Evangeline

"It takes a heart full of bravery, will and blessings of your ancestors, to sacrifice everything for the good of someone else."

The words echoed in the hall room made of thick bricks. The red carpet that we were seated on had black designs on it. The cushions and curtains made it look all cosy. The big vessel made of clay was placed in the middle, full of fire with us staring into it.

Luna Elsie didn't blink from the beginning of this session and was seated right in front of us across the bonfire. Around us were seated the widowed and unmated females of this mystic pack.

We were just three hours away from the moment when we would cross the border.

"Your dreams, beliefs, morals, desires, wishes, purity will be pushed back by this one chance of practicing utmost selflessness," said Luna Elsie while looking at me and Keira.

The cousin who might still be secretly hating me for hurting her so much. Things seemed fine when on one call from me to Thomas, explaining him how Luna Elsie had demanded Keira to contribute in this plan voluntarily—Ivan and Keira were on my door within the next five hours.

While she, like a cousin that I had grown up with, stepped out of the car and hugged me tight, Ivan barged in to the home to check on Leo's healing wounds. There wasn't much exchange of words. By their faces, it really looked like they had taken this life-turning decision with extreme thinking.

Keira behaved like she did before finding Ivan as her mate, happy and cheerful. Yet the sincerity was there in her eyes, knowing we were about to do something crucial. We didn't know if Ivan would accompany us to the border. Thus, the worry and sadness in his eyes for his mate was as obvious as it could be.

Moon Goddess knew what him and Leo discussed behind the door in our room. Keira, Ellie and I had small conversation over how the whole Alpha family of Eastern Pack didn't want me to go with this plan at all.

"But you began the talk with Orina and now, Luna Elsie is supporting us. You have succeeded already. The pack is stronger when it has you, Eva." The words coming out Keira's mouth showed her kind behavior. Even after everything, she stood strong and chose the way of love rather than being vengeful and bitter to me.

"Luna Anne doesn't want her to go. She seemed seriously scared. Alpha Leandre huffed it off saying, no one has ever returned. He thinks that she won't be coming back." Ellie revealed it all to her innocently, showing her own worry for her brother.

The full moon was tough to handle when Leo cried his eyes out in pain of holding the urge to shift. We longed to mate but his body was too weak to even move in skin. Now slowly being in love with each other and having this deep understanding, it was definitely hard to come up to such a decision where I was leaving for a place that haunted the packs.

"Even Declan hates the plan. He said that this is a sin. Our intention is only to save Misty and not find the ashes. We are going their uninvited and won't last long a second." I had mentioned while thinking hard about how Leo had never stopped me from thinking about going crossing the border.

"As long as Leo believes in you, it is okay. You should be enthusiastic and be the same Eva we all look up to. The brave and fearless one." Keira's words were a surprise. The faith shown in her eyes made me wish to bow and apologize my heart out to her for everything that happened between Ivan and I.

"You are the brave one, here. I am just a wannabe," I had choked out. It was embarassing to not be able to control the emotions all of a sudden when I had been a heartless stone whole of my life.

Misty taught me to share my emotions.

Leo taught me to be able to feel every emotion.

"I longed for this chance every second of my life. I want to practice my utmost potential. I want to achieve something greater."

Keira had blinked in silence, listening to me quietly. Ellie had understood the environment and decided to leave the room to give us privacy.

"You came on one indirect call, Keira. You are the warrior here."

I couldn't even stand the thought of you going into the lands of those vicious monsters where Misty was already stuck.

It made her smile. I remember her shaking her head. "I thought about all of it before saying Yes to Pete. I didn't ask Ivan anything, Eva. He too didn't stop me but he came along. I am here on my own choice and we both are not doing it for any greed. We are doing it because we know we are capable of bringing Misty back. That would be most badass thing ever. We don't want to miss the chance."

And just like that, Leo's wounds were checked. I said my farewell to him with kisses and hugs. With few tears, I promised him that I would return no matter what. He didn't shed a tear. He didn't show any worry. The male I was gifted, had such a big and strong heart. There were only words of encouragement and love.

"I know you'll kick their asses. I will be waiting for you."

What if I didn't? The thoughts were there at the back of my mind. For the first time in my life, I realized that my death would definitely affect someone. My mate.

I felt responsible and loved.

After all these years of being cruel to him, I was finally returning the love. But being too selfish, I was leaving him alone in this vulnerable condition.

Ellie was quick to assure me. "Don't worry. I'll not leave this home until you return, Eva. I promise."

Thomas told me about it. As soon as mother heard that I was leaving for the Mystics for this plan, she called Uncle Rudy of Western pack. His son, Blake, my distant and notorious cousin who loved to tease the hell out of me, like an older version of Thomas with red hair. He drove all the way here to bring his mate back so she could take care of her brother.

The chain that was forming.

