Chapter 56


    56 Who Will Take Care Of Me


    Tia.


    I wanted to return to the ‘holiday‘ house and wait for Luke to return, but I knew he would not be happy


    that I did not follow his directives. Thest thing I wanted was to deal with the people of the moon


    mansion, but I had no choice but to go there. My insides were shaking while I drove. My heart was in my


    mouth. Today was supposed to be beautiful, but we started on the wrong note. Luke tried to fix it, but this


    Saturday had been fated to be a painful one.


    Spending time on the cliff with Luke made me not have a care in the world. It was just him and me; he


    made love to me most of our time there. All we did from the moment we got there was affirm our feelings,


    eat, and make love. Fear began to overtake my reasoning. I tried to keep my shit together, but I couldn‘t.


    What if he doesn‘t return to me. What if this was it, and this was the goddess‘s way of letting him say


    goodbye to me? I knocked those thoughts out of my head immediately.


    “Get a grip of yourself.” I told myself,” He is Alpha, and this is what your life will be like. He will have to


    fight and protect his people often. You will have to lead while he is absent; you will have to be strong for


    him,” I repeated while driving, and it settled me a bit. It was an alpha‘s routine to fight and defend his


    pack. Luke was happy to have his brother and father with him.


    TI


    I pulled into the road leading to the mansion‘s first gate. The security greeted me as they would an


    Alpha, and I held their gaze dutifully; I moved to the next gate and got the same treatment. The moment I


    parked in front tof the Mansion, Bart, Kirk and some lower–ranking military were there. I was d that


    Kirk was there, at least.


    I exited the car and handed the keys to Bart.


    “Wee, Luna,” Bart greeted me with the utmost respect, and I held his gaze and nodded in response


    with the same respect. I turned to Kirk, and he saluted along with the soldier.


    “We are at yourmand Luna Tia,” he said and nodded at him.


    “Why didn‘t you go with them?” I asked Kirk.


    “I am a Delta now; Mike Crawford went in my stead as Gamma. Alpha Aesop felt you need a familiar


    person to help keep the ind safe.” He exined, and I understood why I was put in charge. My duty


    was to ensure that Woodw city was not invaded while they ward off the attack on Eastwood. After all,


    there were other packs on the ind. We might rule them, but we can not trust them entirely because we


    do not bear the same mark.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    “Very well then. Let us all be alert for any suspicious activities in the city and outskirts, especially regions


    close to Eastwood. Radio all security agencies on the ind. Dere an indefinite curfew for every pack,


    town and city on the ind. Anyone found outside two hours from now should be arrested. If there is no


    one on the streets, it would be easier to detect suspicious activities,” I said, and Kirk saluted and pulled


    out his phone.


    “Link me if you need me,” I said to my friend, and he smiled and nodded. I walked into the mansion, and


    the entire household was waiting for me. The staff were in tears, and to my surprise, Stacy, Kimberly,


    Elisabeth and Monica were also in tears. It was understandable we all had someone we cared about in


    the battle. This wasn‘t the time for me to be petty. There were two heavily pregnant women, and among


    the four women, only one of them was not a bitch.


    *We need to be strong and have our hopes up. It is not as serious as it seems, and they will be back


    soon. It is sait of their job,” I said, looking mainly at Kimberly, and she came to hug me.


    “Oh, Tia, you don‘t have to lie to us. It is all over the news, those evil people attacked with guns,”


    kimberly said, weeping, and I was shaken to my core. I knew I faltered a bit.


    “Let us go to the evening lounge. There is a television there. We might dislike ourselves, but these are


    crucial moments for all of us.” Stacy said, and I nodded. Kimberly held on to me, and she sat next to me


    when we got to the lounge.


    “Do you believe they will make it?” She linked me, and I looked at her, mustering all the courage I could


    and nodded. I had just heard something that I did not know initially. After five minutes, I got up to excuse


    myself.


    “Why are you leaving us, Tia,” Stacy said, and I looked at her; it was taking every fibre of my being not to


    break down in her presence. I needed to be alone and process what I now knew.


    “I need time to strategise to keep the city safe, Stacy. It will be nice if you don‘t trouble me unless it is an


    emergency.” I said, and Kimberly stood up.


    “Please don‘t leave me with these witches, Tia; let mee with you. I promise I will not bother you, I


    swear,” She linked me, and her eyes were hopeful. Elisabeth stood up and left us at that moment. I knew


    she was worried, but I could care less.


    I contemted it. I remembered Luke‘s warning and how he asked me to stay away from Kimberly, and I


    shook my head,


    “I do not want trouble, Kimberly,” I said aloud, and the staff could hear. This is a serious situation. If you


    get too worked up, and something happened to the baby, I will be med, and some people will not fail


    to say it was a deliberate act.” I said to her, and she shook her head.


