With a prod of my foot, I roll the body of Lance Ward off the back of the truck. He lands right in front of his mate's feet who has her hand clutched over her mouth. Not sure what she expected. You don't fuck with my family unless you have a death wish.

I scan over the assembled Scopan Lake pack members. When they meet my glare, they go down on one knee without exception. Only females and pups are left; their males followed their self-proclaimed leader into certain death. In a way, they took the easy way out. This pack will suffer until every single one of them has taken their last breath.

I jump off the bed of the truck and walk over to their Luna. Shoulders slumped, she has her gaze glued to the ground. Her body is visibly shaking.

"Look me in the eyes, female, when I'm talking to you."

She raises her head. "Alpha Raynes, I'm so sorry. . ." Even though she manages to hold my hard stare, her words trail off. A submissive whimper resonates from her throat.

"What are you sorry about, Luna? That you betrayed your rightful Alpha who prevailed fair and square in Trials? That you put the fate of this pack into the hands of a wolf who was inferior by nature? That you are now facing the consequences of his reckless actions?"

"I was talking about Luna Adira."

The words bounce off me without any effect. Ever since the fight, I'm numb.

Show no weakness.

It's what Mother would've expected.

I snort. "My mother should be the least of your worries." Smirking, I turn toward Killian. "Round up the adolescents males and pups over the age of six."

The Luna gasps. "What are you going to do to them? Any male that's left is still so young." Her eyes are pleading with me to change my mind.

"Not that it's any of your business, but they'll be taken to my territory to battle our younger wolves during training fights, which will give them an opportunity to die with honor."

A few of the females begin to cry. One of them clings to a small male Killian is trying to pull away. I wait for a slither of guilt—a glimmer of compassion—to soften my heart. Only coldness is left. The whole situation is totally surreal, as if I were in someone else's skins.

The Luna reaches for my hand. I slap her away

"I beg you, Alpha Raynes. Please show mercy on them."

No one showed my sister any kindness. "You are in no position to make demands." My chin juts at the barn. "Then kill all their livestock, starting with those damn pigs."

A lump forms in my throat; a few weeks ago, they had my sister for a meal. If they weren't innocent creatures in this, I'd make them suffer.

"It's still winter." The Luna's shrill words are filled with desperation. "We are dependent on their meat and the milk of the cows, especially with our males gone. Who will provide for us?"

I glare at her. She still doesn't get it.

"Come spring, my fighters will destroy your crop. There'll be no planting of vegetables ever again, and you won't be allowed to hunt." When her jaw drops, I snort. "Don't worry, we'll provide your pack with just enough food for you to survive, but every single day, you'll feel the hunger. Your pups will cry from the gnawing pain in their bellies. It'll be a good reminder that you had a great Alpha who would've given you all the things you'll lack. When you let your males kill her, you killed your future."

"But Alpha Raynes—"

"Furthermore, none of your females will be allowed to mate." One generation, and this pack will be gone.

The Luna reaches for my hand again but shies away when she meets my scowl. Her bottom lips quivers. "Please, don't condemn us like this."

"You condemned yourself." Spinning on my heel, I head for the house. Even though the thought makes me sick, I have to see for myself. If the Beta really used my sister's fur as a rug, there'll be more hell to pay.

I run up the stairs, systematically checking one room after another. About halfway down the corridor, I stop when I pick up Raelyn's faint scent. I step into the bedroom. The covers have been stripped from the mattress and all the shelves are bare, like they didn't expect her to come back. A couple of more weeks and her scent will be gone; no one will ever know that she used to live in this room with her mate.

I trace claw marks carved into the dresser. An argument gone wrong. There are stains on the mattress that might be blood. Her blood. Living under this roof, she must've suffered so much.

Hell, I'm gonna make her happy.

No one else will ever hurt her the way Dante and this fucking pack did.

I turn away, searching through the remaining bedrooms. At the end of the hallway, I finally hit paydirt. There it is—right in front of the left side of the bed—just like he said. The last remains of my sister.

Anger boiling over, I drop to the floor. A shudder ripples down my spine as I reach for the fur. My fingers stroke over where her neck must've been.

Fuck, Cassum.

Why did she have to be so hardheaded and become their Alpha? Now her soul is lost forever. Moisture wells in my eyes.

I'll bury this with Mother. Maybe it will help you to find your peace.

Deep down I know it won't make a difference. The rules are clear. An improper burial means you wander the afterlife for eternity without ever crossing into the realm of the Moon Goddess. Even in death, I will never see her again.

When I pull her fur closer to my chest, a few tears are caught. And Mother's burial will be next. I close my heart to keep the excruciating pain at bay. With a groan, I get to my feet.

