"Durst, wake up!" I shake him again and he sits up quickly, looking at me in confusion.
"What's wrong?" He asks urgently.
"Danny's went to attack the rogues, he'll be back soon, we have to be ready." I say, but he's already sitting up and pulling his pants back on from the floor, as I leave the room.
I run to Owen's room, not turning on any lights as I go, just running in the dark. I knock, and then walk in. "What the hell Cora?" Owen exclaims, as him and Frea hold the blanket they're under up to their chins.
"Danny's fighting the rogues- we need to be ready when he comes back."
"Shit! Fucking aye! It's about time! Let's do this!" He says in excitement. I roll my eyes. His rush for possibly deadly experiences has always confused me.
"Just get dressed! We don't have much time!" I say, as I leave the room. When I get back into the hallway I see that Durst has woken Hunter and some of the other younger scouts up. I run to Dylan's room, as Hunter goes to Leon's room to wake him, and Heather, "Winny! Dyl!" I say, as I knock, and open the door, hoping for decently dressed friends. The baby fusses as I come in, so I pick her up, and bounce her lightly as I try to calm her with my Luna vibes, hoping the effects calm her quickly.
"What's going on?" Dylan asks as he stands. "Where's Danny?" He asks, and I know he can't feel him anymore either.
"He's leading the rogues here- we all need to be ready- go wake up Sam, talk to Durst- I have to go get the girls." I say as I hand Chan to a tired looking Winny, but she shakes her head.
"No, no, bring her to Brian, I need to help, Durst will be protecting the girls, so I know she'll be safer with them. It's my turn to help." She says, and I nod, and take Chan back. Winny kisses her forehead with tears streaming down her cheeks, and I give her a moment. "You'll be alright Chandler." She says.
Dylan walks over to us, and kisses Chan's cheeks. "Be a good girl for your Daddy, alright." He tells her, and she smiles back at him, still much too young to even realize there's something wrong.
"She'll be safe, promise." I say as I touch his shoulder, and he smiles.
"I know, even if you weren't trying to help me feel that way, I would know it Sis. We're gonna be alright." He hugs me. "My brother will take care of this, I know it, because I know how crazy he is about you- and about our whole family. Me and Winny are going to protect you with our lives- and he's going to do the same for us." He kisses Chan one more time. "Now go, I'll get Lucy and we'll send her over." He says, and I nod.
"I'll be back." I say, as I leave, going back down the hall, and into the living room where people were talking so loudly. Feeling so much.
"Cora! Take Chey for me, Dad went over there to check on the girls-"
"Here," I put her on my other hip, because she's sleeping, and Chan doesn't fuss, "give her a kiss." I tell my brother, but he half shakes his head.
"I'll see her in a few hours." He says, his riled up nature not settling for a moment. He's always been so passionate, and outgoing, and it always makes me feel so hesitant about his strength, and how much he trusts it so blindly.
"Just do it, for my sake." I groan, and he shrugs, and kisses her cheek, and then her forehead.
"See you soon baby girl, Daddy's got some rogues to kill, be good for Grandpa, little scout-" He says, and then he kisses my cheek, "- and tell your aunt to stop worrying about me." He chuckles, as I roll my eyes, and walk away. "Love you Cheyenne!" He calls, as he stops people from talking to me, by coming between us, and speaking louder than they're calling my name. I have to get to the other house, soon.
"Cora," my dad says my name as I walk into the kitchen and close the door behind me, "What's happening?" He asks, as he takes Cheyenne from me. Lavender comes up to me and grabs Chandler- who's hands instantly starts patting her aunts fuzzy hair. Lavender starts playing with her, but she's looking at me with worry as she takes a step back.
"Where's my brother?" She asks. "And where is Durst- what's happening-"
"Lavender, I need you to stay calm, okay?" I say, and she nods, but her facial expression doesn't change, and I can sense that she's angry. I promised myself I'd tell her what's happening, and now it seems I've run out of time. I just don't have the nerve. "Where are your sisters?"
"In the closet- in their room. I sensed Durst getting angry, or scared- I wasn't sure- anyway, I told the girls to hide in their rooms, and told Kaylee to stay in there with them. Then I came down here and Grandpa came and told me we need to get ready- what's happening-"
"Lavender. I really need you to be a big girl right now, and help me, so stay calm, promise me you can try, please."