I was putting myself away from Leo, Ellie from Blake, and it could be Ivan and Keira too. At last, it would be Misty from her mate.

Anyone could tell that something big was happening.

We left the Eastern Pack immediately. In between the ride, the faint vibes of third wheeling surely came when Ivan wrapped a warm blanket on Keira, who was sleeping on the shot gun. Being a childhood friend and decent male that he was, nonetheless, offered me one too.

It wasn't hard or awkward to witness that they had somehow grown out of that difficult phase and were coming upto new terms of their relationship. No matter who much cruel their beginning had been, I could see the hidden underrated love.

Keira was being soft to both of us and it only made me sad.

She didn't deserve this sudden test of bravery. This sacrifice. No matter how much she loved Misty, it was still too much for her. After all she was way too younger than me. Ivan and I grew up together and knew the training. But Keira was as young as Misty and Natalie were.

"You have learnt the dance form. The art of using your charm to hypnotize the red-eyed Lycans. Their pointed ears can hear the trespassing from thousand miles away. They are superior and supreme. It isn't easy to put an act in front of them. Thus, you will have to do it with all your heart. Pleasing them with your beauty, dance and mysticism."

I blinked and could feel Keira gulping the lump hard. I could feel her fear growing beside me.

"If you fear them, it could lead to pain. If you fool them, you will return with victory." Luna Elsie looked around the females and then back at us. "Some of you were born here. Some of you were bonded to the males who were born here. The two of you have to pretend that you belong to one of these two categories."

Keira and I nodded immediately. Her faces held nothing but seriousness. We had spent three days preparing everything and tonight, we would make this plan a reality.

"You have already taken the oath of secrecy," said Luna Elsie while glancing at Ivan who was standing with Beta Elijah and Clark at the closed door. Beside Elijah was standing Luna Elsie's younger daughter, Eytellia who was mated to him only. The pure mystic couple we all would call them.

The beautiful piercing gaze of the old woman roamed around the faces and fell back on me. "This tradition is not as old as you think it is. The Alpha of Lycans had a mother."

I exchanged a glanced with Keira as the curiosity and fascination rose in our heart.

Luna Elsie breathed before lowering her eyes into the fire. "Decades ago, she was taken by his father, Alpha Kai. She was a common mystic. Someone who was too pure and innocent for that dark world. A female who had spent her life between happy family, devoted to mysticism and spirituality, spreading love of Moon Goddess and remembering our ancestors. That female was taken away by the Lycan Alpha."

"Her father had left this world just after her birth. His time had come. It was a sudden illness we couldn't correct. The mother was heartbroken when Earlene was taken away. The Alphas of other packs supported the exchange. Eva, Keira. Your grandfather supported the exchange. The screams and tears sounded same as of your human sister that fourth night."

My heart shook inside.

Keira had stopped breathing.

"The pain was too much for her mother to breathe after seeing her daughter being taken away across the border. The urge to see her alive had snatched her will to live. She died while requesting to my mate's father. To find a way so this won't happen to someone else."

Luna Elsie looked at the face of each female sitting around us. A sudden twist in the scent of the air which started to lighten and smell like vengeance. She started smirking slowly and I wasn't embarassed to confess that I was totally creeped out.

"It took us time. But my mate's mother eventually found a way. It is as similar as to what the rest of the pack does. Train their females, prepare them for a life behind the border. The difference is that we also prepare the ones Lycans would never choose."

Goosebumps risen on my arms.

The green velvet cloak was her favorite thing to match her personality. She had a black thread around her neck while the pendant was going under the blouse unable to show me the color of the gem or whatever it was.

"The tradition was a name given to it by the former Luna. She proposed it to the father of Alpha Kingston. He agreed and look what that brought us to," she said while having glassy gaze. "They think we don't know their hidden misery. Only the packs who have border with them value this knowledge."

"The pack of Lycans is dying. They are losing the numbers and so are we. My son Clark here, needs his mate. He wishes to find her just like your brother does to give ourselves our next Lunas. We need this tradition to happen more than the Lycans. Thus, we had to let it continue even if you call it a sin. We only send the ones who do it voluntarily."

I lowered my eyes.

Luna Elsie breathed slowly. It was so silent in the room that we could hear the wind outside despite the thick wooden doors.

"The Alpha that leads the Lycans is a thoughtful one. He thinks hard about the future and takes the females away from the border to his males. Especially to the ones who might never find their mates. The ones whom Notherner and Western Pack haven't sent yet. Something tells me that the Alpha has been way ahead of what we expect from him. One of our female was lost two years ago. She never came back. We don't know what happened. But we surely know that she had mated with one of the brothers."

The words made me close my eyes. I promised myself that I won't end up like her. I would protect Keira too who was struggling to even leave a breathe, being all frozen beside me.

