Feral

Chapter Twenty-Two

Basilius lifted his nose to the sky as he attempted to find the scent of Vasso. He had been through there, but not for a while. A growl rumbled through him. He didn't doubt that something had gone wrong. Looking at the wolf he'd brought along, Jiri, and gestured to keep on going. They began to near the border. Still nothing. Basilius stood at the inviable line for a moment, contemplating whether to cross or not. Then a scent breached his nose. It smelled like a wet wolf and blood, mixed with something else. It was Vasso's scent. A mangled wolf limped out from behind a bush.

"Luna! Wake up, Luna!" 

Meleni groaned as she shoved herself up in the bed. Annita beside her also squinted as she woke up, looking to the door. Claus was banging his fist against the door, calling quite loudly. She rubbed her eyes as she stumbled off the bed and to the door.

"I'm awake Claus, could you please stop that awful knocking." She sighed as she pulled the door open. His eyes were wide with uneasiness as he stepped back. Meleni raised an eyebrow, Annita joining her at the door. 

"Alpha is back." He pointed out the window, in the dim morning light, she could see the figure of her mate entering through the gate of the wall that surrounded the house. He and the other man supported another, one she could barely recognize as Vasso. The others weren't with them though. Something serious had happened. 

"Annita, Go get Andris and Dr. Thalia. Quickly." She looked to her friend who was looking just as shocked as she felt. Annita agreed with a motion of her head and slipped out the door running down the hall calling or her mate. 

Meleni had begun to rush down the hall to the stairs, calling for Claus to come with her. The young man was already following behind her, but she didn't pay much attention to that. She was already dashing out the front door and on the rocky path barefoot. Tears welled up in her eyes as she got closer. Vasso was painted in dark blood, from his face to his abdomen to his feet. His face was especially scratched up. 

"Basilius! Vasso!" She cried out as she reached them. "What happened?! Where are the others?"

Vasso's eyes dropped and a grim look crossed his face. Her eyes shifted to Basilius, her brows pushed together with anxiety. He held a look just as dejected and dark. He shook his head slightly. Her shouldered dropped a little. Emilio had killed them, hadn't he? A sob ripped through her chest, tears flooding down her cheeks. The world seemed like a blur around her, as Dr. Thalia took  Vasso from Basilius and helped him into the pack house with the other wolf, Jiri. 

Meleni sat in the chair for what felt like seconds, but also days at the same time. She couldn't tell, everything was cloudy, and he felt like everything was spinning around her. Faintly, she heard a noise. What was it? It was silent again though. She shrugged it off. She heard it again. She tilted her head to it. Dr. Thalia.

"Luna... Vasso is awake. You can see him if you'd like. Everyone else is busy, so you're the only one available to visit." She explained.

Meleni nodded her head, rising from the seat that was positioned among others outside the infirmary. Gently, she stepped into the white room where Vasso was laying, bandages wrapped all around him. A lump formed in her throat as she met his eyes. Dark rings of exhaustion lined them. 

"Vasso..." She whispered, her mouth dry as a desert.

"Luna." His voice was hoarse compared to his normally smooth voice. 

"I... Am so... Sorry. This- It's all my fault. I'm sorry." The quaking words barely slipped her mouth. Tears again slide down her cheeks.

"No, Luna... Meleni." He weakly shook his head, taking her hand in his. "You are not the one who attacked us or even attacked first... You have a good heart and every wolf in this pack is proud to call you our Luna. Our Family"

Meleni sat silently before nodding slowly, wiping a tear from her eye as a sniffle escaped her.

"Emilio is to blame. He's a cruel bastard. He cares for nothing but himself and power." Vasso gave her a faint smile. "Now we've got a reason to fight back against him, the person who has wronged our Luna." 

He gave a light chuckle that caused him to flinch. She knew he was as hurt by the loss o packmates, but he was trying to lighten things for her. She was Luna, a role model for the pack. They would look to her for guidance. She would have to be strong for them. She sucked in a puff, drying her tears, and nodded her head. She would have to put on a brave front for her pack.

"That's it, Luna." He breathed and closed his eyes. "We will go to war now. Our family will need your support. You need to keep their morale high to prevent more of our family from dying."

Meleni gulped down her lump and nodded her head. "You're right, Vasso. I won't fail you. Rest now, You need to gain your strength back." She pressed a soft kiss on his hand before carefully placing it near him. 

"Thank you, Luna. I am proud of you." He mumbled, his eyes heavy with sleep.

She silently left the room, lifting her head. She had a lot to do. But for now, she needed to be with her mate. 

She found him in the meeting room with the rest of his officers. They seemed to be finishing up with what she noticed to be funeral preparations. Eyes landed on her she stepped into the room. Basilius dipped his head and they all exited the room until it was just the two. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly, breathing in the smell of her mate. His body relaxed onto hers and he held her tenderly.

"They will not get away with what they've done to our packmates, my love." The small female whispered.

"I know." He grumbled. "We are going to prepare for battle... But first, we must pay respect for our lost brothers and sisters."

Basilius and Meleni made sure to visit the families of the fallen, offering their condolences and comfort. The Luna kept her front, trying to act brave for her people, though Bailius could tell that she was struggling herself. She never expressed it until she was alone with her mate. At night she would cry helplessly in the arms of her lover.  Until she finally passed out from exhaustion. It wasn't easy for anyone.

DOUBLE UPDATE TODAY?? WOAH. THANK YOU ALL. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS DRAMATIC CHAPTER, EVEN THOUGH IT IS SHORTER. LEMME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS <3