Death's Daughter (Book 2)

Chapter 10

Ava's P.O.V

The next morning, I woke to claws scratching me across my face. I yelped at the pain and stood up. Ember stood in front of me, growling in her wolf form. I opened my link to her. "What is your problem?"

"You're the reason why my mate can't be fully mine! Why do you get to have him? He's not your mate! He's mine!" She growled at me.

"Either you stand down, or I'll have no choice but to force you to stand down." I growled at her. I could see her wanting to submit to me, but she forced herself to keep standing. By this time, we had caught the attention of some of the pack. I never looked away from Ember, but I could hear some whispers.

"Is she really going to fight the Luna?"

"I hope not. Ember is only a Beta because of Henry." 

Ember growled and lunged at me, She wasn't much of a fighter. Her golden wolf was more of an Omega that anything. I didn't bother putting up a fight. She was just a jealous wolf. I would let her get it out of her system. I won't be mad at her afterwards. I opened my link to the pack, except for Ember. "Stay out of this. Do not stop her."

Penelope's P.O.V

It's only been a few days since Ava left. She's already killed a wolf who threatened her pack. Now, she's in a fight with someone. I can feel it through the pack mark. "She will be fine, my Queen." Death gently touched my cheek. He knew what was happening. He could feel it too. "If it gets too much for you to handle, go to her."

I nodded. "Thank you." I knew Dad was worried, he was pacing around the living room. My baby boy was born with the pack mark. He was fussy because it bothered him that his Big Sister was getting hurt.

It had been over an hour now and the pain from the pack mark was getting worse. "Penelope." Dad called to me. "Go. I cannot bare this pain anymore. Make sure my Granddaughter is okay."

I nodded. "It's been a while, Snow. Will you let me shift?"

"I will do anything for our pups. Let's go." I placed Zayden in my Dad's arms and stripped my clothes off. It hurt like hell, but I shifted to my wolf form. I looked at the house. Both Dad and Death gave me a nod. I yipped and took off toward my Daughter.

When I got to her, the sight was horrendous. Ava's blood was everywhere, and none of the pack did anything to help. I looked at this golden wolf who's fur was stained with Ava's blood. I growled and lunged at her, but I was tackled to the ground. "Big Sister, no. Ava told us not to do anything. My mate is jealous and there isn't anything I can do about it but let her get it out."

I growled. "Your mate is killing my Daughter! I am stopping this and you will punish your mate accordingly!" Snow had taken over. There was no stopping her once she was pissed off. Henry submitted to Snow. He knew I was a higher rank than he was, even if I didn't show it.

Snow let out a very loud and harsh roar. Every wolf coward from us, even Levi and Ava whimpered. "Mom, what are you doing?" Her link to the pack was weak at the moment.

Snow growled. "This w***e has every intention of killing you!" Henry growled at Snow, but she growled right back at him. "Henry, you do know that the punishment of attacking a Luna is death, right?" Henry looked at the ground and nodded. "You, w***e. Attacking your Luna is unforgivable! I am a forgiving wolf, but the attacker must be regretful. You will be punished by me." Snow looked around. "This pack, is now under my control until I see that you all are fit. Including you, my Daughter."

"Yes, Mom. I give you control of Dusk Pack." Ava was so weak from blood loss, that I didn't have a choice but to have the pack return to the house I lived in.

I called through the shadows for Death to come take Ava home. From there, I led the pack towards home. This will put Ava back a while, but this needed to be done. Henry's mate was the one to blame, along with Ava, herself. Henry's mate had no marks on her at all. That meant Ava did nothing but let her attack.

Ava's P.O.V

I opened my eyes slowly. I felt sore all over. I didn't know when I blacked out or how long I had been out for. I looked around, I was in my room at Papa's house, but, how did I get here? Why was I back here and not on the grass with my pack? "Dad brought us back, also, we don't have control of the pack anymore. You gave it to Mom." Zuri said. She didn't sound too good.

"Are you okay, Zuri?"

She growled. "No, I'm not okay! You let that she-wolf attack us! You didn't even try to defend! She hurt us badly! We almost died! If Dad wasn't who he is, we would be dead right now!"

