Marked By The Alpha's Cursed Blue Moon
Chapter 74. Joint Forces

Chapter 74: 74. Joint Forces

It was about thirty minutes after Bernard and Beta Gilbert had left when a few guards arrived at the mansion to pick up Maria and Luna Victoria.

Maria had almost drifted off on the couch when the guards entered the living room, and she quickly shot to her feet.

Luna Victoria soon emerged from her room, already dressed and composed, a calmness in her steps as she descended.

Maria was just about to rush to her room when one of the guards called her back, handing her a small bag.

"This is for you," he said with a nod.

Opening the bag, Maria found a matching outfit identical to the guards’. Instantly, she remembered what Beta Gilbert had said about her needing to blend in to witness the trial at the packhouse.

Without wasting a moment, she dashed to her room and dressed in the uniform. It took her about ten minutes, but when she stepped out, her tie hung loosely around her neck.

The same guard who’d handed her the bag approached again. "Let me help with that," he offered.

Maria stood still as he fixed the tie for her. Once he was done, the group moved out of the living room and climbed into a waiting car, driving swiftly into the evening.

Nervous energy gripped Maria as they neared the packhouse. Her stomach fluttered with anticipation.

She didn’t know exactly what to expect, but she was determined to see it through—to see justice for her parents.

As the car pulled up to the packhouse, bright lights flooded the area. People filled the surroundings, security teams were stationed at every entrance, and the air buzzed with tension.

As soon as Maria stepped out of the vehicle, Mason, the head of Beta Gilbert’s security, approached her.

"Come with me," he said quietly, taking her hand and leading her down a back road that led into the rear entrance of the packhouse.

Once inside, Mason leaned close and whispered, "Avoid eye contact with anyone. No matter what happens, manage your emotions. You play a key role in this. Don’t forget that."

He handed her a wooden gun that looked convincingly real.

"Just keep this at your side," he instructed.

Maria nodded, her heart pounding. The situation felt surreal, but she reminded herself of her purpose. She had come this far. She couldn’t turn back now.

Soon, the trial proceedings began. One of the elders stepped onto the podium, addressing the silent crowd that filled the packhouse.

"Good evening, everyone. Let us not waste time," the elder announced. "We are gathered here tonight for the trial of Elijah Simons. He is accused of treason and betrayal of trust against the Alpha and the entire Blue Moon pack."

The crowd murmured. Whispers rose like wind through tall grass.

Then, guards marched Elijah Simons to the podium. His wrists and ankles were bound, his face expressionless as he stood before the people.

"This is Elijah Simons," the elder continued. "Before he speaks, we will invite the Alpha to present the charges."

Bernard stepped forward. His expression was serious, his voice strong.

"Good evening, my family of the Blue Moon pack," he began. "Elijah Simons and his men attacked me and my household without cause. Even worse, he shot at my chosen mate—Maria. She bled out and died in the forest before we could stop them. To this moment, her body has not been recovered for a proper burial."

Gasps and shocked exclamations rippled through the crowd.

"He should be executed right here!" someone shouted.

"Kill the traitor!" another voice echoed.

Bernard raised a hand. "I know some of you feel justice should be immediate, but I respect the laws and traditions of this pack. That is why we are here—to judge him fairly."

He stepped down from the podium.

The elder spoke again. "Elijah Simons, you may speak."

Elijah let out a harsh laugh. "You all expect me to deny it? I did it. I did it all. And I did it for the good of the pack. That power was mine to claim. Bernard was never fit to lead!"

His voice boomed with arrogance, and his laughter rang loud.

The elders didn’t wait any longer. They signaled for the guards to take him down from the podium.

Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from the front entrance of the packhouse.

Gunfire cracked through the air. Chaos followed as guards returned fire. Maria immediately ducked behind a massive pillar, heart racing, trying to keep calm.

Then another blast—this one from the roof. It was even louder than the first.

Figures descended quickly using ropes tied around their waists. Their movements were swift—too swift for human eyes. Maria peeked from her hiding spot and saw them reach for Elijah.

Within seconds, they secured him and vanished back through the roof.

It was all over in less than ten minutes.

Silence followed the storm.

Bernard looked around frantically, fury overtaking him.

"Elijah Simons is gone... He’s been taken!" he shouted, the rage in his voice echoing through the packhouse.

---

Elsewhere, not far from the packhouse, another group stood in confusion.

"Who were those people on the roof?" one of the attackers growled. He was the leader of the group that had attacked from the front.

His voice was tense with fury.

"We were the ones assigned to rescue the boss, and now he’s been abducted by unknown men!"

His fists clenched, and the rest of the group stood in stunned silence, realizing they had been outplayed by someone faster, someone far more powerful—and completely unexpected.

