HIS MATCH

21.

Threats Closer that Ever.

River.

"You stand accused of treason, kidnapping, conspiracy to hurt your own pack members, endaring the lives of many by consorting with the enemy, allowing a witch to violate the bond between mates and lastly allowing that witch to manipulate your own family, how do you plead?" I spoke as the pack gathered in the garden of rest, all of us wore our ceremonial attire, this had been my first time being in the garden and it was beautiful, it truly was peaceful. "Not guilty, I had to do what I did because you took everything from me, I was supposed to be luna, to lead this pack but you took that from me so I had no choice." Kara argued and everyone looked at her with anger and pity. "There was a better way to have resolved your hate for me, your family died because of you, the pack was left vulnerable, because of you, and now we know the wards that kept us safe wane because of you." I replied looking at Kara whose head hung low.

None of the wolves or lycans had touched her, she had been put in cell to await her trial, presided over by me and Julian, my mate had come back a day early after I finally told him what happened, he was simply glad that I was okay so was Riley and Zaya, and even though he wanted to kill her, he told me his hands would never be laid on a woman that way, only in training and even then, there was a certain degree or level they stopped at. Kara had allowed Nadia to poison her family easily manipulating them only to kidnap Zaya and use them to protect herself, in the end they couldn't be saved and Kirk gave the order that they be killed, it was pitiful. I roll out the scroll in my palm and face the pack. "Kara Sev is found guilty of all her crimes, and her punishment shall be death, her family will be laid to rest here among our honored dead and ancestors, she however will have a different path as chosen by the elders." I announced to the whole pack and I could see the satisfaction in their eyes, she deserved nothing less, disloyalty to the lycans called for death.

I nodded toward Kent who shifted into his lycan form then, screams tore out from Kara's lips as the large beast didn't hesitate to tear her apart, limb from limb, Kent had also gotten his pound of flesh for what happened to his daughter. "You are what this pack needs." Julian exclaims as he pulls me into a hug and places a kiss on my forehead. "Luna, if you may." Elder Errin called out and I nodded walking toward her, my mate whined because I had left his side but tradition must be upheld. I held out my hand. "Incendia." I whispered setting Kara's remains on fire then, then turning to the ceremonial torches, four, each one for each lycan that had died, it also marked their graves and it is believed if ever you wanted to talk to the lycan  buried there, you only needed to set a flame on their lamp.

"Ignugus." Conjuring fire into my palms then blowing it into the four lamps, they burned as the lycans were buried, I returned to my mate as the elders finished the ritual. "How are you doing?" He asks worriedly. "Physically I'm fine, all of us, mentally I'm not, Julian the attack was too close to home, maybe because Kara was involved that Nadia knew when and how to strike, but even though that may be a factor, I am still worried, we can't keep ignoring the obvious, this He, whoever he is, he's coming and we're not prepared, only a handful of warriors can truly fight, the rest, I don't think in a full scale war they would last." I explained to my mate my worries and the relief that our children and I were fine was there but the pack, we still had to worry about the pack.

"We need to train them, train them all, fortify the pack, gather our strength and be ready to fight." He finally responded after being in a long period of silence thinking over what to do. "But first, you need to meet her." He asserted stunning me. "Meet who?" I question. "My mother." He responded with a chuckle. "It's a closely guarded secret, only a few pack members know she's here and she's alive, my father hid the truth about her disappearance because the pack would fall into chaos without a luna, it's why Elder Errin seemed to closely take that role, an alpha is important to a pack, he protects, fights and grows the pack." My mate explains, the last part placing his large hand on my stomach with a wink. "Yet, he cannot nurture like a mother, feed the many, and know how best to deal with the emotinal stability of all that are in his pack, that is a mother's job, a luna, you, it's why this pack is thriving more than before, why the air smells sweeter and we are growing." He further explains as we finally stood in front of the new medical center, part of our legacy, the grand opening would be in a few days.

"You bring change and healing, my mother has been in a coma ever since she gave birth to my siblings, the doctors said it was too painful and traumatic so her mind took her away, others have tried unsuccessfully, we've even tried magic but her inner lycan refuses the help of any witch, it's a stubborn soul." Julian expresses as we make our way through the busy hallways, final touches being placed, we come up to a guarded door, I could feel the presence of a powerful being inside and the moment I walked in past the threshold the world vanished and I was plunged into a vision.

"Julian come, we are going to be late, you're the one who has to be there first." I heard the feminine voice order, she was beautiful, raven hair that flowed down to her mid back, a sharp pointed nose like Julian, high cheekbones that any super model would kill for and her figure itself was rather petite, she was a pure ray of sunshine. "Okay, okay mom, I had to make sure Kirk has the—" The vision was cut short as I was plunged into the darkness, I knew this was a plane only accessed by wolves, I had very little power here. "Witch what are you doing here?" A growl echoed all around me as canary eyes illuminated the darkness, fixated on me. "I'm not intruding, well I am but fate allowed it, I am River, luna of the Forester Pack, wielder of the flame of clarity, the witch of fates, and fate allowed me into being here." I called out raising my hands and all the fate threads connected to a part of me. "Luna." I heard it reply softly and I nodded.

"My child's mate, Julian." The voice inserted and I nodded and the voice got a body, a lycan moved from the shadows and into the light I reflected, it knelt before me and I bowed in response. "No witch has ever been able to reach this place, you're special indeed." The lycan spoke with two voices and I realized on the surface was Julian's mother. "I'm so glad to meet you, I didn't know about you, until Julian came with me here, he hadn't fully explained what happened but I know already." I told Marie and her lycan surprising her. "You can't help us, the curse, it runs in my family and has been there for generations." She asserted pitifully and I reached out to touch her shoulder. "Yet I'm here aren't I, some curses are meant to be broken, if you allow me, I'd like to try, so you can see your family again." I exclaimed and hope returned to her eyes. "I'd like to see them, it's been so long, I hear them when they come to visit me, but I'm bound and can't reply." She explains as tears fall from both our eyes.

"I promise you, I will do everything in my power to break your curse so you'll see your boys again, is there anything you want me to tell them, I'm afraid Julian will start worrying if I stay longer." I tell her and she suddenly hugs me. "Tell Julian that he made the right choice, tell him that I love him and his brothers, nothing is going to be easy as alpha but if he finds his strength in you, in the pack, he will overcome the worst of obstacles, tell him I love him and soon I will hold him in my arms, I just know it, also tell my mate, I know he didn't give up on me, and each day I know he comes here to sleep beside me, tell him I'm waiting for him too and that I love him, I always will." She expressed it all and each word she said I took to heart as my body slowly faded with the threads of fate that allowed me to be there.

I gasped for air as Julian cradled me, I was on a couch in his mother's room. "Oh thank goddess you're okay." Chad mumbled as I opened my arms and hugged my mate. "Don't ever scare me like that." He chides and I nod I would tell him later that magic had it's own rules. "Babe, there is something you need to know, it's about your mom." I muttered pulling away from our embrace. "Yeah, what is it?" He nervously asked as I leaned forward mumbling a spell beneath my breath and opening my mind to his completely.

He had to see and hear it himself.

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Saint_Jay