Thicket

Kendan

We understand death for the first time 

when he puts his hands upon someone we love.

It doesn't get any better the times after.

            We were too late.

In another pack, we could do nothing but tear out of the pack house without a formal goodbye that is customary as my mother, father, and I were running to our home pack.

Someone had been killed, their life mercilessly ripped away as their beast was torn from our link. Where they were is gaping in our hearts, a spot that would never truly fill over.

I would always feel them missing as an Alpha.

The pack was still mourning, Leia still hadn't returned, Wilder and Ellis were in the infirmary. And me, I was struggling. My beast was mourning with his pack mates, howling into the sky as tears streamed down my cheeks as I was locked in my office.

I should be out there helping in the infirmary as my parents went to give their condolences to those who had lost their family. Only two had died.

So far, over thirty were in the infirmary. Injuries were ranging from scrapes and broken bones, to comas and goldenrod was being injected into their bloodstream to help speed the healing process up.

My heart was heavy as tears streamed down my face as I bit into my fist to keep my sobs quiet from the sensitive ears of pack members.

I just needed a moment to mourn myself, and then I will face the pack and show the brave face of a soon to be Alpha. But right now, I just needed to mourn the loss of a great warrior and a six-year-old child.

But the more I sat here and thought about it the angrier I grew. I was brimming with anger at these wolves, these beasts who were just like us, that were attacking us for no reason. Who were targeting Bexley.

Right after we crossed into our land, we were attacked and surrounded into a circle. A man walked through the beasts and smiled as he watched us press our backs against each other and prepare to fight, it was just the three of us.

His laugh echoed through my mind even now. "Oh, you silly Alphas." My father had snarled at the patronizing way he spoke. "Your precocious girl will be gone by the full moon."

My father lunged for him as he backed away, the circle of beasts pouncing when my father moved.

The ambush cost us time, time that we didn't have time to lose. Defeating the rogues would have been easy had there not been so many of them. The simple task became tedious as we were double and triple teamed.

My mother had a snapped femur that had to be rebroken. Father had injured ribs, one nearly pierced his lungs, yet he said nothing of the pain he was in as we all tore through the forest as we could feel the pain the twins were in. We had barely made it in time. If it weren't for Olympia, then we would have lost two more pack members this morning.

Olympia was with Leroy's mate, researching how to break a curse. Because that's what this was. A curse. The four of us had been cursed when Leroy saved the twins.

Roughly wiping my tears away, I allowed the heavyweight in my heart to weigh me down as I took a few calming breaths as I exited the office.

I kept my mind off the fact that the full moon was less than 72 hours away. Alpha Denali had been notified and Bexley and our younger siblings were being kept on a tight lockdown.

Apparently, they had a scare just before I had called them. A man was leering at Emerson and Maverick, waiting for them to enter the forest. A man who Bexley had come in contact with before. Her mate said she seemed very shaken up over it and her beast hadn't let her take back control.

I passed by running pack members, everyone pitching in to help those who are hurt and their families.

This is what we did as a pack. We helped those who needed it and protected those around us with our lives.

Finch and Lassie were not just randomly killed, they died protecting their pack. Everyone knew it, so as I passed by those with teary eyes, I made sure to place a hand on their shoulder. They weren't alone in their sadness, it was flowing through the pack bond, that and pain were the resonating feelings that everyone could feel.

Entering the infirmary, I was greeted with the sight of beds lined up. Much more than there usually would be as they were crowded together with barely a couple of feet between the two of them. The dizzying combination of Goldenrod and anesthetic filled the warm space.

Volunteers were wiping away the sweat from those in beds or adding another blanket to those who were shivering.

I knew that Wilder and Ellis would be in a private room, after what happened no one was too sure on what would happen to the two of them. But their injuries were extent as they passed out on the field.

Olympia was sitting in front of the door, furiously flipping through pages in a grimoire. We needed answers, we needed to stop worrying about one of us dying. The thought was constantly lingering in my mind as I fought against the constant lingering thought on who it would be to die.

I walked around, checking on those who were awake and praying over those whose eyes were shut. I allowed my beasts presence to shine through as I prayed, hoping the Goddess would give our pack her blessing and let everyone pull through.

We were already a small pack, we didn't need to lose anyone else.

Once I was finished praying over everyone, I entered my brothers' room. Kneeling beside each of them, I laid a hand over their soul and prayed just like I did for the rest of the pack.

"Please bless us with your mercy, please keep a watchful eye and protective hand over us," I whispered the prayer, not needing to speak loudly to know that she could hear me.

The Goddess could see through our beasts if she was watching she would have heard loud in clear whether I was talking in my head or speaking aloud.

I only hoped that she was watching though.

But with no guarantees, I would need to take my packs and families safety into my own hands. Exiting the room, I nodded to Olympia and passed by Leroy who gave me a questioning glance as I left the infirmary.

But I was already dialing the number to Bexley's mate. Whether the Goddess was going to help or not, it was time to take our fate into our own hands.

"Hello?" His deep voice rumbled on the third ring, rustling of sheets sounding as he no doubt pulled himself from bed.

They weren't going to get away with it, not if I had anything to say about it.

Locked in my office, Lazarus and I began to work out exactly what needed to happen for us to protect the both of our packs.