Elizabeth's POV

An eery silence had settled over us all.

As soon as we felt them coming, everyone made a mad dash to their weapons. The wolves that were going to fight, geared up. Each wolf that was fighting grabbed at least one gun, a bow and arrows, a bottle full of an elixir, and a flare.

When all of the fighting wolves were geared up, everyone went to their loved ones. There were many tears shed, loud sobs, and for some, last goodbyes. I could feel myself get choked up at the thought that some of us, many of us, may not return to the arms of our loved ones. I saw one family hugging each other, sobbing. I turned away with a pang in my chest, and walked to where Fidelis was talking to all of the warriors.

He glanced over at me and I nodded my head at him, signaling that we had to go.

"It's time!" He said through the mind link. Everyone looked up and solemnly nodded. The brave wolves that were fighting stood up in front of their families, looked at Fidelis and I, and bowed their heads as they kneeled, their right fist across their chest. They all then stood up in unison and took two steps forward, circling Fidelis and I.

I was slightly surprised at the amount of respect their gestures held. My pride and returned respect for them spilled out into the mind link as I looked each of them in the eye. The connection we all had was something that filled me with warmth.

We all headed out of the pack house to stand in front of it, lining up. Fidelis and I, standing in the front, looked up to the sky and howled while shifting into our wolf. Our pack members joined us and together, our howls mixed, asking the Moon Goddess to watch over us in our fight.

"May you leave with the love and protection of the Goddess and return home safely." Lilliana sent to us using her magic. We all bowed our heads and then took of into the forest, towards where the edge of the territory.

We all stopped and waited, our apprehension growing with every passing moment. The wind was blowing through my fur, leaves flying around. My ears were at attention, listening for them.

A twig snapped from a few meters away and we all began to growl. My parents and Ray were the first one's to emerge from the trees into the clearing. I could see Fidelis' eyes change colors and I sent some comfort through our bond to him.

I shifted and grabbed a long shirt from inside a hollow tree to throw on. I took a step forward and stopped. I sent them an icy glare and a cold smirk.

"Why, hello Mom. Pops. Ray. What a lovely surprise." My voice dripped with venom and I could see all three of them flinch. My mother and father recovered quickly but Ray still looked hurt.

"You're no daughter of mine. You're the spawn of the devil!" My mother spat and I gave a dry chuckle.

"Is that right? You hear that guys? I'm the spawn of the devil!" My pack growled at the trio and they all took a step back.

"I told you that we would be back and this time, you won't be leaving alive." I looked at Ray, a bored look on my face and Fidelis snarled at him. I was about to reply, but a girl from the pack shifted and whimpered.

"Mate." She whispered and Ray's gaze zeroed in on her. His eyes softened and the Ray that I used to know seemed to be coming back.

He took a small step towards her, standing right up against the territorial line. She walked closer to him but fell to the ground with a whimper, an arrow protruding from her leg. Ray's eyes widened in horror and my mother grinned maniacally.

"I will NOT allow my son to taint this family with the blood of a mutt!" The whole pack snarled and Fidelis roared. I walked over to Ray's mate, put a protective shield around us and helped her up. I looked at Ray and snarled.

"Is this what you wanted? This is the cause you are fighting for! This is your fault. Your mate is hurt because of you. You say we're the monsters and yet...this happens." Ray had a grim look on his face as if he didn't know what to do. He looked between his mate and our parents.

"Ray, you son of a bitch! I swear to you that if you do not kill that mutt in 30 seconds, I will kill you myself!" I growled at my mother and shook my head at Ray.

"Don't do it! There is still a chance for you. Fight with us, with your mate, with me. We will win this, together." I said, taking a small step towards him. He hung his head low before drawing his bow and loading an arrow. My mother smirked as he pointed it at his mate.

"NO!" I screamed as I looked at his mate, using a tree to support herself, tears rushing down her face, her eyes closed as if waiting for her death. I reached out to her and put her in a shield once more when I heard the arrow leave his bow. I looked away on instinct, scared to see the results.

I heard a loud cry and a deep scream come from Ray. My head swung towards Ray to see that he was running towards us, a knife buried in the back of his shoulder. I quickly put a shield around him and smirked when he reached his mate and pulled her to his chest.

