Game plan
~
Accalia
~

Accalia fell back against the armchair, her back stinging but eyes hurting more. The living room was overcrowded. The Fenris brothers with Nina and Tala, Gabriel making sure Rexton maintained a bridge of distance from Cadence who sent him daggers every chance she had.

The hunters surrounded Accalia like a swarm of bees, Tristan behind her, Erisa and Cadence sticking on her sides with their judgements unflinching as ever.

"Wait," Rexton stood taller than everyone else, doe-eyes widening at the unfolding conversation. "They're after her?"

Accalia saw from her peripheral vision that Rexton's acknowledgement of Cadence wasn't appreciated.

"And Accalia," Gabriel added for Rexton, resting a hand on his shoulder.

Rexton frowned and stepped back with an unreadable expression dawning upon him.

A day had passed and everyone was stepping on eggshells around each other. The hunters stuck together and Cadence couldn't wander far without Gabriel watching every hall she took and step she made. Accalia gathered he was doing this for both her and Rexton.

Accalia couldn't go far without Lycus being by her side, asking her every few minutes if she needed anything, if her stitches were fine or if she needed the healers.

Continuously, she had to assure him she was in good condition and on all accounts, he wasn't convinced. When he had to leave her, Tala would replace him, dancing around the same questions with much more spunk and humour that Accalia didn't mind hearing.

Lycus played the role of a distant brother when it came to Rexton. Avoiding him until he had to bark orders at him, watching over him when Rexton didn't notice and ignoring all the questions Accalia asked when it came to the little Fenris brother.

Lycus wasn't just protective, but obsessive — obsessed with something that linked to Rexton.

Nina busied herself in the kitchen, preparing the menu of breakfast, lunch and dinners — no happy family dinners were beckoned around a table and everyone distanced across the manor, staying in their selective groups.

And Alexene had yet to make a return, a return no one wanted but Rexton.

"For all we know, Zenith and Cole could send more wolves to spy on us." Lycus sneered, crossing his arms over his broad chest and sent Tala a sharp look. "Beta, I need you to double patrolling, whatever wolves are around that aren't Fenris, kill them or if you can, torture them until you get information out of them. Practice on your wolf side, try and harness that side of yourself without the curse of the full moon. That goes for every other werewolf."

Tala dug her hands into her back pockets and nodded respectfully. "Of course, Alpha."

Tala couldn't get out of the manor fast enough, shooting Accalia a grin before leaving.

"Nina," Gabriel said to his mate and pulled her into his chest, "You need to go back home to take care of things. I will be staying here to watch over the pack and Rexton."

"There is no need to watch over me, brother—" Rexton was shortly silenced.

Gabriel shook his head. "No—"

"Fuck no." Lycus snapped.

Rexton looked like he wanted to disappear into the walls and never resurface.

Accalia tilted her head, noticing how out of place Rexton looked. He wore a long striped sweater and wide jeans, the attire draping over his towering size.

Accalia was aware the Fenris brothers were protective over Rexton, he hadn't been outside the house since seeing Alexene and they wanted it kept that way. They needed him concealed and if it wasn't in a coffin, in the manor would do.

And despite it all, Rexton came across as content, busying himself by eating cereal and watching television all day. After being here the first night, he had yet to sleep. Gabriel informed Accalia that the reason for him sleeping the first time was due to him coming down from a high. Coming down from consuming Cadence's blood.

Now she would be out of his system and Rexton was left with the consuming realities of what awaited him when closing his eyes.

"Why would Gabriel need to be here when you will be here too?" Accalia asked Lycus.

Lycus winked at her and said, "Because you and I are going on a little road trip to guarantee our alliances with the other packs."

How could she forget? When paired with an Alpha, you were a Luna. The other half of the Alpha, the other half the pack. Many said the female counterpart brought a form of structure that the male could not. It was the ultimate balance that came with compassion and strength from the moon.

Accalia wasn't cut out for that. On her best days, she struggled to abide by the laws and ways of a hunter. How could she possibly cater to the power and influence of a Luna?

How could she be a Luna when she derived from a hunter family that slayed lycans and werewolves?

Accalia began spiralling even thinking about it.

"Our main focus will be the Lacuna, Roan and Jacian packs. We will rectify our treaties and alliances. They don't need to fight with us. We just need the alliance that they'll stick by us if anything goes wrong. We have to leave sometime today," Lycus's sentences seemed to blur and Tristan covered his mouth with his hand to muffle a laugh.

