Esra
It didn't surprise me that the word 'sorry' never occurred to Zade. I should have known better. Maybe he has changed a little bit, but that one part of Zade remained, a painful reminder of our past. I needed some alone time, and I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, so I decided to go to the river opposite the Darkwood forest.
As I walked, I couldn't help but think about what I truly desired â a loving mate, a family of my own. But Zade was the opposite of that. His actions, his words, they all screamed of a love that was never truly mine. What did I ever do to deserve this? If Zade hadn't been how he was five years ago, then maybe, just maybe, we would've had pups by now.
I found the river and sat on a big rock close to the water, throwing pebbles and small rocks into the water. The gentle ripples were a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves. I hadn't shifted into my wolf yet. I wanted to punch the trees until blood was smeared everywhere, but the scent of blood would only attract more wolves and definitely rogues.
I heard a twig snap from across me. A pair of green eyes stared at me from the shadows. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice firm but cautious.
A small girl stepped out from the shadows, injured and shaking. She collapsed, her tiny body trembling with fear. "Please don't kill me." She begged, her voice barely above a whisper. "My family â my family has just been killed by rogues, and they took over my father's pack."
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, and my heart went out to her. She was just a little girl, and she had to face all this? Something struck my head, a memory long buried, and I felt a pang of recognition. I couldn't explain it, but I knew what it was like to lose everything.
The river across wasn't that deep, but it could easily wash her away. So I walked through first, trying to withstand the current. The water stung my legs as I walked. By the time I reached the other end of the river bank, I was soaked.
"Come here." I whispered, pulling her into my arms and carrying her back. "I'm so sorry." I kissed her head, trying to comfort her. "Which pack are you from?"
"T-the S-S-Silver Star Pack."
I gasped, shocked by her words. The Silver Star Pack was one of the most powerful packs in our region.
"The rogues killed Alpha Diego Centaurus?" I asked, trying to process the information. Alpha Diego was the second most powerful alpha in our region.
"N-No. He was my grandfather. My father was Alpha Ian Centaurus." She sobbed, her tiny body shaking with grief.
"Okay. I need you to tell me your name and how old you are, and I'll take you to the pack house to be treated. You're injured badly." She flinched, fear still lingering in her eyes.
"Don't worry, they won't harm you. I'm the Luna of the Shadow Pack." Saying that tasted bitter at the back of my throat, but I had to reassure her and calm her down.
"My name is Maristela Centaurus. I'm â I'm seven years old." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Okay. Can you walk?" I asked her, assessing her injuries.
She shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. I looked at her leg, and my heart sank. It was bruised badly.
"Okay, I'll carry you." I picked her up, cradling her in my arms, and ran back to the pack house, determined to get her the help she needed.
I kicked the doors open when I entered, my urgency palpable. Everyone stopped and stared at me, their faces etched with concern.
"I need the pack doctor, now!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.
Jackson came rushing towards me, his eyes scanning my face for answers. "What happened?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.
"I'll explain later. She needs help." I replied, my gaze fixed on Maristela's fragile form in my arms.
"Okay." Jackson took her from my arms, and we both rushed to the pack doctor's quarters. I followed closely behind, my heart racing with anxiety.
When we reached the doctor's quarters, he took Maristela from us, his face set in a determined expression. "We'll take care of her, Luna. You can't enter the room right now."
I nodded, my eyes fixed on the door as it closed behind them. They were going to perform an operation â Maristela had a bullet stuck in her side. Luckily, it wasn't silver. I was worried about her; she was just a little girl.
After an hour that felt like an eternity, Trent, the pack doctor, exited the room. "Is she okay?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "She's a strong girl. She'll recover well."
I sighed with relief, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. "Thank the moon goddess! Can I see her?"
"Yes, you may, Luna." Trent replied, stepping aside.
Just as Trent left, Zade appeared, his eyes scanning my face for answers. "Esra, what happened?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.
My hands were crossed, my arms folded across my chest. "A bunch of rogues attacked the Silver Star Pack. They killed the Alpha and his family. There was one survivor â Alpha Ian Centaurus' daughter. She's in the room. I was just about to see her."
I didn't make any eye contact with him, my gaze fixed on the door.
"What?" Zade's voice was laced with shock.
"When she's fully recovered, we can ask her questions. But if the rogues were able to take down Alpha Ian Centaurus and his family, then these are not just some ordinary rogues."
Zade thinned his lips, exchanging a worried look with Jackson. "You're right." He pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes clouded with concern.
There was an awkward moment of silence until Zade broke it. "Look, Esra â"
"Don't." I interrupted, my voice firm. "The only reason I'm here is because of her."
Zade's eyes narrowed. "So you were planning to run away again?"
