The cup fell with a loud crash from the table.
The cat, besides its former spot, like she didn't do it.
A loud restless sigh was made as Lucinda picked a broom.
"Why do you have to be so destructive today? I just finished cleaning up."
She scolded as she packed the shattered glasses, wrapped it up and trashed it.
She returned to mixing portions and spells.
It's been eight years since that accident and yet has no clue of her whereabouts.
Most times, it haunts her dreams. The screams, the blood bath, the fire.
Everything.
Mostly her little sister's blood curling scream.
Killed in cold blood with her mate, the alpha king.
And their daughter who was taken away that fateful night.
If only she'd done something, her niece would have been right here with her.
And she had no clue of where she was or if alive.
"Meow" Whimsy rubbed herself against her owner's feet seeking attention.
Selene felt Whimsy's soft fur and lightly rubbed her barefoot.
"I'm a little busy Whimsy, but you could be my little assistant."
She carried whimsy on top the table and continued with her mixing.
She'd been searching years now to find her niece but it'd all been futile but never gave up.
The former alpha, her sister's mate, put a masking spell on her since she was just a newborn to avoid the attacks of the enemy.
And the witches council came together to perform the ritual making the spell a hard one to break.
Her niece's scent masked all these years which was the hardest hassle in finding her.
But still Selene never gave up. She tried every spell book she knew and felt like she was near success.
She jolted in shock as the pot shook, splattering the potion mix everywhere on the table.
"Meow!" Whimsy jumped down from the table and hopped on the couch instead.
"What's going on? Did I make any mistakes?"
Selene couldn't understand what was happening, in a rush she got the lid and covered the pot.
This can't be good.
Quickly she cast a spell, it stopped on the spot.
Where could I have gone wrong?
Sighing with hunched shoulders and heavy steps slumped on the couch.
Whimsy silently crawled on her laps, her tail swaying lazily as if to comfort her.
Selene patted her cat softly as her mind kept fumbling.
She'd tried so many spells yet none worked.
The witches council had long gone into hiding after the war and that's how she was left alone.
Had she not travelled for that event, she would have at least saved her niece.
Had she just rushed back immediately Selene called, she would have done something.
Regrets.
That's all she felt till this day and the dreams still haunt her.
***
"Selene! We need you to come back. They are here!!"
Selene had just travelled to Spain for an underground annual witches convention.
Witches from different covens come together for a meet and greet.
She was having a conversation with a friend when a tingling sensation hit her and the voice spoke.
That voice was her sister – Valeria.
'Who is here?'
"I'm on my way." she replied.
"Selene!"
She turned in the direction her name was called.
A feminine voice called as a pretty woman clad in a white elegant gown with pearls jewels walked up.
"Lilith, what a surprise!" She exclaimed happily as they both greeted each other.
"So how's the party going so far, met anyone yet?" Lilith wiggled at her playfully.
"Arg stop girl…not really." She shrugged slightly.
They have been friends for the longest time now and act like sisters.
They both chatted away, walking through the crowd and meeting new people.
Unbeknownst to Selene, a gruesome war was happening and had forgotten about the emergency link sent to her a few minutes ago.
"Everyone stop what you are doing, the party has to stop! A war is going on right now and the alpha has summoned all. Now!"
A voice roared immediately stopping the event.
Confusion slithered the atmosphere as tension rose. Everyone stood still, trying to sink in the information they just heard.
"Move! Move! Move!" The voice roared again.
The crowd started murmuring and we're evacuating until a voice in the crowd shouted.
"The queen is in danger!"
With just that sentence, the crowd was in an uproar.
"Oh my goodness, Selene your sister–"
Lilith turned but Selene was nowhere in sight.
"Selene! Selene!" She called out in the crowd but was nowhere to be found.
The crowd was in rampage as many witches were already on their way to the battle field.
Selene watched the ruins in front of her, the screams reaching her eyes.
The air filled with smoke and smelled of despair and death.
The pack soldiers battling with rogues who teamed up with…the vampires.
The tears flowed rapidly as she called through the link.
' Valeria! Val are you there?
She got no answer.
Her body shuttered in fear as the worst possible scenarios replayed in her mind.
She ran to the palace, many houses on fire and some ruined.
A horde of witches flying down in the pack howling from the sky caught her attention, she looked up as the noise they made was loud.
They came.
Inside she saw the house scattered, the big family portrait of the alpha king and Valeria with their eight year old daughter on the floor.
With a huge claw mark on it.
Immediately, she ran upstairs avoiding as many obstacles as possible.
Searching the whole place, she had no sight of Valeria or Lucien.
As calm as possible, she summoned a show portal.
Opening her eyes she saw it, the dread sight that had her whole body pulse with anger.
In a dark and thick forest, she couldn't find out its location. The ground filled with dead leaves and dead spiky plants around them like a cage.