"I never knew that this tradition would work this way in our favor one day like tonight will happen. But we knew that this tradition was helpful to be continued. Earlier, we had a mission of finding their secrets. Tonight it will be more than just  that. My women helped me get to know about the family tree a little. It did help in your planning," she said that while glancing at Ivan who blinked calmly.

Looking back at us, Luna Elsie nodded to herself slowly.

"The Alpha has three younger brothers. There are four cousins too. Misty is mated to one of these males," said Luna Elsie, closing her eyes. "Four of them hadn't find their mates. They get enthusiastic when it is about dance. In between those scenes, one of my females had found the burns on one of the males last year. They were fresh. He was looking for Misty from long."

Keira and I exchanged a glance full of shock as we weren't given this information before.

The moment we stepped out of the car, Beta Elijah took us to this hall room. Last two days were given to continuous rehearsals and the drills of the plan that we had to do. In between, Ivan made calls with Pete so that the coordination could happen on the day we wanted it to happen.

But it all would be possible only if Misty caught up with our signs.

"As the plan goes, my females will guide Keira to the most vibrant one among them." Luna Elsie said while nodding at a female seated on her left side around the bonfire in a circle.

I remembered her name. Anya. She was a widow and a distant neice of Aunt Ilona. I would have surely asked for how her mate died. But Eytellia had warned us not to ask the females this question. These were painful memories that they remembered every second. The very root of why they were willing to go and use the rest of their lives in contributing to the goals of the pack.

"The most vibrant one is the most curious one. He eyes each female and remembers the faces from previous year. If he saw you both, he would definitely be suspicious. He would ask questions to the ones he chooses to find the truth. He would be quick enough to sign any of his brother about the uninvited females. Thus, the only way to keep him busy is to lure him like he has never been before. It can only be done with the act of sympathy. You are a virgin and the story of losing a mate before even mating would pull him to you before anything," said Anya while glancing confidently at Keira.

I didn't want to look at her but I couldn't help it. When I did, my eyes were mesmerized by Keira's strength visible in her gaze. She clenched her jaws and nodded in determination, without a blink of fear and disgust visible on her face.

When I was about to look back at Luna Elsie, my gaze caught Ivan staring at Keira with this speechlessness spreading on his face. His eyes held sadness and anger. It was obvious to say that something was definitely not well between them. They didn't take this decision together. Did they?

"The rest of the dancers will do their usual job. Along with that, they will make ways for the early dawn. It will happen throughout the night. Not every Lycan male would be affected but the more we have them, the more the nature will be on our side. One of the cousin, he looks for the witches in us with the eye of a hawk. Beware of him and mention Severa's links with the mystics. Those stories fascinates him ," Luna Elsie explained while I raised my eyebrow and nodded. "While all this time, Eva will do the necessary. Making a path for Misty before the scheduled time."

"If Misty is still sane and healthy as we know her," said Ivan, all of a sudden. "She would herself try to reach her sisters. She will go for the one who is either closer or is in more danger."

"If she comes for Keira, it would be the best thing that could happen." Beta Elijah said while looking at us. "Her mate would look for her. This way, Keira will buy time to be protected from the targeted Lycan. She will have to be smart enough to guide Misty the whole plan in front of her mate."

Keira nodded eagerly.

Luna Elsie gave me the serious look. "The moment Pete enters the territory, every part of that territory will celebrate the repeat of the history. It will be a call that would echo around. The weather will change immediately. But all this will happen on your one sign, Eva. Before that you have to make sure Misty escapes the village. My females will keep the others busy."

Anya took the chance to remind us. "Do not lie without looking them in the eye. They hate that. They are scared of meeting our eyes. But when it gets to their arrogance, they struggle and try hard to dominate us. That's when they remember what one of our females did two years ago."

Hypnotize.

"We do their tricks on them," said Anya while smirking slightly.

"If it gets way too far from what we planned, do what your heart will scream at you. Think of returning to the border before anything. The rest will be taken care of by Alpha Pete and his pack," said Luna Elsie while Ivan gave a nod of approval. "It is still too courageous to think that Misty will be able to reach the border with so many Lycans surrounding her. She is no ordinary human. But if our intentions are pure, Severa will be on our side."

"Be careful, Keira." Luna Elsie warned her with the stern eyes. "You will have to buy time and protect yourself from the circumstances before Pete enters the territory. Before that, no male can enter the land. Not even Ivan from here. The Lycans would be alert. We cannot risk the enteries at different times."

I glanced at Ivan who looked helpless and yet understanding the situation. I hated this serious look on him. Too bad, my mistakes had led to his downfall. I wanted him to be his goofy self back. But the thought of Keira's attempt at going near a Lycan to seduce him was worsening everything.

"Can I ask a quick question?" The sudden soft voice came with a raise of a hand.

My eyes fell on Keira beside me.

Luna Elsie nodded while all the dancers turned curious.

