Chapter 2

Cora felt a tug on her sleeve and she looked down. The surprised look on her face wiped away once more as she gazed down at the culprit that dared touch her.

"Little A?"

Her words earned her a scowl as she looked down into her nephew's adorable brown eyes. He was going to be celebrating his fourth birthday soon and she knew that he was excited about it.

Kneeling down she took him into her arms The look of fear and worry seemed to emanate from him and she felt her heart go out to him. Despite who she was now, she still loved her family and pack members. Even if she was different. She couldn't be cold toward her little nephew no matter how hard she wanted to be. She just couldn't. Nor did she want to be cold toward him.

"Where's Bampa, Bamma, daddy, and mama?"

She smoothed his soft blonde hair and stood up with him. Trying to find the right answer so she wouldn't scare him.

"You know what? They are protecting us. Making sure that we are all okay. Everything will be alright, you'll see. They want us to be safe."

AJ had found his mate the night that everything happened. Interestingly enough it was her best friend Jessie. Jessie was not really a warrior when they met, but over the past few years, she too began training as A CNL member. She didn't want to be kept out of the loop and she took the vows that she was given and kept them proving herself to be worthy of her position.

Jess had been transferred to the pack when she was thirteen and adopted by a chosen mated pair that could not have kids. Her own parents were dead as she had been told and her alpha thought she should start a new life. The transfer was made and she became Cora's best friend.

Little Anthony or Tony, as they called him to distinguish him from his father and grandfather, was a Paglione through and through. He had blonde hair like his mother's and brown eyes like his father's.  The Paglione trait when it came to eye color.  Tony was already showing signs of being a little Alpha. Though Anthony Senior was not born with Alpha blood, he managed to acquire the powers of an Alpha through his leadership of the pack.

Jess was expecting another pup and from the scent, everyone was sure that it was a female. Cora was excited about this and she looked forward to it.

She was worried about what was happening outside, but she kept her face from showing it. The pack members in the room with her were looking to her for their strength and she could see that as they seemed to be gravitating more and more toward her.

"Hey everyone, hang in there. We are going to pull through this and you will be back with your families again. Trust in the moon goddess. She knows what she is doing. There are some blankets and food rations over in the closets by the back of the room there. There should be some kid's books and toys as well."

She watched as a few of the females went over and pulled out some coloring books and toys and food and began to get things set up to occupy the crying and bewildered children. They didn't know what was going on and it was best not to explain to them that their fathers were outside fighting and may not make it back.

She bit her bottom lip and led Tony over to one of the beds and crawled onto it, pulling him up with her. Resting her back against the wall, she held Tony close and waited patiently. Well, as patiently as one could as she was worried about what was going on outside.

Tony drifted off to sleep after a few hours as did some of the other children. There was a child on the bed with them, since there were not enough beds for everyone to have one and she was sitting up. 

She smoothed some of Tony's blonde hair out of his eyes and sighed. This was going to seem like forever to these children as well as the adult females and she knew that there was nothing more that she could do to help them, except keep them calm and make sure that they were able to get rations when needed.

Once the females had organized some play groups and a story circle, things seemed to settle down. With the youngest pups napping and the older ones occupied, a hush seemed to fall over the large group. There was still a nervous tension in the room as everyone tried to occupy themselves.

Some of the other females were talking amongst themselves quietly. They wondered what was happening and who would attack their seemingly peaceful pack.

If only they knew that half of it. If only they knew, who and what their Alpha really was, they would understand completely.

Cora had kept that secret from them and from Tony. She knew things that her mother and her brother did not and they were part of CNL. Cora had seen too much that day and her father had kept her close after that, making sure that he could trust her. Of course, she remained trustworthy and he had forced her to carry out some of his tasks.

She cringed and pushed it out of her mind. This was no time for those kinds of thoughts. She had a cellar full of she-wolves and pups to protect and console and she couldn't let herself be distracted.

Hours seemed to pass and more of the children were yawning and beginning to find pillows and blankets, even some of the women were tired out, even though they were worried and staying awake waiting for any kind of news of what was going on.

She herself was unable to rest, though she felt the tiredness in her body. More from inactivity than anything. She was sure that it was night outside after what was seeming like long enduring torture in this cellar with her pack. Her wolf hated it as much as she did and she was trying to get her to stop pacing in her mind.