Valeria was hung in the air by a black plague, Lucien in the hold of him.
His laughter booming the whole forest.
In anger, Selene jumped in striking Draco across, making him lose his grip on Lucien and Valeria.
She immediately ran to Valeria who had obvious bruises on her body, cradling her and whimpered.
"I'm so sorry…so…sorry."
Lucien limped to them and slowly cradled Valeria's body, and whispered.
"How did this happen?"
"Don't worry about us, please our daughter…save her." He pleaded weakly, wiping the face of his beloved who laid unconscious I'm his arms.
"Such a drama but I really don't have much time here now, so…"
"Argh!"
A wave of energy hit Selene with full force as she hit a stone from the impact.
She stood immediately and cast a spell but he missed slightly and returned his, hitting straight in her abdomen.
Seeing that she wasn't getting up anytime soon, he slowly turned towards the king.
His feet crunching on the dead leaves beneath loudly as he walked towards them.
Lucien's grip on Valeria became firmer as he got closer.
"You are the most disgusting creature ever made and I'm ashamed to have called such an ally." Lucien sneered, but only a hideous laugh was the reply.
"Such an odd position to be feeling like an alpha don't you think?... Your majesty." He mocked, his laugh echoing in the large forest.
"No matter what you do I'll always be known as the alpha king even in death, so get on with it." Lucien spat, bringing his mate as close as possible.
Clenching his fist ,eyes shut tight, jaw ticked.
"Well –
A huge force threw him against a tree with a crack.
Selene stood behind, breaths in pants. Her body exuding power in a battle stance.
She glanced at Lucien and Valeria, Draco must have done something to Lucien that made him so weak.
"Nice play…well I guess underestimating someone's powers leads to a heavy downfall."
He wiped himself, his voice holding that time of mock playfulness.
"Only fools underestimate others." She spat and aimed at him again hitting him square in the chest.
He fell back down again. But standing back up immediately and going in for a strike.
She was ready this time, hovered above the air dodging it.
She ran straight to him, striking him across the face, arms, abdomen, chest, fastly and many times until she was panting heavily.
She was grabbed in a chokehold, cutting her breathing short, lifted her above the ground and he spat, glaring at her next joint.
"Looks delicious, I've always wondered what a witches blood tasted like." He spoke.
"No! Leave her." Lucien jumped on him, loosening his grip on her as she fell gasping for breath.
He was tackled down by Lucien who had little or no strength.
Selene stood watching this evolve before her, summoning a spell but was cut short by a loud pained growl.
Instantly, she turned back. Lucien on his back, blood oozing out from his chest, eyes wide open.
Draco threw him off, laughing menacingly and mocked.
"Long live the alpha king…"
The world kept spinning around as she fell weakened by the sight.
With heavy and weak steps walked towards Lucien whose eyes were open wide.
"Please don't…don't go!" She grabbed on his shoulders as sobs racked through her body.
"Protect my Aurora…please." Those were the last words he muttered as his eyes closed.
No no no. Oh Valeria, I'm…so sorry.
"My work is done…for now. I'll come back later for his little princess too."
Selene clutched her brother in law's hand as her cries racked through the whole forest.
His lips curved into a smirk witnessing the scene in front of him and disappeared.
The forest grew too quiet as if mourning the loss of their alpha king.
"Lucien...lucien…
She turned to the direction of the voice.
Valeria had woken up, frail calling out for her mate.
Selene crawled, staggering towards her and hugged her sister.
"I'm so sorry Val…it's all my fault." She kept on mattering.
"Where's Lucien…Aurora my child!" Valeria asked, her breathing ragged.
Selene continued to sob. She had no idea of Aurora's whereabouts and Lucien was…dead.
She showed Valeria her mate.
"No! Lucien! Love?" She cried out as she clutched her chest.
Crawling to him, she hugged his body. Her mate laid lifeless before her eyes.
The type of pain she never prepared for. As calmly as possible, kissed his lips and closed his eyes.
Then laid beside him, her hands feeling the knife hole in his chest, unplugging it and keeping her hand there.
Her head on his chest, gradually her vision slowly faded.
Selene watched all these happen and did nothing.
For the law was if one's mate dies, death was better as the pain of living is more unbearable.
Slowly she lost her consciousness, uttering her last words.
"Please protect her."
And so she laid, lifeless besides her mate.
Selene cries loud and filled with bitterness.
In one day, she'd lost her sister, her brother-in-law and niece.
All because of her own carelessness.
She cast a spell on their bodies and buried them there.
Back in the pack, many witches' bodies were scattered around as they were killed by the rogues.
The few that remained fled away for safety.
Selene stood in the middle of the destruction, alone and shattered.
****
The tears kept on flowing as the memories came flooding back.
Her sobs could be heard as her body shook.
"Meow" Whimsy crawled towards her and curled up on her chest.
"Thank you whimsy…thank you."