Warm sun rays melted the snow, fostering the blossoming of the first spring flowers.
The pack was returning to the camp and this time you were sharing your cart with all of your children, spending and enjoying precious time you had wasted, allowing them moments with you, their mother, you had deprived them of because this aspect of life was too unfamiliar and unknown.
You could see it, in their eyes, always sparkling with sheer happiness, their smiles that threatened to split their small faces, their gestures, how they would cuddle you and rub their faces against your body just like the way Taehyung was in the habit of doing; you could see they were glad to have found you again and how much they craved your presence, your voice, your touch.
Simply you.
Although you had sworn yourself to show equal amount of love to your three children, you could not refrain from feeling a particular connection with your youngest who had spent the whole journey stuck to you because you felt better this way and something within you was seemingly telling you he felt the same. Just like you were sure your two eldest must had a singular relationship with Taehyung because of their similar genes.
Your daughter had laid her head on your lap and you were gently stroking her hair when you felt the cart slowing down. You pulled on the curtain to glance outside.
A frown creased your forehead when you saw the camp or what seemed to remain of it.
Taehyung opened the door when the cart stopped. He helped your two children down and you followed suit, still carrying your baby in your arms.
The beautiful, light and flowery scenery of the citadel had nothing to do with the state of the camp.
A dark smokey cloud seemed to come out of the coal-looking ground that seemed to have been burnt. The tents were sacked, their fabrics either burned or torn apart, the pieces of wood that held them up were in shreds. The plantations were ruined and nothing close to comestible could come out of them. The godown that sheltered all the wood, food and other goods the pack had worked diligently to gather and save had become a wreckage, a pile of ashes that spun in the air with every gust of wind.
Whoever had done that had left a long time ago but the unsettling feeling of death was still reigning.
While slowly walking among the debris, you adjusted the scarf covering your babyson to protect him from harmful fumes and made sure to follow the safe path Taehyung was creating ahead of you, holding your children's hands behind him.
He came to a standstill.
"What happened ?" You quietly asked, your eyes still looking around you in horror.
Your husband remained silent and resumed walking to where you recognized as the path to your tent.
At first glance, there were no clues that pretended that someone had damaged your home but the more you kept looking and drawing yourself close, the foreigner the place became to you.
The flowers you had once planted had been threaded on, the colored glass Taehyung used to cut as a pastime and hang in front of the entrance so colourful sun rays would illuminate the inside was now shattered in spiky fragments.
Carefully climbing the couple of stairs leading to the inside, angered bubbled within you when you saw the complete shambles. Disgust overcame you.
The place you had taken time to consider as somewhere safe, somewhere you could eventually call home, the place where you children would grow in had been spoiled to the ground.
Taehyung must have felt your uneasiness and came closer. His hand gently grasped onto your neck and he pressed his lips to your temple.
"It doesn't matter," he whispered, comforting. "Nothing happened to us."
A cry was heard in the distance. It sounded heart-broken and chills ran down your spine.
"I'll go. Stay here with them." You nodded at him and he walked away.
You looked back at the disorder. You felt tiny hands fisting your pleated dress and met the scared eyes of your children who had huddled around you. You mustered the most reassuring smile you could and caressed their hands gently but you did not know who you were trying to ease the most.
The two small children did not leave your sides while you looked for a proper and comfortable piece of furniture where they could seat while you would tidy up the place a little.
You busied yourself with moving lighter objects, piling them in one place in the tent when you heard your son calling for you.
You wiped the sweat off your forehead as you walked towards the entrance where two werewolves were patiently waiting, a grim look on their faces. They were pulling a large wheelbarrow behind them which served to collect and transport all the rubble.
They offered to help you to move the broken contents all the way from the tent to the wooden pushcart which you gladly accepted and in no time at all the tent was bereft of almost everything that was once decorating it.
"Here," suddenly spoke up one the woman, "to make up for your bedding in the meantime."
She gave you three heavy haystacks and some linen sheets to cover them with.
"Oh, uh- thank you." You offered a small crooked smile, accepting the gifts with open arms. You hesitated for a few seconds, "Has this ever happened before?"
"More than once." She huffed while throwing handfuls of bits and pieces and rubbed her dusty hands in the air. "It's always the same old story."
Her companion nodded his head at you and effortlessly lifted the bars of the barrow to head to the next tent.
You walked back inside, your children still waiting where you left them. They watched you as you scattered evenly the hay where the bed previously was.
