The Wolf Within - The Monster Within Book 2

Chapter 15

We walked through the woods, hand in hand as I guided her quickly towards the cabin. I didn't know if mum would be annoyed if we showed them our safe house, but Aurora had text me saying Echo was there, so I assumed it was already too late.

When the cabin came into view I pushed even harder to get to it. Preparing myself for whatever might have happened inside. The only people inside the cabin would have been Ava and Aria. My little sisters. A sap of fear shoots through me as I imagine all the things that could have happened. I walk up the steps at the front of the house, trying to look through the windows as I approached, but all I could see was Ava and Aria sitting on the sofa, watching TV, with was no sign of Aurora or Echo. A little relief fills me, knowing Ava and Aria are ok. Nothing has happened to them from the look of it, but where are the others?

'Where are they?' I ask my younger sisters as I walk into the living room.

'Who?' Aria asks, stroking her hair, willing the parts that Ava cut away to grow back quickly.

'Aurora and Echo? They said they were here?'

'No, it's just us. No one else had been here since mum left us.' She tells me, looking behind me at Luna.

I'd completely forgot in the stress of the moment that Ava and Aria had been locked away under dad's orders to protect them from Roan. This was the first time either of my younger sisters had met Luna as they gawked at her, ignoring the TV.

'Aria and Ava this is Luna.' I introduce. 'Luna these are my younger sisters' I tell her.

She looks over at my sisters. Aria who is the same age as Echo and Ava who is a similar age to Nova.

Luna gives them a small smile as she looks between the two with a tear in her eye, obviously reminded of her younger sister who she hasn't been able to see in two years.

'Hey.' she forces out, holding back the tears.

'Hi.' Ava and Aria both chime, not noticing how close to breaking down Luna is.

I pull my phone out and call Aurora, wanting to hear her voice to confirm she's ok as imagines of her laying in a ditch play on my mind.

'Where are you?' I ask when I hear her voice.

'At the cabin?'

'No you're not. I'm here now.'

'What? You were supposed to finish the movie. It doesn't finish for like another hour.' She say, sounding annoyed.

'Where are you? What are you doing?' I demand, ignoring her tone.

'Relax, we're on our way back now.' She sighs.

'Good, you better be. What were you doing?' I practically shout down the phone, annoyed that my own sister is keeping secrets from me.

'Calm down. If anyone is going to be annoyed it should be me. You're ruining the surprise.'

'What surprise? What are you talking about?' I seethe.

'Turn around.' She says as she walks through the trees outside the cabin.

I run to the door and watch her approach with my arms folded over my chest, ready to shout at her for disappearing before she steps to the side revealing echo walking behind her, holding hands with a child.

'Who?' I say to myself, before I feel Luna push past me.

Luna throws herself down the stairs and sprints across the clearing, past Aurora before she locks the child tight in her arms.

I can feel her heart bleeding from where I stand as she kisses the child on top of the head over and over again. She howls against the child, dropping to the floor as her legs give out under her. The child's hands are wrapped around Luna's waist so tight that she falls down onto her lap as they both cry, holding on to each other as if they're about to be separated at any moment.

Aurora approaches with a smile on her face as she stands next to me on the stairs and turns to watch Luna embrace a child I'd never seen before.

I stand there speechless, waiting for Aurora to explain.

'You can thank me later.' She says, still watching the scene.

'Is that...?' I say, looking at the little girl who looks so much like Luna.

'Yep'

'You...?'

'Yep' Aurora responds with a bigger smile on her face, waiting for me to thank her.

'What did you do?!' I growl at her.

The smile on her face drops when she sees my anger.

'When Roan finds out what you've done...He'll come for them. I can't believe you did this. I told you it wasn't this simple.' I seethe through my teeth.

'Well it's done now. I thought you'd be a bit more appreciative. Luna doesn't have to be with that heinous, old monster anymore.'

'Mum and Dad are going to kill you.' I tell her.

'I don't think so. This was mums idea...'

'You told mum?'

'I had to Archer. I couldn't see this happen to you. I wasn't going to sit by and watch my brother lose his mate. Anyway, mum already knew about you and Luna'

'How?'

'Because she's not blind... I did warn you.'

'I can't believe dad went along with this'

'Er... he doesn't know.'

'What?'

'It was just mum and I who planned this. Dad has no idea. Mum thought it was for the best. Dad can't lie, so now he doesn't have to.'

'Fucking hell Aurora. He's going to be so pissed when he finds out.'

'To begin with' she shrugs. 'Maybe next time he won't treat us as defenceless little girls. It annoyed me that he was using us as an excuse to not get involved. Maybe next time we can make the decision as a family and not have him speak for everyone?'

'So what's next in this brilliant plan on yours?'

'We hide Nova here. Without him holding her hostage Luna is free to leave him and Echo clearly doesn't want to stay with him either. Mum said they can live with us when Roan leaves.'

'If you think he's just going to leave then you are very mistaken.'

'Well if he wants a fight we'll give him one.'

'No, if he wants a fight he can challenge me. You've done enough. This was my fight. I won't let you get hurt because of me.' I tell her, adamant that I would see this through to the end.  'You have to promise me that you won't get involved anymore. You have to let me do this.' I almost beg her.

'Ok Archer. Whatever you say.'