Page 49 of The Baby Contract

"Follow the smoke," I ordered, my wolf restless inside me. "The rest will follow."

My warrior nodded in my direction, turning the steering wheel rapidly towards the smoke, making us all jump out of our seats. "Alpha-"one of my warriors said from the backseat, his gun now in his hands. "They will see us approaching, and they will run."

"They have always been good at hiding," he added, "That's why they have never been caught before."

I nodded my head slowly at this information. "You're right," I declared, looking back to see the rest of our pack following us. "That's why we will not raid the ring."

My wolf stirred inside me angrily, ready to fight. His first instinct was to raid the ring, killing everyone inside of it, and burning it to the ground, never to be used again.

He imagined Millie fighting all of these years, suffering unimaginable pain. He remembered Nova's words, revealing Millie's truth to him. She, a true Luna, had sacrificed it all at this place. She sacrificed her well-being, safety, and future just to fulfill her duties as the next Luna.

She was the true leader of her people.

"Go the other way," I pointed. "We don't want to be noticed. Not yet."

He nodded, pulling the steering wheel to make a one-eighty turn. Our line of SUVs stopped abruptly far from the smoke. My wolves climbed out cautiously, waiting for my orders.

"You will all spread out here and watch the borders. No one is to leave Eclipse lands." I commanded. "Do not hurt the Eclipse wolves if you see them. You must protect them at all costs."

"We do not mean harm to them."

"Yes, Alpha!" They bowed, quickly running off to their positions and finding their way around the lands.

I tucked a few knives in my belt and my gun under my armor as I slowly approached the smoke alone, the silence that once filled the forest becoming mumbled with cheering voices.

I followed the sounds through the thick of the smoke, finding nothing but lush, green forest. I flung around an oak tree as I heard a familiar voice. I put my hand on my gun, ready to pull it out any second.

"The ring is not visible to the outside world."

I jumped back, startled, only to find Nova and Boris standing behind me, both looking towards the sound. "Fuck, you scared me."

"Where do we go from here?" Boris wrapped his arm around Nova, coaxing her gently.

Nova straightened out her dirty uniform. "If they see you, they will run." Nova sighed. "But they will allow me without any caution." We looked down at her appearance. "I will go in through the back- "

"Millie used to escape from there sometimes when she didn't want Orion or Grey to follow her."

"Goddess-" Boris huffed. "Even the Alpha and Beta knew about the fights and allowed it?"

Nova nodded sadly. "They don't care about us, mate. They didn't care about their people like Millie did. Like she does."

"Wait for the doors to open and then run in behind me," Nova said, standing on her toes, offering Boris a quick peck on the lips.

Nova then took off, looking frail as she walked through the woods alone. She never looked back at us as she approached a hatch, getting down on her knees to pull it, finding it locked.

She knocked, waiting for a second before a woman peered out, opening the hatch for her. Nova said something to her before slipping inside and out of our sight.

Boris and I looked at each other before leaving our cover and following Nova. Nova had slipped through this door with ease thanks to her small frame, but Boris and I found it hard to wiggle our large, muscular bodies through it.

"Holy-" Boris landed next to me in the dirt. "What the fuck is this place?"

Boris and I stood behind a set of rusty bars, watching as Nova walked with the woman towards a huge colosseum, full of ravenous, excited wolves.

There were bars surrounding the ring, each guarding thousands of seats overlooking the fighters. We watched as two young wolves fought in the ring, the audience hollering as one fell to the ground with a huge grunt.

Boris kept his eyes trained on Nova as she stepped into the spectator area. "Oh, hey, hey!" A loud voice boomed in amusement. "It's Millie Rose's little friend!"

It was Grey. He was sitting, watching the fights with amusement as he looked down at Nova. A skinny woman with long blonde hair sat on his lap, slightly purring. His mate.

The whole crowd erupted as they saw Nova, making Boris jump, a loud growl ripping through his chest. I grabbed him before he leaped, stopping him from running to his mate.

The crowd looked around in confusion at the noise. "Keep it down," I hushed, holding him in place. "I know you are protective, but you are going to blow this."

Boris took deep breaths before nodding painfully. "Right. Yes, Alpha."

"Where have you been, little maid?" Grey stood, his mate smirking beside him at Nova. "You finally came to fight like your stupid friend?"

"Or not- "He mocked, jumping down from the seats to the dirt. "I mean, you have always been too scared to step in this ring. Even when your best friend was here, suffering at the hands of others, just to feed you and the other little weaklings."

The whole crowd let out a loud, echoing sound of "oohs."

Grey closed the space between him and Nova, making their height difference obvious as he looked down at her. "Did you finally come to fight yourself?" he chuckled, with the crowd following. "Because I would happily accept that challenge."

Grey's mate whistled loudly and clapped her hands. "Yeah! Fight her!"

Grey leaned in close to Nova, trying to intimidate her with his slimy actions. Nova stood firm, not once responding to his attempts at scaring her. "I need to make some money today anyway, and what a better way than by killing you?"

I felt a whip of air as Boris flew out behind the bars, forcefully taking Grey's wrist before it touched Nova. The whole crowd gasped at the sight of him.

"Shit!" A woman screeched, panic ensuring as they all saw Boris. "Stormblade is here! Everyone, run!"

"Stop!" I commanded, stepping out. The whole crowd looked at me in terror. Their faces turned white as ghosts as I looked around the Colosseum. "If anyone tries to run, you will be captured. My warriors are all around the borders."

