I hold my left hand up to him so he can see the engagement ring that I'm still wearing on my ring finger.
"We're getting married," I say in a duh tone. Axel's eyes widen before he nods his head with a nervous smile and a chuckle.
"That's right, we are getting married," he says as he averts his eyes back to Carissa. I roll my eyes at him. He has a horrible memory.
I hand Dylan to Axel as well, so he’s now holding Carissa on his right arm and Dylan on his left. It's actually a funny sight with Axel holding two newborns with an expression that screams, 'Don't you dare drop them!' I won't have it any other way.
I carefully pull our first born to my chest and kiss the top of his head. He's heavier and bigger than the other two, but he is an Alpha.
"I think we should name our first born Jett. Do you like that?" I ask Axel without looking away from the baby boy in my arms.
One thing's for sure though. Carissa is going to have two overprotective brothers by her side.
"I like that name and it suits a soon-to-be Alpha," Axel says while looking at Jett and me. I smile at him for who knows what time today, but life's too short not to smile.
38
CELINA
Have you ever had a feeling when you know something's gonna happen but don't know when? Have you ever had a feeling when your stomach just drops and you're consumed with fear? Have you ever had a feeling that tells you to run and never look back, but you stay and fight it anyway? That's exactly what I'm feeling right at this moment.
Standing in the middle of a massive clearing that runs across the whole pack border, fear, adrenalin, hope, and faith well up inside me. Axel stands by my side in all his bare-chested glory, only wearing a pair of shorts, much like the other males. He holds his head up as his eyes are on full alert, looking and searching for any signs of the Moonlight Pack, our enemy.
The argument between Axel and I, about if I should fight in the war was certainly something. He kept saying that if I die he would be too sad to go on and would leave the pups all by themselves and yadda yadda yadda. I didn't budge, of course. I love my pups and my pack, and that's why I'm doing this. I'm fighting to protect them in my own way and no one can stop me from doing that. Not even Axel. So here we are standing at the front of all the pack and trying to look brave when I know both of us are scared, scared for ourselves, for our pack, and for our pups.
Callum and Comrade are by our side, also holding their heads up high and trying to look brave. I can see in it their eyes though. They're just as scared as the rest of us.
The pups are safely tucked away in the safe house, along with everyone else who isn't fighting. The safe house is a little house that has been stacked up with food and other essentials. People can't get in or out unless a code is entered, which Axel and I know, along with Callum, Comrade, and now Matthew. Matthew is in the safe house with everyone else because if Callum dies today, someone can to take over his place. As much as I hate the idea, it must be done.
Anyway, the safe house is invisible, thanks to Axel, so everyone in there is safe and secure. No way out. No way in. It's actually quite smart when you think about it. The only flaw to the safe house is that the only way to communicate is through the mind link. The pack won't mind link us though because they know it will disturb us and potentially kill us. I don't know about you, but I can't live with knowing I accidentally killed someone. It's also sound proof, so nothing can be heard from the outside or the inside.
Using this moment, I look back on what has happened to me so far. For most of my life, I've been beaten and tortured until I was begging for mercy. Then I ran away and got captured here. I was scared and didn't know what to expect, but having Callum and Comrade with me helped greatly. By this time, Axel had made his way into my life. He built up my confidence and strength, letting me gain control of my life which I so desperately needed. Now look at me, standing in front of the most powerful pack as their Luna and about to lead them into battle. Oh how my life has changed...
The sun rests high in the sky. It has to be at least midday. I look behind me to see the determined and proud faces of the fighters defending me, their Alpha, and their pack. Their determination shows that they will not back down no matter what and their pride means that they’re brave to be fighting for the future.
Remember, the prophecy states that this war will change or seal the future of every living and soon to be living werewolf. If we lose this war, the world will become a dark place. If we win, however, the world just may change into something of greatness, possibly of peace and harmony. It all depends on what happens today.
A rustling in the bushes on the other side of the border suddenly grasps my attention, along with everyone else's. Guess who emerges, the devil himself, Damon. He has his award winning smirk plastered on his face while his eyes hold an evil glint in them that makes me want to run for the hills and hide. I don't though. I stand my ground, as do all the other wolves behind me.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Celina Heart," Damon says in that annoying and aggravating voice of his. "I thought you were locked up in a magic box."
I tense as I realize I'm supposed to be, but that's actually Chloe. Either dead or alive, I don't know. Now's not the time to be thinking about it. I'm sure I'll find out soon. Hopefully, she'll be alive and well. I know that there's a low possibility of that, but I know Chloe and she'll choose the best for herself.
I quickly focus back on Damon, not wanting to think about Chloe at this moment.
"Well, change of plans," I bite back, adding a low growl in the end. Damon chuckles at me then his eyes dart down to my stomach. His smile grows wider and the glint in his eyes becomes that of pure evil.
"I see you're not pregnant anymore. Tell me, did you name one after me?" he teases, releasing a booming laugh, like it's the funniest thing in the world.
I growl loudly at the mention of my pups. He will not speak of them!
He chuckles at my reaction until he becomes serious for the first time. His eyes narrow and his smirk becomes a thin line.
