Call of the Goddess

Chapter 2: The Call

The whole pack is called to the packhouse for an emergency meeting, with the exception of a few pack warriors who are sent to a neighboring ally pack to request emergency supplies. All of the pack’s food and water was corrupted by the curse, and my throat already feels dry. Something about knowing that you have no access to drinkable water makes you extra thirsty, even though it’s only been a few hours since my last drink.

Located in the center of the Starborne Pack territory, the packhouse serves as both a building for official pack business, and as the home of the Alpha and his family. All official pack meetings are held here in a large room with benches facing a small stage with a podium and microphone. This may just be the best turnout I’ve ever seen for a pack meeting, with just about everyone in attendance. From the conversations I can hear around me, everyone is so worried about the future of the pack. We can survive on provisions donated from our allies in the short term, but not for long.

What worries me the most is that nobody seems to know why the witches attacked us in the first place, or whether or not they will come back to wreak more havoc. Witches and werewolves have largely left each other alone over the past century, after a peace treaty was formed and the local packs promised not to interfere with the local covens. Today, they broke that treaty, and there was no telling how that would impact the pack’s future.

After an unbearable wait, someone finally steps up to the podium to start the meeting, However, it isn’t Alpha Jarod like I’d been expecting. It’s Beta Louis, Dalton’s father, and he’s looking paler than usual. His movements are slow as he climbs up on stage, and he stops to have a coughing fit before speaking into the microphone.

“My friends. It brings me great sadness to be standing here before you under these terrible circumstances. By now you all will have heard that today, our pack was visited by the Witches of the Bubbling Oasis. They have cast a terrible curse over our land, and over our leadership.” Beta Louis pauses to cough some more.

“Alpha Jarod wishes terribly that he could be here to bring comfort to his people during this trying time, but I am sad to say that the witches’ evil curse has taken hold of him in the form of a severe and crippling illness, which has, unfortunately, began to take its toll on the other pack leaders and myself as well.”

A murmur breaks out over the crowd. The witches didn’t just deprive us of the supplies we need to survive. They also weakened our pack’s strongest members, leaving us completely vulnerable. If they come back for another attack, there’s nothing we’ll be able to do to stop them. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if an enemy pack hears about our current state. The pack as we currently know it would completely cease to exist.

Beta Louis holds up one hand to try and quiet the crowd while he coughs into his opposite palm. “Please do not panic, as always, we have nothing to fear if we stand together. We are a strong pack. This has not changed.” A hush once again falls over the pack as we all wait to hear how exactly we plan to get through this together. From my perspective, it seems like all of us banding together is just a lot of mouths to feed and no food to feed them with.

“There is a way to break this curse,” Beta Louis continues. “But, it won’t be easy. There is a mountain north of here called Mount Killingtague.”

Chatter breaks out across the room once more. Practically every scary story wolves in my pack are told as pups takes place on Mount Killingtague. Everyone knows not to go there. So many brave wolves have died on that mountain.

“I know what you are all thinking,” says Beta Louis, his tone growing more somber and sympathetic. “We have no choice. This is the only way. On the very top of Mount Killingtague, the Great Witch lives alone in her hut. She will have the power to break the curse, and somehow, we must convince her to do so. This is delicate work, and whoever we send must not fail. If they do, we will all perish.”

A shiver goes up my spine. One curse, one breach of a century-old contract out of the blue, and our pack is as good as dead. Our warriors are some of the strongest and bravest wolves I’ve ever seen, but I would be lying if I said my mind would be at ease after putting my life in any of their hands. Or anyone else’s for that matter.

“Beta, it would be my honor to volunteer to do what needs to be done to protect this pack,” one of the warriors says as he stands to address the Beta. The other warriors quickly follow suit, declaring similar sentiments. As dangerous as this journey promises to be, our warriors are sworn to protect the pack at all costs. Whoever goes, if they succeed, will be regaled as pack heroes.

Beta Louis nods at the brave men who are willing to put their lives on the line for the pack with no hesitation. “Words cannot express how grateful we are to have such brave and noble warriors.” The pack applauds their bravery while Beta Louis goes into another coughing fit, throwing in a few sneezes while he’s at it. “Choosing the right team for job has possibly never been more important than it is here today. We will therefore be calling on Aluna, she-wolf goddess of war, for guidance.”

This statement seems to be the queue for a couple pack members to bring out the Dias of Fire and Light, a large stone object shaped like a giant chalice, and set it in front of the stage. When we need to communicate with the goddesses, it is brought before the pack, a fire is lit within it, and we pray to the goddesses for their wisdom and guidance, hoping they will communicate with us through the flame. Beta Louis has to be helped down from the stage, clearly already weakened by his cursed illness. I don’t even want to think about what state the Alpha is in.

At Beta Louis’ instruction, dark red flame powder is poured into the basin. A long, thin candle is lit and handed to the Beta, who touches the small flame to the powder, and the dias is lit. The orange glow of the dancing blaze bounces off the walls and all of our expectant faces. Someone hands Beta Louis his microphone.

“For the future of our pack, friends, let us pray.” We bow are heads and hope the goddess does not forsake us, knowing this is our only hope. “Aluna, great devine goddess of war, hear our prayer. Your people are in trouble. A terrible curse has been cast over your land. We have no food, we have no water. Horrible illness has taken hold of those you have appointed to lead. What we need now, is your divine counsel. A journey must be made up a dangerous mountainside, and a difficult ally must be won over. We trust your judgement, Goddess Aluna. Please tell us, who should go? Who can save your people?”