"I'm sorry, but by the time I felt her intentions to kill us, it was too late! I was too weak to fight back! I could barely hold the link with you!" Zuri scoffed then cut our link. I let out a sigh.

"By the sound of that, it seems like Zuri is mad at you." I turned my head and looked at Papa. He was smiling, but I could see the disappointment in his eyes.

I nodded. "She is, but I don't blame her. It was my own foolishness that landed us here."

"You can say that again. You've been asleep for a week. You lost a lot of blood. The Doctor said that if you lost anymore blood, you wouldn't have any left inside you. You are one lucky girl. You'd be dead if it wasn't for your Father."

I know." I looked away. I didn't think my actions would lead my parents to get involved.

"I'll let them know you are awake. The pack is still very loyal to you. Save Henry's mate. She hates you for some reason."

"I know what the reason is." Papa furrowed his brow in question. I let out a sigh. "The bond Henry and I share. She thinks that he isn't fully hers because of me. She thinks that if I were to be dead, he would fully be hers."

"It won't work like that. If she were to kill you, a large part of Henry would die with you. He raised you more than I ever did. Henry bathed with you, taught you how to use the toilet, to read and write. I only ever signed school forms, Henry did the rest. Ember will eventually understand that hurting you, hurts Henry."

"Did Mom punish her already?" I was worried for my pack member. Even if she attacked me, I still worry for her. I've never seen Mom so angry before. I have no idea what she would do.

"Yes, she's been punished. Your Mother did as she said and punished her herself."

"Is Ember dead?" I was nervous for the answer I was about to get.

"No, but she will have scars. Levi can fill you in." At that moment, Levi walked in.

"You're awake. I'm so happy!" He ran to me and hugged me tightly. I hissed in pain. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

I smiled. "It's okay, I'll be fine."

Levi looked so worried. "Ember was punished a few days ago."

"What happened? What did my Mom do to her?" He looked away and shook his head. "Levi, I am still Luna of this pack. Even if Mom is in control right now, it's still our pack. I need to know everything you know."

He sighed and took a seat on the edge of my bed. "Well, as you already know, we are all back at your parents house. The elders, pregnant she-wolves and pups were brought here by shadows, those who were able, ran with your Mom. She gave everyone a chance to settle in before she announced that Ember would be publicly punished. Ember regrets what she did. She's been tending to your wounds while you slept. A few days ago, she had to stop tending to you, to receive her punishment. Your Mom knew that she regretted attacking you, so she lightened Ember's punishment. Your Mom said that once, she had to take thirty lashings from your Dad to get her wolf back. She told everyone that thirty lashings wasn't enough, so she added another twenty to it. A total of fifty lashings is what Ember got. She was taken to a Doctor right after, but it's still going to leave scars."

Tears burned my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. "At least she's not dead. Henry wouldn't be Henry if she died."

"That's the thing, Henry changed. He's not the same. It's like something broke inside him. He refuses to look at your Mom, he's been pretending that she doesn't exist."

I frowned and opened my link to Henry. "Henry?" I called to him.

"Ava? You're awake?" He didn't sound like himself.

"Yes, Henry. Can I see you?"

He didn't answer for a moment. "No. Your Mother is in that house. I will not step foot in there. That b***h is dead to me." He sounded so cold that even I flinched away and he wasn't even near me.

"Oh Henry. Tell me where you are. I'll come to you."

"I'm at the hospital." He cut the link and wouldn't let me ask anything about Ember at all.

I sighed and slowly, but painfully, started to get out of my bed. Levi tried to stop me, but I growled at him. I managed to get up and slip into the shadows. I could smell Henry. He hadn't showered in a while according to his scent. There aren't many shadows in a hospital, but I still managed to slip in. "Henry." I called to him.

He looked at m, but turned away. I felt my heart break. My Big Brother didn't look like himself. I looked at Ember and my eyes burned with tears. I never knew my Mom could be so cruel. I didn't bother to stop my tears, I let the fall as a sob ripped through my throat. I dropped to my knees. Henry wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "Doc said she will be fine in a few days. Please don't cry, Ava." He tried to soften his voice, but it didn't work very well. He still sounded so mad and full of hatred. My heart ached for both Ember and Henry.

