Chapter 40

Hi Lovelies,

Thank-you for all the support in the previous chapter!

Chapter 40 is here and it is dedicated to @CharlesMegan for the cover above and for being a great friend :D Love you :-* I super love that cover.

That cover must tell you what is going to happen in the chapter. So without wasting further time...

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"Mother's ways are higher than others, even when everyone rejects, mother accepts with her arms open and wide."

- Amit Ray

ORSELINE P.O.V

"I still cannot believe Darya is going to be the Luna" I sighed, leaning back in my seat.

"Me neither" Duncan said from beside me with a soft smile. We were now driving to Serene Pack to witness the ceremony.

"Even now, I remember her playing seesaw with Orion" I said with a chuckle and then immediately regretted saying that. Duncan hadn't been there to see Darya when she was young. By the time he came to know he had a sister, she was already twelve.

"Sorry" I mumbled softly and Duncan shook his head. Leaning closer, I rested my head on his arms.

"Where is your brother?" Duncan asked after some time.

"He said he will meet us directly in Serene" I replied. Tyson and Piper were also attending the ceremony. Although Tyson claimed he was busy earlier, he later changed his mind and decided to attend.

With a smile on my face, I turned to look out of the window. I was glad everything worked fine between Darya and Quillon. I was pleased he was there to care and protect her. The boy was good. Sure, he is an arrogant son of a gun, but if he was anything less than Darya would have walked all over him.

I think that's why we all like him.

The car came to an abrupt halt a few minutes later and if it weren't for the seatbelt, I knew I would have hit the windscreen glass.

"What the fish?" Duncan said. When you have a five year old in the house who likes learning new words, your language automatically turns clean.

"Duncan?" I said in shock and when I looked, I noticed the way he was staring ahead with a frown. I followed his gaze and hitched my brows in confusion when I saw barricades being set up in the middle of the road, blocking it. This was the road that connected Emperor and Serene. Sure, there were two more but they were long routes.

The car behind us, with Vernon and Darya's guards stopped too.

I inhaled deeply and sensed Serene Pack wolves around. Duncan did too because he pressed the horn but no one came ahead. Growling, Duncan climbed out of the car and walked ahead.

Wolves appeared the moment he was about to throw a barricade away. There were nearly ten of them and they stood in two rows like army men.

"You are trespassing" A Serene Pack wolf said and I narrowed my eyes.

"What did you just say?" Duncan demanded.

"We cannot let any Emperor Pack wolves enter the territory" one more said.

"Alphas' orders" another wolf said as I climbed out of the car.

"What?" Duncan said in disbelief.

"Call Quillon" I told Duncan and he immediately pulled the phone out of his coat pocket. Crossing my arms across my chest, I frowned at the Serene Pack wolves.

"He is not answering" Duncan muttered redialing. The result was the same.

Gritting my teeth, I pulled out my own phone from the pocket of my jeans.

"What about Darya?" Duncan asked and I frowned when there was no response from her call too.

"Not answering" I mumbled while I checked my phone to make sure if the call really went to Darya. It did. I did not accidentally press another number.

"You guys have numbers of any other wolves from that pack?" I asked Vernon and they replied with negative. They only had Quillon's number.

"Scott disconnected my call" Duncan said through gritted teeth and I growled. We couldn't connect with Darya through the link too because she was too far from her pack territory.

I tried again and again. Nearly ten times but there was no reply from Darya or Quillon.

By then, another car came to a halt behind us and Tyson and Piper climbed out of the car. "What is going on here?" Tyson asked walking towards me.

"They put up barricades to prevent us from entering their territory" I hissed and Tyson stiffened.

When he noticed that he growled loudly.

"Why would Quillon do that?" Piper asked confused.

"Am I allowed?" Tyson asked the Serene Pack wolves and they shook their head. My wolf stood up aggressively after seeing that.

"We aren't allowed either? Why?" Piper mumbled.

"You have anybody's number from Serene?" I asked Tyson and he shook his head.

"Granel might" he told and then proceeded to call Granel and ask for the same.

"It might take some time" Piper muttered and I clenched my fists.

Marching ahead, I stood in front of the barricade, "Why are we not allowed to enter?"

"Alphas' orders" one wolf replied calmly.

"Call your Alpha. I want to talk to him now" I snarled.

"We are told not to do that" he said.

"Look, my sister is there and I want to talk to her"

"She is no longer your sister. She is the Luna of this pack" another wolf said and Duncan took a threatening step forward.

