I remember Viktor’s strong arms as they wrapped around me and the relief as it washed over me assuring me he was safe. Everything that happened next was a blur as Diana’s body was pulled from my grasp and Viktor lifted me to my feet.
When I lifted my eyes, my breath caught in my lunges as I was met with defeat. Not even twenty-four hours had passed since I had been crowned and our pack was in flames. My heart thumped hard in my chest.
Would he blame me?
Was this an omen from the Goddess?
I still haven’t told him about the flames.
Would this break us?
My heart was heavy with what I’d done and I looked down at my hands. I had blood on my hands. I shook the thoughts from my mind, now wasn’t the time for a mental breakdown. Viktor spoke and I raised my eyes to meet his.
“We’re safe,” he said as he pulled me into his chest.
As long as I’m here, everyone will be in danger.
I don’t know where the thought came from but it was there.
“That’s not what happened,” Athena said from deep within me. “Bad things happen to those who try to hurt us and ours.”
My eyes found Diana’s body on the ground. Bad things didn’t happen to Diana, or to Rich and his men, I happened.
“Your Alpha has died,” Viktor roared, his voice pulling me from the dark path my thoughts were on. I searched the crowd and I looked at the men who had our women and children on their knees.
My eyes slid over each and every one of them. Everything had been going so well, I was good, we were good. Now was not the time to lose and my nails pierced flesh.
“Sneak attacks, battles, war all come with being Luna,” Athena murmured. “It won’t always be good or bad. In the good times, there is bad and in the bad times there is good.”
I watch the women weep.
“We need to be able to help our pack and our Alpha rise through the ashes,” she murmured.
“You will submit right now, or you will die,” Viktor’s voice rang out.
I watched as the other pack members hesitated. Higher ranked wolves looked to each other while a few bent their knee and bowed their heads.
The bald man who had escorted me out darted at us with his claws extended. In the blink of an eye, Viktor was in front of the assailant and had him by the throat. I watched as the man clawed and flailed as he struggled to break free of Viktor’s hold.
I didn’t look away, I kept my eyes on them as the sound of bones cracking filled the air followed by his body slumping to the ground. Viktor returned to my side and his large warm hand wrapped around mine.
“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re safe, I’m safe,” he repeated.
More knees hit the ground and my chest felt hallow. The weight of my responsibility weighed down on my shoulders. I straightened my back against the urge to fall to my knees.
As Viktor and I walked back towards our home. My eyes scanned the bowed heads, the tear-stained faces, and the fire. It was slowly spreading and I wanted them to disappear. As if hearing me, the flames dimmed until they went out and smoke billowed into the sky.
***
Usually, after a ceremony, the pack would celebrate and it would go on for at least a week. The day after the ceremony was spent gathering bodies and finding who was lost in the fire.
Beta Jake left two days after the attack to retrieve the rest of the Blood Moon members. While he was gone, we had the Deltas work closely with the families who had lost someone during the attack.
When Beta Jake returned, he spent the next few days attempting to weed out those who weren’t loyal to us. After their Alpha had fallen, most of the members fell in line. There were a few people who fought against the merging of the two packs.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about the new members Jake brought. It was hard knowing I now ruled the pack that I was a slave under. I thought about it more often than I cared to admit.
With Ken’s pack dispersed and the bodies gathered, I was ready for this week to be over. Viktor and I haven’t had any time together. I missed him. I was emotionally and physically drained but I drew my shoulders back and held my chin high.
Even though I have no reason to.
The day of the mass funeral came and went. My heart broke a little more knowing Diana would not be buried with them. She led the attack against us and she wouldn’t be honored in death.
I failed her.
I failed them.
I won’t fail again.
When Diana and the pack attacked, it was our people they hurt. Not the warriors, not the strong but the weak. If only they had been better prepared, the damage wouldn’t have been as severe, and fewer lives would have been lost.
If we had emergency drills in place or safe houses located around the territory for the weaker, it would have saved many lives.
I will fix that.
I could fix that and I would ensure every able person begins training. We would need to look into building safe houses, I wouldn’t let my people be unprepared in the event of an attack again. I wouldn’t leave them weak.
After the funeral, I went into strategic mode. I called a meeting with Gamma Jamie, Delta Tank, and Delta Grey. Beta Jake was busy with the new members. Jamie didn’t like the idea of letting the other members train to fight. I was eventually able to win her over with the promise that they would train separately from the warriors. She didn’t want them getting sidetracked by their own training. A select few would be chosen to train the beginners once or twice a week.