Dandeline, known to be the strongest woman in her time, has shown stupidity when it comes to romance. Now she will conquer all for love, even the snares of our day.
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I woke up suddenly, my hand was on my chest while I pant.
"Hey, ar-are you alright?"
I look at the girl who asked. My competitor with Hessuel's Luna. Or maybe I'm the only one competitive here. She's kneeling beside my mattress. And the way she looks at me is with genuine care. When did we become close friends? I roamed my sight around and found another mattress where Acro is sleeping and she's wounded. I am one of the casualties.
"Where is he? Hessuel?" I asked her bluntly.
"W-We don't know. We've been looking for him for 12 hours. They're still tracking where the airship crashed. My pack is on the search now."
I failed when I attempted to stand. The blood leaks down on my thighs.
"Please be careful! Your baby... Alpha Hessuel requested me to make sure you and your child are safe, so please keep on resting here until we find him."
I summon my spellbook and flip it on the page of healing, I then cast the enchantment on myself. "I know how to find him," I said in haste. "Please help me. I want to find him too."
I'm also concerned for the victims of Hessuel's voice, but my weariness vanished the moment I saw what was going on on the castle grounds. Everything is a mess except the unity of the two packs. They are assisting each other; whether black or white or gray. 'Twas like the detest imprinted in their hearts for generations are gone. I never expected this. When I look up at the sky, a colossal enchast is there. I made a quick study of it with my book.
"It's an illusion..." And whatever illusion it makes, it led to the unity of these werewolves. Even the moon priests are helping the casualties while being watchful. My head tilts because of the presence of those cute little pishnies here.
Sherrizah humbly gave me a ride behind her and I was surprised, she's the fastest werewolf I've ever ridden. It was necessary for me to use enchantment to support my back and maintain my balance and activate my enchast again to amplify my wolf senses.
Hessuel's scent will lead me to him. I always wonder how he will react when he figures out that he's the sweetest cabbage I've ever smelled! I have located the whereabouts of his smell albeit it's weak and... mixed with ashes. I informed Sherizzah and she runs even faster and lighter like the wind. I hold on to her glamorous white fur that insecure me. I never wish to have my beast form but this graceful beast persuades me. Or is it just me again being competitive?
The scent led us to the heap of trash and a crashed airship on the bulk of snow. The fire has devoured it, not even the snow could stop its hunger. And since the moment I laid eyes on this scene, my whole body had been trembling from the healed wound that was numbing again. The packs have found the location before us; Matheo, Elibur, Zaeramil, and a few werewolves are here. Matheo is the first one to approach us when we get here.
I'm still enduring my trembling as I scan the whole place. They haven't found Hessuel and his scent is nary nearby. I unmount from Sherizzah to run on my own, following his scent. They all gave me a warning that I didn't heed. I came behind the huge burning airship, used my enchast to kill the fire in a snap, then scurry inside. His scent is getting strong. I use both of my enchast to wipe away the burnt books and furniture of a library.
This coincidence...
This pain...
It's all coming back to me. I was typically frozen when I found him lying on the floor. My breathing gets deeper and rough. I drag myself beside him, my fingers shaking intensely at the sight of his severe wounds, and when I carefully embrace his cold body, it is when I know... his fate has been fulfilled. The others came after me and the reaction I have is contagious. I embrace Hessuel closer and weep silently, only the tightening of my breath makes it loud until I cannot contain the grief anymore. I outcry my breath. Caressing his pale face. And pouring it with my tears.
How could I lose Hessuel the same way I lost him?
Everything makes me weak. The pain is doubled because of the power of mate bond. Weeping over his body could kill me too.
Just beside Hessuel's body is Biaco's in his beast form. Both of them are severely wounded and lifeless. The gigantic scratch on the ceiling is evidence of the tough fight these two Alphas had. Elibur and his pack are crying for their Alpha. "You... The silver wolf killed him!" One of the Vengeance pack wolves growls in anger and when he and his fellow Omegas were about to attack, Matheo and Elibur stop them.
"No, please, I beg you." Peace-making on aggressive wolves is Matheo's specialty. But the one thing that intrigues me is the cuff of the Alpha he has. "We lost our Alpha as well. Let's not increase the number of deaths anymore. We all need time to mourn."
"None of you will attack their pack," Elibur orders as the next to the highest. "We were not the only victims."
They both tamed the werewolves of their packs. I can see where this is going. But why does it have to be this way? Losing my other half feels like losing myself too. It feels like going on the same battle alone. Sherizzah is silently shedding tears too and without saying a word, she's slapping Zaeramil's chest who's been speechless and dozing his mind lately.
"Did you know... Did you know this all along?" Sherizzah questions him and he can't deny his panic. "Did you know he's going to die? Did you?"
"It was his plan," he finally spoke.
"Why didn't you tell us!?"
"He trusted me!" His voice broke. "He has forbidden me to tell anyone about this until it's been done! I told him the probabilities but he still insisted."
Elibur leans him harder on the hot seat, "And what exactly was the plan?" he asked.
