-Emmerson-
Everything inside me felt raw, it was affecting my judgement because I couldn't think of anything else but my father. How he let this go so far as to hurt the pack. An Alpha should always put the pack first never their status in it.
I could fell Marcus pressings on my mind, trying to tell me something through the bond, but I ignored it, just needed to run. I had slammed my wall down on the bond so he wouldn't need to deal with my pain. It was hard enough that he was going to be forced to possibly put down my own father.
Suddenly I was knocked of my feet by Marcus and we rolled hitting the ground hard. I tried to push him off of me but his growl and then teeth on my neck caught my attention. I lowered the walls I set up just a little to hear him and stilled submitting to his wolf.
I told you to be careful! You weren't watching where you were going and almost stepped into a poacher's trap. You listen to me when I tell you something. Do you understand!
I flinched a little at his angry voice in my head. He was using the full power of the Alpha and though I didn't have to fully submit, being his mate, I did. I knew he was right I hadn't been paying attention even after he had reminded me that this area hadn't been patrolled in at least a week.
Yes Alpha.
I said knowing it would help him calm down and understand that I knew he was right. He seemed to like that answer because he got off me, letting me get up. When I did I shook out me fur like I could shake away the slight pain from the hard fall. He stood watching me and I could tell he was worried that I was upset with him. I nuzzled my head under his in a wolffish way of saying thank you to him for saving me again.
We stood there like that for a minute not really wanting to let go of our closeness. Our wolves enjoyed being with each other. I felt him pull back and tilt his head in the air as if he heard something. I listened trying to figure out what it was he had heard. It was a small child scream coming from the pack houses about ten miles away.
It's Sam!
I told him stepping forward to start running towards the houses. He stepped forward blocking me.
Follow me, keep your head low and watch out for more traps and poachers. I can't smell any near at the moment but you need to do it anyway.
He waited for me to respond and I knew he was right. I needed to keep my head out of the clouds and focus on what we were doing.
Alright.
He moved and started running at a swift pace and I followed close behind. For a moment I let the worst of what could be happening float through my head but then I shoved it back down. It wasn't the time for these thoughts, Sam needed me now.
He sounds hurt Marcus! I don't understand we haven't been gone that long! What could have happened.
I knew I was panicking but I couldn't help it as my little brothers screams filled my ears as got closer. A few minutes past as we ran and then the edge of the forest came close. I could just see through the edge of the trees my brother in human form on the ground. A huge brown wolf stood over him, my father's wolf.
Marcus...
I whispered stumbling to a halt at the sight of my father in wolf form standing over my little brother like he was about to rip him to shreds. My father had clearly lost his battle with darkness all male wolves fight against. The animalistic and aggressive nature of male wolves is hard to contain.
Stay here.
I heard Marcus's command as he kept running at full force until he slammed into my father's wolf sending him flying away from my brother. He turned briefly to Sam and growled to warn my brother to get out of there. My brother scrambled and ran towards my parents house as fast as he could.
I heard an angry snarl and the brown wolf, no longer resembling my father's calm calculated self, launched himself at Marcus. I knew Marcus could handle his own but others were starting to come out of their houses. They weren't going to understand why Marcus was fighting their Alpha. I walked forward moving between the gathering pack and the two fighting wolves.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone moving closer to me and growled low in warning. The person calmly inched forward and I growled again.
"Easy Emmerson it's me." My mother's voice came from beside me but it didn't relax me. I did however let her move beside me. "The DarkWood pack Alpha is protecting my son. Our Alpha has let the darkness in and is no longer fit to be Alpha." My Mom's weirds we're strong but I could smell the heartache behind them. I could also smell something else in the air it smelled the same weird way my father's wolf seemed to. Feral.
Movement from the far side of the pack caught my attention and I whipped my head around towards it. A dark grey wolf had emerged snarling and looking at Marcus and my father who were in mid battle. It was Henry, the thought crossed my mind the second before Henry's wolf started at a dead sprint towards Marcus.
I moved forward and gathering up all the strength I could muster launched myself at him knocking him to the ground. He snarled viciously at me turning his attention to me. I growled low in warning but he stepped forward and tried to snap at my front leg. Stupid mistake, my wolf thought and I agreed as I swiftly sunk my teeth into his throat. He thrashed underneath me, refusing to submit even though I am more dominant, a clear sign he had gone feral just as my father had. I bit down harder and twisted my head sharply, the movement crushed his windpipe at snapped his neck with a sickening sound. When he went limp I let his still form drop to the ground.
