Chapter 2

An hour after her departure, men clad in black combat gear entered the property. They slowly approached the homestead. Mackenzie was already waiting for them.

"Mackenzie Daire? We are here on behalf of the Were Council. We would like to know your stand on the revelations of our kind," said the leader of the group.

Mackenzie, ever the Alpha, stood with his arms across his chest and said, "My stand is still the same as I told your council a week ago. NO."

The leader of the group raised his gun and continued to talk, "You do know the consequence of your decision, Alpha. My council does not accept no for an answer."

"My husband is well aware of the setback. And we are ready whatever you and your men will do," Celeste said as she stood beside her husband.

That was when the first shot was fired. Celeste got hit on the shoulder, instantly taking her down. Enraged, Kenzie roared in anger and changed into a massive dire wolf. Unable to help her husband, and knowing the outcome, all Celeste could do was cast the final spell:

"May the right justice be served, oh mother, hear my plea.

Let someone righteous be sent to help my family.

Amas, deity who moves to pity, love, unity, and peace of heart, help my daughter find what she is looking for. Branwen, see to it that her mate will be sent.

By the power given to me when I was born,

I release you from my body and choose your master who you will serve.

Make sure the chosen one is worthy of thy power,

For it not, all of you will be lost,

This I degree as the master sorcerer, so mote it be."

As she said the last word, another bullet hit her, piercing her heart and instantly taking her life.

Kenzie felt the loss of his mate and tried to go to her side, but his enemies shot him repeatedly. Each bullet caused him to slow down. But he was determined to reach his mate.

"Stop shooting!" The leader said. He looked at the last remaining Dire wolf. Then, struggling to reach his mate, when he reached the landing of the house, he carefully lifted his mate and cradled her lifeless body against his bloody one.

"My life and yours are forever entwined," he whispered, "We shall see each other again, on the other side."

The men looked at the couple with cold eyes. Ignoring the fact that they just killed two innocent lives.

"Search the place," he commanded. "Make sure that you burned all the files you find." But as the men approached the homestead, they could not set foot even on the first step of the stairs, like an invisible wall was around it. Not even a bullet can hit the two dead occupants.

Frustrated, the leader commanded his troops to withdraw and never tell anyone what happened that they couldn't get the things they needed. And just like that, they disappeared.

All that was left were two creatures mated until their last dying breath.

~~~~~

As Serena pulled to the outskirts of the nearby town, she looked at the grocery list again, then she shooked her head. Canned peaches, an assortment of nuts, orange, pineapple, and cranberry juice. She shuddered; why the heck would mom and dad buy these? She thought. Opening the car's door, she stepped out of the vehicle, all the while grabbing her phone, and headed to the grocery. Hoping upon hope that there are few people inside.

Halfway thru her shopping, she felt a twinge on her chest. Not a painful one, but more like a sudden stab in the heart. I wonder how mom and is, thinking about her parents. She stopped at the chocolate aisle. Her mom and dad love it. While her mom goes to the traditional chocolate mix. Dad makes his own, and it's not for the faint-hearted. She remembers eating a chocolate bar with jalapeno, from then on she learned to label all her dad's chocolate creations.

With all the things on the list on her cart, she proceeds to the check-out counter. She pulled her dad's black card. But when her finger brushed the name of the card, it changed. She slowly looked at the card, her heart thudding loudly. "No," she whispered. On the black American Express card was not her father's name but hers.

She waited anxiously as each of the items was scanned, sensing something was wrong. Finally, she hurriedly put all the groceries in the car and sped away from the mart. A spark suddenly appeared on the side about a mile from her house.

"Lem?" She said the spark turned into a little man with pointy ears and glowing red skin. Hands shaking, she let it land on her upturn palm. "Why are you here? You should be with mom."

The spark closed its eyes, and a single tear fell as three more sparks showed themselves, "Lily? Beth? Mac? Why are you showing yourselves to me?" She quickly restarted the car and drove quickly to her house. "Please, please be okay. I need them to be okay, guys. Please tell me they are okay." Tears started to fall in her eyes. Her hands gripping the wheel tightly.

By the time she reached their property, everything was quiet. There was no wind in the air, the birds that usually chirped when twilight falls were absent, and even the crickets were not heard. It was then that she saw them.

Slumped on the wall near the doorway were her parents. "No, no, no, no," she repeatedly said as she ran to them. Finally, she stopped at the foot of the stairs. Her father, in his changed form, cradling her mom, their hands entwined, his head resting on hers as if they were just sleeping. But the pool of blood surrounding them said a different story.

The four sparks surrounded them, landing on the blood, the shoulder of the Alpha male and female. Magical cleaning the blood.

"Mom, dad?" Slowly she knelt near them, touching them, telling herself that it was just a dream they were not dead. I'm just dreaming. But when her hand touch her mom's hands, they were cold. "Mom, wake up, please. I brought you some chocolate. I'm sorry I took the last one. Please wake up." Her tears started to fall as she talked to Celeste. His fur was still warm when she reached her father, but no heartbeat. "Dad? Please wake up, please," she pleaded. "Don't leave me, please..." A sob broke out as she continued to talk, "you were supposed to teach me woodwork, dad... please wake up...dad." another sob followed as she touched her mom's hand, "you are supposed to tell me about my mate, mom..." She was sobbing uncontrollably as she sat beside her dad. Burying her face on his furry, she cried and cried until a scream of anguish escaped her lips.

Her scream resonated across the globe, a sign of death. A resonant that can only be done by the sole Alpha and heir of a Were clan.

Once it was released, Serena hugged her parents' lifeless bodies, crying her loss as the four little sparks hovered, crying with her.

~~~~

Somewhere in Scotland.

Two phones rang at the same time. One was answered, while the other one continued to ring. The man standing in front of the window closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer. He wasn't expecting such a thing could happen.

Not with this Alpha.

The resonance had reached him, and it wasn't a normal death. He took a deep breath, pulled his mobile from his pocket, and dialed one single number. He waited, when the person at the end of the line answered, he said, "My friend, I need your son."