Chapter 2 Two

• The sudden death of the Blood Stone pack’s Alpha and his sons circulated the whole world in three days and all the alphas who were not yet cut up in the war sent their condolences. Those who could attend the burial attended and those who couldn’t sent their representatives. The King also sent a representative bearing gifts for them but as Alicia stared at the tombstones meant for her father and brother, it all still felt like a dream.
• After the burial and the tombs were covered, everyone went to the packhouse with her mother for refreshment but she stood on a spot, gazing at the loving pictures of her brothers and father. The thunder roared, signaling a heavy rain, and even as the raindrops started dropping on her, she didn’t move. Soon, her white long hair and black dress were drenched and her body turned cold but she was still rooted on the spot, like a nail and hammer had been used on her feet. The more she thought about it, the more it didn’t make sense. Dan was from one of the Northen packs, the Northen and Eastern packs have always been on good terms, so what was his purpose in killing her family? What was he hoping to achieve? No matter how hard she thought of it, it just didn’t make sense.
• An umbrella covering her from the rain alerted her of the presence of someone beside her, she didn’t even bother to look to know who, her heart felt heavy like a boulder was dumped on it. The only logical explanation she could think of was that Dan might have lied about his origin to Alister, either he was working for the barbarians who were causing the war or he was one of them. However, even though the possible explanation made sense, why target her family? Why her brothers? Even if they had taken their jobs as the protector of the Blood Stone pack seriously, they were easygoing and fun to be with, who would see them and not like them? So why, why kill them? Why take all three from her? Why couldn’t they have left her with one? Why all three?
• “I think it’s time to go inside, Alicia. You are going to catch a cold if you keep staying here.” Leo finally spoke up.
• “Tom was only fifteen, he hasn’t even gotten his wolf yet, so why kill him? Like I don’t understand.”
• “Whether he has gotten his wolf or not, he is still an alpha bloodline, and besides, he would have gotten his wolf next year, I’m sure whatever be the reason for Dan doing this, he doesn’t want any of the future alphas to survive.”
• Alicia nodded and forcefully wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek. “I will have to find Dan.”
• “I know, we will find him. Don’t worry. But now you have to come inside, I think the king's messenger has a message for us. Your mom sent me to get you.”
• Alicia didn’t reply and just turned to walk to the packhouse. Leo sighed and followed her. On getting to the packhouse, everyone that saw her gave her a sympathetic look and some even tried to hug her while dabbing away their tears. Alicia didn’t know what she hated more, the fact that they were taking pity on her or that most of them were shading crocodile tears since they were all jealous of her father as the leader of the Eastern packs and had wanted to take the position away from him.
• She gave them a fake smile while Leo led her to the room where her mother was talking with the King’s representative. When they saw her, her mother burst into tears and Alicia went to her and hugged her. She was all wet but she welcomed the cold. It was still strange that their family of six had been reduced to two in just one night. To think that her family was nicknamed the immovable family, based on the fact that they have three future alphas. Now look at them, how ironic.
• “Alicia, my condolences.” The King’s representative said. “My name is Ben, and the King sent me here to represent him and also pass the news to you.”
• Alicia glanced at her mother and the woman just sobbed the more. “I’m listening,” she said to Ben.
• “As the only surviving Bloodline of Albert Stone, the responsibility of this pack has fallen on you the night you lost your brothers. There is news that the barbarians will be bringing the war to the East packs, and King wants to know what’s your plan. As you know, every leader of a pack has to participate as the alpha strength is needed. So, will you be participating in the war or will you be taking a husband?”
• “Taking a husband is already out of the question. Which man would marry me just to go fight in a war? So, the answer is already certain. I will be fighting.”
• “Like hell,” her mother, Sabrina said, getting up from her arms to glare at her. “I just buried your father and three brothers, and you think I will let you go to war?”
• “Mother, it’s the other of the King. Besides, even if the king didn’t order it, we will still fight. As the leading pack of the Eastern packs, are we going to send the other packs to war while hoarding our own people? It’s going to be impossible.”
• “Alicia is right, Luna Sabrina. The king will not be delighted if he should hear of it.” Ben said.
• “Didn’t you propose another option, Ben? She will find a husband, make him the alpha of the pack and he will lead our warriors to battle.”
• “Mom!”
• “Lunas don’t fight,” Sabrina said and sniffled. “You are going to be a Luna, you are going to stay in the pack and look after it. Don’t worry, I will be here, I will guide you.”
• “Mom, do you realize what you are saying? Which wolf would choose to be an alpha just to die? Also, he won’t even be my fated mate, how sure are you he would be loyal to me when he finds his fated?” Alicia asked.
• “Don’t worry, rejecting his fated would be the only criteria required to be the alpha.” Sabrina decided.
• “Then what about my fated?”
• “You will reject him too when you find him.”
• “Mom, how can you request that of me? You of all people should know how I have always wanted to find my fated mate.”
• “Look at your brothers,” Sabrina said as her eyes clouded in tears once more, “none of them got married because they were waiting for their fated mates. If only Micah had married, wouldn’t he have had pups of his own before this tragedy? Now look at him, he is gone, and he carried his entire generation with him. And Alister, didn’t he just turn twenty-eight, if only he had married Cecilia last three years, that young girl that loved him so much, wouldn’t he have had his own pups? Let me not talk of Tom because he was still a child. But what about you, you will be twenty-two in two months’ time. What is there to wait?”