"The best journey's
Often take us away from home."

"Hey there Delilah what it's like in New York City? I'm a thousand miles away but girl tonight you look so pretty, yes yo do..."

War glared at the radio. He didn't know any of the crap on these music stations. He didn't know what felt right to him. He didn't usually listen to music. He never drove a car for this long. He always sat in the back seat. Khan and Trent always in the front. Now he was in the front, driving way longer than he had ever, with a mate, a mate in the seat next to him.

What the fuck had War done to deserve this? To temporarily rid himself of the past, of his pack and breathe. To be with a female who made him want to drop everything and just be with her. He never had this feeling before. He even enjoyed the open road.

"Oh, it's what you do to me. Oh, it's what you do to me."

His eyes kept trailing over to Pomelia's sleeping form. She had been asleep the entire time really...and holding his hand. Which was stiff as hell but he'd let hell freeze over before he stopped holding on to his mate. Her touch did things to him...and not in a sexual way, well more than a sexual way. Pomelia's touch was comforting...

They were on the road for three hours and had been driving in and out of occasional rain showers. Which only seemed to soothe his mate back to sleep every time she was in the process of almost waking up. He only had an hour and they would finally be there. Then Pomelia could fully rest in a bedroom. Nick and he would have to speak with Alpha Reese immediately though.

Speaking of the scrawny kid who he really didn't care for, he glanced to the rear view mirror to see what he was doing. He was sleep too. Sleeping soundly like a child, curling up into a sort of ball... Most likely sleeping like that to protect himself.

Wars chest began to ache. He used to sleep like that all of the time. He broke the terrible habit maybe four years ago...once he had finally dealt with some of his past. Or well...killed someone from his past. Their death finally made him able to sleep at night...

"War!"

He snapped out of his thoughts as he felt his mate let go of his hand. Eyes snapping towards the road he realized he was swerving and jerked the steering wheel with both hands to get back on the road.

Pomelia let loose a shout of surprise and he glanced at her, making sure she was alright. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and she seemed a bit stunned. "We're okay," he told her reassuringly before she let out a petrified scream.

"Deer!"

War cut the wheel hard as he saw about three white tailed deer sprint across the empty roadway, obstructing their path. The car jerked before he realized it was spinning on its own accord, hydroplaning from the slick road. The road becoming a problem as War was not able to stop the car.

"War!"

In less than a few seconds, War knew they would be hitting the tree near the side of the road that was getting bigger and bigger as the seconds ticked by. It was going to impact his side but he still needed to protect Pomelia from shards of glass that might fly over.

He covered her as best he could before the car slammed violently into the tree. Airbags deployed as their bodies jerked, before War felt little pinches of pain all over his back. Shards of glass digging into his flesh.

His mate was shaking under him, gripping his shirt with her good hand as he finally uncurled himself from his mate. He took his claw and deflated Pom's airbag before doing the same to his.

Ignoring the pain in his back, he glanced back to look at the kid. He was on the other side of the car, gripping the seat so tight, that his nails were embedded into the fabric. "You okay?"

He nodded his head shakily, eyes wide as discs as he stared at War with tears in his eyes. "War?" His attention was now on his mate who had the same petrified look on her face as Nick did. "Are you okay?!"

Glancing down at his legs, he noticed that the door was definitely not going to open. His door was pressed into the tree, curving around it so to speak. The metal near his leg was crushed and compacted making the space extremely small for him to maneuver. His leg was sort of stuck, unless he really wiggled his way and kicked the hard metal to make room for his damn foot.

"I'm fine," he told her, smiling falsely as he smelled the putrid scent of gas. The gases from the car had to be leaking...and that wasn't a good thing. The car was liable to go up in flames in seconds to minutes.... He needed to stay calm and get Pomelia out of the car, but his fucking foot!

Glancing back at Nick, he gave him a strained, reassuring smile. "Nick get out and get my mate out of the car." The kid was shaking incredibly too hard, making it nearly impossible for him to grab the handle and get out of the damn car. War did not have time for the kids cowardice, he needed Pomelia out of the car immediately!

"Nick," he snapped, pulling at his foot that was still packed between the bent and crushed mettle. "Get out of the fucking car!"

His mate's fear was palpable. The scent of her fear mixed with the gas leaking from the car was nearly choking him. "War, what's wrong? What's that smell?" Pomelia questioned in confusion. "We should call someone for help? You have to get out of the car," she shook softly, her hand going to his and pulling it.

Nick opened the car on Pom's side and helped his mate out of the car. Once she was securely out of the car, War started to pull at his leg desperately. "You're stuck?! Nick we have to help him!"

War snarled out, his animalistic side getting the best of him as he grew frustrated with the hunk of metal. He was not going to show his weakness in front of his mate. He was strong. He was not some weakling who would beg for help.

"Get away from the fucking car!" He snapped at the two as they both jumped at his demand. Nick began to jerk his mate away from the car and War got to work.

Instead of pulling himself out, he bent down and began to push at the metal, snarls and growls spilling from his lips as he fought with the wretched metal. After struggling for a few more minutes, he finally heard the sound of the metal being bent and twisted under his hands. He wiggled his left foot and relief flooded his body.

He quickly crawled out through the passengers side before stumbling out of the truck. Once he was out, he rose to his feet and stumbled. His foot was killing him...and not to mention his back wasn't feeling too hot either.

Ignoring his pain, his eyes wildly scanned the area trying to locate his mate and Nick. Her arm was wrapped around Nick's neck and they both were slowly making their way away from the car.

