Sacrifice

Charlotte

My mind was screaming at me to run away with Fenrir as fast as I could, but I knew it would be useless. If Gabriel's goal was to capture or kill us, he would do it without too much difficulty. He was an Alpha and I was a she-wolf with a baby in my arms.

"Don't make me kill you, Charlotte. You're a descendant of Selene, you should be fighting by my side and protecting the forests of Reims." Gabriel gesticulated wildly as he spoke, making his intentions clear with the whole war.

"I have no intention of running away from my companion," she said seriously and Gabriel laughed, throwing his head back.

"Companion?" he growled and moved closer to us. "You were only chosen to be a breeding stock for that dirty wolf. He didn't even deserve to touch you, that child," he pointed at Fenrir and I immediately wrapped my arms around him and growled at Gabriel. "That puppy is impure, a mixture with the damned dogs of the North."

"Bend your tongue when you speak of Logan and our son."

"Let's see if you keep talking like that when you see me stepping on the bodies of all those damned who took the throne from Selene's descendants." Gabriel lunged forward, jumping hard towards us.

I couldn't dodge his attack or retaliate, so I waited until the last moment. As soon as Gabriel jumped up, I passed under his imposing body, heading for the part of the forest where the battle was still raging. I had to use my wits, as Gabriel was a smaller Lycan than the others I had encountered, which gave him an advantage in speed and agility. Besides, carrying Fenrir limited my movements, and I couldn't transform into my wolf form.

My legs ached, my lungs burned, but I couldn't stop. We were still far from the battlefield, it would be impossible for anyone to hear me, even Logan. I had to lose Gabriel somehow and get him stuck somewhere. But the trees were too wide and tall, leaving large gaps between them. Fenrir squirmed in my arms, babbled, and waved his little arms in my direction.

"Just a little longer, my love. Just a little more..." At that moment, Gabriel appeared in front of us, causing me to fall backward and drag myself along the earthy forest floor.

"That's enough now. I've been very patient with you, Charlotte, you've turned out to be the complete opposite of what Diane told us." My mother was involved with Gabriel after all, not Aiden.

"Since when?" I asked and Gabriel looked at me confused. "Since when are you and Daine together?"

"It makes it sound like we have a romantic relationship, but that's not true. But I understand why you think that, since Diane never told you the truth and kept you in the dark for all these years." Gabriel spoke with amusement, reveling in the chaos he was causing.

"Diane has lots of secrets that I won't be able to uncover in one lifetime," I said as I backed away, but Gabriel was right in front of us, blocking our escape.

"Very well, then I'll tell you. Diane is my biological mother, I'm your precious older brother, Charlotte." I felt the blood leave my body, my hands trembled under the weight of my body and I almost fell to the floor. "Not only that, our father, that mysterious soldier she spoke of, was your older brother."

"What nonsense are you talking now?" I shouted in disgust at such an insinuation.

"It's true, Charlotte. Selene's granddaughter didn't want to mate with the invading wolves. She ran away and joined forces with her cousin to restore the former glory of the Aurora Wolves. To do so, they couldn't share their gifts with other wolves outside their pack. So they got together and had two sons. Those children married and had two more children. This continued until today, when you, running away from your responsibilities to the Wolves of the Dawn, mated with a wolf from the North."

That couldn't be true, my mind refused to accept it. The idea that my uncle was also my father and that my supposed brother was suggesting that I should sleep with him to have "pure" children disgusted me.

I was so stunned that I didn't notice when Gabriel raised his paw, he was ready to attack, it didn't matter to him whether he kept me alive or not, since the son everyone seemed to want had already been born and there was no possibility of a second child coming into the world. I hugged Fenrir and waited for the blow, but it never came. When I opened my eyes, a large Lycan with gray and white hair was holding Gabriel's two arms. They were the same height, but the gray wolf was wider and stronger than Gabriel.

They growled at each other and then Fenrir began to cry, little howls escaping his lips as if he was signaling something. My eyes filled with tears as I realized that Fenrir was calling for Logan, he was crying out for his father to be there at that moment.

"Run, child!" the gray Lycan said and I realized at that moment that it was Michael. He was injured and his breathing wasn't regular.

"I can't leave you here like this," I shouted in desperation. Gabriel growled, releasing one of his hands from Michael's grip and trying to throw him away, but Michael, with all his experience in battle, was able to predict Gabriel's movements, lifted him, and threw him as far as he could.

Michael fell to his knees, the wound on the side of his body was very deep and he was bleeding profusely. He would end up fainting from the loss of blood if he continued to fight like that. I looked around and Gabriel had disappeared. Michael fainted shortly afterwards and then Logan appeared, his look of shock at seeing the scene before him. I was finished, my clothes dirty and torn with our son in my arms while Michael lay unconscious in front of me.

"Logan," I whispered and Fenrir howled even louder.

I was so tired, my eyes heavy, but I couldn't faint. Michael needed care more than anyone else. Several soldiers came and carried him away, I remained on my knees on the ground begging the Goddess not to take Michael to the ancestors, but it was in vain.

That night, Miguel died from the wounds he received while protecting Logan from a rebel attack. Miguel's decision to confront Gabriel worsened his condition, making it impossible to save him. As usual, I was useless, a weak she-wolf, a descendant of Selene with no skills to offer, and I couldn't help at all.

The journey back to the capital was silent and deadly. Many individuals perished in the battle between rebels and soldiers. Although Aiden was apprehended, Gabriel and Diane remained unaccounted for. Their schemes were ruined, leaving them powerless against Logan. All I could do was hope that they would vanish from the world and never return.

The arrival in the city was supposed to be a happy occasion, full of parties and parades. Instead, it was a sad event. That morning, it was raining heavily and Lia was waiting for us at the castle gates in her black dress. She had already heard about the tragedy on the battlefield from a messenger. I was ashamed and speechless, not knowing how to apologize for what had happened to Michael. Logan approached Lia and bowed. She had been strong up until that moment, but then, faced with that gesture, she collapsed in tears and cries of despair. The soldiers followed Logan's example, paying their respects to Michael, the mighty warrior. Logan had been touched by the wisdom and ideals of a wise wolf who had given his life to save him.

At night the funeral took place, the full moon bathed the earth and we were all in our wolf forms. We howled a pure and sublime prayer to honor those who fought and died in battle. I was further away, Fenrir attached to my body and running his little fingers through my fur. We'd both be dead if Michael hadn't shown up.