CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2 - Lisha

I followed the warrior reluctantly as he dragged me away. Every part of me screamed to turn back, to fight alongside my parents, to die with them if it came to that. But duty chained me as tightly as the hands on my arm.

The hidden shed was dark and cramped, smelling of cow dunk and litters. Mothers whispered shaky prayers as they held their children close. The little ones buried their faces in their mothers’ chests, muffling sobs. The pregnant women pressed trembling hands to their bellies, as if sheer will could shield the lives growing inside them.

Perrone stood near the door calmly with his back straight, his face was unreadable. His stillness was frightening. It was the stillness of a man who had already accepted death.

I sat among them, but I couldn’t stay still. My body felt restless. I wanted to be outside. I needed to see. Every cry, every clash of steel in the distance sent a tense feeling through me.

After a while, the noise changed. The roars and howls, the clash of blades began to fade. Instead came some men voices, I hear them shouting orders. My heart pounded harder with every sound.

Sweat was all over my face, the children held their breaths as best as the could, even thou the whimpers were even too loud for me.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I moved toward the door. If death was waiting outside, then let it take me standing.

I moved toward the door, ready to step out, when Perrone grabbed my arm. He pointed outside, and that’s when I saw my father, fully transformed, fighting off about seven royal hunters. Silver chains wrapped around him, draining his strength away.

I couldn’t breathe, peronne immediately used his hand to cover my mouth, to stop me from making any sounds that can implicate us.

The king himself circled him like a predator, his sword catching the faint torchlight, his eyes fixed on my father with cruel delight. He struck not to kill, but to wound and weaken him.

Father roared, attacked even in his broken state, he tore through two hunters, ripping them apart with the last of his strength. But more chains flew, binding his arms in mid air. He tried to draw them closer, but he staggered as two more hunters came behind him, wrapping chains tight around his legs.

Then the king stepped forward, and tossed his own silver chain himself, it landed around my father’s neck. With a strong pull, he dragged him down onto his knees.

My father shifted, half returning to his human form. He was bloodied and panting. His eyes burned still, defiant even as his strength failed.

That was it, I would rather die than watch him like this. I would rather expose us all than cower behind wood and shadows.

I tore Perrone’s hand from my mouth and moved for the door.

Then there was just darkness, the last thing I saw was the king’s smiling face as he stepped closer to my father like a god savoring his victory.

                                 Perrone

I had to put her to sleep, there was no other choice. If Lisha had burst out of hiding, we would all be dead. I prayed we wouldn’t be discovered, her father last instructions to me was that 'if there’s any chance at all, make sure she lives.'

Our chances of surviving were slim, but as I laid her down gently on the dirt floor, I was convinced that it's not today, it's not today. And if it's, there's nothing I, or we can do about it.

The children around me trembled, as their mothers clutching them close. I peered through the crack in the wood again. Alpha Corven was finished. The magical silver chains bound him tight, dragging him back into his human form. His great body sagged with exhaustion, but his eyes still burned with defiance.

King Camus approached slowly, his armor glinting under the torchlight. He sheathed his sword and drew a small knife.

“You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?” the king mocked.

Corven lifted his head as blood dripped from his mouth, and he said, “While my ghost will watch over some, it will surely hunt you.”

The king smiled. “You couldn’t watch over yourself. I pity those you want to watch over.”

Corven smile too. “Do not worry, your time will come. Until then” He didn't shift his gaze, but he spoke louder. “Make sure you live.”

A tear slid down my cheek before I even realized it. I could not remember the last time I wept. I knew he was referring to his daughter, I knew he was referring to us. Tonight, the werewolf world was losing more than a leader, it was losing a pillar.

King Camus didn’t hesitate. He slit Corven’s throat. Blood poured like a river, soaking the ground beneath him.

A child beside me, who had been peeking through a gap in the wood, began to tremble violently and wet himself. I pressed my hand over his mouth and eyes, whispering for silence while forcing my own breath to stay steady.

The hunters stood there, watching as life drained from Alpha Corven’s eyes. Then two of them moved to drag away their fallen comrades.

But the king lifted a hand. “Wait.”

I froze too. His gaze swept the area slowly, suspiciously, he looked at our hiding place.

Immediately, the soldiers unsheathed their swords and began to moved towards us.

I raised one hand to motion for silence, my other hand still pressed firmly over the trembling boy’s mouth. My heart pounded so hard I feared they could hear it. If they took four more steps, I would have no choice, I would have to wake Lisha. With the little strength I had left, only her skill might give us a chance.

Suddenly, one of his men ran up, panting. “My king, Some of them are escaping. Do we pursue?”

Camus’s hand struck him across the face with such force that the man staggered. “I told you to kill anyone you find here, and here you are asking me if you can pursue?” he shouted.

He turned back to the soldiers nearing us. “Mount your horses now”

Within moments, one of his soldiers brought his horse. Camus mounted his horse and went in pursuit of our kin.

Only when their hoofbeats faded did I let out a slow shaking breath, I guess not today. My hand still rested on Lisha’s shoulder, ready to wake her. But I realized she was already stirring.

She opened her eyes slowly. “What happened?” she whispered in confusion.