Looking out of the window in our office I watch as pack members pass by carry backpacks and duffle bags with worry written all over their faces. My stomach churns with guilt knowing this is my fault. Maybe if I hadn't went to that first council meeting everything would be okay, but I wouldn't have met Quentin which is something I could never ever regret. Sitting here going through the last few months of decisions trying to pinpoint a moment that might have change this outcome isn't helping, but we have to wait for everyone to be gathered outside to hold one last pack meeting before we split everyone up.
"Everyone is ready." Oliver knocks on the open door cutting me from my destructive thoughts. His voice is solemn and his eyes dull with dark circles under them. He's been quiet and distant from everyone since last night when him and Emma decided that she'd stay in Jasper's pack with Otis. I pulled him aside this morning letting him know that he could stay with them if he wanted, but he told me he'd never let his brother fight this battle alone.
"We'll be down in a minute." Quentin stands up from his chair as Oliver leaves the room and walks over to me holding his hand out for me to take. Slipping my hand is his I let him pull me up and wrap his arms around my waist. "I love you." He whispers leaning his forehead against mine.
"I love you." I close the millimeters of distance between our lips showing him just how much I love him before pulling away to head for the door.
"Wait." He intertwines our fingers stopping me. "I wanted to wait until we could have a day to spend just you and me, but it looks like that won't happen for a while and I can't wait that long." His silver eyes shine as he pulls a small flat square box out of his pocket. "Open it." He places the box in my hand smiling excitedly.
I hold my breath while slowly opening the soft velvet box. Inside laying delicately on the satin interior is a small silver letter "Q" charm. I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face because over the past few months I've been wanting to find a charm for my bracelet that represents Quentin in some way, but with all the chaos I kept forgetting.
"I love it! Thank you so much." I wrap my arms around his neck pulling him down into a heated kiss. His hands grip my hips lifting me up and setting me down on the desk. Using all my self control I place my hand flat on his chest and push him back slightly. "They need us." I remind him of our pack waiting anxiously downstairs. "Can you help put it on?" I don't think I could leave the room without wearing his charm even if I tried.
"Of course." He takes the box from me as I unclasp the bracelet holding it in my palm as he carefully slips the charms on next to the others. It fits in perfectly complimenting the rest of the charms beautifully.
"It's perfect." I mummer sliding the bracelet back onto my wrist. His eyes sparkle as he smiles down at me taking my hand in his. "Let's go." I sigh jumping down from the desk wishing none of this was going down so we could stay huddled in our own bubble.
The walk down stairs is a short one, but it feels as if with every step my heart pounds harder and faster. Squeezing Quentin's hand one last time we step out the back door of the pack house, but I can't bring myself to smile knowing it won't be genuine.
"Thank you everyone for gathering on such short notice." Quentin takes the lead with the introduction. Emma and Oliver stand to our left and Carl and Jasper to our right. As defiant as he is about keeping a low profile I'm still going to keep as much attention off of him as possible in hopes that the council doesn't catch wind of his presence. "Despite many attempts of negotiations and working with other packs, the council among a few others have overtaken Mystic Rivers pack." Quiet chatter spreads through the crowd like wild fire, and fear washes over the pack in waves. I step forward to gain their attention again, and force a smile trying to lighten the mood.
"I never told any of you this, but I was terrified to become your Luna. Growing up as the daughter of two Alphas you would think I would have been ready for such a role but I wasn't." I snort remembering the first few days of quiet introductions and nervous conversations. Quentin frowns out of the corner of my eye, and I know he's confused considering the fact I'm winging it right now. "It wasn't because I was scared of having such a high title, or the fact that I was moving away from my family. It's because I knew how much you all had been through, and how tough you all are for coming out of it stronger than ever before." I take a second to catch my breath and look out at all the faces of the people who I've grown accustomed to seeing everyday. I'll be damned if anyone is going to take this away from me. In this moment I know that I will do whatever it takes to make sure they can come back home within the week and not have to fear living their day to day lives any longer.
"I'm not going to lie to you and say the next few days are going to be a walk in the park because they won't, but there isn't a single doubt in my mind that we can overcome this together. Unfortunately it is going to come down to a fight, but we have many other packs who are going to be fighting along side us. As for those who can't fight you will be moved to an undisclosed neutral territory for your own safety." I motion for Jasper to step forward. I'm hoping if they hear from him it will put at least some of their worries to rest. "This is Conner, and he helped get the area set up for your arrival." I step back as Jasper walks forward with a raised eyebrow.
"A fake name, really?" He whispers so the crowd can't hear him. Quentin is even bitting back his smile at my attempts to conceal Jasper's identity, but I'm putting my foot down on this.