Your baby son began fussing in between his siblings when you were close to finish preparing. You invited your children to come lay on the newly made bed while you went to look for pillows or substitutions. A contented sigh escaped you when you situated three large cushions hidden in the corner of the wardrobe, the sole piece of furniture that had survived the ransacking.
You gave the fluffy cushions to your children and went to carry your baby who was crying loudly and waving his tiny limbs beneath in the cloth you had wrap him in.
You positioned yourself comfortably on the bed as well to get ready to breastfeed. You undid the buttons of your shirt and lowered your small-cloth underneath it to uncover your swollen breast.
Your son made a sad little whimpery sound before he felt the warmth of your skin and the contact of your nipple nudging his mouth on which he latched his mouth eagerly.
You had grown fond of staring at the circular motion your baby made while suckling you; you would never be tired of watching it. You gently ran the pad of your finger above his chubby cheek and thin hair while his tiny chin moved up and down and his throat gulped down your milk.
You had missed this with your two first but you were set on relishing the tender moment with him as a compensation.
When Taehyung had pushed the fabric of your tent, the display he saw was enough to make the frown distorting his features soften and almost make him forget about the triste event.
He was surprised to see that all the rubbish had been removed and replaced with a commodious and snug looking-like bed. He paused gazing lovingly at you smiling down at your youngest son and at your children who were watching him with curious eyes. Your daughter had pressed herself closer to you, near her younger brother's head which she was gently pecking.
The wooden step cracked underneath Taehyung's foot and all the three of you looked up at him. He drew closer and kneeled down on the linen sheets to crawl to you. He kissed the top of your children's heads, their faces lit up when they saw him.
He kissed your baby's cheek and marvelled at him the same way you did.
You liked the look etching on his face, it made his usual sharp-looking features appear gentler.
You opened your mouth knowing you would bring that blissful expression to an end, "What's wrong ?"
A muscle in his jaw tightened and a deep sigh escaped him. He sat back on his heels.
"They maimed the Luna."
You frowned and tilted your head, "What ?"
"She's blind now and her body has deep cuts." Taehyung stared for a long time at your baby as you sank in the horrid news.
"Why didn't she come with us ?"
"She wanted to stay with the Old Wolf."
You remembered when he had told you before you had left that the Old Wolf never went to the citadelle to protect and keep an eye on the camp.
"How is she ?"
"She's minor injuries." He replied quietly.
Something must have gone wrong.
You hesitated before speaking again, "How is he ?"
"Devastated. Enraged. Desolated," guessed Taehyung moving to sit next to you where your daughter was before joining her brother in one corner of the tent to play together. "She means everything to him. Just as much as you to me."
You looked back down at your baby.
You had not the faintest idea what the Alpha going through. What could his lycan make him feel at the sight of his mutilated mate ?
As you looked and listened to Taehyung, you felt like he was affected by it too.
"I don't know how I'd feel if someone ever harmed you," suddenly trailed off Taehyung. You looked up to meet his hard gaze.
"Is it the same thing you told me about ? About the reasons behind abductions ?"
Taehyung's head subtly nodded.
"I want to talk to him."
"Give him some time. You can try tomorrow. He doesn't want to see anyone."
"Of course," you mumbled. "We need to get some food."
______________________________________________________
Everyone had woken up early to resume repairing the encampment and get rid of any traces of those who had violated it.
While you were getting yourself in new clothes, you had received the Old Wolf in your tent. She probably wanted to see if you were still alive. She spent some time with Taehyung as he showed her your baby, taking a closer look at him as he told her everything about his birth.
She offered to look after the children when you asked Taehyung if the Alpha would be able to receive you. You kindly accepted.
You walked side by side towards the largest tent and Taehyung moved ahead when you reached its steps. He peeked his head inside while you waited patiently behind him.
The tent was dimly lit inside and had become bare of any furniture just like yours. The Luna was lying on a single bed, her eyes banded with a white cloth.
"Taehyung ?" Her voice was weak and hoarse when she recognized your husband's smell.
"Good morning," he replied. "Do you know where he is?"
"I think," she swallowed thickly. "I think he's outside."
"Alright, thank you." Taehyung turned around and took your hand to bring you to the only other place he knew where he would be. You followed silently.
The tent he took you to was smaller. Again, Taehyung looked inside first and after a few seconds, he prompted you into entering.
The Alpha was sitting behind a large table, fists joined against his mouth, his gaze darker than you had ever seen before.