Accalia scowled at him, but Erisa and Cadence both looked ready to burst into laughter just as much.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Lycus snarled at him.

"Nothing, nothing," Tristan whistled lowly with a roguish grin and looked down at Accalia. "Our family has had a lot of fights with the Roan and Jacian packs. We've killed a lot of their werewolves over the decades."

"Of course your family has," Lycus said slowly and rubbed his forehead.

Tristan slammed his hands onto Accalia's shoulders and squeezed. "Have a nice trip, sis."

Accalia sent him a scathing look, unhooking his hands off her and scooted around to face him. "Keep the hunters out of the way for the time being. They can't be meddling with Alphas and their issues. Send the word out and if they want to hunt, make sure it's with ones that need to be taken out like on the full moon where they'll turn or kill anyone. We don't need to kill anyone for no reason."

Accalia looked to the girls for confirmation as well, not wanting to beg them to comply even if it sliced their pride in half.

"Dad hasn't been doing much of it anyway, but I'll tell other hunters. Only on the night of the full moon or if they're stepping out of line."

Accalia clasped Tristan's hand and passed him a smile. "Thank you."

"Seeing as you're leaving today, I'll be going back with Erisa," Cadence drawled to Accalia and looked at her. "And Frankie will probably make us read instead of hunt, anyway."

Accalia didn't doubt that, the man had more books on lycans than weapons. Cadence needed to be surrounded by that. Being in the Fenris pack would only provoke her.

And there was no denying that Rexton could finish Cadence off if he wished.

"That's a good idea, Cadence," Accalia responded tightly. If she wasn't here, she didn't want Cadence here either.

Cadence peered around and patted Accalia on the head. "We better head off then. We don't wanna overstay our welcome."

Accalia wasn't used to that, being parted from Cadence for too long and not knowing when she would see her again. They have been stuck at the hip since childhood, even if they didn't get along back then. Accalia was all for books and dolls and Cadence would revel in sword fighting and mud.

But Cadence was free to go wherever she pleased. She held no ties to the pack and when it came to war? Let them come. Cadence wouldn't back down from a fight even if she was taken down in it.

Cadence rounded the chair and jutted a finger at Lycus. "You better take care of her."

Lycus made an aghast expression, sarcasm written all over him. "And get punched in the nose by the little huntress, again? I'll make do with protecting my mate, Cadence."

"You better," Cadence fired back and leant down to Accalia. "I'll see you soon."

Accalia mirrored her cousin's wry grin and pulled her in for a hug. "Please be careful."

"I'll try," Cadence mumbled, trying to tug away from her, not enjoying the attention. She didn't stick around after that and followed Erisa to the car.

"If anything happens to my sister, I'll slice your balls off, lycan," Tristan muttered to Lycus before placing a chaste kiss on Accalia's head, assuring he would see her soon.

Cadence and Tristan didn't like Lycus, they made it known to the world, but in some way, they knew Accalia would be in safe hands despite all that loomed over them.

"Gabriel, I can remain on my own?" Rexton asked with hopeful, innocent eyes. "There is no—"

"Rex, do you know how to use a toaster?" Lycus had his brother's attention quick as a flash and befuddled confusion filled those boyish features.

Rexton's head tilted to the side. "What on earth is that?"

Lycus turned to face Accalia and there was mischief playing within those eyes. "You ready to go on our road trip?"

~

It was midday when Accalia and Lycus departed from the pack and Lycus insisted on driving.

Accalia would rather drive, after too many car accidents, she sat positive she may have developed a fear of being in a vehicle.

The fear intensified when Lycus made a sharp bend or drove over the speed limit. Constantly, her head made up the anxious thought of a beast ramming into the car and flipping it on its side.

She had to close her eyes at one point when the memories of being forced into Cole's arms made their way to the forefront of her head and she forced sleep to shove them aside.

When she woke up, it was late afternoon and they were no longer in the Fenris territory.

The roads became narrow and nature blocked out the sun, invoking a cold fog drawing around them in a wave that Lycus had to flick the headlights on.

"We're nearly there," Lycus crooned.

Jerking up, Accalia yawned and stretched her arms, feeling stiff and disjointed from the long car ride. "So we're going to the three packs, fighting against two and you left out one. What about the Hala pack?"

"With their track record of troublemaking and enjoying freedom, the Hala pack will do whatever benefits them. Going there would be a waste of time and they'll either side with Thrax and Canus or ... try to sleep with us." Lycus explained, turning off into a gravel road and scanning Accalia briefly. "How are you feeling?"

