Fangs and Roses

Chapter Twenty-Five: Augury of Bells

Alexander Lykos

Dirt flew into the air and into our fur as we dug our claws into the earth in an effort to build up speed. Angel and I were pushing ourselves as hard as we could to get to our parents before Damien's pack could. We had just gotten the news from Sapphire that Damien had most probably developed something that could be used against Lycans, just as how the red liquid could be used against Werewolves and Werecats, and knew that our entire family being in the open could be a death sentence for Shadow Mountain, should we get poisoned.

Angel whined, as she tried to catch the scent of our parents and their convoy. They had been travelling, with a group of twenty guards, all throughout the lands to offer their assistance to the packs that had suffered under Damien's hand. I had been reluctant to see them go, stating how dangerous it was for them to enter the territory of other Alphas, as we could not confirm which Alphas now sided with Damien.

*"Why would you leave the safety of our pack to go out there? Yes, I am sympathetic to the suffering of all the packs that were attacked by Damien, but we have good reason to believe that some of the Alphas have decided to side with Damien in order to keep their lands and title. Your intentions are pure, but I do not want you to walking into a trap."*

*My mother sighed, abandoning the clothes she was packing to stand in front of me, hands reaching up to hold my face. I leaned into her touch as I stared down into her brown eyes.*

*"Xander, your father and I are well aware of the risk we are taking, but we cannot just stand here doing nothing while everyone around us suffers. We are lucky to be born Lycans, what we are gave us the time and power to build our pack to what is it today, they did not have such a luxury. If we have the power to help them, in whatever way we can, we have to."*

*"Your mother is right, Xander."*

*I turned to see my father standing in the doorway of his bedroom. Angel stood behind him, casting a sad smile towards me.*

*Your mother and I have been alive for many years, and we have seen many people like Damien, who relishes in taking every bit of power they can, regardless of who suffers as a result. We have seen how the innocent struggled to pick themselves back up, with no resources to even give them a point to start. In Shadow Mountain, we have no lack of such resources, and it thus, is our duty to help them get back on their feet."*

*Knowing that nothing I saw would change my parents' minds, I cast my gaze to Angel.*

*"You are leaving too?"*

*"Xander, I know the pain of losing ones family, and it is one that I never want anyone to experience. I was lucky enough to have a second chance at having a family... most of those after an attack don't. I am going to take any chance I get to ease their pain."

*I lowered my head as I stood in the room with my family for the last time in who knows how long. I was proud of my family's pricniples, but at the same time terrified that they could be walking to their deaths. My father must have sensed my emotional turmoil as he stepped forward to place his hand on my shoulder.*

*"We need you here, Xander. The pack still needs their Alpha, they need a leader who will guide them in such worrying times."

The day they left, was the first time where I led Shadow Mountain without the mentorship of my father and mother, whose many years of experience helped me greatly in keeping peace and order in the pack.

Angel nudged my shoulder, her head jerking upwards. I sniffed and sighed with relief as we caught the scent of the Luna Convoy, the scent was thankfully fresh and full of life... not stale and filled with the stench of death.