The dust was settling down and they saw bodies scattered around the room. It
was a terrible sight to see and Riannon gulped as she recognised her friends. It
smelled of burnt bodies and blood. An internal scream was desperately trying to
leave her body but she knew that this wasn’t the time to sob or panic, so she
turned to Maya, who was equally petrified.
“We check their pulses and get them out of here if they are alive. Assess injuries
and decide if they need extra help before regeneration kicks in. Especially if their
rank is below Gamma,” she instructed and her Beta nodded, “We need to keep
them alive until the medics arrive or until they can heal themselves.”
It was easier for her now that she voiced her plan. It was a task that she herself
could
concentrate on.
They got to work. One by one they were checking the Lunas who were
unconscious. Luckily, most of them had pulses still beating their rhythm. Yet
some of them did not. Riannon closed the eyes of Luna Selena as a tear trickled
down her cheek. Her mother’s friend did not make it. She remembered how
many times she visited The Pearl Moon pack back when she
was still a child and her siblings were alive. It was a true loss...
she heard a noise right next to her and saw some movement under a pile of
wood that was once a table. She recognised the red dress at once and rushed to
help Luna Ada to get out.
“Hold on,” she mumbled as she was getting the pieces out of her way, “I’ll be
there in just
a sec.”
Ada was covered in cuts and breathing heavily. However, Ria was positive that
she was going to make it. Her frenemy was of Alpha blood and was supposed toheal quickly.
She got her out and dragged her out of the room in hope that the healers were
already there. They always had a few teams ready for each Summit.
“People are already looking for them,” Riannon told her as she placed her on a
bench outside, “I am sure he is fine.”
“Your law...did you manage...” the woman had trouble finishing her sentences.
“Yes, we did it,” Ria tried to calm her down, smiling gently as she brushed the
hair out of her face, “It worked. Alphas went on a break, so most of them left the
building. I am sure your husband is one of them.”
“Good,” the Luna in front of her nodded and waved her off, “Go, help the rest.”
alphas who were unharmed, who joined them, worked through the restaurant,
getting out the injured. Now the foyer’s floor was covered with bodies of the ones
who died.
The rest were taken outside. Luckily, some of the werewolves were regenerating
fast and
some were even able to join the search party.
“I think we are done in that part of the building,” her Beta told her, “The upstairs
was not damaged too badly but it would be best to evacuate people in case the
building collapses.”
“Yes,” Riannon agreed, “Can you arrange that?”
“On it,” Maya said and disappeared at once. This was why she would be the best
second-in-command ever. She was a woman of action.
Ria broke one of the vending machines that survived miraculously and got out all
thecoming to their senses. At the same time, she tried not to think of how many did
not have that luxury today. And there were too many...
She took a deep breath of air, throwing her head back. Too many thoughts were
circling in her head. Ambulances started to arrive and she knew that they would
take it from there. But just then she noticed a dark figure behind the cars.
He was standing at a distance and it seemed as if he was looking at her and her
only. A Black long coat, brown hair that touched his shoulders and stormy grey
eyes.
She clenched her fists and wanted to get to him and kill him. However, he was
gone in less than a second and she did not know where he went.
‘Everett definitely had something to do with it and now she was sure of it more
than
ever.
But that also meant that Roxy had something to do with it as well.
Her lips parted at the realisation. Of course! There was no point for Roxy to be
here. Something told Riannon that Roxanne had read the documents she had
prepared for sure and was supposed to know what she was planning. She was
supposed to benefit from the divorce. So, why come when everything was going
smoothly for her anyway?
Unless she had a completely different purpose. Ria got her phone out and dialled
Harmony’s number. “Yes,” her ex-sister-in-law was not happy to hear her. As
always. “Are you okay?” Riannon decided to play nice for a start since she
needed information,“
“Oh, Goddess! How are Bray and Roxy?” Harmony’s intonation changed. She
didn’t inquire about her health, though.“Bray is fine,” she frowned, “We are still looking for Roxy. Tell me, what time did
you bring her here?”
“I don’t remember. Why?” Harmony was as careless as ever.
“We are trying to build a timeline of events here. This is important,” Riannon lied.
Partially.
“I think I dropped her off at about eleven,” the girl hesitated with her answer, “Do
you
want me to come over?”
“No need,” the ex-Luna replied, “Go back to the pack. It’s safer that way.”
