Chapter 23: Diana Saves The Alpha

“Later, at midnight, the Welcoming Ceremony will commence and I will finally belong to the Blood Claws Pack,” muttered Diana to herself.

Diana could barely drag her body across the forest floor. Her palm caressed her stomach. There was no wonder why she had to inhale deeply for her skirt to fit her without suffocating; it was bloated – like Sally, who refused to budge from her spot like a pig. And for once, since she was too engrossed with food, she did not bother to bully Diana at least tonight.

The dinner tonight was for the members like her who would officially become a member of the pack. It meant that she would no longer be the omega who was just a mere tribute. This time, though she was still practically an omega, she could finally feel the feelings of the pack members. With this, everything in her plan would be possible as she predicted.

She only hoped that nothing unforeseen would happen.

‘This Welcoming Ceremony is also important to Alpha Dylan Cain. He wants me to form a bond with his pack and feel the people whom I will command by his side. For me, now is not the time to introduce myself as a Luna. I want this to be my hidden trump card, especially now that my death is being spread in the Crescent Pack.’

She looked in the direction where the pack house was located. Her cheeks flushed upon the thought of her dream last night. It was a good thing that she was able to find the herbs that would mask her scent or all would break loose for sure!

Diana was not yet ready to be fully mated. It was enough for her to be accepted by the temperamental Alpha Dylan Cain… for now.

Striding back to her quarters, Diana's pace was cut in half by her added weight from overeating. She could not help it, the dinner was simply much to her taste. It was as if it was specially prepared for her! All of the food served was her favorite.

The corners of her lips were now numbed from sporting a full-blown grin the entire dinner. Though she wanted to stay for the grand food and music, she knew she had to go back. She was still an omega after all.

‘Sonja might be waiting for me. Dad and Mum’s reply is probably with her too,' Diana thought. Upon the thought of her parents, her family that she was determined to protect this time, her pace quickened. Though her pace only increased by a quarter, it was better than nothing.

She also needed to rest before she got ready for the Welcome Ceremony.

A couple of arm's length from her, a meadow revealed from her line of sight. The corners of Diana's eyes crinkled upon confirming that she was nearing her quarters.

"Finally!" Diana's ears twitched.

One step. Two steps. Three steps.

A twig snapped, followed by the heavy footsteps that disturbed the tranquility of the night. She immediately stopped, wolf on alert and ready to shift at any given moment.

‘Is it the patrol? Are there any intruders?’

Six silhouettes racing across the meadow that Diana was about to cross followed the noise. Five of them were chasing the leading silhouette.

Six pairs of canines far lengthier than hers gleamed under the cloak of the night. Their tails and bony torsos showed as they loomed over their prey. Their gigantic furry ears, which were ten times bigger than hers, were a reminder for her should she dare to make a single noise. Its disfigured limbs on all fours reminded her of a deer's body after it took a rough fall from the peak of a mountain.

'Why are they here? The Blood Claws Pack is the farthest mountain from their territory!' Diana stopped the urge to bite her lips. Her restless mind was bombarded by the question even she could not answer.

She was sure of what she was seeing. There were rogues inside the Blood Claws Pack!

Diana's knees shook, freezing her from her spot. Her hands now covered her trembling lips as she hid behind an acacia tree.

She was prepared for anything for her revenge. But she was definitely not prepared for rogues.

Rogues were once wolves banished from their packs for crimes and cruel injustice. They were pushed to a barren land where no pack lived. They starved there, hence, their forms looked like that. Rogues were known for being cruel and for their appetite for werewolves.

 She knew she was a cod most of the time, but she learned not to be, especially in the throes of danger. And the one the rogues were chasing? Her instincts were telling her that they belonged to the Blood Claws Pack.

Holding her breath, Diana dared to take a peek upon hearing the clamors and grunts from the center of the meadow. Muffled conversation permeated the stale air. As owls hooted, a series of canines tearing flesh chorused; this was followed by a stench of blood.

‘Where are the damn guards when you needed them?!’ Diana screamed internally.

Diana's eyes widened. Her eyes flashed frantically as her frenzied mind went into static upon the sight before her.

A werewolf was being bitten by five rogues and not even one patrol guard appeared. Unbelievable!

They tore chunks of flesh from the growling yet unmoving werewolf on the ground. The smell of apricot mixing with the stench of blood made Diana frown.

Her mind exploded upon the sudden recognition of the scent…

It belonged to him! To Alpha Dylan Cain!

‘So that is why there are no guards! It must be a plan? They might be there somewhere, waiting for a signal?’ Diana was torn. She did not want to appear nosy, but her wolf was becoming listless with the thought of a particular alpha being hurt more!

Biting her nails, her gaze remained fixated on the werewolf whose growls started to mellow – a clear indication of the werewolf's dwindling strength.

'I can't let that man die in front of me, right?' Diana asked herself at the back of her mind. Her heart pounded at the thought of using her powers. ‘Should I use it here?’

And so, for the first time after her rebirth, Diana flicked her right wrist with one intention in her mind – to save Alpha Dylan Cain.

On cue, vines crawled like slithering snakes on the meadow's floor. They crept, unnoticed by the predators. Thorns as small as Diana's nails littered the small vines and before the rogues could take a massive chomp of flesh from the werewolf's neck, the vines pulled the five rogues – throwing them midair before they got tangled in the weave of thorns and flowers.

A series of muffled noises followed by the tails trying to escape between the vines where the last movement shown from the ball of thorny vines hanging at the apex of the meadow.

'I just hope that Alpha Dylan is not awake or that someone is not watching out there or keeping this secret until now will be a waste.' Diana though.

Diana could not help, but remember the friend whom she once saved from her first lifetime. Apparently, a friend of hers was one of the few witches in the world. That friend of hers gave her a blessing. Before, she did not take it to heart when her friend told her that she was giving her access to be with nature as wolves love nature like the witches.

But in this lifetime, she discovered by chance that the blessing of that friend from her first lifetime was still active in this lifetime! She could control plants and branches for now. She could even talk to shifters and animals, hence, the crow whose name was Sonja came to be in her team.

By the fifth hoot of the owl, all movements seized.

But Diana's attention was not on the unmoving rogues inside her cocoon of thorns. Instead, she cocked her head as she blinked upon staring at the pair of hazy electric blue eyes.