Chapter 2.2

"ARE you suggesting that we kill Calista and her parents?" Althaia whispered, afraid that someone might hear her.

"You want the throne, right?" Henry clarifies. "The only way you can get it is if we get rid of them."

"I am not a murderer!"

"You just killed our Queen Mother, remember?" Henry sarcastically said.

Althaia jumped from the sofa onto Henry, who was standing on the other side of the living room, and they both tumbled onto the wooden floor.

"Yes, you are my mate, but don't forget I am still your alpha," she yelled like a lunatic before releasing Henry, who was coughing and chasing his breath.

*****

"I STILL can't believe Althaia didn't even show up at Queen Mother's funeral," Hera grumbled as she ate the ice cream she had bought with Calista and her human boyfriend, Marcus.

They're now gathered under a tree in the woods, far from the werewolves' area. They decided to stay there for Marcus' safety, as he is having an affair with Hera, who is a werewolf like Calista.

Calista thought of her cousin Althaia as well as the Queen Mother's death. What happened that night was still clear in her memory. What exactly was Althaia doing there that night?

Calista and Althaia had a close relationship and treated each other like sisters. However, she has recently noticed that she is becoming distant from her and hypersensitive to everything.

"Calista, what do you think?"

Calista turned to Hera when she felt her gently pushing her to the side.

"W-what?"

Hera repeated, "I said, what could have been the reason why Althaia didn't come to the funeral?"

Instead of Calista, Marcus responded, "She's probably heartbroken from what happened."

Calista gazed down at the melted ice cream she was holding and sighed.

Hera breathed deeply. "Argh! She's not the only one who's in pain."

"What are your plans now that your queen is gone? Are you going to lead the tribe now?" Marcus change the subject and gazed at Calista.

"How can I? I don't even have a single idea how to become a good leader," she said as she handed Hera the ice cream cone she was holding.

Calista and Hera both turned their heads toward the direction of the stream when they felt Althaia's presence nearby. They stared at each other for a moment.

Calista bid the two goodbyes and immediately went to the stream, where she met Althaia who seemed anxious and resentful.

Althaia stopped when she saw her.

"Where have you been? We've been looking for you for days," Calista said calmly before sitting down on the boulder, next to the stream.

Because of the adequate amount of sunlight, the river appears to be a glittering diamond. The chirping of birds and the flow of the river can also be heard all around. Calista lifted her head and felt the breeze on her face.

Althaia stood motionless, staring blankly at her cousin. She pondered Henry's words to her. Is she strong enough to carry out his advice?

She slowly stepped closer to Calista whose back was facing her. Calista's eyes were closed as she inhaled deeply.

She reached out her shaky hands to Calista's neck, but swiftly pulled them back and dropped to her knees behind her. She hugged Calista from behind, sobbing. She can't do it.

Calista stroked Althaia's arm around her waist. "Don't worry... It'll be fine... We'll be fine."

*****

CALISTA and Althaia both became quiet after they calmed each other. After minutes of silence, Calista decided to break the awkward space between them.

She asked hesitantly, "Where were you that night?"

"W-what are you talking about?" Althaia's throat felt dry as she responded to her cousin's question.

"The night Queen Mother died," Calista said.

"I'm at Henry's house," she answered, her gaze drawn to the river.

Calista could hear Althaia's erratic heartbeats. She was apprehensive because she knows she was lying. "Why are you lying, Althaia?" she asked cautiously. "I saw you."

Althaia seemed to be stoned on her feet. "I didn't kill her; it was her fault," she said defensively.

Calista was taken aback by Althaia's response. She set her eyes on her. "I never said you killed her, Althaia... D-did you?"

Althaia's tears started to fall.

Calista was speechless as she looked at her.

"I didn't mean it, Calista. What am I supposed to do?! Please! Help me!" Althaia panicked and was just about to take her hand in hers when she abruptly avoided it and stepped back. "Calista?"

Calista cried and shook her head. "H-how could you do that?" she asked, staring at Althaia full of disappointment.

Althaia tried to approach Calista once more, but she was confused when Calista hurriedly stood up and ran away.

As she watched Calista walking away, Althaia's heart seemed to fall into pieces. She could not believe that her most trusted companion had abandoned her.

"You still won't reconsider my plan?" Henry emerged out of nowhere, having been listening in on their conversation.

Althaia kept quiet and continued to cry.

"Your cousin has abandoned you, Althaia_."

"Shut up, Henry!" Althaia screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Calista's actions have caused her to develop feelings of rage and bitterness. "Let's do it tonight."

Unbeknownst to Althaia and Henry, Hera and Marcus were also present at the scene, hiding among the rocks near the river. They had just arrived when they overheard Henry and Althaia talking.

*****

AS the sun was setting, everyone was busy tidying up the yard of the deceased Queen. Some were making a fire in the middle of the yard while others were taking out the queen's personal belongings to be included in the cremation.

It is a tradition of werewolves to burn the belongings of their deceased loved ones. They believe that by doing so, those possessions will follow them to the paradise they will enter after death.

While everyone was busy with the ceremony, Hera never stopped seeking Calista. She was frantically moving around, almost asking everyone if they had seen Calista, but no one knew where she was. She saw Calista's father who seemed to be on his way to the Queen Mother's house, perhaps because of the wood he was bringing for lighting. She hurriedly approached him.

"Hera," he greeted her.

"Sir! Your family is in danger!" she said while catching her breath.

Hera told Calista's father about what she had overheard in the conversation between Althaia and Henry on their way to their house. Because of the loud explosions of the fireworks and musicians playing in the Queen Mother's house, they could hardly hear each other. They also hardly met any werewolves on the road because almost all of them had already gone to the Queen Mother's mansion.

"I don't understand. Why would Althaia want to hurt Calista? Those two are like sisters," said Calista's father who still couldn't believe what Hera was saying. When he opened the door to their house, he was greeted by the scattered and broken furniture.

Their hearts were beating wildly because of what they had witnessed. Calista's father went straight to the kitchen to see his wife, who was covered in blood and not breathing. There was a dagger made of silver stuck in her chest. Anything that was made of silver is very fatal to werewolves.

Hera toured the whole house in search of Calista. "She's not here," she told Calista's father. She closed her eyes for a moment and felt the surroundings. With a keen sense of smell, she could smell the scent of Henry and the other werewolves. She knew it was Althaia's pack.

Despite being reluctant to leave his wife, Calista's father was forced to leave to save his daughter.

*****

AFTER spending time in a secluded spot in the forest, Calista decided to return home to join her tribesmen in a ritual to be held at the house of their Queen Mother. Despite her love for Althaia, she knew that she must tell the elders what Althaia did. Althaia must pay for what she did to bring justice to the death of their queen.

She was approaching the small path to their territory when she saw her father running in her direction. She was baffled to see blood stains on his clothing.

"Run, Calista! Run!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.