Forgotten, Saved, Loved

by Violet Samuels

  "I am under strict instructions to have you two put into a safe house before one wolf leaves this territory," I say with a distant voice, still coming to my new realisation.

  "You've got to be kidding me..." I hear Alex whisper as she groans. I shake my head and snap my eyes to her. I can see the gears turning in her head for a compromise, but nothing is changing Axel's or my mind.

  "Sorry, Alex, but you're coming with me," I say before picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder. She protests with lots of screams and punches on my back, but I just look at Celina to make sure she's coming. To my surprise, Celina also looks quite pissed off.

  "Celina, it's for your own safety. You know that!" I tell her as I turn my body fully to face her straight on.

  "I know, Comrade, but this is Damon we're talking about,” she says quietly, running a hand through her pitch black hair. I give her a half smile and grab her hand.

  "Exactly. This is Damon we're talking about," I repeat, making her realise the seriousness of this situation. In my opinion, I think Celina would be a massive help in this, since she's got her royal power. She could literally blow the rest of Damon's pack away and beyond. I’m true to my word though: I'm locking Celina and Alex up so that they're both safe and stay out of trouble.

  In less than five minutes, I have Celina, Alex and any teenagers under the age of 18 who aren't fighting in a safe house.

  "Where's everyone else?" Celina asks, her eyes filling with worry.

  "Hey, it's ok. Families with small children are in another safe house and then everyone else is in another. Everyone will be locked up and safe. I promise," I tell her softly, giving her a kiss on the forehead. She lets her shoulders sag and a big sigh to escape her mouth.

  "Ok, I'm trusting you, Comrade,” she says as she points a finger at me. I smile and nod. It's my job to make sure everyone's safe, so everyone will be safe. I've also made sure that Kate is in the safe house with all the families. There are children her age and all the parents are great, so she should be amazing.

  I avert my eyes to Alex who's cuddled up in a corner with her head leaning against the wall. I walk up to her and crouch down to her level.

  "I love you?" I bargain, making it sound like a question. The smile I love seeing splits across Alex's face as she shakes her head at me.

  "I love you too,” she says back, faking reluctance. I chuckle at her before grabbing the back of her head and leading her into a long kiss. We break apart for air, resting our foreheads together.

  "See you soon," I whisper. Not waiting for a reply, I get up and quickly shut the door behind me, sealing it so that nothing can get in or out.

  I take a deep breath and lean against the door. Alex is going to murder me for leaving like that.

  I shut and lock all the other doors, doing a quick look over to make sure everyone who isn’t fighting is safe inside the safe houses. The safe houses are stocked up with food and water, so they should be ok. We don't know how long they're gonna be in there, but Celina has the password, so she can get out with no problem and get everyone else out.

  I make my way back up to the house and head straight to Axel's office. I stop at the door, just staring at the intricate carvings that got us to where we are today. Just think, if Celina had never run through our territory and if she had never touched the carvings on this door, what would our lives be like now? Celina could still be a rogue...

  I place my hand on the door and give a half- smile. This is where the journey began... and this is where it's gonna end.

  21

  ALEX

  If I chose one time in my life to say the unmistakable 'f' word, now would be that moment. That, insert 'f' word here, bastard.

  If he thinks he's gonna get away with bolting out of here after a measly little kiss, he thought wrong. If he thinks I'm gonna stay cooped in this safe house, then he has another thing coming along with a kick to the balls. If he thinks for one second that he's gonna get away with anything he's done to me in the last few hours, he's not gonna live very long.

  "I can't believe him. I'm gonna murder him when he comes back," I mutter to myself as Celina comes to take a seat next to me. She gives me a small smile.

  "Alex, you can't blame him for trying to keep you safe,” she tries to argue, placing a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off and put my head in my hands.

  "That's the thing, Celina! I'm gonna blame him anyway. I'm the best female fighter, if not the best fighter we've got, and they're not even gonna let me fight! I feel restrained and useless and I never wanna feel like that again," I whisper, my mum's dead body flashing through my mind. I couldn't help her, no matter what I did.

