Chapter Text
Ehawee awoke with a snarl. There was an Alpha in her territory, uninvited and without her permission. She had no forewarning of it and didn't know why. Out of habit, she tapped into the lode stone under the house and followed the current to the nematon island. She felt the alpha there, with one other wolf, but nothing else. Something was blocking her, and she wasn't happy about it.
Giving a low growl that only a select few would react to, she started to get dressed. A few minutes later, Amaya poked her head into the room.
"Is everything alright, Grandmother?" She asks.
"We have an intruder in our territory. Tell Thunder to meet me downstairs. We're going to find out why."
"I'll get the coffee going," Amaya says as she disappears, leaving the door cracked open.
A few minutes later, Ehawee entered the kitchen where Amaya and Thunder were waiting. Amaya handed her a steaming cup of her usual black coffee. Just how she liked it. Strong enough to raise the dead.
"We have an uninvited Alpha wolf on our lands, and I don't know why." She says after taking a sip. "There is one other, a Beta, I believe. I don't feel any threat, but I don't feel anything else. That's what bothers me. We need to find out why."
"I don't feel anyone other than the pack. Where are they?" Thunder asks.
"On the island. They came into our territory without tripping my wards and made it to our sacred nematon island before they came to my attention. The same nematon that I spent centuries cultivating, and I know it as well as my skin. How did they get there unnoticed?"
"Then we need to investigate." Thunder says, putting down his coffee and reaching for his winter parka. Before he can get it, Amaya grabs his arm. When he turns, he sees what has her attention. Jack is standing in the kitchen behind Ehawee.
"You may not interfere." He says.
"Damnit, Old Man. I should have known you had a hand in this." Ehawee says with a touch of anger in her voice. "This is my dominion. What are you meddling with?"
"Meddling is a trivial human thing. The events will impact this pack, its allies, and a pack that has yet to exist decades in the future. Put your protective pack instincts aside for the time being. You may not interfere."
"So we're supposed to sit here and wait?" Thunder asks as Ehawee bares her teeth at Jack out of frustration.
"Do whatever you like. You may leave this house when your presence is needed. Until then, you may not interfere."
"Will you at least share with us what is happening?" Amaya asks.
"I will share what brought us to this point, but not the future beyond," Jack replies as he sits at the kitchen table.
Ehawee shakes her head as her features rapidly flow between her human face and her beta shift, and then she sits down next to him.
"You have reasons for interfering with us trivial human beings, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. If we hadn't known each other for hundreds of years, I might throw a fireball at you."
"If it would soothe your human emotions, then go ahead, but Amaya may take issue with you setting her kitchen on fire," Jack replies, giving Ehawee a bland look.
She signs and says, "Old man, you chap my ass."
"Grandmother!" Amaya says. She rarely hears Ehawee speak like that.
"Can we not have bloodshed at my table?" Thunder says as he takes a seat between Jack and Amaya. "You bicker like a married couple that have been married for hundreds of years."
Ehawee giggles and then picks up her coffee cup again. "Fine. I'll behave if he will."
"Jack, please tell us what's going on," Amaya says.
Jack spreads his hands out on the table, and the surface fades away, showing the events leading up to this day.
The Calis pack lived in the mountains west of Rapid City, South Dakota. They had a large territory and managed it well. They mingled with other packs and were well-liked by their neighbors. A few months ago, their interactions with other packs became strained. Young wolves started causing problems and entering adjoining territories without permission late at night, causing mischief. The pack elders chalked it up to young wolves having a bit of spring fever. It happens every few years and only goes on for a few weeks before their alpha gets news of it and stops it. The young wolves are disciplined and made to give restitution. It's a life lesson learned the hard way. This time, it didn't stop, and attempts to communicate with the Calis Alpha resulted in silence.
Fed up with the late-night games, a neighboring pack caught one of the young wolves and brought him to their alpha for questioning. It was apparent to the alpha that something terrible was happening within the Calis territory. The young wolf was borderline feral. He was dirty, malnourished, and babbled incoherently. The alpha restrained him for safety, and the pack physician examined him. The wolf didn't know who or why he was in another territory. All he knew was to run. He fluctuated between his human and beta shift without warning. He ate savagely and slept very little. It was clear that something, or someone, damaged his mind. The alpha attempted to read his memories to figure out what was going on. When his claws pierced the spinal column, he saw the Calis Alpha tear a beta's throat out and stand there as the blood sprayed his face. His eyes were empty as if he wasn't there.
