Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift.

Tell me what you think of the characters! Whose better, Ivy or Geyser? (They're my two favorites as of now just so you know) lol, I'm supposed to be doing math XD shhhh, don't tell no one 👌😉

Nothing.

I felt nothing as I stared into my beta's eyes that were masked from all emotion. Part of me understood what he just said and silently cried. The other part however, stared blankly; confused and scared. What is he saying? I cried in my mind; although, I knew. I refused to believe it though, she wouldn't do that. She wouldn't leave me.

I slowly moved my gaze to where the dead were lined in front of the medical ward. Two bodies lay displayed in front of all the others, blood ruining the once pure sandy dirt of the clearing. (SHE MOVES TOWARDS THEM, AS IF IT WERE ALL A BAD DREAM. UPON REACHING THEM SHE FALLS TO HER KNEES AND A WAIL ABOVE ALL OTHERS IS HEARD)

I gagged when my eyes fell on them. "No," I whispered and shook my head. "She would never do that to me, she would never leave me..." I told myself repeatedly, my voice hoarse as the last syllables quietly faded.

I took a sharp intake of breath when I felt someone turn me by my shoulders, calling my mind back to reality. I whipped around, retreating backwards at the sight of Damian stepping closer to me. "GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU MONSTER!!!" I screamed and violently thrust him backwards before moving away again.

He cautiously stepped forward again but kept a short distance, all eyes in the clearing were watching us but I didn't care. The only thing I cared about were the two people lying in the rows amongst the dead.

"What is it?" he asked quietly but his eyes held an authoritative air.

"Don't speak to me," I muttered shaking my head hysterically, reaching for it with my hands but not holding onto my light caramel brown hair. I moved my eyes back towards the bodies and became still as Scorch stepped to my side but kept space between us.

"Perhaps we should move this, elsewhere," he drawled thoughtfully. "Away from prying eyes?"

His voice seemed distant and I became faintly aware of a discussion near me. However, I could only stare at my main focus; my mother's and father's limp bodies, side by side. They're stiff hands reached towards one another, bloody fingers extended. "Why did you leave me?" I sobbed in a voice so low only I could hear. A part of the sadness that had unforgivingly gripped me in place swept away as I spoke those tear streaked, agonized words and I silently closed my eyes.

Two strong arms picked me up and I sobbed as I was carried away from my pack, the smell I was slowly becoming accustomed to filling my nose. This time however, even Brook couldn't feel the unexplainable happiness that had enveloped us before at his touch.

     I curled into a ball, hugging my knees as I was set down on the ground inside my living room at my family's- no, my den.

"Why are you crying?" I shook my head, swaying my knees with me and a stuttered sob escaped my lips.

"Lu- Crystal," Beta Scorch got my attention and I desperately tried to calm down, managing to stop sobbing at the mercy of my tongue which my teeth clamped onto. "You need to tell him." He had avoided saying Luna due to Damian's presence, having caught on that he wasn't aware.

I gripped my knees tighter, gasping for air as the little pocket of oxygen I'd formed started running out. Reluctantly, I positioned so that air could once again flow and Damian took the opportunity to grab my chin and tilt my head up at him.

     "Don't touch me!" I shrieked at him and scrambled to my feet to get away, glaring at him as I inched closer to my bedroom door.

     "What did I do??? Why are you so upset? Who is it that wouldn't leave you?" he yelled at me, oblivious to the meaning of all the conversations he had overheard. "I understood your anger before but why did it get worse?" His voice cracked at the end and I met his distressed eyes, they were once again a deep, dark shade of brown instead of his typical bright honey color.

I ignored him and turned to Scorch. "How did she die?" I asked, my voice startling me at how devoid of emotion it sounded despite the hurricane that raged within me. I closed my eyes and silently waited for his reply.

Silence.

My eyes whipped open and I glared at him screaming this time "How did she die?!"

He dipped his head slightly, "You are well aware that when one's mate dies, a part of yourself is lost as well," he spoke lowly, choosing his words carefully. I turned and faced the wall as he continued, "when Luna Cascade lost Alpha Rivers, she was left a shell of her former self. Shortly after you left on your arrival, she tried to..." he paused in careful consideration of his next words, my hands, both palms placed against the wall I leaned on, clenched into fists as my head drooped. "she tried to, attack, the other pack. It was suicide and I must be honest with you, she was well aware."

She didn't even say goodbye... I squeezed my eyes shut and struggled to keep my breathing level. This can't be happening.

"But it is," Brook's voice, tinged in silent despair, called. "I know it hurts, I feel it the same as you, but this isn't the time to mourn. Your parents wouldn't want that and you know it. You are the Luna and your pack needs you. If you can get through this, than they can too." She spoke sternly and I knew she was right.

I made myself think of my friends. I need to know who made it out alive.

I shivered and realized that everyone outside was awaiting me to make an appearance, to lead them off this dark path and onto the one that was right and pure.

I turned to a confused Damian who cast me a look that clearly read, I'm still waiting for an answer.

"Where is the one who holds the highest rank?" I inquired sharply while turning to face them, new strength electrifying my veins at the thought of my pack. Scorch looked up, respect glinting in his eyes.