"He told me to hallucinate every wolf who heard his howl where both packs are joyfully celebrating the occasion."
"But the truth is he fooled them?"
"Because there's nothing else who can unite the two packs but lies! That's what he told me. An illusion."
I bit my lower lip in response. I can remember that time, the conversation we had. And he kept that small detail in mind all this time.
"It was his punishment to Biaco's pack. But he never intended to kill them, only your Alpha. He told me to hijack an airship and teleport them both here, just the two of them, to end the fight without harming anyone else or without disturbance. You should be grateful for that lousy punishment compared to what your Alpha has done to his home!" Then he glares at Sherizzah as he holds her wrists. "And you can blame me whenever you want! But as far as I know, I did this to obey him too."
The girl weeps and embraces him. The howls of the wolves sounded to everyone who were present. We take the two corpses to the castle. We put them into separate rooms, Biaco to the right and Hessuel to the left. The hall is filled with mourning wolves, especially on Biaco's doors.
Children are weeping and shaking him to wake up even though they know it's futile. Biaco is a genuine lover of children for how innocent and submissive they are. And his intention has always been pure except if it's about the silver wolves. The Vengeance pack loves him so much.
That loss is enough to stir up their anger and avenge their king, but the packs sympathize with each other instead. I never imagined this day would be made into reality. And I cannot tell if this is heroic or not. I'm sitting alone at the staircase while watching the werewolves mourn. Tears are still dropping slowly. The only one who approaches me is Matheo, he lends me a piece of paper.
"I don't have a handkerchief. Maybe you can transform it into one," he said.
I took that paper, enchanted it to become a handkerchief, and then he sat beside me. I wipe my tears and nose.
"So you have a child with him? I'm so sorry for your loss."
"... Don't mind me. Just be with your pack. You're going to be their next Alpha."
"I don't feel I deserve it. I betrayed him. I have so many things to explain to him. But he still entrusted me with his title. He told me that I shouldn't let my new child meet this world without me. Little did I know... that he's the contrast of his words. Or maybe I shouldn't blame him because he can't remember you.
"You know what impressed me? He forgave me," he adds. Smiling bitterly on his own. "He died not for himself. He unites the long-time rivalry packs. And he saved Alpha Biaco from his endless remorse. It'll not be difficult for me to lead the Moon's Order pack, but it will be difficult for me to build his trust again."
"I'm glad you still have a purpose. I don't know what I should do now. I was aspiring to live in this day where all werewolves are united but not without him."
He put his hand on my shoulder. "You should take a rest. You have a child to nurture. I promise we will never leave you alone. The seed of the silver wolf in your womb is our pack's treasure. Not because we want to raise living weapons again but to honor the heroism of your child's father."
"Hm, thank you but I'll be good on my own."
"That won't convince Lanasia. Also, we've investigated the wounds. Hessuel's wounds are from the fangs of a beast, it's clear since we found Alpha Biaco in his wolf form. But the deep pierce in his heart isn't from the wolf, it's from the claws. It's quite impossible for a wolf to stab the heart accurately because of its paws. It appears that Alpha Biaco died first, then Hessuel killed himself."
A tear rushed down my cheek.
"We will take his body to Asfara for the tradition. We'll burn his body and carve—"
"No. Both corpses will stay here until further notice from us, servants of the moon."
"Oh, alright."
☪ ✧ ✧
I stayed in my seat until the darkness of the night landed. The hall is emptied and all other werewolves are resting under the lights of floating lanterns. That's when I came inside Hessuel's room. Acro is here, watching over him. I sat beside him, caressed his white hair, tucked my hair behind my ear, and kissed his lips slowly. Tears are starting to drop on his face once again.
"I'm sorry..." I kissed him again. I have craved this since the beginning. And it's killing me that his lips will not respond anymore. The night is too silent to overwhelm the noise of my sniffs.
"Dandeline, it's not good for your child," a woman said behind.
I arise and wipe my tears with my knuckles. I stood up to face her. "How long will you watch your children suffer? Moon Goddess Linly..." I dared to ask the question. Her countenance is glowing whenever the moon is active.
She walks closer to Hessuel and caresses his forehead. "My children's fate is written by my finger. I want my children to grow and learn, that's how I love them. My child, Hessuel, has fulfilled his mission. I shall reward him for making me proud. I shall not take away their life from this world from now, as promised." She touches Hessuel's forehead, then his body glows and turns into his beast form, unscathed.
"That's it? Do you think this will suffice me!?"
She looks terribly sorry to me. With her queenly demeanor, she wipes away my tears and touches my arms. "What shall you do then?"
"I don't know. I just want my mate back."
She hugged me dearly when I wept in front of her. "The time will come that I shall gather all my children again. And it is nigh. You've made a great part in Hessuel's mission. And that should make you proud of yourself, too." She left me with a smile. I slump on Hessuel's fur and shed tears the whole night.
I guess I really am unfortunate when it comes to love.
I knew it since the day I lost Shun.