The wolves cowered and fell back a step as Duncan growled repeatedly.

"And as her family, we have the right to enter your pack" I snapped.

"You have to ask the Alphas' permission for that" one said.

"Well then call your Alpha. We want to talk to him" Duncan spat.

"We cannot. We are told not to disturb him until the ceremony is over"

"What the hell?" Vernon said in disbelief.

"What is that boy up to?" Duncan muttered clenching his fists. Believe me, I was as perplexed. What is Quillon up to? Why he is preventing us from entering Serene Pack?

"Alpha" Mikhail called and every head turned to look at him. "A month ago, Quillon's mother came to the territory. She called you. Do you-"

"I do not have her number. I didn't store it" Duncan said and pursed his lips. Mikhail's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I called Granel. He said he will try to get us something soon" Tyson said and I nodded.

While we were waiting, I started wondering why would suddenly Quillon ask us not to enter his pack. I thought everything between our pack and Serene would be fine after Darya turned out to be Quillon's mate. But this sudden change was not appreciated by me.

"Scott has switched off his phone" Duncan said and I inhaled sharply. He started pacing and then went and stood in front of the barricade again. The Serene wolves did not budge from their place.

"Did Darya get accepted to your pack?" Duncan asked with a growl.

"She is going to get accepted soon" came the reply.

"Means she is not yet accepted. She still belongs to my pack and I have every right to talk to her" Duncan said and threw a barricade.

"You are trespassing" another wolf said in apparent fear to Duncan. "It is violation of law and would be considered as an attack on Serene."

"I don't give a damn about the law. I want to meet Darya" Duncan growled.

"No... Duncan" I warned holding his arm. If he attacks it would make matters worse.

"Hey... easy!" Tyson said to Duncan and he nodded but was still shooting daggers at Serene Pack wolves.

My wolf was moving to and froth inside me as I was getting restless.

"She is still not answering. Do you think she is okay?" Piper asked in a whisper and I growled loudly.

"She better be" I grated. "Pick up the call Darya" I mumbled while I rang her number. When there was no response, I held the phone tightly.

"Alpha Rhoades" a Serene Pack wolf said and I scowled at them. "You are allowed to enter the territory."

"What?" we all said at once.

"Alpha's orders" they said nervously.

"Are you fucking insane?" Tyson said in disgust.

"I will kill your Alpha" Duncan spat as we started making way towards our respective vehicles.

I wanted to know what the hell was going on in Serene. But more importantly, I wanted to know if Darya was fine.

Just then my phone started ringing and I noticed it was a private number, all my hopes- of the call being from Darya- died down. Gritting my teeth, I cut the call because I wasn't in the mood to entertain anonymous callers.

My phone rang again and after noticing it was from the same anonymous caller, I disconnected it.

I was on my personal edge when it rang the third time. Swiping the answer button in rage, I placed the phone near my ears. "WHAT IS IT? WHAT DO YOU WANT?" I shouted in fury, attracting everyone's attention. I just wanted this anonymous caller to stop irritating me.

"Take Darya back to Emperor now!" an unfamiliar male voice said from the other end totally taking me aback.

"What?" I said in bewilderment. Take Darya back to... Emperor?

"She is going to destroy Serene. Quillon and his father are planning to attack Emperor. Darya is going to lose control after she gets to know about this" he said hurriedly. I felt the blood drain from my face after hearing his words.

"Attack Emperor?" I whispered in shock

"I knew it!" Duncan all but snarled closing the car door with a loud thud.

"That's why you guys were not allowed to enter their territory" Tyson hissed. "Fucking bastards!"

"They are planning to attack Emperor after Darya gets accepted to their pack" the caller continued.

"How do you know all this?" I asked suspiciously. I didn't know who this guy was and what he wanted. However, I had to believe him too because of this unexpected behavior of Serene Wolves.

"I know because my gift is to see the future" he said and my eyes rounded. Everyone who was paying attention to the call too looked stunned.

Future? Soothsayer? Another one?

"Who the hell are you?" we asked in disbelief.

"This is Vincent. Vincent Evigan. Alpha of Czar Pack and Darya's best friend!" the caller replied and my mouth dropped open.

"Vincent Evigan?" Duncan repeated with a growl. He was the guy who had made a bet with his friends to kiss Darya. Duncan had wanted him suspended, but Darya forced him to change his mind.