Before he could dig deeper into the mind of the beta, the young wolf shuddered and died in his hands. He had the poor boy cremated and buried in their pack cemetery, hoping that he could at last find some peace. The neighboring pack of Alphas got together and declared the Calis territory off-limits. No one could enter, and no Calis wolf would be permitted to leave. Autumn was upon them, and if the Calis pack starved to death during the upcoming winter, then so be it. Whatever horror was in their territory was going to stay there.
Months passed without further incident, and no other raving wolves crossed into adjoining territories. As winter started, the Alphas met again to discuss their options. Maintaining a border was difficult during the winter weather, and even though things had been quiet for months, they did not want to take the chance of something crossing over unnoticed. The packs decided to contact the state Druid council and ask for assistance. There was no local emissary. The packs in this area had never needed one because the telluric currents were weak. Unknown to them, potent currents were deep inside the Calis territory.
A Druid arrived a few days later and set about putting up a warding around the border between the territories. The alpha, who had seen the horrors inside the damaged wolf's mind, shared his vision with the Druid. The man paled when he saw it and immediately reached for his phone. He spoke to someone in hushed tones for a few minutes and then hung up.
"You have a serious problem." He said to the gathering of Alphas. "A darach has claimed the Calis lands. Their emissary may have gone rogue, or another may have entered and killed their emissary. Death has taken up residence within. The alpha is slaughtering his pack and absorbing their power. When the pack is gone, he sacrifices his mate and offers himself to the darach. When the darach kills the alpha, a dark and psychotic beast will rise and come for your lands. You have two choices. Join together, kill the darach, and hope you can save what remains of the Calis pack or run. I suggest you run."
"We will not!" one of the alphas exclaimed. These are our lands, and we will not run. We will defend our homes or die trying."
The other alphas nod in agreement. "We will not run." They say in unison.
"Then I will reinforce the wards and key them to you collectively. If a Calis wolf crosses the boundary, you will know. At the very least, temporarily move to the farthest edge of your territory. That will give you the most time to prepare for whatever dark and hungry abomination is coming."
"Gentlemen, that is sound advice." One of the alpha's says. "The valley near Crow Peak, where we meet for the inter-pack summer games, is the perfect spot. There are multiple lodges, and even with the addition of family members, there should be enough space for everyone. It might be tight, and we might have some betas to reign in, but we can make it work for a few weeks or months if necessary."
"Agreed," the other alphas reply.
The following day, the Druid reinforces the border wards and keys them to the three alphas. Should a Calis pack member, human or wolf, cross the border, they will know instantly. The Druid departs with promises to report his findings directly to the Council of Einar. Days later, the three packs packed up what they needed, sealed their homes and started the temporary move to the valley.
Unknown to the alphas, the valley has a sizeable telluric current. It connects to other currents in the mountain range, so anything that happens will echo through it. Life is peaceful and quiet for a few weeks, then one night, an odd feeling blows through the valley. It feels like an earthquake. Trees rattle, but the earth doesn't move. Animals run through the valley, and birds take to the air, but the wind doesn't blow. As the packs gather outside to see what has happened, the alphas feel the border wards go down, but it's not what they expect. The wards explode. They make a frantic call to the Druid who put them up. He warns them to prepare for any possibility and promises he will be there a few hours after dawn.
The pack prepares for battle, but it never comes. All night, they wait, nervously jumping at any sound. When dawn finally breaks, they relax, and the alphas send betas off to sleep in shifts.
The Druid arrives as promised and asks one of the alphas to take him back to the pack lands so he can examine the border. They take a few brave betas with them and set off on the hours-long drive to their homestead. When they get there, they find that the magical barrier is gone, and there is an odd disturbance in the snow, as if something flew just over the surface of it. Not quite touching it, but close enough to disturb the top layer.
No one wants to enter the Calis territory, so they return to the valley where the other packs wait. When they arrive, it's almost sunset. The Druid feels the currents nearby, so he settles on the ground and traces them into the Calis territory. Wrapping himself in a protective cloak of magic, he sinks into the currents and projects himself into whatever horror awaits.
The alphas sit and watch him quietly, and after a few hours, he rouses himself and stands up.
"The Calis pack is dead, and so is the darach." He says. "I can only guess that the alpha blew through the wards. If he killed and took the power from his entire pack and then killed the darach, he is full of druid power, feral, and must be put down. I will let the hunters know. In the meantime, you are safe. The Calis alpha is gone and rapidly heading east toward Sioux Falls. You might want to stay here for a few weeks to ensure he doesn't turn around and return. I can place another ward outside your territory to let you know if he crosses back through, but with the Darach dead, I don't believe he will return."
"What of the Calis territory? It borders against us. If it is now a land of the dead, we don't want another pack claiming it."
