Protector Of The Werewolves

Chapter 24 - Battle Of The Werewolves Part Five

     It wasn't long before I came to the one place that I know she might be at. The clearing. The clearing was a place where Cassidy and I had found one day when we were playing out here in the forest. It was just a place where the mountain stopped and below us was a lake, straight ahead of us was a waterfall. Around the area was just trees and rocks. Cassidy and I had jumped off the ledge before and eventually dropped into the cold, ice lake.

     I walked a few inches north and saw a small figure hugging a tree, while crying. Cassidy.

     "You know, you nearly gave your dad a heart attack when he noticed you gone," I said. I watched as she jumped at the sound of my voice and turn around to look at me. Her hand was held up to her heart. I could hear the rapid speed of her heart.

     "You scared me, Lucas," she said breathlessly. I smiled a little before I walked over towards her. She sniffled and ran into my arms, crying once again.

     I sat down on the ground, leaning against the tree as I held Cassidy in my arms.

     "She's gone," she cried. My arms tightened around her as she brought this up. Yesterday, was the day where Cassidy's mum died. My aunt, her mum, the pack's Luna, Cassidy's father's mate. Everyone was still grieving today. The funeral has been set next week, since we wanted to get the word out that one of the most powerful and strongest Alpha's mate is gone. All werewolves were invited to the funeral basically.

     "I know,"  I whispered as I rested my chin on-top of her head, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

     "Who's going to read to me at night? Tuck me in? Play with me?" she questioned.

     "Your father will, and if not, I will," I said. She removed he head from underneath me to look at me. Even in the dark, I can still see her glassy eyes.

     "You think my dad will even remember me?" she asked. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

     "Why would he forget about you? You're his daughter," I replied, moving her strands of hair out of her face and tucking them behind her ear.

     "Today, he forgot to play with me. I sat outside for hours, waiting for him, but he only came outside to tell me to come in, since it was getting late," she wailed. My heart broke at her words. Cassidy was my cousin, and yet, when she's in pain, I'm in pain. The both of us had a bond that no one could understand. No one understood why Cassidy referred me over all of her other cousins. We were attached at hip, basically. Where ever I went, she went. Where ever she went, I went.

     "He won't forget about you, Cassidy. He's just in pain because he lost his mate. Give him some time, and until then, I'll play with you," I said, giving her a small smile. She grinned for the first time and nodded.

     "C'mon, we better get back before everyone thinks that you died," I said. The both of us got up and walked to the pack house. During the walk, Cass had complained to me that her feet hurt, so we stopped and I bent down so she could get on my back. So basically, I was giving her a piggy-back ride. Thank God she wasn't heavy.

     When we arrived at the pack house, everyone stopped and looked at us. Relief washed over their face as they recognized their Apha's daughter on my back. My uncle, Alpha Ruth, eventually made his way over towards us.

     "Thank the fates you're okay, Cass," he whispered as he took her off from my back and hugged her tightly.

     "I'm fine, dad," Cassidy wheezed. He chuckled lightly before he loosened his hold on her. He looked down at me and smiled.

     "Thank you, Lucas, for finding her and bringing her back safely," he replied as he ruffled through my hair with his free hand. Cassidy was resting on his hip, her arms around his neck.

     "No problem, Uncle Ruth," I said, grinning at him. He smiled back before he dismissed everyone and went back to his room with Cassidy in his arms.

     After that day, Cassidy's father got worse. Everyone knew he tried to keep up with his work and also that he tried to make time for Cassidy, but he eventually gave up and just stayed holed up in his room, leaving all the pack work to his Beta and Third in Command. Cassidy would always beg for him to open up his room door, but he would just tell her softly to go away. Anyone else who did that, he would just yell at them. One day, he got sick. The pack doctor was the only one that got to visit him for the first time ever again. When he came out, his face was grim. He told us that Alpha Ruth looked terrible and that he was diagnosed with depression. Cassidy understood everything he said and charged into Alpha Ruth's room. She jumped on his bed and begged for him to try and to go back to his normal self. Everyone tried to get Cassidy out of his room, but she didn't move an inch. She just clung onto her father and cried. Everyone could tell that Alpha Ruth was in pain, seeing his daughter like this. Eventually, Alpha Ruth demanded her to get out of his room and to leave him alone. I still remembered Cassidy's face when he had yelled at her to do so. Her bottom lip was trembling, her big, brown eyes were glassed over, and she shook with silent sobs.

     Before Alpha Ruth could get another word out, or apologize to her, Cassidy jumped off his bed and before a second could go by, she was gone. I found her once again, at the clearing. I reported back to Alpha Ruth that she was okay and she was just hurt a little, since she fell down on her knees when she tripped over a rock.

     A couple days later, Alpha Ruth was pronounced dead. Cassidy went on a rampage and at the funeral, she yelled at his coffin and ran off in tears. Everyone understood what she was going through, so everyone expected her to break down, which she did. That was the last day anyone ever saw Cassidy.

     All I worried about now, was that this time, there was a great chance that she wouldn't return and that none of us would be able to get through the barrier to help her. I closed my eyes and allowed myslef to drift off to sleep. I turned around in my bed, but was irritated when something was shining bright in my face. I opened my eyes and nearly broke down when I saw the damn thing that told me one thing that I tried to avoid thinking of.

     The big, bright, damn moon was shining through my window.

     And that the battle had just begun.