"Since when did you become Darya's friend?" Tyson questioned with a scowl the moment Duncan's phone started ringing.

"That's a long story. Please just go and take Darya away from Serene before she burns everything."

"You see future?" I mumbled in daze and jumped when Tyson's phone started ringing too.

"Yes. Luna... please hurry. Darya is going to lose control after she comes to know of Quillon's betrayal Vincent finished and cut the call.

When I grasped what Vincent said, I gritted my teeth and turned to glare at the Serene Pack wolves. They had all moved out of our way and were removing the remaining barricades.

Growling, Duncan threw his phone to the ground "That was Cortez" he said grinding his teeth the very moment my wolf bared her fangs. "Vincent's mother explained everything to him in detail" he added, shaking in rage.

My claws came out as I started marching ahead. The Serene pack wolves moved out of my way.

"Granel and him are going to join us soon" Tyson completed the very moment I hurdled over the last barricade, entering Serene Pack.

As I was running with inhumane speed, in-between the woods, following Serene Pack wolves' scents, I was growling repeatedly. Duncan and Tyson were close behind and they too were growling harshly.

I trusted Quillon with Darya and that was my main mistake!

If anything happens to Darya, then someone dead years ago will rise from the grave to kill another Alpha!

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QUILLON P.O.V

The flaming ball dropped just two steps away from my feet and there, it quickly stretched to a straight line.

Shocked, I looked at Darya, whose burning eyes displayed absolute revulsion in them towards my pack.

"My father was killed right in front of me Alpha!" Darya thundered, totally stunning me. An eerie silence spread around the place after hearing her words. Her eyes were cold enough to freeze hell. For few moments, I could not actually recognize her. She was so different now... Cold, cruel and full of animosity. But that wasn't the worse part. The worse fucking part was admitting to myself that I was the cause of all this.

I did this to her!

"I could have stopped his death if I wanted to" she added glaring at dad. I somehow knew that Alpha Abraham Rhoades was the father she was referring to.

But he was killed by... O.

Darya knows who is O?

"But I didn't" she finished through gritted teeth and everyone gasped. Her words chilled me to the marrow. I stared at her in surprise, wondering why she would do that. Why let Abraham Rhoades die? "I let him die" she spelled out nastily and somehow I knew that Darya was not in the wrong.

"You want to know why?" she asked vehemently and my dad gulped. "Because he was involved in the destruction of Elegance Pack. Your mate's pack" she growled murderously pointing a finger at my dad. "That's why Abraham Rhoades HAD to die" she concluded loudly, displaying the veins in her neck.

Mom covered her mouth with her hands after hearing that.

Abraham Rhoades was involved in the destruction of mom's former pack? I was at a loss of words after hearing that ground shattering news.

Darya then spread her arms on her sides and then slowly began rising them. The dead leaves, dried twigs, broken branches, small stones, dust particles, everything rose from the ground behind her. They rose higher and higher until they were above her head.

"What the hell have I done?" dad whispered watching Darya. "Stop her" he pleaded looking at me and I shook my head.

"Q" mom gasped in surprise.

"If I wanted to stop, I could have stopped you while you were hurtling insult at my mate" I hissed pointing a finger at my father and he flinched visibly. "I did not use my gifts on you. I will not use it on her either."

Darya raised her chin and when she saw us, she grinded her teeth.

With one powerful thrust of her hand, Darya moved those particles in our direction and soon they began pelting at us. Ducking, I covered my head with my hands and so did many others.

Still, I winced when I felt the sharp twigs hitting my arms. People started crying and groaning in pain the moment they got hit by something or the other.

"Q... Stop her!" Quinn cried.

A few minutes later, the pelting stopped and slowly, I looked at Darya only to see that this time there were creeper plants behind her. They were all standing and swinging slightly. They looked like ropes that I knew would snake around wolves squeezing the life out of them.

Darya thrust it towards us and the creeper plants dropped down the ground. I blinked as they crawled on the ground on their own like venomous snakes. My eyes rounded in disbelief when they formed a circle around us.

We were trapped inside this circle and before I could do anything a leaf caught the fire, immediately setting everything on fire.

Wolves huddled closer as the fire started rising. Sweating in fear, they held each other tightly. I removed my jacket and gave it Mia, a ten year old, who was sobbing uncontrollably.

