The War

The Storm

The storm that ensued that night flooded the stream that ran through the Ash pack, it knocked over large trees and completely blew over tents. The storm left multiple pack members homeless, and it made Carter restless as he sat with Marian the next morning. 

"Did you sense her past the stream?" Marian asked, watching Carter as he held his head in his hands. "Did Cadell smell like her? Did he give any hints that he knew?" 

It had been like this for a few hours now, Marian would drive Carter with questions, and Carter would just feel his heart break more with each one unanswered. Marian began to grow frustrated with her mate as he started to show little interest in this conversation they were having. Marian could feel Gola in the back of her mind become restless, and angered with Onacona for not stepping up to the plate to help find their daughter. Marian abruptly stood up from where she was sitting, drawing Carter's attention with her, and stormed out of the tent and straight into Steven. 

Not paying attention she ran head first into Steven's chest, who was too busy consoling Wave from the events of last night. The ground still wet from the storm and the pack busing with  rebuilding plans. Steven quickly shook off the impact and looked at Marian. Dark rings had formed under her eyes, and her face hung much rounder and lower than before a clear indication of lack of sleep. 

"How are you Luna?" He asked gingerly, pausing the conversation with Wave. 

"I don't know what to feel, Steven" she stated, shaking her head sadly. 

Wave walked over to Marian, and gently grabbed her hand. Tears threatening to spill. "We will find her Luna, I promise." He stated, before dropping her hand and walking back to his tent where his mother and Crest were staying. 

Steven still hung back, concern written on his forehead when he looked at his once elegant, and exquisite Luna. "Do you want to see where she was?" He asked quietly, leaning closer to her so he could talk in a lower voice. 

Her face lit up, and she nodded her head. "Maybe Gola can sense something, even after all this rain..." 

Steven quickly nodded his head, and began to lead Marian out into the forest and back to the location where Amber was last sensed. When they finally go to the fallen log, Marian's voice caught in her throat. 

She began to channel Gola, and felt her take over her senses and then her body. She began to shift, the feeling relieving after the sleepless night she had with Carter. Gola was a large white wolf, with thin gray hairs blending around her neck making it look like she was wearing a scarf. Her eyes a brilliant blue hue, similar to that of her daughters. Gola, got low to the ground, her nose smelling everything in the area. After sometime she began to get worried, Carter was right after the storm there was nothing left of Amber to sense. Finally, as a last resort she touched the log with her paw, calming herself down and regulating her breathing. She closed her eyes, and began to feel for the connection of her daughter. After searching for some time Gola came up with nothing and she whimpered in distress, collapsing onto the wet soil and closing her eyes. Steven rushed to her side to console her.  She felt defeated and lost. How could her daughter have disappeared without a trace?

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Amber felt the soft pillow of her bed, and snuggled closer pulling a fluffy pink blanket further over her body, when it clicked. She quickly opened her eyes, and sat up from the bed she was in, her eyes scanning the room. Panic racked her and she shot up quickly out of bed, her memory beginning to slip.  In the room there was a small wooden dresser that had a mirror resting on the top of it against the wall. Her bed was risen off the ground, with a nice iron frame that had intricate details of vines on it. Her pillows and bed sheets matched with a bright pink color, with grey muted pillows.   Her breathing began to slow when she played out the events from last night before her. She remembered walking through various long hallways until she got to 'her' room that she was in now. She looked around the room once more, there were no windows so she had no idea what time it was. She sat on the edge of the bed, and began to run her fingers through her curls, anxiously wrapping them around her finger. She finally got up off the bed and walked to the door, her breathing picked back up and all she could hear was the sound of blood rushing through her ears. She reached for the brass doorknob, her breath caught in her throat. When her fingers connected with it, she hesitantly turned it and felt her heart fall when the door knob didn't budge. It was locked. 

The second she went to go pull her hand away from the door knob, she heard it click on the other side. When the door slowly began to swing open she jumped back onto the bed, and sat there quietly. When the door finally opened she saw the same man who conducted her interview, Chance in the door frame. 

Chance smiled at her, and walked into the room. "How'd you sleep?" He asked, looking around the room. 

Amber hesitantly looked up at him, cautiously watching his movements. "Good." She timidly stated. 

Chance locked eyes with her, "good because your going to need it. Follow me." He quickly turned on his heels and began to start walking out of the room when he looked over his shoulder waiting for Amber to get off the bed. 

Amber hesitantly jumped off the bed, and followed Chance out of the room. She looked down at her feet as she did so as an attempt to avoid eye contact with Chance. She was still wearing her tattered and destroyed gown from earlier, it made her feel grimey and dirty. When the two walked down a few hallways and rounded a corner, Chance opened a large grey door. Inside the room there was a toilet and a large shower. Being from the Ash pack Amber had never seen indoor plumbing, and it astonished her. She looked up at Chance, who was smiling down at her. 

"Could you clean up a little before you meet the Alpha?" He asked, gesturing to the bathroom in front of them.  "I left you some clothes on the seat of the toilet, they should fit you. We will have time later on to get you set up properly." He began to walk away leaving Amber standing alone in the door frame. 

"Meet the Alpha?" She repeated, as Chance walked down the hallway. 

Chance turned around, hearing her hesitation. "Yeah, you need to meet the Alpha before you are inducted into the pack... He needs to see you in person." He calmly stated. "I'll be back in twenty minutes!"

