Accepting fate
~
Accalia
~
"I don't know what the fuck is up, Accalia. But these Thrax wolves — none are in the pack. They've changed direction and are heading north. Filthy mutts." Tristan barked into the phone angrily.
Accalia pulled her head away from the phone, still able to hear her brother's yelling and gave a fixed glance to Lycus who was intently listening to their conversation.
There had to be a reason the Thrax pack fled from their lands, what wolves leave and what Alpha would forsake their territory?
Whenever possible, when not snatching up werewolves, tracking them down, or outright killing them for biting humans to change them, Tristan had kept Accalia updated as much as he could.
But there were limitations to that. Accalia's father had kept Tristan busy every chance given, leading minor groups of hunters in taking the threat out and it left a gap of communication needing to be filled.
The law hunters live by had been double-crossed and they didn't want lycans fraternising with their plans on taking out the Thrax pack for what they had done. This was a hunter matter to deal with now.
Werewolves and lycans should not have the free will to bite and change whoever they want and get away with it.
These passing weeks, many Larren hunters — distant relatives and other recruiters have ensnared traps in the woodland, and local towns and have played at their cause in killing any werewolf willing to bite a human.
This was Zenith's calling, he asked for werewolves to change humans to further populate his pack for the war and it had to be stopped before the humans discovered what truly lurked within the shadows.
But with Adriana becoming a threat, Cole caged up and Thrax wolves changing course, something wasn't adding up and Accalia sensed it in her very bones.
She nodded at Tristan even though he couldn't see her and explained into the phone. "Tris, there's another enemy out there with an even bigger motive. Turns out, a vampire had been manipulating Thrax and Canus this entire time, playing at their desires. She wants revenge on Lycus."
Tristan groaned loudly into the phone, his repulsion towards the lycans clear as day. "What the fuck did your mate do now?"
Lycus rolled his eyes and glared at the device Accalia was holding.
"Imprison Rexton. A vampire by the name of Adriana wants Rexton and has wanted him for many years. Once she found out he was supposedly dead, she wanted revenge on Lycus for it and manipulated Cole and Zenith to do it."
"Fuck this fucking species, man. What does she want with Rexton?"
They hoped Erisa had found a reason.
"We don't know yet, it's obvious it has something to do with him being a hybrid, but with Cole in the dungeons—"
"Hold the fuck up, he's in the Fenris pack?"
"Yeah, we kidnapped him to get answers on what was blocking the memories Vaela was trying to see and it turned out to be a very old vampire named Adriana," Accalia explained quickly.
Silence fell on the other end and Accalia's heart accelerated, trying to hear her brother's voice.
"Tris—"
"Accalia, there are no wolves in the Thrax pack. I'm here with other hunters as we speak. No one in the pack houses, none fucking nowhere. You said Cole is locked up in the Fenris pack and a vampire wants Rexton but also wants revenge on Lycus. Accalia, what if the war is happening right now? Right under our noses and all of us have been caught up in the other details. What if we're being fucking side-tracked?"
The phone nearly slipped from Accalia's hands and Lycus was in front of her within a second, frowning at the words that came out of Tristan's mouth.
"The other packs have been alerted," Accalia informed her brother and stared deeply at Lycus. "We are preparing."
"Might not be enough, Sissy. Fuck it, I'm coming over there now. Make sure the patrollers let me in, I'm bringing others with me. This isn't an alliance, Accalia, but all of us have to take out the mutual enemy. We end this tonight."
The line went dead.
Accalia looked expectedly to Lycus, wanting the guidance of an Alpha to speak to her. "Are you okay with this?"
She wanted confirmation from her mate that the mutual decision for hunters to join the Fenris pack was what they needed.
Lycus leaned his forehead against Accalia's and she knew then that she didn't need to hear him say it.
Accalia released a strangled breath and wished nothing more but for this to last — for them to last.
"Lycus, I love you."
It wasn't forced out of her like it needed to be said before their lands became a battleground and all hell broke loose. Accalia uttered it because it felt right ... the scales had balanced and she could say it without tipping over. In her soul that tethered to his, it was enough.
Lycus had nothing to say, his lip shredding into a smile flamed with a lightness no one or nothing could extinguish and claimed her mouth with his.
"Alpha—" Tala called out through the house and her voice silenced into a muffled grunt. "Why does this always happen to me?"
Accalia laughed and pulled away from Lycus even though his lips continued to settle short kisses along the side of her face.
But Accalia's laughter drifted away like it was never there to begin with and she peered deeply at Tala's disconnected expression.
"Tala, what's wrong?" Accalia questioned and Lycus parted from her, staring at the Beta tensely.
Tala exhaled a shallow breath and balanced on the back of her heels, struggling to come up with an explanation. "I—I just got word from Gabriel's pack. There's been an attack."
Lycus was in front of Tala and grabbed her shoulders, his face becoming stricken. "What do you mean? Is Gabriel—"
"I don't know," Tala mumbled and her face shook. "The phone cut out before I could get anything else. It was the Beta reporting, not Gabriel. Not Nina."
