In all her life, Rowena had never seen such devastation. The once green and vibrant forest had been transformed into a grim battlefield. The air was filled with the stench of death and the metallic smell of blood. In addition, the sounds of roars and howls echoed, shattering the silence of the night.
Countless victims had fallen. There were so many that Rowena couldn’t bear to look. Especially when she realized that someone she loved so much had fallen victim to the war.
Rowena closed her eyes. She could no longer hold back her tears as she saw Ivan’s lifeless body lying rigid on the ground. Her heart was filled with agonizing pain. Regret filled her mind. If only I had forbidden you to join the battle, Ivan. Perhaps none of this would have happened.
No, Rowena said in her heart. She quickly pushed the thought out of her mind. She knew that Ivan would always be a warrior. No matter what happened, Ivan would always fight to defend the glory of the Frostholm Pack.
Rowena’s sadness was interrupted by a sudden wave of worry. She realized that Ivan was not the only werewolf willing to sacrifice his life for the pack; her daughter was, too. “Vione.”
Rowena had been thinking about Vione since the Nimbria Pack launched their first attack yesterday. Her concern for Vione had been so intense that Ivan’s death had momentarily distracted her. Now, as she came to her senses, her concern for Vione’s safety had intensified.
“Please, God,” Rowena prayed, gazing far into the distance. She hoped to see Vione safe and sound. “Protect Vione.”
Rowena’s prayer echoed with desperation and fear. She kept asking God to bring Vione back to her safely and unharmed.
As time passed, Rowena’s hope began to fade. Especially when she saw from afar that Frostholm Palace was in flames. The flames were licking and towering high, creating a terrifying scene.
Rowena clutched her chest. She shook her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her face. “Please, Vione. You must survive. You…”
Rowena’s words were cut off. Her expression changed as she felt another sensation. Her eyes widened and she ran quickly, looking up.
The magical barrier Rowena had created to protect the Frostholm Pack seemed to tremble slightly. Blue cracks appeared and disappeared in a second.
Rowena’s hope was rekindled. No one could disturb her magic, especially the barrier, unless they had a connection to her.
“Vione!”
Rowena could not hold back. She screamed as she saw Vione in her large, silver-white haired wolf form running towards her. As soon as they met, Rowena hugged Vione.
“Mama,” Vione gasped as she returned to her human form. She hugged Rowena just as tightly. “Usher, he…” She tried to finish her words, but couldn’t. “Everything is destroyed. Even Papa….”
Rowena tightened her hug and Vione gave in. The tears she had held back so as not to appear weak in front of the pack finally overflowed. She cried, and there was nothing Rowena could do because she felt the pain as well.
It took a long time for Vione and Rowena to comfort each other. They were both grieving the loss of their loved ones. They were hurt and sad, but God did not give them much time to mourn their fate.
Vione took a deep breath. Her emotions were still tumultuous, but she knew she had to act quickly. She had to think and find a way out of this chaos. She would not allow the Nimbria Pack to defeat her.
The first thing Vione asked, once she had regained some control over her emotions, was about the condition of the evacuees. Unfortunately, Rowena’s answer offered little comfort.
“There are too many wounded, Vione. It seems most of them won’t last much longer.”
Vione’s eyes closed dramatically. The regret and guilt in her heart grew. She blamed herself for not being able to protect the pack. She was a Luna, like a mother to children, she should have been able to protect them all.
“This is not your fault, Vione,” Rowena said after a moment. It wasn’t hard for her to sense Vione’s thoughts. She squeezed Vione’s fingers, trying to comfort her. “You did everything you could, but not everything is out of your control.”
Vione knew that, but it was still hard to shake the regret and guilt. “I’ll see how they are.”
Together, Vione and Rowena inspected the condition of the evacuees in the tents. Berg joined them, reporting various details, including the rising death toll.
“Is there a serious shortage of medical personnel, Berg? Can’t the evacuated Omegas take care of the wounded?”
Berg replied, “The Omegas have tried, Luna. They have used all their abilities, but the victims cannot be saved. The medicines seem to be ineffective. Their wounds are getting worse, and what’s strange is that their ability to heal themselves seems to have vanished.”
“What do you mean?” Vione asked, confused. Then her eyes widened. “Are you saying that…”
A scream echoed. Vione turned and hurried to a tent. She entered, and the horrible sight made her shudder.
“Addy!”
Vione rushed to Addy, her eyes widening. Addy’s abdomen was severely ripped, and his intestines were exposed. “O-oh, God.”
“Lu-Luna.” Addy gasped, looking in great pain, his eyes losing focus. He couldn’t see Vione clearly. “I-is that you, Luna?”
Vione quickly sat down beside Addy and took his hand. “Yes, it’s me.”
Addy smiled. “Thank God,” he whispered, fighting the pain. “I can see you in my last moments.”
Vione shook her head. “No, Addy. You’re going to be fine. Scott will operate on you. The Omegas will take care of you. So don’t talk nonsense.”
“Th-thank you, Luna, but I don’t think I can make it.” Addy tried to keep talking as his lungs struggled to breathe. “My wounds are too severe, and I think I should stay with Hilary.”
At that moment, Vione could no longer hold back her tears. Her vow to remain strong in front of her pack crumbled in an instant. Especially when she turned around and saw Hilary’s lifeless form.
“I’m sorry, Addy.” Vione squeezed Addy’s hand, her tears flowing uncontrollably. “I’m so sorry.”
Addy’s smile faded. “On the contrary, Luna. Forgive me and Hilary. We couldn’t keep our promise. We…” He struggled to catch his breath. “We couldn’t take your children and Alpha to explore the Amerotha Forest.”
Vione bit her lower lip, forcing herself to speak. “You know, I have many fond childhood memories thanks to you and Hilary. You always comforted me when I ran away from Papa’s training.” She tenderly caressed Addy’s face. “I thought of you both as my parents, too.”
Addy blinked, a single tear sliding down his cheek. “Thank you, Luna. Hilary and I were very happy to…”
Addy’s words hung in the air. His voice fell silent. His movements stopped, and his eyes went blank. The signs of life were completely gone.
“Addy?” Vione’s face turned pale. She shook Addy’s body gently, but there was no response. “You can’t die.” She continued to shake her head, trying to deny reality. “No!”
*