Mark of the Goddess

Chapter 4 - Blood has no Meaning

L.J.’s POV

I watched as Eldwin and his pack members studied the pictures of Tesla’s mark. I wasn’t even sure if Tesla even knew about the mark having a meaning. If she did know, she never said a word about it. 

“Skald and Tally, as mentioned in the history of this Mark, are Tesla’s guardians. They share a special bond with my daughter. They see her and only her as their alpha,” Father spoke as he crossed his arms. He wasn’t wrong. Those two didn’t listen to anyone unless Tesla ordered them too. “They have the guardians mark. The guardians mark can be given to anyone that the individual who bears the mark gives. Skald and Tally were given this responsibility.” Eldwin looked up at my father. His face full of admiration and longing. He wants to see her. Knowing Tes, she’s already found a hiding spot and will only come out if she wants to be found. Like she did the day we found her. 

“So why isn’t she here? Are you protecting her because of this mark?” Eldwin asked as he placed the photos back on the table. 

“No. This is not the reason she isn’t here,” I spoke up before my father could. Eldwin looked hurt. Like he had received a rejection. “It’s not because of you.” I paused as I rubbed my face. “Ok, it’s sort of because of you?” I am not good at explaining things. Damnit. 

“What do you mean?” Eldwin asked as he turned his head to the side slightly. I couldn’t tell if he was in pain or if he was angry. 

“What my son means is that she's afraid,” Father spoke up for me. I nodded in agreement to him. 

“I apologize for my choice of words,” I said as I bowed my head. 

“She be afraid of rejection,” Ma spoke up. I couldn’t help but look at her. Was she speaking up for Tesla? “When Tesla turned eighteen, she found a first mate.” I raised my head as my mother spoke. She never really talked much about Tesla. Afterall, she had been quiet this whole time. “She was used wit’out bein’ accepted. Da man was ‘bout ta claim her. Not because o’dem being mates, but because of strengthening his pack. Whe’da o’not he be a alpha.” I looked at my mother. She wasn’t looking at anyone in particular. She just started straight ahead. Remembering the days when Tesla had found her first mate. 

“She told us that once he saw her disfigured mark, he told her that she would never be his mate. He rejected her,” My father took the lead. I remembered that day all too well. She was crying and looked like she was about to break into pieces. I couldn’t help but look at Eldwin. He looked pretty pissed off. 

“After rejecting her, our lionesses overheard him speaking to his packmates. Telling them that he was going to report her to the King of Wolves. Telling them that she had attacked him. Which was untrue. I am not sure of every detail on how you wolves work but she is still my daughter, whether or not she is Pride bound or not. She was a blessing to us. Regardless of what others say about her.” I saw my father’s eyes go dark. I always knew that he knew of the treatment that the other Lionesses gave to Tesla. Now I was confident to say that he knew how awful they treated her. I kept my eyes on Eldwin. Him and his pack members where listening intently. One had guilt on his face. Another was shocked. The next was sad and confused. Eldwin was still pissed but this time his face was turning red. I could tell that he was fighting hard to not lose control. 

“Do not worry, Alpha Eldwin. He was quickly, shall we say, taken care of, for rejecting her.” Eldwin looked slightly more at ease. I could feel the tension building in the air. Eldwin seemed to relax.

“She’s not here because she’ll die if I reject her,” Eldwin spoke as he looked down at the table. The other wolves stood there with blank faces all of a sudden. Their eyes glowing in unison. I recognize that look. Tesla’s eyes would slightly glisten when she spoke to Skald and Tally whenever she’d speak to them through the pack bond. 

“Speak out loud, Alpha Eldwin,” I said as calmly as I could. Father bumped my elbow. Telling me to shut my mouth I guess. I didn’t care. This was my sister that they were silently discussing about. I knew that for a fact. Eldwin’s eyes stopped glowing as he looked directly at me. 