With my hand, I held the burning plant and threw it aside, making a wide opening. My hands burned but I quickly stopped feeling the pain. "Go to your house" I commanded at the wolves because no matter what, I couldn't watch them like this. "Mom go" I told her when I saw her watching our surroundings with tears in her eyes.

"Go" I urged and literally pushed her out of the circle and into safety.

"Nevin, Harvey help them out" I said and quickly my friends got into action.

Few managed to escape safely. Others while running got trapped as another branch of a tree fell in front of them, blocking their way. The branch was set ablaze before they could jump over it.

Through the mind-link, I ordered those wolves who were guarding near the border to come with some extinguishers to help the pack wolves. At that time, they also informed me that Darya's five Alphas' have entered the territory.

Wolves started kicking and throwing those vines away and soon they were successful. However the success was short lived because lightning bolts struck the trees around and those dropped down the ground with a loud thud.

My heart banged against my ribcage when I heard that sound. People screamed in fear and messily collided against each other. Losing balance, everyone fell on their backs on the ground. But they had to stand up quickly before the fire could burn them.

"Q, where is mom?" Quinn asked panic evident in his tone and as I turned to look, I found her kneeling on the ground near a burning tree, and praying quietly. Nevin's mom and two other women were also with her.

"What is she doing?" Quinn said and I shook my head.

"Take her away" I told Quinn before moving towards my friends. Nevin had managed to lunge through a tree trunk and was now standing on the safer side. Harvey would throw trapped young children and he would catch them.

"Please stop... Luna" elderly wolves cried, literally kneeling on the ground. I felt really bad for them because they didn't deserve this. The fault was mine and my dad's. Not my pack wolves. Deep down, I was sure Darya was aware of this too and without doubt, would regret doing this later.

"Darya" I called her and slowly my wolf raised his head. No, he was still not ready to use his gifts on her but he hoped she would listen to what we have to say. But she didn't react. Instead, she kept watching the fire that was burning one tree after another.

"I am sorry Darya" my dad said after few seconds and even though I could hear the sincerity in his tone, I was not pleased by it. "Don't punish my pack for what I did" he said in a low voice. "Spare us" his lips trembled in fear as he said that.

"I didn't spare my father's life for causing the destruction of another pack. Do you think I will spare yours?" Darya asked dad quietly and I inhaled sharply.

"I will make your pack BARREN" she screamed and I took a step back as Darya's whole body lit up in flames. Her golden hair was now the color of red hot flames. The tattered pieces of her clothes dropped on the ground as she stood barefooted amidst fire, covered in fire, like a fire goddess. I watched the flames sweltering on her arms.

The screams from the pack wolves increased tenfold at that moment. Everyone began running but wherever they went, they were surrounded by fire. Nothing was helping them.

As I closed my eyes, my wolf howled loudly in pain and guilt. I wanted to let Darya know how much I regretted agreeing to my dad to this. I dropped to my knees and soon sensed everyone around me doing the same.

Calm down Darya. Please calm down. Not for my pack's sake but for your own. I thought in my mind and knew her wolf would slowly be able to sense me.

I didn't once consider using my gifts on her because I did not want to change what she was feeling at that moment. It would make her forget what had happened and I did not want that. I wanted her to forgive first and then forget this.

I did not pray, but kept wishing that Darya calms down before the fire starts burning others.

The fire rose higher and higher. I could feel the fire centimeters away from my knees. The heat of the fire made my skin cover with sweat but I didn't give up. Nobody gave up!

Maybe that's why the prayers were answered and wishes got fulfilled.

The flames near Darya's feet turned white hot slowly and then circling, they started rising up, swirling, twirling on their own, they rose to extraordinary height. I could even say the fire touched the sky because it was that up.

It was only then I realized that the flames had acquired a shape of a woman. It was like a silhouette of fire. I could clearly notice the outline of her body and her hair. She towered over Darya, whose head was somewhere near the woman's midriff. Since the woman was like a silhouette, she had no face, but I could still tell that she was looking at me. Smiling gently!

There was some sort of positive vibe about her. Despite the destruction going around, the woman made it feel like everything was fine. Her presence turned the dark dangerous aura around the area, into calm, soothing one.

It was only then I realized who she is.

"They call me by different names- Nature, Earth, life, mother" I recalled her saying that to me. Yet, I could have sworn I had never seen her before today in my life.

She was the nature Goddess. Our primary deity!

I bowed my head in utmost respect for her. I didn't know if others could see the goddess, but I could clearly see her.

