"An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox."
⚠️mentions of rape⚠️
"Th-this is is horrifying."
All around Makaria, her and her sisters stood in absolute shock and fear as their earthly holy temple was ransacked. As beautiful souls were captured by the likes of evil. Makaria was holding the hand of another attendant. A girl she had known for a century now. She had died protecting her mother from an angry mob who thought they were witches back in the 17th century, when all they were was werewolves.
"I cannot watch this anymore!" One girl cried out, and began to call on their goddess Artemis.
Everyone else was quiet as they watched this unknown faction of earthly lycans desecrate and disrespect their goddess by stealing her most valuable earthly treasures, her holy people. Specifically women.
As the one attendant prayed to the goddess, no one joined her. Their great goddess had completely neglected or avoided them for the past two days.
Makaria could only pick up bits and pieces from what Callisto had told her friends. The goddess was away on Mount Olympus on business. The last time Makaria had seen her she was dressed for war. Against whom she wasn't sure but she was terrified about it.
Gods did not die but if they were injured it would take almost two centuries for them to heal. Everyone was on edge. Eve Callisto was pacing as pandemonium broke out across their brethren on earth.
"Peru is having a rogue revolt."
"Callisto call the hounds!" Someone shouted at the Eternal Maiden's first attendant. Makaria winced at the sound of the ground rumbling and Callisto's incredibly angry snarl.
"Do you not think I have tried that before?! The hounds are not coming to my aide. Everyone calm down until our goddess of the hunt comes back," Callisto announced, her spear piercing the ground, immediately calming down the raging worry of the girls. Well silencing their worry, they were still very much worried.
The attendants in the room out of pure sheer and worry one by one began to sink to their knees and offer up prayers to Artemis.
Makaria remained staring at the faces of the frightened girls who were stolen from the temple, the feeling of nausea hitting her strong. She carefully touched the orb that she was holding, and thought up whom she wanted to see.
Priestess Arana. What she could only liken to knots doubling in her stomach appeared as she watched the beautiful Priestess cry. Makaria had spent her times now watching the woman and had become attached to her as she had been attached to Pomelia. Probably even more. She wanted to go to earth and become friends with the two, of course that wouldn't be happening any time soon but the thought had her feeling warm inside.
She watched Priestess Arana walk with that foul mouthed Trent and immediately felt anxiety. This was her mission. Both of them were her mission and she didn't have any specific instructions. None at all.
She had extensively looked into Arana's past and now had to focus on his past. She knew it was going to be a lot of digging and she secretly loathed it. Even seeing glimpses of Warren's past had upset her but it had ultimately gotten her what she needed to help the couple...
Makaria was slammed out of her thoughts as the ground under them began to rumble so viciously she fell to the ground. At least her moonlight orb stayed in the air as she had the wind knocked out of her.
Now she was on the floor with the rest of the attendants as pure beams of moonlight began to stream out of thin air. Then a loud lightning bolt struck the ground.
Their goddess, their eternal maiden, the goddess of the hunt, appeared. She was dressed in her golden cloak made from the cyclops eons ago. The helmet placed on her head absolutely blinding them for a few mere seconds. And her bow and arrow strapped to her back.
Makaria tried her best to asses their goddess too see if anyone had harmed her. She was in good health. She was the same lethal and terrifyingly beautiful goddess they all knew and loved.
She took her helmet off and her cascade of dark hair tumbled over her cloak like silk. If she wore that specific cloak, Makaria knew things were not good. Not good at all. Whatever business the goddess was handling was serious.
If anyone else was standing they were all now on the floor in reverence and respect for their goddess. "All of you rise and sit. We need to speak, matters are urgent."
They all repositioned themselves to sit on the cool ground, nervously waiting for their goddess to speak. Callisto was the only one to stand and approach the goddess as she shed her golden cloak and her bow and arrows, Khryselakatos. Makaria felt her mouth go dry.