“You care about her. I know you do,” he said matter-of-factly. I nodded my head. I cared for her and watched her go through too much to let any other male take her from me. I don’t want her to die. She was worth more than that mark on her chest. 

“She’s my sister and I would die for her,” I spoke without meaning to. Eldwin nodded his head. His eyes glowing differently this time.

“So would I.”

~~ 

Eldwin’s POV

She wasn’t rejecting me. She’s not here because she’s afraid of me rejecting her. I’ll admit, I was put off by her last name. Silverblood. I don’t know much about them, as I was very young when that pack was executed for their crimes. I only know that a few juveniles were dispersed among different packs. The fact that Tesla has a disfigured pack mark, means that she was exiled before the attack. Which means they still had a reason for cutting those bonds with her. However, from what I heard about her, there should’ve been no reason for them to cut ties with her. Especially since she had the Mark of Gaia. Did the Silverblood Pack not care? Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me. I’ve eavesdropped on my father a few times to know that they weren’t as good as they used to be. Crazy would be a better term. Although, I felt that Tesla wasn’t like the rest of the Silverbloods. She couldn’t be if she survived with these lions. 

“A Silverblood with the Mark of Gaia,” Alex said mostly to himself. Shock etched in his voice. I glared over at him. Alex looked at me confused for a moment but then averted his gaze. Realizing that he wasn’t inside his own head. 

“The Mark of Gaia. It is a symbol that is highly respected. Only a pure soul will bear it. It’s not limited to just wolves. Different cultures, different names, same meaning. Roughly,” Lionel said as he kept his eyes on me. “It is definitely a special gift. We call it ‘The Sun’s Bride’. Something that is very rare. It is said that a bearer will appear with it once every one thousand years, when it is needed the most. A warrior so strong that it can be used to destroy all evil. Heal all the innocents. Along with much more,” Lionel continued. Everyone’s attention on him now. This guy really liked to run his mouth. “That is why I took her into my territory. Granted I couldn’t have an unclaimed she-wolf running around my Pridelands. So I did whatever I could to make sure she was comfortable. My son here knew better than to try anything with her. Besides he grew up seeing her as one of our own. We trained her.

I digress. Anyway, when I finally allowed a group of wolves to pass through, one of them was her mate. When he found out who she was, he threatened to report her to the nearest wolf pack. This would’ve caused a war and not something we wanted at the time. Not only did he betray her, but he betrayed our hospitality. So I took care of it, not knowing the consequences. It almost killed her. Making her weak for several months. I thought that I wouldn’t have to worry about someone else taking my daughter away from us. She’s a great asset to us. Taught my warriors how to fight in their human forms. She’s also a handful.” So she’s more than just your ‘adopted daughter’? I couldn’t help but feel even more angry than I already was at Lionel. He may have done all this unintentionally, but I couldn’t hold my rage anymore.

“Then why would you bring in a wolf?!” I snapped. Lionel looked at me with surprise. 

“Blood has no meaning, when it comes to protecting those we love and care for,” Lionel said with almost a growl. “She vaguely told me about her experiences in the Silverblood pack. Lionel Junior would probably know more about it. Or one of her other friends.” Did this guy truly see her as his daughter or just another pawn at his disposal? I couldn’t help but look at Lionel Junior for more answers. I could tell that he was uncomfortable, but I didn’t care. He didn’t say anything and only turned his head. 

“It is up to her to decide who knows her past. I most certainly am not going to tell wolves I barely know, about what she endured during her times in the Silverblood Pack.” I wasn’t satisfied with his answer, but I understood. He was very loyal and I respected that. At that moment Skald and Tally began to growl as they stood on all four of their paws. I noticed Lionel Junior raising his brow at them with concern. What is that all about? 

~~

Tesla’s POV

I stalked through the forest and sniffed the ground. The smell of this morning's battle was in this area. The bodies of the Vargs were gone, but the blood was still there. The black goo had hardened. It looked more like tar now and I knew that the vegetation wouldn’t look the same after being exposed to this foul stuff. There were so many spots that looked similar to this one. Only difference was the smell. This one was fresh and I needed to figure out why these Varg had attacked like they did. 

