Chapter Two

Nick and Carter rush to the meeting point. Town Hall.

It was obvious the mind link had only been used for a few selected in the whole pack due to the lack of those at the building.

Only the four packs' Alphas, Lunas, and Beta were present. Even Lucas and Rosalyn were there, both looking worried and sad about the situation the pack has found itself in.

There were a few others along with them. Those who were either the culprits or witnesses. From the look of horror on their faces, it was the latter.

Barnabas and Snow led the group through the large wooden doors into the building as Carter and Nick joined.

The first room was somewhat tiny and sort of closed in, with only three doors, two leading to a bathroom and large double doors leading further into the building.

In the middle of the first room was a receptionist's desk with one of the wolves slouched into the chair. A look of dread on his face.

He stayed silent in his chair and watched the group walk through the double doors.

The doors closed behind them.

Nick had only been in the City Hall once before, back when he was declared the heir of Beta.

It looked a lot different from what he remembered, due to the renovations and seemed a lot smaller.

There were now multiple chairs behind tables, a large clock on the far wall, and a stage on which were desks and chairs. There were tools next to the stage, a pile of them. They were still working on it.

The one thing that really caught his attention was a couple of the pack's soldiers standing near the stage with several gurneys. These gurneys were covered in a somewhat thin sheet. And under these sheets looked to be bodies.

The closer he got toward them, there was an intense smell of death lingering near them.

Nearby were more gurneys, where more wolves lay. Injured though. Not dead.

When the group took their places, Snow stepped onto the stage so she was towering over the entire group. Barnabas took his place on the floor below her.

She gazed over everyone, slowly making eye contact with each of them. She seemed content with the obedience and attention she had gotten from each of them without saying a word yet.

"Tonight, as you all know, Luna Valley has been attacked by a group of wolves. Which is why you are all here now." Her hair flickered against the light between its silky black and nearly white as she turned her head.

That's the reason she adopted the name 'Snow' once she became Luna.

She continued to speak, her voice strong and echoing against the walls of the hall. "The attack happened right after the Mate's Ball and there were…several casualties. One of them being our Prime Medic, along with most of her nurses. Leaving only one. Our gardeners were also attacked, leaving them severely injured." Her blue eyes were nearly glowing.

Everyone shuffled, feeling the rage building in their Luna.

The Prime Medic?

If anyone had gone for the infirmary first, they meant business. When there wasn't a war going on, they were mostly used for trivial stuff. A cold, a scratch, and so on. But when it came down to it. They were the lifesavers and the most important ones in the pack.

The Medic was young too, just nearing her fifties. Daria. Nick could remember when she took care of him when he was just a pup, whenever he got ill or hurt. Or in fights. He liked sitting with her in the infirmary and the greenhouse that connected to it, learning about all of the things he saw in the room.

As for the rest, he didn't know them as well, but some of them were his age.

"We have reason to believe it was a planned attack against us."

Her eyes flickered between the other Alphas and Lunas in the room. Gauging their reaction to the suspicions.

It wouldn't be the first time for one of them to do something petty to sabotage the Valley, but this was different. A new low if it was one of them.

And Snow, she seemed to have a knack for telling liars or the guilty apart from the rest. She only let little known of her life as a human to the whole pack and Barnabas let it known she was a graduating college student when he found her. As for her skills, who else knows where they could've come from but her?

In almost an instant, the Alphas and most of the Betas were at each other's throats, accusing one another of this heinous crime and trying to convince Snow and Barnabas who it was.

Carter ended up guiding Nick, Lucas, and Rosalyn further away from them. Off to safety from the rests' outbursts.

Nick took his place behind them so he wasn't squished between them all.

It was a good thing too.

Someone had the audacity to shout, "Who's saying it's not Luna Valley trying to frame us?"

This set Barnabas off.

He let out a monstrous roar. His muscles bulged and the hair on his body grew longer.

But a touch from Snow on his shoulder made this transformation halt and made him revert to his normal self. His clothes were now slightly baggy being stretched out.

"Everyone…" Snow spoke with a soothing calm to her voice. "...calm down." But her eyes were fully glowing. She was struggling to keep from turning into her wolf.

All of the Alphas calmed down, their Lunas soothing them.

"The witnesses said it didn't look like anyone from your packs. Which I have reason to believe it wasn't one of you who ordered the attack and it might have come from an outside source." Her eyes were the regular blue color now. "Nevertheless, we will start an investigation with the evidence in the infirmary and greenhouse."

"We can take in your injured for now and escort them back when they've healed," the Luna of the Crimson Forest Pack offered, looking over at them as the few survivors nearly laid lifelessly.

The Crimson Forest's town was the closest to the Valley's town. Even though it was a two hour journey on foot. It seemed the most reliable option.

"Thank you, Haley," Snow nodded graciously at her.

She looked at the four Alphas, "If you three could…since you should know your own wolves well…look at the bodies and determine if the attack was one of yours. Please."

