☽ Chapter 4: Bloody Picnic ☾

?Chapter 4 – Bloody Picnic?

"Now you know the rules, Geminie. Be polite and don't eat too much. You're a lady, not a Rogue." My father warns, and I nod, my curly white hair bouncing with the movement. Mother and Father set lofty expectations for me the moment I was old enough to hold a fork. Sit with your back straight and hands folded in your lap. Never rush to eat your food, and only eat what is on your plate—never ask for more. Never speak unless spoken to, and if I do not follow this rule when out in public around other pack members or dignified visitors, then Father will punish me. I learned quickly what a leather belt felt like against my skin the first time I asked for more food when I was hungry. After that, I obeyed each rule without a fuss, even if my back hurt from sitting straight for so long or if my stomach protested for food in the middle of the night. “I understand, Father and I will behave properly,” I answer quietly as I catch Alex clench his fist and glare at our father from behind him. After my first and only punishment for not following these rules, Alex and our cousin Gracie helped me with moving around and cleaning the wounds caused by my father’s rage. I know that my brother is thinking about those long and painful four weeks I spent last year. I can tell both my father and mother, are about to say something else in warning to make sure I am a well behaved lady, but the front door behind me opens, revealing the easygoing smiling Alpha Sorus as he walks in and ruffles my curly white hair. A tall man with black hair and tanned skin, Alpha Sorus always has treated me like one of his own, letting me be a pup and enjoy myself to the fullest. I feel safe with him and always wished that he had been my father and not the man who yells and threatens me whenever I do something displeasing to him. “Sorry I’m late, Bastian. Mika was trying to find his new toy car to show Gemie here. You know how kids are.” Alpha Sorus explains, looking down and winking at me. I know that Alpha Sorus secretly wishes for me to be his son’s mate, to bond our families together. I had overheard my father and him talk about it one time when waking up in the middle of the night to use the washroom and I remember how happy the thought of being related to Alpha Sorus made me. “It’s fine, Alpha, I understand.” My father answers, smiling warmly. Mother stays quiet, giving me one last warning look to behave before excusing herself and heading into the kitchen. I can never understand why my parents always warned me to behave. Can’t they see that I’m a good girl? I stay silent as the Alpha and my father talk about pack matters, Alex giving me a reassuring smile. [Remember to tell me all bout your day when you get home tomorrow.] Alex links, giving me a wink and quietly slipping out of the room after I agree happily, watching as Alex heads up the stairs to what to his bedroom. Being the next Beta, I know Alex has been given work from our father to look through on the weekends as a way to train him. Alex hates it as my brother has little to no freedom to go out on the weekend like a normal teen, something he complains a lot to me about when ever Alpha Sorus takes me out along with his family. “Well, we should be heading out now before it gets too late. Bastian I will bring Gemie home tomorrow safe and sound, so have a good night. You ready to go, Gemie?” Finally, the conversation ends between the two grown wolves. I grin, looking at the out-stretched hand offered to me after picking up my bag that contained some clothing and a sleeping bag for the night. "Yes, Alpha." I answer Alpha Sorus, taking his hand and skipping out the door as I leave without a glance backwards or saying goodbye to my parents. The excitement of getting away from this house and from my parents makes me extremely happy. The walk towards Mika, Lace, and Luna Reena—the blonde, fair-skinned wolf who Lace takes after—is filled with Alpha Sorus asking about my school life and what I’ve been up to since I last saw the Alpha Family. The pathway through the pack leads us closer to the dense forest on the west side of Hidden Claws. I love the smell of our forest, the scent of wildflowers mixed with tall Canadian maple trees and sturdy pines. I’m almost done telling the Alpha about the book I’m reading when I’m tackled to the ground, and a giggle fills my ears. Lace’s scent fills my nose as her blonde hair brushes against my cheek. “Hi, Gemmy!” She greets me, the two of us giggling as we sit up and start chatting about our trip today. Alpha Sorus chuckles as Lace and I jump to our feet excitedly, my friend pointing to where Mika and Luna Reena stand waiting for us. As usual, Mika is holding a Nintendo DS in his hand, the sounds of a video game blaring from its speakers. I frown in the direction of the twelve-year-old. I know that it’s not his fault my brother is forced to spend more time with him than me and that my parents make his future more of a priority than mine, but I couldn’t help being slightly resentful and jealous of this future Alpha of mine. Even if he is cute. Lace pulls my attention back to our conversation as she babbles on about the full moon tonight and how, under the full moonlight, the Unicorns will appear and bring their foals out to play in the pink crescent moon-shaped lake. I pretend to be surprised, but Lizaria has already informed me about this. The Unicorns will be celebrating the foals gaining their own powers, blessed by the Moon Goddess. The pink water in our Pack is filled with magic that only the unicorns can absorb, and when foals come of age, drinking the water will help their powers manifest. I had heard stories from Lizaria about her overseeing this event and how years ago, she made a treaty with the first Alpha of Hidden Claws to protect the unicorns during this event. It is the reason Alpha Sorus takes his family and me out for the picnic and camp out tonight. Of course, what no one else knows is that a small stream flows from the lake into a small cave and out to the hidden valley where Lizaria and the unicorns live and into a small pool that mixes with regular water from the river; Lizaria calls it a moon pool. Sitting on the edge of the pool whenever I visit Lizaria, I always watch the foals play and run around the pink water, mesmerized by the shimmer of the small traces of magic in the air, each drop twinkling like diamonds. To say I’m excited to see this at the pure pink lake instead of the small moon pool is an understatement. With a nod from Mika and a hug from Luna Reena, the five of us set off toward the lake. Lace and I chase each other around the trees giggling. Alpha Sorus reminds us to stay in sight and takes away Mika’s Nintendo D.S., forcing him to play tag with us. Now that I’m “it,” I chase Lace, planning to keep away from Mika as much as I can, when she suddenly stops in front of me, causing me to crash into her. “Gemmy, I see the water! It’s so pink,” My friend squeals in excitement, causing me to cup my hands over my ears and wince. But in front of us, just visible past the trees, is the lake. With a call in unison of “Last one there is a Soulless,” the three of us race to the water’s edge. We happily spend the day splashing each other and eating the delicious picnic packed by Luna Reena herself. I have a day free from fear of my parents and instead just pure happiness. As day turns into night, Lace and I huddle under a tree, our sleeping bags blending into the background and hiding us while we wait for the Full Moon to reach its peak and the unicorns to come out. "A few more minutes," I jump at Mika's voice as he rolls out his sleeping bag, sits beside me and wraps his arm around my shoulder while grinning. I can’t help but blush and nod before looking out at the lake, my eyes blurry with the need for sleep as I manage to catch a glimpse of the creatures I love to watch begin to come out and frolic in the water.