In the past, Varg would attack in numbers of three or four. This attack was far much larger and much more planned out. Putting my mate problems out of my head, I had to figure out the reasoning behind this. I wanted to get my new mate out of my mind, so this was the best way to do it. Usually Skald or Tally would show me what direction to go in. Since they weren’t here, I had to figure it out on my own. To which I didn’t mind. I sniffed around some more. The majority of Vargs’ scent came from one direction. 

My curiosity piqued, I decided to follow the scent. As I walked, the scent began to fade. This meant that the scent was once fresh. As much as I hated the smell, I had gotten used to my stomach turning. The fact that it wasn’t made me confident that I was being led into a dead end. I huffed as I looked around. It wasn't too far from the Pride boundaries. This made me nervous. If I couldn’t find the area that the Varg came from then this faded trail would prove useless to me. I grumbled irritably at the thought. As I began to back track, I heard rocks crumbling a few feet from me. I paused. 

Tally? Skald? I spoke through the pack bond we shared.

Moon? They said in unison. 

Are you near me? 

No. Skald said bluntly.

No, but Moon’s mate is good. Tally spoke happily. I couldn’t help but smile. At least they liked my new mate. I still didn’t know how to feel anymore. I wanted so badly to run towards him and feel his touch, but I was also afraid. By now, he would at least know my origin pack. The fact that I didn’t feel the effects of rejection told me he didn’t. At least I assumed so. Maybe he had to reject me directly? I wasn’t sure. I haven’t had much experience. 

I shook my head as I turned towards the sounds that came from behind me. Cautiously, I made my way towards it. The Varg smell was still fresh. This told me that Varg were close by. All my senses were on high alert now as I followed the scent. It led me to a large hole in a mound of dirt beneath an unrooted tree. My ears were perked up as I approached as slowly but as quickly as possible without making a sound. I stared into the darkness with unblinking eyes. One paw in front of the other. Creeping forward, I poked my head into the hole. The smell overwhelmed me and made my stomach turn. 

I found the nest. I spoke through the pack link. I didn’t hear Skald or Tally speak to me. My guess is that they decided to wait for any further instructions. I ignored their silence as I placed a foot into the den. It was dug out like any other Varg den that I had come across in the past, but in this part, the Varg scent wasn’t as strong as it usually was. It made me nervous. I knew I had to investigate further. These Varg attacks were off in a bad way. I needed answers. I also needed an alibi for Lionel.

 I walked as I had seen the lionesses walk. Keeping my weight as light as possible. When in a hurry, it was much harder for me to concentrate on my steps, like earlier this morning. As I walked, it started to get darker. I may have excellent eyesight in the dark, but even this was starting to become too dark for my liking. I could tell that I was approaching a larger area. A misshapen circle of sorts. There were three darker tunnels directly ahead of me. I tilted my head to the side, pondering on if I should continue. I dug my claws into the dirt over and over, an equivalent to me tapping my fingers in my human form. 

Hmm… Which way? I thought to myself. I stalked closer to the middle of the circle as I sniffed the air. Varg scent was much stronger in the far right tunnel. I knew that there had to be more down here, however, I am on my own. I don’t know how many are down here or if I’ll be able to survive an attack of more than three or four Vargs at a time. 

Huffing, I turned my attention to the other tunnels. Sniffing the ground, the scents were fading. That’s when I noticed it. The smell of illness filled my nostrils and I almost gagged. I took a few steps back. 

There are infected were-beasts down here. How is that possible? I thought as I looked up at the middle tunnel. Infected were-beasts are easier to take down, if you were a lion or a bear. A blow to the head and the infected are dead. I can’t allow any fluid from an infected were-beast to enter my bloodstream. I’ll turn into one. I can’t even use my fangs for defense. I most definitely can’t allow them to bite me either. I couldn’t help but shiver at the thought. Sighing I decided to go down the far left tunnel. It didn’t have a strong scent of either parties. One can only hope that there’s nothing too bad down here. 