It was happening. The set-up, being sidetracked with Cole and the beginnings of war — Tristan was right. This was occurring right under their noses, the Thrax fleeing their lands was intentional. Adriana is closing in on them.
"Contact the Jacian pack and get them over there now!" Lycus barked at the Beta.
Tala stumbled back, nodding at the Alpha before running out of the house, the door slamming behind her. A vicious and ferocious roar took haven across the entire pack, shaking the very window glass in the manor and Accalia knew that sound could only belong to Tala as she roared an alert to everyone.
Lycus whipped around, his eyes painted black as if he was going to shift. Accalia couldn't stop him. They would need the Alpha of Alphas.
"The Thrax pack must have gone after Gabriel's pack — they'd have no chance against you, Lycus," Accalia concluded and wiped her mouth shakily, thinking about Gabriel, thinking of Nina and their unborn baby.
Oh god, Accalia struggled to think, her head becoming heavy on her shoulders.
"The Jacian pack will make it over there," Lycus stated and nodded frequently at himself, needing to believe his words into existence. "Our pack wouldn't get there in time. We're too far apart. I'm too far from him."
Accalia bit her lip to conceal a cry that wanted to escape, but a door opened and slammed, boots scattering across the floorboards as two figures charged into the living room.
"We heard roars. What is going on?" Cadence demanded, stalking into the room.
Erisa stood by her side, shaken as ever and she made it evident it didn't go over well with Cole.
"Tristan is coming here with hunters. The Thrax pack aren't in their lands and Gabriel's pack was attacked. The roars were alerts, we have to prepare." Accalia exclaimed through a hazy vision.
"Cole made a threat. He said his wolves were coming tonight but that was pretty obvious, wasn't it?" Erisa voice rang through the house and no one said anything, knowing that all to be true.
They had three threats on their hands that all carved an alliance none of them was prepared for. They didn't anticipate the lengths Cole would go in achieving power even if it meant by connecting with a vampire. They had a mutual understanding of disliking Lycus and they both used that to their advantage.
Zenith was weak but cunning. He wanted what he could take and leave nothing in return. He would trade and betray — whatever worked in his favour. He would hate to work with others, especially something so unlike him, but would make it work to benefit him.
He was the easier target to take out, but they couldn't exactly go after him when Canus wolves were closing in on them, craving the slaughter.
"Where's the hybrid?" Cadence demanded.
Lycus gestured down the hall. "In his room. Why?"
Cadence scoffed angrily. "If this shit is going down, what if Adriana comes for him?"
"She most likely will." Rexton interrupted them and wandered by the door, towering above everyone at a great height.
Rexton ignored Cadence who was burning a hole in the side of his head.
"I heard you conversing earlier, we do not know if Gabriel is safe?" Rexton clarified, his face flickering with many different emotions that Accalia couldn't read.
Lycus looked away from his brother but confirmed with a nod of the head.
Rexton retreated, his head leaning to the doorframe for a short moment before he backed up against it and slowly slid down.
Accalia heard Lycus sigh and he stalked over to his little brother, bending down to level him. "Look at me, Rex," Lycus ordered softly.
The hybrid moved his head to meet his brother's face and tears gathered deep in his eyes.
"He's a lycan, a Fenris lycan, he's strong, Rexton," Lycus exclaimed.
"So are you, and yet, I see the fear in your eyes, brother."
Lycus peered at everyone around him, his gaze lingering on Accalia before turning back to Rexton. "I'm scared for all of us, Rex. I'm scared for you."
"Because someone is after me."
"Remember how I told you about the prophecies?" Rexton nodded at his brother and Lycus carried on, "Well, the oracle told me all sorts of things, but she also told me the power you have. Adriana wants it. She wants you, ever since you were born. I can't let that happen."
"Are you going to lock—"
"No!" Lycus exclaimed.
"Yes!" Everyone turned on Cadence. She wasn't bluffing, speaking of sarcasm, she was being deadly honest.
"Is she going to come for him, yes or no?" Cadence bellowed. "Could she?"
Lycus struggled with his words. "She will, one day or today. It's been said by an oracle."
"One day or today ..." Cadence said breathlessly and wiped her face, her nails clenching against her skin. "We have to lock him up. For his protection."
Lycus's expression warped with wrath and he shot up, sneering at her. "Are you fucked up in the head? I'm not doing that to him, I'll kill her myself if I have to."
"We know nothing about her! She could—" Cadence's shouts of reason wallowed away once Rexton spoke.
"Do you honestly hate me that much, Cadence?" Rexton questioned and slowly found his way off the floor, standing taller than before.
Cadence's face darkened and when she got in Rexton's face, Accalia could see the desperation seeping through her eyes, her internal pleas for all to be well. For him.