He had managed to claw my side pretty good before I could snap his neck and I could feel the white hot pain. I glanced in Marcus's direction to see he was still fighting but had badly injured my father's wolf. A deep gash ran across his neck and blood matted his fur. I turned back to the pack waiting to see if anyone else had shifted or gone feral. Sniffing the air it seemed the sour smell that indicated a feral wolf only came from that of my father and Henry's still form.
I heard a sickening crunch and turned to Marcus a streak of fear shot through me for a moment until I saw my father's wolf drop to the ground at his feet. He eyed me carefully and came to my side nudging my side softly where Henry had clawed me.
I'm fine, it will heal quickly.
He brushed his head against mine before turning to my mother and the rest of her pack. I watched him as he shifted swiftly and his clothes magically appeared once more on his body. I still wanted to know how he did that.
"Your Alpha did you all the dishonor of lying to you the past few months. He wasn't in control of his wolf and as such he couldn't control the others of you that have started loosing the battle to darkness. Your Beta Henry is an example of this. It all could have been prevented. This is a great loss, and I will not permit another. Your Alpha made me aware of his situation just last night, forcing me to act as any Alpha would. I will not leave you unprotected or without leadership, starting now you will be a part of my own pack. I will not let stubbornness and stupidity to take over our species like this." His words were loud and strong an Alpha command. I watched as my old pack now forty seven left bared their necks in submission to Marcus.
I knew my father's and Henry's deaths hadn't hit me yet but I couldn't help but be grateful that Marcus and my once former pack was safe. No more of them would be slipping away. Now the biggest issue would be how to combine packs. Our territories touched but the drive was still three hours apart. It meant we would have to build a new Alpha house between the two.
It was all becoming too much to think about at once. I watched as Marcus and my mother made their way to me. He reached out to touch the spot Henry had clawed me and I growled, it hurt worse and worse the longer I stood there.
Easy Luna, I need to check it hold still.
He pulled my fur back lightly and examined the gash on my side. I heard him sigh and look to my mother and back to me.
Can you walk?
I huffed a irritated reply. It wasn't like it was a huge wound. I started walking towards my parents house and my mother and Marcus followed.
You shouldn't have done that Luna. I could have handled Henry too.
He seemed slightly angry but I knew it was more because I was hurt than the fact that I had taken care of Henry. I had every right as Alpha female to protect him as he did me. Just because she wolves could control their emotions and temper better didn't mean they couldn't fight just as well as the males.
I'm fine Marcus, it will heal most of the way when I shift back. I wasn't about to just sit there and let him attack you.
I told him finally as I we came upon my parents house. Sam was sitting on the porch tears streaming down his face and when he saw us he ran towards us. I stopped flinching slightly as I felt him wrap his arms around me gripping his fingers in my fur. I nuzzled him reassuringly, ignoring the added pain him hugging me was causing. My mom pulled him away from me.
Marcus, Ben, you need to keep Ben away from his father's body.
I said as I watch my mother take Sam into the house. It was going to be a rough few days already for the pack. Now Ben didn't have a mother or father and he was still so young. The pack would take good care of him, but it wasn't going to be easy for him to grow up knowing his mother died giving birth to him and his father went feral all because his parents weren't true mates. This weekend was definitely not what I had hoped for.
Ben will be fine, Maddy will keep him away from everything. You need to shift back so I can check your wound and bandage it. You are loosing a lot of blood.
I huffed in frustration and walked into the house heading towards my old bedroom. Once we got to the room Marcus closed the door behind us. I stood in the middle of the room and forced myself to shift back to human form. It was excruciating and it took three times as long as usual for me to completely shift back. When I finally did I laid on the floor breathing heavily. My side still stung considerably but it wasn't nearly as painful as before.
"It's mostly healed but it looks like you're going to be soar for a few days." Marcus said as he helped me sit up against the bed.
Marcus went to the closet and grabbed some of my clothes as brought them to me. Pulling me up off the floor he helped me slip on the dark blue underwear and bra set and a pair of dark skinny jeans and a plain black long sleeve shirt. When he finished he pulled me close, being careful of my soar side, and kissed my forehead softly.
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked softly. I knew he was talking about my father and Henry being dead.
"I feel overwhelmed. It hasn't quite hit me yet, but I also know it's for the best. It was hurting the pack for them to carry on the way they were." I said leaning my head against his chest. "How are we going to do this Marcus. We can't move all of them into our pack territory. We can't live three hours away from them and leave them unprotected either." I said pulling back to look at him.