"I was wondering who were the people behind this..." You hesitated, looking carefully at him. "I know they are humans but-"
"I found this. They put it around my wife's finger," he suddenly spat, throwing a small object that Taehyung was quick enough to catch. "Surely after those flaming swines branded her neck."
He looked at it while giving it to you. You rolled it in your palm, it looked like a ring. You frowned to decipher the blazon etched onto it.
"What is it?" Prodded Taehyung when he saw the crease in your forehead smoothing out, earning the Alpha's attention.
"Do you know the ones who did that ?"
Your voice was barely above a whisper, "I... do."
This could not be.
"Of course you would," the Alpha continued to say as if he had put the pieces of the puzzle together. He stood up and circumvented the table to get closer to you. "You are the one we've abducted from the castle."
You looked back at him with suspicion, suddenly regretting coming to him but also wondering what he would do with that piece of information.
"I am. The King is my father."
His eyes illuminated a second time,"then we might have an advantage on them. For the war."
"The war ?" Frowned Taehyung. "Are we going to fight them ?"
"For fuck's sake Taehyung! Don't act like it surprises you! I can't let them get out of this without retaliation!" He suddenly roared, grasping onto your husband's shoulders. "Have you seen her ? Have you seen what they did to her ?"
You could see the desperation and rage in his eyes.
"Tell me! What would you do if ______ was the one hurt!"
Your gaze drifted quickly to Taehyung when his jaw tightened and you noticed his eyes shifting into a golden color.
"Then you understand me," the Alpha sighed when he walked away to sit back on his chair.
Taehyung pinched his lips, "I was just thinking that there might be a way to settle this without involving innocent people, the ones we care about."
"Don't think it doesn't sadden me," the older man breathed. "But this has gone on long enough. It seems like they have acquired more performant weapons and tools. I'll put an end to it and you will help me. End of discussion."
Taehyung turned towards you and looked down at his hands locking with yours, his face sporting a frustrated frown. He obviously was against war but above all against the odds that turned the chances of you not getting involved in these conflicts incredibly negligible.
"Maybe we could strike up a conversation," you advise looking at the Alpha. "To begin with ?"
Taehyung looked at him with renewed hope, wishful the man would accept your sensible suggestion.
You begged again when the Alpha remained skeptical, "please, let me talk to them and work a solution out of it. If this means reducing the risks for anyone to get hurt."
"Alright," he finally replied, gaze unwavering. "Only this one chance. If you fail..."
"Thank you," you knowingly nodded your head once.
"You will leave in seven days. It'll leave me enough time to call other packs." He mused to himself. "Bring Taehyung with you."
"I never had the intention of letting her go on her own," confessed your husband.
_______________________________________________________________
In the meantime, you tried not to think too much about the meeting and favored focusing on your family.
The thought did not entirely leave your mind and you would often struggle against your restless brain because of the pressure you were putting on yourself. The blood of hundreds of innocents could end up on your hands if you failed talking to the royal family.
You did not expect the Queen and your father to be among the lycans' rivals.
You began to wonder if other people prior to you and known to them had ever been victims or even become werewolves. You doubted that possibility because you had not heard the words lycan or werewolf nor any mentions of rapt but the Queen must have forbidden those terms in her walls and probably punished anyone who ever mentioned the matter.
One thing you were sure of was the attack had not happened because of your absence. No, you had understood it all well when you paid the castle an extemporaneous visit with Jimin. The Queen did not fret about you or your condition or whatever could have happened to you and your father probably could not even input his opinions on the matter.
You were alright with it. You would forgive him. Both of them. Because even if you were everything but enthusiastic at the thought of living here with people and customs so different than anything you had ever encountered in your short life, you had acquired things you were positive you would not have found if you had stayed at the castle.
Looking at your children often made you think, you had eventually reached a semblance of happiness everyone else aimed to get and you were satisfied with it. It did not turn out what you had initially thought it would end up to be but it was alright and you would settle for it.
For as long as the little time you had left would allow you to.
The Old Wolf had not entirely recovered from her injuries to practise her witchcraft yet and this disturbed Taehyung a little. As days would pass and despite all your comforting words assuring him you were feeling alright, his worry would only grow.
It was as if he could see it happening, you seemed to move slower than before, tend to forget natural habits and he could not get why you refused to eat when you were only getting weaker. Food had become insipid in your mouth and you only fed yourself to keep producing milk for your baby but in other circumstances you simply would not have.
Whenever Taehyung's gaze would linger on you and he would see you being so still, it looked as if you froze in time, an immobility suitable to a carved statue, different from anything he had ever come across. Almost anything.
He needed answers.