Chapter Three - A Terrible Choice

Lucy wasn’t sure how much time had passed as she forced her eyes open, but the cold hard surface underneath her back and the pungent smell of disinfectant told her that something was wrong.

Her eyes opened to be greeted with the sight of a dank room shrouded in darkness and a vicious pounding began in her head as a wave of nausea washed over her. It felt as though she had spent the night drinking and woken up with a hangover, yet all she remembered was drinking tea with…Cassandra.

Icy fingers of dread worked their way down her spine as she tried desperately to bring her hands up to her head and at least try to massage it. It took her a second to realize that her inability to lift her arms wasn’t because of a lack of coordination on her part, but because something that was burning her skin was holding her in place.

She bent her neck at an awkward angle to try and look around the room that she was in and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness she realized with a sense of foreboding that almost took the breath from her lungs, that she was in a very dangerous position. 

The walls were encrusted with grime and from what she could make out there was a small window in the wall opposite, clouded over with filth. A faint glow and the muffled sound of voices seemed to approach the room beyond hers and her heart began to beat even faster as she could feel the panic begin to rise in her chest.

“I don’t know about this Cassandra…what if they find out?” a hesitant male voice spoke.

The tinkling sound of Cassandra’s laughter answered him accompanied by a dismissive snort. Lucy could just imagine the dismissive and arrogant wave of her hand that would accompany that sound.  

“Don’t be ridiculous Frederik. Who on earth would ever find out?” Cassandra crooned, pausing briefly before she continued, “I’m certain that you’ll never tell anyone about it, would you? Not after our little...arrangement..hmm?” 

“Cassy…she’s our Luna…and the pups..” the male voice seemed to almost plead with her.

“And? So what!” Cassandra bit back harshly. “She won’t be your Luna after this, that will be my position and I can assure you those pups are not Noah’s!” Cassandra spat angrily, “If you’re having second thoughts about our little..arrangement then I can always..”

“NO!” Frederick almost shouted, “No…I’ll..I’ll do it. But then we’re even Cassandra. I don’t want you near my family again after this do you understand?” 

Cassandra answered him with a laugh that would make your blood run cold. 

“Oh, Frederik…do you really think that you’re in any position to be making deals with me?” Cassandra laughed again as the silhouettes moved against the light in the window.

“Just get on with it. Make sure there are no mistakes. I don’t want her ruining everything that I spent the last 6 years working for.” She hissed furiously.

The sound of Cassandra’s footsteps retreating into the distance echoed down the corridor but it didn’t ease the panic in her chest. Lucy could feel the pups inside of her squirming around in reaction to their mother's stress levels and if anything, it broke her heart.

Lucy knew that she would only have one chance to get out of this but it didn’t look good. 

The door to the room creaked open on its rusty hinges and the figure of Frederick entered the room hesitantly. He glanced across at where she lay bound to the slab and his shoulders slumped as he exhaled heavily.

“Please..” Lucy whispered hoarsely, her throat painfully dry.

His head whipped up and he glanced in her direction, the shock at her being conscious was written all over his face.

“Luna! I didn’t think…you weren’t supposed to be awake…” He mumbled as he fidgeted with his hands and hurried across to a metal trolley that sat just underneath the window.

The clattering of metal against metal indicated that his hands were clearly shaking with whatever he was trying to do.

“Frederick, please..you don’t have to do this. I can help..if we can just tell Noah what’s really going on…” She trailed off, the tears beginning to fall and trickle backward into her hairline.

He stiffened at the use of his name and snorted ironically.

“So you heard the conversation out there then?” He asked quietly as he turned to face her, holding a scalpel loosely in his hand.

Lucy swallowed before she answered her mind racing with the potential solutions to getting her out of this, but her mind was blank. All she could do was beg and plead for the life of her pups.

“I did. I know Cassandra is behind all of this. I can help you, but you need to help me get out of here. I can leave, go and gather help from people outside of the pack, or I can just run and never return! Please Frederick…I’ll do whatever you decide is best just..don’t kill my pups..please..” She sobbed, her breath catching in her throat and her chest heaving with the pain of her grief.

Frederick approached her slowly and looked down at her sadly, hesitating before he spoke.

“I wish it was that simple Luna, you see..she has my children too…how can I possibly make the right decision..I’m damned whatever I choose.” He whispered, his voice cracking.

Lucy’s eyes closed in despair and she allowed herself one last sob before taking a deep breath in and staring directly into Frederick's eyes.

She didn’t stand a chance against a male wolf desperate to protect his pups…there was no hope. 

A single ear trickled down her face as she desperately tried to communicate with her unborn pups that she loved them and she was sorry she hadn’t protected them better.

“I’m so sorry my Luna..” Frederick whispered as he lifted his arm up and sliced across her throat, making sure the scalpel sliced through both arteries on each side of her neck.

He held her face tenderly as he sobbed over her, the grief and misery of what he had been forced to do piercing his heart as he watched the last signs of life disappear from Lucy’s eyes. 

Frederick knew that in the eyes of the Goddess, he was damned. He had committed the most grievous sin, the murder of defenseless pups and their life giver, his Luna. 

There was no way that he could possibly redeem himself, but what choice did he have? His own children would always take priority and he would do whatever it took to bring them home safely.