Page 61 of Her Eternal Mate

“And how certain are you of this?”

“Let’s just say that I am willing to bet my entire reputation on this,” Maliha said. “I ran one test. The machine works. If you insist, you and I can head out and search for more soldiers and test this device on them just to be extra sure.”

“What else does this device do?” Alexis asked, taking the machine from me and looking at it with wonder.

“If you crank this dial, it will effectively kill those soldiers by sending destructive interference signals. If you keep the crank low, it will only freeze them. But no matter what you do, it will stop all parent signals coming from the source. No more soldier hordes. No more attacks from Blair’s army.”

I sighed. As risky as this was, it was our best bet. This town could not handle more explosions. There was no more desire for warfare left in me either. If this was the solution that would let me take on Blair one-on-one, then I had to agree to it.

“How long until the device is finished?”

“We need to fix it at the top of the radio tower in the commune to increase its range,” Vincent said. “But…just to be sure, you’re giving us the green light to go ahead?”

“Yes. You may install the device. I have given it much thought, and I think that I can trust you both to run things in my absence,” I said.

“Why do you keep saying that? Are you going somewhere?” Vincent asked worriedly. “Are you sick? Has something happened to him, Lexie?”

“I…it’s for Will to say. Not me,” Alexis said.

“Listen, Vince…I think, after all these ends, I might leave—”

I did not get to finish my sentence. At that moment, a series of explosions shook the ground and triggered tinnitus in my ears. Hurriedly, we all headed out of the house and saw a great fire burning to the south of the commune.

“Blair!” I yelled. His facility was in the south of the town. This was his doing, no doubt.

“Will, come here!” Morgan called from the watchtower. All the pack was assembled at the gates. I climbed atop the watchtower and saw Blair’s army teeming out of the south, neatly in a formation. Thousands of soldiers just stood there, waiting for orders from their leader. I could make out Blair standing at the head of the army, his body covered in armor.

“So it has finally come to this,” I said. “The final battle of my time.”

“Will. We’re not going to fight them, are we?” Alexis asked. “There are too many of them!”

“Our only hope right now is Maliha and Vincent’s device. Immediately tell them to get to the top of the cell tower and install the device. This cannot wait. War is upon us, and we must all fight for our lives,” I said.

As Alexis ran for the house, she turned around and stopped for a second, saying, “You were right about something bad happening every time we leave this place. I wonder what will happen when we leave it permanently.”

“Alexis, there’s no time!” I said. “Go. Escort the two to the tower!”

“What about us?” Morgan asked.

I turned around, facing the entire pack that was gathered around the gate.

“It has been an honor being your Alpha. You have taught me so much. I have learned to cherish life by living among such fine people as yourselves. I have asked too much of you, time and time again. But tonight, I must ask you one more thing. Down there, an army of mutated soldiers waits for us, led by a man who means to wipe us all out. Tonight, we are not just a pack of wolves living in the Grimm Abode. Tonight, we are defenders. We will stand tall and stand together to fight Blair, even if it means that all of us face our demise. Will you all fight with me in one last glorious battle of our lives!?”

There were no cheers. The occasion did not demand cheers. There were battle cries. Wolves howled with their faces to the moon. The men yelled with their fists in the sky. The woman shrieked like the shield maidens and Valkyries of old. Seeing my pack stand around me bolstered my spirits. With these people by my side, my odds against Blair were not bad.

Even though it was on me why Blair was here, had I not blown up his building and killed hundreds of his soldiers, he would have continued to wait in the shadows. But this war started when I drew first blood. It would end with one of us left standing.

“Morgan! You take twenty of your good men with you and secure the perimeter of Fiddler’s Green. Under no circumstances should any soldier move past your defenses. The city folk must remain safe. When the battle starts, you can rejoin us after you have done your duty!”

“Aye, Will!” Morgan said and began picking the members of his platoon.

“Vincent! Why are you still here with Maliha? Head to the tower. Install the device. Turn it on as soon as you can, then join me on the battlefield!”

“As you say, Captain,” Vincent said, saluting me, then heading to the tower with Maliha.

“Alexis, you’re by my side. You will remain so until the battle ends.”

“And I will remain by your side until I die,” Alexis said, placing her hand on my heart.

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