Beauty in the Beast

The wolves looked ready and prepared to fight, which only made me more nervous than I was before. This was happening, and as I looked around the room at the Omegas that filled the living room of the pack house, I knew it would be the last time I saw some of them alive. My eyes lingered on Alan and for some reason I wished I had more time to train with him. I wish I had more time to train with all of them.

“Okay guys, listen up.” Nick broke my thoughts as he began to speak to the group. “I don’t have to tell you this is going to be a bloodbath, because you already know.” Glad I wasn’t the only one with that in my head. “The bunker is like a maze from what we’ve gathered, so we’re doing this human. There’s too many doors to get trapped behind as a wolf and I don’t want you getting killed trying to shift to get yourself out of something.” Daniel stood and walked over to Nick.

“We have weapons to take with us, but don’t be hesitant to use them.” He informed everyone.

“If our Luna can take out these mutts with a chair leg and a food tray, we should be good with weapons.” Roland winked at me. I guess word got around on how I escaped the bunker.

“Don’t get cocky.” Nick spat. “This won’t be an easy task.” Roland lowered his head. “I want everyone in pairs. You each will be responsible for your partner, but we’ll be in groups of four. Take care of each other, watch each other’s backs. They have wolfsbane and they aren’t afraid to use it. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the battle that you forget how to fight.” Daniel began passing out papers to the Omegas with their partners and their groups on them. “I want you guys to take the rest of the day off.” I looked at Nick, just as surprised as the rest of the pack. “Spend it with your family and your loved ones. We’ll meet back here at nightfall.” Nick took my hand and led me back out of the pack house.

“Do we have time to wait? The longer we wait, the more prepared Jackson is getting. The more opportunities he has to attack us first.”

“Relax, Emma.” Nick reassured me. “Jackson’s not going to attack so soon after he lost so many of his mutts. This might be the last chance they have to see their families.”

“Okay.” I nodded. “So, who do you want to go see?” I asked him.

“You’re the only family I have, little wolf.” He smiled at me. “Would you like to visit your father? Or your friends?” I thought about it. What would I say to my father? Thanks for not pulling my plug the last time I was dying, so that I can rush into battle and get myself killed.

“I plan on being able to see my father and my friends tomorrow.” I said with a grin. “So, today I want to spend my time with you.”

“Does that mean you don’t think you’ll see me tomorrow?” I punched his arm and he laughed.

“I already know you have a big dick; you don’t have to act like one.”

“Ouch.” Nick grinned at me. “Your words hurt me, Miss Clark.”

“Let me make it up to you.”

“It would be my pleasure.” He held his hand out to me and I took it. He directed me to his car, and we got in, heading back to our home.

Nick and I spent the rest of the day in bed, but we surely weren’t sleeping. It took our minds off the fact that we were entering a very dangerous situation. As we laid there, Nick began tracing the scar on my chest.

“I’d never been so scared in my life.” He admitted. “There were days where I thought I was going to come back from the cafeteria, and you wouldn’t be there. Or I’d wake up from a nap and you’d be gone.”

“I can’t imagine what that was like for you.” I sat up on my elbow and turned my body to him. “Dying is the easy part. Living without your mate is unimaginable.” I watched my father do it every day for years before I moved out. Sure, having the bar helped to distract him, but there were days he would just sit and watch their Mating Ceremony on video until he passed out from the alcohol. Some days were better than others, but at first; he was like a shell of the man I once knew. Time helped, but it didn’t heal.

“Neither of us will know that pain, little wolf. We’re both going to be fine.”

“I know.” I leaned in and kissed him, but I wasn’t sure of that. How could anyone know how tonight would go down?

Nick and I showered together before we got dressed and back in the car to meet at the pack house with Daniel before the rest of the Omegas came back. Nick turned the car off and turned to me.

“We’re going to be okay, Emma.” I nodded and he turned to get out of the car, but I stopped him. He turned to me, confusion on his face.

“We don’t leave anyone behind.” I said, and he nodded. I didn’t leave Daniel in that cell and I wasn’t about to leave anyone else in the pack behind. If we were going in there together, we were leaving together. We entered the pack house to find Daniel and Alex.

“I wasn’t expecting you here so soon, Alex.” Nick commented which only put a pink blush over Daniel and Alex’s cheeks. I elbowed my oblivious mate and shook my head.

“Just wanted to help pack up the weapons.” He said while he adverted his eyes. We put most of the weapons in the back seat and trunk of Nick’s car, and the rest went in the back of Daniel’s. By the time we were finished, the rest of the pack showed up.

“We’ll drive most of the way there, and then we’ll pull over and go the rest of the way on foot.” Nick instructed. If we drove the whole way, the mutts would hear the cars coming. Nick pulled out first, using me as a guide to show him the way to the bunker, the rest of the pack followed behind Nick.

“We’re close.” I told Nick as I stared out the window. I recognized the way there from when Daniel and I escaped. Nick pulled the car off the road and got out, the rest of the pack following suit.

“Pick your weapons.” Nick ordered as he opened the car door and trunk. Nick and I took swords and the rest of the pack took the weapons until the car was empty. Nick turned to me. “Lead the way, Luna.”