Elder’s Words

Chapter 4: Elder’s Words

She vanished after saying that. We were left in the full range of anger. I turned to my mother when I noticed she was quiet the whole time. “Why are you crying?”

I find her crying silently. She shook her head and wiped her tears. “Nothing, we should keep going, Elder Edgar will help us I know.” She said and held dad’s hand.

I looked at my father, I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me. My father was with a stone expression. He was thinking something bothering him.

“Tell me.” I felt Kylo holding my hand, it sounded disrespectful a little.

“We should keep going.” My father confirmed my theory and we would not even take a step forward without them telling us what it was. They knew me.

“Lavelle, we don’t have time. We’ll talk about this at Elder’s house.” Kylo whispered in my ears, he understand that they weren’t ready to tell me yet. I couldn’t say no so I refused to speak.

Dad shifted and ran again. Mom ran after him and didn’t dare to run beside me, she was hiding a serious thing. Kylo stayed behind me, we trace the way east. We climbed three huge mountains and crossed two rivers.

They weren’t planning to take a rest until the sun has fell to the depth. I thought we would stop and sleep until the sun returned but they keep going.

I could feel my feet protesting, and I couldn’t tell them I want to rest. I hate it when they worry about me. I hate being in this situation like I was a precious thing to fight for and take care of. I always wanted to fight beside them, decide for myself and be strong too.

I hate being like this, weak and causing too much burden to them. Laia spoiled everything. They weren’t talking to me and everyone was quiet the whole trip.

I noticed that we slowed down until we stopped. Dad howled to let him know that we were there. We waited until it howled back to keep going. We weren’t allowed to step into his territory without his consent.

After a while, it howled back from the top of the mountain. My jaw almost dropped when I realized how tall the mountain was. To my surprise, dad did something to get there quicker. He didn’t trace the clean path and ran to the bush.

After a little while, we reach the top and I saw his little house made of dried leaves and bushes. He was in his wolf form when he went out. My parents bow to them so we did too. He signaled us to get in, he was in his human form when we got inside so we shifted too.

“What brought you here again, Lance.” They skipped the formal greeting.

“I need your help.” He said, I couldn’t tell if the atmosphere was just heavy or they had something in between.

“I thought you’re not going back here after--”

“We don’t need the past to fix the future.” My mother interjected their conversation. He was already old and had gray hair. His clothes were too old too.

“I don’t serves the Moonstone anymore.” I turned to my parents and saw that they weren’t surprised as we-- Kylo too. I was the only one who didn’t know.

“Please, I need your help.” I looked at my father, he never begged like that before. Did he need to go that low for his help?

“It depends.”

“Cursed,” Dad added and Elder Edgar shook his head.

“Leave, I am not a witch to undo any witchcraft, Lance.” He dismissed us that quickly.

“Please, Elder Edgar. I need your help.” I said and he looked at me.

“We need your help.” Kylo behind me added.

“Who is she?” He asked my father and looked at my mother.

“My daughter.”

The Elder’s eyes widen. I knew I was messing up something important.

“You still conceive? I have told you, Valle!” My mother started crying uncontrollably.

“That’s why we need your help.” My father tried to calm her down. “A witch cursed her to be the pack misery.” My father said.

"I cannot undo any curse! You know that!" The Elder was shaking in anger.

“No, you can help us right? You should help us, please.” My mother held his hand, and both of them were willing to beg. While I and Kylo were left confused. “Please, the witch that cursed her was a little girl, the cursed may be weak and you can cut it.” My mother begged. The guilt was tugging my heart seeing my mom begging for me.

“Valle, that is impossible. Every word of every witch is powerful as how a werewolf has a fang. They speak and we bit.”

I didn’t know how to react and looked at my parents. They were willing to kneel down for me.

"Please, Elder Edgar. I need your help, I will be the next Luna, I can not let my people suffer because of me." I kneeled down and and looked up to him, my eyes started pooling with tears.

I saw him sigh and went to the corner. He got a box from his cabinet. We watched him place it on the table and opened it. He took out something from it that was wrapped with red cloth.

His hands were harshly shaking while opening it. He revealed the necklace with a golden full moon pendant. He kissed it and walked to his chair. He turned to us and signaled me to sit across from him. I sat there and watched him prepare the ritual table.

There were carved linings on the table. There was a pack of werewolves army, they were fighting and there were lines from them to the moon at the center. In front of me, there was space for my palm. He placed his palm on the table that has palm marking so I did too.

