Death's Daughter (Book 2)

Chapter 8

Penelope's P.O.V

I got a phone call from the school. Apparently, Ava didn't show up for class. That's odd because Death had followed her to make sure she went. If she wasn't at school, than where was she?

With my growing belly, I went to out front to sit on the porch. When I got out there, Ava came out of the forest. "What is all this?" When she looked at me, there was something different in her eyes. Something that wasn't there before. Power. I opened my link. "Death. Get here. Now!"

He didn't respond, but I could feel him in my shadow. "What's wrong? Is it the baby?" I shook my head and kept looking at Ava. He turned to look at her.

Ava's P.O.V

Mom and Dad were looking at me. Mom looked shocked and concerned. Dad on the other hand, looked worried and sad. I opened my link. "What's with the looks?"

"I think it's time to tell her, Death." Dad nodded and walked to me. He knelt down in front of me. His eyes were so sad. He pulled me into his arms and gripped my fur.

One of my pack members growled, but I growled back at him. "I'm so sorry, Ava. I should have told you sooner."

"Told me what?" I had shifted back to my human form. Dad took his shirt off and put it on me.

He sighed. "You are meant to protect this earth. I don't know what you are protecting it from, but because I am the darkness, and your mother is the light." Dad paused and let out another sigh. "I'm sorry, Ava. You have to leave us behind to follow your destiny. The spells on your fur will help you, but your mother and I, can't be there."

"I know. Zuri told me that I would need a pack for our future. This is the start of my pack." I held out my left wrist and showed him my pack mark.

"It looks like a setting sun." Dad blurted.

I giggled. "I know. It's a mixture of light and dark. Dusk pack. That is what we are called."

Dad smiled at me, but he didn't look happy. I furrowed my brow. "It's nothing you need to worry about, Princess." I eyed him suspiciously, but he shook his head.

I sighed. "Alright everyone. Settle in for a while. We will be here until it is time to move on." Everyone started settling in and I went for a walk.

"Ava, it's time to become one with our mate." Just as she said that, a wave of heat went through my body.

Growls from male wolves around me, sounded off. I looked around, but Levi wasn't among them. I whimpered and another wave went through me, making me drop to the ground. "Ava? Ava, are you okay?" Henry linked me.

"I'm in heat. Help me Big Brother..." He never answered me, but it wasn't too long before he was standing in front of me in his wolf form. I whimpered when I noticed that his eyes had changed to black with lust. "Henry..." I called out to him.

Another male growled, but Henry attacked him. He tore at him, but really only enough to drive him away. Zuri was whimpering in my head, wanting our mate. I tried to link him, but I couldn't connect with him. I cried out as another wave hit me.

I don't remember blacking out, but when I woke up, I was in Levi's arms. "It's alright, Ava. I have you." He set me down on my bed and laid next to me.

"What happened?" I asked, even though I could barely speak.

"You went into heat. Henry was protecting you. Your Dad pulled me through the shadows to get to you faster. When I got to you, you were already passed out with Henry over top of you. He was growling at everyone who came near you."

"Tell him! We need to be one!" Zuri growled at me. 

"How the hell am I supposed to tell him that?!" I growled back at her. 

"Just tell him that we must be one! Tell him that he will be Alpha once he does. I know his wolf is strong enough."

"Ava? Are you okay?" I looked at Levi. His brow was furrowed and there was worry in his eyes.

I sighed. "I am a special wolf. I have something that I have to do. Call it my destiny. However, there are a few things that I have to do first before that." I paused and looked at him again. He nodded for me to continue. "First, I need a pack. I am gathering them slowly." I looked away.

"There's  more. You can tell me."

I let out another sigh. "I am a Luna. A female Alpha, if you wish. I have a pack in need of an Alpha male. You are my mate." He tilted his head in confusion. I let out yet, another sigh. "I have to mate and mark you. You have to mark me as well. We must become one." 

Levi blinked a few times in shock. "Wait, so we have to have s*x? What is a mark?"

Henry's P.O.V

I heard Ava call for help to me. I shifted and ran as fast as I could. When I got near her, I could smell this sweet scent that drove me mad. It was coming from Ava. Her scent was normally sweet, like raspberries, but this time, it was stronger.

I protected her from the lust driven males. I knew they weren't in their right minds at the moment, so I kept them at bay until Big Brother Death got Levi to her.

It was strange, it was only for a moment that I wanted to claim her, then all of a sudden, I couldn't smell her scent anymore. Even though she was right in front of me.

I sighed and walked into the house, just to walk right back out. I was not up for listening to my little sister mating. "Kane, you still remember what our mate looks like, right?"