'I am taking my daughter away from you' she said softly and immediately, I felt like my heart was being ripped out from my chest.

'No' I told her without any hesitation. She cannot take my mate away from me.

'I had not chosen an Alpha to be her mate' she said and I understood what she was telling me.

'You are chosen to be my daughter's mate because you possess highly commendable qualities that assert only you are worthy of being an Alpha of the Alphas' I recalled her telling me. However, I still didn't know when she told me this.

'Accept what you are and only then, she will return to you' she finished with precision and soon the fire died down.

It was like power cut, where the whole city turns dark in one instant moment. The fire died down at once turning the whole place dangerously dark. The thunder, the lightning, the terrific gust of air, everything was gone in a blink of an eye. It seemed like the earth had stopped moving.

With a loud gasp, Darya stumbled forward and losing balance, she dropped down on the ground.

My eyes flew open and standing up, I started to go to her. However, before I could move, I was pushed back by some invisible force.

"Q" people screamed as I fell flat on my back a few feet away.

Standing up, I looked at Darya, who curled her body into fetal position. Her blonde mane of hair was spread on the black, burnt ground around her. Uncontrollable sobs shook her slender body and I could clearly feel her pain, which she had blocked a few minutes ago. Her sobs gutted me. As thick sheets of rain soaked me, I watched green creepy vines draping over her, covering her naked body.

There was no greenery around, yet these vines appeared from underneath the ground. I knew who was protecting Darya's modesty at the moment.

Few seconds later, I felt the ground underneath my feet shaking and as I looked, two giant rocky hands rose from under the surface of the earth and carried Darya who was still quivering.

People gasped in astonishment when they saw that.

'I am taking my daughter away from you' the goddess had told me and she was doing just that. There was nothing I could do to stop her.

Slowly, the fingers of those rock-strewn hands folded to form a fist, thus, covering Darya. I stood frozen in my spot and watched as that giant hand lowered and burying itself to the ground, the hand vanished from my view, taking Darya with it.

__

Fifteen minutes later, I was sitting on a log of a tree which was partially burnt. It had stopped raining for a while now, but the ground was still wet.

With a solemn expression and my elbows resting on my knees, I was gazing at the same spot where the hand appeared and took Darya. Many tried talking to me, but I did not reply to anyone. They decided to give me some time and I was grateful for that.

Vaguely, I could hear mom yelling at dad for everything he had done. The whole pack was here and they were all very quiet. There weren't even murmurs or growls, just mom crying and accusing dad of everything that had happened.

"I am sorry Grace" dad said feebly for the umpteenth time.

"Do not apologize to me. Apologize to those whom you hurt the most today" mom snapped at him. "You claim to love your son and look what you did to him. You separated his mate from him" mom launched furiously.

Dad might have but I unwarily helped him. My retribution was that I had to lose the woman I love. I realized I loved Darya the very moment; I was standing helpless, watching Darya being taken away from me.

I might have loved her for a long time now but was too blind to see it. It was ironic because I am the last person anyone can call blind.

My heart had been forcefully ripped out from my chest today and I could do nothing to stop that from happening. I never felt as pathetic as I did today. Despite all my gifts, strengths and powers, I felt useless because I could not stop this from happening.

Vincent knew it. That's why he had called Darya. He wanted her to go to Emperor and I probably should have sent her after the call. But with everything that had happened today, I forgot about it.

At that very moment, I heard the murderous growl and new yet familiar scents approaching closer.

I closed my eyes in pain knowing who it was.

The guards had warned me but I had not paid much attention to it earlier.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up and turned my head to the right from where the growls were coming. Eventually, my pack members heard that too and the murmurs started. Mom stopped shouting when the loud footsteps and uneven breathing was audible to her.

"It's them... isn't it?" Quinn asked standing beside me.

"No one is going to stop them" I said quietly and then completely turned to face Orseline Rhoades who was coming towards me like a bullet. Her dark brown hair was violently flying behind her and her golden eyes were shooting daggers at me.

I didn't even realize when she approached me. The only thing I realized was being forcefully punched in the stomach. I skid back a few steps and when I tried to compose myself, lean, long fingers enclosed around my throat and I was facing a snarling Duncan.

"I warned you not to hurt my sister" Duncan ground out through clenched teeth and shoved me hard until I collided with a tree trunk.

I grimaced in pain as my shirt scraped the rough trunk. As I stood up, Duncan punched me in the face and before I could make any move, Tyson Grier caught my collar and growled nastily at me.