  "Alex, you can't dwell in the past. What happened to your mother is a terrible thing and I know how much it hurts, but you have to try and move on. Yes, she'll always be your mother, but she wouldn't want you to be drowning in self-pity!" Celina tells me, replacing her hand on my shoulder. I sigh and rest my head against the wall behind me, closing my eyes.

  "Why does the world hate me?" I groan. Celina gives a breathy laugh through her nose.

  "The world doesn't hate you, but Axel seems not to favour you either,” she admits. I chuckle at that and nod my head in agreement.

  "Come on, Celina! You don't just want to sit here and do nothing, do you? What would you do if Axel told you not to take part in the war?" I question incredulously. Celina sighs and glances at her three triplets who are running around keeping people entertained. Comrade must've got them in here when I wasn't paying attention.

  "He did tell me that I wasn't to take part. I had just given birth to the pups and I died. I physically died. It was a miracle that I woke up, but I have a destiny and so do you. If Comrade says you can't go to this battle, then don't. If your heart's telling you to though, follow your heart," Celina tells me, still staring at her triplets as some teenagers play around with them.

  Die? She died? That's new information...

  "Celina... I don't know what to do," I sigh as I feel a lump form in my throat. My heart's telling me to go, but Comrade's voice is still ringing in my ears telling me not to. How do you choose between your heart and your mate?

  "What do you want to do, Alex?" Celina asks me, her golden eyes turning to my blue ones. I take a deep breath through my nose and let it out through my mouth.

  "I want to fight. I want to defend my pack. I want to help. Most of all though, I want closure," I whisper. I feel a new determination build up within me. I'm gonna fight and nothing's gonna stop me. Except maybe the door that's impenetrable. The determination that is building up inside me slowly dies down as I realise this fact.

  "Jett! Dylan! Clarissa! Come here please!" Celina calls softly to her three children. Three sets of silver eyes swirling with gold snap to Celina before their little feet are scampering to get to her.

  "Yes, mummy?" Jett asks. I have to hold back in awe at the future alpha, laughing inside at the pure innocence of him.

  "Mummy's gonna go with Alex and help Daddy. You need to be good, understand me? Jett and Dylan, you don't let Clarissa out of your sight. Clarissa, be good, baby. Now, not a word to daddy, yeah?" Celina whispers, dragging all three of them into a hug. Dylan and Clarissa giggle while Jett frowns.

  "But Mummy, Daddy wants you to stay." Jett pouts, gripping his mum's shirt. Celina looks down at him with a smile before bending to whisper something in his ear. His eyes widen as a grin splits his face. He nods his head viciously, making Celina chuckle.

  "Good boy. Now, shall we, Alex?" Celina asks. I look at her in confusion. We? I don't think Axel will be too happy about that.

  I open my mouth to say something, but Celina beats me to it, "I know that Axel won't be happy about it, but I'm not letting you go out there alone. Either come or stay, because I'm going either way."

  "Ok!" I mumble, standing to my feet. Celina follows my actions and walks straight to the door. Curious eyes follow us, but Celina pays no mind to them.

  "Luna, I don't think it's a good id
ea to be going out there,” a feminine voice says, speaking up. I turn around with a frown on my face. A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes is staring at Celina in worry.

  Celina also turns around and smiles at the woman. The woman keeps the frown on her face, but you can see in her eyes that she's going to agree to whatever Celina's going to say.

  "Nancy, it'll be fine. I promise. By the way, next time Chloe calls, say hi for me," Celina says. She then turns gracefully around and punches in a code. I furrow my eyebrows as she continues to hit the lock pad with her small finger. There has to be at least 20 numbers so far. Celina's eye then gets scanned and the door opens the tiniest bit. I would've missed it if I wasn't looking.

  "Right, shall we?" Celina asks, motioning with her hand to the door. I step forward and give it a slight push. I only open it enough for both Celina and I to slip out, but it's enough. As soon as we step out, Celina shuts the door again, it locking automatically.

  I glance around only to find that no one's here. They must've already gone.