Khryselakatos and Iokheira her infamous bow and arrow set that could cause death within seconds of any mortal and severe and unsparing pain for gods minor or major.
Callisto hissed in pain as she grabbed the set and cloak from the goddess. If any other person were two touch, immediate pain would ensue. Callisto was so worthy that only a minimal pain effected her.
Once Callisto had safely placed the goddesses most prized objects away, their goddess spoke.
"My father has let one of his children lead him astray," the goddess spoke, her face morphing into stone. A visible gasp washed over the crowd.
"Eris. My sister has poisoned the mind of my father. My father is under the impression that the mortals are ungrateful and do not appreciate all we do for them. He has banned us from any physical influence over the mortals. That is why if my head attendants have been summoning my hounds, wolves or bears they will not come."
Makaria heard some sobs and yelps of terror. She sat. Stunned. "If I may speak, Nature Maiden?"
Callisto was on one knee, humbly asking for a question. Artemis agreed. "None of the gods are allowed to interfere with any of their mortal followers or creations?"
"That is correct. I know many have been calling me here for some atrocities happening on earth as we speak but I am powerless. Eris is sowing discord and strife and their is nothing we can do about it," the goddess explained to them as Makaria felt like fainting. If she could faint...
How were they supposed to protect the stolen girls? Makaria was nervous that the goddess would not come back in enough time to sick her wolves and hounds on the horrible men who had stolen novices but now...now what was to happen!
"Where are the hounds now?"
"My aunt and uncle, Hades and Persephone have them. They enjoy the underworld." That was true. The hounds and wolves enjoyed playing with the god of deaths large three headed dog. When he was not ferociously protecting the underworld he was a nice hound. Or so Artemis claimed, she had never met the dog.
Makaria rose her hand nervously, watching the goddesses angered gaze turn towards her. "Speak Makaria."
She cleared her throat nervously. "If we cannot use physical powers maybe you can strike a deal with Morpheus to be able to manipulate dreams more?"
Morpheus, the god of sleep and dreams granted each god and goddess a certain amount of time to have influence over dreams each year. She watched the goddess closely to try and get a feel of what she was thinking. Her eyes widened.
"Makaria that is the best idea and news I have received all day. Callisto set up an audience with Morpheus immediately. You all watch and stay on your assignments. We may only be able to influence dreams. I will rest for a moment then I will be on my way to hunt down Eris."
Cries of glory and hope rung out throughout the crowd and Makaria felt accomplished. Finally in her time of being an attendant.
The glory was short lived though. A feeling of foreboding loomed over the air...
"Come out with your hands up!"
War snarled, glaring down the men with guns drawn as he pulled into one of the entrances of the temple. Listening to his sweet mate, he had decided to do the valiant thing and make his way over to the temple to see if everything was okay. And now look where they were.
Pomelia had his phone and was calling Trent as War rolled down his window and held his gun out of it, while also keeping his other hand up. Pomelia had both hands up, even though one held a phone in it.
"Trent's phone..."
War frowned. Was that Priestess Arana on the phone. "Where is Trent? Tell him that we're here."
"Warren? We're inside the compound and the lights are all off...," The priestess spoke as Pomelia said hi to the priestess and War glowered at her. "oh hi Pomelia!"
Then they heard gun shots. "Holy...I have to go."
"Wh...what was that noise?" Pomelia squeaked out as War watched the men who had their guns drawn suddenly lower them. A certain one decked out in cop riot like gear was approaching the car.
He knew that scent. It was Mach. "Is that the cop that Nick doesn't like?" Pomelia questioned as War decided that Pomelia was going to stay in the car.
"It is. You stay in the car, I'm going to talk to him." Pomelia instantly looked as if she was going to get out of the car. "Pomelia Grace I said stay in the car," War growled out sharply. He put every ounce of authority he had into sentence and he watched her wolf struggle against her human side.