"Yes, ma'am, I will- but please Luna, tell me what's happening," she says. My dad seems just as perplexed. I sigh.
"Danny went to lead the rogues-"
"What the f?!-"
"Lavender please!" I say sternly, as I hold my stomach, as it does nervous flips.
"He's going to take over, then turn against anyone who doesn't want to obey his orders. We need to be here to help him, because he's going to run them back here. I wasn't going to let him take on that many of them at once."
"Coralie this was a dumb idea-"
"It was Daniel's idea, dad, and you made him the Alpha for a reason. And I trust that. He wasn't going to let anyone stop him, because he never could- no one can ever tell Daniel what he can't do- because he can't help proving people wrong. So we need to help him. We need to back him up. We need to trust him." I say. Lavender nods.
"I'm in." She says. Brian laughs, and shakes his head.
"Me, too, cub- but if you're fightin'-" he hands Lavender Cheyenne, "- then so am I. What was that number again?"
"One hundred and twenty." I grumble as we chuckle in irony.
"What?!" Lavender almost yells. I hush her quickly.
"Don't worry Lavender- Grandpa always wanted to reach five hundred rogues, and I'm about thirty from my goal. I got a few more limbs I can live without, and with half my vision being twice as good as your mates hearing is, I think I can even out our numbers pretty well. So take care of the babies, and your sisters, and trust me and Durst will be right outside the house. And we aren't going to let anyone in." My dad says to Lavender, as her wide eyes grow more and more nervous.
"Yes Sir." Lavender says in a shaky voice. "Just- just keep Durst safe Grandpa. And try not to lose your other hand you old dog- I still want to beat you at arm wrestling some day. Just wish I was old enough to help more." She says as she looks at me. "Stay safe." She says, as she comes up to me, and I hug around her and the babies. I kiss each of their foreheads. "I'll try to keep the others calm, they don't need to know how bad it is."
"You're strong enough for all of them Lavender." I tell her, now more then ever I sense the same spirit she shares with her brother.
"I know." She chuckles. "Kaylee is a wreck enough as it is," She says with another roll of her eyes. "I'll take them to-"
"No, don't tell me, move to a room and don't tell anyone where you are. Danny is still our Alpha, so if we link up with the rogues I don't want Danny knowing where you are."
Lavender swallows hard again, and I see her fear return. "I'll get Danny back." I tell her. She nods.
"I know." She says, "love you guys." She says, as she goes up the stairs. My dad looks at me.
"You should stay in the house, too."
"Dad, I have to be near Danny when he comes back, I'm his anchor," I say, but his face is still worried.
"I can't lose you kid."
"You won't." I promise. He nods.
"Can't change your mind, can I?" He sighs. I shake my head.
"Nope." I say, ignoring my tears, because I don't want him to think I'm as worried as I feel. I want to be strong, too. "I'm all in for sure, Daddy." I say with a nod.
"I know. You always loved that boy more than air itself, I could tell, the moment I saw you running towards him. I knew you weren't my little girl anymore. Just stay close to me, I still want to be your Dad. I want to protect you, the same way he does."
"It's my turn to protect you Dad, I'm the Luna, I'm strong, and I have to do it." I say. He sighs. He touches my shoulders.
"Okay, pup, be safe." He says. I give him a big hug, and he lifts me in his embrace, before setting me back down. For a moment the days where I would ride on his back through the forest flashed through my memory, and I held onto that small moment as long as I could.
"Protect my girls." I tell him, as he follows me out to the yard again.
"I will!" He calls, and when I turn around I see Durst coming from the other house, and running across the field towards me.
"We're all ready." He says.
"You guys have to know-"
"Know what-"
"Danny is going to be different, he won't be himself, we have to be careful not to hurt anyone who might want to fight to come back- and to be part of our pack. Danny isn't- he isn't-"
"I know Cora, we all feel it already... We sense it like a dark cloud is lingering around us... He isn't himself anymore, is he?"
"Barely. We'll just have to be ready to remind him of who he really is. My dad is ready to plan how you'll protect the house. We need to change in ten minutes- tops." I tell him. He nods. "Then I'm heading out with the others." I say in finality, as I walk back to the other house.