Aura

The Brother Broken

The bleak void didn't change in sight between closed eyes or open. Our lack of vision only amplified our other senses to hone in on the fight just above. Raucous snarls, whimpers, and yelps deafened our heavy breaths. Though I didn't know two of the five wolves I shelter with, fear bonded us in our moment of need. We gripped one another with fierce resolve. Prayers in various forms danced from our lips.

Earthy smells blended with ammonia. A headache was forming with each breath. What if the fight lasted days? We couldn't stay here for more than a few hours. Did Davis predict anything other than where to hide?

I was the first to speak what had to be on all our minds. "We can't stay here." My voice quivered with growing alarm to our situation.

"We can't leave." Thia was the first to retort in Nitaditi. I translated quickly to my mother.

"Quiet, we don't know who is fighting or winning outside." I couldn't tell if this was Hannah or Nim. The voice was breathy and hushed.

"Who is fighting our pack? Brother would not fight brother." Tuk took mercy on my mother and spoke in her accented English.

Guilt seized my heart. "Davis made a new pack. Twenty-two new werewolves in the last two decades." Sounds of outrage broke the silence. The women rightfully felt betrayed more now than ever. Not only did their leader fake his death but he had also made a new pack to fight against them.

Someone shoved my shoulder and accused me of being a part of the coup.

A vicious growl birthed from my mother behind me. "Touch my daughter again and I'll break you."

I was shocked into silence. The voice belonged to my mom but not the content. My mom, the nurse, who vowed to save lives not destroy them. The very woman who attended confessionals every week because she felt bad for killing bugs in the house. Had the mark changed more than her outward appearance?

All the women were bickering, silence be damned. I maneuvered around the group to the door and pressed my ear against the wood. My hearing strained but didn't pick up anything besides their fighting. "Shh! I can't hear."

"Jessica get away from there."

"I don't hear anything Mamá." The five women shuffled closer to press their own ears against the wood.

"It's silent." Hannah whispered.

"We have to help them if it's not too late already!" I pleaded my case once again. My thoughts were consumed by my dream of Nash and Seth.

"Help them how human?" Nim spat her distaste in my face. I wiped away her insult. "We are all too weak, old, young, and untrained to fight against warriors in their prime. If we go out there we die. The Daughters Protection Law only works if we stay hidden." Thia and Tuk helped me translate to my mother. Nim had logic behind her argument, but I had a mate. A stubborn one who wouldn't back down from a fight. I shook off the dream and pushed against the door. I was stopped immediately by everyone inside. "What are you doing?" "Stay here." "Are you crazy?"

"Stay here or come with. Either way I'm saving my mate. His fate isn't to die today!" Moisture streamed down my cheeks. I couldn't let him die.

"If you leave, you put us all in danger. Stay child." Tuk's soothing tone nearly stopped me. "If they see you leave, they know where we all are."

"Davis's new pack isn't who you should be worried about, it's the High Alpha. He found out about Seth changing humans. Davis heard he was coming today to kill you all. My dad wanted was to save you from an unjust slaughter!" My voice broke. What if I was too late? What if Davis died? My mother would be heartbroken again. "Don't you want to save the ones you love?" At their silence I switched tactics. "If we stay here the High Alpha will find us eventually. Even if we do survive today, and the High Alpha leaves us alone; where would we live in safety after this?"