"I told you that I would do everything in my power to keep you as out of this as I could." He rolls his eyes shaking his head with a hint of a smile peaking out.
"Hi everyone, as Luna Tessa said my name is Conner." Jasper's voice cracks at the end causing Quentin to snicker next to me. I reach over pinching him in the thigh making him shut up. "Keeping the location of the hide out secret is solely for your own safety so that our enemies can't find it either. I will be escorting everyone who cannot fight along with Carl and a few other warriors, and once we get there each person will be assigned a bed. Please feel free to ask anyone up here if you have any questions." His crooked smile seems to help ease the tensions a bit, and unfortunately I can hear the whispers as well as see the curious looks he's getting. He turns nodding to Quentin and I before moving back next to Carl who gives him a hidden fist bump.
"This fight is going to be brutal and bloody, so no one will be forced to fight even if you are a warrior. The decision is in each of your hands, and we won't judge you no matter which you choose. We leave in a half an hour, so you have a bit of time to talk with your families and friends. Lastly I want to thank you for the opportunity to be your Alpha. You welcomed not only me but also my brother back with opened arms when we might have been a bit young to run the pack. You were patient, understanding, and so accepting. I'm beyond proud to be your Alpha, and I will be just as proud by this time next week." I swallow the lump in my throat blinking the tears away. Quentin some how found a away to say goodbye without panicking the pack. Our fate is up in the air and this could very well be the last time we are gathered here together.
"I need to tell you all something." I blurt out. Quentin steps to the side, and tries to catch my eye but I keep my gaze locked on the crowd. He's probably extremely confused at the moment but he'll understand in a second. "It's about my mom." All the chatter dies down and the silence makes me start second guessing myself. Do I really want to tell them?
Suddenly Quentin slips has hand in mine interlacing our fingers, and squeezing twice letting me know he's right here if I need him. I look up at him my eyes connecting with his hypnotic silver ones, and I can see the love and adoration swirling in his irises. It's all the support I need to continue on.
"It's blatantly obvious that I'm adopted, and most of you know that my mom lived in Black Moon and died in an attack fifteen years ago. Since than my family has tried to find out about her life before she moved to Black Moon, but always came up empty handed. Yesterday I found out more about my mother's story, and it's something that I want you to hear from me not anyone else." I frown angry at the fact that in a way I'm being forced to tell her story when I haven't fully processed it myself.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to. They will understand." Quentin leans over whispering in my ear while I fiddle with my bracelet rubbing my fingers over the "L" charm that represents my mother. Shaking my head at him I stand up straight and just let she words flow from my mouth.
"My mom lived in Dark Mountains while Blake Hale was still Alpha." I hold my breath waiting for the backlash, but it never comes. Some gasp in shock, others frown looking off into the distance clearly still processing it all, and lastly a select few's faces screw up in disgust. I take the silence as an opportunity to continue and answer some questions before they are thrown my way.
"She wasn't born there, but moved there when she was old enough. She left shortly after becoming pregnant with me, and from the looks of it never actually worked for Blake." It's the one bright side to all this that I keep clinging onto. I don't really remember my mom, but the people that do have never said a bad thing about her. She was a kind hardworking woman who loved me until the end, and I have a feeling even now she's up there with the Moon Goddess keeping a watchful eye on me.
"Who was your dad?" An older man near the front of the crowd asks looking a bit upset. Blake made many enemies during his life, and I wouldn't be surprised if he found a way to terrorize this pack back then either. The attitude shifts from shocked to brewing anger.
"One of Blake's warriors." I let out a shaky breath bitting my lip as my eyes tear up again. My mom never got to meet her mate because an asshole took that away from her. My heart breaks thinking about how she never got the opportunity to meet her mate, and experience the sheer happiness they bring into your life. Sure Quentin and I have had our ups and downs, but there's never been a second where I wished I didn't meet him.
"It wasn't her mate." I shut my eyes for a second and curse the lone tear that I feel sliding down my cheek. "She never got to meet her mate because they killed her." I cry as all those nightmare I had come flooding back to me, and how Della thought I was seeing how she died. Were those really her last few moments? Goddess I hope not, but deep down I know they were. "She was truly an amazing person, who didn't deserve her fate, and all I ask is that you not let this little bit of information twist your view of her." The tears pour down my face at this point and I don't try to wipe them because it wouldn't help.
"Your mother did what ever mother would have done darling, so don't apologize on her behalf because every mother understands what she was thinking." A sweet old woman, who I know works as a nurse, speaks up as a chorus of agreements ring throughout the crowd.
