Chapter 5

• “Do you really have to go?” Alicia asked as Leo changed in the storage room and got ready to head to the fight. The warriors and other gammas were also getting prepared. Everywhere was bustling with activities, but no one was chatting. Mates were helping their mates get ready while wiping away their tears, and the males were trying their best to look strong. Alicia glanced around. She couldn’t believe that the night that was going so perfectly could change so drastically.
• Leo turned to her and hugged her. “I have to, if we are honest, isn’t this one of the reasons you married me?” he joked, trying to make light of the matter.
• Alicia looked at him, in as much as he was right, she just didn’t expect that he would be heading to war on the night of their wedding. Also, the fact that they have already marked each other has recognized them as mates and she would feel his absence and would miss him a lot. “It’s not funny,” she whispered.
• “Oh,” Leo sighed and kissed her forehead. “Listen, I have headed into battle a lot of times with your brothers, don’t I always come back? I will come back to you, I promise. And I will write to you every day. I will also try my best to end the war as soon as possible.”
• “The last war you went with my brothers, you guys took three years to come back. What am I supposed to be doing here alone if it would last that long?”
• “Hey, you won’t be alone. You have your mom, my mom, and my sister; you guys would look after each other. And soon enough, I will be back, and it will be like I never left, you will see. Just pray for the Eastern region, let us survive this and not be taken over like the West.”
• Alicia hugged him. “This war with the barbarians has been going on for as long as I can remember. Just when are they going to say what they want and stop the killings?”
• Leo held her tightly. “Soon, hopefully, soon. Although Micah and Alister always believed that they might have said what they wanted, and it’s the royal council that is hiding it from us.”
• “Really?” she looked up at him.
• Leo shrugged, “I don’t know, it’s just a hunch Micah and Alister always have. Don’t worry, we will be at the finish line; no barbarians are going to show up and take our lands. I won’t let that happen, not while I’m alpha.”
• Alicia smiled and placed her head on his chest. “This suits you, I’m beginning to see it now.”
• “And I will make you proud.”
• “Promise to write every day?”
• “Promise.”
• “Alpha, we are ready,” A gamma walked up to them and announced.
• Leo glanced at Alicia and kissed her softly on the lips. “Wait for me, okay?”
• She nodded and he walked out of the storage room with the gamma, followed by every other male in the room. Alicia sighed and glanced around the room, the only weapons left for them now were just the ones they could use to defend themselves, in case any fight broke out in the pack. She left the storage room and saw Leo’s mother and sister hugging him and crying. Alicia was happy, whether she was married to Leo or not, as a former gamma, he was bound to go to battle, so his family would not blame her for sending him to war. Rather, they should thank her for raising his status. Now, instead of going to follow someone’s orders, others will follow his.
• His mother glanced at her then and she saw the sad look for her in the woman’s eyes. She smiled softly and the woman started approaching her. As soon as she was close enough, she hugged Alicia and Alicia leaned into her embrace.
• “I’m so sorry my dear,” Mary said. “It’s sad this has to happen to you.”
• Alicia shook her head. “It’s okay, I can deal with it.”
• “Just know that you will always have our emotional support, okay?”
• Alicia shrugged. “Thank you, Mary.”
• “Joy, I have to go.” They heard Leo talking to his sister and chuckled. They approached them and Mary held Joy to release her brother. Leo glanced at Alicia, he smiled softly at her before turning and getting into the car prepared for him. A gamma was on the steering wheel and the Beta was sitting in the front seat. The Future Beta was allowed to stay in the pack, to help the Luna in protecting the pack. By the time all warriors got into the cars, a convoy of thirty cars left Blood Stone pack, leaving behind the crying mates who had to send their males to war.
• Alicia saw her mom sobbing by the side and went to her. “What now, Mom, shouldn’t I be the one crying? I just sent my newly wedded husband into battle.”
• “I’m sorry,” Sabrina said. “I knew this would happen but I didn’t think it would be so soon.”
• “No one thought it would be so soon, Mom, so don’t blame yourself. You have known Leo since he was young, how many battles did he conquer alongside Micah and Alister? He would come back, I’m sure of it.”
• “You are already assuming your Luna duties,” Sabrina said sadly. Other females are free to cry for the departure of their males, but a Luna can’t, she has to stay strong for the pack, no matter how much her heart is breaking.
• “I learned from the best. I will be fine, Mom, so stop worrying about me and focus on getting better. Don’t forget, Doctor Larry still can’t diagnose what is wrong with you, don’t make it harder than it already is. Okay, sweet mom?”
• Sabrina chuckled and Alicia helped her back to her room. It was going to be a long night, only that the things she had thought would happen, won’t be happening. What a marvelous wedding night, she thought sarcastically and rolled her eyes.
• ***
• Over the next couple of months, Leo and Alicia’s communication wasn’t as strong as it used to be when he had left. When he recently went to the frontlines, they exchanged letters every two days, but for the past year, they have only exchanged letters six times. The first time, he had gone two months without sending her a letter, and she had grown worried, thinking something had happened after sending a series of letters to him, which she got no response from. Just as she was about to send someone to the frontline to check on things, his letter arrived, expressing his regret and how things had become tight lately. The king had sent reinforcements, and he had ordered them to be done with the fight as soon as possible so they could get them to rest.
• Alicia bought his explanation, but what worries her more now is her mother’s health. Doctor Larry had diagnosed her as depressed, and after she committed suicide the first time, it was hard to leave her alone, but she still had the pack to look after, and so could only have the Omegas care for her. But when it happened the second time, she broke down in tears in front of her mother, begging her not to leave her alone, and so Sabrina had promised her that it wouldn’t happen again. But the fear was there, eating her up every time she left her alone.
• The knocking on the door made Alicia look up, and she ushered the person in. When the door opened, it was the Omega in charge of taking care of her mother.
• Alicia’s heart missed a beat, and she stood up from her chair, “What is it, Stella?” she asked, her voice shaky.
• “Luna, it’s your mother. She is not waking up.”