♧Chapter two; PEACE♧

She was standing by the window, gazing at the dark sky and the stars that punctuated it. Her mom is up there, represented by a star, watching over her, she strongly believed that. The night is cool and the breeze is soft. The atmosphere is quiet. The moon was in full bloom, she could stand there all night just looking at it. Feeling content and at peace. Surrounded by the dark.

Peace is an inside thing, you can't get it from outside. Her mom's words drifted into her soul and a lazy smile crawls unto her oval face. Alcohol, food, affection, sport, they were all outside things and can't bring you peace. Your fellow wolf can't bring you peace. Only you can bring you peace. Peace can only be achieved when you've won the battle within and as she stood there she felt certain that she had won the battle. She felt even more certain that her mother was resting in peace.

Then, a feminine snore drifted across the room from the bed and excited her pinna. Looking over her shoulder at her sister, she decided to lay down. Today was uneventful but tomorrow is the hunt and she had zero interest in it. June had zero interest in the hunt.

♧♧♧

She never bothered with an alarm clock, cause her mother had so generously given her a live action one named Antara. The 18 year old parrot ransacked  the closet before coming to stand by the side of the bed where her elder sister lay. Her scarse light brown hair like her sister's, was held up in a ponytail and her lips held a relaxed grin, her eyes danced and her vocal cord vibrated;

"Come on now June, it's time to get up. Since when did you ever sleep in? Today is the hunt remember, it is going to be so much fun!" She yanked the duvet off her sister and threw it on the floor.

June groans, eyelid still lightly shut, "God help me Antara, if I get out this bed, what I'm going to do to you"

"Yen yen yen, come on, up up, get up," she put her palms together and it sounded loud and  clear, "get up you lazy fellow." Looking down at her sister with a toothy grin while her sister looked up at her with a glare, hair all mused and sticking to her face.

" Today is the hunt right?" Antara said again.

"Tell me something I don't know," June let her legs fall out the side of the bed and unto the carpet as she sat up.

Antara made a face, "You're going to find your mate today, surely you don't know that."

June got up and stretched, "I'm not going for the hunt." She said casually and a gasp burst forth  from Antara's lips. "Why?! But we're supposed to go together!"

June looked at her sister's once cheerful face. "Did we discuss that?"

"Why don't you want to go?"

"It's not compulsory for all wolves, infact the hunt is being organised for the alpha, so he finds his Luna. That has nothing to do with me, I want to stay home."

Antara frowned, June scoffed, "Come on Tara..." She trailed off, she could see her sister desperately wanted to go for the hunt.

"But I want to find my mate, don't you also? Hmm, you know what, let's see what dad has to say about this." Antara said before storming out of the room.

"Ah jeez Tara," June followed.

Their dad and aunt Biff were sitted side by side at the table, spreading grounded peanuts unto toast. June ambled down the stairs and her eyes immediately narrowed on them. Antara was leaning on the refrigerator. Scowl on.

"Morning five," dad's grin couldn't have been wider

"Morning June," Aunt Biff's accent made June sound like 'Shune'.

"Morning six, morning aunt Biff." She replied while taking a seat across from them on the table. She reached into a tray and grabbed a toast.

Antara then made her way to the table, "Dad I have a complaint!"

"What is it Tara?"

"Dad you know I really wanted to go for the hunt but June doesn't and I can't go alone, without her. Which means that if she doesn't go, I can't go but I want to go!"

June face palmed herself. Her father's eyes were on her now, "June why don't you want to go for the hunt? You're unmated and unmated wolves are to be in attendance." Typical for dad to state facts.

"I just don't want to, I want to stay home and chill." She replied airily.

"And play a game of chess huh?" Aunt Biff butted in but Antara gave her the look.

"You get it!" June smirked. June and Aunt Biff, the chess lords. None would ever admit the other is better. It was one of the things the aunt and niece shared in common.

"But Tara wants to go." Ian, aka dad, pointed out.

"And she can go. I'm not stopping her, I'm stopping myself," June countered, rather casually, "Plus you know I've never been a fan of  hiding while the he-wolves sniff us out like we're lunch." The hunt wasn't something that was organised often in the pack which made it all the more special to most wolves. June had attended previous hunts, she wasn't against the event, she just wasn't feeling like it today. Maybe her apathetic behaviour towards the hunt had something to do with the fact that her boyfriend, Tyler wasn't going for the hunt due to a bone injury caused by silver that was yet to heal, and it felt unfair for her to go while he stayed home in pain. She had plans to visit him today.

"But that's how I found your mother," Ian replied his daughter's remark with a soft voice. June couldn't help but smile.

"Come on June," Antara begged.

"Maybe you should go darling." Aunt Biff urged. Aunt Biff was the younger version of June's mother. Black hair, round face, plump and short, rosy skin that matched her tender blue eyes. Eyes that contrasted Ian's black ones. Ian was a huge mousey haired man, who somehow managed to look cute despite his intimidating stature. He and June were as close as five and six. Back to Aunt Biff, she was widowed but just like her sister she radiated sunshine and liveliness.

June looked at her sister, the one soul she would readily give her life for. Then at her dad, the man who has not just been her dad but her also mom since she was sixteen and then at aunt Biff, the woman who's been through so much yet still managed to stay happy and made sure the girls were happy too.

"Fine then family, I shall go for the hunt!" She declared.