Chapter 53: Chapter 53

/Aiden's POV/

Sloping hills lead up to the plateau with the odd speckle of green where frost still clung to the shrubs. The car wouldn't go up, so we had to walk up, carrying our bags. Damon's pack stayed by the hill, and they rarely stepped down as they did everything on their own.

I couldn't help but realise turning around that this was it. Leaving Rose behind turned out to be difficult than I thought. The look on her face paired with tears she's holding back, almost wanting me to throw it all. However, I made a promise to my friend, and he needed me the most. I could not abandon him.

Why would she cry for me? I thought for a split second, my mouth twisting. Ever since the first time she arrived at my doorstep, I had been nothing but horrible to her. Let my mate spend her heat alone because I didn't want to commit to an omega. In the end, she ended up taking her sister's place. The more I thought about the events that unfolded past these months, the more I wanted to laugh.

Shaking my head, I focused on the rocky path ahead, my lungs gasping in pain from inhaling torturously moist air, the noxious oxygen searing its way down his windpipes. As an Alpha, my training days have been demanding, just like everyone else. My father sent me on countless fights in hopes that I would get experience and improve my attack skills. This situation, however, felt different and dangerous than my Alpha initially thought.

Standing by the tents, I felt the entire area around numb and suspended, like it was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. I was glad that Liam didn't try to engage me in small talk because right now, my head was occupied with actually hearing my thoughts, standing in such contrast with the way noises and sounds had practically deafened my ears just hours ago. From a distance, I could see the enemy camp, their flags on tents bright, bold and visible.

The patrol wolves were trotting ahead, their backs bowed and nose on the ground as they took a rather loopy route, mud already splattered on legs and belly. They were to take us to Damon's tepee, I think.

Our trip from the Packhouse took an entire day; we spent the night in a tavern. When the sun finally managed to break through the clouds, it took me by surprise, and I had to blink against the light for a moment before my eyes adjusted to the sudden burst of brightness.

Next to me, Liam almost stumbled, and before I can even think about reaching out, he steadied himself. The beta bowed to me, but I dismissed it.

"You okay?" I asked as Liam adjuster his straps that's started to slide off his shoulders. "Or do you need a break?"

"All good," The beta insisted, but he sounded mildly out of breath. We were used to patrolling a few hours every day, training and fighting at a quick pace, but we should have slowed down a little climbing up the hill. "It's a bit steeper and slippery than it looks."

I hummed. "Be careful"

The guards dropped us by the Pack Alphas tepee, bowing down before rushing to their original positions. On the way, I took notice of several posts and unfamiliar faces training by them. And there were a lot of them. How many of them did Damon call? With a sigh, I asked our pack guards to wait for us as Liam, and I entered.

The teepee was solely illuminated by candles on the short table beside next to Damon's study. Two men stood in front of him, busy nodding to whatever their Alpha said. I raised my brow at them, my gut telling me they belonged to a different pack. Blinking back, I stared at Damon, his face lighting up, shoulders sagging in relief the moment he spotted I and Liam.

"Aiden! Liam!" Damon almost shrieked, knocking the chair on his way as he rushed over. I smothered a laugh at that, trying not to roll my eyes at his over-enthusiasm. "I am so glad you both could make it."

I froze as he threw his arms around me, awkwardly patting his back. "Me too."

***

"This is Aiden Russo. He is to be Pack Alpha of the Moonlight." Damon introduced me to the Alphas standing in front of the table, patting my back. He wanted us to get to know each other as we would be working closely anyway. "And this is his beta, Liam." They bobbed their heads, bowing down to me while I forced a polite smile.

"And Aiden, this is Leonard", Damon motioned towards the shortest of two, arms covered in tattoos. "He is a new recruit." The Pack Alpha then moved his arm towards the guy with a quiff, his eyes hooded. "Zain, here is my cousin, mate. He volunteered to help me."

"Pleasure to meet you, Alpha Aiden. I have heard a lot about you."

The way he said, his eyes boring into my skull, almost caused the hair on my back to stand up. Still, I managed to give him a curt nod, flickering my eyes between both of them. Something wasn't right, but I couldn't put a needle on it.

***

My phone had no signal. For them to work, you had to go all the way down the hill. Also, if it rains, the network won't be working for three days straight. I felt my heart clench at that. While leaving, I asked Rose to keep in touch with me and call me if she needed something. How was I going to be helpful in such a situation?

Somehow I made it to the bottom of the hill and dialled her number, holding my phone against the ear. After three rings, she picked up, her breathing loud in my ears accompanied by a soft whine.

"Hello?" I swallowed the lump in my throat, grip around the phone tightening.

"Alpha?"

"Err....Rose? Hi!"

She sucked a sharp breath. "H-Hi. Did you reach safely?"

"Mhm, we did." I licked my lips, staring at the hill ahead. "What are you doing? Did Beth come and check on you?"

"I-I am in the packhouse right now."

"Oh. Why?"

"Your father invited me for dinner last, and I didn't want to go back to an empty house...." She trailed off. "So I stayed back."

The phone started beeping again, her voice sounded scratchy and cutting off, so I had to tell her about the phone situation quickly. Rose went dull and was quiet for solid thirty seconds, which made me think the call must have ended.

"Oh. So when will you be able to call me again?"

"That will be difficult to say"

Before I could hear her response, the line went silent, and I didn't have to pull back to realise the call ended. The network bars were gone. Cursing under my breath, I pocketed the phone and dragged myself to the hill.

***

Two days went by, and we got busy planning the strategy as the opponent pack didn't want to give up. I was wrapped in a weathered blanket and just trying to think about new ways. Damon was restless as most of his guards died, and he didn't want to sacrifice more of them. We didn't attack directly, waiting and watching.

The front of my tepee flap was peeled back, and I glanced up weakly. I expected it to be Liam as we were sharing the tent but instead, it was a guard in a rain poncho, holding a satchel close to his chest. As I bought guards from my pack, they were short of tepees, and Damon asked us to share. I had no problem doing it as Liam, and I stayed together countless times.

"Alpha Aiden?"

"Yes?" I said immediately, my brows furrowing together as the man reached into his bag and pulled out on the thin, slightly wet envelope.

"There's a letter for you," He said, even when I was particularly pulling it out of his hands. "It's from your mate."

"Thank you" I swallowed and nodded, and then as soon as the letter carrier was gone, I ripped into the envelope and unfolded the letter with shaking hands and started reading.

***