Show no weakness, Kendrick.

I can never allow myself to be soft again. As the most powerful Alpha in the Northern American hemisphere, I'm responsible for the lives of hundreds of wolves. I can't have things affect me the way they did in the past. My father was rumored to have a soul of steel. That's what it takes to survive.

I roll up my sister's fur with careful hands and stick it under my arm. When I walk outside the Scopan Lake packhouse, the frigid air clears my head. I hand the fur to my sister Everest. "Keep a good eye on this."

"I will."

Fangs exposed, I tower over Lance Ward's mate who is still down on one knee. "You and the Luna will be taken to my territory and receive the mark of bondage as retribution to what your mate did to my sister."

The Luna next to her sucks in a sharp breath. "With all due respect, Alpha Raynes, but the rules of bondage have been abolished a long time ago."

I chuckle. "Are you seriously lecturing me on the validity of our natural laws? You, who violated the most sacred one by killing an Alpha who prevailed in Trials. You, who didn't object when your males took the sacrament of a proper burial away from my sister. Don't be a fucking hypocrite, or I'll split your skull and let you rot in the woods for the wild animals to feast on." My glare travels across the bowed heads. I dare even one of them to look up and oppose me. It'll be the last thing they'll ever do.

"I'm the healer of my pack." Intimidation colors the Luna's voice; it's not a demand but a plead to let her serve the rest of her pack.

My gaze flicks to the young female next to her who bows so deep that her nose almost touches the ground. Raelyn pointed her out once as Dante's sister. "Then your daughter will go in your stead."

The Luna locks eyes with me. Sorrow—anguish—a plead for forgiveness are reflected in them. Just last week, I would've been the bigger wolf. Now, the coldness emitting from every fiber of my body is shielding me from such bullshit sentiments. Showing empathy makes me look weak. It's no longer a characteristic I can afford.

Turning to Killian, I deliver the final blow. "Burn every single structure on the land except for the barn. That's where this pack will live." They'll be like their dead livestock, dependent on their masters. They don't deserve more.

I take one more look around. Except for the day I'll bury their last female, I won't be coming back here. Too many bad memories are connected with this place. Without another glance, I walk over to the truck. One more mess to clean up before I can go back to Cedar's cabin and get drunk behind closed doors.

Show no weakness.

~~~~

Just as the Scopan Lake pack, Raelyn's old pack has gathered in front of their packhouse when we pull up. Getting out of the car, I stare them down one by one until they drop on one knee. Killian pulls the burned-up Alpha from the back of the truck and tosses him in front of his mate. Even though her lips are twisted as if she were utterly upset, I detect a glint of elation in her eyes. She's so faking it.

"I'm returning your Alpha for a proper burial. The rest of your dead males are scattered in the woods, but you may go and retrieve their bodies."

The Luna bows her head. "That is very kind of you, Alpha Raynes."

"Since you are now without an Alpha, my sister Everest and her future mate Killian will lead you as my tribunes. Any requests or concerns you have will go through them. Fighters will ensure that you will keep the peace."

She bows again; this pack won't give me much trouble. "Will there ever be a chance to be sovereign again?"

"If you prove your loyalty to me and my pack, I might give your pups permission to fight for leadership in Trials as they come of age. But I have to warn you. This only applies if I feel I can trust you as devoted allies." Something that hasn't happened so far, but hey, this pack might surprise me.

"I understand." Her gaze flicks to her dead mate. "Did you kill my mate?"

"No, your foster-daughter Raelyn did."

Mumble erupts, but I quiet the hushed voices with one glare.

"And may I ask why he is burned?"

I arch a brow to show her I don't appreciate the question but keep otherwise a straight face. "The fight took place close to a campfire and at some point, he caught some of the flames. His wounds are mostly superficial. They won't interfere with proper burial traditions."

One more bow of her head. "Thank you for personally returning him to us. We appreciate the gesture."

I squint at her. Come to think of it, her submissiveness is almost sneaky. I'll have to warn Everest to keep an eye on her.

I'm about to turn and walk back to the truck when she fires off one more question. "What happened to Raelyn? I expected her to be here."

"She got hurt in the fight and my healer is keeping her sedated until she had a chance to heal from her injuries."

That draws a small smile to her lips. "Please give her our well wishes and we hope she'll visit soon."

"Will do."

To an outsider, she looks sincere, though I don't miss that weird glint in her eyes I saw when we first arrived. It has yet to fade. Yep, she's definitely someone to watch out for.