     "You never answered my question." Damian pointed out, clearly not willing to let it go. "And Nick will only speak with the new Alpha that Silver Moon appoints." He glanced at Scorch, assuming that, as beta, he would be the one he was speaking of.

     I couldn't let myself return to the thoughts of my parents so I answered him in the only way to avoid saying those words. "I, Luna Crystal, hold the highest rank and will speak with him immediately."

     He froze, eyes widening as he looked at me, some of the color draining from his face. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. We stared each other down, him in disbelief and I in determination.

     "Crystal, I- I didn't know... They were your parents? I'm so sor-" I cut him off, I didn't need nor want his pity.

     "Nick, I need to speak with Nick regarding my pack. This needs to be taken care of as soon as possible." I insisted and he tensed while considering his next form of action. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, he strode in.

     "Damian, what is going on here?" a boy, appearing to be between Damian and my age, stepped into my living room.

I stiffened and forced the bile down that rose in my throat, reminding myself of my pack. They need me.

"Nick, this is Crystal, my mate." He spoke steadily to the one who I saw when I had returned to camp late last night. Yellow eyes, his yellow eyes, the one who led the animals that ruined my life and welcomed me with my father's head in his hand.

I glared at Damian and snarled at how he referred to me, "You are far from being my mate." I hissed, earning a stung expression before he hid behind an emotional mask.

Before he could say anything, I forced myself to step closer to Nick, while Scorch took two long strides to stand behind me and to the side, demonstrating his support yet submitting as a lower rank.

"I, Luna Crystal of the Silver Moon pack, will negotiate the current situation with you, since you hold the highest rank amongst your... pack." I couldn't say that last word straight, my voice filled with disgust and I briefly closed my eyes to regain self control.

His eyes flashed, I tried to discern what they had momentarily revealed, but it was to no avail. "Very well, Luna Crystal." His shaggy black hair, much like his older brother's, curved into his eyes before he pulled it away and continued, "Silver Moon is to submit to Blood Moon and will be brought back as omegas until it is decided what shall be done with your individual members."

     "That is not acceptable. I already know why you came here, and I assume you haven't found your mate?" I dreaded his answer.

     "Yes, that is correct, I have not found her, yet." A sigh of relief escaped my parted lips and I took a deep breath before continuing.

     "You have left Silver Moon disheveled due to your meaningless violence-" he cut me off.

     "They were given the chance to submit but they didn't take it, they brought this upon themselves." he nonchalantly repeated what I've already heard.

Scorch growled and I let out a long, slow breath, releasing my anger as Damian ducked his head away in shame, earning a questioning look from Nick. "They couldn't shift, they were average wolves, not werewolves." I said flatly, careful to keep my emotions out of my voice. "Damian and I have already been through this. You had no right to attack without giving our pack a chance to explain." He growled, not even caring about what he did, but I kept going. "That is in the past, nothing can bring them back. All we can do is move on and ensure that the ones who remain live on, in peace." I added.

"What would you suggest than?" He lifted his head and eyed me as he leaned against the wall.

"Ideally," I paused considering my wording carefully. "You and your pack leave us to return to your own territory and never come back."

"Why would we leave an asset like your pack behind? I'm sure you are of some value to Blood Moon." he sneered. I tensed and was about to retort when he continued, "But, if you can find something to trade, for your pack's freedom, then I will consider."

What do we have that's more important than our lives? I pondered.

"I don't know, but you have to think of something fast or else lose what matters most." Brook stated the obvious.

I glanced at Scorch before closing my eyes and thinking harder than I ever have before, my heart pounding and the blood roared in my ears. Our lives, cooperation, knowledge, land, medicine... Hunting. Would they accept furs? Bear, elk, beaver, squirrel... probably not.

I finally quit my pointless rampage through my muddled brain. Why is it always so hard to think when it matters most? I complained to myself. "We have knowledge. We could share our ways and teach your pack tactics, skills... Anything you wish to learn. Not to mention, our medicine is incredible! Once our medical ward saved two wolves who'd been attacked by a bear and-" he interrupted me with a scoff.

"I've already been to your, medical ward, as you call it. It is honestly the worst medicine I've ever seen. Our hospitals are far more sophisticated than your ramshackle huts. Your doctors don't even know what a microscope is!"

I frowned and tilted my head at him a little, racking my brain. What is a microscope?

"As for knowledge, there isn't anything you can show us that we don't already know or need to." He sounded exasperated.

"What would you suggest then?" I growled.

His eyes glinted viciously, "If you can't come up with anything then I guess we'll just have to do it my way." I glared at him. "You will order your pack to do what we say and to follow their roles as omegas."

     "This is an outrage! I will never order them to do such a thing!" I yelled, earning a sniff from Scorch as if to say calm down and act like a Luna.

     I drew in a calming breath as Nick grinned, "Unfortunately for you, you do not have a choice. I will give you a few minutes to think about what your going to say." With that, he ducked out, quickly followed by Damian who shot me an apologetic look before he departed.

     That left me and Scorch. I turned to him, "What are minutes?" I asked nervously.

     He shrugged, "Whatever it is, there are more pressing issues at hand." I nodded and we started discussing our plan.

Okay, that was a hard chapter for me to

There was something else but I don't remember... Oh well!

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