Why My Mate Cries
Chapter 85

ALIYAH’S POV

I blinked awake and realized that the sun was already coming up. After scratching my eye for a bit, I looked down at my body, which was still covered by a blanket. Then, in a flash, I recalled what happened before I got inside the car.

A gasp escaped my lips. I tried to sit upright, but I found myself unable to move at all. The muscles in my legs felt like jelly. Even my brain felt sluggish and heavy, as if it were full of lead weights. It took everything I had just to be able to make a small movement; pushing the door next to me open and trying to stand up, even if my legs were wobbling terribly. I held the blanket around my neck, covering my naked body.

I looked around, searching for signs of Reid, or Jaxon, or anyone in the pack that could probably tell me how the battle went. But there was nothing… just trees and trees, and more trees… and the unknown trail that led deeper into the other side of the forest.

The sun was slowly rising overhead, its sunshine becoming visible and fighting the cold weather. I had the urge to go back to the Silver Moon land, but with my current condition, I wasn’t sure if going back there would be a good idea.

Totally confused, I just leaned my back against the car. A lot of questions whirled around my head that needed answers, and I hoped one of them would come here now to tell me everything as worry filled my chest.

Seconds later, I heard the howling of wolves in the distance. I looked at the back gates and saw a lot of wolves jumping over them and shifting into their human forms. One of them was Reid, whose eyes met mine the second he shifted back to his human form. He then immediately ran to me and pulled me into a hug.

“It’s over,” he started as he pulled back and stared down at me. “You’re safe now.”

Although I felt happy that he was already here, an indication that he was safe from the battle that happened, I still could not stop worrying about the Silver Moon Pack.

“What happened to the members of the Silver Moon?” I asked, and then checked every face of the werewolf who was surrounding us. I saw Klaus, Sage, and Lucas… and all the familiar warrior wolves of the Jewel Pack, but I frowned when I didn’t see any shadow of Jaxon. “Where’s Jaxon, Reid?”

“We gathered the members to a safe area,” Klaus stated. “Jaxon went back to help his pack mates, Aliyah.”

“H—How about my father and Shawn?” I swallowed hard.

“The fire was already worse when we found your father. His legs were severely burned,” Klaus was the one who answered me.

My mouth fell open. A searing pain struck my chest. He may have been an abusive father to me, but even though he was the worst father in the world and no matter how I tried to detach myself from him, a part of me would still care for him, especially in times like this.

“You have nothing to worry. Their pack doctor is giving him and your brother the aid they need,” Reid uttered.

“I can’t easily tell myself not to worry…” I bit my lower l*p and gave him a frown. “They are my family, Reid.”

“A family that harmed you several times,” he argued back.

There was a sudden lump in my throat that I had trouble swallowing. I had to be honest that I didn’t like his tone, but I also had to understand that my family set him on edge. When his expression softened, he then tapped my back and sighed in defeat.

“We need to get out of here now,” he declared.

My forehead creased. “A—Are you saying that we will leave just like that? How about my family, this pack that will suffer the consequences in the aftermath of the battle and Jaxon? I—I can’t leave the land this way, Reid…”

“Jaxon assured me he could take over for the time being,” he said with a low growl.

I looked at him in disbelief. Jaxon was no doubt reliable, but putting the lives of hundreds of people on his shoulder would be like torture. How could he possibly handle them all by himself?

“Are you kidding me?” My tone came out disappointed.

Reid looked down at me as if I had hit something within him. His jaw clenched, his mouth tightened as he stiffened in his stance. I wouldn’t argue with him if he told me that we would somehow help the Silver Moon pack, but he made me feel like we were going to leave the people hanging… all because he had found me and that was the only thing that mattered.

“I don’t ever want anyone to suffer because of me, Reid. You should know that.”

“Then we will help them, Aliyah. If that’s what you want, I’d give it to you,” he said in his annoyed tone, which added to the disappointment I felt.

I looked around, and all the members seemed to be confused. Some didn’t seem to care that their Alpha and Luna were arguing. Was it only me who felt guilty about all these happenings?

“How are we going to help them?” I asked, trying to be sure that he had a good plan for the Silver Moon.

“Just trust me,” he responded, and then he breathed hard. “For now, we have to get out of here. I wouldn’t be at ease unless Charlotte is able to confirm that you are fine.”

My teeth gritted firmly, but when Reid took my hand, I wasn’t able to resist the longing I felt when he was gone, and so I pulled him into a hug and cried on his shoulder. He then caressed my back, and as I shut my eyes, I told him, “Please, Reid. We have to help them…”

“Hush now, Aliyah. We will,” he said softly and then pressed his lips to my head. “I will deploy people to help Jaxon. I promised I’d take responsibility for what I did.”

I nodded, convinced by what he said. After all, Reid would never turn back to his words. He then assisted me in getting back into the car, while the rest of the pack hopped into their trucks to prepare to leave.

“I told Jaxon that we could take them in… just in case they needed help knowing Shawn might be unable to lead after this,” I told Reid as he prepared to start the engine.

Reid glanced my way; his eyes looked totally exhausted. It was the only time I was able to completely notice some bruises on his face and arms, and my heart ached in a flash. How could I be so busy worrying about the Silver Moon and my family and not see that my own mate was also hurt?

With the guilt that was eating me up, I avoided his gaze.

“I understand you badly want to help them,” he uttered with a sigh. “So whatever makes you feel at ease, I will support you, Aliyah.”