Chapter Eight - The Fallen
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{{Graceʻs POV}}
Watching in horror and my family are killed and I canʻt help. My heart is in a million pieces. A mother should never have to witness her babies and her parents being killed. I know why my mother did what she did. She made sure I knew what the prophecy was and that I did whatever was in my power to ensure the chosen rises up. Just as mother had.
The smirk on King Jaxxʻ face will forever be ingrained in my mind. I will forever hate that barbarous sultan! I see another wolf lying near the fallen wolf my mother killed. It must be someone close to him. Fuse is readying us for teleporting and I can feel the shield starting to deteriorate. This means only one thing, my mother is gone. The lying wolf shifts back and to my horror I see Johnathan. The wolf I met at Bluemanʻs bush. How could he be involved in this heinous act? As he looks up, he looks directly into my eyes. He seeʻs me. Motherʻs shield is dissipating and so are we as we begin our new journey. We lock eyes, his of heartbreak and disbelief, mine of heartbreak and hatred. And we are gone.
{{Johnathanʻs POV}}
James is dead! My beloved brother and best friend. I seethed with loathing for my father! I told him James was not experienced! I told him! While I am mourning my brother, my wolf feels our brotherly bond break forever. I shift because the pain is unbearable. Human form feels just as bad. Then out of the corner of my eye, I see movement. I look up just in time to see a house, but how? It wasnʻt there just a minute ago. I then see Grace! How was she even there? I am shocked at seeing her there, with what must be her mate and a child. We make eye contact. I am in disbelief. But her eyes show pure hatred! And she is gone. It then dawns on me...this was her family. Those pups we killed were hers. Those wolves we killed her parents. My life has gone to a hell hole in a matter of minutes.
James, I will never forget you my brother. I will always honor you and promise to make sure your death was not taken in vain. I vow to lead our pack in the way you would have, peacefully. I promise to name my second-born son after you, just as you are the second-born son of our dearest mother. I vow to break all ties and bonds with our father. He will never reign in my heart. I stand to carry my brother's dead body home to our mother. She will be devastated.
{{King Jaxxʻ POV}}
The Queen is dead. Her pups are dead. I will rule forever! I look up to see Johnathan carrying a wolf. He walks toward me when I realize he is carrying James. My son, my boy, my youngest. That b**ch killed my boy! I should have killed her myself! I reach out to touch my son as Johnathan walks past and he pulls Jamesʻ body away from me.
“DO NOT touch him! If you had just listened to me, maybe James would still be alive!”
“Johnathan, you cannot believe that this is my fault? Queen Merrie killed your brother!”
“SHUT THE F**K UP! This is YOUR fault! Iʻm taking my brother home.”
I watched as both my sons left me among my army. I turned and could not believe what I was seeing in front of me! A large home, working shed, barn and an open field for livestock. Where the f**k did all this come from? I examine the property and the contents left in the home. No scent can be found anywhere. No pictures. But as I continue to look around my eyes narrowed as I realized this was the work of a witch!! To hide my enemies right under my nose. Somewhere I would never think to look. All these years hunting for the elusive Queen Merrie and she was here all along. It made me fume till no end! Urgh!!!!! “Pack!! Letʻs head back to the pack house! NOW!!!”
{{Johnathanʻs POV}}
I slowly walk back to our pack house, trying to remember all the good times my brother and I shared. Yes, this Queen Merrie killed my brother but she had no way of knowing. She was trying to protect the pups with her. Graceʻs pups. Tears are falling. I need to getaway from here, from him. Get far away.
“Mom! Mom! MOM!!!!” she walks somberly in. She already knows James is dead. She mustʻve
felt the bond disconnect too. Tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Please son, please tell me it isnʻt so!”
“I wish I could mom, I wish I could.”
“What happened?” I told her of my fathers plan and how I told him James was inexperienced.
But he didnʻt wanna hear it. She just nodded her head letting out a sorrowful howl.
“Mom, Iʻm leaving.”
“What?” snapping her head out of her thoughts. “What do you mean youʻre leaving”
“I need to getaway. Get away from dad. I just canʻt deal with him right now.”