  "Now, Alex, we can't just go charging into this battle like Axel is dumbly doing. I'm gonna fly there and I'm gonna fly you there. When we get there though, shift. Please, I know you're strong in human form, but you're stronger in wolf form. Just... be safe," Celina mutters worriedly as she draws me into a hug. I blink in shock, but gently wrap my arms around her.

  "Don't worry, I will. I promise," I whisper back, burying my head in her shoulder. I swear, Celina is the best Luna a pack could ever ask for and I love her for that.

  Celina breaks the hug and smiles at me. She turns around and motions for me to get on her back. I purse my lips unsurely, but after a little encouragement, as gently as I can, I hop onto Celina's back. Not wasting a second, she lurches up into the air. I actually gasp at the shock and speed of it.

  Holy crap, I'm flying.

  "Don't forget what I said, Alex. I meant it," Celina warns me. I nod obediently before she takes off into the sky again.

  I can already hear the growls and snapping of jaws as I ease my way through the forest. Coming up to a clearing, I crouch down behind a bush and observe.

  Axel underestimated Damon's numbers. That's the first thing I notice. Although Axel's got a lot of wolves fighting for him, he has a limited amount. If he had just let females fight, he wouldn't be having this problem...

  The second thing I notice is that a sandy-coloured wolf is barreling his way through wolf after wolf and heading straight for a dark brown one. I instantly recognise the wolf as Comrade.

  The third thing I notice is more of a surprise than anything. I don't know how I noticed her, but I did. Hovering up high in the sky is Celina, squinting down at the fight with a frown. She suddenly raises her hand and roots begin to grow out of the ground. Wolves from Damon's pack start to be pulled down to the earth and wolves from Axel's pack take advantage of it.

  I glance over the mass of wolves, searching for one wolf in particular. I finally spot his black coat. Axel's large wolf is looking up towards the sky and growling, his silver eyes narrowing. I roll my eyes. He honestly didn't think she'd stay away, did he?

  I take the distraction of the roots and choose that time to shift into my blonde wolf. I shake my head a little and then slowly stalk out into the clearing. I don't get very far before I'm tackled by another blonde wolf. I growl and buck the wolf off me, sending it spiraling into a tree. The wolf whimpers, shrinking away into the fight again. I huff. What a wimp.

  A feral growl rips through the air, capturing my attention. My eyes widen to the size of saucers when I see Comrade lunging for Damon's neck. I howl and sprint to where he is. I don't pay any attention to anything else around me as I continue to run towards Comrade.

  My eyes stay locked on the two wolves as Comrade's teeth barely graze Damon's neck. Damon obviously saw it coming and moved out of the way at the last minute. After that, everything just went in slow motion.

  Damon whirls around and narrows his eyes into slits at Comrade. Comrade growls at the action and goes to lunge again. Damon's jaw opens wide as Comrade lunges for his back, but before Comrade can get a good hold, Damon's teeth latch onto his back and sink in.

  Deep.

  Everything happens at once.

  I let out a heartbroken howl.

  Celina screams from above me.

  Axel goes barreling through the crowd of wolves.

  The most awful, painful, and heart-shattering thing that happens though, is when Damon rips his jaws from Comrade's back. He tears out a big chunk, leaving Comrade to collapse onto the floor with blood freely flowing out of him.

  I pump my legs to go faster as I desperately try to get to Comrade. Thoughts rush through my head at what my life will be like without him. I planned to have a kid and get married and be happy. I can't do anything like that without Comrade. I'll be so heartbroken that I'll kill myself.

  I unknowingly shift as I collapse beside Comrade's wolf and throw my body over him. I release a strangled cry as his dark, almost black eyes, look into my watering blue eyes.

  "Comrade... Please don't go. I have so much planned. We were going to mate and have a kid and get married and be wonderful. You can't go," I whisper as I ball my hands up in his fur.

  "You have to be alive to be here for Celina's wedding. You have to be alive so that I can punch you repeatedly about being so stupid. Comrade, you have to stay alive," I whisper even quieter as tears continuously fall down my cheeks.

  "Comrade? Oh my Goddess, Comrade!" a strangled cry calls from above. I look up slightly from Comrade's blood soaked fur to see Celina swooping down in a rush.

