The walk had started out rather quiet. Ivory and Maki walked ahead of Eilam and Thanasis, any conversation difficult with the two men in their wolf form. Ivory's gaze had been stuck on her hand she shook Arcane's with, her mind drifting to what she had experienced around the twins. Her heart still raced in her chest from the simple hand shake, her hand tingling as if still feeling Arcane's hand holding hers. She could still feel Aries' eyes lingering on her the entire meeting leaving her body feeling warm and butterflies flitting around in her stomach. She was so lost in thought she didn't realize Maki watching her every move, worry and curiosity shimmering within her emerald orbs. 

"Are you okay? You've been staring at your hand since we left your father and the twins." 

Even as Maki tried to speak to her, it still wasn't enough to gain her attention. It was as if Ivory was stuck in another place, lost deep within her mind. 

"Hey, Ivory!" 

Maki's annoyed voice finally broke through her thoughts and forced her attention away from her hand. 

Ivory's gaze quickly shifted to meet with Maki's wide eyed questioning gaze. For a moment, she felt rather confused as to what her best friend wanted. She hadn't exactly heard what had been asked of her, hoping it wasn't too important. She didn't want to miss anything that could possibly need her full attention to respond. 

"Huh? I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." 

Ivory watched as Maki's annoyance dropped from her face, leaving her with an emotionless canvas upon her features. Regardless of he sudden lack of emotion, that very annoyance could still be seen swirling within her emerald eyes. It was that very look that told her she was in trouble and Maki was not happy in the least to be repeating herself. 

"Nice to know you were listening." 

"I'm sorry, I got lost in thought. What was it you asked?" 

Ivory added a small smile to her apology in hopes that Maki would forgive her mindless absence. 

"I simply asked if you're okay, but I can clearly see something is up because you were lost in your head." 

Feeling slightly bad for ignoring her friend's worried inquiry, Ivory couldn't ignore her own worry rising considering Maki had already figured out something was indeed up with her. 

As the girls and two guard wolves arrived at the festival grounds, music and laughter erupted all around them, Ivory glanced over her shoulder towards Eilam and Thanasis. If she were going to explain her distracting thoughts to Maki they were going to have to ditch their two guard dogs. She wanted this to stay between the two of them, not sure how well any of the other pack members would react to her newfound secret. Especially her father who seemed to have her whole life figured out for her and was going to make sure she stayed in his safe little world he had created for her. To protect her from the outside world he deemed 'the real world.' 

"Eilam, Thanasis, thank you for the escort to the festival. We can manage ourselves from here, go join your mates and enjoy the evening." 

With a thankful smile, Ivory bowed her head in a gratuitous nod to signal the two to take their leave. 

Turning back towards Maki, Ivory took hold of her hand and quickly pulled her away from Eilam and Thanasis so they could have a bit of privacy while talking. 

Ivory led Maki through the large group of people, weaving her way through those dancing around the bonfire. The heat from the flames licked at the girls skin, warming them as they slipped by the bonfire itself. They crossed the festival grounds to a quiet corner on the opposite side they had once been at. It was the perfect place to talk without someone bothering them, at least not right away. 

Giving a quick cautionary glance around to make sure that they were indeed as alone as they possibly could get, Ivory once more face Maki. She pinned her friend with a seriousness that mimicked her father's natural seriousness, however, it was far less intense than what her father could pin anyone with. Ivory could tell her actions left Maki both surprised and confused at the same time. She only hoped to clear up some of that confusion with what she was about to say. 

"What I'm about to tell you, you can't tell anyone at all." 

"Okay~ you're starting to really scare me. What happened when I left? What did they do to you?" 

Shaking her head, Ivory had to quickly shut down any thoughts Maki may have of the Stormbrook twins doing something to her. They hadn't done anything to her, at least nothing that would cause her any harm. 

"Whoa, slow down speed racer. They didn't do anything to me. They were both very kind and rather respectful towards me." 

The seriousness that had been etched upon Ivory's face was replaced by a lovelorned reassuring smile. She wanted to make sure her best friend believed what she was saying, understand that nothing bad had happened and the twins were in no way malicious towards her. It had been the exact opposite and it still left her in some small state of shock. 

"Oh really? Then why were you staring at your hand like you'd been burned or shocked in some way?" 

"Because. . ." 

"Yes?" 

Maki crossed her arms in front of her, squaring her stance and jutting her right hip out to the side. She was trying to be as patient as she possibly could while waiting for Ivory to answer her question, but patience was wearing thin at this point as her friend dragged out her response. 

". . . well, I shook Arcane's hand and I felt it. . ." 

"Wait, felt what?" 

Impatient curiosity had quickly turned to confused curiosity, trying to make out Ivory's cryptic explanation. 

Maki's arms slowly unfurled from their crossed position and her stance relaxed just as slowly. It was as if an unspoken realization had fallen upon her in that exact instance. 

"The spark, that feeling you get when you're finally in contact with your other half. Your mate. . ." 

Ivory's voice got very quiet as she watched the emotions flit across Maki's face. Confusion, realization, shock and then finally, disbelief. 

"No, I don't believe you." 

"It's true, there were sparks and my heart is still racing knowing he isn't far from here. That's not all though." 

"Not all? What more could there be?" 

There was a hesitancy within Ivory, afraid to spill her second secret to even her friend. She had no idea how Maki would take it, seeing as she herself had never heard of it happening to anyone before. 

"I. . . may be mated with Aries as well. Arcane's twin brother." 

