beta didn't even have to growl to make room for himself. Everyone in the pack felt his presence, and they moved out of the way. They rounded around multiple corners before they found the hallway Jefferson and Layla were on.

Jefferson looked up, "Beta Roger."

The Beta nodded back, walking towards them. He gently sat Marley in Layla's arms, and they both felt the sparks when they made contact with one another.

"She freaked out when she saw Eliza on the floor," Jefferson explained.

They all watched as Layla pulled Marley closer to her, breathing heavily.

Luke shook his head, "It's probably because Marley has wolfsbane in her system."

Jefferson scratched the back of his neck, "She didn't react like this when Marley first came."

"Their bond is stronger," Luke answered.

Beta Roger patted Marley's head before staring at the two younger Heads, "I suppose we have more important things in hand than answering questions we know nothing about."

The Head Trainer and the Head Guard nodded their heads before taking off. Luke went to make sure the border patrol was still running, not wanting unexpected guests at their moment of weakness. Jefferson went around the pack, doing his best to calm everyone down.

"Layla," the Beta used his tone, "answer my question: will you be alright if I leave?"

The Head Doctor barley nodded her head and her voice was shaky, "Yes, I... I have Marley."

The Beta nodded once before leaving them.

Layla cupped her mate's cheeks, her fingers running over Marley's eyelids. She hushed to herself, "It's going to be ok. It's going to be ok."

———— A U T H O R N O T E | 28 ————

Thanks for reading!

QQ (#33): Do you guys have any pets?