He was already wearing the necklace, I felt them touch my back. He started mumbling unidentified words and the pendant of his necklace lightened up. My palm sank to the table and I felt it sucking my palm. He continued mumbling even until I felt sore in both of my palms.

I didn’t cry out in pain and tried to take it. I felt needled against my palm, I winced in pain as I saw our blood flow to the carved lines around.

“Kylo,” I called him out and I felt him kiss my head.

“It’s okay.” He assured me and my panic has gone.

The table lightened up, I saw he did too as well as I. His mumbling went louder and louder. It was fine until the light on him turned into a flame. I pulled my hand from the table but I couldn’t. I felt them pulling me too.

“AHHHH!” We both shouted and we heard an explosion.

“Lavelle!” A thundering voice from my father cleared my blurry sight. Once they checked that I was fine we turned to Elder Edgar. He was gone.

“He’s gone,” I started, dad walked to where he was, looked at us, and looked back to where he was.

“He’s dead.” I stood up and walked to him and I saw ashes on his chair.

“We killed him.” My hands froze and my heart was hammering against my chest.

“NO, the curse killed him. We didn’t nothing to harm him.” My father said and stepped back. I felt my mother hug me and kissed my hair.

“We should go now.” My mother said.

“No! We should bury him. He deserves a proper--”

“We should be quick.” My father cut me off so Ilooked at my mate.

“We’ll bury him in our pack.” He said and got an empty glass container and started gathering the ashes.

***

Blood on my palm drops of blood on my body. I was covered with blood, I looked in front and saw myself in the mirror holding my mate dead with blood on his neck. My mouth was covered with blood.

“AHHHH!” I screamed and sat up. And realized it was only a nightmare, I kept having nightmares after that incident in Mt. Peramidia. They believed that Edgar sacrificed himself to cut the curse but I doubt it, what if he didn't?

We never saw Laia again after that. Maybe the ritual affected her as how it affected Elder Edgar. We honored his death bury him beside our ancestors.

“Today, our pack will starts calling you, Luna Lavelle.”

“I’m excited. I am very excited, mom.”

“We all are.” Today he’d marry me and we’d be the next leader of the pack.

Time was in my favor to me to make it faster. I saw my wedding dress, it was a simple white dress while my bouquet was bloody red. I remember my nightmare. Was that a warning?

“Let’s go.” Father appeared in the doorway. His wide smile eases my fear. Nothing would happen today but my coronation.

Leaders from other packs were invited to witness our union. Mom and dad were with me waiting for the signal to walk down the aisle.

I felt like floating the whole ceremony. I have been waiting for this. I felt loved by all of them. As we walk down the aisle, everyone was full smile. Those smiles that I always adore, I never want to disappoint them, and I know this would make them proud.

I turned to the altar and find my pretty mate, his hair was braided and he was in a white suit. The Alpha and the Luna were with him. My heart was full of joy as he hugged my father and mother. And I hugged his parents too. My father handed my hand to Kylo.

“Take care of my daughter,” I heard my father say.

“Of course, dad.” My heart melted when he called my father, dad.

He accepted my hand and kissed the back of my palm. “You look so perfect.”

“So as you are.” He walked and stood side by side facing the Alpha.

The ceremony didn’t last long, the wedding ended shortly and we immediately proceeded to the coronation.

“I, Kylo Moonstone of Moonstone pack accept the responsibility as the Alpha.” He pledges his loyalty and to protect the pack with all his heart. We were too weak for the responsibility but this was what they want. And we would be glad to obey our parents.

After he accept the power, he needed to mark me in front of them. He held my hand and pulled me. “Are you happy?” He asked.

“More than happy.”

“May I?” I nodded.

“My pleasure.” He moved the hair away from my neck. I glanced at my parents before his fang sink into my skin. I closed my eyes as our pack howled in happiness. The pain was nothing compared to the happiness I brought to our pack.

I smiled at him after he did that. I expected him to kiss me on the lips, and to my disappointment, he only raised my hands and faced our people.

‘I am now the Luna.’

“RIKA!” I was horrified screaming overpowering their howl. We turned to where it came from and saw a little girl collapse on the ground. He was shaking and his eyes turned white. “Alpha! Help my daughter.” She called Kylo who immediately ran to them.

He touched the little girl and it stopped. Her mother hugged her. “No, no, no, Alpha. She’s not breathing. Help my daughter, Oliver our daughter!” My father touched checked her pulse and sadly looked at us.

“You! This is your fault!” The furious mother aggressively pointed at me.