The Calm Before The Storm

The Calm Before The Storm
Leanna stood on the porch of the manor, leaning against a pillar. Her heart tightened inside her chest when she saw Darius and Archer return with a hysterical Amani, completely inconsolable. Overwhelmed, she stepped outside, on the verge of a breakdown herself. Some time later, Darius walked out and sank onto a bench, resting his head in his hands. 

“How is she?” Leanna asked softly.

“Just as you would expect,” Darius replied, his voice heavy. “She blames herself for the death of that entire village, as if she were the one to poison the food herself. I had Maggie give her a mild sedative… it was the only thing I could think to do to calm her down.”

Leanna joined Darius on the bench, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Are we certain it was poisoned? Could it have been spoiled or contaminated?”

Darius raised his head, meeting Leanna’s gaze with a dreadful look. “Archer and I sniffed it all out ourselves. We had to shift into our wolves to detect it, but traces of silver is what we found… on everything, Leanna… even the bloody baby food.”

Leanna shut her eyes, disturbed by the appalling information she had been given. “Who could do something so barbaric?”

Darius scowled, his hands clenching into fists. “I know exactly who.”

Leanna’s eyes widened in shock. “You don’t mean…”

“Who else, Leanna?” Darius’s voice was a low growl. “That shipment came straight to our doorstep. One right after the other? Mistakes like that don’t happen. I gather the King wasn’t too thrilled to learn that his son had reunited with his mate and decided to take matters into his own hands.”

“That pathetic coward,” Leanna spat. “When Amani puts the pieces together, there’s no telling what she’ll do, Darius.”

"She already has," Darius revealed. "The moment she read Malakai’s letter this morning."

"And what are we going to do?" Leanna asked, worry etched in her voice. "The second her grief transforms into rage, she’s going to set out for the King’s head."

Darius sighed deeply, taking Leanna’s hand in his. "We are going to stand by her side," he said firmly. "That's what we are going to do."
———

In the wake of the tragedy, Bloodmoon’s inhabitants gathered to lay the village’s victims to rest. By late afternoon, Amani sat alone by Penelope’s grave, consumed by a profound sorrow. The weight of the recent events felt unbearable, as if she were trapped in a never-ending nightmare. Steven and Daniela sat beside her, their own grief evident as they placed comforting hands on her shoulders.

“I couldn’t protect her,” Amani lamented, her voice trembling with pain. “I failed her.”

Daniela shook her head, her voice firm despite her tears. “That’s not true, Amani. You gave her a chance at happiness, something she had never known before.”

Amani’s face was buried in her hands as she shook her head, unable to accept the words of comfort. “It wasn’t enough. She’s gone, and I’ll never forgive myself.”

Steven’s voice was gentle yet firm. “This is not your doing, Amani. You gave her the family she had always prayed for. If you hadn’t freed her, she would never have met Michael or known the love she always dreamed of but never thought she’d have.”

Amani’s sobs deepened as she whispered, “They should have had more time. They deserved to share a lifetime together.”

Daniela and Steven held her close, their shared grief a silent testament to their support. Together, they mourned the loss, finding solace in their unity amidst the profound sorrow.

Amani spent the next few days in seclusion, trapped in a cocoon of grief and guilt that she struggled to escape. Despite the reassurances from those around her, she felt overwhelmed by a sense of failure. Meanwhile, the tension within Bloodmoon was palpable. The pack’s unease grew as they awaited a response from their Alpha about the intended attack on Bloodmoon. Recognizing their need for leadership, Amani called a gathering in the courtyard.

The courtyard buzzed with anxious chatter and worried faces, but the moment Amani emerged onto the platform, an immediate hush fell over the crowd. Her sorrow was unmistakable—her eyes, swollen and red, told the story of her anguish. As she looked out over her people, she could feel their collective anxiety.

“I understand that you have countless questions about the tragedy that occurred this past week,” Amani began, her voice trembling slightly. “It’s a loss that has touched us all deeply…”

“Who is responsible?!” A woman’s voice cut through the silence.

“I can’t say for certain, but I have my suspicions…” Amani replied, her voice steady but strained.

“It’s clear who’s behind this!” A man shouted, his anger apparent. “It was the King! He’ll stop at nothing to see us all dead!”

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of angry voices, each person trying to outshout the other in their fervor.

“Bloodmoon!” Amani’s commanding voice cut through the chaos, and an immediate hush fell over the assembly.

“You’re right to be outraged,” Amani expressed, her voice steady but laden with sorrow. “There is no doubt in my mind that this is the wickedness of the King, and for me to sit back and do nothing is the same as inviting him to take another shot at us. We are just getting back on our feet, and many of you are new members of Bloodmoon, so I cannot ask you to follow me into enemy territory…”

“There were babies!” A woman’s voice, thick with grief, interrupted Amani’s speech. “Babies lying dead in their mothers’ arms! That was supposed to be our babies… our children! You don’t have to ask us, Alpha. We will follow you to the ends of the earth if it means our children live to see a peaceful tomorrow!”

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause and fervent cheers at the woman’s impassioned declaration.

“We will fight not just for Bloodmoon, but for every soul lost to the King’s tyranny!” Another man roared, his voice cutting through the air like a battle cry. The crowd’s response was a unified roar, a surge of collective resolve.

Amani’s gaze locked with Darius, who stood solemnly at the edge of the platform. He gave her a resolute nod before raising his fist to his chest—a silent oath of solidarity. She turned back to the crowd, the fire in her eyes mirrored by the fierce determination in theirs.

“Then prepare yourselves for battle,” Amani declared, her voice ringing with a fierce edge.

“Because Bloodmoon is going to war.”