"Let me promise you this, both of you. After this day has ended, all of your loved ones will be dead. Your pups, your guardians, your mate, everything you cherish and desire will be dead," he spits, cutting to the point.
I guess you can call it an explosion of some sorts. Well, that's what I think when I see what unfolds next...
At the mention of his loved ones dying, Axel lets out a ferocious growl and shifts into his huge, midnight black wolf. He releases a howl that signals everyone to shift and they do in anger. Damon smirks at him and shifts into his dark brown wolf, almost black, also releasing a 'charge' howl.
This, everyone, is how the worst war in werewolf history... begun.
As wolves charge at each other, Damon's wolves bursting through the confinements of the trees, I immediately levitate into the air. I watch as a sea of blondes and browns growl and snarl and go for any opening possible. Desperately trying to kill the opponent before the opponent kills them. War is a thing that should never occur, yet it's happening right in front of my eyes.
For the first few minutes, I don't interfere since I'm so caught up with watching the battle. I just look on as the weaker wolves die and the stronger ones battle it out with each other, never being able to tell which one will win. Looking down on it is absolute hell. As the sound of ripping flesh enters my ears, I finally snap out of it and release my power.
I let the energy flow through me as I concentrate on all the trees surrounding me. I haven't tried this one out yet, though I've wanted to do it for a while. Being locked up in a room for some very long months, it gives you time to think. Time to think about all the things you would love to do with your powers. This is one of them. It's called... experimenting.
As I concentrate really hard, the trees around me start to shake. My own body starts to shake as I try not to focus on the agonizing screams and howls around me.
"Come on, come on," I say to myself. Never think talki
ng to yourself doesn't work because as I continue to talk to myself, the trees seem to come alive. Their bark contorts into faces and their roots into hands and feet. High pitched sound waves are heard, momentarily shocking me, but not the ones fighting for their lives.
I drop my arms as I watch at least two dozen trees all start to move and make their way to the battle field. Surprised yelps are heard from the Moonlight Pack as they slowly start to back away. Maybe we've made some progress... That is, until Damon barks at them and they charge once again, running for the trees and going for their roots.
I levitate back to the ground and shift into my snow white wolf. I'll be able to help more if I'm actually fighting off the enemy. I've done all I can from the sky, it's time to do all I can from the ground.
I charge at the first wolf I see, which happens to be a muddy brown color and male. He doesn't see me coming, so I swiftly jump on his back and clasp my teeth around his neck, snapping it. I didn't even think before I did it.
The lifeless body drops to the ground and shifts back into a boy who doesn't look older than 17. My eyes widen and a whimper escapes my throat as I realize I just killed someone who will never get to live his life again. He'll never be able to meet his mate. He'll never be able to do what he wants with his life. I just killed someone.
A nudge on my right snaps me back to the present and where I actually am. I whip around with my teeth bared and my body down in the attack position. A pitch black wolf stands before me and I instantly relax my stance knowing it's just Axel.
'You ok, sweetheart? You seem pretty torn,' he asks, concerned, glancing down at the dead body of the one I killed. Now, I know this moment isn't the right time to be having a heart filled speech, but who knows when we'll get another chance?
'I killed someone, Axel,' I tell him. If I was human, I'm sure I'd be crying.
'In this case though, it was the right thing to do. Come on, sweetheart, fight with me. Stand by my side and fight for our future,' Axel tells me proudly. The sudden cries, howls, snarls, and growls fill my ears once again. Determination, anger and adrenaline build up within me as I let out a loud howl. Axel howls along with me and we charge back into the battlefield.
We don't get very far as I'm tackled to the ground by what seems like a sandy colored wolf. Axel doesn't notice as he's preoccupied with his own wolf.
She growls fiercely in my ear and snaps her jaws at me. I growl straight back and make a move to get out from under her. I hitch kick her off and jump to my feet, getting down in the attack position. The female wolf follows my motions, but doesn't waste a second before she lunges again. Attacking without thinking is the worst mistake you can make.
I quickly calculate my chance of winning and sees that her neck is wide open and easily accessible, an easy target.
Just as I'm about to lunge for her neck and end it, another sandy wolf comes from the side and snaps her neck. The wolf's body drops to the ground, but I look away before I can see who she really is, was.
I stare at the wolf until his eyes make contact with mine. The familiar color of its warm brown instantly has me knowing who it is, Callum. He nods his head at me before running back into the battle and disappearing from my sight.
Hours passed and the war's still in full swing. I've lost count of how many wolves I've killed and I can't be more disgusted with myself. These are innocent lives going to waste. I bet Damon's pack didn't even have a choice. He probably trained them from those who just shifted to those who have been fighting for years. You can tell the difference. The just trained are either dying or running and the trained are either killing or defending others. I don't know how Damon thought this would help him in the long run, but he certainly has a sick and twisted mind to be putting innocent children in this war to die.
