Behind Enemy Lines | 2

Chapter Forty

Last chapter - yes I know it's short :) 

Libby xx

The bearer of the distrusted Death Wolf was walking in the Palace grounds, wading around in the last rays of moonlight before the sun rose. It was only then that they'd see the extent of the massacre – that they'd see just how much blood Rachael was walking in. 

She sighed deeply, her toes digging into the battered soil. While she was in full control of her human form now, the Alpha in the room was right. Rachael had no idea whether or not she could keep a tight leash on the Reaper within her. It was a part of her, but that part was so much stronger. She could still feel it, nuzzled against her spine, its breath on the back of her neck. 

Rachael immediately shivered but not from the crisp chill. She kept walking, distracting herself from the ominous presence on her neck. With only a shirt on her, Rachael wasn't surprised that she was cold. She was surprised her mind was too. 

I can't control the beast. Rachael accepted, and knelt on her knees at the edge of the field, an arms-stretch from the woods beyond. She could hear the birds chirping at the approach of dawn, the trees gently swaying at nature's rhythm. Rachael could just see the lighter horizon through the large trunks, and a small smile came over her face. 

"It is beautiful." A whisper said from behind her. Rachael jumped, spinning to face the person who ever-so-quietly snuck up on her. When she looked at the figure, the words of surprise died in her throat. 

Luna's dark grey eyes, replicas of the Moon in the sky, watched the young red-head carefully. Her dark locks seemed to melt into the sky beyond them, the diamanté crown weaving through her hair like stars. The Moon Goddess gracefully knelt next to Rachael, placing her hands on the folds of her white dress. 

Rachael was left looking like a fish – mouth open and shut, speechless. Luna watched the forest in front of her in wonder. 

"Nature." She continued. "It is beautiful. The way the trees rustle... the birds... even the soil; soft and dark, easy to hold in your hands..."

"W-What are you...?" Rachael started to ask, pushing past her nervous stutter. 

"You were about to call for me." The Moon Goddess, still whispering, turned to look at her. One dark eyebrow was raised, challenging Rachael to correct her. "I just came early."

Rachael looked back out at the woods in front of her, not denying the Goddess's claim. She was about to pray to the Mother Moon for guidance on her next step. "They hate me, don't trust me... I don't know what to do."

Luna's face was still blank, not giving any emotion away. She was a Goddess, the Goddess, the Mother Moon who oversaw the lives of all werewolves. Rachael knew she had seen every detail of her life, and knew what she was going to ask for. 

"You have two options Rachael Grey." She whispered, and reached over to the ground in front of them. Two moonflowers sprouted from the depths of the soil, blooming in front of Rachael's eyes. White rays of the moon danced each flower head, and young Rachael watched as they took the shape of two figures. Men, both in human forms. 

Luna pointed at the one closest to her. "One of my Lords of the Moon, sacrificed himself to save his little sister. He died just before he was ten years old. Lord Thaddeus wasn't destined to die that day."

Rachael watched the Lord Thaddeus wisp shape from a ten year old boy to the man he would have been today. Strong... tall... he would have been a powerful and great wolf Lord. Her grey-green eyes watered as her heart cried for the life the Lord never had.

Luna was watching her carefully as she pointed at the other moonflower, at the other figure held in the white wisps. "This Hunter died in this fight – he was never meant to. Elijah Griffin used his last knife to take down a vampire making the kill for another wolf, leaving him defenceless to his own vampire attacking him. He lies in the hospital of the Royal Castle, his soul has not left him. Not yet."

Rachael let the tears drop from her eyes. A part of her knew the decision she was about to make, and another part of her knew her decision already. 

"Elijah Griffin or Lord Thaddeus – one must return." Luna drew her hand away from the moonflowers, away from the two figures dancing among them. "Decide."

Rachael shook her head, eyes blurring. "I c-can't." She sobbed, taking a shaking breath as she looked between the two. Lord Thaddeus of the Wolves, a Priest of the Moon... a relative of Queen Seraphina. She deserved her family back, Thaddeus deserved to live. He sacrificed his life for his sister, he had earned another chance at living. 

But Elijah? He was Thalia's mate. A Hunter, their leader, and died to save a wolf, those he had once sworn to kill. He deserved to live as well – Elijah deserved to see his ring on Thalia's finger. Rachael had noticed that Thalia wore it on that one finger, did Elijah ever hear her say yes before his body died?

"I can't... I can't-t...I-"

"You must decide Rachael." Luna whispered, her Moon eyes never leaving her face.

Rachael shut her eyes from the world, from the decision, but found she was only looking into the darkness of her wolf. It was grinning, teeth dripping with blood, and a satisfied snarl was ripping through her head. 

Rachael's eyes snapped open, gasping. The two wispy figures on the moonflower were watching her eagerly, both had a small smile on their faces. With wet cheeks and a wolf snarling in her mind, Rachael dared to look the Goddess in the eye. 

"I want to save them both." She whispered through blubbering lips. "Take my wolf away, save them both."

The Goddess's grey gaze narrowed into Rachael's pain-filled orbs. The night sky behind her was lightening by the second, and she noticed that the Goddess had given her until sunrise. Minutes away. 

"P-Please." Rachael begged, looking between the two flowers. "They both deserve to live! Please!" 

Luna was still watching her carefully, Rachael darting her eyes between the two moonflowers in front of her. The sun was peaking over the horizon, its rays creeping ever so closer to the wisps that held the figures on the flowers. 

Panicking, her wolf desperate to survive, raging and thrashing against the crumbling walls in her head, Rachael reached out and grasped both of Thaddeus and Elijah's figures from the moonflowers.

 "Please!" She begged, clutching them tightly. They would both survive. Rachael would never live in this world freely, but these two deserved to live.

Rachael's mother had sacrificed herself so she could survive. Rachael would sacrifice her life so these two could live. 

For Princess Thalia. For Lady Seraphina. For the Moon Goddess. For my mother – I will finally see her again. She would be proud.

A scream echoed through the bloody fields, along with the tears of one red-haired wolf.