~~~~

Back at Cedar's cabin, Everest is ready to leave with the bodies of our dead. I lost about sixty fighters, a record number. The burials will take weeks with Mother's involving the whole pack. Even the wolves from the West coast that stayed behind to guard the new territories will want to travel up the country to pay their last respects. I'll have to come up with some rotation schedule to blight any thoughts of a rebellion.

"Excuse me, Alpha, can I have a word."

I spin around. It's that young wolf, Bay Ward, who warned us of his father's plan.

He drops down to one knee. "I heard that you have put a mating ban on the Scopan Lake pack, but I'd ask you to reconsider. As you know, my true mate lives with them and I would like to take her away from there."

Ah, yes, the female with the one foot. "Where are you planning on going with her? In her condition, she isn't cut out for the life of a rogue."

"The new territory. Gabriel has offered us a parcel of land not too far from his home to build our own house. I'd like to settle down with her there, start a family."

I nod. He deserves a reward for his loyalty. "I'll let Killian know that you have my permission to take her. Good luck to you two."

"Thank you, Alpha Raynes." After my approving nod, he gets back to his feet. His whole face is beaming. At least one wolf will get some happiness out of all this violence.

Shoulders bent with the burden of the world, I walk into the cabin. In the kitchen, I take out the bottle of Scotch from the cabinet and pour myself a drink. The liquid burns in my throat. It usually only takes a few shots to numb the pain.

I'm about to go for a refill when Arabella walks into the kitchen. She smiles. "Oh, good, you're back. Raelyn is awake. I think she wants to talk to you."

Finally some good news. "Thanks."

I hurry up the steps and open the door to her bedroom. On the threshold, I hold my breath to take in her beautiful sight. Despite the training and her newly formed muscles, her curves make her the most appealing female.

She's the right one. I'm sure.

She has her back to me, combing through her hair. When I step into the room, she turns around. Her smile is sad. "Hey."

The lump is back in my throat. "My mother is dead." The words still sound unreal.

"I heard and I'm really sorry. If there's anything I can do—"

"I think we should mate as soon as possible. You'll be Luna."

"About that." She can't hold my gaze. "I can't mate with you. Not yet."

I frown. "What do you mean?"

"There's this whole part of me I don't know. These powers, I have no idea how to control them. It scares me." Tears sparkle in her eyes. "I feel like I've been torn in half, and one of these halves has gotten lost."

"Oh, Raelyn. Don't worry, we'll figure it out together." I pull her against my shoulder and nuzzle my nose into her hair. She trembles in my arms. I rub her back in a rotating motion until the tension in her shoulders eases.

"Marush wants me to train as a warlock in his camp."

With an incredulous laugh, I let go of her. "When did that happen?"

"Before we left your packhouse. Andrenior went to see him. Apparently, with this Gideon warlock being my father, only a Sentinel can help me control my powers."

"And you don't think you should have mentioned this before?"

She clicks her tongue. "You were busy preparing for war. You didn't have time to deal with this."

I would've made the time. "And where is Marush's camp?"

"Somewhere in the Highlands. Andrenior and Rikka will take me."

"Highlands as in Scotland?"

She nods.

Hell, how can she even consider this? "You can't leave. I need you, as my mate." I reach for her hand and squeeze to demonstrate the urgency of my request. "My pack needs a new Luna."

"I'm sorry, Kendrick, but I have to figure out who I am. Otherwise, I'll be a danger, to myself and the pack."

I can't believe this. Turning my back on her, I rest my balled hands against the wall. Deep breath. It won't help if I freak out. "If you go, I can't promise you I'll wait for you. As Alpha, I have a responsibility to my pack. I can't lead without a Luna, and with my mother's death, I have to find a mate." I hate the desperation clinging to the words.

Show no weakness, Kendrick.

She strokes my shoulder. "I understand. And I'm sorry I can't give you what you want for now. I know I owe you my life, and I'll never be able to repay you for the kindness you've shown me over these last months, but this is something I have to do. Otherwise, I'll live a lifetime of regrets."

I hope snubbing me won't turn into a lifetime of regrets. "You have to do what you think is right."

"I'm sorry, Kendrick. For what it's worth, I do love you, and I hope you'll find a way to wait for me."

I refuse to answer or look at her. She can never know how much she hurt me.

Show no weakness.

A tear falls silently as the warmth of her body fades away. The door closes softly behind her. Moments later, an engine howls, the snow under the tires scrunches. I run to the front of the house to plead with her to stay—to tell her that I'll wait—but I only catch the dying taillights. She's gone, and with her, she takes a piece of my heart. It's the end of the line for me. Coldness is all that remains.

Show no weakness!

~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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