562 One Other Reason
Corrine let out a low growl.
“No?” she questioned.
“You are the leader of the Valkyrie, and you need to stay with them,” Axel replied.
“I feel confident in their ability to stand and wait,” Corrine replied with more than a bit of irritation in her voice.
“I have given my orders,” Axel stated.
Corrine growled.
“I am still Luna of this pack, and my experience leading soldiers is far greater than yours. If you think that you can make me–”
“I made an oath to stay within the borders of Winter to protect my people because you insisted,” Axel interrupted, looking down at her with a serious look. “I have kept my oath and will defend my people. As will you.”
“I will, from the battlefield,” Corrine insisted.
“No, you will not,” Axel replied.
They stared at each other, determined to convince the other of their view. But it was Corrine that looked away.
“Why are you being so damn stubborn!” she growled.
Corrine looked back at the men and women that made up Axel’s unit. There were members of Summer, Frostbite, the nomads, and even some from smaller packs. But, unfortunately, she only saw three Cold Warriors among the group.
“These people have never fought together,” Corrine said quietly. “They don’t know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. You don’t even know if they are trained beyond basic self-defense!”
She looked at him, a desperate plea in her eyes.
“Axel, this is not the right call,” she insisted. “Sending the Valkyrie away is wrong! We are the best fighters you have! Use us! Sending us away is practically guaranteeing that you will die here tonight!”
Though Corrine tried to keep her voice down, it was clear to Axel that some of the men and women had heard her words. They looked back and forth amongst themselves. Some of them showing signs of fear.
“Alpha!” the man with the radio called. “They have reached the sentry post. The early teams are falling back, but they have acknowledged the activation of the defense system.”
Axel gave the nod to show he understood. Then, he turned back to Corrine.
“You are right,” he began. “None of us here have fought together. We don’t know how each of us has trained or what we are or are not skilled in. But there is something we all have in common.”
Axel looked past Corrine. He saw them looking back at him, listening to the words he spoke to her.
“We all have someone inside the Safe Zone,” he continued. “Someone we want to live to see the sunrise, even if we are not there to see it with them.”
Those listening looked away, some with a soft smile, others with a nod.
“Axel…” Corrine whispered.
“Yes,” he said. “If I kept the Valkyrie here, there is a good chance that you would significantly impact the outcome of this battle.”
Axel smiled.
“But your Valkyrie alone cannot hold back the forces speeding through our forests,” he said. “If I had you stay, the Valkyrie would fall, and then who would be left to defend all those we love and swore to protect?”
Corrine lowered her eyes.
“I’m not sending you away because I am worried about you or because I don’t know that the Valkyrie are the best chance to beat the enemy,” Axel continued. “I am asking you to protect our
people because the Valkyrie are the only ones I know can do it. The victory is in saving the people, not defeating the enemy.”
“Axel…” Corrine whispered, her voice weak.
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his chest. Axel hugged her gently.
“I hate this plan,” she said. “But I have never been prouder of you.”
Axel smiled, fighting his own urge to shed tears.
“I’m not giving up either,” he said. “Just because the stakes are high and the chances are low doesn’t mean I am lying down and accepting defeat. We will all fight with everything we have.”
Corrine pulled away and took a deep breath, looking up at her son with a sad smile.
“You better,” she said.
Corrine wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. She gave a slight nod and then moved past him toward the women awaiting her instruction.
“We go north,” she roared. “Our Alpha has tasked us with protecting the innocent lives within the Safe Zone. Our job is to ensure that no enemy combatant makes it past those walls, and if they do, we will show no mercy!”
The women responded with a shout and raised their swords. They then faced Axel, touching a fist to their heart and giving a bow before they turned to go to the Safe Zone.
Corrine turned to him and did the same, but before she could leave, Axel called to her.
“Mother,” he said.
Corrine turned, lifting her eyes in a question.
“There is one other reason I want you to guard the Safe Zone,” he said.
Corrine smiled.
“Yes, I know how passionately you love your mate,” she said.
Axel smiled.
“There is no one in this world I would trust more than you to protect her,” he said, “…and your grandchildren.”
Corrine stared at him, her brows furrowed, and then her eyes widened. Finally, she stared in complete disbelief.
“Are you… is she…?” Corrine sputtered out. “Grandchil…”
Corrine took several deep breaths as she brought her hands to her mouth and covered her smile. Then a look of annoyance crossed her face.
“You rotten child!” she growled. “You tell me this now?!”
Axel couldn’t help but laugh.
“Alpha!”
Axel turned back to the man with the radio.
“The sentries are down,” he said hesitantly. “They were torn apart by the same ones that attacked the wall.”
Axel took a deep breath.
p-A- n-d-A-n-0-v-e-1、(c)om “They have reached the blockade and split as we wanted them to,” the man continued. He swallowed before continuing. “The last of the warning groups have fallen back. The enemy is coming toward us.”
The men and women all prepared themselves.
Axel turned back to Corrine.
“You all need to go now,” he said.
Corrine nodded and then looked into his eyes.
“You and I are not done with this conversation,” she said with a soft growl and a hint of fear in her eyes.
“Then we will both need to survive to finish it,” he smiled.
Corrine smiled and nodded. She turned away and shifted into her wolf before running into the trees, headed north.
Axel took a deep breath and then turned to join his team. In the distance, they could hear the howls of the feral wolves and the discordant screams of the hybrids as they rushed toward them.