"There is nothing to worry about." A voice says behind them. Jack steps out of the shadows.
"Who are you?" An alpha asks.
"Dark One." The Druid says, bowing his head in respect.
"What's done is done. Return to your lands and homes." Jack says.
The alphas and their packs wander off, no longer paying attention to Jack or the Druid.
"What have you done?"
"What was necessary. The packs will see this as a winter inter-pack event. By the time they arrive home, the memory of the Calis pack will have disappeared, and none of them will ever recall the true reason that brought them here. The land will quickly return to what it was before darach released her death and destruction upon it. All they will know is that a beautiful mountain range to the west has never been claimed or settled as werewolf territory."
"What of their lives? All of those murdered pack members. They existed. How can you so callously erase their existence from the world?"
"They now exist in the memory of the alpha and his mate. They have served their purpose." Jack replies.
"Your vision is far-reaching, yet you cannot see." The Druid says.
"Those words are contradictory and have no meaning to me."
"I should find that surprising, but I don't. What happens now? What will happen to the feral alpha?"
"He travels with his mate. They have a task to fulfill, and then they will pass from this world."
"Will you erase them as well?" He asks.
"No. The Calis alpha and his mate will be remembered by a select few and recorded in your druid histories." Jack says.
"In what form? I presume what they experienced was against their will. At least, I hope it was. How will they be remembered? Surely, there is something good that remains."
"It will come in time. You will return to your Chapter House and record what happened in your druid history. It will get filed away and be a random few pages in a tome on a shelf." Jack says with a tone of finality. "Your superiors will not ask, nor will you speak further of it. I will not take the memories from your mind unless you want me to. All you need do is ask."
"Don't count on it." The Druid says in disgust as he starts to gather his things. When Jack sees him drive away, he disappears.
The scene shifts to the alpha and his mate. They are running so fast that they appear blurry to anyone who sees them—so fast that most people think they've imagined it and forget it just as fast.
The first tonight, they stop at a small roadside motel. The clerk doesn't notice that they don't have a car. They want a warm bed and a meal. The beta is pregnant and has been putting all her energy into running. She eats heavily, and after a shower, she falls deeply asleep. The alpha holds her close, tears slowly rolling down his face as he drifts off to sleep.
The next morning, they are up with the sun and ready for another day of travel by foot.
"Where are we going, my love?" The beta asks.
"A sacred place I visited once. That is where our journey will end." He replies.
"Will we make it in time? This little one grows impatient, and running drains my energy."
"It is the only chance our daughter has to survive. She will be safe there. My burden weighs heavy, and my soul cries for release." He says quietly.
"I know, love. You will help bring our daughter into the world, and I will help you lay that burden down." She says as she kisses him.
"I have stood in the company of alphas from all over the world to witness a sacred joining, yet not one of them will ever be as brave as you. Let's go; we have miles to cover and no time to waste."
Jack sits back as the story playing out below them ends.
"So they are here, on our lands?" Thunder asks.
"Yes."
"What's going to happen to them?" Amaya asks, reaching out to grab Thunder's hand.
Jack looks at Ehawee and says, "You and Thunder may go after the child is born. You will know when the time is right."
Ehawee clenches her fists, and blood starts to run from her hands, where she digs her claws into her own hands. Her alpha eyes glow red, and lightning begins to crackle around her. She turns to Jack and screams, "You piece of shit! You play with our lives like toys for some reason known only to you. You damage us in ways that even your foresight cannot understand, and then you erase us from existence. Go away!"
Jack shrugs and says, "I am not one of you." then he disappears.
Amaya stands up and walks around the table towards Ehawee. "Love, be careful," Jack calls out to her.
"Grandmother?" Amaya says as she kneels beside the older woman and touches her arm.
Ehawee takes a few deep breaths and opens her eyes. She turns to Amaya with tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry." She whispers. "I lost myself in my anger."
"Come, I'll make some tea, and the three of us can have some quiet time together until whatever is going to happen happens. I refuse to believe that nothing good will come of this."
She offers her arm to the older woman, and together, they enter the living room to get her seated. It's still early, so Thunder prepares a plate of scrambled eggs and toast large enough for them to share while Amaya makes breakfast tea.
The two wolves have found shelter on the island under a large pine tree. The lower branches hang down to the ground, and a bare spot underneath shelters them from the weather. The beta has gone into labor, and the alpha is behind her with his bare chest to her back, sharing his energy with her.
"Just a little more, my love. She is almost here." He whispers in her ear. "Our journey is almost over."