Suddenly she heard a key in the lock of the big metal doors and she stood slowly carrying Tony with her and slid him around so he was sitting piggyback on her back. She knew he would hold on for dear life, now that he was awake and she was not sure who was behind those doors.

Jess entered and motioned for her to come with her. Seeing her son on Cora's back made her catch her breath a moment. A brief look of uncertainty went through her eyes before she covered it up and led her out the door, locking it behind her. Cora was uncertain about what was happening. Still, she was thinking that there was something that they needed to be doing and Jesse had come to fill her in.

"Wait...what about the she-wolves and pups?"

She gave Jess a concerned look. What was going on? She was getting suspicious.

"They will be fine. I am moving you to a safer place so that you won't be found, just in case the enemy infiltrates the pack."

Cora sucked in her breath. She glance in the direction of where she knew the fighting was going on.

Infiltrate. What pack attacked them? Her mind started racing and she looked over at Jesse once more as other thoughts came to mind. Kaylee and Dylan!

"Jess...Have you forgotten? Two of our best friends are in the cellar we can't just leave them all to die."

Jess shook her head.

Cora was conflicted as she heard these words. She glanced once more in the direction they came from and bushed some loose locks of hair out of her eyes. Her face was splotched with dirt and sweat, but there was nothing she could do to change that.

"My orders were to bring you and that is it."

Cora was losing her patience. She had no idea what this was all about and she was disobeying her father. How was she going against him when he had used his alpha command and told her to stay with the females and the pups? Did he tell Jesse to move her for her protection?

"There are pups in there. Innocent pups like Andrew. I mean Tony! They don't deserve this?"

Neither did the she-wolves for that matter, but playing on her sympathies was what she was going for and she knew that Jess loved her son. Calling him Andrew was an idea that they came up with together if something happened and they wanted to protect the boy.

Jess ignored her words and grabbed her arm, tugging her up the steps. Once they reached the top, she led Cora out the back door. Jesse nodded toward the grove of trees they were facing.

"Run! Quickly!"

After they reached the safety of the trees, she turned to Cora and motioned for her to continue running letting her know through a private mind link that they couldn't stop now.

They kept on moving toward the trees behind the house. No one knew that they were gone yet. The sounds of growling and fighting came from the other side of the Packhouse in the distance, making her want to go join in the fight to protect their family.

"I need you to trust me. You will understand later, but for now, just give me your full trust. It is important that you do. Or all of this will be for nothing. The war. Everything."

Cora bit her bottom lip. Could she trust Jess? What was going on? She looked back through the trees, out of sight of her family, but she could sense they were there, fighting for their lives. Their pack. For all that they held dear. Truthfully, she felt like she could trust her best friend. She knew that she had never led her wrong before.

Cora couldn't help but feel that she should be there with them. Fighting by their side and protecting her pack along with the rest of the warriors. A pang of guilt hit her chest and it took a lot of effort on her part to keep her face masked, hiding any emotion that she was feeling. Masking her emotions had become second nature to her.

Why had her father suddenly sent her to be with the females and pups? Was he angry with her for something? What had she done to upset him? Maybe the situation was direr than she thought and maybe, he wanted some of his heirs to make it out alive.

Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her. They were not alone anymore. Her heartbeat quickened as she tensed up, nervous for the child on her back.

Bracing herself, she turned around. In one swift moment, her mask had been erased.

Her eyes widened and she took a step back as she tried to protect the child she was holding. Her wolf let out a soft whimper.

She was trying to figure out why her wolf had whimpered as she did. She was not one to show weakness. What they saw in front of them was unexpected and 'Andrew' was probably worried about what was happening. Was this the end? Were they going to die, now?

Cora caught her breath, ready to protect the boy on her back and she backed away slowly keeping herself between the boy and what she was facing. She wanted to fight, but she knew that she wouldn't be going to be able to with the boy on her back.

Her eyes focused as she let her wolf continue pacing back and forth. She had hoped that it was just a dream and she would wake up in her room ready to start the day. Instead, she had to face what was in front of her.

The Royal Guard.

'Jessica! What the hell have you done?!' 

"Mama?"