The nervousness and fear Ivory was currently feeling made itself known all over her face and by the way she fiddled with the fabric of her dress. It only heightened as she watched Maki's eyes widen so much she was afraid her eyes would pop out of her skull. 

"What!?" 

It was almost like a chain reaction had been set off. Not two seconds after Maki had responded to her with such enthusiasm, screams erupted on the other side of the bonfire. Children and mothers ran in terror while the men and remaining women began shifting for some unknown reason. Snarling and violent growling replaced the upbeat celebratory music and laughter that had once filled the festival grounds only seconds ago. 

Chaos had exploded around them, sending bone chilling terror through both Ivory and Maki. Their eyes snapped around, the world seeming to rush around them in dizzying circles as their minds attempted to catch up with all that was happening. As much as they wanted to run along with the rest of the pack, neither girl could find the strength to move from their terrified positions. Even as four wolves jumped from the treeline behind them, Ivory and Maki could only stare in complete shocked silence, amplified only by their fear. 

While three of the wolves broke away and went after the frantic pack members trying to escape, one remained beside them, turning its bright orange eyes onto the girls. The wolf's bright eyes reminded them of raging flames, much like the bonfire that illuminated the sudden carnage blowing up around them. 

It was that single look that got Maki moving, turning and running away in the opposite direction. It left Ivory standing alone, frozen before the snarling enemy in front of her. 

"Maki!" 

Ivory risked a single glance over her shoulder to where Maki's fleeing figure was vanishing into the mass chaos. She couldn't believe her best friend was ditching her in the midst of an attack, not that she couldn't handle it herself. She felt betrayed and forgotten as she tried to will herself to move. 

The sound of grass shifting underneath wolf paws returned Ivory's attention to the black wolf stalking her. Its flaming eyes holding her terrified silver ones as it rushed towards her, quickly closing the small space between them. A growl rumbled out of its chest as it opened its jaws in an attempt to attack her, tear into her to immobilize her. 

If not for her quick reflexes and stepping back when she did, Ivory would have become this wolf's next chew toy. However, her feet got caught up in the flowing fabric of her dress, sending her tripping over her feet and landing flat on her bottom. The initial fall shocking her, forcing a soft grunt from within her. 

She barely had time to react as the unknown assailant rounded back on her from behind. Ivory threw herself to the side, dirt and grass staining the white of her dress while the small stones hidden within the greenery scratched up her bare arms and legs. She rolled onto her hands and knees, recovering as best she could from dodging the wolf attacking. 

Her bones cracked and popped while her body twisted and morphed into such a majestic sight. Instead of landing on her hands and knees, a pure white wolf stood in her place, its back hunched and teeth barred at the enemy ready to defend herself and the pack. 

Growling and snarling reverberated between Ivory and the black wolf before her. Both were ready to defend themselves from the attacks the other might attempt on the other. Neither were going to give in to the enemy, both Ivory and her assailant having their own agendas at this point. 

Again, the black wolf lunged at Ivory, teeth barred while going straight for her throat. Knowing she wouldn't be able to completely dodge the sharp fangs coming for her, Ivory raised her front paws and pressed them against the chest of the black wolf in hopes of pushing him back a bit. At the same time, teeth sank into her right shoulder, breaking the flesh and sending crimson to pain her white fur. The pain did not matter though, protecting herself and the pack was the only thing present on her mind. A primal need to make sure those around her survived. 

Wrestling one another to the ground, Ivory attempted to gain the upper hand. Her claws connected with the side of the other wolf's face, at the same time, claws slid across her own side as the black wolf attempted to take yet another bite out of her. The blood that had been drawn between them collected dirt and tiny blades of grass along with other debris from off the ground. Ivory's once pure white fur was looking more brown and matted from the filth collecting on it. 

Managing to wrestle the black wolf onto their back, Ivory snarled and growled at it as if she were scolding it and demanding answers. She was ready to rip the shifter underneath her to shreds. However, her plan was derailed as another wolf came from her left, slamming their head against her ribs as hard as they possibly could. It send Ivory tumbling off the black wolf and rolling against the ground before skidding to a halt. She lay there stunned for a second, surprised by the sudden attack she had sustained from yet another enemy. 

There was no chance for her to get up, not before the new grey wolf jumped onto her and pinned her to the ground. 

A whimper escaped from Ivory, her body stuck beneath the large grey wolf. Their face leaned in close, their noses nearly touching as she was viciously growled at. It was becoming difficult to breath, the wolf's paw pressing hard against her throat. It wasn't hard enough to kill her, but it was almost as if she was being given a warning not to try anything and to do as she was told. They were demanding she submit to them and as much as she didn't want to do that, she saw no other choice but to do so. 

Ivory nodded her head as best she could, understanding the warning she was being given quite well. She gained a little relief when the wolf got off her, allowing her to get up and catch her breath, but it was very short lived. 

As Ivory got to her feet, the black wolf rushed her once more as if wanting one last attack on her. They slammed into her so hard it send her toppling to the ground, rolling once more. The wolf growled and snarled, a threatening blaze burning deep within their fiery orange eyes. This shifter wanted her dead, it didn't matter what they were there to do, it wanted her dead and would make sure she was at any cost to themselves. 

Ivory skidded to a halt on the ground, dust billowing up around it, the air forced from her lungs in a harsh exhale. Fighting to regain her breath once more, she listened as her two attackers fought among one another. Their barks and growls mingling with the screams and cries of her pack members as they fought for their own lives. It was the final thing Ivory heard as the lack of air in her lungs finally got to her, forcing her into a world of darkness and silence. The shadows quickly enveloping her, leaving her open to the enemies around her and with the unknown thought of the fate of her packmates.