"No. Don't hurt him" mom cried as Tyson punched me hard in the ribs and I coughed.

Quinn growled and came forward to attack but he was quickly thrown towards a nearest tree by Seline Rhoades.

"QUINN" Mom gasped out loud.

"Stay. Back." Duncan warned glaring at my pack wolves.

"Listen to me. It's not his fault" dad said but it was for deaf ears.

Tyson straightened me and then slammed his fist against my stomach. My wolf bristled and then growled lowly inside me. After being unresponsive for a long time, he finally snapped out!

A screech of car tyres was heard and she-wolves screamed as the car door which was kicked open, flung towards them. Someone jumped out of the car and ran towards me. Great! The remaining two were also here!

As I stumbled, the Luna leaped high in the air and then kicked me in the face and that hurt like bitch. Blood oozed from the cut and my wolf started trembling inside me.

"Q" mom sniffed.

I felt a movement behind me and then a loud growl before another vengeful fist connected towards the nape of my neck. I fell on the ground from the force and my wolf stood up, aggressively as I realized who hit me.

At that moment, Quinn, Nevin and my friends rushed to help me.

Snarling fiercely, Quinn moved to punch Tyson but Granel Hampton held his wrist. Furious, Quinn bared his fangs and growled loudly, but it was nothing compared to the growl that emerged from Granel's chest. And as Granel dropped his mouth and bared his fangs, Quinn's wolf started cowering.

Darya had once told me that if Granel's wolf has lost control then there will be no one there to calm the other four Alphas' who already have short tempers. Granel rarely loses calm and she had said that when it would happen, it would-without doubt- it would be the opposite person's fault. Darya was right about that too because it was my fault.

All five of them were angry because I had hurt Darya.

My friends too were stopped by Duncan and Tyson, who by spreading their hands bared their claws and fangs. As they growled dominantly my friends submitted to them.

"Where is she?" the Luna demanded glaring at me as I wiped the blood from my cheek.

"Back off pup" Granel hissed at Quinn. Granel forcefully dropped Quinn's wrist and my brother stepped back.

"Seline. Please just-" mom's plea was cut off by Granel.

"What did you do to her?" Granel bawled at me.

"It was not him" dad said feebly and in a swift movement, Duncan was standing right in front of my father.

"I know you were with him too. But you... I will deal with you later" he spat and then gave his attention to me. "Where is Darya?" he demanded.

"Answer them" Cortez Moreland, who was standing behind me, demanded. He was the one who had punched me in the neck which angered my wolf.

"She is gone" Quinn shouted and his face fell sideward as Tyson punched him in the face. All my pack wolves growled but the Alphas' growled louder than them. Five Alphas' growls were too much for my pack and they trembled.

Growling, I took a threatening step forward but Duncan shoved me backwards. My wolf started surfacing ahead because he was fucking furious right now.

As I made a move to attack Duncan, I sensed a swift movement from beside me. I closed my eyes and hissed in pain as once again my head was slammed against a tree.

"NO" mom screamed.

When I opened my eyes, I came face to face with a furious looking Cortez Moreland. His eyes were dark as night and his sharpest canines were on display. He had his arm pressed against my throat in a choking way.

"No... Please, let him go" mom, who had rushed towards me, was crying and begging with Cortez to let go of me which only fueled my wolf's anger. "Q" she sobbed my name out as he tightened the hold. "Please don't hurt my son" she said and immediately my claws were out.

I was pissed that these five Alphas' had the audacity to attack me.

ME!

AN APEX PREDATOR!

As my wolf dropped his jaws, and stood on his hind legs in full dominant mode, an earth-shattering growl emanated from my throat as I finally accepted to myself what I really am.

"Q" mom gasped as I glared at Cortez. "Let go of him... please" she said to Cortez in a soft voice.

Cortez Moreland, who was trembling in rage, slowly let his eyes move towards my mother who was repeatedly asking him not to hurt me.

As his dark eyes zoomed in on my mother, he froze. I felt his whole body go cold as he turned rigid. Slowly, he closed his mouth to cover his fangs and his dark eyes returned to their normal blue-green shade. As he straightened, his hold on my throat slackened off. He then lowered his hand, but it did not cool my wolf, who was growling violently inside me.

Cortez stood on his spot and gulped audibly still staring at my mom. I sensed various mixed emotions coming from him but the most dominant amongst it was anguish.