He sighed going to look out the window. I could see his body was tense from stress and worry.
So much had happened in such a short period of time and he had to be the strong one that kept everyone safe. This was why he was Alpha of the strongest pack in the world, because he was the only male strong enough to care for a pack of this size and maintain order. This is why we were true mates, the fates knew he would need me to keep the balance. I realized once again how lucky we were that fate had brought us together. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him laying my head against his chest. It was a simple gesture but I felt him relax at my touch.
"Remember how I told you about the abandoned estates that are on the edge of our territory. They are well hidden enough and big enough that if we fixed one of them up we could actually turn it into a new Alpha house. Then no one would have to move but us. It would leave about an hour and a half between pack houses and the Alpha house. That distance could be easily ran in wolf form even by Sam." His words had me thinking.
"It could work but it would take a lot of work and with so much territory we will still need to move some of our more dominant wolves here for all around protection." I said looking up at him. He nodded I agreement before leaning down and kissing me softly.
I would never have been able to do this without you Luna mine.
His words through the bond were filled with such emotion, gratitude and love I nearly broke down right there. I forced myself to hold it together though. It wasn't time to let my emotions get the better of me, not when that risked having to deal with my father and Henry's deaths.
"I'll go find Maddy and Ben, make sure they are okay. I'm sure the pack could use some reassurance right now. You should call Nathen and let him know what's going on." I said as I moved towards the bedroom door. I remembered something as I stopped to grab my shoes on the way out. "Marcus, how do you shift back with your clothes on? I've never seen a wolf be able to do that." I said turning to him.
"I'll tell you later Emmerson, it's a long story and we don't have the time right now." He said with a small smile on his face. I nodded as I slipped my shoes on and left the room.
When I got to Maddy's house I walked in not caring to knock. It had been a long day already and I needed to see her. I found Maddy sitting in the living room with Ben and Heather. Ben was sitting hunched over with tears streaming down his face. When they heard me enter they looked up at me. Maddy looked nervous and Heather looked pissed off.
"I'm leaving, I'll take Ben with me." Heather said pulling Ben to his feet and out of the house behind her.
"Okay." I said looking after them.
"What do you expect Em. Heather was planning on marrying Henry, and you killed him." Maddy said frustration clear in her voice.
I turned to her narrowing my eyes. She may be one of my best friends but she didn't get to talk to me like that. I growled low at her and she huffed irritatedly at me.
"You know very well that I had no choice Madison. Henry went feral as soon as my father did. You can't control feral wolves, they are a danger to us all. The entire pack lost my father and Henry. Do you see me being pissed off and acting childish towards Marcus because he had to kill my father?! No because I understand that it was necessary to keep this pack safe." I temper was faring and I knew she was feeling the power only an Alpha could hold hitting her. She whimpered softly and bared her neck in submission. I felt my wolf calm down as I relaxed at her submission to us. "Pack a few pairs of clothes and the necessary items you'll need. You are coming home with me for a few days to gather up some other pack members."
It hadn't been discussed between Marcus and I but I knew it was what needed to be done. He couldn't leave here yet and I really needed to get away from here until I could come to terms with my father's death. Maddy nodded and I walked out of the house frustrated.
A few days away will be good for you Luna.
Marcus said agreeing with my earlier thoughts as I made my way towards the Alpha house again.
Maybe, it still means I'll be away from you though.
I growled through the bond. I knew I was getting more and more irritated with what Maddy had said and the way Heather had acted towards me. I was going to need to put Heather in her place and soon, or risk having more pack members questioning my ability to be Alpha female.
They would be stupid to underestimate you Luna. I think it would be wise to take Heather with you back home as well. Maybe she will find her true mate. Ben can stay here with your mother and Sam.
I stopped walking at his words. Was he serious, I mean yeah it would be great if Heather could find her true mate too but I didn't really want to deal with a pissed off female right now.
Luna she needs to know who her Alpha female is. You may have grown up together but she has never had to deal with you in this context.
Ugh, why did he have to be right. I growled low irritatedly as I made my way towards Heathers house. Marcus was going to regret this if I ended up killing the she wolf for being disrespectful in our own home. My anger was the biggest emotion at the moment, anger towards my father keeping his condition a secret, anger towards the fact that only a true mate could have helped him, anger that Marcus and I had to be the ones to fix this mess, anger that I was going to have to put others in their place and finally anger that because of my position in the pack I couldn't fully deal with my sorrow of loosing my father and Henry.