"H-Henry." I heard Ember call out to him. He stood and went to her. I followed him.

"I'm here, Ember." His voice cracked with pain. "Ava came to see you too."

I saw the fear flash in her eyes, it hurt more than seeing her wounded by my Mother. "I'm so sorry, Ember" i cried as I held her hand. "This shouldn't have happened to you. I-- I'm so sorry... Please.. Forgive me for letting this happen to you.." 

Ember was crying just as hard as I was. She held my hand in a tight grip. "No. Th-this is a-all my fault. I shouldn't have attacked you because of my jealousy.. I should have talked to you. You are my Luna. You're the Mother of this pack. I'm sorry..." She paused and sniffled. "I'm so sorry, Luna... Please forgive me for my wrong doings to you."

Henry placed his hand on ours. "I can say, you both have made up and forgiven each other. Now, please be the sisters I know you two can be." I could tell that Henry was happy, but I knew for a fact that he wasn't talking, this was his wolf talking. "I like when both of my girls are happy, healthy and safe. I can protect you both this way."

I sniffled and wiped my tears away. "I'm not as important as your mate is, Kane." From the corner of my eye, I could see Ember blinking in shock. She must not have known that i could tell the difference between Henry and Kane. 

"No, you are both important to Henry and I. Henry can't live without either of you. Nor could I for that matter. Ava, Henry and I have known you since before you were born. Our bond is different, but almost the same as a mate bond. Ember, you are my mate. We have been since we were born, and will be until our last breath. We could not go on living if one of you girls died." Kane kissed us on the forehead. "Henry and I love you both. Whether be sister or mate, we love you." He smiled.

I felt a new wave of tears burn my eyes. I felt like Kane had stitched my heart back together, but added a piece into it. A piece just for Ember, my sister. I looked at Ember, who was fighting to hold back her own tears. "What do you say? Will you be my sister, Ember?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yes. I'm your Big Sister now." She pulled me into a hug. Well, the best she could do for a hug right now.

Death's P.O.V

Ava, Henry and Ember refused to look at or even acknowledge Penelope. She was heart broken about punishing Ember, but it had to be done. Ember did a terrible thing. A crime if you wish. What hurt Penelope more, was the fact that Ava, her baby girl, was ignoring her. Ava wouldn't sleep in the house anymore. She would sleep outside in her wolf form with Henry and Ember. "Master Death." I heard Lilith call to me. I knew already that I had work to do, but my mate needed me at the moment.

"What is it, Lilith?" I sighed.

"Master Death, a baby was born a few minutes ago, but it isn't meant to live. You have to go collect the soul."

I sighed again. "I'm getting to old for this." I growled.

"You aren't that old, Master. Anyways, the soul isn't too far from you. Bring it then get some rest. You really need it." I never gave her a name or emotions. Those she did on her own. Well, except for her name. I gave that to her, even if she didn't need one. Lilith now has many bodies and emotions, plus, a personality. Cheeky brat she is. Always playing games and pulling pranks. I shouldn't have given her so much leniency, but at the time, there wasn't much she could really do. When I built her, humans were just starting to build houses for themselves. 

With another sigh, I headed off to collect the soul. I couldn't keep Penelope's sad face from my mind. She was so upset that she was barely eating and barely sleeping. I can't stand it that they are fighting. When I'm with Penelope, Ava ignores me too. She would only see Zayden, if Penelope wasn't around. This fight, was breaking my heart more than anyone really knew.

After gathering the soul and bringing it to Lilith, I headed home. When I got there, Ava was whimpering in her sleep. She must have been having a nightmare. Hank told me that she used to get the a lot when she was a pup. I walked over to her and touched her head. She jumped and snarled at me. "Easy there. It's just me. You were having a nightmare again."

"I'm fine, Dad. Nothing I can't handle on my own." Ava spoke through the link.