"I don't hate you. I can't stand you, I can barely tolerate you at times, but you are here and for some reason, I need that. Don't confuse all the hate I have within myself is hate toward you because it's not there. Not anymore." Cadence seethed and she tried not to choke on her words, take anything back even if a fragment of her heart revealed itself to him, for all to see.
"You don't hate me?" Rexton managed to ask, eyes rounded in mistrust even as his lips parted to spell out more words to ensure her honesty.
Cadence crossed her arms, face woven in annoyance. "Unfortunately."
That was enough to tip a slight smile across Rexton's lips, pinched at the edges with delight but quickly as it came, it faltered. His mouth tipped downward and Cadence strolled closer to him.
"But you're going to hate me," Cadence muttered and looked over her shoulder, to everyone that watched her intently, anticipating her next move. "Because we have to lock you up again."
Accalia grounded her teeth together, a resigned huff of disappointment leaving her mouth. "Cadence—"
"She knows he still lives! Vaela said it herself. She could be on her way here right now, she has two packs behind her and we still don't know what she wants with him. We can't take any chances, not now." Cadence shouted at Accalia, at everyone.
Rexton's lip trembled and his back found the wall, steering as far as he could from Cadence.
"Plea—please don't. I'll be good, I'll hide in my room — she won't take me." Rexton stammered and his eyes clouded in tears that dared to fall.
Cadence stepped up to him, but Rexton shrank back, his towering form cocooning into a size only wanting to hide and disappear from this world.
"Rexton," Cadence uttered.
He shook his head back and forth, his hands clutching the sides of his face as his features screwed up painfully and shudder waved through him in jolts.
"Please, Cadence. Don't do this. Nothing will happen. Nothing." Rexton mumbled, wiping at his face to see through his glassy vision.
Cadence clenched her jaw, turning her head away from him as she clutched the bridge of her nose.
"Something has already happened, we're all in danger, but you especially. You gotta know that." Cadence reasoned.
Lycus gripped Cadence's upper arm and slung her back, rounding on her with a grim sneer.
"She won't get to him!" Lycus yelled in the hunter's face. "He could fight her."
Cadence's features became grief-stricken and she flung her arm back, pointing a finger at Accalia. "That's what my family members used to say to us. Remember, Lilybelle? Our family, my parents and siblings thought no harm could come to them, with silver and sword they could win and you know what—" Cadence shoved Lycus at the chest with fury burning inside her and shouted, "They were still met with blood!"
The Larren hunter wiped her mouth, every part of her body shaking and wretched her dagger from her pocket, pointing it at Rexton. "He could be stronger or weaker than her — we don't know! Do you really want him going up against a vampire that drinks human blood daily and is centuries old? Rexton doesn't drink human blood, he's not at his full strength. We. Can't. Risk. It."
"I'm not doing that to him, not again," Lycus exclaimed. "I promised him."
Cadence looked past Lycus, centring her attention on Rexton, her mate and her face softened, allowing in whatever emotion that wanted to seep through her harsh indifference. It didn't last, her features hardening and before anyone caught on, she ripped an object from behind her and a yell wailed through.
How could the past be so cruel to rewrite itself?
Accalia covered her mouth with the back of her hand and her eyes circled on too many things at once.
Rexton managed to rip the dart out of his shoulder before his drowsy, fixating eyes found Cadence. His cries muffled into silent weeps of pain as he slumped against the wall, falling into unconsciousness. It was downright despair, utter betrayal shrouding him before he fell into his slumber.
"I made no promises." Cadence hissed at Lycus and slammed the tranquilliser onto the table. "I'm not losing anyone tonight, you get that?"
Rounding past him, Cadence swept to Rexton's limp side and gently clutched his head, checking him over with haunting eyes.
Accalia couldn't believe it, Cadence was touching him without malice or disgust.
Cadence was computing her actions with regret as she stifled a noise in the back of her throat and whipped back around to Lycus, her eyes shining glassy black.
"You got somewhere to put him? Another cellar? I'll make sure it's safely guarded, stakes and all." Cadence claimed sharply.
Lycus shifted on his feet and Accalia followed his every movement, ensuring he wouldn't do something drastic as Cadence had done.
Go for Cadence's throat, hurt her or lose all sense, Lycus looked to be at his end.
Against all considerations racing through Accalia's mind, Lycus mutely nodded and strolled over to scoop Rexton up.
"I know a place," Lycus drawled hoarsely to Cadence, not chancing a glance at his motionless brother and inclined his head to the back door. "Follow me."
His command rang no order over Erisa and Accalia, so they remained.
Cadence followed after him, swinging her dagger around as if an opposing wolf could jump at them at any chance as they slipped out of the house and crept by the bounds of the Fenris territory.
Accalia watched from ajar, noticing Lycus's enigma of wanting all to be well even if sacrifices had to be made and Cadence's realisation that this is what had to be done even if it didn't make it right.
But what could be right and what could be well in the chaos of war?
____
Do you think Cadence made the right call? I'm definitely on the fence about it.
— Caranyx.