"Yes. However, you do know that we are to go with Ava and her pack, right?"

"Wait, what? I was never told this. Why do we have to go with her?"

"We are her protector. This is what we gave up our bond for." Kane sounded annoyed with me.

"Are you alright, Kane?"

"No! I'm not! I'm very upset with you. You gave up or mate bond, just so you could keep the 'temporary' bond with Ava. She doesn't need us anymore. She has her mate."

"Kane!" I growled. "Ava is our sister. We, as big brothers, are supposed to protect her from anything that could harm her in any way."

Kane growled. "I am not her brother. Nor are you. We are, by all technicalities, her Uncle. Nothing more. Tell me, why would you give up out mate bond for our Niece?"

"Because I'm not cruel to just abandon her! I love Ava like a big brother should! I raised her and took care of her when Dad had patrol duties! If you don't like it, than stay at the back of my mind!" I cut the link with Kane before he could reply. I could feel him banging against the wall I put up between us. He always hated that I would shut him out when we fought.

I let out a sigh and walked around. There were new wolves here now. They were Ava's pack. "Daddy!" I heard a pup yell. I watched as her dove into her father's arms. I couldn't stop the smile that formed on my lips. I turned away and continued to walk. I ended up at the lake.

I sat down on a rock and opened my link to Kane. "You rotten f*****g human! How dare you cut me off like that?!" He seemed pretty pissed, but I didn't care.

"Are you done?" My tone was dry with him. This usually made him stop, but not this time.

"No! I'm not! Because of you, I cannot have my mate! Then you had the audacity to block me out! How dare you!?"

"If you don't stop with your bullshit right now, I'll push your fuzzy ass to the back of my mind and I'll keep you there for the rest of our life!" My words were laced with irritated growls.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Want to bet? I will push you there and keep you there. I don't care if I won't be able to shift anymore."

"Alright you two. That is enough. I am getting a headache." I turned around and there stood the Moon Goddess. I lowered my head to her. "Stop it. I already told you, I am not your Luna. Ava is. Bowing to me will do nothing but disrespect her."

"I'm sorry, but why are you here?"

She smiled softly. "I noticed something when I took your bond. It seemed like she could feel the bond. She's not doing well right now. I'm going to offer you a trade."

"What kind of trade?" I looked to my right and saw Kane sitting beside me.

"I will give you your bond back, in place of four memories. No, I will not take any memories of Ava. They are happy memories, but they are insignificant to you. Will you take this offer?"

"What do you mean she isn't doing well? What's happening to her?" I felt  worry and fear fill my heart.

"At this moment, she's lost hope that her mate is out there. She needs help. Only you two can do this. Betas Henry and Kane. Please, take my offer."

I could tell she was worried about my mate. I looked at Kane. I could see that he already agreed to the offer, but he was waiting for me. I looked up at the Moon Goddess and nodded. "Yes. We will take it."

She quickly took my hands. I felt my bond return. I didn't know which memories she took, but I didn't care. "You will find her tomorrow on your journey with Ava, Beta of Dusk pack."

With that she vanished. I opened my link to Kane, who was now back inside my body. "Kane?" I called him, softly. Something I never did.

"Henry. I can feel it. The Moon Goddess really gave it back. Please let me out."

I let Kane take over without a fight and we shifted. He raised our snout to the sky and let out a loud, long and happy howl. We heard howls join us. It was a wonderful feeling. After  a while, I let myself drift off to sleep while Kane has control of our body.

Ava's P.O.V

"Ava, wake up" I felt someone shaking me. I groaned and slowly opened my eyes. "Come on. You need to get up." I focused my eyes on the person waking me up. Henry stood beside my bed smiling at me. 

"You look too happy right now." I paused and looked at the clock. "For f**k sake, Henry! It's five in the morning! Why the hell are you waking me up?"

"Because today is the day I find my mate. The Moon Goddess gave me my bond back." His smile reached his ears. I could practically see his wolf's tail wagging like no tomorrow. "So come on. Get up and let's go."

I glared at him. "Go back to bed, Henry. It's too early to get the pack up yet. The pups need their sleep." I rolled over closing my eyes again.

I heard him shift and then he pounced on Levi and I. Levi growled at him. Henry lowered his head in submission. "What the f**k do you think you are doing, Beta?" Levi growled again.

"I'm supposed to find my mate today. The Moon Goddess said so herself. Please Alpha, we need to go. She needs me." Henry spoke to us both through  a link.

