Chapter 8

"Raf, we need you here. It's getting serious and we can't take the risk!"

Xander's troubled voice from the other line commanded him to be back from where his heart left. Now that's Alundra in danger, nothing matters more than her safety.

"The Luna" His restless mind kept rushing out. From his studio legale in Milan,Italy where he associated himself with other foreign lawyers holding different international cases, he made sure to get aboard in the next flight exactly to arrive in the Philippines within 13 hours and 32 minutes.

"I'm here." He called Arkae, his best friend. A secret keeper . Delta of his secret pack. "I'm at the car park area, I'll pick you up at the arrivals."

"Copy."Raf put his cellular phone inside his coat while looking at the arriving Black 2022 Cadillac XT6. He settled himself in the passenger seat and quickly wore his seatbelt,and in seconds they crossed the northbound lane towards Zander's secret penthouse.

"The secret penthouse in the North Pthalo, only known to few from the pack,only the ones aware of Alundra's existence. Yeah, Janica Lyca vanished and it's now Alundra who's alive. A human, weak. Emotional.Mortal.

“This is our job, to protect her, secure her safety from the predator, unfortunately my father. His obsession to the throne controlled him, now he'd plan of Killing the Luna, to completely assert the right to the throne, as the Moon Goddess partly denied him the possession and power of an alpha,it was manifested during the ritual, Gregory's offerings left unburned throughout the ceremony. It was unlikely a rare manifestation of denial, never in the history of the pack did it happen. " Rafael announced.

"Gregory's not gonna shift to his full alpha state until he killed Alundra. Four years ago, in that vast dark forest where his lupine, Damon cursed Janica Lyca,he got shot by Delta Arthur's arrow. That made Damon lose his strength.”. Rafael got the perfect opportunity to steal Janica from his claws that moment when he gave in to growling in pain as he got hit from the weapon thrown into him.

Rafael exactly remember how exactly he struggled saving Janica. He ran as fast as he could while leaving the Delta and other allies fighting against Gregory's accomplices. Croax ran after him, Raf could hear him growl loud, determined to kill them. “I could smell his stinky saliva hungry to savor flesh and blood. Janica was in my arms, unconsciously oblivious to these life-threatening circumstances. It's better this way, she was unaware, innocent of the cruelty of this supernatural world.” His unuttered words continued in the air with Xander, he recalled how he made an escape to save Alundra from his father’s rage.

His lupine, Atticus ran faster, losing counts on hours of running until he reached a high path along the top of rugged cliff, a sharp edge of rock, impossible to jump as it could kill them both, He knew this place, it's the end of Pthalo Shadows territory of the north, If they got to jump, Janica could not endure the impact of her body dropped into hard, sharp rocks otherwise the sea depth, she's still unconscious and impossible to wake up in three days after the curse. While running, he could smell Croax. He's probably less than a mile away from them. Approximately, 3 minutes, he'll be behind them if they stop running.

Determined to save the innocent young lady from danger.She has to live, she has to shift and lead the pack. Rafael looked at her angelic face, innocent but undeniably gorgeous. His heart beat even faster while exploring the beauty of her thin lips and pointed nose. He never looked that way to other women in the pack, He kept admiring her smiles from the day I first saw her, from that day he prayed for her to be his mate. Now, her life was in danger in the hands of Gregory, his father who had destroyed her family, her life,her future.

He could not keep his sight away from her beautiful thin pinkish lips.

“I would rather die defending you. I'll be your guard, your shield . There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Come what may, please live long , my Alundra!" And he secretly rendered his gentle kiss to her forehead.

He laid her down while facing the approaching rage of countless enemies. "If I could not make it, please save her" he rose his sight to the dark twinkling starlight in the sky, the Moon at its brightest witnessed his willingness to sacrifice. He took his necklace from his neck, and let her wear it. He smiled. If it's his own life that would suffice in exchange of hers, he'd be glad to offer it.

He turned, and shifted back to Atticus, collected his strength and fought against the approaching Croax' claws and fangs, slashes after slashes throughout their bodies, Croax aggressively attacked his neck aiming to thrust deep his claws, seeming more of beheading him. Atticus instantly caught Croax' arm and wildly twisted it while digging his claws to Croax' boney chest. Croax growled in extreme pain, fueled by desperation to let go of Atticus' attack, he linked another accomplice to attack Atticus' back.

Someone struck him with a long sharp weapon from the back, he growled in pain, blood came out his mouth. Despite excruciating pain that almost killed him he still managed to pull out the knife on his back and immediately stabbed it back in return. While Croax' grabbed him and they both rolled aimlessly towards the cliff and fell hard. Atticus lost consciousness as his body hit hard on the riverbank.

Xander's lupine, Kieron and his fellow came upon the scene past the moment Atticus fell, they fought against Croax' subordinates,one after another."Blink and you'll die!" Kieron blurted out. Croax growled out of anger. Kieron busted out and forcefully smashed Croax's wounded chest which made him throw up blood. Leaving him no choice, Croax jumped over the high cliff where Atticus fell hoping to save himself from Kieron's vengeful attacks.

"Save him!"Kieron shouted to his fellow. His command raised each one's senses. Vlad,Arkae's lupine, immediately jumped straight way to the cliff aiming to find Atticus. He looked at every secluded chamber undergrounds.There was none. Nothing's there to find. Atticus must have thrown himself to the river.

"Shit!" he jumped towards an isolated rock at the center of the streaming water. He faced upward and howled loud like letting his pack know the need of reinforcement in searching Atticus.

"We're coming!" Other werewolves at one count promptly jumped towards Vlad and searched Atticus everywhere.

"He's here!" An omega shouted at the farthest part of the river. Everybody ran towards naked, unconscious Raf who's entirely weak and wounded throughout his body.