Accalia pressed against the seat, not feeling a flare-up or sting on her back. "When can I get the stitches out?"

Lycus promoted one arm on the console and looked straight at the road, sitting with his thoughts. "It was a deep scratch, but it will heal quickly with the remedy the healers made for you. I brought it with me, it's just an oil from healing herbs and other ingredients."

"Other ingredients?" Accalia pressed, adjusting in her seat.

Lycus scratched the back of his neck and paid attention to the road. "My blood, Accalia. Because I'm your mate and a lycan, the healers wanted to see if a few droplets could help. And so far, it has. I didn't know when to tell you."

Accalia sat with that for a full minute. She ran circles in her head until she brushed him off dismissively. "I lost a lot of blood, I could have died — you saved me. You did what you had to do."

Accalia felt her hand being grabbed and she looked to Lycus who paid all mind to the road in front of them.

"I can't lose you, Accalia."

Accalia's fingers tightened against his and her shoulders grew tense. "You won't. But are we going to ignore the problem here?"

"Problem?" Lycus questioned, puzzled.

Accalia's shoulders curved and she gestured to herself. "Me. I'm a hunter mated to a lycan and we're going to packs to build alliances — I don't know if you realise, Lycus, but my family don't have the best track record." 

A record of death counts and inexcusable actions that simply couldn't be erased. A trace was left with bloody footprints and fragmented weapons. Accalia was a part of an infamous family in the world of lycans and werewolves. If her family members couldn't kill lycans, they would hunt werewolves, if they couldn't battle packs, they would slaughter lone wolves.

Their battle ran with the course of the moon, waxing and waning, an endless cycle. And as that cycle continued its course and the disease of lycanthropy ran freely, hunters would continue to hunt.

"This isn't going to go over well," Accalia concluded, folding her arms. If her assumptions were right, this would go over bloodily and brutally — the cycle.

It didn't make it any better for Accalia and Lycus to be paired. They once considered it a curse against them both, a disgrace. A pairing made from the flames of hell, not the halo around the moon.

Hunters and lycans alike would continue to see it as that, even if Accalia and Lycus no longer did.

"You're also a Luna."

Accalia sighed, not wanting the title. Not wanting it bestowed upon her like it was a right. She didn't want it, she didn't deserve it and she wasn't made for it.

"I'm a hunter above everything," It felt engrained in her mind by this point, a mark to ensure her history and family. Her last name bore more weight than her first name ever could.

That would be the first thing to capture a lycan's attention, the name that killed the killers and hunted the predators.

"I knew you being a hunter would be an issue," Lycus murmured, drifting through the mist. "Keep in mind, I rarely had issues with hunters, they never bothered me, so I didn't bother them. I've only ever had issues with my people and vampires. But when you crossed into my lands, you were everything I never expected but all I craved."

Slowly, Accalia drowned out all the crippling whispers of her being a hunter and zeroed in on Lycus, wanting him to continue.

"I thought it was a punishment being paired with you, but now, I only see it as a blessing. A cure to the disease I carry, the lycanthropy sickness that rids a person of their humanity. The only person that ever made me feel human, Accalia, was Rexton. He was the kid that I wanted to be when I was younger and he had the humanity I craved when I was losing myself. When I had to put him away, I lost all of that. Then you came along ... carrying that light like he had and I wanted to remove it. But I didn't want you gone, I wanted you by my side. I wanted you to be the Luna of my pack even if you're a hunter. You're a hunter from the Larren family and you're a Luna of the Fenris Pack and no one is going to hurt you."

So tenderly in a featherweight touch, Accalia leant over and placed a chaste kiss on Lycus's cheek. They had fractures within their bond, questions unanswered and fights to be had, but this contentment Accalia felt, she didn't want it gone.

They drove over a bridge that brought them into the uninvited territory and Accalia immediately wanted to turn back.

The fog lifted high enough to reveal a river they drove by, murky and dark waters that rippled in light waves.

It was enchanting in its dark beauty, the forest was bathed in misty gloom and if someone didn't know the area well enough, Accalia gathered you wouldn't make it out.

It dawned on her, that was the point, to trap the lost dwellers.

They came to a village that was dotted with cabins near the massive lake and the closer they came, the more the fog heaved and Accalia could see clearly.

Suddenly, a figure jumped in front of the vehicle and the car skidded to a halt. Wasting no time, a flock of people circled Accalia and Lycus. With glowing eyes and plated armour, the Roan pack made it evident they didn't want them here.