Chapter Five

Lucy

It's been a whole day since I left what once was my pack land and started my run to the unknown. 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 19 seconds since I last saw my Mom, Dad, Micky and pack members. 24 hours 22 minutes and 34 seconds since I last saw my brother Robert, and 24 hours 6 minutes and 7 seconds since I watched my brother's life end.

Yes, he made me run, but I didn't go far; I couldn't, not until I knew what happened to him. I knew that he wouldn't make it past those wolves; we both did, and yet, his only concern was getting me away from there, so the least I could do was stick around and go through his last moments with him.

Of course, he would have gone crazy if he had known that I was close by, that I could see everything, including the moment that they tore his head off while ripping his heart out at the same time. He would have hated knowing that I had seen it, but I had to. I don't know why, I just know that I had to be there with him in any way that I could.

I don't regret my decision to stay close by and to witness my brother's end, but knowing how much it's going to affect my life is a hard pill to swallow. I knew it would affect me in a lot of ways, but already I feel like it's eating me up inside; the flashbacks are so vivid, so clear, and so incredibly painful.

The pain of his death is so raw, I feel like it's clawing away at my insides. Don't get me wrong, knowing that the rest of my family and pack members are dead is raw enough on its own, but somehow not knowing how they died seems to help. Deep down, I know that they suffered in one way or another, but somehow I'm able to make myself not think about how it ended for them, but knowing how my brother died, reliving Robert's death over and over in my head is something else entirely.

I stayed in that spot hidden in the trees for several hours after his death, and after listening to the howls, as one by one, my pack members were taken down. I wanted to move, to start running before someone found me, but my whole body was numb. If it wasn't for Nala making me shift my ass, I doubt I would be where I am now. She's been incredible since everything happened and has been the one to keep me moving forward, no matter how much I've tried protesting.

I decide to stop for a quick break, and after checking out my surroundings to make sure that I am safe, I take a seat on a large rock that's hidden deep in the forest. I go in my backpack and take out a bottle of water and a cereal bar. My brother packed well for me and thought of everything I could possibly need. The thought of him packing the bag for me makes me smile. He was always an incredible brother to both Micky and me.

I sip on my water as I look around me. My feet are hurting, and I'm sweating like a bitch, but I know that I can't take my time with this. I can't stop for long. It was one of the things that Joseph asked of me, and I will keep my promise. I dig in the front of my bag and pull out the map that he put in there for me. This map is another example of how much of a good brother he was; it's so detailed that it even includes good places to take a break and even get some sleep, although I have no idea how he managed to do this.

Did he make this trip himself at some point? Did he send someone else to do it? I'm not sure, but still, I silently thank him as I finish up my break and keep making my way through the thick, never-ending forest.

According to what Joseph said, I should have about another day of travel before I reach the Hollow Moon pack, but from what I can see on the map, I think I may be traveling quicker than he predicted. I should be happy that I'm making quick work of this trip, but honestly, I've got mixed emotions about the whole thing. On one hand, I'm out here alone and scared, so I'll be glad to be with other wolves again and feel safe, but on the other hand, I'm also scared of going to another pack. I know my brother said that the Alpha will look after me, but will he really, or is this just something that he's said to keep the peace?

"Come on, baby girl, we've got this. Whatever happens when we get there, we'll be ok. You have me, and I'm not going anywhere, and if the place or Alpha are not what Joseph thought, then we'll kick ass and find somewhere else to stay." Nala's' words make me smile and, as always, give me the push that I need. "Thank you, Nala." She gives me a wink, then retreats to the back of my mind as I throw my bag over my back and continue with our journey.

A few more hours pass, and the sky begins to darken as the sun slowly fades away for the day. I'm mentally and physically exhausted, and I'm pretty convinced that my feet are bleeding, but I still don't want to stop. "I can smell a lake close by. Let's stop for a little break and maybe take a quick dip," Nala suggests, clearly sensing my struggle. "It's not on the map as a safe place to stop, Nala"

My brother's sole purpose when making this map was to keep me as safe as possible, and so far, I've made a point to stick to it, to keep his last wish going. "I know. But my senses are on high alert, and I can't sense any danger nearby. You know I wouldn't risk your safety, Lucy." I know she wouldn't, and that knowledge has me doubting my choice to stick to the map.

"The path to the lake is only a little of the trail that we are following. How about we just head that way to take a look, and if either of us senses any danger at any time, we will get straight back on the trail. I promise." She has been my rock since we walked away from my brother, and I trust her 100%, so I give her a nod, letting her know that I'm going to trust her here and start listening to her direction as she leads me towards one of the most beautiful lakes that I have ever seen in my entire life.

We spend almost 30 minutes at the lake having some food and taking a dip in the rather warm water, and, of course, I use the opportunity to have a wash and change my clothes. Along with all the essentials that I need, my brother also packed me mini shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, and I'm insanely grateful for that.

"We should head out now, Nala. The next safe place is still a bit away, and it's already getting dark." She nods, agreeing, but I don't miss the slight change in her behavior. She's been so carefree and fun the whole time that we've been here, but now she seems tense, and it has me on edge. "What's going on, Nala?"

"Stay quiet, Luc. I can smell wolves." Shit! That's the last thing that I need right now! "Let's get out of here, girl. They're not close enough for me to completely get their scent, so I can't tell if they are Rouges or not, and I don't know if we're on anyone's land, so let's just get out of here. Now!"

She doesn't need to tell me twice. I grab my bag and get my ass away from the lake as quickly as I can without drawing attention to myself, but it doesn't take long for me to start picking up the scents of other wolves and, while they don't appear to be Rogues, they are still strangers, and I'm not taking any risks here so I let Nala take over, and she runs with all she has getting us away from them and back on our trail. Goddess, please help us.