Chapter 2

CARA’S P.O.V.

I left the meeting grounds and the forest without saying a word to Khan or even letting him say a word. My head was down, thinking of the contract. I’ll be kicked out. I’ll be a lone wolf. All alone. Isn’t that the best for me? At least, I’ll be away from the pack. No one would look at me with judgement and disgust. Everything I do would be my concern. Sounds peaceful, doesn’t it?

I stood at the forest entrance, observing the setting sun over the town, allowing soft breeze swing my hair and my black long dress. I signed the contract. For some reason, my blood was needed and I would by the full set of the sun. This happened too fast. Rapha seemed bothered. Aaliyah seemed to care less. Everything just didn’t make sense to me. Who were these people I’ve come into a contract with? Tau of the East? Light and Sky? The triplets? Who were they? Why was I the one that has to go? There were many others that could’ve gone…oh, yeah, I was the only one without a mate. Then the journey was out of pity. Why did I even agree to it in the first place? Was I desperate? Or was I just subconsciously willing to move on from Aquila and find happiness again? Damn. 

“Cara!” 

I turned around to see who was coming. It was Freya and Aaliyah who had a strapped bag across her body.

“Freya?”

“Cara.” Freya’s voice was a little too low when she got close to me. “you’re really going away.” 

“Aww, c’mon, Freya. It’ll only be for four full moons at best.” 

“That’s a long time.” Freya whined. “I’ll miss you too much.” I let out a gentle smile after hearing Freya say those words to me.

“I’ll miss you too, Freya.” My voice broke. I was emotional at that moment. Freya will be away from me for a while. The only person that has never judged me. 

“Come now, the sun as already set. Your ride is very near.” Aaliyah said “Follow me, let’s go to Rapha.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I can just get going from here, really.” I really didn’t want to see anyone else at that moment except Freya and, by coincidence or plan, Aaliyah.

“The journey ahead is long. You are strong. You’ll be fine.” Aaliyah tried encouraging me but I didn’t want it from her. “Take this…” She removed the back and gave it to me. “Inside it are what you need for your journey. There’s a compass that glows when you get closer to your destination.”

I took the bag and hung it around my neck. The sun completely set. My ride had arrived. It was time to go. We walked together to the car the was waiting for me. My luggage was in the car already. 

“Freya.” I wished to say a final good bye but I was immediately met with a hug. 

“Make sure you come back with a mate. If you don’t, that’s okay.” She tearfully said while she locked me tight.

We disconnected from the hug and looked at each other’s faces, each with a tear drop; we both chuckled.

“I have to go now. The East.”

Freya did not look pleased at all. I felt all that she hid behind her bright smile. Aaliyah for some reason did not look pleased at all but I couldn’t care as much. I embark on my journey, sitting at the backseat, I felt a whiff of regret and uncertainty. Should I really go on this journey?

RAPHA’S P.O.V.

I had no choice but to take that decision. It was best for Cara. It was the best course of action for the West. I was very disappointed in myself as the only elder and Leader of the West. If I had carefully watched over her, things would be better. The contract will not even find a reason to exist. Aquila would’ve still been alive. Cara’s journey, I hope it ends well. I wondered what her late mother and siblings thought of me. Cara was under my care yet she suffered. I made the right choice of sending her away. Her happiness was not here. Maybe it was in the East, or even the North. The Twins of the North, or even the Triplets of the south. I wondered who she would come home with. A lot was at stake. Too much was at stake. I couldn’t begin to think. Cara, please come home with a mate.

I looked forward and I saw Aaliyah and the other girl that seemed to be friends with Cara, walking to where I was. Cara was not with them and the bag wasn’t with Aaliyah. She was gone. Cara was gone. I felt a swell of sadness inside me after realizing that I would no longer see Cara.

“Cara’s gone, Rapha.” Aaliyah reported.

“I see. Let’s pray for the best results.” 

Aaliyah and the other girl left for wherever they were going to, while I still stood out under the night sky. 

I decided to talk a brief walk. Maybe into the forest . I was most thankful yet most confused on the climate and vegetation here; very odd. I walk around the town, observing the people and very irrelevant structures here and there until I saw a piece of parchment paper somewhere I never expected to. I wondered why it was there. I took the piece out and read the content. It did not seem too clear but it was something about the West. It didn’t state where or who it was from. I keep the piece where I found it and continued walking. I turned back and headed to where I came from. I reached a point and there seemed to be disorder around there. Did something happen? There was a crowd gathered at a spot. 

“Step aside. I’m coming through. Move.” 

I cleared my path towards what seemed to invite everybody at that spot.

Good heavens! There was blood and claw marks all over the lifeless body lying on the ground. Aaliyah was there over the body trying to bring back life into it but there was nothing she could do. 

That body was a member of the pack.

Who could’ve done this?

How did this happen?

“You!” I pointed at Cara’s friend. She bolted her head up, her eyes met mine. “Tell me what happened.” 

“I don’t know. One minute we were all doing so well and all of sudden from out of nowhere,it just came and attacked.” She wasn’t the right state of mind to speak. I fully understood that.

“Rapha.” Aaliyah called my attention. “We need to talk privately.” 

Aaliyah got up from the body and led to a rather private area a few meters away from the people. 

What happened while I wasn’t looking?

Who did this?

“Rapha, where were you?” Aaliyah asked

“I just went on a walk for a while to clear my mind and then I turn back and we have a dead member? I remember looking at him a few moments ago.”

My voice seemed to be getting rough.

“Where’s Khan?!” Aaliyah’s voice was getting rough too.

“How am I supposed to know that?”

“I don’t think he will take this lightly, Raph—”

“RAPHA!” I hear a deep husky voice echo my name. I looked to see who and, speak of the devil.

“RAPHA! WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED?!”

“I should ask you the same thing! Where were you?!”

“I only left for a moment into the forest and I come back and one of my member is lifeless and massacred!”

“Yelling at each other will solve nothing.” Aaliyah intervened. I was glad she did. “I checked the claw and teeth marks on the body…”

“…and?” Khan was hasty.

“It wasn’t just any kind of werewolf…”

“I don’t think werewolf kind is important. It is werewolf, that all that matters.” I completed Aaliyah’s analysis. “It could be one of us who did that.”

“Are you trying to accuse your own pack?” Rapha asked me.

“I’m doing the opposite.”

It could be one of us, however, I couldn’t blame anyone in the pack. I know every individual werewolf in the pack. With Aaliyah’s analysis, I had a clue on who it was. This is bad. Bad for us. Have they started already? Cara, please be safe. Come home soon. I exit the town and wandered into the forest. Thinking back on the parchment paper and the dead bloodied member, I have decided to go confront who my gut tells me is responsible for this. I planned on talking to them. Reasoning with them. If they do not give me a listening ear, then I have to protect the pack with all my life. I was prepared. I was thinking of taking Aaliyah along but I don’t want to involve her in this, yet she’s the only person I trust.