“Maybe you should talk to your father. Maybe he can explain his actions.”
“None of it is gonna bring James back to us, mom!”
“I know son, but maybe if you understand, you can accept his passing.”
“None of it matters.”
{{Graceʻs POV}}
As we are teleported, I cannot get the horrible scene from my mind. We reach our destination and I am spiritually and emotionally exhausted. I ask the Moon Goddess to help me to forgive myself. It was all my fault. Everything! Everything was all my fault. I look for Maddox, he is always where I need him to be. Right by my side. I hold him and just cry uncontrollably. I know he is trying to be strong for me, but I feel him cave in as well, as I feel his body heave with indescribable pain. Queen Herrod has a young sorcerer take little Ariess with her so she does not see the despair that is her parents. I am grateful for that.
{{Queen Herrod}}
“Fuse, give me your report please.”
“Yes, Your Highness. We arrived just as Queen Merrie and King Ashford were arriving with the
pups. They were being surrounded. King Ash was wounded when he was attacked from the
rear by one of the army wolves. Jaxx then attacked and went for the jugular and killed King
Ashford. Queen Merrie, tossed lady Ash forward to get her toward us and turned back to help
lady Aura but it was too late. Jaxx had her in his jaw and snapped her neck before Queen
Merrie could get to her. Queen Merrie then turned to help lady Ash as the circle closed. She
attacked and killed the wolf that was closest to lady Ash but the packs Beta grabbed lady Ash
and killed her instantly. It was then that the rest of the pack attacked Queen Merrie. And
although she fought valiantly and killed a few wolves, Your Highness, she could not overpower
the entire pack. She succumbed to the attack and we left shortly after.”
“Was Queen Merries temporary shield compromised?”
“It may have been, Your Highness. It looked as though a wolf checking on the dead wolf the
Queen killed seemed to have seen Lady Grace. Lady Grace looked at him as well.”
“Where is Lady Grace now?”
“She is with Sir Maddox, Your Highness. They are consoling each other in their loss.”
“Ok, weʻll give them a few minutes, but let her know I need to speak to her immediately. What
about the bodies?”
“I left Fenton back at the site and told him when the pack leaves to gather the bodies of the
Queen and her family and bring them here for proper burial, Your Highness.”
“Good, I wish to see my friend one last time before returning her soul to her Moon Goddess.”
“Yes, Your Highness, I am sorry for your loss. I know she was like a sister to you.”
A few minutes later, “Your Highness, you wished to see me” Graceʻs voice cracked, her eyes
puffy from crying.
“Yes Lady Grace. I am so sorry for your loss” she hugs Grace who cries in Queen Herrodʻs arms
“I know this is not a good time, but it is important and I need to ask. I need to know if anyone
saw any of you before you were teleported here?”
“Yes, Your Highness. I saw Johnathan and I know he saw me. He looked directly at me right
before we teleported. I am assuming my mothers shield was dissipating just as we were
leaving.”
“Did anyone else see you?”
“I donʻt think so, Your Highness.”
“That may be a good thing. Johnathan Landry is not like his father. Even though Jaxx Landry had
been grooming Johnathan to be the next Alpha, Johnathan and his brother have their motherʻs
mannerism.”
“Johnathan Landry? Jaxx Landryʻs son?” Graceʻs eyes are wide as saucers at the news.
“Yes. But in the meantime, Iʻll be placing an extra shield of protection on this area. We donʻt want any unwanted visitors. Goddess knows, we donʻt need them now. But for now, you and
Maddox take what time you need to heal. Our young sorcerer will stay here with you for as long
as you need her to help with Ariess.”
“Thank you so much, Your Highness. I am forever grateful for all you do for us. I know my loss is
also your loss. And I am truly sorry for causing all this mess.”
“Everything happens for a reason Grace. I will never understand your Moon Goddess since she is
not my own. But if it is in her will then so be it. We will heal together and come out stronger than
you will ever imagine. Always know, I love you like my own and I always will.”
- Writer
