Chapter 72

Laila and Emilia, watching from another room, laughed like they were watching a comedy show as the wolfless girl ran back for just one person, a weak person, at that, who didn’t contribute anything to their pack.

“You know, I’ve thought she was stupid, but I didn’t know she was this stupid. Look at my hands, I got burns trying to open that damn cover, and it took me more than half the time!” Emilia remarked, sipping the refreshments provided for them as she watched the wolfless girl reach the omega and then bend down to carry the woman on her back.

“Did she just carry her?” Laila burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as she couldn’t control it. This wolfless girl was dense, but her stupidity would be the gateway to Laila’s victory. Laila already considered herself the winner; she was just watching for entertainment.

Viola, on the other hand, knew there was no way the woman would be able to run with that swollen ankle. She was so skinny, with barely any flesh on her, that Viola knew she wouldn’t be hard to carry, and she did just that. She lifted the woman onto her back and began running just as fast as she had before, unburdened by the weight on her back.

By the time they reached the cover of the chamber, only twelve minutes remained. Viola gently put the woman down next to her daughter and, without even staying to take another breath, she turned to the people.

“You all remember what I said about working together, right?” she asked, her voice calm and steady, without a hint of urgency.

The people nodded.

“Then we need to work together to survive. Our men are fighting to keep the enemies at bay; we will fight to keep our lives and start a new world together. I need the stronger ones among you to assist me in lifting this cover. I cannot do it alone, but together, we can p>

The people, who had already begun to like Viola more than the other two participants, and knew that if this woman won and become the Luna, they would be in good hands in Silver, even though they were nobodies, came together, bending down and offering their strength.

Even the elderly women and children helped. Those with powerful wolves used their wolf strength, and in no time, the cover groaned and cracked. Slowly, it began to lift until it reached above them, and Viola fit her back against it to hold it up.

“Everyone get in!” she groaned, feeling the weight of the cover pressing against her back, threatening to crush her down, her legs were shaking terribly from within.

The people began to rush inside, and while they did, the weight on Viola’s back increased. She bit back a cry as the strain became unbearable.

The audience, who had thought the wolfless girl was predictable and weren’t expecting to be this invested, watched in shock, waiting for the cover to crush her. But to their astonishment, she held it up with her back until every last person had gotten inside.

“She’s going to get crushed, Seb.” Matt grimaced, holding his hands together, imagining the burns she must be enduring from the cover pressing into her back.

Sebastian’s fingers tightened into fists at his side. He fought every instinct to rush forward and hold the cover up for her and help her. His heart felt like it was crushing him as he watched his mate struggle, and just when he thought he couldn’t bear to watch how the cover might crush her, she surprised him.

She angled her body slowly towards the direction of the hole while still holding the cover with her back, and in one swift, calculated movement, she jumped into it. The cover followed down with her, creating a deafening crash that made Sebastian shoot to his feet from his seat.

A collective gasp left the audience as they all believed she had been hit on the head by the cover and was now dead below. However, she had managed to save every single one of the members without leaving anyone behind, and she had done it in, everyone’s eyes turned to the screen showing the time—

Twenty-five minutes, while Laila had taken twenty-nine minutes and hadn’t managed to save everyone p>

Sebastian didn’t realize he was holding his breath until the camera panned below the hole to reveal the inside, but the people she had saved were crowding around her so much that he couldn’t see her immediately.

He started to move from his space, without thinking, to go and take a look when he finally saw her smiling face, crouched on the floor, looking at the swollen ankle of the woman she had gone back for.

“You’ll be fine,” she assured the woman, and the relief that washed over Sebastian was so profound that it slammed him back into his seat. Was she planning to give him a heart attack?

’Foolish woman,’ he cursed her inwardly, but his lips betrayed him with a smile. She had done it again. She had surprised him.

When Viola was asked why she went back for the woman and why she did everything the way she did, her reply was simple: “As a Luna, every life of my pack members should matter to me. No life should be considered more valuable than another, because in the end, without the members, the Luna is nothing p>

The audience fell silent for a moment, then murmurs of admiration began to break out. Though many didn’t like the wolfless girl, a sense of respect began to build toward her. She was right. Even those who had supported Laila’s viewpoint couldn’t help but question it now. What if they were the ones left behind in a war? No one wanted a Luna who would abandon them to die.

Slowly, the audience began to rise to their feet, clapping for the wolfless girl. She had shown something that the other two participants had lacked.