"You would accuse a single wolf of that?" Raymon, the Alpha of the River Bed Pack growled, gesturing to the several gurneys scattered against the wall.

"If it was a single wolf…then yes," She nodded. Then continued with a shake of her head, "But a single wolf cannot do this much damage by themselves. There was definitely more than one."

Raymon's eyes flashed a brighter color but quickly dulled down once he saw Barnabas glaring at him.

"If it is a single wolf of any of the packs, they must be taken care of immediately," Barnabas spoke up. "It might mean they are trying to stage a coup against the Alpha and Luna. We cannot allow that. You all know what happened the last time."

The tone in the room shifted. They all look uncomfortable by this past being brought up and saddened by the losses that came with it.

It was surprising to Nick to see all of the Alphas and Lunas suddenly drop their defenses and their stoic selves. He didn't know much about 'the last time', all he knew was about a war. The war his father died in.

For the next couple of minutes, both of the Alphas and Lunas of every pack inspected each of the lifeless bodies. The soldiers pulled up the cotton sheets just enough for them to see the wounds on the bodies. But none of them could confirm the wounds from one of their own. Even had the Betas check as well. Nothing seemed to come of it.

Lucas leaned close to Nick and mumbled out of earshot of all the Alphas. "Do you think they're lyin' to cover it up?"

Nick's head snapped toward him with a scowl and whispered back, "I don't know, man. Jeez." He looked back at the group.

"Don't make such accusations, Lucas," Carter spoke with a low voice, making Lucas and Nick jump. "I know damn well you are not ready to fight with an actually Alpha."

Nick turned away from the both of them, tuning them out as Lucas tried to defend himself. He was trying to keep an eye on all of them, see if anyone acts suspiciously when they look at the bodies.

Snow and Barnabas made their way to Nick and the others, probably to speak with Carter.

"No luck?" Carter questioned.

Both of them shook their heads and Carter let out a sigh.

"Who are we going to make the next medic?" Rosalyn asked with a sadness lacing her voice. "Daria…she didn't have any pups."

Lucas grabbed her hand and rubbed it gently with his thumb, trying to comfort her.

Looking at her face, there was some sort of guilt.

For years, before she turned seventeen, she trained beside Daria. She wanted to become the next Prime Medic to help people and take over for Daria once she retired.

She was so gentle and kind to everyone, she would've made a great one. But then she matured and found out she was Lucas's mate. If she stayed with her, she would have to fulfill her duties as the Luna. To be free of those responsibilities and have the ability to be the next Prime Medic, she would have to reject him.

For the next few months, she made Lucas wait for her rejection of acceptance, indecisive of what road she wanted to go down.

Looking back at it, it was hilarious to Nick. Seeing Lucas, the once charismatic and almost careless boy turned into a vulnerable and shy boy around her, trying to win her over with anything and everything. Banquets, plushies, chocolates, and even standing outside her bedroom window playing her a song he wrote with a guitar.

Everyone believes she will make for a great Luna in the future.

"She hadn't chosen who to train as Prime Medic yet and the only ones who would qualify are either dead or too injured to be the Prime Medic," Barnabas explained. "So…we don't know."

"I think I might know who, at least temporarily and our people are healed. I believe he will help out a lot around here…" Snow nodded to herself, trailing off, lost in thought.

"Who?"

Everyone looked at her.

"I'd have to go to the city to find him. They call him the 'Magical Healer', seemingly working miracles on patients."

"Magical Healer?" Nick almost cackled at the name, a smile playing at his mouth. It sounded…basic? Uncreative? Sounded like some magician name?

Snow gave him a glare which instantly wiped the mocking smile off his face.

"He's said to work miracles on patients…" She continued, a sort of harshness to her voice because of Nick.

"What kind of miracles?' Rosalyn spoke up softly, widened eyes with intrigue.

"Ones like healing broken bones seemingly overnight and curing diseases within a short time," Snow shrugged, looking back at Barnabas who had a dejected look on his face. "I need to go there."

"I'll-" Barnabas started to say but she cut him off with a finger against his lips.

"An Alpha needs to stay and protect his pack, not abandon them in a time like this, okay?" She gave him a soft smile.

Barnabas was overall an intimidating force, his looks and large build helped with that. Compared to Snow, who was almost a foot smaller than him and her gentle nature, it was surprising they were a match made by Candra being complete opposites.

And despite his intimidating nature and look, Barnabas would become puppy-like around her and beg her like one.

"But the city…it's more than a day away."

She gently rubbed his head and stroked his hair back as she leaned into him. After he leaned down to her height, she gave him a long kiss on the temple.

She moved to his ear and whispered something in it.

When she pulled away, he seemed to be more agreeable with the arrangement she proposed, although he still looked upset.

"Be good," She told him and turned to Carter. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, okay?"

Carter nodded with a smile as Barnabas grumbled.

"I will be back soon, my love."

She petted him once again before leaving the City Hall.

Barnabas looked between everyone, "We will bury them now. I'll make an announcement tomorrow to the whole pack."