War let loose a growl of frustration. Nick couldn't have gotten her any further?! Pom glanced back at him with a look of relief. "War! You're okay?!"

He sighed, rushing up to them and grabbing Pomelia up in his arms quickly. "War you're bleeding," his mate told him as he started to rush her down the road at a safe distance away from the car.

"War we're okay, please stop. You're bleeding," his mate pleaded with him as he sat her down at what seemed like a safe spot.

He glanced back to the car, before seeing Nick walking back to it. "Are you okay?" He questioned his mate as she nodded her head nervously, the look of fear and confusion making his stomach twist. "I'm going to get the luggage...stay here."

He didn't wait for her response, instead he caught up with the kid and they made their way back to the truck. "We need to be quick. It might blow."

Nick nodded his head, giving him a half of smile. War ignored it and opened up the trunk, quickly gathering most of the items due to Nick only being able to carry two small bags.

Once they got back to Pomelia, War sat his items down and then looked over his mate for the second time. The only blood he smelt was his, not hers thank god...and another scent. Glancing to the kid, he realized that he was clutching the side of his leg. He was hurt too.

"W-War...the sun is almost down. We should call the Alpha of Seneca pack. You're hurt. Can you sit down?" Pomelia's voice was so shaky it made his already on edge nerves worse. It was getting dark and he was with two incredibly vulnerable people down a road where they hadn't seen a car in the last hour.

"I'm going to call now."

He was angry. He wanted to hit someone or something. Why did this stuff keep happening?! His mate could've gotten hurt. "Nick?...oh your phone! Is it still in the car?"

Taking another look at the kid, he realized that he was clutching his chest and breathing in and out harshly. War felt for him...just a little.

"I'll get it. Just stay here."

He chose to to ignore Pomelia rubbing Nick's shoulder comfortingly as he looked on the verge of tears and focused on getting over the car again. The gas smell was getting stronger but he tried to not breathe it in as much as he approached the car and began to rummage through the back seat.

War found the kid's phone on the floor of the car and quickly scooped it up before grabbing a bag of chips too. That seemed to be the only snack they packed and it would most likely be opened while they waited for Reese and his people to get here.

As he began to walk away from the car...he felt some type of heat at the back of his neck. Before an odd noise sounded and the heat became unbearable as it pushed into his back at full force.

He vaguely remembered smacking into the pavement, or the taste of dirt. Then someone calling his name...

The ground shook in the ethereal realm with a rage that has never been felt before. Makaria held her scrolls tight as everything around her trembled and quaked.

The wolves and hounds that were so recently lounging about had sudden and severe shifts of their moods. They began to snarl, snapping out at nothing in particular, hackles raising, saliva drooling from their mouths.

"How dare they!"

A voice bellowed out so loudly, that Makaria's scrolls fell to the ground so that she could cover her precious ears from the terrible sound.

After a few more trembles and shakes from the ground underneath her feet, it all suddenly stopped. Makaria nervously glanced around her work space, realizing that most of all the other attendants were in the same confused and terrified state that she was in.

Their goddess appeared in a flash of moonlight, drawing out the rest of their moon orbs to focus solely on her.

Her hair was the color of the sky in the nighttime, stars sprinkling throughout the wispy strands, skin resembling the moon. The weapons that lined her leather belt were all the colors of a blood moon, a glowing reddish hue. Their goddess was prepared for war...but the question was who was she at war with?

One attendant who was brave enough, dared to ask the goddess what was troubling her. Makaria already had enough going on with Warren and Pomelia to even burden herself with asking such a question!

"My g-goddess please tell us who wronged you...so that we may act!" The attendant who questioned their goddess was on the ground, bowing before their most humble deity. 

Makaria instantly averted her gaze from the goddess, hoping that her wrath would not turn on her. Warren and Pomelia had been doing well since that favor the goddess requested from Mnemosyne. All except for what occurred just seconds ago in human time. Their man made metal vehicle crashed and then turned into a smoky fire death trap. She was sure that the ride for them was going to be a smooth one but that obstacle of deer came out of nowhere!

"Eris! That bastard demoness has been wreaking havoc on my children and I am just now finding out!" Their goddess shouted as they all shrunk back from the pure fury that was emanating off of the goddess in waves.

Makaria shook in fear. Eris was a nasty goddess. She controlled chaos and made the lives of the mortals terrible and taxing for her own enjoyment..

"Who here thinks that Eris has come after any one of the Lycans that you have watched over recently? Any unexplained accidents, or mishaps or even deaths?!"

Makaria chewed on her bottom lip, looking around the space filled with her 'sisters.' Most of them began to slowly lift a hand up. Was the accident with the automobile Eris's doing or was Makaria thinking much to into this? It may have been Warren being negligent...or it could just be that wretched goddess and her minions bothering her peaceful couple. She was sure though that according to the rules that Eris was not allowed to touch Artemis's creations....

She hesitantly, slipped a hand up, and the ground underneath them began to shake once more. Artemis let loose a war cry, so loud that thunder began to clap around them, lightning bolts pierced the ground around her.

The king of the gods heard his daughters cry...and would soon be arriving.

Makaria was blessed to now be immortal, for she was now not able to urinate on herself out of fear. She had only witnessed the glory of King Zeus once, when she was blessed to be picked from the mortal world and placed here over 2,000 years ago.

"Eris will pay dearly if she has sabotaged my children."

***************
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.
Any predictions/questions?

Chapter 23 & 24 will be on Patreon by Thursday.

Wellness check: how is everyone doing with our world still revolving around this pandemic?