Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

"Enough," Benedict commanded sharply. Helen reluctantly stepped back, but not before delivering one final vicious kick to my side.

Benedict approached slowly. When he reached me, his boot came down hard on my right hand, grinding it into the frozen ground.

1 screamed in agony, the pressure threatening to crush my fingers. The memory of my left hand injury flooded back, bringing with it a terror that cut deeper than any physical pain.

"You're all just children," Benedict said contemptuously, increasing the pressure on my hand. "How did you ever think you could run a pack? You can barely manage your own lives, let alone merge with Wiley's territory and handle all those new people."noveldrama

"We're better leaders than you ever were!" I managed to gasp out through the pain. "We're the ones who defeated Wiley!"

His boot pressed down harder, and I couldn't help but cry out again. The thought

of losing my right hand - sent panic coursing through my veins.

"Why did you release Martha?" I forced myself to ask.

"Everything was designed to lull you into a false sense of security," Benedict replied with obvious disdain. He lifted his foot slightly, giving me a moment's relief. "We wanted you to think it was all over, that you'd won. You idiots took in all of Wiley's women and children without considering whether you had enough people to guard them, enough food to feed them. I walked right into your cells and freed Martha like it was nothing."

He paused, clearly enjoying his moment of superiority. "Martha was just misdirection, something to keep you busy while we prepared the real attack. You never even bothered to properly inventory Wiley's weapons after you defeated him. You're exactly what I said – a bunch of fucking children playing at being adults!"

His words triggered a memory - something Wiley had mentioned about black bath bombs. "You modified Wiley's weapons, didn't you?" I asked.

Benedict's laughter was cold and bitter. "Smart girl. That's your only redeeming quality - your intelligence." His expression turned cruel. "I modified his chemical weapons and introduced them into the pack's water supply. I don't want to kill everyone - I just want to suppress your wolves, to render you all powerless so1 can reclaim what's rightfully mine!"

His admission made me sick. "How did you make your own wolf disappear?" I demanded. "And why did it happen just minutes after Luna Kestrel died?"

The question hit him like a slap. His face contorted with rage, and his boot came up to kick my head with vicious force.

"It's all because of you!" he roared.

The impact sent explosions of pain through my skull. My vision blurred as waves of dizziness and nausea crashed over me. The world spun sickeningly, sounds becoming muffled and distant. I felt myself slipping away, consciousness wavering as the pain became overwhelming.

Through the haze of agony, I was dimly aware that the violence had stopped. There seemed to be some kind of commotion around me, voices raised in anger or alarm, but I couldn't make sense of any of it.

Gradually, my vision began to clear. A familiar silhouette came into focus - broad shoulders in a tight black shirt, motorcycle leather pants, and brown boots. Even before I could see his face, I knew who it was.

My hero had come back. The man who always put me first, who would move heaven and earth to protect me, was here,

Tears streamed down my face. My strength was completely spent. As darkness closed in around the edges of my vision, 1 let myself fall into unconsciousness.

Chapter Comments

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Helen had years? They only just met months ago?

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