Same old war
~
Accalia
~
It was a chilling feeling; the unpredictably the night held for a hunter. It seemed, more than daylight, the supernatural would erupt into wakefulness, a Lycan's indulgence and bloodlust being unquenchable.
Looking to the skies, Cadence observed a crow, as dark as night with its feathers darting swiftly across the sky and squawks echoing throughout the woods in a shrilling manner as they drove with the window down.
They were heading into the daylight now after pulling off on the side of the road to rest for a few hours. Risky move, they knew but that was better than crashing the car into a tree due to exhaustion.
Accalia already knew the Alpha would have murder on his mind. His Fenris wolves didn't complete a mission, didn't fulfil a duty and there would be hell to pay for it. She gathered they may have created a bigger problem for themselves because of it.
Music distantly played through the car, the girls giddy with anticipation as their lives were at stake and had no idea what would become of them as the early morning dragged on.
Gripping the steering wheel, Accalia put her foot on the pedal and the car took off faster than before.
"I don't think you need to rush now," Cadence hollered, adjusting herself in the seat and trying not to get nervous from Accalia's sudden impulsiveness.
They've been driving for nearly three hours and Accalia knew they were nearing their hometown.
"We're nearly home," was all Accalia said before they resumed in silence once again.
And a half an hour later, they passed into their hometown and by then, the night skies faded into lightness, the sun rising through the forest and emitting into the sky.
Accalia sped through with no intention of slowing down until she peeled into their driveway, putting the car in park.
Cadence had already unbuckled her seatbelt, keen to hop out and throw this entire train wreak behind her.
Their house was mundane looking on the outside. Simple and cosy, but what lay on the inside, you might as well call the police.
"What are we going to tell them?" Accalia asked distantly, sitting deeper in her seat.
"We have to tell them what happened," Cadence gritted out, getting out of the car, "because Accalia, we don't know if he is after us or not. With those mutts we had trouble with yesterday, it's obvious we're on his radar. Uncle William needs to know."
Accalia nodded slowly, realising Cadence was too right to be told she was and eventually stepped out of the vehicle, heading toward the front door.
Of course, the door isn't locked, Accalia seethed and stepped inside, Cadence following after her.
The walls were a sandy colour, family frames clung to them, all to which Cadence wasn't in. They only displayed the images of William's once perfect family, now broken beyond repair and motherless.
Treading across the carpet silently, the girls rounded into the kitchen and were met by Tristan Larren, Accalia's older brother.
His longish brown hair was in a bun, showing his chiselled jaw that had nicks of scars and upon seeing then, his lip curled into a sneer.
"Where the fuck have you girls been?" Tristan bellowed, standing to his feet and crossing his arms over his broad chest.
"Where's Dad?" Accalia demanded sharply.
"I'm pretty sure Dad's about to cause a war with how long you girls have been gone." Tristan snapped just as harshly. "Where the hell have you girls been? We said a road trip for two days, not five!"
Accalia huffed, patience thinning and battled with the words that couldn't be placed into a sentence.
"I—I—" Accalia stammered, looking to the floor as she felt the ground beneath her sway. She groaned and looked to Cadence for help.
"We crossed into the Fenris pack," Cadence piped up, "the Alpha had locked us in a dungeon for the past few days, but we escaped."
Tristan's eyes widened like saucers, his bulky build sitting back in his chair and slammed his hand to his forehead, not believing this in the slightest.
"How are you two alive?"
Even Accalia pondered on that, running in circles in the depths of her mind as to why the Alpha hadn't killed her yet. He didn't even hurt Cadence.
With his ranking, heritage and past, having a hunter as a mate would be a punishment and something to be ashamed of. He would want to be rid of it.
Accalia couldn't help but think they could be on his radar. Waiting, stalking and watching. It chilled her to the bone. Lycus is the type to go straight for the throat as his patience thins. The Alpha waits her out until he's ready.
Accalia had to tell her family what is going on before it was too late.
Just as the revelation was about to come to light, boots clambered down the hall and an aged man stalked into the kitchen, everyone growing silent.
"Accalia Lilybelle Larren," Accalia's Father breathed out, eyes shaky as his mouth stretched in a grim line, "I see you've stolen a car, the both of you look horrible and you have no weaponry on you. What has happened?"
Cadence raised her hand, stepping forward toward her uncle and looked as if she was about to reveal the worst of things known to man.
William Larren sighed, shaking his head at his niece and said, "What Cadence?"
"I actually stole the car. Accalia just drove it."
Accalia snapped her head at Cadence, glaring at her, "I told you it was stealing!"
"Shut up." Cadence stepped back and looked away from her family, rubbing at her tired eyes.
William grunted, lacing his hands behind his back and giving his family the meatiest glare he could muster. "I asked, what is going on? I'm not going to say it again."
Accalia observed her father with a reserved face. The streaks of grey that slipped through his dark hair, his face gaunt and withered in age. His eyes, those eyes were nothing but hooded and ghastly. Dead as a gravesite.
Ever since the death of her mother, William slowly cocooned himself into a shell and became a person Accalia no longer recognised. At the best of times, she could pick him apart and salvage a semblance of her father. Most days she couldn't identify him.
He slowly withered away and took everything he had with him, only leading and training Tristan and Accalia up to be hunters.
"Cadence and I accidentally went into the Fenris pack when we were hunting. The Alpha locked us up before we escaped." Accalia said after rehearsing it too many times to count in her head.