The wolf won. She leaned back in the seat and exposed her neck just a hint, showing him submission. "I don't like when you do that," she frowned at him as War was still trying to figure out if he should feel sorry for it.
"Im trying to protect you. Do you see all those guns drawn? If anything happens I know you're in the car, doors locked and safe. Keep the doors locked." Before she could say anything, he got out of the car and grabbed his hand gun, tucking into his waistband before taking in the scene in around him. He had parked close enough that if any outside forces came he could get to Pomelia quickest.
Mach was approaching him and he looked pissed by the scowl on his face. He saw a priest walking near one of the entrances with a bow and arrow... how would that stop anyone? He had no idea.
"So tell me why you're here? I have to admit bringing the missus wasn't a good choice but I'm glad we have an extra man."
War wanted to tell him he didn't want to come. He could care less, no that was a lie. He cared he just didn't want Pomelia caught up in anything. He only agreed because Pomelia insisted, begged, almost cried to come here. It was her second home and they were her family. Basically War was pressured by his sweet mate to come here and he was ticked about it but he would get over it...eventually.
"We called the LPA and tipped them off. Just want to see if everyone is okay," War spoke as he watched a few armed men walk around the building. He felt a little relieved that these men had guns and not freakin arrows at least.
"We're still on the lookout. The LPA should be here soon. I'm not really authorized to go into detail with civilian wolves at this point."
A civilian? War wasn't a civilian and he wasn't a warrior...but he sure as hell would not count himself as a civilian. He knew too much. "You're happy to see me because I'm armed but you can't tell me what the hell is going on?"
Mach sighed loudly. "Well damn when you put it that way..." he trailed off as an odd status sound came from Mach's vest.
It was a walkie, and it was a voice coming from it. It sounded like Trent's voice?
He read off a list of female names, and War wondered what the hell was all this supposed to mean? He was exhausted. He had a full day of work, an awkward dinner with his 'in-laws,' a near death experience learning Pom came face to face with Q, and now he was here. He would sleep for two days and maybe try to kiss Pomelia to shake the stress and exhaustion off. That sounded like an extremely good idea..
"It's a hit list. The ones I called out are the ones that haven't been crossed out so you guys need to check that they're still here." Hit list? Why would they want to kill off priestesses? Just to get back at their 'goddess'? Sounded like too much work.
"A checklist for what? Is the priest you got that list from still alive?" Officer Mach snapped into the phone.
"I killed him. It was his fault for running weird. Priestess Arana is with me and she confirmed only two priests are on here."
"You killed both of them!" Someone yelled through the walkie. Of course Trent killed both of them he was trigger happy. Always looking for a way to hurt someone.
"And your fucking point? Look for the twenty four missing and gather the ones I named and make sure they're safe," Trent growled into the walkie before Mach dropped his walkie.
"You heard him. Get it done. Now!" He shouted into the walkie so loud he thought it would combust.
War glanced back at Pomelia and saw that she was still in the car, a worried expression on her face. He gave her a false thumbs up. Telling her that some of her priestesses were kidnapped and most likely to be killed was something he didn't want to tell her.
"This makes no fucking sense. How do they get off killing holy women? It's not right," Mach growled out as he began to pace. No it wasn't right of course. Their was no mention of holy women or killing them in War's brief interaction with the infamous men.
"They aren't going to kill them," War thought out loud as Officer Mach gave him an odd look. "They'll probably rape them, get em pregnant. When I went to a meeting they talked about how women are only good for fucking and getting pregnant."
Officer Mach snarled out in anger, his gun suddenly turning onto War. "Meeting?! What the hell are you talking about?! You met with those sick fucks!"
War bit back a groan, anger rising up within him. Did Mach really want to do this right now? "I was undercover for intel. Put the damn gun away before my mate gets upset," War growled out, watching Mach lower his gun just a bit, glaring at him as if he was the devil.
He could hear the car door opening. "Officer Mach what are you doing!" Pomelia yelled from the car as War attempted to keep control of his wolf. If Pomelia got out the car he would attack Mach. He would take his gun and throw it away and let him know not to threaten him in front of his mate.