"You know you can talk to me anytime you need, right?" I ran my fingers though her fur.

"I know. Goodnight, Dad." She closed the link and curled up in a ball closer to Ember and Henry.

I sighed and walked into the house. Penelope was awake, feeding Zayden. "Is she still that mad at me?"

"Yes. She won't talk to me about it or her nightmares." I sat down next to her and gently touched Zayden's head. "I think it's time you gave her the pack. If she isn't happy here anymore, we shouldn't keep her here." I didn't think it would hurt so much to say those words, but it did.

I looked at Penelope, her eyes were filled with unshed tears. "Where did I go wrong, Death? I did everything I possibly could do for her. I gave up my life and caused you years of pain, just to keep her safe. I haunted your father for years to make him weak enough that Ava could kill him. Where did I go wrong in protecting her from Ember's burning jealousy? I showed mercy to Ember by not killing her. I spared Ava the heart break she would feel from my Little Brother. I can't stand not being able to talk to my daughter." I pulled her closer to me as she cried.

"You shouldn't have punished her at all. You are not the Alpha and Luna of that pack. I am the Luna and Levi is the Alpha. It was up to Levi and myself for her punishment, and believe it or not, her guilt for having hurt me at all would have been enough of a punishment. I let her attack me. I didn't care if she killed me or not. I'm half Goddess. I would have just come back anyways." Ava stood in the doorway, wrapped in a blanket.

"But you can't do that, Ava! You are a Luna. You need to be protected by your pack, not attacked by them!"

I watched Ava's eye twitch. "I'm not a normal Luna, Mother. I am meant to be in the fights. I am meant to get scars and take a beating. That's my job as the Goddess of Light and Darkness. We are leaving tomorrow. You will hand over my pack and we will leave." I could hear the growls laced into her words. Ava was a stubborn girl, just like Penelope.

I let out a sigh of frustration. "Girls. That is enough. We are a family. We shouldn't be fighting like this."

"Oh shut up, Father. You let her punish Ember like that. Publicly at that! It wasn't her place and that's final. This is my pack that I am gathering. I marked you both as my pack members. I did it because I thought you'd like to know that I am safe and alive. Not so you two could come in and take my pack away because of a little fight I had with my Big Sister." With that, Ava turned and walked out of the house.

Ava's P.O.V

The next morning, I stood in front of my Mother with my arms crossed over my chest. "You have something to say, Mother?"

I watched her flinch at my cold tone. "Yes, I do." Her body told me that she was fearful and upset, but the glint in her eye said something else that I couldn't seem to read. "I relinquish my claim as  Luna of Dusk Pack. I place it back under control of the rightful Alpha and  Luna, Levi and Ava." She squared her shoulders. "I, Penelope, reject Dusk pack as my own. I hereby will live as a Rouge." I felt my connection to her snap. Mom lifted her wrist and showed everyone that she no longer bared the pack mark.

"Why would our Mother do that?" Zuri whimpered.

"Because she is ungrateful." I growled. Zuri whimpered and retreated back into the back of my mind. She still cared for and loved our Mother, but I couldn't. She hurt one of my pack members. I couldn't forgive her for that.

It took a while, but I managed to get everyone through the shadows to where we were meant to build our home. I didn't feel the need to travel by foot anymore. I assumed that meant that there were no members to be added yet.

"Alright everyone!" I called out. "This is our new home. Those who wish to live in their own home with their family, are to build them. Those who wish to live in the pack house , please join me in building it." I paused. "I know it will take a while to get fully settled, but as long as we all work together and help each other out, we will get it done. This is our home now." Cheers and howls were heard from the pack. It may be mid spring right now, but I guessed that everything would be done by late fall, early winter.

Days, weeks, months. By mid winter, homes were built and furnished. The pack house was built and almost fully furnished. Only a couple of rooms needed to be finished in the four story house. I stepped out onto the balcony attached to my room. I had it built so that everyday, I could look over and see my entire pack. I wanted to make sure that no one was in danger.