The room goes silent as Beta Louis finishes the prayer. All eyes are on the flame, waiting to see what will happen. The warriors have remained standing, anxious to see who among them will receive the goddess’ call. After a few long moments, the flame glows green. My heart races and I almost forget to breathe as I wait to see who will be called to be the difference between life or death for myself and the entire pack.

A small piece of folded paper is ejected from the fire, which returns to its original orange color. One of the men who had brought in the dias catches the paper as it floated through the air, and handed it to the Beta. Beta Louis opened it slowly, his hands having grown weaker even throughout the course of the meeting.

“The first among us to be called on by the goddess is… Dalton Evers, my darling son,” the Beta announces. My heart skips a beat when I hear his name. This is a bit of a surprise, as everyone was expecting to hear the name of a trained warrior. Dalton is supposed to be a future leader, of course, but the emphasis there is on future. It is not yet his time to lead.

Dalton stands from where he is sitting in the front row, next to Elsie and the other family members of pack leaders. “It is an honor to be chosen by the goddess, I will gladly go to serve my pack,” he says, very diplomatically. If he is afraid of the challenge to come, he doesn’t show it. I can’t imagine how he must be feeling, I’m sure he wasn’t expecting this at all. Still, he is fierce, and strong, and, evidently, more than willing to take the weight off of his future people’s shoulders. Maybe that’s why he helped me carry that desk earlier during the lockdown. 

Beta Louis beams at his son’s declaration. No doubt he is filled with fatherly pride. “Thank you, Dalton. May Aluna light your path.” More applause breaks out for our future Alpha and his bravery. A few seconds later, the flame within the dias glows greet yet again, proving the goddess does not intend to send Dalton alone.

Another piece of paper is shot out of the fire, which is once again caught by the same man as before and handed to the Beta. “To lead the expedition up the mountain to break the curse and save our pack, the goddess Aluna sends…” Beta Louis pauses and stares at the piece of paper in confusion. He shows it to a couple of his men, and they begin to whisper, facing away from the microphone. My heart can’t handle the suspense as I focus all my concentration on my wolfish advanced sense of hearing, trying to make out what they’re saying. It’s no use, I can’t hear anything. We’re too far back, sitting in the rows closest to the doors with the other unranked Omega pack members. Some of the higher-ranked pack members seem to be picking up bits and pieces, however, as a few of them keep turning around in their seats as if they’re looking for someone.

Finally, Beta Louis turns back around and puts the microphone in front of his lips. “My apologies. We are confused by the next, and presumably final, choice of the goddess, but we know that Goddess Aluna acts in mysterious ways, and have no reason to not trust her counsel.” I furrow my brow at this latest declaration. There are so many strong and capable wolves in this pack. Who could the goddess have chosen that would give the Beta such a cause for concern? “Therefore, it is my duty to announce that the she-wolf who has been chosen to lead the way on the most important quest our pack has been faced with in recent memory is our own…” The Beta pauses again as if he can’t believe he’s actually saying this. “Our own… Sutton Sanders. May the goddess Aluna light your path.”

All eyes are on me. All of them. Take the number of wolves in the pack, multiply that by 2, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of how many eyes are staring directly at me right now. I’ve never seen so many eyes in my life. I haven’t moved an inch since I heard my name come out of Beta Louis’ mouth. I would actually be questioning whether or not I’d actually heard my own name correctly if it weren’t for all the eyes confirming my worst nightmare.

Something touches my back and I jump before realizing it’s my mom’s hand on my back. I look at her, wishing she would just pick me up and carry me away to somewhere safe, like when I would have nightmares as a pup. But I’m not a pup anymore. Apparently I’m a divinely-selected hero who is expected to not only join my future Alpha on a trip up a dangerous mountain that will probably kill me, but also to lead said Alpha up the dangerous mountain. Also, if I fail, everyone I know dies. So clearly someone has made a mistake here because I am so not cut out for this job.

“You have to get up, honey,” my mom says in a soothing voice. I take her suggestion and slowly stand up, but I have no idea what my next move should be now that I’ve done that. My legs start to shake now that they’re bearing the weight of the rest of my body and I’m not sure how long they’ll be able to hold me up.

“A round of applause for our champion,” the Beta suggests, but it’s clear his heart isn’t in it. I don’t think he’s any more sure about the goddess’ decision than I am. People clap, but as I look around I see their faces reflect only confusion. All except Dalton’s, whose features were hardened and even more ferocious than they’d been during my first run-in with him early in the morning, which seems like a lifetime ago now.

“Father, I mean you no disrespect, but there has to be some mistake,” Dalton says suddenly and firmly. My short-lived applause abruptly stops and the eyes finally turn away, back to the front of the meeting hall. “An Omega being called on a mission of this importance? And being called to lead me? I am your son, the son of the Beta of this pack, and the future Alpha.”

“My son, it is not for us to decide the goddess’ ways. Aluna has spoken, you dishonor Her with your objections,” Beta Louis says, though he probably agrees with Dalton deep down. I know I do.

“I do not intend to dishonour the goddess. But I do not see an Omega being capable of completing this quest.”

“The Omega will complete the quest, and you will assist her, or the pack will fall. That is the ruling of the goddess, and so it shall be.”

Dalton seems defeated, but knows better than to try and argue further. “Of course, Father. Please excuse me to go and pray to the goddess Aluna myself, to thank her for her… wisdom.” The way he said that final word made it clear that he in no way trusts the goddess’ decision. I wonder how that affects his own confidence as he pictures the task ahead.

Beta Louis excuses Dalton, who exits the hall without looking at anyone. At this point the eyes are split between the Beta and myself, and I can no longer bear all the attention, or the weight of the impossible task I’m being called to do. I have to get out of here. “Me too,” I say quickly, piggy-backing on Dalton’s exit strategy before making a run for the door.