He exhaled and then took in a sharp breath, his gaze fixed on mom. It was only then that I looked at mom, who too was staring back at Cortez, with wide eyes and slightly parted mouth.

"Grace" dad called mom and tried to hold her hand and pull her back but mom shook her head and slapped his hand away, without looking at him. Staggering, she took a step forward to get a better look at the Alpha standing in front of me. She was holding her breath while barely managing to conceal her bewilderment.

My wolf growled as my breathing turned rough.

A tear drops slid from mom's eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she kept staring at Cortez with shock without blinking. She slowly let her eyes travel over Cortez's tall frame and then back at his face. As if still in disbelief, mom once again properly let her eyes move all over Cortez.

I furrowed my brows not understanding why she was looking at Cortez, a total stranger to her, like that. Pin drop silence had spread around the area, occasionally broken by the other by my growls.

This time as mom looked at his face, her eyes widened and her mouth opened a little more. She was struggling to breathe properly.

Her blue-green eyes pinned on his face, mom slowly, hesitantly, dared to breathe out, "C-Connell?"

I directed my gaze at Cortez Moreland, who had turned an ashen shade beneath his fair skin. After hearing what mom said, he swallowed and then nodded.

A choked sob emerged from mom's throat and falling back a step, she covered her mouth with her hands. More tears dropped from her eyes and I growled watching her reaction because I couldn't understand it. Everyone was equally stunned.

Connell?

That name... Her brother had a son.

"Oh!" she cried and dropped her hands. "Oh My God" she sobbed and then moving ahead, she threw herself at Cortez. Wounding an arm around his neck and torso, mom placed her cheek against his chest and wept audibly.

Cortez gasped sucking in a breath but made no move to hug mom back. After few terse seconds, he started relaxing and then pursing his mouth; he wrapped his arm around mom's body. Slowly, he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Her nephew... Connell was alive. He was now called Cortez Moreland. How did that happen?

"The story started long before my birth... It started with the destruction of Elegance Pack." I remembered Darya telling me and now I understood what she meant by it.

One wolf from Elegance had survived and he took his revenge.

Everything, everything fucking thing that was happening around me was too much to bear and my wolf couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't suppress him anymore either.

Screaming, I raised my head and as I dropped them down, I shifted to my midnight blue wolf. Everyone took a step back as I growled viciously. Nothing could stop my chest from rumbling repeatedly as my hackles raised in white hot rage.

Running ahead, I stood on the spot next to the ground where Darya had been crying, until she was taken away from me by her mother.

I snapped my jaws as I imagined how I was pushed away from Darya. From my own mate!

I glared furiously at that same spot which was now covered in black ashes because of the fire. I wanted to bring Darya back to me.

Snarling in rage, I leaped and then began digging my paws in to the ground. To the plots of the earth were Darya vanished to. Growling, seething and panting in frustration, I continued digging sending mud and soil flying everywhere.

I kept making a hole on the ground with my claws and front limbs. I was ready to dig up to the core of the earth for Darya.

I wanted her back.

I wanted my mate back.

"Q" I heard mom's soft voice calling me as I buried my paws to the ground to get rid of the mud. "Q" mom called again as I snarled in rage, when I was unable to reach her.

Mom knelt on the ground beside me and softly touched my fur. "Look at me" she said as I continued digging. "Q... Look at me" she said sharply and I stopped digging. Lowering my head, I kept panting while mom slowly rubbed my shoulders.

"Come back to me baby" she said and I slowly looked at her blue-green eyes flooded with tears.

My body started quivering and whimpering, I moved closer to mom. She pulled me towards her chest and gently ran her fingers on my fur.

'It's hurting' I told her in anguish.

'I know. But it will all be fine soon' mom sighed. 'She loves you. She will forgive you' mom said and placed a kiss on my head.

There was another soft whine and I opened my eyes to look at Quinn, who was sitting next to us after shifting into his grey wolf. He rested his head on mom's lap and looked at me with sad eyes.

'She will be back' mom assured and that was exactly what I wanted her to tell me.

****

With this, the LONG NIGHT SCENE chapters comes to an end. Hope you liked it :)

What do you think of this chapter? Where do you think Darya is gone and when will she be back?

Also, Cortez met Grace... Yay! Share your thoughts of this chapter with me. I LOVE READING THEM :D

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Next update on 13th October.

Love,

Shruthi.