Having settled in a clearing in the middle of a vast forest, there would always be danger from Rouges and wild life. "Good morning." Levi kissed my shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Good morning, my love." I leaned back into his chest. "Did you sleep well?"

He chuckled. "I only sleep well when you are with me. You got up last night and didn't come back to bed."

"I know. My nightmares are getting worse lately. I should probably talk to my Nana and Aunts about them. They might know something and help me."

"How long will you be gone this time?" I had gone to see them while the pack was building. I needed to make sure that my family was okay. Even if I'm mad at my Mom right now and though she rejected the pack, I still cared for them.

"Hopefully not long. I'd say a couple of days at least. At most, a week. Can you handle the pack with Henry that long?"

Levi burst into laughter. "Yes, I can handle the pack, Henry on the other hand, I wouldn't say I could. You know how annoying he can get about his unborn pup."

I giggled. Ever since  Ember got pregnant with Henry's pup, Henry hasn't stopped talking about names, cuteness and looks. He's annoyed most of the pack so far with his constant talking. "I think you can handle it. I'll be quick."

I dressed quickly and slipped into the shadows before Levi could stop me from going. I loved him, but this was a bit more important. I wasn't getting enough sleep, so I wasn't preforming my duties as Luna as well as I could be. I was living off coffee and cat naps. I stepped out of the shadows to find Mom, Dad and Zayden talking to Nana. "Welcome, Ava. How have you been?" Nana smiled at me. She knew I was still mad at my parents, but this was her house. There was no fighting in this house. 

"I'm good, Nana. Yourself?" I smiled.

"I'm wonderful, thank you child. What brings you all the  way here?"

I took a seat on a chair next to Dad. "Well, I came to seek advice and help. It's about my nightmares. They seem to be getting worse than they were before."

"Not to worry. They will stop soon enough. Your destiny is to protect Earth. Your dreams are a warning. Battle is coming. Sadly, I cannot tell when it will come." Aunt Luna said from the doorway to the kitchen.

"Thank you, Aunt Luna." I gave her a smile and stood up. "I know I've only just got here, but my pack needs me. Good day to you all." I headed toward the shadows.

"Ava, wait." Mom said. I stopped and turned to her. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I crossed my arms.

"For taking your pack from you. For punishing Ember when it wasn't my place to do so." Mom was standing, facing me, but her eyes were on the floor.

"It's fine. Ember and Henry have moved passed it now. No point in them dwelling on it when they have a pup on the way." Mom gasped.

"A pup? When? How far along is she?" 

"Eight weeks and three days. Due to the time thing here, she's farther along now."

"She's nine weeks and one day right  now." Aunt Luna spoke.

"I guess our family is growling again." Mom smiled.

"It is, but I really am sorry. I must go. I've been gone for five days already." I bid farewell to everyone again and stepped into the shadows.

When I stepped out of the shadows, it was dark outside. "Welcome home, Little Sister." I turned and saw Henry standing behind me.

I smiled. "Hello, Big Brother. Did you annoy Levi again?"

Henry chuckled. "No. We had a Rouge attack yesterday. I though you would want to know."

"Did anyone get hurt?" My heart thundered in my chest. I wasn't here to protect them during an attack.

"A broken arm, minor scratches and some bruised warriors. Everyone is alive and counted for."

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. "Oh that the Goddess. I'm sorry I wasn't here."

Henry waved my apology away. "It's fine. What did you have to talk to the about this time?"

"My nightmares are getting worse." I paused and sighed. "Aunt Luna said that it's a warning. She said that the dreams would stop soon enough, but she also said that battle is coming. She doesn't know when though." 

Well, our pack is growing everyday. We will handle it when the time comes. However, you are keeping something from me. I can feel your guilt about keeping a secret from me."

For f**k sake! Sometimes I hated this bond I had with Henry. I sighed. "I saw my parents and Zayden. Mom said she was sorry for what she did. She knows that you have a pup on the way. Other than those two things, nothing else happened."

Henry nodded. He didn't seem mad, at least, our bond said he was calm. "Well alright, but we should go see Levi and tell him what the Moon Goddess said about your nightmares."

I nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."