William clucked his tongue, brooding over the information being told and Accalia couldn't make out his facial expression to save her life. He was too hard to read and perceive.
"You girls should be dead," William muttered, "Lycus Fenris wouldn't take kindly to trespassers and would have them killed on the spot. Not locked away."
Accalia swallowed, feeling the tension and anger writhing inside of her father. It was quite common amongst the Larren household, though. William Larren had a short temper, too bad he had a daughter that aligned just as perfectly with that. It would always be Accalia arguing with her father, belittling his tactics and taking his motives into account that she knew were faulty and irrational.
Tristan was the one to come to their father's defence, fighting alongside him not only with their hunting duties but family disagreements.
Accalia wondered how this argument would go down this morning.
"The Alpha has claimed me as his. I'm Lycus Fenris's mate." Accalia announced, hating herself for even saying such a thing. A foul and disgraceful thing.
William shuffled back and Tristan got to his feet, completely shocked and unable to speak with a gaping mouth.
"Impossible," William rasped out, hand crossing over his heart as though he had been impaled.
"That would make sense," Tristan voiced out and stiffly crossed his arms, trying to wrap this information through his thick head. "He would've killed you first chance he got, but he didn't. Instead, he kept you for days."
Accalia cringed, her head ringing as things began to unravel like string and she didn't know how to grasp it. Everything was becoming undone by the second and she had no say in the matter.
"You have to go," William bellowed suddenly, finding his footing and pinning his daughter with a fierce look. "You have to leave. Runaway. Go as far as you can. Have you ever considered that he'd be able to trace your scent?"
Accalia blinked at that, stunned for the first time since being told she's Lycus's mate. The more she thought about it, the more stupid she felt since it never once crossed her mind. Not the slightest consideration of it.
Crestfallen, Accalia peered at Cadence who shrugged a careless shrug and shoved her hands in her pockets. "We'll throw her scent off, it will be easy if he comes here—"
"If he comes here!" William yelled at his niece, nostrils flaring and taking a long stride toward them, "He'll probably kill me and Tristan for thinking I'm protecting you both!"
Everyone stood startled by the rawness of William's words and no one dared to talk. Not only did he speak the truth of what Lycus could and would do, but his own unveiled conviction. He stood in front of the girls, fury and ruggedness fixing his face with no intention to help.
"What if he's lying? He—he could be." Accalia squeaked and hugged her arms around her middle, trying to fight off the tears.
"I doubt that. Lycus Fenris has hardly had issues with hunters, he's not like other Alphas and he wouldn't lie about who his mate is. You two could be followed right now." William growled out.
"There were two Fenris wolves that came after us, they'd be back in their territory by now," Cadence informed her uncle and lifted her head to him with squared her shoulders and stood taller, like a soldier.
William's face fell and conjured up a look that would send any sane person running. "You didn't kill them?"
The question hung thick in the air and was met with an icy silence.
"No," Cadence confirmed and kept those dark eyes on him.
"The both of you are pathetic," William spat with disgust causing Accalia to flinch and Cadence to master a hardened look. "You were supposed to be gone for two days on a hunting trip to better your pathetic selves. Not wander off into his territory!"
Accalia's warm brown eyes found her father's and the more she stared, the more saddened and disconnected she felt. She truly didn't recognise this man, what's become of him and where her father disappeared to.
He didn't care to protect them and had no intention of doing so.
Her dad was gone and became nothing but a shell of a man that lacked care and responsibility.
"Have you both thought that if Lycus truly wants Accalia by his side, he could very well start a fucking war over this if we fight against him!"
That statement strung a pang of repulsion into Accalia's stomach. He wouldn't do that. No way in hell. No Alpha would be willing to lose the lives of their pack members for the sake of a mate that is a hunter. Of all things Accalia knew, the Alpha wouldn't extend to those lengths for her.
"I doubt he'll be that persistent, Father," Accalia snapped.
"You forget, my daughter, Lycus Fenris is more beast than human."
Accalia flinched at that, knowing it to be nothing but the truth. Since her birth, Accalia Larren's life was sculpted by the hands of men and hunters. But now her livelihood is bound to a beast?
"Don't worry," Accalia uttered after a long moment, squinting her brows together to see if she'd truly go through with this. "I'll grab my stuff and leave seeing as you won't do anything about this."
William heaved a sigh, running a hand across his face as though he was talking to a wall. "Honestly, Accalia, I can't risk the lives of hunters for you. If it was any other Alpha, I would, but you decided to cross into his lands like a complete idiot. The disappointment I have for you ... you'll never know, girl."
It struck at her like a knife, wedging deeply into her chest and planted her feet to the ground, stunned. Those words embraced her with darkness. An inviting darkness that was absent of light and invaded her form with shadows.
"I would risk my life for Cadence, for Tristan, but not for you. You're nothing but weakness, Dad." Accalia snarled.
Accalia gave her father one more lasting look before gathering bearings, ready to head down the hall to pack the remaining belongings she has from this place.
But before she even took a step, William came at her with a raised hand and a sharp sting took claim to the side of her face, battering her lip to the upper cheekbone.
A hoarse cry cut through Accalia's throat like someone had choked her and she stumbled to the floor, darkness drawing over her.
——
I edited this as best as I could. I hope it's good.
Happy reading.
— Caranyx.