We had survived. We had won. But at a cost.
The warehouse was a graveyard littered with the bodies of friends and foes alike. The combination of relief and grief was overwhelming. It was a bittersweet mix that left me feeling raw.
James approached me and, with a crisp nod, he holstered his guns. “It’s over.”
Chapter Seventeen
Marcus
Ishifted back to my human form. The adrenaline from the battle still coursed through my veins as I stole a pair of jeans from one of our earlier victims. I made a long bandage out of a shirt and paused, taking a deep breath before wrapping the fabric tightly around the hole in my torso. I bit back the pain and surveyed the surrounding carnage.
Maya was nearby, her breath ragged. The body language of her wolf showed extreme fatigue, but she was alive. Not far from her, a naked Jerome was tending to Grace, his human hands gentle as he checked her injuries.
Robert was on the ground… not moving.
Shit.
The hunters, led by James, were scattered about, some tending to their wounded, others checking the fallen werewolves for any signs of life.
Joanna was by James’s side, and when I found her, nothing else around me mattered.
I made my way over to them, my steps slow and heavy. As I approached, Joanna turned to me, her eyes meeting mine. She took a reassuring breath, the tension in her shoulders easing as I closed the distance between us.
Without a word, I pulled her to me. My lips found hers, and I kissed her deeply, pouring every ounce of relief, gratitude, and love I felt into that moment. I didn’t care who was watching. I didn’t care what they thought. All that mattered was that she was safe, and that we were alive.
As I pulled away, Joanna’s eyes fluttered open, locking onto mine. She smiled softly. “We did it, Blackwood.”
I nodded, leaning into her touch. “We did.”
Wincing as I turned to James, I extended my hand. “Thank you for coming back.”
James glanced down at it and hesitated before grasping it firmly. “Don’t make me regret it, wolf,” he said gruffly.
I offered him a small smile when what I really wanted to do was roll my fucking eyes.
Despite the urge to stay by her side, I left Joanna with James, turning my attention back to my pack. There was much to be done. The wounded needed tending, the fallen needed to be honored, and the captured traitors needed to be dealt with.
I don’t know which human broke first, unable to deal with the naked bodies, but a small pile of clothes appeared in the middle of the hall.
Maya shifted back into her human form, her body covered in sweat and blood. I approached her, swiping a flannel shirt from the pile. “The gamma who ended an uprising,” I commended, throwing her the shirt.
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with pride. “Thank you, Alpha. But it was a team effort. We all fought with everything we had.” She sniffed the shirtI’d thrown to her and wrinkled her nose. “Did those fuckers not know how to shower?”
I laughed, my hand shooting to my wound. I’d never heard her speak so foully before. The laughter morphed into a deep sigh, and my smile disappeared. “I’m sorry about Robert.”
Maya bowed her head in a quick, silent prayer before shrugging her shoulders with a sigh of her own. “We fought with everything we had.”
As we checked on the wounded, I couldn’t help but feel satisfied. We took a huge gamble, faced an unimaginable challenge, and won.
A sudden commotion caught our attention. Jerome was helping Crystal to her feet. Blood gushed from her mouth, running down her chin. I rushed over, my concern growing.
“How bad is it?” I asked, my eyes locking on a weeping gash across her chest.
“It’s not good, Marcus,” Jerome replied, his voice grave. “She needs medical attention, and fast. And she isn’t the only one.”
I nodded, my mind racing. “Get her back to Cedar Grove. Sarah should be able to help. Stay out ofsight of the residents as much as possible. We don’t need to draw attention to ourselves.”
Jerome nodded and, with another of our kin, moved Crystal toward the warehouse entrance. I turned back to the others, my eyes scanning the room once more.