I furrowed my brow. I hadn't bitten him for him to be in the pack. How could he talk to Levi without my pack mark? "Henry, shift." He obeyed me and I grabbed his left wrist. "Where did you get this?" My pack mark was there.

He looked at it and smiled. "The Moon Goddess gave it to me when she game me my bond back. She said that you would have eventually given it to me, but she wanted me to have it sooner."

I nodded. ay. Well, get your naked ass off my bed. I might as well stay up now that I can't get back to sleep." I glared at Henry. He gave me a guilty smile and scampered out of my room.

I sighed and flopped back onto my pillow. "You aren't happy. It is because of Henry waking you up?"

"Yes, but there isn't much I can do about it. Aunt Luna gave him his bond back. He's very excited to find his mate. I knew that his wolf wasn't happy about him giving up his bond to keep ours, but neither of us could bare to be without the other. That's how I grew up. He's my Big Brother, my protector. The one who practically raised me." 

Levi chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I would think you two were in love with each other."

I giggled. "But you do know better. Now get up. I want to go for a run."

The wind in my fur felt amazing. The dirt and grass under my paws made me feel joyful, free. I reached a cliff and I stood on the edge. I heard Levi whimper behind me. He was afraid that I would fall. I knew I wouldn't, but he didn't. I looked at the rising sun. I lifted my snout to the sky. I howled to both of my Aunts. Levi joined in. In the distance, I could hear my pack howling with me. They knew I was a special wolf. They knew that this pack would someday diminish to nothing while protecting this earth. They were willing to do so.

It wasn't long before my pack stood in front of me. Some in wolf form, some in human form. I looked at each one of them. Levi at my side and Henry at his. "Everyone, this is your Alpha. Alpha Levi. I am your Luna. Luna Ava. My brother here, is your Beta. Beta Henry. Do you accept us as your leaders?" Yips and cheers could be heard from them. They accepted us as their leaders, willing to follow our orders.

Levi stepped forward. "Thank you for accepting us. Now, I know for a fact that we will be getting more wolves in this pack. We have a long journey ahead of us. It will be hard, but we will make it. Every one of you will make it to our destination. I swear to the Moon Goddess that I will keep you safe."

There were smiles and wagging tails in the crowd. All but one was happy. A young girl stepped forward and bowed her head, respecting us. She looked no older than fifteen years old. "Excuse me, Alpha, Luna and Beta, but where are we going? You haven't told us much of anything about it."

I smiled softly at the girl. I gently took her left hand and showed her the pack mark. She looked at me and I could see the confusion in her eyes. "I am light and darkness. I will know where we are meant to to be once we get there." I paused and brushed a stray hair out of her face. "I wish I could tell you more, but I can't. I have no idea where we are meant to stay, but what I can tell you, is that we need to go East." She nodded and went back to her mother.

"It's time to go." Zuri said through our link.

"Alright, it is time to go. Elders, please lead us East." I watched as the Elders began walking East. Most of them were already in their wolf forms. I turned to Levi. "I'm going to say goodbye to my parents. Stay with the pack, I won't be long." He nodded and Kissed me before shifting to his wolf form and following the pack.

I turned toward the house, but someone grabbed my arm. I looked into their eyes. "I'm going with you. I may not need to say goodbye, but I want to. Plus, I'm your protector." I smiled and nodded. I was glad Henry was going with me. I know I looked calm and collected on the outside, but inside, I was going crazy with fear.

When Henry and I got to the house, everyone was already standing on the front porch. "Ava." Mom said. She had tears in her eyes. I shifted to my human form and hugged her tightly. "Oh my Baby. I'm going to miss you so much. Please Ava, keep in touch with us."

I nodded. "I plan to. Even if I have to use the shadows just to come see you." She laughed and wiped her tears away. I turned to Dad, but he was looking right to the sky. I hugged him, not giving a f**k that I was naked. "I'll miss you, Dad."

I felt him stiffen, but then he hugged me tight. I knew he didn't want to let me go. "I'll miss you too, Princess. Please, call me if you need anything." I nodded. "I mean it. I can hear you if you call through the shadows. Please, be safe my Princess." He kissed the top of my head and gave me a light squeeze before letting go.

"Get over here, Aviator." Papa pulled me into one of his bear hugs. He learned to give a proper bear hug from a bear shifter that he's been friends with since I can remember. He looked me right in the eye. "Don't do anything stupid. You understand me? I do not want to feel you getting killed through our link."

"Mark them as pack members. They will know we are safe that way." Zuri spoke. I smiled at her. Even though she had a nasty attitude, she was still a wonderful wolf to have. She had a heart of gold, even though she doesn't want to admit it.

