Raph held me tight as we walked Kratos to the cabin that had been reserved for him.
"Find anything interesting?" I asked, wondering if he had broken into Thomas's mind. It worried me, Thomas definitely wouldn't like that. I suddenly felt guilty leaving him alone with Kratos.
Kratos exhaled into the night air creating a cloud of mist, "No, strangely enough that boy has very impressive walls built, and I'm not in the mood to break them."
I smiled, "That's good."
After leaving Kratos at his cabin Raph and I headed back to our cabin.
"Can we go see him?" I asked resting my head under Raph's arm.
I heard him sigh. I knew he didn't like seeing him like this but it weighed heavy on my chest and I wanted to see him.
"Okay."
We walked along the narrow roads, Raph led me he seemed to be able to see better in the dark. We eventually came to a door that led underground. Raph typed in a combination and it unlocked. I took his hand and we both walked down the steps and flicked the lights on.
Before us were wooden floors and concrete walls, like Dart's Pack had been furnished.
It was cold in here and I was worried that he might not be getting warm enough.
We walked to where we knew he was and opened the door.
Behind it was a cage, and in the cage was a cheetah, it's eyes were closed and it was laying on its side, sleeping.
I sighed at the sight of our friend, Duma.
I knew not to get too close to the cage, it never ended well. I clung to Raph and he wrapped his arm around me.
As soon as we'd brought Duma to meet Amelia he'd lost it; he'd shifted and started to attack everyone with a feral look in his eyes. They eventually got him down, Raph had told everyone not to kill him. We had given him something that was supposed to revert him back to human form but it hadn't worked.
And so we'd brought him here to keep an eye on him and hoping that he'd shift back one day.
The cheetah moved in the cage and I could see that he was waking up, I clung tighter to Raph and he began to rub my back soothingly.
The cheetah opened his eyes and began to pace his cage, jumping and hissing at us making me jump.
No matter what, I could never reach his channel. It was like Duma was gone.
I swallowed sadly while I watched him pace in his cage. It felt wrong to do this but I knew that if we let him free he'd try to kill us again.
"Let's go." I said feeling tired and sad, "Bye Duma." I said waving at the cheetah in the cage who hissed in response, his round ears bent back.
After arriving at our house we checked on the cat. Yes, we'd brought him and to say the least he was not happy with the temporary move and now had to wear a sweater because of the drop in temperature.
After changing into our pyjamas we curled up in our bed. There was no heating and the wood furnace was dying out so his embrace was necessary and pleasant.
"I'm so tired." I said while yawning.
"You should sleep." He replied sounding sleepy himself.
"Not that kind of tired. I'm tired of this, the Elves and Duma and Kratos and the Faerie." I closed my eyes and felt as Raph began to rub my back. I relaxed and felt sleep creeping up on me.
"I'm sorry." He muttered into my hair.
"It's not your fault, stop blaming yourself for things please." I said in a slur as I fell into sleep.
~~~~~~~~
I rolled over in the bed and found it was cold. Groaning I got up and stumbled to where Raph was, "What happened?" I asked yawning.
"They're here." He said hurriedly dressing.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, "The Elves." I said my blood and bones chilling. I couldn't believe that they were actually here.
After dressing quickly we both nearly ran to the biggest bunker in the pack where the official war meeting was to take place.
The three Alphas were there along with their respective Betas and Gammas. In the bunker was a large space where groups of Lycans were gathered, Raph whispered to me and said that they were the heads.
I stood at the back of the room against the wall while Thresh began to relay orders in a commanding voice.
"A Lycan from Crest Pack will escort each head to where they need to be. We've been over this before, Beta Raphael will relay the previous orders."
I watched as Raph stepped up to the front of the room, "Each of you will command forty to fifty of each group besides healers, Louis, you go and find the best hunters for your division, you won't need stealth but it wouldn't hurt to have a few. Be sure to get as many as your warriors because you'll be taking the brunt of it."
He continued to order each of the heads what they were to do. I found my heart swelling with admiration for my husband. I'd never seen him lead like this.
-Where's Charm?- I asked Thresh as Raph explained that the healers were to be scattered amongst the ranks and the majority of them were to remain at the med centres set up amidst the area. I saw a man nod to this order and thought, 'That's not Lilla.'
Shrugging it off I listened to Thresh's reply.
-She's in the Haven.-
I turned and looked at him, -Thresh.-
-They won't get in.- He said in a serious tone.
I wondered if Charm was in the Haven as an incentive for him but quickly shoved those thoughts away. He just wanted to keep her safe.
I glanced over at Kratos who was smiling at the events taking place. I walked over to him and asked, "Where are your troops?"
"They'll be here tomorrow." He said then added with a smirk, "Along with a surprise."
"I'm sick of surprises." I said crossing my arms.
"You'll like this one."