Chapter 9 Crossroads

Serenity’s POV

Men stood by the door blocking the way out for the guests. Liam, Siam and Anna move near me, while my mother pulled me behind her, father stood in front of her.

Guards rushed and made a barricade between the guests and the strangers.

“Who are you stranger?” father’s voice rang across the room.

“We are old acquaintances.” He says.

“Wolves and hunters are not acquaintances.” Father sneered. “Now tell us who you are.”

The man snickered and stepped forward, keeping his eyes on me sending chills up my arms and I stepped back.

“Well, the princess seems to remember us.”

They all turned to me, but I was as questioned as they were, it was instinct that made me stay away. Then as if I was suck into a black hole, memory flashes through my mind.

“I will kill your whole family if you do not tell us what we need to know!”

“Calm down Jameson, remember we need more than just information…” I followed the familiar voice and turned to see Rhaoul Smithson smirking at me, “We would be needing her powers and blood.”

“Serenity!”

I snapped back, Siam holding unto me. I looked back at the uninvited guests and glared at one man in particular.

“Jameson…” I murmured.

He chuckled, “So you do remember Josephine.”

“I am not Josephine.” I snapped. “I am the present daughter of the moon and Princess of the wolves, Serenity.”

He laughs at my attempt of hiding my fear. “Well, you seem to be tougher than her.”

“What do you want?” Siam asks, “Your leader is dead.”

“Rhaoul is not a leader.” Jameson says, amused. “He’s a traitor and his death brought joy to every hunter. Which reminds me dear prince, thank you.”

“We seem to have done you a favor, leave and no one will be harmed.” Liam says.

“Harmed? We wish to harm no one, of course…” he looked back at me, “that is if you hand over your princess.”

Growling and snarling broke through the room. I frowned, it wasn’t me they were protecting, but our deity; I knew that much.

I looked back at Jameson and stared at him. Like Rhaoul he had no human scent, but he did not have a wolf’s soul.

“Who’s blood have you consumed?” I ask stepping up.

“Serenity…” Anna reached for my arm to stop me.

“So you know of our little secret?” Jameson smirked.

“I know more than necessary.” I pull away from Anna’s hold.

“Then you know better than to fight us?”

“You do not understand it, do you?” I walked pass Liam and Siam, much to their dislike. “I am connected to all these shifters through their wolves; it is their wolves who obey me. A wolf’s blood can only heal you and lengthen your life, not make you invincible. It can’t even give you a shifter’s speed.” I stood about a meter from them a smirk playing in my lips, “You should have never sought for me. Not in this state.”

With that, I felt the powers of the moon radiate off me. “Stay.”

I caught Jameson and his men flinch, I walked up to them, this time almost face to face with Jameson.

“Just like good little dogs.” I gave a hearty laugh and pat him on the head, he squirms from the hold but the command held him back. “Tell me who’s blood have you consumed.” I asked again. He struggles and just looked away. “Tell me!”

He cringed, he dropped to his knees fighting of the pain of not falling under order. I must admit I was impressed with him at that moment. I knew how hard it was to overpower a command of an alpha, much more the deity’s.

“An alpha’s!” he finally gasped.

“An alpha’s?” I repeated, recalling any news of deaths of an alpha. Then it only occurred to me, how much older he looked than Rhaoul. Unlike him, Jameson was ageing, like a normal shifter.

“Are you lying to me hunter?”

“No…” he was catching his breath now, “it happened years ago and-“

With no hesitation I grabbed him by the neck, “Sit.”

He quickly does as told and I grabbed a fistful of his hair. His memories ran through my head, I felt his urge, his greed, happiness and satisfaction, I felt it like it was mine. I saw the numerous shifters he had killed but one memory was prominent.

It was the one that brought him much satisfaction and pride.

I saw a man on the floor, lying half dead, body limped and broken in different places. I cringed and tried my best not to look away.

