The Beast Within Us

Chapter 30: All Was Well

Conan's body tenses up while the woman spoke of Alpha Caitriona's condition. There are tears in her eyes caused by a combination of all the dust that had been kicked up and the status of her Alpha.

"Have her brought to my pack's doctor, it's closer." Conan demands.

The lady wipes the tears from her eyes and nods in understanding. She rushes off to do just that, leaving Conan frozen in his thoughts. I place a hand on his shoulder, causing him to snap his attention towards me.

"You need to go with them... you need to see your sister." I state.

I know he wants to argue and find some excuse to stay away, but he knows that he needs to be there during this crucial time.

"People here are disorganized and confused, they need leadership at the moment."

"I will help them," I say. "Then I will catch up to you."

His mouth curves into a sad smile before he rushes off to go and see his sister. I watch him until he his gone from view. A few people run up to me, bringing me out of my trance.

"Where is Alpha Conan? We need guidance!" A man shouts.

I stand tall, "What is your dilemma, I can be of help."

The man glares at me with a look of uncertainty, silently doubting my abilities to do any leadership of any kind. Before he could speak any words of protest against me, a woman steps forward seeming much more trusting of me.

"What do we do with these dead feral wolves?" She asks. "They litter the ground, soiling the soil."

"Give them a burial."

They look at me, confused. The same man speaks up again.

"We are to give them a proper funeral? These... abominations! They are creatures of war!"

"Yes.... and so were we once..." I state. "If we just burned the bodies, the air will be filled with their putrid scent of hatred and bloodlust. If we bury them, they are gone from view but remain as a reminder of what happens when you allow shadows to consume your soul."

They all stare at me, understanding the reason I gave them. They begin to walk off one by one to go do just that, the woman staying behind for just a moment."

She speaks, "Thank you... Alpha."

I watch her walk away, my eyes wide with shock. I never would have thought a single person would accept me as an Alpha, at least not this early on.

"It makes you feel different hearing it for the first time, doesn't it?"

I jump a little and turn to face the old woman, my savior as an infant baby.

"You..." I say. "You always have a habit of appearing out of nowhere."

She chuckles, "It is one of many talents."

I laugh and look down at her with a smile.

"Thank you..."

"Why am I to be given thanks?" She questions. "You are the one that saved us from Kosmas, I should be thanking you."

"You saved my life as a baby, leading me to do all of this," I say. "Leading me to become something more..."

The old woman looks past me, lost in her own thoughts for a moment. She snaps her gaze back to me as she looks at me with a questioning smile.

"Do you love him?"

"If I didn't then I wouldn't have returned back here." I answer.