The Rogue & The Alpha

Chapter 18 - Childhood Friend

Lucy's POV

After a day of traveling, we finally reached the meeting place for the Summer Solstice. It was on a large grass field on the side of a mountain with jagged rocks climbing up to the top. We walked past groups of wolves from different packs, towards a spot for us to rest after our long journey.

"Hey Lucy, see that gap?" Gray asked me, pointing to a narrow gap at the top of the mountain with his snout. "Yeah?" I replied, looking back at him. "That's where the Alphas and Betas talk about matters of the packs. Like events or battles that happened between packs since the last Solstice, packs outside our alliance and Rogues" he explained. "Interesting" I replied as I nodded in understanding.

From what Natsu told me we'll be here for three days. The first day is dedicated to a meeting between Alphas and Betas. The second day is a continuation of that meeting. On the final day, are the pack battles competition where all wolves fight one-on-one for fun.

"Looks like all the packs are here except Sabertooth" Erza commented as she looked around at all the wolves. Natsu growled at the mention of Sabertooth. "Don't start a fight. We shouldn't make a scene between our packs during the Solstice" Erza warned him. "I know" Natsu grumbled but obeyed. "Oh I see Shelia! Do you mind if I go over and say hi?" Wendy asked. "Yeah go ahead" Natsu replied and Wendy excitedly ran off to see Shelia from the Lamia Scale Pack.

"Oh no Sabertooth is here and they're coming over here" Gray said, and we turned to see the Sabertooth Pack walking towards us. The first wolf I noticed was the large platinum blonde wolf at the front of the group, walking proud and powerful. Flashbacks of that day tormented my mind at the sight of him.

'Surrender the pups and yourself Layla and we might let your pack live' past Jiemma said. 'Jude!' 'Daddy!' Mama and my younger self cried after Jiemma killed my father. The light leaving my mother's eyes as she laid dead underneath Jiemma's paws. 'Mama!' my younger self screamed into the stormy night mourning the death of my parents.

I took a few deep breaths to steady myself. 'You're not a pup anymore' I told myself. "Lucy, stay behind us and stay quiet" Natsu warned and then stood in front of me. Gray and Erza stood either side of Natsu, in front of me, as Sabertooth stopped in front of us.

Behind Jiemma was a dark navy female wolf, a blonde male wolf, a black male wolf, a green male wolf and a pale blue female wolf. The pale blue female caught my attention, "Yukino?" I muttered and she seemed to have recognised me too. "Alpha Natsu, it's good to see you. I'm excited for our fight" Jiemma greeted. The friendly words didn't match his stone cold eyes as he looked down at Natsu. "Me too Alpha Jiemma" Natsu replied formally, trying to hold in the angry he had for him.

"I see you've brought a new face with you this time. Is she a new pack member?" the black she-wolf asked. She reminded me of the dark navy Beta who took Yukino on that dreadful day, but she was a lot younger. "She is, Minerva" Erza replied. I noticed Jiemma looking at me with curiosity and I wondered if he recognised me. "Don't worry about her, she's a Delta wolf. I'll see you at the meeting Jiemma" Natsu said, turning Jiemma's attention away from me. "Come on" he added before we turned around as a group and walked away from them. "Let's go" I heard Jiemma say and heard them walking away. I glanced behind me and noticed Yukino was looking back as well as Sabertooth were walking away. After about a second, she faced forward and then so did I.

"You ok Lucy?" Natsu asked with concern as he slowed down to walk side by side with me. "Yeah, I had some flashbacks when I saw him, but I'll be fine" I replied with my head low. "Don't worry you won't have to face him again. He'll be too busy with the Solstice to come anywhere near you" he said. I nodded, "thanks Natsu" I replied with a small smile. I'm thankful to have Natsu and the whole of Fairy Tail by my side.

"So, who were the wolves behind Jiemma?" I asked. Curious to know if that really was Yukino I saw. "The dark navy female is Minerva the Beta and daughter of Jiemma. The blonde and black male wolves are Sting and Rogue, also known as the twin wolves of Sabertooth. The green wolf is Orga and lastly, the pale blue female is Yukino" Erza explained. "So it is her" I mumbled and then a question raced through my head. 'Is she being forced to follow them or is she following them willingly?' I thought. "Who?" Gray asked and I turned to Natsu. "Remember my nightmare?" I asked and he nodded. "That friend who tried to escape with me...was Yukino" I continued. "Her?" Natsu replied.

"Wait a minute, I'm lost. What's this about Yukino?" Gray asked. "Almost every night, I've been reliving the day my pack was destroyed through my nightmares. On that day, I had a friend who almost escaped with me until the Beta, at the time, caught her" I quickly explained. "And that friend is Yukino?" Erza asked to clarify, and I nodded.

"Yes but something is off. She doesn't look like she's being forced to be with them" I said in thought. "Yukino has been a loyal pack member to Sabertooth since as long as we've known her" Erza replied. "Does she actually like being in Sabertooth?" I muttered to myself. 'It can't be, that monster killed both our parents. How could she be loyal to them? To HIM?!' I thought. "Hey Lucy, calm down" Gray spoke up and I realised I was growling. "Sorry" I apologised as I stopped growling.

"Whether she's there willingly or not. We should stay away from Saberooth as much as possible. Jiemma was getting suspicious of Lucy" Natsu said. "I agree" Erza replied, "he did seem interested when he saw her" Gray added. "Who knows what he will do if he found out who Lucy really is" Natsu said and then turned to me. "While we're away, I don't want you going anywhere near them or Yukino. Do you understand Lucy?" he ordered. "I won't" I replied even though I was hoping to talk to Yukino to know what happened to her for her to be on Sabertooth's side.