She hung up, not waiting for a response. She already knew what she wanted to
know. Roxy was here even before they arrived. Everyone knew that she was an
Alpha’s mate. After all, Brayden paraded her at the Alpha Ball. So that meant that
she could wander freely in the hotel without being suspected of anything.
Could she be the one to do it? Or was it just a coincidence?
A moan not far from her stopped her train of thought and Riannon went to that
person to see how she could help. However, the medics got there first and she
decided to go inside and
check what else she could do.
Inside, the atmosphere was grim. People were crying over their dead beloved
ones. She noticed a line of bodies at the other end of the foyer that wasn’t there
before and counted at
least eight people.
Just then, Gideon appeared with another man in his arms. Their eyes met and he
carefully placed the Alpha, who was dead on the ground next to the others.A few seconds and they ran into each other’s arms. The lycan king pressed his
Luna hard into his chest, burying his face in her hair.
“I love you,” he said, and she flinched. Deep inside, she always knew it. He was
not hiding his feelings from her from the very beginning. But it was the first time
he said it out loud like that.
“Gideon,” she looked at him and he took her face into his hands.
“I am sorry,” he smiled sadly, “This wasn’t how I wanted to do it. You deserve so
much better than this. But seeing how many people lost their mates today...
They will never be able
die without letting you know how much you really mean to me. I decided that I
need to tell you this now. And not waste any more of our time together. I love
you, Riannon. More than anyone. More than anything. For me, there will never
be another. Only you. You are my life. And I need you to know this.”
“I love you too,” she wrapped her arms around his neck. She wanted to tell him
so much more than that, but he couldn’t wait any longer and his lips crashed into
hers. The kiss was ragged and mad, with the two of them only taking breaks to
take a sip of air. She felt so guilty to feel this happy during such a disaster, so
when they heard another scream, they both forced themselves to stop. There
was still too much work to be done here to be lost in each other
now.
“Help!” they recognised Brayden’s voice and saw him running with Roxy in his
hands,“ My mate is wounded!”
“I need to check on that,” Ria told Gideon. The redhead was her prime suspect
now and needed to know as much as it was possible. She needed proof because
she knew that simply pointing at the girl wouldn’t be enough. Especially if it was
her.She went to Brayden and pointed him to another empty bench while the medics
were
busy.
“Calm down,” she told him, checking the girl’s pulse, “She doesn’t look too bad
compared
to others. Where did you find her?”
“In one of the shops at the back,” her ex informed her, seemingly annoyed.
“Then it’s good,” she muttered, “It’s far from the restaurant and the conference
hall. You could even say that she is lucky.”
“Lucky is not the right word here, Ri,” Brayden snapped at her, “She is an omega
and for her it’s not as easy as for the top-ranked wolves!”
“And yet she barely has a few scratches,” Ria pointed out, but he ignored her. His
attention concentrated on his mate now. It was interesting how he went from
forgetting about her to only caring about her so quickly.
“Anyway,” Riannon stood up, “Good luck to the two of you. But I am sure she’ll be
fine.”
She went back inside. After all, she already knew everything that she needed to
know.
It went on and on. And even after everyone who was alive got the help they
needed; it did
not end. As the Alphas stayed to discuss the next course of action.
“Hardly,” one of the Alphas shook his head, “We have zero proof to blame
anyone at this point.”“Because the foxes and the werebears not appearing at the Summit is not proof
enough? ” Ramina snorted, folding her hands on her chest, “Wake up!”
“There are a few other alphas who did not arrive,” someone said, “We can’t cross
them out this easily from the list of suspects.”
“We will check everyone,” Gideon said, not happy at all with how this was going.
“We need to return to our packs for now,” Alpha Caleb of the Jade Moon pack
said, “In
case there will be any attacks. Whoever did this, wanted to weaken us before
something major.
“True,” Riannon said, “But their plan didn’t work that well.”
“Is that what you think?” one of the alphas growled at her, “My mate just died!
And so many of our colleagues!”
Lycan King didn’t start the Summit earlier than it was supposed to start. We
would all be in that room. And no one who stayed there is alive now.”
“Or maybe this is exactly what the plan was all along!” Brayden gritted through
his teeth, “Everything is going so smoothly for the mighty Lycan king! He wanted
us to take part in his war and we were reluctant. But look at us now! Everything is
pointing at the foxes and the werebears and, of course, any alpha would want to
avenge Luna or their dead friends. And just how lucky is this that the king
announced the break right before the bomb went off so that he and his precious
new Luna could get out just in time?!”
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