Amber moved away from the bathroom, and looked down the great big hallway she was in. Now was her time to run, she thought. If she ran they wouldn't even know she was missing, and he wouldn't be back for quite some time. Amber turned around and looked at the rest of the large gray hallway before her. The hallways they walked through were so large, and they seemed never ending, even if Amber did run where would she go? Where could she go? With a sigh, Amber decided to enter the bathroom quietly closing the door behind her. 

After figuring out how to work the shower and the toilet, she changed into the clothes Chance had gotten her. The soap that they provided made her skin feel tight and clean, her hair shiny and rich with oil that helped semi tame her curls. She had never seen materials and lotions like that before, and she couldn't remember if she had ever seen them prior to her memory lost. The clothes that were provided for her were some grey shorts that stopped mid thigh, and a grey thick  tank top. Amber had fought with the infernal piece of clothing for at least five minutes trying to figure out which strap went where, and how the clothes were supposed to lay on her body. 

When Amber was brushing her hair and looking at her reflection, she heard a knock on the door. She hesitantly opened the door and saw Chance leaning against the wall waiting for her. 

"Ready kiddo?" He asked. 

Amber looked at Chance, she suddenly felt his feelings towards her. The way he looked at her, and the way he smiled at her spoke volumes. She could tell that he was an endearing individual and that he looked at Amber with pure interest and respect. Amber nodded her head after sometime and followed Chance further down the hallway. Her sandals from her earlier outfit slapping the bottom of her heels echoed through the hallway. After entering an elevator and dealing with the scary sounds it made and weird movements they approached the sixth floor. 

When the doors opened the large rooms in front of them were bare and minimal. It appeared to be an office, with occasional decorations on tables and large plush chairs that were pointed towards each other. There was a young woman in her early twenties at a large oak desk. She was quickly moving her fingers in a foreign pattern to Amber, her fingers clicking on whatever buttons she was pressing. When Chance and Amber approached the woman after they left the elevator, the secretary looked up. She looked at Chance and flashed him a large smile, showing off her pearl white teeth. She chomped on something in her mouth, as she spoke to the two. She didn't even acknowledge Amber was there. 

"Hi Chance," she spoke slowly, and loudly. "What can I help you with?" Her mouth chomping. 

Chance smiled back, but gingerly touched Amber's shoulder, resting his hand on it. She attempted to shrink away, but was caught in her position when the woman looked at Amber. Her smile faded, and her eyes wracked her up and down. 

Chance spoke, authority in his voice. "WE" he emphasized, "have a meeting with Brutus at 7:30, Suzanne." 

Suzanne continued to look at Amber, her gaze questioning. She snapped out of her trance when Chance called her name and went back to pressing buttons on a screen. "He's available, go on in." her teeth clenched. 

Chance flashed her one last smile before letting go of Amber's shoulder, and walked past Suzanne. "Thank you." 

Chance and Amber walked behind Suzanne and came in contact with two large doors made of wood. Chance knocked on the doors, making sure his knock was loud enough before slowly pushing open the doors. Amber quietly fell behind him, her heart rate speeding up as they entered the room. 

In the room there were two men. One man had his back turned to Amber and he was sitting in a large metal chair, he looked out the window onto the city below him. The other man in his early twenties looked at the two of them as they walked in, his face stoic. He sat on the side of the table and he had a huge stack of paperwork in front of him. When he turned his head to look at the man who still had his back turned Amber could see large puncture wounds on the sides of his neck. It looked like something huge bit him with large canines. His skin was red and irritated, appearing to make the wound look fresh and new. 

Chance bowed his head at both the men, the one younger man acknowledging them. The room they were in had huge glass panels that  lined the back wall. There was a couch in the corner of the room with large bookshelves lining the sides of the room. There were a few pictures, and a large screen in the corner of the room. 

The man who sat on the side of the table stood up, his eyes locking on Amber. He was a younger man, he wore a black suit and tie, his tie a pale blue color. His hair was a sandy yellow and it hung in front of his eyes. He stood up and approached her, his gaze inspecting her. His face broke out into a smile, when he put out his hand. 

Amber shyly took his hand, he shook it bowing his head at her. "My name is Caden, it's nice to finally meet you Amber." His voice thick with an accent similar to Chance's. 

Amber didn't know why but she felt bile rise to her throat at his voice, she quickly grabbed her hand back as if he burned her and looked at him dumbfounded. Caden suddenly picking up on Amber's distrust felt his wolf take over, his eyes turned into a brown hazel color and his back hunched over. His wolf clearly upset with the disrespect Amber showed him. She somehow recognized those eyes, and she couldn't remember why.  

 This time the older man who looked out the glass and had his backed turned to them the whole time spoke, "Cadell calm yourself. Don't scare our guests." He then spun around in his chair. 

Amber gasped at what she saw, he had a large scar across his eye. The skin there damaged and the pigment destroyed, it was a much lighter color than the rest of his skin. He had grey hair that was combed over, and his eyes were a dark brown color. They were so dark, Amber almost swore they were black, The man had many wrinkles on his face, but he had muscles that could be seen clearly from the button up, and his overcoat. His jawline was cut like stone, and his lips turned up in a small smile. Gingerly he stood up from his chair, and adjusted his coat buttoning it. 

"Let me introduce myself young one," his voice soft like velvet. "My name is Brutus, Alpha of the Walee pack."