I looked over to see my mother, lying on the forest floor, struggling to breath. Her eyes were darting everywhere, focusing on everything and nothing. Blood was seeping from the wound in her chest made by Ray's arrow. She violently coughed up blood and looked up at me.

"Y-you a-a-are a wor-rthle-less mutt-t-t. I-I never l-loved you-ou." Her words cut me deep but I tried not to show it. I watched as she took her last breath, her eyes glazing over. My father looked at me and gave me a dark smirk before drawing his bow.

"Rot in hell, Melinda." He released his bow, the arrow exploding into flames as soon as it hit my mother's body. I scowled in disgust before looking over at Ray and his mate. I could tell that Ray was hurting over what he had just seen but he was too hurt to do anything. I transported both of them back to the pack injury room before looking at my father.

"Fuck you." I snarled as I quickly drew one of my knives and threw it at him. His pain-filled scream was the trigger to the chaos that begun.

The pack ran at the hunters while the hunters stayed where they were, pulling their bows back before releasing their arrows. I covered all of them in a shield, watching the arrows bounce harmlessly to the ground. The hunters, with wide eyes, tried to draw more arrows but we were already on top of them.

Screams rang through the air as the sound of flesh being torn apart, accompanied it. I was focused, though, on using my powers to protect my pact. I saw a few of my pack members get struck by weapons dipped in wolfsbane but I wasn't worried. Right before we had gotten here, I instructed all of them to drink the elixirs, making wolfsbane harmless to them for 24 hours.

I could feel my energy being sucked out of me the longer I shielded the pack. Sweat was rolling down the side of my face, my arms were shaking and I could feel my legs wanting to give out. Still, I held the shield up for the pack...until I felt an arm wrap around my chest. Cold metal pressed against my neck and I held my breath.

"STOP!" My father shouted. Everyone stopped what they were doing and swung their heads in my direction. I could hear the growls from my pack, especially Fidelis. Fidelis took a step towards me but stopped when my father pressed the knife deeper into my neck.

"Not so fast. Don't move or else I'll make sure she'll join her dear mother." I looked at Fidelis, fear and calm swirling around in my eyes. Fear that he would hurt himself doing something stupid and calm because I knew that no matter what my father did, he could never truly hurt me. Fidelis shifted to his human form and growled.

"What do you want!" He snarled from across the field. My father's grip became tighter.

"Let us go now and in return, I won't kill her." My father sounded so nonchalant about this, as if he knew that he was going to leave this field, but I wouldn't let that happen.

"No! Fidelis, no." I could feel the knife cutting into my neck now, but I didn't care. This had to end...today. Fidelis looked at me and then behind me. He was torn between the wellbeing of his pack, and his mate. His eyes returned to mine before linking me.

I'm sorry.

"Fine! We will let you and the hunters that are still alive, go." My father chuckled at Fidelis.

"I'm glad you have some common sense up in that pea-sized brain of yours." He slowly walked over to where Fidelis was. All of the hunters that had not already been killed, stood up, slowly, and walked behind my father. He then backed up, still facing Fidelis and the pack. I stared at Fidelis, knowing that I was not going to be leaving the clearing.

Be good to the pack, my love. Don't forget to be a kind but strict Alpha. The pack will need a strong leader.

Fidelis looked at me, his eyes widened in horror as he realized what was about to happen.

"NO!" He lunged towards me but he was too late. I felt the knife slit my throat as all of the hunters tried to run but it was no use. While my father had been negotiating with Fidelis, I had cursed the hunters. I made it so that they would burst into flames as soon as they stepped foot outside of this clearing.

Fidelis caught me as my legs finally gave out. He laid my head against his chest as he tucked me close to him. He ran his fingers through my hair as he stared at me.

"Why, amica mea? Why must you leave me?" The tears were falling down his face and I slowly reached up, wiping them away.

Don't cry, my love. We will meet again. Be good, be strong, and never give up on anything or anyone, including yourself.

I gave him a shaky smile after linking him. A sob escaped his lips as he nodded, pressing his lips to my forehead. I took one last, choked breath before looking up at the sky. "So pretty." I thought to myself. Everything began to fade around me.

The last thing I heard were the howls of wolves all around me, crying to the moon for a lost soul.

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