Chapter 1

Caleb’s POV

“Caleb! Hide!” Dad yells. “NOW!”

 He pushes the front door closed with his shoulder while guys on the other side are banging on it and yelling.

“Dad, what’s going on?!” I whimper.

“Caleb, just go! Protect your sister! GO NOW!” Dad roars at us.

Ainsley is standing in the doorway of the kitchen. I can feel how scared she is. I have to be brave for both of us. I grab her hand and pull her toward the basement. We practically fly down the stairs after I slam the door closed behind us.

There’s a huge crashing sound from upstairs and lots of yelling and growling. I drag Ainsley into the cupboard under the steps and close the door behind us. Usually, we have our secret club meetings here. This is like an emergency meeting. I open the door to the secret hiding spot inside the cupboard and shove her in. 

There’s louder yelling and crashing sounds coming from upstairs. 

“Cal, I’m scared!” She whispers.

“Don’t make a peep, Ains. Dad said it’s my job to keep you safe.” I hold my finger up to my mouth.

She puts both hands over her mouth and nods as I close the secret door. I make sure it’s shut all the way like Mom showed me, so it doesn’t look like there’s a door at all.

I hear the basement door slam open. It makes dust fall on my head. My heart beats like a hammer. I lean against the secret door and pile all the coats and blankets on top of me to hide my scent and my heartbeat, just like Mom showed me.

Heavy feet thump down the stairs. 

“Are there any little pups down here?” A man’s mean voice growls, “If there are, come out right now.”

I clap my hands on my mouth and nose so he won’t hear me breathe and squeeze my eyes shut.

“Ains, shh there here.” I think in my mind.

“Cal, it’s too dark. I’m scared.” She replies.

Before I can answer her, I hear the cupboard door creak open. I make my hands tighter over my nose and mouth. I can feel my heart beating out of my chest.

“It’s just a storage closet, Alpha. It’s full of their laundry and blankets. That must be why it smells like them down here.” The mean sounding man says.

He kicks the pile a little bit. I feel his foot push my foot, but he must not have felt it because I hear him close the cupboard door.

I hear a second voice further away. “Well then, where the Hell are they?”

“I don’t know, but they’re not down here. Maybe the female Beta is hiding them somewhere else. Let’s go. Guards will be here soon.”

The footsteps clomp back up the stairs. I don’t dare move. Ainsley is being good and doesn’t make a sound either. It’s been quiet for a long time, but I still don’t move. Finally, I hear more footsteps upstairs again. There are men talking, then I hear Mom screaming and crying. Then I hear more voices.

“Caleb! Ainsley!” She yells for us from upstairs. “Kids! Where are you?”

“Ains, it might be a trap. I’ll see. You stay put.” I think to her.

“Be careful!” I hear her think back from inside the hiding spot. 

I carefully push the blankets and clothes off of me and slowly open the cupboard door a crack.

“Mom?” I whisper through the cracked open door. The air smells like warm nickels. I don’t like it.

“Caleb?! Where are you, sweetie?” I hear my mom yell. She sounds scared.

“Mom, I’m here! We’re down here!” I don’t know why I feel like I wanna cry. But I’m brave and strong. I’m gonna be a pack warrior when I grow up. Warriors don’t cry.

Mom runs down the stairs, throws open the cupboard door, and picks me up. “Caleb! Thank the Goddess you’re safe! Where’s Ainsley? Where’s your sister?”

“In our secret spot. Dad said to protect her.” I say. “Mom, what’s going on?”

I look up the stairs and see two of the pack guards standing at the top. They’re telling each other secrets.  

Mom puts me down and crawls into the cupboard and pulls Ainsley out of the hiding spot. Ainsley wraps her arms and legs around Mom and cries. Mom comes over to me and hugs me, too.

“Mom, where’s Dad?” I ask. 

Mom starts to cry. “Kids, um…“

Heavy footsteps come down the stairs. I turn around to see who it is.

“Uncle Lucas!” I run to my uncle, who picks me up and hugs me. It’s a bigger hug than he usually gives me.

“Caleb, you’re not hurt are you?” He asks when he puts me down.

“I’m fine. Dad said to keep Ainsley safe, so I made her hide. We heard a mean man trying to find us, but we were really quiet and he was talking to an Alpha, but it wasn’t you.” I say proudly. 

“Good job, buddy. Good job.” He rubs my hair and smiles, but his face still looks sad.