Tensions remained thick in the air. The fury and confusion etched across the faces of Elijah Simons’s men said it all. They paced anxiously, whispering among themselves, anger burning in their eyes.

"Did anyone get any clue about them? Anything at all?" the leader barked, his voice seething with rage.

One of the men stepped forward hesitantly. "Boss, I think they escaped through the south. That part of the map leads to an airport. They might have had a flight waiting."

The leader’s eyes flared. "That’s true... Everyone move! We’re going after them now. We can’t let the boss stay in the hands of strangers!"

They all scrambled into their vehicles, engines roaring as they sped down the road. Within ten minutes, they arrived at the airport. The place was eerily quiet, but signs of activity confirmed someone had been there recently. As the leader scanned the area, something caught his eye.

He crouched to pick up a familiar object—Elijah Simons’s wristwatch. His jaw clenched.

"Damn it! These people are professionals. They knew there could be a communication device hidden in this watch. And look... they stripped him of his clothes too. No wonder we couldn’t trace him!"

"Boss!" another shouted, pointing to a black car parked nearby. "There’s a vehicle over there. We might find something!"

Three of the men cautiously approached the car. But before they could get too close, a loud explosion erupted. They dove for cover as the vehicle went up in flames, turning to ash in seconds.

Breathing heavily, one of the men turned to their leader. "What do we do now?"

The leader clenched his fists. "Nothing for now. We wait. I don’t think they wanted him dead. They took him for a reason. Let’s head back to the safe house."

The group reluctantly piled back into their vehicles and drove off.

**At the Blue Moon Pack House**

Chaos echoed through the walls of the packhouse. Bernard was a storm of fury, pacing the room, his eyes blazing.

"Someone betrayed us! This shouldn’t have happened!" he roared, slamming a hand on the table.

"Bernard, you must calm down," Beta Gilbert said gently, placing a hand on the Alpha’s shoulder. "Letting your emotions lead won’t help. Think clearly—as the Alpha that you are."

Bernard exhaled, gripping the back of a wooden chair before sinking into it. His breaths were heavy, but Gilbert’s words began to sink in.

"From what I observed," Beta Gilbert said, "two different teams attacked us tonight. But they shared one mission—rescuing Elijah Simons. The real question is: why?"

Bernard’s expression darkened. "Two teams. Same goal. Different motives. One may have truly come for Elijah... the other could use him against us. That’s my conclusion. We need to prepare for war."

One of the elders stepped forward, voice shaky. "Alpha... what should we do now?"

"We triple our defenses," Bernard commanded. "Every guard must be alert. Elijah Simons is more dangerous now than ever—like a lion that just escaped death. We must not underestimate him."

Maria stood at a distance, taking in every word. Her heart raced with a flood of emotions—rage, confusion, and disbelief.

How could Elijah Simons escape judgment? she thought bitterly. Do good people really die while the wicked walk free?

As the meeting ended, everyone dispersed from the packhouse, hearts heavy and minds restless. The mystery of who had abducted Elijah Simons weighed heavily on them all.

***

Meanwhile, at an Unknown Location, Elijah Simons, still bound hand and foot and blindfolded, was brought before Mr. Frederick.

The blindfold was removed, and Elijah blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes to the dim lighting. He froze when he saw Frederick seated calmly in front of him.

"Welcome, Elijah Simons," Frederick said with a cold smile. "I hope the journey wasn’t too exhausting."

Elijah’s eyes narrowed. "Frederick. Why am I here? Why did your men pull me out of that trial? I don’t consider it a rescue until I know your real motive."

Frederick leaned forward. "Call it what you like, but I brought you here to offer a deal—one I believe will interest you."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "I’m listening."

"I know your history. Your hands aren’t clean, and I don’t care. What draws me to you is your strength and your hatred. We share a common enemy—Gilbert and his bloodline. I want them to suffer, Elijah. And I believe you do too."

A slow smile formed on Elijah’s face. "Now you’re talking my language. I don’t care what they did to you. As long as we destroy their peace, I’m in."

Frederick smirked. "So... do we have a deal?"

"They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend," Elijah replied. "It’s a pleasure to call you my friend, Frederick. And thank you—for the rescue and the opportunity."

Frederick gestured, and a guard stepped forward to unbind Elijah. Once free, Elijah stretched his arms and rubbed his wrists. The two men exchanged a firm handshake.

Wine was poured, glasses clinked, and laughter filled the room as they shared plans and promises.

"This is going to be interesting," Elijah said, downing his drink. "I can’t wait to see their faces when we strike back."

He laughed darkly, the sound echoing through the room like a storm on the horizon...

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