I didn't answer him, instead choosing to enter Maristela's room. She was awake, her eyes fixed on me.
"Hey." I smiled, trying to reassure her. "How are you feeling now?"
"I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you for rescuing me." She replied, her voice weak but grateful.
I sat at the edge of her bed. "It's okay. I'm glad I found you."
Zade entered the room, clearing his throat to announce his presence. Maristela sat up, her eyes fixed on him.
"Alpha Kratos."
"Call me Zade, please." He replied, standing next to me.
I looked at him, my gaze fleeting. Maristela sighed, her eyes welling up with tears.
"My parents and siblings are dead." A tear rolled down her cheek, and I quickly wiped it away, holding her in my arms.
Zade whispered, "I'm sorry."
Sorry. The word echoed in my mind, a stark reminder of our unresolved issues.
"Can you tell us what happened?" Zade asked, his voice gentle.
I glared at him, my eyes flashing with anger. "Let her recover first, and when she's ready, she can talk."
"It's okay." Maristela pulled away from my hug. "I'll tell you what happened."
Zade nodded.
"It was yesterday, in the afternoon. It was a normal day. Everything was fine. And then the Delta came and reported that the guards by the borders were gone. My father sent the Beta to check what happened. We didn't hear from him for hours until all of a sudden his body was on the window in our dining room." Maristela's voice trembled as she recounted the events.
"My father went outside to see what was wrong. There were bodies everywhere, and then..." She started to cry again, her tiny body shaking with sobs. I held her again, hushing her softly.
"It's okay if you don't want to go further about it." I reassured her, trying to comfort her.
"I'll continue." She said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "He was shot. And then my mother took my siblings and me to the underground hideouts. She quickly sent my siblings and I there and tried to fight the people who came after us. She was also shot after she unlocked the doors for us."
Maristela's tears flowed freely as she spoke, her words punctuated by sobs. "My older brother pushed my sister and I into the room, but my sister went back out to help my brother and the door locked on its own. I didn't know what was happening and no one heard my screams and shouts." Her eyes squeezed shut. "And then a bomb went off." She continued to cry, and I tried to calm her down, holding her close.
"I don't know why they didn't come with me. I don't know why they thought I was worth saving. After there was silence, I managed to open the door and leave the room, and found my older sister's bloodied and burnt. But I couldn't find my brother's body. I ran out of the demolished pack house when the rogues came to retrieve the body. They were armed. They shot my leg when I tried to escape. They tried to hunt me down, but I was fast and got away. I spent the night in a tree. Then today, I decided to go to the river, and then you were there." She looked up at me, her emerald eyes shining with tears.
Such a small girl like her shouldn't have to go through something like that.
I wiped her tears, trying to reassure her. "You were so brave. Your siblings saved you because they know you're special. I can see that." It wasn't a lie; I saw something in those emerald eyes when I spotted her. I knew she'd have a bright future ahead of her.
"She's right." Zade held my shoulder, his touch sending a spark of electricity through me. I wanted to hit him, but I couldn't in front of Maristela. I managed to calm myself down, focusing on the little girl in front of me.
Zade went down on his knees and kissed Maristela's forehead. "We'll take care of you. We'll even try to get your pack back." Zade said, his voice filled with conviction.
"Really? But I can't be an Alpha." She looked at us with worry in her eyes.
"I have a plan." He looked at me, his eyes sparkling with determination. "We'll join packs, and when you come of age, then you can take over." Maristela looked at me, her eyes searching for reassurance.
I nodded, trying to smile. "That doesn't seem like a bad plan." I looked at Zade and back at Maristela. "Thank you. This means a lot." She hugged the both of us, and for a moment, I felt like we were a family â Zade, Maristela, and I.
Oh god, what am I saying? The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
"We're a strong pack." Zade said, his voice filled with pride. "This pack has a Kratos as their Alpha and an Argent as their Luna." Zade looked at me and smiled, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Wait, Argent?" She looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. "That's â that's impossible. All the Argents died twenty years ago."
I nodded, a mix of emotions swirling inside me.
"When my parents died, I moved here with my aunt." I didn't know how my parents died, or why Sulia didn't take over the pack since she was my father's sister. And every time I tried to ask she'd beat me up. She always treated me badly, and no one knew.
"You're the rightful heir." She stated, her eyes shining with understanding.
"Someone else became the Alpha. I don't think I can get my place back there, and besides, I'm the Luna here." I smiled and brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear.
"Wait, Esra," Zade stilled, his eyes narrowing. "I think I know what's going on." Zade said, his voice low and mysterious.
Maristela and I stared at him, our eyes locked on his. "I think I know who is responsible for the pack's invasion."