The beta struggles for a few more minutes, and a screaming baby girl arrives. The alpha quickly reaches over and grabs the infant before she lands in the dirt. He wipes her face off and wraps her in his shirt, then holds her close to his chest. Her mother takes another minute to deliver the placenta, which she tosses to the side. After a few minutes of rest so her body can heal, she sits up, and they stand together. She takes the baby from her mate, holds her close, and lets her nurse. A huge raven lands and starts to peck at the placenta.
"Congratulations, my love. She is just as beautiful as you are." The alpha says.
"The journey was worth seeing her face, if only for a short while." She replies.
"These are good people. The pack is large and strong, and the alpha is wise. She will be well loved without ever knowing the shame of her origin." He says.
"Finally, we can be at peace."
They stand silently for a while and stare at the infant while she suckles. When she's had her fill and starts to drift off to sleep, the beta wraps her in another shirt and tucks her further under the tree branch, where she will be safe. The raven hops over and stands there next to the infant.
"Guard her, my feathered friend; bring help to her when we are gone." The alpha says. The raven clacks its beak in response.
"Are you ready, my love?" He asks as he kneels on the ground in front of her.
"Are you?" She asks, kneeling in front of him.
"My burden is heavy, and my soul is weary. Grief overwhelms me, and the shame; the shame is unbearable. Release me from this pain."
"What do you offer?"
"I offer my life as payment for the pack members I unwillingly slaughtered for that twisted bitch who destroyed our lands. I offer my soul so that theirs may rest in peace. I offer my alpha spark so our daughter can live without the burden of my shame!" He cries.
"Your offer has been heard and accepted. You are released. Be at peace." She says as she unsheathes her claws and tears out his throat in a single swipe.
On the ground behind her, the infant child starts to scream as her father's alpha spark floods her tiny body with power. When the screams fade to cries, the beta says to her now-dead mate, "I'll see you soon, my love."
She stands and drives clawed fingers into both sides of her neck. Grimacing through the pain, she says, "I offer my blood to the earth so it may nourish this pack and give a bountiful life to our daughter." Then she jerks her hands forward and tears out her own throat.
Ehawee, Thunder, and Amaya rise from their seats and roar simultaneously. They felt the death of the alpha and the rise of a new one.
Thunder and Ehawee take off, running for the door. She is out the door before him, and he grabs their coats before following her. The lake has frozen, so he catches up with her and urges her to wear her jacket. When they reach the far shore, she stops long enough to shrug the thick coat over her body, and they start trudging through the snow. A large raven swoops down over their heads and begins to circle them. It flies forward, then loops up into the air and comes back. Forward and another loop to indicate where they should go. The island is large, but they move quickly, and it takes up to 10 minutes for the raven to guide them to a large pine tree.
Ehawee motions for silence and stands still.
"There. Under the tree." She says as she points to the low-hanging pine boughs.
Thunder gently spreads the branches apart so she can crawl inside and then follows her. Ehawee spots the crying infant and picks her up while Thunder examines the still-warm bodies lying not far away.
"Like broken pieces of a chess game, smashed by a poor loser." He says as he stands up. "I wish we had known more. Perhaps we could have helped them overcome their trauma."
"I forget that Jack is not human, and human morals don't apply to him. Who knows what this little life will bring to us in the future? Her parents paid a heavy price, and I hope she's worth it."
"What will we do with them?" Thunder asks, holding his hands out to take the infant from Ehawee. When she hands him the baby, he opens his parka and tucks her inside against his chest to keep her warm.
Ehawee stands quietly, then waves her arm over the bodies. The roots of the pine tree snake up through the dirt, wrap around them, and pull them into the earth.
"This is where they chose to die. It seems like a suitable resting place. At least here, we can remember the last members of their pack." With another wave, a large stone appears with the word Calis engraved. "Jack has erased them from the world, but they will be remembered in this place."
"We will tell the pack that the raven brought me here to the abandoned infant. You and Amaya will adopt her and raise her as a Lakota. Let her know her birth parents left her here as the ultimate act of love toward her, as they could not care for her properly. You will be her parents, but the entire pack will be her family. Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. Every Lakota in our lands will be her family and her pack. She will never know anything but love."
"What shall we call you, little alpha?" Thunder says, looking down at the little pink face now looking up at him.
Ehawee comes over and looks at the infant girl. "She has beautiful black hair. Her name is Raven Nahele Lakota. Raven of the Lakota Forest. Now, let's go home. You have a daughter to introduce to your mate."
"Grandmother has spoken, little Raven." Thunder whispers, holding the pine branch so Ehawee can return to the snow-covered ground beyond. "This is your first life lesson. Grandmother always gets what she wants."