  I bury my head back in his fur, not caring that a war is going on behind me or that Damon is probably standing over us with a smirk on his wolf's face or that I'm most likely gonna kill myself after this. The only thing my mind can concentrate on is the fact that in mere minutes, my mate is going to die.

  CELINA

  I swoop down from the sky with only one thought in mind. Comrade.

  I fall to my knees beside him, not caring that I'm getting his blood all over my legs. I reach a shaky hand out to his head, softly rubbing up and down his snout. He whines and tries lifting his head, only to have it crash back down onto the grass. I suck my lips into my mouth to keep myself from crying. This is my guardian, the one who started it all. If Comrade didn't convince me not to run, then I wouldn't be here today. Most likely, I would be dead. Comrade is my guardian, best friend, and protector. I'll be damned if he dies today.

  "Please, Comrade, please. Just a little longer... Think about everything we're gonna do with our lives. Please, Comrade..." I hear Alex whisper as she continues to cry. I swallow hard at the sight of the two. This must've been how Axel felt when I died... Only difference is, once Comrade dies, he's gone forever. I, along with so many others, won't be able to deal with that.

  A bark from beside me makes my head whip around so fast that I may have gotten whiplash.

  Damon. Looking down at Comrade with disgust in his eyes.

  I don't know what emotion overtakes me at that moment. Maybe anger, I don't know. What I do know is that I completely lose control over my actions, all common sense being thrown out the window.

  I growl the loudest and most ferocious growl I've ever growled, making Damon's attention snap to me. His eyes widen before they narrow and he growls back.

  Wind starts to whip around me, blowing my hair in all different directions. Damon growls again and takes a step closer to me.

  "I would be walking away if I were you, Damon!" I say menacingly as the wind picks up. Damon's wolf stumbles to the side slightly as the wind starts to take its toll on him.

  "All you've done is hurt people in your life. You hurt me, Comrade, Kate, your mate, and you've hurt your pack members by putting them through war after war. When will you see that it's enough?" I desperately ask as the ground starts to shake.

  "Celina? Celina, calm down,” a soothing voice says from behind me. I slightly turn my head to see Callum
looking at me cautiously. He glances between Comrade's bleeding body, a pain-filled expression crossing his face and I, before settling on me.

  "Callum, get Comrade out of here. I can deal with Damon," I mutter as thick roots start to appear around Damon's feet. He releases a surprised yelp as he tries to maneuver his way out. Of course he doesn't succeed.

  "Celina!" I hear once again from none other than Axel. I do something I've never really done before that. I growl at him.

  "Axel, just get Alex and Comrade out of here. Now!" I scream at him, feeling my eyes shine with a new intensity.

  "Celina..." My name's said for the third time by Callum. I look at him and motion to Axel with my eyes, silently sending a message with my eyes to help him.

  I turn back to Damon to see him slightly cowering in fear. I narrow my eyes at him and pinch my lips together. The winds that is swirling around us pickup even more, the ground moving with such an intensity that it knocks Damon off his feet.

  "Celina?" a small voice whispers. I look behind me to the source of the voice to see Alex staring at me with tear-stained cheeks and quivering lips.

  "Make him pay."

  I nod my head at her as Axel picks up Comrade’s human form and takes off running. Callum cradles Alex to his body, holding her bridal style, before taking off in the same direction as Axel.

  I take a brief moment to glance around. The remains of Damon's pack are dead, leaving a bloody mess of human bodies.

  "Have a look around, Damon. You're finished," I say while turning. My eyes widen as I see Damon's fist heading straight for my face. I quickly dodge and stand behind him.

  I take a deep breath as I feel power course through me, slowly building up.

  "You can't beat me, Celina. You're worthless, pathetic. Axel's only put up with you because you're his mate. Nobody wants you, you are nothing!" Damon spits.

  Anger bubbles up inside me as I feel another wave of power engulf me. This time, it's stronger. Just like all those years ago in the medic station, a shining gold dress starts to appear on my body, my hair starts to whip around me and my eyes start to become all golden. I don't know why this happens, but I'm almost positive it has something to do with me being the next Moon Goddess.