As the memory of him drinking the alpha’s blood came he was disturbed by a whimper. He looks up and through his eyes I saw a little boy standing by the door, eyes wide on the sight that was unfolding in front of him. I stared at the boy, he looked familiar, his eyes mostly, it was filled with anger and fear. Jameson then lunged at him.

But before I can see what he did, I felt a searing pain run through me. I stepped back, and looked Jameson in the eye as he pulled out the knife with a sneer.

“Serenity!” I heard multiple voices call me.

I moved back, holding unto my wound, pressing on it. I looked back at him as I feel my brother reach my side. The guards grabbed Jameson, shifted guards stood between us. But I moved away from Siam and walked up to him again, biting back the pain.

I glared at him and back slapped him. I must say I was getting good at it.

“What did you do with the boy?” I hissed.

“Boy?”

“The boy who was there when you killed the alpha, who is he?” I asked.

“His son.” He says as he struggles from the hold of the guards.

“Where is he?”

He then stopped and gave me the coldest look I’ve seen on any one, “Dead.”

Fear ran through me, there were no news of deaths of alphas. It wasn’t the type news that can easily be hidden.

“Are there more of you?” I continued. “More of you who had drank our blood?”

He laughs, “Why don’t you ask your father?”

I returned his look with disgust and anger, I grabbed him by the jaw and made me face me, our faces about half a foot away.

“Then you have no use for me.” I sneered back. “Kill them.”

His eyes widened, at that moment I knew it didn’t work out as he planned.

“You are a deity-“

I frowned remembering that Eric was not here, and my wolf’s soul is with him. I was as human as the hunters were right now. With that thought, I felt nauseas and remembered my wound.

I felt arm catch me and lay me on the floor.

“Take them away and I want them dead!” I heard my father commanded.

“Serenity!” Siam calls.

“Serenity, love, wake up…” mother says.

“Serenity Claire Grey, wake up!” Siam snaps, his voice all commanding.

I bit back the pain with the need to follow command. He still is an alpha after all.

“Bossy much?” I said biting back the pain and opened my eyes.

I caught him chuckle, his eyes starts to fill with tears, “I need you to stay awake, Serenity, do you understand?”

I nodded, but my body seemed to have a different plan, because the next thing I knew everything went black.

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I would have love to end it here, but I’m guessing that you’ll be sending me your own hunters to have me killed so here’s a continuation in Anna’s POV. Enjoy!

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Anna’s POV

“Stubborn!” King Silver snaps, “She won’t heal herself.”

“She wouldn’t kill herself Silver.” Queen Clarisse says.

“Then why wouldn’t she heal herself?” the king waves his arms around.

Should I tell them? I wondered. Serenity never did say I can’t tell anyone what I know. Then again, I guess she didn’t need to as I knew I wouldn’t tell anyone in the first place.

I stared at Serenity’s pale face under her comforter. We had to call a human doctor when we realized that her wound wasn’t healing. At first we thought it was because of the dagger, but it was just a plain dagger, not silver. Hey, there is some truth in some of the humans’ knowledge of us.

“I won’t be surprise if this is her doing though.” Siam says. “You heard her… we all did.”

I stared at Siam, I wanted so much to walk up to him and calm him, like how Serenity does. But we both knew we all needed to release whatever emotion we are feeling, and right now, I was being stabbed with guilt.

My wolf stirs inside me, uneasy. She was just as stressed as I was. Unlike Josephine other wolfs can’t speak, a perk of being a deity no doubt.

I know I should but… I knew how to heal her, but I doubt the king will be happy with it.

I sighed and looked away.

“Hey…” Liam smile my way, his hand resting on my shoulder, “she’s ok now, no need to worry.”

I nodded and glanced at Siam who was giving me a worried look as well. I took a deep breath forced a smile. Making a mental note to calm down and pull myself together.

“If she will not do this herself, then I would have to command her to.” King Silver said. I looked up at him with fear and anger. “I am still alpha-“

“No!” Siam snaps, “Don’t you think you have done enough?”

