The wind howled, packing the earth with it. Dry leaves skittered across the ground. The sky made a deep rumble like it held in something ghastly waiting to be unleashed.
The figure in a cloak was almost unnoticeable in the dark. He strode briskly, his cloak flapping wildly behind him. A bird circled him overhead. The figure stopped before a tree. Alpha Renwick unveiled his face from under the hood of his cloak. He smiled and inhaled the night's chilly air.
Hold on tightly, Vesper," he slurred with deep pleasure. "My lovely Luna shall return to me today"
The raven came to perch atop his shoulder. "Of course" Its gaze was low as he looked on into the thicket before them. His dark form glimmered a silvery tint in the moonlight "And this is going to be different from last year?"
Alpha Renwick sighed "Vesper"
"Or should I say the last decade"
He groaned.
"I must say, your honour, your consistency is commendable"
A pang shot through the Alpha's head and he winced, falling to his knees.
He fell silent. "Do you hear that?" He looked cautiously behind him.
"Hear what?"
Something collided with the back of his head–Wham! He collapsed face-first into the debris. He wanted to cry out for his sons, but consciousness evaded him and he struggled to keep from slipping away again. Chaos ran in the air. There were punches and blows and hissing, and then the earth shuddered beneath retreating feet. Now two distinct voices yelled and cursed at each other. He thought that it had to be Lucian and Callum.
"You were supposed to keep an eye on him!" Callum accused. He got down on one knee and with great effort, slung his father over one shoulder. Sticks and rocks stabbed at his knee and leaves crunched beneath them.
"I'm sorry"
Not quite, Alpha Renwick thought to himself. Lucian would never apologize.
"Well, how do we explain this to Lucian?" said Callum breathlessly through gritted teeth as he tried to gain stance with his father on his shoulder. "The Bloodfangs could have easily taken him out" he grunted. "You know, if you'd just do as I say even once? This wouldn't happen"
Rowan sighed. "I was watching him, okay? I promise, I was" He looked around. It only occurred to him now how the darkness around them was fading into dawn, like some piece of clothing that had seen better days, washed and worn. "Shit"
Callum followed his gaze up. "The day's breaking"
"Yeah, we have to get moving"
Callum bounced to balance his father's weight and they began their journey back to the castle. It wasn't a long one. Their father hadn't wandered off too far. The bird was nowhere to be seen.
They tried their best to be silent as they started down the hallway leading to the Alpha's quarters.
Their voices came back in small echoes reverberating off the looming golden halls.
"We better not stir Lucian awake" Rowan whispered.
Callum paused. "Rowan?"
"What"
"Be quiet!"
"What did I just say?"
At the Alpha's fortress, they were met with a pleasant surprise. They discovered their oldest brother, Lucian. He had been waiting for them. He immediately reached for the Alpha. "What happened?" He helped Callum convey him into the soft plumes of his bedchamber. Lucian sat by his father's side. He palmed his father's face, his eyes laden with worry. "Dad?"
But Alpha Renwick was out cold. He didn't speak.
Lucian shot a look at his brothers making Rowan push his face into his neck to dodge the impact. "I'm going to make you both so sorry" he sneered.
"It was a mistake"
"I apologize on Rowan's behalf," Callum announced, to which Rowan scoffed, rolling his eyes.
Lucian chuckled mirthlessly, his dark hair falling to his face as he shook his head. "Now, what was I thinking leaving Father in the care of you turd heads?" He glared at them at the last part.
"Send for Betas, two at least, to watch him from now on" And he rose with a resolve to head for the gym or branch at the training camp rather than exert another ounce of his energy on his brothers.
At the door, he came upon Selena. Callum's beloved. He walked past without sparing her a glance. You know, like the way one walked past furniture in a household. Nothing to see there. In fact, so help him God, he might have walked right through her. That was just how little she existed in his mind. To be sure, that was in his mind's eye, because he just stood there somewhat entranced, his heart palpitations stepped up, and his breath grew raspy. His emotions were electrified and coursing through his nerves.
Selena's eyes also bore into his. His piercing blue magnetic ones. She forgot how to breathe. All the oxygen was caught in her chest. And most of all, her wolf ran wild inside of her.
Lucian was the first one to tear his eyes off and immediately, he went the other way.
What in the staring contest? He thought to himself and blinked and shook his head with rigor to completely dispel whatever that was.
It might have only been seconds like blowing smoke. As short as a wink. But Rowan had caught it nevertheless. He caught everything. Never missed. He prided himself with this very much. "Well, that's new" he muttered under his breath.
Callum hadn't noticed. The Alpha had his attention. "He's going to have a massive headache when he wakes up" "I think we should call the doctor"
Selena frowned, blinking. Why was she here again?
She felt an arm entwine her stomach from behind. "Hey, love" Callum whispered into her neck.
She didn't respond. She couldn't. Her mind was perturbed. Her body stiffened under his embrace.