Panicked, hushed whispers ensued among them. "Well, well-"Grey laughed nervously. "I didn't expect you to show up. Came to be a hero and save this little wolf?"

"Actually-"Boris moved Nova behind him. "This little wolf just so happens to be my mate." He ripped, his canines sprouting over his lips.

Grey's face drained of color. "Oh, I- "he huffed, looking angrily back at Nova. "You snuck onto Stormblade lands, you little- "

"You will fight me," Boris roared, tilting his head evilly, his eyes becoming black as night. "And, may the best Beta win."

Grey laughed in terror as the crowd, which was once quiet, erupted in cheers. "Oh, hell yeah!" a man chanted with his fist in the air. "Fight!"

Two men came to open the rusty steel bars, motioning them both to enter the ring. "Come place your bets!" A fat man, probably the ringmaster, yelled, waving a wad of cash in the air. "Place your bets!"

Boris looked back at us with a confident smile before entering the ring with Grey. Grey looked around nervously as Boris immediately started punching his fists together and flashing his canines.

Grey tried to shake his nerves. Nova wrapped her hands around the bars, confidently watching her mate as he prepared to fight.

"Wait!" Grey's mate ran towards Nova, her long hair flowing behind her. "Nova, wait!"

Nova rolled her eyes, never once taking her eyes off Boris. "Nova, please-"the woman panted. "Please, stop him!"

"Why should I, Lily?" Nova grunted. "You scared?"

My wolf beamed in pride at his Beta female's confidence. I knew Boris liked it too because he purred in between his vicious growls. "You know why, maid!"

Grey looked visibly annoyed with the altercation that was happening between his mate and Nova. "Alright, Betas!" the ringmaster shouted, hushing the crowd. "There are no rules in the ring-"

Lily screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and full of fury. I stood back as I surveyed the crowd for Millie, my wolf desperately trying to catch her scent, but with no luck.

"Just because you are mad, doesn't mean you can let Beta Darkmoon kill your rightful Beta," Lily spat with a loud groan. "Do you not respect those above you? Do you not care about your pack?"

"I have no reason to stop, my mate," Nova turned. "He will win. And finally, you will suffer just some of the pain Millie suffered for all these years."

"It's called karma, Lily. And, it's a bitch. Isn't it?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Nothing?" Nova laughed evilly. "You mean, all of those times you slept with a bonded man, it was nothing?"

Lily paled as she looked at Grey, who seemed to pick up on the situation. He didn't look pleased with this old piece of information coming up about his mate sleeping with another man.

"That's right-"Nova breathed. "Everyone knows you were having sex with Millie's mate. I'm sure you know. I mean, you heard Millie's suffering, and yet-"

"You continued to fuck him."

At that, Grey groaned, distracting him enough for Boris to strike him across the face with a loud and vicious growl, his claws deep inside his flesh. "Fuck!"

Grey stumbled back with his hands on his face, his blood slowly seeping through them. "Oh, my goddess," Lily screamed in horror. "Grey!"

The crowd roared in cheers. Boris grabbed his neck by his claws, effortlessly lifting him with one hand in the air. Grey struggled, his legs kicking Boris in the chest, but Boris was unfazed.

Boris meant business. Grey hurt his mate, and he was ready to kill and end it once and for all.

Boris threw Grey down across the dirt, sliding him to the other side of the ring, where his body hit the bars loudly. "Oh, shit!"

Boris bent down, grabbing Grey's bloody face in his hands. "Tell us where Millie is or I will end it right now, fucker."

Grey gasped for air, his body becoming limp. "I don't-" he started. "I-"

"You know-" Boris growled. "You led us here with the smoke for a reason, didn't you?" he tightened his grip, forcing Grey to look at him. "To lead us away from her."

Lily cried loudly, turning in fury and pointing at Nova. "Stop this!"

Boris tilted his head over Grey's body, his canines fully extended over his lips. The room was thick with Grey's fear. "If I tell you-"Grey coughed. "Promise you will not kill me."

Boris loosened his grip just enough to let Grey get air to talk. "I don't like repeating myself, peasant-"Boris seethed. "Where is Mille?"

"She's, she's-"he thrashed, trying to fool Boris and catch him off guard, but it was no use, Boris was ready for that. "She- "

"There is no escaping-"Boris shook his head. "Tell me now, or it's over."

"She followed Orion!" Grey screamed in fear. "She went after him!"

"And you stayed here to throw us off our trail?" Boris asked. "Hm?"

Grey nodded under his grip. "Yes-"he gasped for air. "Orion lured her away from here to kill her."

"And, where exactly did he plan to do that?"

"The train going-"Grey struggled against Boris' grip. "Going west. It boards on the edge of Eclipse territory."

Boris nodded, pleased. "Is that all?"

"Yes!" Grey cried. "Please, just let me g-"

Those was the last words we heard before Boris leaned down and tore his throat out with his canines, everyone watching as the Eclipse Beta took his last breath.

"No!" Lily collapsed, her hand over his mark on her neck. "Grey!"

The crowd erupted in loud cheers and applause as the ringmaster ran out into the ring, took Boris's hand and raised it to signal his victory.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The ringmaster beamed. "The new Beta of the Eclipse pack! The beta of the Stormblade pack, Boris Darkmoon!"

Boris wiped the blood from his mouth as his wolf retreated, morphing his body back to a human. "Boris!" I shouted, getting his attention.

Boris turned, focusing his concerned eyes on Nova. "Go Alpha!" he shouted. "Nova and I will lead the Eclipse pack to Stormblade to safety!"

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