"Hold up your left wrists." They did so, but I could tell they were confused. I smiled and quickly sunk my fangs into their wrists, one at a time. "There. Now you all can feel if I'm in need of help."

"Does this mean we have to submit to you?" Dad raised an eyebrow.

I giggled and shook my head. "No. This is just so you all know how I am. Kind of." 

"Ava, we have to go." Henry put his hand on my shoulder. I nodded and turned away.

"Henry." Mom called. We looked back at her. "Keep your Little Sister safe." She raised her left wrist. "If I feel anything happen to her, I'll find you and kick your ass so hard that your great grandkids won't be able to sit for a year."

I  couldn't stop it. I burst into laughter. "Ava! That's not funny! She just threatened me and my kids all the way to my great grandkids!" Henry actually looked scared. I guess he knew Mom was serious, but I couldn't help it.It was too funny to me. I just kept laughing. "Alright! That's it! You're going to get it now!" Henry shifted and ran at me. I squealed and took off, shifting mid jump.

Our little game og catch me ended when he tackled me to the ground after we caught up to the pack. I yelped and playfully kicked at him. We caught the attention of the early developed pups. Their yips and giggles made us look. They were running toward us.

A tiny grey pup, pounced on my snout. I pretended to be stuck under his strength. I whimpered and tried to pull my head away, but I couldn't. This tiny little boy had me stuck right were I was. I whimpered and finally he let me up. His mother ran over to us. "I'm so sorry, Luna. I should have been watching him more closely. Please, forgive us." She picked up her pup and went to scold him.

"No. Don't scold him. He wanted to join in the fun Henry and I were having." The other pups gathered around me, giver her their best puppy eyes. "Please, let the pups play with us. I promise, no harm will come to them." I made sure that my link was open to the whole pack this time. Others asked if that really was okay, and I said it was. I was in a sad, but playful mood. I wanted to play with the pups for a while. 

"Mums and Dads, let the Luna play with the pups. The Luna looks like she's up for some play time. Enjoy the break. you all need it. " One of the Elder females spoke, stopping the whole pack for a break. She was in her wolf form. It was hard to do that in wolf form, but somehow, she winked at me!

There was some discussion through the parents, but eventually, they decided. "Alright, but please Luna, let us know if they get to be too much to handle." I nodded and she put her pup back on the ground.

I yipped and ran around with them. I made sure that I was slow enough so they could keep up and Henry helped them bring me to the ground. My tail wagging the whole time.

We all played for a good hour or two before they curled up next to Henry for a nap. The pups that didn't have their wolf half yet, used his as a pillow, while those that did, snuggled close to him to keep warm. "Are you alright with them?" I asked him through our link.

"Perfectly happy. I'm going to take a nap with them." With that said, he yawned and put his head down.

I smiled internally and head over to Levi, who was resting in the grass. "Hello." He said to me and wagged his tail.

I rubbed my snout against his. "Hey. How are you holding up with being the Alpha?"

He scoffed. "I didn't think it would be this easy, but right now, I have a feeling that it's going to get harder."

"It will. Once we are in the right place, we will need to make money to feed our pack. We will need a house that's big enough to house the pack, and possibly more houses for the families that want to live on their own. We have a lot to do, but we will get through it. Together."

He didn't answer me, he just licked my snout. In wolf form, this was the best way to show affection other than rubbing against each other. I was enjoying it until I felt something get closer to us. I growled and immediately, the able bodied males stood up looking around. Even Henry was standing. He was protecting the children. I shifted to my human form. "Come out! Now!" I yelled loud enough that they could hear me clearly.

At first there was nothing, then a small family came through the trees. Two were in their wolf forms while the other two were in human form. "We mean no harm. Please, protect us. I beg you, protect us."

I heard the sound of someone shifting. "Mate." I knew this voice. It was Henry. I looked at him, then to the girl holding a child in her arms. She looked skinny and she was covered in bruises.

"Come. You two will need to shift." I watched them all share looks, then the two shifted to their human forms. "I'm going to let my wolf take over. She will tell if you are safe or not."

With that, I closed my eyes and let Zuri take over. "The child, is not a threat." She paused and one of the mothers came to take the baby. As gently as possible, Zuri bit the baby's left wrist, giving the little one the pack mark. She stepped closer to the boy who looked about my age. He lifted his head and glared down at us. Zuri growled at him. He flinched, but he didn't submit. She looked at the younger boy, he was already submitting to her. She marked him. The girl was an exception. She was Henry's mate, so Zuri marked her. "You. I don't trust you." Zuri growled.