Awakening The Silver Wolf

DARIUS POV 

After cleaning up and dressing in the clothes I had stocked the cabin with, we began the short walk back to the packhouse. 

Even though Ravenna tried to hide it I could feel her disappointment and sadness. She had wanted to explore the cabin. I would have let her but from Lucian's tone, I could tell it was really important.

Whatever it was I wouldn't let it delay her, and she could go back to the cabin. 

The cabin had been an idea that had struck me two days ago when Mia had literally called me out on my bullshit. Ravenna felt overwhelmed with everything that was happening and needed space to process it. 

The cabin had been perfect. I had gotten it ready for today with no small work. Half of the entire pack had built it while the other had brought everything in the cabin.

I wanted it to be ready for her ceremony. And it was. My pack had worked day and night building it. I didn't know how to thank them. 

We got to the packhouse and it was still brewing with people, more coming in by the minute, each carrying a gift. By the end of this one week, I was sure even the spacious ballroom wouldn't be able to contain all the gifts.

We climbed up to my office and when we entered the festive mood immediately evaporated. Lucian, Mia, and Dalian were all in my office, the latter pacing. 

When they heard the door open they all turned to us. From their faces, I could already tell I wasn't going to like whatever they were about to say. 

"Is everything alright?" Ravenna asked, her gaze drifting between all of them with concern.

Dalian was the one who answered. "I'm afraid not." He took a deep breath, but it did nothing to release the tension that was gripping him tightly. "I'm deeply sorry that I'll be the bearer of bad news on such a joyous day, but there's been… an incident back at home."

Ravenna took a step towards him, her forehead wrinkled with a frown. I wanted to smooth it away. I hated anything that caused her distress. "W-what incident?" 

When Dalian looked at her with his eyes filled with pain I wanted to tell him to shut up. Whatever he was about to say would definitely hurt Ravenna. But I couldn't shield her from this. 

"Our village was attacked," he answered and Ravenna swayed on her feet. I was immediately there, holding her up. "Those bastards have found us. We'll have to move. Again." His jaw was clenched so tight I could hear his teeth grounding.

"Again?" Ravenna asked, her voice small. 

Dalian nodded. "Again, Daliah. Over the years we have never settled in one place for long before they keep tracking us. And so we keep changing locations. But this time… this time they found us too soon." 

"Where would they go?"

Dalian sighed, his shoulders falling. He suddenly looks ten years older. "I don't know, Daliah," he whispered, his voice sounding defeated. "I don't know." 

Ravenna pushed away from me and walked to her brother, holding his hand. "Why keep running? Why not stay and fight?" 

"You don't understand!" he shouted as he ripped his hand away from Ravenna, causing her to flinch. I took a step towards them but stopped when Mia shook her head at me. 

"You don't understand," Dalian repeated in a smaller voice, walking back to Ravenna and holding her hands gently. "We're going extinct, Daliah. Our women are being taken from us, our men are being killed trying to protect them. Our elders are dying, our children can't have a normal childhood because we are always on the move. We're just a few left. We can't fight them with our number. It'll only just resolve in more of us dying, more of our numbers reducing." 

A silver of tears formed in Ravenna's eyes and Dalian brushed it away with his thumb. "We could fight them, Dalian," she said softly. I didn't miss the way she said 'we'. "If we continue running they'll continue coming. I may not know much about our people but I know we are strong. We're the strongest wolves alive. Why should we allow those weaker bastards to decide our fate? Why should we allow them to chase us from our homes? To take our future away from us?" 

She was trembling with her rage now the more she spoke. 

Oh, my Ravenna. Always the one to fight back, never the one to step back. I couldn't have asked for a better mate.

"Let us fight back and take back what's ours," she continued, her hands squeezing Dalian's. "Let us show them who Lupinarians really are. Let us give our children the childhood they deserve. Let us fight back so that in the future mothers won't give their daughters away because they're trying to keep them safe." 

Dalian's hand trembled as he raised it and placed it on Ravenna's cheek, wiping her tears away. "Mother would burst with pride if she could see you right now," he whispered, a tear slipping past his eyes. "You're so much like her, in almost every way." 

Ravenna wiped the tear with her thumb. "Then let us honor her memory and fight for our home." 

I heard a sniff and turned to see Mia fighting to keep her tears at bay, even Lucian's face was without his normal scowling, and had a tender look as he watched the twins. 

Fuck, even my own chest was feeling heavy like they were someone sitting on it. I was with Ravenna in every way. The Lupinarians should fight for their homes, and take back what was theirs.

Those greedy bastards had taken some much from them, and also from me. They took my mother away from me, my childhood. If my mother haven't died, my father wouldn't have gotten fucked up and I wouldn't have gone through all those bullshits.

They made Ravenna's mother give her away, forcing her to leave without her family and her wolf. 

They had taken so much, and broken so many families, and I think it was time that ended. They have gone enough. 

"We would lose, Daliah," Dalian told Ravenna, defeat painting his words.

"No, you won't," I said, drawing everyone's attention to me. "Because I'm going to help."

All four mouths dropped open, staring at me with disbelief, awe, and surprise. Ravenna was the first to recover. "You will?" 

I nodded at her. "Yes, I will." And then I walked to her and held her gently by the shoulders. "They have taken enough from us. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life looking behind your shoulder. So I will do this for you, Ravenna. I will do this for my mother. Me wanting to take control of the wolf world was not the way. This is what I should have done years ago. But it's never too late to start. We'll take them down Ravenna. All of them. Which is a few, by the way," I added smugly. "I've taken out a lot over the years." 

Ravenna gave a wet laugh before she threw her arms around me and held me tight. I held her back, resting my chin as I turned to Lucian. "It seems we're getting our revenge after all."