Keira blinked before asking, "If you are going there all these years and know this much about them, have you ever seen any of the females they took from us. Alvena, Savina or even Aunt Valeria. Are they alive?"

Ivan's lips parted while I too turned surprised.

Luna Elsie passed her a straight look. "What do you think?"

Anya gave us a mysterious smile. "The less you know, the less time you will waste in looking for someone other than Misty."

Silence followed but suddenly, a light bulb blew in my head.

I bit my lip before immediately asking, "Did you ever ask Aunt Ilona about volunteering for this tradition?"

The air smelled of the awkwardness I had spread with my question.

Luna Elsie's smirk had faded. She gave me the blank gaze. "She went there once and nearly lost her purity."

The blood drained from my face while Keira gasped in shock.

"She did so well in protecting herself. Gave us an important tip," said one of the middle aged female among the dancers.

"What?" I asked restlessly.

The woman gave us a pitiful look.

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"Do not worry about Keira," I said before walking towards the tombstone. Closing my eyes, I stepped ahead and bent down to offer the roses. Praying for Willis to meet his mate in the Moon, I wished for him to look upon us and ask the Goddess to give us the light that we needed.

Opening my eyes, I got up, walked back and stood beside Ivan who was standing a little away from the stone. "I will look after her."

I had totally expected him to ignore my words, give me a look of disgust and leave. But to my surprise, he stayed. Still staring at the tombstone in sincerity, he shook his head.

"I said the same thing to Leo about you," he said before chuckling sarcastically. "But I am entering the territory way too late to protect any of you both."

I blinked in understanding and bit the inside of my lip. "Do not underestimate us. We will be fine. Keira is unpredictable. That's her power. She takes on Aunt Kate and I have faith in her. She understood Aunt Ilona's tip before I could. The feel of air pressure and the sound of foosteps on different kinds of grass. . ." I chuckled in defeat. "I would surely be pissed being blindfolded for so long. They would cover our noses with some scent to not let us smell the surroundings. This is why, that mystic woman couldn't return back to the borders and died."

"No. She would have easily found the way. Something else must have happened. As long as there are rivers, it is easy. When you feel like you are lost, let your wolf take over. She will know in which direction your mate is." Ivan said, thoughtfully. "I know this by experience. Do not think about anything else while practicing it."

I blinked in acknowledgement and nodded slightly. "Did you look for the signs of sea you were looking for?" I asked him.

The smile curved his lips and finally, it was refreshing to see that. It was an old joke. He was fascinated with the story of that witch and the Lycan. He had it on his list to look for the sea where she tried to offer herself to the dark magic before getting cursed instead.

"I did."

My smile faded as soon as he said that. He sounded serious.

The check shirt made him look young and was too thin for this cold wind.

"No signs. No cave. No bones of any old animals. No signs of any witch cult."

I remained quiet. That meant that all our work on that story was for nothing. Silence followed while my eyes observed the incomplete Moon above.

"Do you feel as if Keira wants to avenge everything that happened by hooking up with a Lycan?"

The question made me freeze. Wait. What?

"She knows her standards," I mumbled, remembering the Keira I had observed all these years. "Her standard is to never let her loved ones down. She won't give you the pain that she has suffered herself."

Ivan blinked and flared his nostrils in order to take a long breathe. "She is unpredictable but full of wonders."

"Is she?" I asked while smiling softly.

He nodded quietly, looking up at the moon.

"We are starting a war with the Lycans. The leader in sight would be Pete," I said while sighing hard. "Do you think he is ready to execute all of this plan? It might lead to a future full of wars. The packs would hate on him and the pack if this ruins all the progress we made all these years."

Ivan moved his eyes off the Moon to give me a look of faith.

"The Alpha in him is about to shake the world of Lycans."

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"What do you think?"

Please vote and comment.

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Hey guys! How are you all? I hope, the new year is going well.

I wanted to publish this chapter on Valentine's day because I recieve enormous love from you guys everyday. But some points were remaining in the chapter and finally, tonight I was able to complete it.

I am eager to share more of the story. I will try my best to continue sincerely.

All the messages about updates and asking about my health, really make my heart warm. I am thankful to each one of you for staying connected to me. You all are precious for waiting for Misty like that.

It makes me happy and feel loved. Misty really did that to our hearts. Didn't she?

I have a holiday tomorrow. Guess, I'll start writing the next draft and try to find out what Misty thinks of her sisters' presence behind the border.

It's the action time. So, be ready for the thrilling scenes.

I would love to know your thoughts. What do you think? Misty should run away with her sisters or stay? Does she even have a choice? What of Karam?

I hope, you all are in love witn yourself. Self-love is something I have been practicing since last year. It helped me overcome many issues. Remember to always give yourself a pat everyday.

Take care.

Lots of love,

Nikki <3