Back To Vivienne's POV:
Malakai's scent filled my nostrils. His delighted lungful of scent was something I forgot how much I enjoyed. Because Malakai was the only special beginning to my life. I once found him hard to sit with in a car ride... and now that's all I wanted. I wanted to go back to that first night we arrived at the pack house. I want to turn back the clock.
I was hunting in a dark forest. The darkness alerted me I crossed over... once more. I was now on the other side. My heart ran fast. I didn't remember crossing over. I remember laying my head on Brendon's chest. I remember assuring myself... this was just shut eye.
"Mal?" I whispered out. My voice did not echo. In fact it was swallowed by a void.
"Vivienne," I heard a new voice rung in my ears. That wasn't Mal.
No.. this was familiar.
"Fang?" I called out.
"FANG!" Once again.
Silence echoed through the dark forest. There was no moon... no stars... no shadows. I didn't know which way the voice came from.
Suddenly red took over. A red light glowed through the treeline. It reminded me of Fang's color red. From when I first met him. I could hear growls. A dark rumble. A warning. I shouldn't be here. Why am I here? Of all places... Fang's scent was welcoming. I knew if he was here, I was fine. He was a proper protector.
"-oing to die," Fang's voice echoed to me.
"I- I can't hear you," I told him.
"Vivienne," he urged. His voice was silenced by a loud howl. I recognized it as the moon goddess' howl. Blue light shined through a tree line. Their red and blues clashing. "-ey will be sold-" Fang's voice echoed around me as a wind picked up through my fur. "Shade. You have to warn," It was too much to understand as the wind wouldn't let me hear it all. I could hear The moon goddess' growls of fury. Was I mistaken? Was she angry? Was I not welcomed after all? -"Ake the pack," he urged but couldn't finish again. "Ey, will win."
My feet felt disconnected to the ground. Darkness consumed me. I felt the sensation of returning to my body. To the plains of the world I grew up in.
Suddenly her sweet voice was all that was left, "Go my sweet child. You haven't much time."
~~~
"Luna Vivienne," I heard a polite female voice waking me. "Luna, are you awake?" I squinted through my eyes as I felt Brendon's body breathing under me. I sat up quickly and looked towards the voice in shock. I recognized her from one of the warriors we took with us into the tunnels of Blacktail Growler's pack house. She was Maeve. "Luna," she said as she looked glad she woke me. Her smile fell to a frown. "I have bad news," she whispered.
"What happened?" I asked as I jolted to stand up. I looked around flustered. A blush heated my face. I really did fall asleep, didn't I?
Maeve reached out and pushed me back down. She done so in a way to be polite about it. Her gentle touch shook me. I looked her in the eyes frantically.
"Go on," I ordered.
"Our pack was attacked early this morning. Right after sunrise."
My heart dropped.
"W-what?" I asked. What did she say?
Her eyes couldn't meet mine. Instead she looked at Brendon. He was still sleeping on the bed. I looked his way before looking back to her.
"Maeve," I barked. "What happened? Tell me everything."
"We sent one of our scouts out to check on the pack and meet at the borders for updates. We smelled blood in our snouts. The scouts came back with the reports. There's no one there. They even took the carcasses. If there were any that is. There was a note addressed to you." Her hand snuck into her pocket as she pulled out a folded envelop. "Lamia attacked our pack," she told me. "Her troops scents were all over the place."
Mal.
We sent Mal home.
Mother, Nena, Lilith, and the baby were in the pack house.
I snatched the note from her and unfolded it to read it.
Arwen was angry and raging war inside me.
'Did you really think I would be stupid enough to wait for all three pack alpha's to attack my people? You still have a lot of learning to do, pup. You truly have underestimated my power. I'll cut your pack a deal now. Surrender to me by dawn tomorrow... and I'll let your family live and anyone related to the pack Alpha. You'll get a cozy cottage to live out in for the remainder of your days. But, if I don't have an answer by then... ALL WILL DIE.
Lamia.'
I crumpled the paper and shook in anger.
I looked at Brendon and took one of his hands before giving it a kiss.
"Brendon, I need you right now," I told him and felt tears fall from my eyes.
That's right... what was Fang trying to warn me of?
I think he was trying to warn me about Lamia. What was he saying? Was he trying to say she would die? We just have to stay strong? No... even after hearing about the pack house's attack... I can see... Lamia is no joke. We might all die from this. We don't have enough people for this. And, if father doesn't succeed in getting North pack's help?
My pack is going to die.
"I really need you right now," I whispered to Brendon. Maeve held her hands behind her back as she awkwardly stood there. She cleared her throat to get me to notice her.
"Milady," she called out. "Luna," she muttered. "You have to make a decision now. Alpha Brendon cannot- he's unable to. We are all looking to you for guidance."
I'm so young.
I wasn't born for this role.
"Maeve, if you would give me a moment," I begged her. "Stand outside until I am ready." She bowed politely and walked out the door. She shut it and I could hear her stand in front of it. Someone asking her, what my decision was. Her voice confirming I was undecided.
This is the moment to wave a white flag.
Admit defeat.
If my father falls through with his... duty...
We will be forced to do only one thing.
I cannot give the pack to Lamia.
We're going to have to run away.
"What do I do?" I asked them.
Brendon's wolf growled. He had been here too. I caught him worriedly laying his head on Brendon's legs. He was worried for him. Just as much as me. "What do I do?" I asked again. Arwen was curled up in an arm chair. She was surprisingly small enough to fit comfortably. "Brendon still isn't awake and Lamia wants us to surrender."
'No!' Steele barked. 'We are leaders. There must be a way around it.'
"Steele... If I have to pick between my family living from this vs us all dying," I whispered.
'I hope you feel ashamed even suggesting it,' he growled.
"We're going to die if I don't have enough men behind me. She's taken us out when we least expected it. The numbers of casualties are already high."
'That northern pack,' Arwen said as she picked her head up. 'Do you think they'll be convinced?'
"I should have gone there," I muttered. "Waiting here will do me no good. We can't be home. It's too much of a risk. We'll take refuge here until we figure out if they'll join us."
'What happens if the size of their pack leaves us still outnumbered?' Arwen asked us.
'Good moon,' Steele cursed. 'Your father better come with good news.'
"To save us all," I muttered. "What should I tell the pack while we wait?"
'Tell them the truth,' Arwen said. 'Better then false hope.'
I sat back down and placed my head on Brendon's chest. I groaned as I looked up at his peaceful face. Thank the moon, he's still alive. I pressed my fingers against his lips and rubbed them. "Please wake up soon," I begged him.
'You have to go out there and face them. They're waiting on your orders. We will stay here and take care of him,' Steele told me. I sighed.
They were right.
I stood up with as much energy as I had and turned to face the door. I wasn't sure what to tell them. We suffered so much loss with the news our pack mates couldn't defend our territory while we were gone... and we lost them. How do I console a mass? How do I pressure enough war rage into them now?
When...
All feels hopeless?