POV: Rae
The stars were still in the sky as Rae quietly moved along the trees near the Moonfire Temple, Her heart was beating faster than during any fight she had been in before, Her claws were ready, and her mind was focused, but tonight she wasn't facing a battle, She was facing a betrayal,
Jake had not been honest with her.
When he had asked her to go on a "supply run" to the far edge, she already felt like something wasn't right. But when she got back to their safe house and didn't see him or Nyra, she started to understand the truth. Something was happening without her knowing, and it was something important. And Nyra was right in the middle of it.
She could now hear voices that were quiet, like ceremonial songs, coming from the ceremonial courtyard. Her feet moved her faster as she pushed through the bushes until she was crouching behind the last row of stone pillars that were around the ritual area.
There, in the bright moonlight, stood Nyra, wearing a gold robe with her head down and her arms hanging at her sides. Rae's breath stopped. Nyra didn't seem to be there. The way she stood and her eyes were empty.
She has been given drugs,
Two elders in robes were beside her, quietly talking to the crowd of packs that were allies. Rae knew some of the warriors from the Millennium Pack were there, which was a neutral place with strong allies, or people who were secretly controlling things.
The Alpha who was being controlled was next to Nyra, smiling proudly as he held her hand. Rae's face showed disgust. He looked like he cared more about power than the woman he was going to marry.
"No," Rae said quietly, "No, no, no…"
Without thinking, she rushed forward,
Guards tried to stop her, but she moved between them like smoke, jumping from one pillar's shadow to another. Her wolf moved quickly and quietly as she got closer to the platform. She reached for her sword,
…but someone grabbed her from behind.
She fell to the ground hard, and the air rushed out of her, She twisted to hit back but stopped when she saw the man above her.
He was not a warrior or a guard,
He didn't have a pack symbol or show loyalty,
His face was new to her, but his scent made her remember something from long ago.
"Rae," he said, his voice quiet and sharp, "Don't make this harder than it needs to be."
She growled, "Who are you?"
He leaned in close, "I'm the man who gave you life."
Her body felt cold, The fire in her went out right away. "What…?"
"I'm your real father, Edwin."
She couldn't breathe, He didn't look like Jake, her adopted father, He was thinner with darker eyes, and he seemed to be in charge like an Alpha, But there was something familiar in the way his jaw was set and the anger in his eyes,
"You've been watching me?" she asked, struggling to get out of his grip,
"All your life," he said softly, "From the day Jake took you in, I let him raise you because it wasn't the right time, But now it is,"
She gave him a hard push, getting away from him and standing up quickly, "You set this up,"
He stood still, wiping dirt off his arm, "I know you won't get it, But yes, I made all of this happen, Jake being late, Nyra's event, You coming back, You're now where you need to be,"
She squeezed her teeth together, her hands shaking, "You took advantage of Jake, You gave Nyra drugs, Why?"
His face became serious, "For control, Rae, To do what's right, The Shadow Pack is a bad group based on being scared and fake rules, I will destroy it, and you will help me do it,"
"No way," she said angrily,
"You are my daughter, We are already connected by family, by how strong we are, And soon, you'll be the Luna of a new place,"
He pointed to the group past the trees, Rae turned, surprised as she saw it from this new spot, the way the fighters were set up, where the older people were, how the torches were placed, This was more than just getting engaged, It was a trick about power, a display of control planned perfectly,
And Rae had walked right into the trap,
Behind her, Edwin spoke once more, "You will do what you must, Rae, If you don't, I promise the Shadow Pack will truly suffer,"
Her eyes became very focused, "Do you think I'm afraid of you in any way?"
"No," he answered with a sly, uneven smile, "But you are definitely scared for her safety,"
Rae looked again at the stage, and she saw the puppet Alpha lifting Nyra's hand up once more, The elders were just about to secure everything, Once the words were spoken, it would become a rule,
"No," she said quietly,
Two guards started to pull her away, but Rae became extremely angry, She yelled from deep inside, going forward again, hitting one jaw with her elbow, knocking the other guard down with a spin,
She didn't care who was trying to stop her now,
Blood, smoke, and lies, she pushed through everything in front of her,
Nyra opened her eyes slightly as Rae got through the people, They looked at each other, and Nyra's confused look went away for the first time,
"Rae," Nyra spoke softly,
And then,
The sword came from the side quickly,
Rae saw it too late, turning just quickly enough to block it with her arm, Pain shot up her arm as she pushed the person away, but the cut had already happened, Her sleeve was covered in blood,
Even so, she got to Nyra, holding her tightly around the waist and pulling her from the puppet Alpha,
"I'm right here," Rae said quietly, "You are safe,"
Nyra blinked slowly, "I, I didn't agree to this,"
The people there were shocked, The ritual had stopped, The elders turned around, surprised,
But before Rae could say anything, arms grabbed her from behind again, She was pulled back because there were too many people to fight, Nyra reached for her, yelling her name, but she was pulled the other way,
"I love you!" Rae yelled as the darkness closed in on her,
Then she couldn't see anything at all.