Chapter 171: His Broken Lifeline
His Malika's eyes were still closed, her hands stained by the blood of her own fetus, her chest that had been ripped apart was now swollen, like she was just another person on the battlefield for the alpha to consider mourning at a later time.
It was as if she was just another body for the endless mass graves that would be dug in Sicario by morning. But that wasn't it for Jer.
She wasn't just another person. To him, she was a lifeline filled with love, a lifeline he would do his very best to protect and a lifeline he would bargain with the devil himself to protect.
"Dead? No, she isn't. But she will be, if the attacks continue. Your wife is a strong Luna, despite being a weak person. I expected her to run from the battlefield, but she stayed beside you, despite everything.
"She shouldn't have come back to you, but she did, and tried to make it better. She lost her child, your child in the process and you must do well to be kinder to her. She is your most prized possession, Warner.
"Now I told you I wouldn't touch her, but I would always be available to patch her up either. Just know that until you kill Rukiya, your Luna's life will forever be in danger. It is not I that makes the rules, Alpha, but the oracles," Russel said.
Jer wiped his tears away, he had cried for his Luna for the longest time, he had mourned her and now here she was. He had given her a lot of pain and it broke his heart, the man who believed in no one.
He loved her, he cherished her, and knowing that he had slept with her while drunk was trying him, but watching Russel burn her fetus on the ground, completely destroyed him. But he would be strong, for her.
He would smile if that was what was needed to keep her sane. Oh, he was hers in every possible way.
"Wh… What did I do when she woke up? What should I do to protect her?" Jer asked as he watched his woman laying on the ground.
He hated this with everything but he would be better for her, he would fight for her, he would burn everyone for her. If he had to lose Sicario just to be happy with her, then he would do it, without a second thought. She was everything to him.
"Careful Alpha. She is something special. I don't know what it is, but she is a powerful Luna. She will rise when her time comes. She will rule Sicario and nothing will stop her. Have faith Alpha, your queen will live.
"That should be enough consolation, right?" Russel said and Jer just nodded thankfully. He had noticed that the warlock had mentioned his Luna's rule but never once mentioned whether they would be together by then.
But that was a non-issue for him. He trusted Malika and Jer figured she would run the pack way better than him. If she would live at the expense of his life then he would lay his life for her.
No matter what it took, he would always protect her and this time, he was fueled by rage, the rage of his broken little mate, the rage of watching helplessly as Mbali took something for him.
He would pay them back tenfold, that much is a promise, for the sake of his Luna. He would lead his men into war, for the woman he loved and wouldn't regret it.
"As long as she lives, I will be fine. It doesn't matter, even if my life will have to be traded for hers. Should I take her inside now?" Jer asked meekly, scared of even touching his little mate.
"Of course, whatever you do with her. But heed my words, or you will lose her. You owe me Rukiya's head, Jeremiah. I will come to collect soon enough, until then, this is goodbye, Alpha," Russel said before she disappeared, leaving Jer with his Luna, a woman he was scared of even touching.
"I'm so sorry, love. I really am. I should have hidden you better. I should have protected you. I should have trained you. It's just… I thought we had more time, my Malika.
I thought…
"I thought we could rule the world together someday, that everyone would see that the decision to uproot that family isn't as terrible. But I was wrong, and for that, you paid such a hefty price, my beautiful," Jer said softly as he sat on the ground next to his Luna.
He didn't have the strength to lift her up, because he was equally as weak. He needed to regain his strength, but he couldn't get that faster than he wanted to. So, he resorted to sitting on the bloodied Sicario grass floor and waited it out.
Perhaps they would be better someday, perhaps the sun would shine brighter on them and maybe the moon would not break their hearts over and over again.
"I always dreamt of making a family with a kind-hearted soul. I always prayed for someone who would understand me, someone who knew what it meant to be powerless, someone who understood the harsh decisions that people made.
"I thought marrying into the Sicario household was it, but it didn't make it any better. I was just a pawn for them to use whenever they saw fit. Each day came with assignments, some were crazy, but none more than the mere fact that I was just a trophy husband for her.
"She never looked at me, she never tried to sit down with me. Maybe that's why it was easier to reject her, to make way for another. I know this ain't what you want to hear in this state my love but I am glad I rejected her.
"I would die for you, baby. No matter what happens in the future or now. Whatever happens, I hope you only have good thoughts of me, I will give everything to spend my life with you, but that seems like a dream now, love.
"Maybe this is my punishment for everything I did to HER, maybe she will understand too, maybe she will know what I did and had reasons and where I came from. And if she doesn't, then I will lay my life for you, given her desire for retribution.
"You are my greatest love, Malika Clarkson, and making you a Warner was the best decision of my life so don't you dare die on me, baby. Fight, and fight. Come back to me, please," Jer said as he held Malika's head on his lap, while he ran hands through her long hair.
He had a lot to say to her, even if they didn't have the time. His only wish at the moment was for it not to rain. However, as usual, no one listened to him, because when he was done wishing for no rain, it began raining.
Maye he really was cursed, right?
"I'm so sorry, and I love you so much," Jer said as he carried Malika into the pack house. Perhaps tomorrow would take care of itself, but until then, tonight, he would take care of her.