    “I promise you, I swear. I am fine. Please. I do not want to be alone tonight,” She pleaded with me, but


    the truth was, I wanted to be alone. I needed to be alone. It was hard, but soon I agreed because I knew


    she was always alone.


    Kimberly thanked me, and I asked the staff attending her to follow us.


    “Kimberly, you should be with me and not, Tia,” Stacy said, and I hoped Kimberly would take her up on


    the offer


    “I am safer and happier with, Tia. She doesn‘t pretend she likes me and is easier to be around. I know


    you do not like me, and your deal is off with my father; you hate me. Please, I do not need negative


    energy right now. The father of my child is out there fighting armed people. I need to pray for his safe


    return,” she said politely to Stacy, and I was surprised at her boldness. Kimberly rarely spoke at all. Ever


    since she moved into the house and Caleb rejected her, she had been in a shell. I believe she counted


    down the days to prove to Caleb that the baby was his. The sad part was that I believed she did this to


    be Luna, and Caleb was no longer the heir.


    We both walked in silence while the servant attending to hergged behind. I needed privacy, so I guess


    the toilet would have to do then.


    “The moment we entered the room, Kimberly was amazed.


    “Wow, Tia, Luke dotes on you,” she said, admiring the room. “I hope theye back, Tia,”


    So who will take care of me


    she said and began to cry. It was weird. First, she remarks about the room and then starts to cry,


    Hormones. She sat on the couch in the sitting room, and I turned on the television and tuned to the live


    broadcast of the fight. The station was covering the event from above with helicopters. They were no


    longer shooting, but the attackers were many and vicious,


    “Alpha Aesop, Alpha Luke and Beta Caleb have just arrived in a helicopter. All the troops arrive in a


    helicopter to join the fight; we hope our soldiers and Alphas will be victorious. We are taking a risk


    broadcasting this live from the air. Please pray to the goddess for our safety. We will be off the air for


    thirty minutes to get fuel and return. Stay tuned,” she said, and soon the battle scene was reced with


    the studio where the reporters were analysing the fight.


    “Luna Tia has dered an indefinite curfew all over the ind. Anyone caught outside after nine pm will


    be arrested. This is being done to ensure the safety of the people of Woodw,” the news reporter said.


    I saw the instruction was scrolling on the lower third of the screen. I never imagined a day woulde


    that my name would make the news as an important person.


    My phone rang at that moment, and it was my mother. I excused Kimberly and walked toward to


    bedroom to answer the call.


    “Mother,” I said, and she sighed with relief. “How are you, Tia?” She asked with concern, and I


    responded the best way I could. I was holding a lot in, trying not to break. This was going to be the norm


    for me, but I couldn‘t settle my emotions and be optimistic. Luke had never gone to fight without me. This


    was the first time this would happen.


    “You need to be strong, Tia,” she said, going straight to the point.


    “I know you did not expect to be the Luna of this pack; that is the fate the goddess has given you. Be


    strong, my child. We are praying for your husband. He wille home to you,” My mother said, and at


    that moment, I broke down on the phone. I did not bother to speak or respond. I kept it on the bed and


    sat at the foot to weep. I was afraid of guns. It was short notice, so there was no way the military would


    move to the sight with sufficient ammunition for the fight.


    “Luke, pleasee back home to me,” I prayed in my heart. I knew I could not handle it if anything


    happened to him. We still had a lot to do. We had a life to live together. He told me he wanted pups, and


    even though I said yes, deep down, I was still reluctant, but not anymore. I will do everything that we


    want us to do and not waste any time again. I will never overthink things with Luke anymore.


    “Please bring him back to me. I promise I will be kinder, morepassionate, keep your children safe


    and be loyal to you if you bring my mate home to me alive and well. Please, goddess, hear my cries and


    keep him safe.” I cried, shedding painful tears.


    I prayed and went to the bathroom to shower. My heart broke, and I felt alone there. Luke always made


    love to me under the showers. We imed each other there. I was rarely in there alone. I would either go


    ahead of him, or he will go ahead of me, but we always showered together. I wept while the warm water


    washed away my tears. Even though the water was close to hot, I felt cold and lonely in the shower. I


    was afraid, and I had no one to lean on.


    Alpha Aesop put me in charge and asked me to take care of everyone. Who was going to take care of


    me? I stood there for a bit and then dried my skin. I went into the closet and wore Luke‘s oversized old


    shirt. Then I joined Kimberly on the couch. Her puffy eyes were glued to the news.


    56 TOH Take Care Of Me


    “They have joined the fight, Tia,” she said and leaned on me, holding my hands tightly. I weed the


    touch because it let me know that I was not alone in this.