The trees that I made come alive are still holding back a lot of the wolves with a few leaking through here and there. The only injuries I've managed to get are a few scratches and small bites, nothing major. That's more than what I can say for some of our other pack members. I don't know how many we've lost, but you can easily tell the difference, same with Damon's pack. Lives are being taken in the blink of an eye and I can't do a thing about it.
I snarl at the wolf in front of me and don't wait for her to growl back before I lunge and snap her neck with ease. Her lifeless body drops to the floor and shifts into a girl who can't be older than 16. I look away, shameful. Unfortunately, she's not the first teenager I've killed.
I've turned into a monster...
Not being able to stay in my wolf form that's covered in the blood of the lives I've taken, I sprint behind a tree and shift. I levitate back up into the air and assess the situation, totally ignoring my nakedness.
It's worse than I first thought.
The trees are easily holding off at least a hundred wolves from Damon's pack, but they're slowly slipping through and once they take charge, I know my pack will stand little chance.
I use the wind to push me over to where the trees are, a simple trick Axel told me about. I hover above the trees as no one seems to notice me. They're all too engrossed trying to kill their next opponent.
I look down and tears come to my eyes. So many innocent lives will be, have been, and are being lost. No one deserves that kind of fate.
I see a sandy wolf barreling his way through the war and immediately know it’s Callum. I watch, horrified, as he snaps neck after neck after neck without even a glance at who he just killed. His eyes are guarded and his body is stiff. He's nothing like the Callum I've come to love. I can see though, he's trying not to let this all affect him.
I then focus my attention on trying to find a light brown wolf, Comrade. I search the whole grounds and can't find him. I start to panic until he bursts out from behind a tree and tackles a wolf to the ground. He snaps his neck and doesn't even look back, moving onto the next wolf just like Callum did. I never thought Comrade would be a killer. I love him just as much though.
Looking for my mate is the easiest out of them all because he's the only pitch black wolf. I watch as he moves at lightning speed through the mesh of wolves. What catches my eye though is that he's only killing the ones that challenge him. All the rest he just ignores. It's like he's going for a target...
It hits me like a brick wall when I realize what he's hunting down. He's hunting down Damon, the person who started it all.
I search the crowd looking for his dark brown, almost black, coat. I don't find him anywhere, but Axel seems to have a lock on him. I hope he doesn't get hurt...
I shake my head off those thoughts. Axel is older and stronger than Damon. He'll take him down without a problem.
I avert my attention back to the task at hand and notice almost instantly that another few of Damon's wolves have escaped past the trees. That can't be good...
"Right, let's show these wolves what a Shaded Wolf can do," I say to myself once again.
I bring my hands up in front of me, my arms straight and my fingers stretched out with my palms down.
This is another little trick I want to try. What better time than when it counts most? Basically, what I’m trying to conjure is a massive amount of wind that picks up large amounts of mass and drops them so... Well, you know. It's cruel, but who would you rather: your own pack dead or the pack who's tortured you all your life?
I close my eyes as a light breeze starts to swirl my already matted hair around my face, but it soon picks up to an amazing speed. I whip my eyes open to see that a cyclone has started to form on the side of the trees where Damon's pack is.
A tingling sensation starts in my fingers and travels to my hands and arms. I slowly move my eyes down to see why and gasp loudly at what I see. Just like when I controlled nature, my skin changed. Instead of swirling natural colors though, white, pink, and yellow swirls appear on my skin.
"Whoa..." I mutter, but my voice comes out in a whisper. I think if I try to yell it won't make a difference. Even though it's such an inappropriate time, this is pre
tty cool.
I shake my head and focus back on the cyclone I've created. Wolves that haven't noticed get sucked up into it then it shoots them back out again. The only thing is there's no way they'd survive that fall. Not unless they have alpha or royal blood in them, they have no hope.
Tears streak down my face as I kill dozens and dozens of wolves at a time without them knowing. Half of them don't even know what's hitting them. That's war though, where people fight and die. That's just what it is.
After about twenty minutes of me controlling the wind, I stop and watch as the cyclone ceases to exist. The dead bodies of wolves in their human form greet my already blurry eyes. I can't help the sob that escapes my lips as I levitate off the ground again, hidden behind the trees.
How can I do this? How can I kill so many innocent lives? This isn't me! This isn't me! So why am I doing this?
Slow clapping makes my tear-streaked face snap up and meet the eyes of none other than the infamous Damon. I growl lowly at him in warning as he just chuckles at me.
"Oh, little Celina. I never thought I would see the day that you willingly kill someone. Here you are though, killing wolves by the dozen. I must say, it's certainly a sight to watch," he tells me with a smirk, making my anger rise.
"Axel will kill you. You won't make it out of this alive," I snarl at him as I stand up and stand my ground. He actually has the nerve to laugh at my statement.
"Just remember, Celina, I warned you that your loved ones will be dead. If I can't have that, one of them will. You better watch their back," he says darkly before shifting again into his dark brown wolf and running back into the fight. I shift also, not wanting to dwell on that fact.
I honestly say that I run straight into absolute hell, wolves baring their teeth at each other while others snarl and growl. So many dead bodies lay lifeless on the now blood red forest floor. More quickly join them as everyone lunges for their opponent's necks.