“Step aside Siam, you know this is for her-“

“No!” he shouted again, Liam grabbed him by the arm and held him back. “You should have thought of that when you sent her mate away!” I caught the King going red with anger, instantly Queen Clarisse was at his side. “Have you seen her father? Have you seen what your selfishness had done to her? She could barely get out of bed yesterday!”

“It is for the best!” King Silver shouts back, “He has no power to protect her! The prophecy and law states that only pure blood alphas can save her-“

“I don’t care!” Siam says, “He had saved her, almost lost his life for her. He was the only one who respected her.”

“You do not know what you speak of Siam, so I would calm down if I was you or I’ll begin to think that you are challenging me.”

Siam glared at him, his eyes never leaving the king’s. “Maybe I am, and the moment I win I will have young Johansen back here and you away from Serenity.”

“Enough!” Queen Clarisse says, “This isn’t helping Serenity! Look at me you two.” The two keeps their eyes on each other.

I shivered in fear. I have never seen Siam this mad, not even to those who had the guts of perving on Serenity and I.

“Look at me!” Queen Clarisse snaps. As if forgetting their ranks, they cringed and turned to our fuming queen. “I will not have this conversation now, I will not have my daughter wake up with one of you dead or banished, am I clear?” they looked away, their pride eating them whole. “I said am I understood?”

They both mumbled a yes, and I stared with amazement at the queen. We all knew how crazy and random she was, but when it came to her family, she was as straight forward as a bullet shot out of a gun. Screw those guys Wanted (lol! I loved that movie!).

“I still think that commanding her to heal herself would help.” The king says.

“And I think you are wrong.” Siam said. “She hasn’t even shifted yet!”

“Then maybe I should command her to shift!”

“Enough!” I snapped.

They all turned to me, surprised.

“Anna-“

“Are you forgetting whose presence is with you, she wolf?” king Silver snapped.

I cringed and fought back the want to move away.

“Don’t talk to her like that.” Siam says, “At least she was concerned enough to stay beside Serenity, you haven’t even asked how she is.”

“I said enough!” I snapped again, more confident this time.

“Anna, stop it.” Liam says.

“No.” I said, as surprised as they all are. I turned to the king, “You are wrong. No matter what command and tone you use on her she will not shift or heal herself.”

“See?” King Silver throws his arms in the air again, “She is being difficult-“

“No!” I snapped, “It’s because she can’t.”

They all gave me a look, I turned to Siam, apologizing. “I should have told you, I didn’t… Serenity would have not…”

“What do you know Anna?” Siam asked.

I took a deep breath as I try to fix my thoughts. Siam then grabbed me by the arm and shook me.

“Anna tell me what you know!” he commanded.

Liam stepped between us and pulled him off me.

“You’re scaring her Siam,” he shouted, “you’re scaring Anna.”

The next second Siam stared at me, fear and sadness filled his eyes. He reached out again but I moved back.

“Her wolf isn’t here.” I said.

“What?” Queen Clarisse asked.

“The hunter who attacked her at school, he was the one who killed the last Daughter.”

“That is impossible!” the king says as I shook my head.

“Like what you have heard earlier, the hunters had drank the blood of old wolves, the only difference is that…” I swallowed a lump in my throat pushing away the memory of what Josephine showed us, the blood, the flesh, the pain and torture.

I knew it pained and tortured Serenity seeing her previous self like that.

“He drank from her heart, taking her wolf’s soul with him.” I continued, “She had been living in him for a century. Protecting him so she can protect herself; he used her and her powers to kill other shifters. It- it didn’t matter if they were rogue or not, royalty or alpha, he didn’t care! He was a hunter, we are all the same in his eyes.”

“I don’t see how this is related to Serenity.”

