Golden Rule

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Fernanda

              The three of us were on the private plane Frida had leased for our trip. These two women were definitely something else. Frida acted like my secretary and treasurer; Violet took care of all my personal belongings. It was awkward and embarrassing to be honest. It took three days to secure the plane and during that time, an interrogation with the detectives took place at my house. I was cleared just like they had planned, and we were able to hire a lawyer for Patricia. Violet had packed all my belongings and they left the encase spell on the house. It was supposed to keep it safe from vandals and such.

              I never thought I would be leaving Chicago. I wasn’t sure if I would be back there when all this was over, if we survived. The chief of surgery at the hospital understood that I ‘needed to get away’ and said I would have a spot if I decided to return. That or outstanding letters of recommendation from him and my professors. That made me happy, and I felt relieved.

              I was nervous about this trip; I did not know what to expect. I was headed toward the person, the Alpha, who tried to have me killed and who succeeded in killing all my loved ones. I didn’t know what the plan was or if there was a plan this time since I was the one who decided on this trip.

              It wasn’t too bad of a long flight and while I wanted to sleep, Frida wanted to go over my finances.

              “Your parents had private accounts only Regina and I knew about. Aside from the gold and resources that are available to you on the Mother Mountain, you have a healthy nest egg from your parents.” She said as she handed me bank statements. I flipped through the pages and was utterly shocked.

              “My parents had all this money?” I asked wide eyed.

              “Your father was the only one left with claim to the gold which fueled his family’s riches for many generations. Before the arrival of European wolves, the gold was just another resource to the natives. When the foreigners took the gold and tried to use it, they found it was cursed. Only the natives had claim over it, mainly, your ancestors. That is why you come from a special bloodline, a divine and royal bloodline. Every piece had to be returned. In time, the European wolves that settled in the area and the natives mixed and lived in peace. The natives willingly shared the riches of the mountain, and your family helped the pack thrive into the richest and most prosperous one north of the country. The first Alpha was chosen by both the natives and foreigners. They picked amongst their greatest warriors, one that also had a ‘heart of gold’. If ever an alpha abused his position, your family was able to reign in control. Your family’s first concern always was the well-being of the people, ALL people. They never wanted the power or the control they had. But the importance and necessity were accepted by all, and they understood it was their responsibility. The Golden Cross pack got its name from its lot of gold of course but it became infamous during the crusades the government had against the church in the early 1900s. The pack helped those in need during that time and many believe your family and in turn the pack were blessed by both the moon goddess and the Christian god. Until your parents were betrayed. That night we had to run.”

Suddenly sleep left me and I perked up to listen to every word that came out of her mouth. She noticed and continued,

“There was no strategizing or trying to figure out what was going on. All we knew was that we were being attacked by what seemed like hundreds of rouges. In your family’s home. That means they were betrayed by someone. The Golden Cross alpha was visiting with his luna that night, having dinner with your parents. We later learned he was injured, and Luna Hope had disappeared. Thinking she was taken by the rouges and killed, the Alpha is said to still live in despair and still feels the effects of the injuries he received that night. His sons had to take over the pack at a very early age. We hear mostly good reports about them. Two twin brothers that…”

              “How do you know anything current about the pack? Do you have an informant?” I couldn’t help but interrupt Frida.

              “Yes princess, we do have a person on the inside that is loyal to your family.” She responded.

              “Tell me about that night. Tell me everything.” I said.

              “That evening we were expecting Alpha Richard and his Luna, Hope was her name. It was to be a casual dinner amongst friends. Nothing formal, no pack matters to discuss. Luna Hope and your mother were incredible together. As if they had always been the greatest of friends. Together they kept everyone laughing, they were quite a pair.” Frida said smiling and I couldn’t help but also smile. “Your mother, Princess Orla was from Ireland, I am sure you knew that already. Alpha Richard was fascinated with that and would ask her all kinds of questions from her homeland. That is precisely what they were discussing when we felt the presence of rouges all around us. The women immediately made a run for the children. You, along with their sons, were in the kitchen after having dinner, trying to sneak sweets. Everything else was a mess with trying to protect the alpha and prince and trying to get to the children. It was chaos. Your father, Prince Montez, ordered me to go with your mother and protect her and the children. When I got to the kitchen the servants had already opened the secret escape route that led to the hills toward the Nazas river. Your mother panicked when she saw me and didn’t see your father. She ran out of the kitchen to go back for him; Luna Hope followed her and that’s when you and the brothers escaped us to follow your mothers. Regina and I made a rush toward the dining room where we had left the men, but when we got there no one was there. A few dead rouges and a member of your parents’ household also lay dead. We panicked and started looking for whoever we could find. We couldn’t pinpoint anyone’s scent so many people and wolves were everywhere. We also believe they had help from either vampires, witches or both. Regina found you crying in a corner, you were saying your mommy and daddy were hurt. Violet found us and cloaked us to help us escape. You told us you saw your parents’ blood. You also said you hurt the bad guy and he was trying to get you. You had nightmares for a while afterwards. Violet tried to go into your mind, but you were so young. She could never see anything; we concluded your child mind was too traumatized, which would be understandable. You weren’t even five yet. Our informant verified your parents’ deaths. Alpha Richard was desperate trying to find those responsible, but with his injuries he couldn’t physically do much. He lost his Luna and best friends that night, he hasn’t been the same since.”

