There is a second long silence before everyone starts to talk all at the same time and the order turns to chaos.
Chairs loudly scrape the floor as people leap to their feet. The air is filled with a cacophony of sounds as the bridal ceremony is brought to an abrupt stop.
"Is he saying we are under attack?"
"How can he say all the sentries are dead? My mate is on patrol tonight, that can't be."
"The barrier has protected our pack for years, how can it suddenly fail us?"
My hands tremble at my side but I remain rooted to the spot.
The messengers words make very little sense. The sunrise pack is one of the strongest, with the most fierce warriors, second only to the Capital's. How can someone just storm in and pick off the warriors like they are sitting ducks.
"ENOUGH!!"
Under the pressure of his Alpha voice everyone stops their noise and bows meekly, their attention all turned to the Alpha.
"What did you see?" He directs at the messenger.
"Shadows, Alpha." He says, his eyes wide with fear.
"They seemed to be one with the shadows before they slaughtered them all. There was no warning, no scent."
"Yet you are alive." Someone shouted.
"Only because I ran to inform the Alpha!" The messenger exclaimed defensively.
His words send a ripple of unease through the crowd.
No scent.
My hand's clench even tighter around my skirts.
It feels like those two words have lit a warning sign above my head.
Axel stiffens and glances at me momentarily, he does not even hide the suspicion in his eyes.
And when I glance around, it is to see a similar look in a lot of other faces.
It is obvious what their thoughts are
Alpha Edmund's face hardens. "No scent? that is impossible."
Murmurs rise again, this time not as subtle, tinged with fear.
"If they were enough of them to take down the sentries, how did they all have no scent?"
"Is this Woodoo?"
"Are they Rogues?"
Dread settled in my belly, cold, heavy.
There was no need for the words to be spelt out, the words were right there between the lines.
It must be the cursed one's fault
I am the pack's bad omen so it stands to reason that whatever is happening somehow has something to do with me.
Alpha Edmund raises a hand, the power rolling off him in suffocating waves, instantly quieting the voices.
"Warriors," He commands. "Move to the eastern border, I want every eye on the perimeter, ensure that there are no breaks in formation and no one can come through."
The wolves snap into formation, their actions precise and quick as they obey their leader without question.
"Axel," He points. "Seal the inner corridors. Get the women and pups to the underground chambers and secure them. No exceptions."
Axel bows slightly before throwing one last glance at me and moving.
Alpha Edmund turns to his Beta.
"Ronan," He beckons.
The Beta instantly steps forward, his face grim while his movements are alert and ready to carry out the Alpha's instructions.
"You will come with me." The Alpha says.
Ronan simply nods, no questions asked.
Then Alpha Edmund's eyes slide over to me as if just getting reminded of my presence then narrows, a calculating look in them.
"Bring her along."
I do not even have a second to fully comprehend what his words mean when I feel a forceful grip on my wrists and I am dragged sharply towards the end of the hall where the Alpha is headed.
To my surprise we move straight to the wall and the Alpha pulls down a tapestery hanging on the wall before pressing his palm against the wall which shifts then to my shock a wall slides wide open.
I'm not the only one surprised as gasps erupt around us and before I have time to wonder why there is a secret door in the packhouse's hall, I am already being pulled in through the narrow, dark corridor that looks like it is as old as the pack itself.
There is barely a chance to glance back as the stone wall slides closed and there’s only a sliver of light..
Because they are well trained warrior werewolves, the Alpha and Beta confidently move through the dark while I stumble around, unable to see a single thing in the pitch darkness.
"Where are we going?" I ask breathlessly while trying to keep up with their fast strides.
Predictably, none of them answer. I am too unimportant to deserve an explanation.
Another thought strikes me.
Why then is he bringing me with him?
My stomach twists as we get deeper into the tunnel that does not seem to have an end.
After what feels like forever I feel fresh air hit my face and I realize that we have probably gotten to the end of the tunnel.
Without warning something slams into me like a blow and I sag.
My breath ceases painfully as the air changes, thick with something intoxicating and unfamiliar. My head spins, vision blurring as my heart hammers erratically.
"What is wrong with you?" Ronan snarles impatiently.
"I…" I gasp and double over as the scent fills all my senses. "I.. I can smell."
Both men stop abruptly.
"That is wrong." Alpha Edmund mutters quietly.
Then I hear a door open and the moonlight lights up the path.
There is no consideration for the fact that I am doubled up in pain and i am dragged so hard that i fear my arm will be pulled out of it's socket.
We run into the woods, past branches and thorns that tear at my dress, making progress hard for me while Ronan mercilessly drags me along as Alpha Edmund takes the lead.
And even though my insides are burning, I am forced to keep along with their pace while the scent seems to grow weaker an affects me less.Â
Even though distant, the smell still lingers. And i wonder why all of a sudden i can smell.
Ronan shoves me back hard before he crouches in a defensive mode and faces the direction to sound had come from.
Wolves.
Massive.
Fast.
Definitely not rogues, these wolves are too organized.
They move with lethal precision, eyes glowing silver as one of them lunges.
Ronan shifts mid-run, bones cracking as his wolf tears free, meeting the first attacker head-on. The impact seems to shake the forest floor.
Blood sprays.
I scream.
Another wolf slams into Ronan's side, claws ripping deep. He fights viciously, snapping and tearing, but two outnumber one.
"Get away from here." Ronan roars at Alpha Edmund.
Alpha Edmund hesitates.
Just for a second.
Then Ronan goes down.
One of the wolves clamps its jaws around his throat and twists.
The sound is wet.
Revolting.
Ronan's body collapses, lifeless, blood spilling on the forest floor.
I freeze in horror then a sob breaks out of me.
The forest feels silent.
Too silent.
The sounds of the fight has faded, leaving only the soft drip of blood soaking into the soil and the distant rustle of leaves swaying in the night wind.
Then I hear the crack of a branch and see Alpha Edmund backing away while eyeing me contemplatingly.
His eyes burn with something like regret but it is tiny, disappearing, buried beneath the need to survive.
"Even now," He says softly. "You still remain useless to me."
Then his hand lifts.
Symbols flare red briefly along his palm, ancient and strange.
Magic.
The air warps.
"No!!!" I reach for him.
The forest seems to vibrate, then he is gone.
There is no shimmer. No trace of magic lingering in the air.
Just empty space where he just stood.
I stagger backward, my heel catching on a root, nearly sending me to the ground.
"Father??" My voice breaks on the word.
No answer.
Ronan's body lays twisted at my feet, eyes open and glassy, his blood still warm as it seeped into the earth.
Then I feel eyes in the woods, watching.
My chest tightens.
The killers of Ronan, whoever they are.
Panic surges.
Slowly, trembling, I turn around.
My legs feel weak, unsteady, barely holding me upright as I face the darkness beyond the trees.
I brace myself for what is sure to come.
This is it.
I wait for teeth.
For claws.
For the sudden rush of pain that will end everything.
But there is nothing.
The forest remains empty, shadows stretching long and distorted beneath the moonlight. No glowing eyes. No snarls. No movement.
My breath comes in ragged gasps.
Maybe they have left.
Pain suddenly explodes in the back of my skull.
It is sharp, blinding, as if something hit me from behind. A white-hot pressure blooms behind my eyes, tearing a scream from my throat as my knees finally give out beneath me.
The world tilts violently.
The trees spin.
My last sensation is pain, taking over my entire body as darkness rushes in and just before it is all black, a shadow blocks the moonlight.