Page 154 of Crystal Luna

‘After that we can send him back,’ Ash continued. ‘We should let him tell them half the truth. They came across Vel, a fight erupted. One wanted to kidnap her while the other wanted to follow orders. Those two then died jumping off the cliff so he could escape.’

‘We have to let them believe it’s safe to return—maybe even give them a spot where they can camp.’

Axel nodded, trying to map out their fighting strategy. ‘Maybe we can keep him as an informant, but we need to give him something in return. His life might not be good enough. We need to make sure he doesn’t turn on us.’

‘Money?’ Ash suggested. ‘So, he can start fresh somewhere else?’

‘Axel, take care of that and keep us informed.’

‘Of course.’

Axel turned to his men, splitting them up to help between Vel, the prisoner, and additional patrols to make sure the boy was telling the truth.

“Luka,” Ash called, his mind thick with emotion.

Luka stepped forward ready to take whatever order his alpha had for him. “Yes, Alpha Asher?”

“Take a few men with you to recover Beta Ely’s body. If needed, ask the boy for the quickest way down. Be as respectful as you can with him. Leave the other wolf’s body where it is. Once you have recovered Beta Ely, I want you to throw the second wolf down there so we can stage their death.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

With tears burning behind his eyes, Isaiah sought out his mate, stroking Vel’s cheek. He needed her in that moment. He couldn’t let his pack see how truly broken he was. Ash knelt next to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

‘We’ll go see his family together. They already know, but we’ll tell them exactly what happened. You’re not alone.’

To avoid becoming completely overwhelmed with emotion, Isaiah focused all of his mental capacity on Vel. He and Ash carried her while Detlef monitored her closely. He had attached wires to her chest and a blood pressure cuff around her arm and was keeping a close eye on her vitals. Warriors guarded their every side, guiding them through the easiest terrain possible as they made their way to the jeep.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Asher

Detlef swept Vel away for scans as soon as they returned to the village. Thankfully, her pelvis wasn’t fractured, but the wolf had scraped the bone. She’d woken up a few times throughout the journey, but Detlef had kept her drowsy for all of it.

As soon as she was in bed, Detlef replaced the fluids he’d been giving her with blood, worried about the large amount she’d lost. Once that was dripping into her system, he began to clean out her wounds.

Though he didn’t want to, Asher laid his hand on his brother’s shoulder and urged him to come with him. “She’s in good hands. Ely’s family is waiting on us.”

Isaiah visibly struggled. He didn’t want to leave Vel’s side—nor did he want to face down Ely’s family. He dreaded it, really—to the point where he was almost paralysed from fear. The last thing he wanted to do was break down in front of them. Asher was right—they already knew—but the minute Isaiah broke the news it would become real for him.

‘You’re allowed to show how much his death affects you. I’m sure they’d be more alarmed if you didn’t.’

Isaiah gripped Vel’s hand, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. He didn’t need words to express the storm raging in his mind. Isaiah had always been closer to Ely than Asher had. Isaiah wasn’t just struggling with his death itself, but the circumstances surrounding it. They’d never been at greater odds than they’d been the past few days. Maybe they didn’t stand a chance at reconciling, but now they would never know for sure.

After another moment, Isaiah let go of his mate. They walked side by side through the dark village, where word had already spread. Most of the pack was awake despite it being the middle of the night.

The second Isaiah stepped through the door of Ely’s parent’s home, he broke—mentally and physically. He fell to his knees, tears bursting from his eyes and pouring down his cheeks.

“Shh.” Ely’s mother soothed, kneeling next to him and gathering the wailing man in her arms.

Asher collapsed into a nearby armchair and hid his face when his own tears started to flow. Renly kneeled before him, eyes puffy and red.

“What happened?” Lisabeth asked, clutching Isaiah to her chest.

“Vel went out on a hike,” Asher offered, though his voice quivered. “Somehow, three rogues breached the borders undetected,” Ash shook with hiccups and sobs and he wondered if anyone could even understand him. “Ely was the closest to her. They both fought, but Vel’s life was at risk, and he saved her by dragging one of the rogues off the cliff.”

“He sacrificed himself to save our moon,” Isaiah sobbed. Asher had never seen his brother that distraught. Though Asher was grieving too, it didn’t compare to the enormous loss Isaiah felt.

“Luka is responsible for recovering his body and once we have taken care of the rogues, we will set a date for his funeral.”