              I was in tears. Now I understood why Nana Regina never wanted to tell me about my past and what had happened to my parents. I really did understand my nana.

              “I’m glad you understand why Regina withheld all of this from you. She wanted you to live a happy life away from all of that. Both Violet and I witnessed your night terrors you would get afterwards and that was all it took for us to agree to let you live your life with your chosen mate. We only wanted your happiness princess. But we failed you.” Frida lowered her head to expose the back of her neck. Violet did the same.

              “I am not going to take your lives, stop it with that s**t. I am no one to decide such a barbaric thing! I’m no princess.” I went from sad to frustrated in half a second.

              “Your claim to Mother Mountain’s gold makes you a princess, that is what the natives decided for your family when they realized the power your family had.” Violet responded.

              “Just… get up. How do you two fit into all of this? Why do you serve my family so willingly and loyally?” I asked.

              “Your ancestors saved and protected my kind. Witches were hunted in that region just like everywhere else. Had it not been for you family, my family and I would not be alive.” Responded Violet. I looked at Frida waiting for her response. I noticed her looking at Violet expectantly, but Violet remained silent.

              “I, well I… I was mated to one of your ancestors.” Frida managed to say.

              “Ancestor?! How old are you?” I blurted out.

              “321 years, princess.” My jaw dropped. How is this possible? I felt amazed this woman was in front of me with so much knowledge about… well, everything! I had so many questions, but I started to feel fatigued. So tired, I thought I would pass out. I guess it was all the emotions from our conversation and revelations.

              “Sleep now princess, you will need it for later.” Said Violet and it wasn’t long after that, that I fell into my first peaceful sleep after losing everyone. And I had a peaceful dream about Noah.

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              We were in a large SUV; driving through the beauty and wonder that was the Mother Mountain. My wolf was jumping and yelping in my head. I wasn’t even annoyed; I couldn’t blame her. The country was breathtaking. I always considered myself a city girl, but I was fast changing my mind.

              “Our contact has marked a path for us to take. Once I cloak the vehicle, we will head to the safe house princess. Your family’s house. Its already been enchanted, no one will know we’re there.” Violet said. I felt a jolt in my chest at the mention of my family’s house.

              “Who is this contact or informant you trust so much?” I asked her.

              “She is my sister. A humble servant of your family as well.” She responded.

              “Why are you guys still so formal with titles like princess and servant and such. There is really no need for all of that. I would prefer you call me by my name. I’m sure you won’t be calling me princess once we get to Golden Cross anyway.” I said to both of them.

              “This is true, calling you princess and having someone overhear would be dangerous. As you wish Fernanda. Though we really can’t be seen least someone recognizes us.” Replied Frida from the drivers’ seat again sending Violet some type of look.

              Finally! No princess s**t anymore. I kept looking out the window. We drove for a few hours from the small regional airport where we landed. Frida informed us we were about three hours away. We stopped at a roadside diner to have a late lunch. I was starving. We had delicious homemade foods that were specialties to this region. I did not know I would ever like goat so much, I also couldn’t believe I even tried it. But being half wolf, it was not too hard to give in.

              With a full belly and content spirit we left the diner and when I entered the SUV again, dread washed over me. I remembered why we were here. I felt like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on me. My wolf felt it too, she started growling in my head. Probably sensing we were closer than ever to that dreaded place. I did not know what to expect. I trusted Frida and Violet with my life, and I had only met them a few days ago. But they were the most loyal people I had left in my life. I guess Violet’s sister, whose name I was told is Rachel, was also as trustworthy. I could not believe this was my life now. I should have been at the hospital cutting people open, trying to save them. Instead, I was in a beautiful land that was foreign to me even though I was born here. And I was looking to kill whoever had betrayed my parents and ordered my family in Chicago to be killed. I could only assume it was the same person, some alpha and a Jaime.

              “Something is not right up ahead.” Frida brought me out of my thoughts. I leaned over between them in the middle of the two front seats to see what she was talking about. I couldn’t make anything out expect road and the landscape. All the small shops and diners were long gone.