“Maggie, let’s take the kids to the packhouse. They can have a sleepover with Charlotte while we talk things through.”

“Uncle Lucas, what’s going on? Where’s Dad?” I ask again.

Mom puts Ainsley down and bends down and holds our hands. “Kids, some bad werewolves came and attacked Dad. H-he’s with the Moon Goddess now.”

“What? No. He’s upstairs. We just have to go get him.” I whine. I try to let go of her hand, but she holds it tighter.

“No, Caleb, the guards took him to the hospital, but the doctors and healer couldn’t help him. He’s gone.” Mom says. She’s crying so much that tears are dripping off her chin.

No. Mom’s wrong. Dad was just upstairs. We just saw him before we came to the basement.

Ainsley cries and sits on Mom’s lap. Mom hugs her and kisses her forehead.

Ainsley sniffles and wipes Mom’s tears away. “Don’t cry, Mommy. The M-moon Goddess will take care of Daddy. Right? Our t-teacher says she takes care of all her children c-cause she loves us.”

“Oh, sweet girl. You’re right,” Mom says and sniffles too, “but I’m still going to miss him and it’s okay for you two to miss him as well. Let’s go to the packhouse with Uncle Lucas, okay?”

“No!” I shout and stomp my foot. My face feels hot. “Dad’s coming back. He’ll be back. He wouldn’t leave us. Ever.”

I know warriors aren’t supposed to cry, but I can’t help it. I’m angry that everyone would give up on my Dad that easily. I feel the tears on my face. I turn and start to run up the stairs, but Uncle Lucas grabs me by the waist and picks me up in his arms.

“Let me go! I need to go find my dad!” I hit him, but he just gives me a big hug. “I want my dad! Lemme go, Uncle Lucas! Lemme go!”

I try to wiggle out of his arms, but he just holds me tighter. I keep trying to wiggle until I’m too tired and bury my head in his shoulder and start crying a lot. Dad can’t be gone. He’s always there. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Caleb. It’s alright, buddy.” Uncle Lucas rubs my back and rocks back and forth until I stop crying and fall asleep.

Maggie’s POV

“Lucas, we both know this is because of that stupid prophecy.” I pace in front of my Alpha’s desk. “We both know it’s bullshit. Who knew zealots would come for them this soon? Who knew there were still wackos out there that believe in it? Not just believe it. They were ready to kill children over it! They killed my mate over it!”

I’m completely torn. I feel like there is a crater sized hole in my chest from the pain of losing my mate, Cameron. He wasn’t just my mate. He was the Beta of our werewolf pack. As the Beta female, I have a responsibility to the Emerald Canyon pack to lead the warriors now.

“We also have a responsibility to protect our pups, Maggie.” My wolf spirit, Primrose, reminds me for the hundredth time tonight. 

“Yes, I know Prim.” I furrow my brow. “Should I do it?”

“You already know what I’m going to say.” She sits stoically near the front of my mind. “Our mate has wanted to do it since their third birthday.”

“We don’t know if that’s why this happened, Maggie, but we have to take it under consideration. First things first. We’re moving you and the twins back into the packhouse and bumping up security. I have Omegas opening up yours and Cameron’s old apartment now and getting it cleaned up.” Lucas gives me a sympathetic look. “The second thing to consider… Is it time to send one of them away like Cameron wanted?”

“You’re seriously considering separating the twins?” Eva asks with tears in her eyes. “You can’t, Maggie. Think about how that will affect them! They love each other so much. The bond they have is so special. There has to be another way.”

I love Eva dearly. She’s my best friend, a compassionate Luna, and my children consider her their aunt, but we need to think rationally right now.

“Eva, you think I don’t know that? I can send Ainsley to my mom and dad until things cool down. She isn’t as rambunctious as Caleb, so it will be easier for them. And she’ll be back in a few weeks before the first day of school.”

“At least wait until after Cameron’s memorial. Let her say goodbye to her father.” Eva wipes her tears. 

I consider the idea, but Lucas is right. The longer Ainsley and Caleb are together, the more dangerous it is for everyone. When all this settles, maybe I can promise Caleb alone time with Grandpa Nick and Grandma Jane, too. 

“No. Their safety is more important than goodbyes. When she gets older, I’ll explain it to her and hope she forgives me. I’ll call my parents now. I need to break the news about Cameron anyway.”