The Protector of Wolves

Chapter 8: Vengeance

Jenna's POV

It's been three days since the attack on our pack; three entire days until the last time I saw my best friend alive; three days I have barely been able to leave my bed. I bring my legs up to my chest as another sob threatens to escape my mouth. I grab my pillow, wet with tears, and place it over my face. I still can't believe she is gone...this doesn't feel real. How could this have happened to her?

As much as I want to stop, in my head I keep replaying the last moment I saw Alessia alive. Though her face was full of shock and fear, she was composed and focused on getting everyone to safety. I, on the other hand, was not. My feet were frozen in place as panic washed over me.

"Go find our moms and Lauren and make sure they’re in the safe room!” she directed me.

In that moment, my wolf could do nothing but obey, while the human side of me fought so hard to control my panic. Looking back, I wish that I would have made her go hide in the pack house with me, but I know that she probably wouldn't have come anyway.

Being the Alpha’s daughter, Alessia has always been a skilled warrior, and I'm not surprised she wanted to stay and help. But I had hoped that Alpha Elijah or her father would have made her come inside.

I didn’t know it at the time, but after her death, Alessia’s family announced that she was chosen by the Moon Goddess to be our protector. The protectors are very rare and only hail from our pack. I never suspected Alessia to be one and she never told me. I guess that meant it was her duty to stay outside, to protect our pack; not cower inside like me. Even though she told me to go inside, somehow, I feel like I let her down.

"She wanted you to be safe, she would not have forgiven herself if you would have gotten hurt or worse," my wolf says to console me. "She did her job as the protector and helped protect the pack."

"Yes," I reply, "but now I am ​safe, and my best friend is dead." I choke out another sob.

Alessia never got to find her mate, nor will she be there when I find mine. She died so young and has been robbed of so many life experiences, all because of these stupid hunters.

I can't help but be angry at the Moon Goddess, too, for making Alessia a protector. She didn't even stand a chance against all of those hunters. We were so outnumbered; we needed more warriors.

I should have been there.

I could have been there, if only I had put more effort into warrior training. Alessia was such a natural and strong fighter; I never thought I had it in me.

But now, I want revenge. I want to avenge my best friend; to become a warrior and help take down these hunters.

I grab my pillow and hurl it across my room.

I will make them regret ever setting foot on our packlands.

Elijah’s POV

My sister’s untimely death has taken a toll on the entire pack, myself included. Dad barely comes out of his room anymore, and mom is in such a daze all of the time it’s like she’s lost in a different world entirely. Not that I can blame either of them, really. I have wanted nothing more than hide in my room with my mate, away from everything and everyone. But as alpha, I don’t have the luxury of being able to do that. As alpha, I have to focus on taking care of my pack, something I failed at doing my very first day, costing me the life of my sister.

Logically, I know we were cornered, we were losing so many warriors and the hunters were all so close to getting to Alessia, so she decided to run. And I let her run... but it was to her demise. I failed her, not only as her alpha, but also her brother. I should have been able to save her.

I saw the house on fire right before my eyes, yet I am still having trouble coming to terms with her death. The Moon Goddess made her the protector, shouldn’t she be watching over Alessia? Alessia was strong and incredibly intelligent, but being a protector was a lot of pressure on her alone.

I barely remember learning about protectors in school, but I do know we haven’t needed one in hundreds of years. The last protector was here to fight off the dark hunters – those magical beings who wished to eradicate our species. My guess is that the Moon Goddess noticed another threat to our species, and that’s why she gave us another protector.

I distinctly remember at the house, the witch telling me my sister was dead. She was responsible for the death of my sister. She must be a dark hunter, and purposely sought out my sister, the protector, to keep her from stopping their horrible plan.

Alessia is - well, was - the protector of wolves, and yet she is dead, while the dark hunters are very much alive.

How could this happen?

Why wasn’t the Moon Goddess able to protect her?

What’s going to happen to us now?

With Alessia dead, we are in so much more danger than we realize...