              “What is it?” I asked. “I’m not sure.” Frida said with her eyebrows furrowed. We drove slowly another 10 or 15 minutes when she stopped the SUV.

              “Good Goddess!” gasped Violet. And that’s when I saw what looked like a young girl on the side of the road. She looked dead, just a body thrown on the side of the road. But my wolf was trying to lead me to her to help. I jumped out and Frida and Violet followed. I could see her chest moving and she barely managed to glance at us when she passed out.

              “s**t no! we can’t let her fall asleep!” I said as we reached her.

              “She is definitely a werewolf, but I don’t sense her wolf. I believe she has wolfsbane in her system.” Said Violet while I kneeled beside the girl and began to assess her injuries.

They were definitely blows, hits from someone all over her body. She was also burning with fever; it was certainly a side effect from wolfsbane. What could have happened to her? By her clothes she seemed decent and clean, not a rouge. Maybe a carjacking? “Frida, keep an eye out for anyone. Whoever did this could still be around.” I began to give her first aid; trying to wake her when I saw her eyeballs move under her eyelids it gave me hope. “She has broken ribs for sure; maybe a broken cheek bone; there’s no telling what internal injuries she has! I need something to wrap her with or something to keep her flat and immobile!”

              Violet stepped up, took something out of her bag and said words in a language I didn’t understand. She placed, what looked like a piece of wood, on the ground beside me and used a drop of water from a small jug and it began to grow into a long board, that I could use as a backboard. I was amazed at what I had just seen happen in front of me, but the girl let out a small groan and my focus went back to her again. Violet said a few more words and did the same with some cotton and we now had straps to keep the girl in place one the board. After some maneuvering, we managed to gently lay her on it and when we were strapping her onto it, she said four words that made us pause in shock. “It was the alpha.”

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I felt anger rush through me. We had to save this girl. Could it be the same alpha we came here for? What the hell was going on? Why was she attacked like this? Their aim was to kill her.

“We can continue with our plans and Rachel can help us sort this girl out. We have to move.” Said Frida.

Frida and I picked up the board with the girl and gently placed her on the back seat while I kneeled sideways on the floorboard. Frida drove as fast as she could while being careful.

“Violet, can you get me adrenaline for her heart?! We need to do something about this fever! We need to start an IV, antibiotics, steroids, something!” Violet handed me the syringe to use on the girl to keep her heart going to buy us some time. I could faintly feel her pulse and my wolf was having a hard time sensing it as well. “How much longer until we’re there?” I asked.

“it’s still about 20 minutes away, the vehicle is undetectable, and the path is a straight shot to the house.” Responds Frida. Damn, that is a long time, I thought.

“I’ve informed Rachel and she is getting a room ready with as many supplies as she can conjure while we get there.” Added Violet. I looked down at the girl and her face was unrecognizable. Who was she that she had been targeted like this? I leaned down to her face and grabbed her hand.

“If you can hear me, squeeze my hand.” I said to her. I felt a light movement of her hand in mine. “I need you to stay with me, ok. My name is Fernanda, and they are Frida and Violet, we are going to help you get through this. Do you have any family?” she squeezed my hand, and I took that as a yes. “Think of them, do not let yourself fall asleep. We’ll get you stable as soon as we can and you can rest then, ok?” she squeezed my hand again. I began to ask about her family. She squeezed my hand when I asked her if she had both parents, brothers and I guessed one sister. I also guessed she was the youngest in her family.

“We are almost there princess… Fernanda.” Violet called. I looked down at the girl when she squeezed my hand. I figured it was because Violet called me princess. I wanted to say something to Violet, but I felt relieved that the girl was able to pick up on that.

I noticed a river was visible outside on the driver’s side when Frida started to slow down. I looked out the front windshield and saw what looked like something out of a movie. A gorgeous and expansive looking two-story hacienda. Even though it definitely looked abandoned, it held it’s magnificence and it looked like a fort. “Is that…?” I started to say but could not finish.

“Yes, Fernanda. That is your family’s home.” Responded Frida.

It was breathtaking. It looked so open and secure at the same time. Every window on the ground floor was arched with iron bars like in old western movies. The entrance was two gigantic doors made of glass and iron. The closer we got, trees began to hide it and that’s when I noticed the house was on a hill. Vegetation was overgrown and there was ivy creeping all over the northside of the house. The grade of the land looked like the house was built around the land disturbing very little of the landscape. Like it was built in its own private valley with stone pathways and steps. The river was down a wooded slope on one side of the house. It was beautiful.

Just then, I felt the girl’s hand go limp in mine. s**t!