The tunnel weaved around boulders and roots from the trees on the surface. My hackles were raised and my nose wrinkled as the smell of death filled my nose. I did not recognise this smell. Now I am worried, but I pushed through it and kept going. Making sure to keep my steps as light as possible. My head low and my tail raised. I could see a dim light ahead. Shadows of roots became more visible. 

As I emerged  from the tunnel, I found myself in a cave-like area. It was much larger than the disfigured circle area with the other tunnels. The makeshift ceiling was far too tall for my liking. This area looked like it could hold the entire town and then some. Looking up, I could see a hole that led to the surface. The smell of death had lingered here, fairly recently. I couldn’t stop myself from gagging at the scent that made my stomach turn over. 

I almost jumped and growled when the sudden sound of rocks crumbled from the ceiling. Was something here? I looked around to find somewhere to hide as a thunderous stomping sounded from the surface. I decided to go back into the darkness of the tunnel and wait. I wasn’t afraid, but my body still shivered with adrenaline. Ready to sprint away if I absolutely had to. That dead smell grew stronger with a hint of an earthy smell. The sounds of primal grunts and groaning came with the stomps. 

“Are you sure this will work?” A male voice suddenly came from the surface. 

“Of course, I never miss a step, sweetheart,” A female voice answered him. “They are all in the Pride house. Although, I had not expected there to be a wolf pack, but we can make due.” 

“Good. These Varg are hard to control and the infected are even harder,” said the male with irritation and disgust. Who the hell are these two? I can’t pinpoint their scents with that death smell practically laying eggs in my nose. I grumbled to myself. 

“I understand, and you seemed to have lost so many already, darling,” the female sarcastically said. 

“Mind your tone witch,” the male said with a hint of a hiss. A were-lion? “You said that the first attack would work.”

“No. I said that it would work as long as those lionesses weren’t there. Unluckily for you, they showed up. I don’t read the future.” So this was a coordinated attack. These two mystery people are behind this, but where is that damn smell coming from?! “Besides, the real fun will begin soon. Let us hope that my plan works.”

What plan? Come on and say it. I thought as I inched my face around the curve of the tunnel. Looking up to see if I could catch a glimpse at anything. Nothing. Just voices. I heard a gurgling sound, like someone or something was trying to speak. 

“Shh, my pet. You’ll be able to have your fill soon,” the female voice spoke with a baby voice. I couldn’t help but huffed irritably. Now would probably be a good time to leave, as these two masterminds spat insults at each other. I turned and made my way back down the tunnel. As I did, the Varg scent became strong. 

You’ve got to be kidding me. I thought as I froze for a moment. I stalked my way forward. As I approached the exit, I peaked out to see where the Vargs were. Three Vargs were growling and grunting at each other with primal communication. They were sniffing the ground as they snapped at each other. Like a pack of starving dogs wanting to eat from the same meal. I knew they were smelling my scent. They had to be. I watched as two more Vargs entered the area. I took long hushed breaths, in an attempt to calm myself down. I can not afford to panic. I could hear more Vargs from the other tunnel. I took a step back to hide myself once again. 

I have a dead end behind me, with goddess knows, who is at the top of that hole. I have more than enough Vargs in front of me. I’m trapped. How the hell am I going to get out of this one? Skald, Tally, and I can’t take on all these Vargs on our own. Considering, I don’t have a number on how many there actually were. They also can’t just tell L.J. or anyone else what is going on. I crotched down onto my elbows and heels as I made a decision. 

Skald. Tally. I said as calmly as I could through the pack link. We have a problem. Do NOT come for me yet. Stay on alert. Once I was satisfied that they didn’t respond, bombarding me with questions, I began to think of a way out of this mess that I got myself into.

~~