“If Siam did not interfere with the fight, Eric would have died.” I continued, “Siam killed the hunter, the wolf moved to him to dwell, she was the wolf of every princess. She was to move to Serenity on her birthday that’s why they are attacking us now, they want full control of her wolf, not Serenity. But Serenity wanted-“I shook my head, wanting the king to understand what I’m telling him, “she needed to save Eric-“

“She begged me to save him by letting the soul heal his wolf.” Siam says.

“So the soul is with Eric?” Liam asks, I nodded. “Will it kill him if he hands it over?”

I shook my head, “Josephine, the- the wolf, she said…” I closed my eyes trying to remember her words, making sure I didn’t misunderstand anything. “She said will just heal Eric’s wolf and leave him enough power to continue healing when it’s time for her to move to Serenity.”

“Can’t she leave Eric now?” Liam asks, “I’m guessing that she would have left that hunter.”

“She was going to leave the hunter; it was why he wanted to find Serenity, to consume her.”

“Then she can come for her now, it’s her birthday. The rightful night that she shifts…” Siam says, but it sounded more of a question.

“I don’t know.” I admitted, “She didn’t-“

“She won’t be able to do that.” Queen Clarisse says in almost a whisper. We turned to her, watching her as she run her hand through Serenity’s hair.

“Why not?” Liam asks.

Fresh tears filled her eyes, not looking away from Serenity. “The wolf is with her mate, she must have found out now.” She says, “Even if she does come for her, they will not live long, not without their mates.”

We all turned to the king who was now staring at Serenity. We were all quiet for a moment until he turned and walked to the door.

“Everyone pack up,” he says, “we will leave first thing tomorrow morning. We need to get Serenity out of here if the hunters had already started to search for her.”

“What about Eric?” I asked.

“We will be following them.” He said. “I might leave Serenity to him anyway.”

With that said he left.

I was in my room staring out the window, as the maids hurriedly pack my clothes. I was no royal blood, but I have been with them since my parents were killed by hunters. Queen Clarisse had always been like a mother to me, but I never tried my luck to be close to the King. I don’t think he would like to be related to a rogue orphan anyways.

I felt a tingle run through my back before a knock broke the silence in my room. I turned and saw Siam peeked inside, he looks around as the maids stepped aside and bowed.

“Good eve ladies.” He says. “How is the packing going?”

“We are half way done.” One maid says, flirting no doubt. “Lady Anna said not to bother with gowns and dresses, just the necessity.”

I caught him raised a brow at me and I shrugged.

“Can I have a moment with Lady Anna please?” he asks.

“Of course, Prince Siam.” They all said in unison and left. He walked up to me, amused.

“What?” I frowned.

“Not bringing your collection of dresses and gowns? This is serious.”

“Of course it is,” I burrowed my brow. “It’s Serenity isn’t it?”

“It’s also about everyone’s safety Anna.” He reminded. “We will be moving to a new home, we will even be seeing Serenity’s new one. I’m sure their pack will be throwing a party for us, I wouldn’t like you to be the wallflower in your jeans.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my back at him, looking back at the window. I heard him sigh and walk up to me. Then to my surprise a white rose appeared in front of me, I turned and saw Siam right behind me, looking sorry.

“I’m sorry if I hurt you…” he says. “I was just worried of Serenity.”

“I know…” I sighed, “So am I.” I looked away and shook my head, “I should have told you. I shouldn’t have kept it a secret-“

“It was between you and Serenity.” He says, pushing a strand of hair away from my face. “I’m glad to know that my sister can trust someone with her secrets and can be decisive when the secret needs to be revealed.”

“The pain and cold in her eyes is just too much…” I say in almost a whisper, “The feeling is very familiar to me…”

“Anna…”

“I’m ok Siam.” I cut him off, “Just remembering, besides…” I smiled up at him, “he made a promise to come for me once he had fixed everything.”

He nodded and wrapped his arms around me, “And he will, he’ll be crazy not to.”

I felt calm run through me, thinking of how many times I’ve been in these arms since I was a kid, but it never felt as good as it did now.