Chapter 15: THE CALL FOR WAR

The half-moon hung eerily on its usual position, casting a blunt ray of brightness to the earth. We have been summoned, and I wonder what must be the cause. It is the first time summoning the whole pack members like this since I joined them, and I feel it's for a reason.

Whatever the reason may be, Emily was glad; she felt more like she had been expecting it since. What could it be? I wandered into the pack while a few people were still gathering. My heart raced with numerous questions.

I made my way to a small lone rock and sat on it to get a better view of everything. I could see some eyes suspiciously glancing at me while muttering some words, but I didn't care; they might be thinking I was a murderer, but I would prove them wrong.

While Kael is yet to come and address the pack, some are still coming; they enter in two, while some are gathered in two, sharing their thoughts about what they likely think the meeting would be about.

“What could be the reason behind this howl, Alexia? could it be a war call?” I overheard a conversation between two people walking in.

“I don't think it is. Besides, do you feel attacked?” Alexia asks rhetorically

“Well, to be honest, Alexia, I really wanna go home,” Dean said, his voice low to avoid being heard

“What are you saying, Dean?” Alexia cuts in.

“Listen, I missed my family so much, I could still recall the words of my father, ‘If you decide to follow that motherly orphaned child to exile, then consider yourself not my son anymore,’ and sometimes I regret following him. I've sacrificed a lot for this” Dean continues

“What has come over, Dean? You've never sounded like this before,” Alexia asked, intrigued.

“Come on…Alexia, we need to be sincere to ourselves; I've followed Kael to exile; we followed him to exile for years now, and what have we gotten in return? What exactly? Lots of us sacrificed our relationships, our family, our friends, and lots more, but for what benefits?

“Stop saying such, Dean.” Alexia shuts him again, a flicker of doubt beginning to grow in her eyes. “I understand you, Dean…but… I… I know... I know Kael will do something,” she said, not sure of what she was saying.

“Do something you say!!? What something is he doing exactly, positive or Negative things, because lately, all I've seen is Negative!! Alexia, you need to wake up. Haven't you been observant lately?” He asks rhetorically

“Ok…. Let me ask you, where is Ren?” He asks and pauses for a while, staring at Alexia who looks confused

“Since that day, he came back injured, and Kael came in and ordered everyone to leave. Have you seen him again? Or would you tell me he is still healing up to now? Something is off somewhere Alexia!! I know what I'm saying.”

Alexia sighed, silently deep reasoning what Dean had said, short of words to defend Kael

“And the witch Zara also tried to run the other day, did you remember” Dean quickly continued, like he just remembered something

“can't you see, she has seen something that we all are just too blind to see, and now I think I'm beginning to see it a little…I hope you see it too, cos sooner or later you will have to decide,” Dean continues as they walk past my hearing point.

The thoughts of Dean's sacrifice sank my spine, with that of all other pack members. It gradually dawned on me the lengths one is willing to go to just to prove their loyalty, and at some point, regrets set in if their expectations are not met.

Wait did he just say a ‘Motherly orphaned child’? Is Kael a motherly orphaned child? What could have happened to his mother? My thoughts went wide as I processed their conversations

‘I could still recall the words of my father’, Dean's sentence hung in the air of my mind as it reminded me of the main purpose of my adventure, to find my Dad, the supposed alpha of the Eastern Coast, and my brother, Damian. But lately, I've been losing focus, and now I've been entrapped by Kael.

The feelings of desperation washed over me, and I knew I had to do something about it.

I lingered at the edge of the central clearing, hesitant to join the gathered pack members. As I scanned the crowd, my eyes landed on Maddie and Brody, their voices hushed but their conversation intense.

"I'm telling you, Maddie, I saw her," Brody said, his eyes scanning the crowd. My heart skipped a beat as his gaze swept over me, but he didn't seem to notice me.

"Saw who?" Maddie asked, her brow furrowed.

Brody's voice dropped to a whisper. "Zara. I saw her sneaking out of Ren's tent that night. And when I confronted her, she had...she had blood on her hands."

My breath caught in my throat. How could he...? I thought he had been told not to tell anyone

Maddie's eyes widened in shock. "What? Brody, are you sure? She frowned. "What are you talking about, Brody? Zara's been nothing but kind to us."

Brody's voice dropped to a whisper. "That's exactly what I mean. She's too perfect. And have you noticed how she's always around when something goes wrong?”, Brody's expression turned grim. "I'm positive Maddie. And it wasn't just any blood. It was Ren's scent. I'm telling you, Maddie, Zara was involved in Ren's death."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Brody suspected me of killing Ren? How could he think that?

Maddie looked uncertain. "But Brody, Zara would never...she's our friend she's always helps us."

Brody's voice was laced with conviction. "I don't know what's going on, Maddie, but I know what I saw. And I think we should be careful around Zara."

Maddie's eyes sparkled with concern. "We have to tell Kael—"

Brody's hand clamped over Maddie's mouth, silencing her. "No, Maddie. We can't tell anyone. Not even Kael."

Maddie's eyes widened in confusion. "But why not?"

Brody's voice was barely audible. "Because Kael told me not to tell anyone. And I have just told you because I trust you won't tell anyone."

Maddie's eyes locked onto Brody's, a silent understanding passing between them. "Keep this quiet, Maddie," Brody whispered, his eyes darting around the clearing. "For now, let's just keep this to ourselves."

My mind reeled as I processed Brody's words. My eyes gradually fixed on Kael as he climbed on the high rock in the opposite direction to the central clearing, making him visible to everyone. His presence was electrifying and brought about absolute silence, his words dripping with conviction.

"People of the Wyldblood clan," Kael began, his voice booming through the clearing. "I want to start by appreciating each and every one of you for your resilience, your unwavering support, and undoubted loyalty through thick and thin, you all have proved to be more than a family"

A murmur of appreciation rippled through the crowd, and I found myself swept up in the emotion. But as Kael's gaze swept across the crowd, his eyes burning with intensity, I was anxious about what he wanted to say; I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"Now, we want to change history; we want to do something that has never been done before, A war against our own,” Kael declared, his voice dripping with conviction.

"Our own turned against us for no just cause, stripped me of my rites and collected what's ours. We have been here for years, bracing ourselves, and I think the time has come to take back what's ours. A war against Loren, against the entire Eastern Coast.."

The pack erupted into a chorus of growls and snarls, their eyes blazing with fury. I felt a surge of unease, my mind reeling with the implications of war.

"But before we begin," Kael said, his voice dropping to a growl, "I want to address the elephant in the room. Ren's disappearance."

My heart skipped a beat as Kael's gaze swept across the crowd, his eyes lingering on me for a fraction of a second.

"I know some of you may be thinking that Ren's disappearance is suspicious," Kael said, his voice dripping with sincerity. "But I assure you, we've done everything in our power to find him. We've searched every inch of these woods, and we've come up empty-handed."

Brody's countenance changed, his eyes narrowing as he exchanged a skeptical glance with Maddie. I felt a surge of anxiety, wondering if Brody suspected me of being involved in Ren's disappearance.

"But I promise you," Kael continued, his voice rising above the din, "we will find Ren. We will bring him home, and we will make sure that justice is served."

The pack nodded, their faces set with determination. But Brody's expression remained skeptical, his eyes fixed on Kael with a mixture of suspicion and distrust.

I felt a cold shiver down me as I realized that Brody didn't believe Kael's story. And I wondered if he believed I was involved in Ren's disappearance.