"Thank you." I whisper my voice gravely from the large lump still lodged in my throat. Taking a second to compose myself I look over to Oliver and Emma and see her discreetly wiping away her own tears. "I didn't want to turn this meeting so dark, but it's important to me that you all know you can trust me. I promise that each and every one of you are my biggest priority everyday when I wake until I fall back asleep and repeat the process. Well maybe Quentin's that one exception." I smile up at him, and he pulls me into his side planting a kiss on the top of my head.
"This isn't just a war or a battle. We are living through a revolution, which will end in the destruction of the system we've known our whole lives. Either we rebuild from the ground up to make a better society for the generations after us, or die trying. We are Silver Dawn Pack, the pack who rose from the ashes when others tried to destroy us. Together we will overcome this challenge like everything else thrown our way, and prove we are a force to be reckoned with." Quentin's voice grows louder and more powerful with each word, which electrifies the atmosphere of the pack. It's the perfect note to end of on, and I couldn't have done it better myself. The pack starts to disperse into groups throughout the backyard preparing to leave soon.
"We should go grab our bags." I tug on Quentin's hand pulling him to the side stairs. In hind sight we should have brought them with us to the pack house this morning, but I wanted to have a moment to our selves just in case the pack meeting hadn't gone as well.
It takes us a few minutes to get through the crowd not that I'm complaining. I got to thank and hug the woman that spoke up in my mother's defense, and answer a few more questions about how the set up of our camp will be. Once we get to the outer section on the crowd I'm shocked to see who's standing off to the side.
"Asher!" I smile rushing over and pulling him into a hug. He chuckles squeezing me tight before stepping back and wrapping an arm around his mate, who I didn't even notice before. I'm not sure how considering she so far along in her pregnancy. "Hi Stephanie." I greet her hugging her from the side steering clear of her stomach worried I'll hurt her some how, or pregnancy will somehow be contagious.
"Sorry to show up without warning, but I wanted to ask Jasper a few questions about where she'll be staying as well as see it for myself." I nod completely understanding where he's coming from. I can't image how hard the separation will be especially knowing both could be vulnerable at any moment on top of their child's safety.
"It's completely fine. The pack still need a bit of time before they leave, so you can wait with Carl. We have to go grab our stuff, so we'll meet up with you guys in a little bit." They walk off towards the back door where Carl stands protectively watching over everyone.
"Are you worried about Oliver?" I finally ask as we near our house far away from the pack house. Emma and Oliver both decided that it was best for Otis's sake that Emma stays with him in Jasper's pack, and Oliver fight with us. It's been weighing on me all day especially when I see the anguish in their eyes as the clock gets closer to our departure time. I hate that they are not the only family in this position, and many are making that same choice as we speak.
"A part of me does but than the other part of me know how strong they both are, and if that were us I would make the same choice." He admits opening our front door and holding it open for me. I walk to our bedroom and sling my backpack over my shoulder as Quentin picks up our shared duffel bag of clothes.
"We can do this." It's supposed to be a statement but it comes out more as a question. My nerves are starting to get the best of me as I overthink every choice I've made up until this point. Was this inevitable, or could I have stopped this from happening earlier? Quentin walks around the bed to where I'm standing and takes my face into his hands.
"I don't want to stroke our egos but you've been through some shit and so have I. Do you honestly think a handful of narcissistic assholes are going to break us down?" I giggle at his blunt tone. "I know Della tells you to trust your gut all the time, so I'm going to let you in on a secret." He winks lowering his voice to a breathily whispers. "It's going to be fine." He leans down capturing my lips with his letting me forget just for a split second the world around us.
It's refreshing to hear how optimistic he is about our fate, but I don't have the heart to damper his mood and tell him how twisted up in knots my stomach is. He's right Della does always say trust your gut and it warms my heart to know he listens even when he doesn't show it. The problem is I don't know who's gut to trust his or mine, and unfortunately I don't have time to dwell on it because we need to leave to head to the very place that could be the setting of the end of our story.
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Song: Until We Go Down by Ruelle
I'm so sorry for the late update. I've been working on book one of the other series (the one unrelated to this one) for the past few days and hadn't realized how little I had written for this chapter. On the bright side I did start working on the third book. It wasn't much only a few hundred words, but it got me excited to start a new chapter (no pun intended) on the journey of this series. As promised the next and final book in this series will be told from.... Victoria's perspective! I can't wait to develop and expand on her as a character as well as those around her. I don't want to say too much and accidentally spoil anything left in this book, but it's going to be good, I promise. I also want to give everyone a pre-warning, the rest of the book is going to be pretty heavy, so if it's too much at the moment don't feel obligated to read it. Take your time and go at your own pace because you mental health is more important, and the book will be here when you are ready. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and if you did don't forget to vote and comment. Stay safe and healthy! Until next time.
~Stella Gordon