Chapter 42: Fighting Together

Dex looked at the crowd gathered in the clearing. He stood on a stump so everyone could see him. He cleared his throat and everyone quieted down. Emma was just within reach as he preferred her. “It seems that war has come to our doorstep.”
Several people looked at each other.
“I didn’t ask for this and I don’t want it, but we have to defend our territory.”
A yell went up in the crowd. He put up his hands to quiet everyone down. “We need to do this together.”
He had their attention. “This is a fight for our land, for our way of life. We are being threatened because of what we believe in. I expect them to come at dawn when they think we are asleep.”
He glanced at Emma. He took her hand then went back to speaking. “We will spend the night preparing.”
The crowd dispersed.
“They’re behind you Dex,” Emma said.
He nodded, but he was in warrior mode now.
As he’d suspected, Lucien and his troops approached at the first light. Dex had his warriors spread out along the edge of his pack’s territory. Emma had stayed with him and now she tugged on his arm. “Let me talk to Lucien.”
He looked down at her. “The time for talking has passed, Emma.”
“Let me try one more time.”
He pondered that. If he could avert this war, he’d be happy. His pack would be relieved. “Okay, but you are not going alone.”
“Fine. Come with me, just let me do the talking.”
“Fine, but the moment I sense danger, you are to do as I say,” Dex said.
“Agreed.” They were already at the front of their warriors. Lucien’s forces were gathered in a line mirroring them. Emma spoke to the closest wolf. “I want to speak to Lucien.”
A murmur went through the crowd, but a few minutes later Lucien appeared. “Emma.”
Dex didn’t like the man’s stance. It was relaxed to the casual observer, but Dex could see the tension in it. He scanned the crowd as Emma eyed Lucien.
“Stop this, Lucien. There is no need for war. Wolves will die for no reason.”
“Are you returning to me?”
“No, Lucien and you shouldn’t want me to. Don’t you want to find your mate? The she-wolf that will make you happy?”
“My mate? Have you not been listening? My mate will make me weaker. She’ll distract me from pack business which should always come first.”
I couldn’t have disagreed with anyone more, but I let Emma speak.
“I feel sorry for you, Lucien.”
“At least I don’t need someshe-wolf to come do my talking for me like that Alpha you’re hanging with.”
Dex refused to rise to his bait. He didn’t care what Lucien thought of him and that was the power he held over the other Alpha.
“Insults don’t help the situation, Lucien,” Emma said.
“Return to me and this war goes away.”
All Dex could think was that Emma better not consider it.
“I’m not your possession, Lucien.”
Lucien began to pace. He was a wolf used to getting his way and Emma was the one thing that hadn’t. It had become an obsession for him. A wolf obsessed was a dangerous animal. It was time to end this.
“You are my wife, Emma. Have you forgotten? Wolves whisper about me now. They think I don’t know. They think I don’t hear.”
“That’s not my problem, Lucien.”
Dex was proud of Emma. She hadn’t flinched
“You cheated on me. You shoved those lovers in my face, Lucien. And you were cruel. I didn’t deserve that,” Emma said.
A wolf stepped up next to Lucien. Dex assumed it was Lucien’s Beta. “Maybe if you could have satisfied him, he wouldn’t have gone somewhere else.”
That remark tipped the scales for Dex. He shoved Emma behind him, shifted, and was the wolf’s throat before he could think it through.
As he tore into the wolf’s human form, he knew that he’d sparked this. He should have kept calm, but no one was going to insult his Luna.
The rest of the warriors shifted and the melee was on. Dex methodically went through every wolf that came his way. One came at him from the side, but Emma stopped him. She was a fierce warrior. No male wolf on the field could have fought better than she did.
In a momentary pause to attackers, Dex looked around and saw a wolf sneaking up on Emma. Dex pounced and then put himself at Emma’s back. They circled making sure no one could surprise them in any direction.
He loved the she-wolf and she’d become a strong Luna for him.
As the tide turned on the battle, some of Lucien’s forces gave up and shifted back to human form to surrender. Dex hadn’t planned for this, but Brutus took over rounding up the prisoners. He would have to think later about what he would do with them.
The Council might have to convent to mete out punishment for them. That wasn’t his problem right now. Lucien was snapping his jaws at Emma. Dex moved from his position behind her and took on Lucien. This would the only way this could end.
Why had Lucien involved all of these wolves when he could have just challenged Dex? Right. Honor on the battlefield.
Dex didn’t have time to check on his own casualties. He hated the idea that this wolf and his warped sense of honor had hurt anyone that had joined Dex.
Lucien came at him his teeth bared, a growl in his throat. Bring it, was all Dex could think. If he killed Lucien, this would all be over. Emma would instantly be free. They could finally start their lives together.
Dex shifted and went for Lucien’s throat. Lucien moved away, but not for long. He grabbed Dex’s paw, but Emma sunk her teeth into Lucien’s flank. Lucien’ dropped Dex’s paw and snapped at Emma. Dex grabbed Lucien by the neck, his teeth getting through the fur.
Lucien spun and tried to shake off Dex who wasn’t letting go. Emma nipped at Lucien as he tried to shake Dex who sensed that Emma didn’t want to kill him. Emma wouldn’t.
Dex decided at that moment that he wouldn’t kill Lucien, but only because of Emma. He hadn’t killed too many wolves in his time because he’d found other ways to resolve the conflict. He shook Lucien, but not enough to break his neck. As if Emma knew what he was thinking, as soon as Dex let go, she stepped