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Geminie wake up... please, my love... A soft voice flutters through my ears and I yawn, looking around the night, my dream of watching over the forest and some blurred faces now gone. Feeling dizzy, I look around at the still-pink lake and the eery silence of the forest, causing goose bumps to form. Soft snores from my left and right alert me to Mika and Lace still fast asleep, but the Alpha and Luna are missing. That's when I hear it. The sounds of growls and howls echo everywhere. Scared, I turn and decide to wake up Mika, hoping that the twelve-year-old will be able to help. Shaking the sleeping boy awake, the growls and howls get closer, fear closing in on me. What if they are Soulless? "What is it, Gemie?" He asks as he swats me away. "Wolves and lots of them." I whisper-sob with fear, watching him bolt up and silently slip out of his sleeping bag while motioning to Lace. I quickly shake my friend awake, wondering how the blond-haired girl can sleep so heavily. "I smell blood," My friend says as she rubs her eyes, and she is right. The iron tang of blood hangs in the air and we both look in fear knowing who exactly this scent belongs to. "Where is she?" A screech echoes across the area surrounding the lake, and all three of us freeze. "I don't know who you're talking about." The Luna is crying… But she never cries. Her answer is filled with fear, fear she has never shown any of us. Luna Reena is strong, always taking on a problem with calm and grace. But the way she sobs now is something I will never forget. "The Future Moon Goddess! Your wolves took her from our Goddess as a newborn." The voice rings again as a loud smack rips through the air. "I don't know anything about this." Luna Reena wails. Mika and Lace are frozen in place, but I slowly crawl forward. I see wolves in both human and wolf form standing around the lake, but I can’t see Luna Reena or Alpha Sorus. A dreadful feeling fills me, and the thought that this night will not end well has me shaking with fear. "I do not believe that you know nothing about the kidnapping of the Moon Goddess’ pup, stolen the night of her birth. We have searched everywhere, and the only pack whose wolves gained a new pup that same night is this one. For your insolence in this incident, you will die, just like your husband." A cold voice shakes the trees as the sounds of something tearing and the Luna’s screams fill the air. Then all is silent with a thud of something or someone falling to the ground. The strange wolves leave the lake, but Mika, Lace and I are too terrified to leave our hiding spot. The Alpha children are curled up by the tree sobbing while silent tears fall from my face. I know what that tearing sound means, having heard it while my father slaughtered Soulless in front of Alex and me. Someone was beheaded without a second thought. The sun finally rises but the three of us stay huddled together under the tree, refusing to leave the safety of our hiding spot. It isn’t until the sun begins to set when wolves from the pack come calling our names and looking for us, my parents being the first to find our hiding spot. "Thank goodness you're alright, Mika and Lace." My mother exclaims the moment we are found. My parents coo over the Alpha pups, helping them from their hiding spot and ignoring me, each one holding onto one of the siblings and forgetting that I, their daughter, also need comfort right now. Alone, I slowly crawl out to see the pack crowding around Lace and Mika, some Omegas already cleaning the mess caused by the intruders as the rest block the sight of the lake from the sibling pair. But, unfortunately, I see everything. The lake is dyed red in spots where the bodies of wolves with the scent of those last night lay, the ground holding small puddles, but not of the lake water. What hurts the most is seeing the Alpha and Luna both missing their heads, both lying dead just at the edge of the lake, where the water slowly laps at their fallen forms. This is a sight that Mika and Lace are forbidden to see and are protected from, while I stand apart from everyone.