Pomelia was the type of woman to jump in front of a bullet and he would kill himself if she got hurt. "Pomelia stay in the car," Warren snarled so angrily, he even surprised himself. Was he regretful? No, he needed her safe in the car.
He watched her even through the darkness, her face blanched and she slowly closed the door. "If you're fucking lying, brother of my mate or not I'm blowing your damn head off."
Like he was ever going to get the chance to shoot War? He would have to be dumb, deaf and blind to be killed before making things right with Pomelia and having a child with her. A child? A kid? A little Pomelia or War? The thought made him stomach flip.
When the heck did he start thinking of children? And why now?! As War was working on keeping his mind together, he hadn't noticed that Mach was now waving his hand in front of his face as if to get his attention.
"Bro! Move your car! The lpa are here." War suddenly snapped out of his thoughts as they heard a series of loud rumblings and truck noises. It sounded something akin to an army of tanks coming down the road.
War made his way back to the car and immediately smelled his mates scent. She was not happy, worried and angry was more like it. "What happened? Is everything okay?"
A lie was on the tip of War's tongue and he bit back the urge to lie to her. "They took a few females, this group. The lpa are here now so I'm just moving the car. I need you to stay here though."
"They kidnapped people?! Wh-who did they kidnap? Why would they do such a thing?" Pomelia questioned in utter fear and worry as War parked the car securely before glancing at his mate. She was pulling at the strands of her wavy hair nervously.
He sighed. "They're probably going to force them to have children, Pomelia."
She gave him an odd look, then almost laughed. "You can't force someone to have children, Warren." War didn't comment, just stared at her as her eyes filled with tears. "Th-they can't do that. War no one should..they can't do that!"
She burst into tears and War felt like kicking something. He hated when she cried. He didn't want to coddle her, he didn't want to lie to her like he had been their entire relationship. He didn't want any secrets between them anymore...
He reached out to touch her shoulder and she cringed away. "Please...I just...I don't," she continued to cry and turned away from him. Was she angry with him? Was this another rejection of him?
"I just want to comfort you," he spoke softly.
"There is...is nothing th-that can comfort me," she hiccuped as War placed his hand back in his lap. He didn't know what else to do. What could he do?
A thought popped into his head. One he didn't like. He could help by talking. Giving the lpa all the information he discovered in his short meeting with them. Sure they raided the place but they didn't catch anyone except for him...
"I'll be back. Stay in the car okay?"
Before he could get out of the car, her hand grabbed his, holding on tightly. "I'm sorry...I'm just so upset. I want come with you," she sniffled as War internally groaned.
"You can come. I'm going to tell the LPA stuff that isn't pretty. Do you understand that, Pomelia?" She nodded her head, gripping his hand tightly.
"Thank you for helping."
He wasn't doing this for her. Well a big part of it was for Pomelia but the rest was because he didn't know..because maybe he felt bad. He didn't want anything bad to happen to these people he didn't even know. He wanted to be a help instead of a hinderance.
"I love you...and I'm helping because I want to. Not just for you. I'm not sure I'm doing anything to help really." Did he make it awkward? He felt as if he just made it awkward and he said it in a way that could be offensive. Gods, why couldn't he ever get his words together?
Pomelia squeezed his band tighter. "War that's more than I can ask for. I don't ever want to force you to do something you don't want to do or because you know it'll make me happy. That would be like...like having a robot as a mate. And well I'm still a bit upset with you for all the lies but, but I still love you. I don't think I can ever stop...and every little bit helps."
Instead of going for her lips, he held her hand up and kissed it. It just felt...right.
"Let's go."
***************
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!!
For those who don't, happy Saturday!
In honor of this holiday double update.
How is everyone's day?
Mines is going great. Had a big breakfast with my family and opened some gifts.
⬆️ Swipe up for double update! ⬆️