Episode 18

Catleia clutched the female's wrist tightly and with determination, said:

"Continue, Luna, let's see what's there," she insisted on calling her by the title, so no one would dare disrespect her further.

June carried on, and as the roots revealed themselves, rising, they brought with them a bundle of ragged, filthy fabric, forming a small package, likely buried there for many years. Catleia released the woman, pushing her away, and the beta caught her. Approaching the roots, which offered the package, she took it.

She stepped back, and in the firelight, cautiously opened the bundle to find the remains of a whelp, with a tiny dagger thrust into its chest and its little head separated from the body. By the color distinctive in the old fabric, it was a girl. Catleia lifted her face to the heavens and screamed, and soon after, her wolf rose to the surface and howled loudly, mourning the pain.

"Rude, wrap the body again, return it to the roots, and take your mother away."

He did not question but did as instructed, and the roots accepted the bundle, lifting it as the fire expanded and burned the remains. When they turned to dust, a breeze carried them away, leaving nothing behind. The fire spread to the beta's mate, stopping in front of her and June asked:

"What did you do?"

"You vile witch, who do you think you are?" the woman shouted, beside herself.

"Answer, what did you do?" June demanded again.

The fire approached perilously close, and the beta, sensing danger, withdrew, pulling his daughter away, leaving the female kneeling on the ground.

"She deserved it, never should have been in our way," she shouted in response.

"You, you alone are to blame for this crime. Tell us what you did!" June insisted.

"WITCH!"

The fire scorched the female, and she decided to speak.

"I delivered babies back then, and she had twins, despite all the potions I gave her to kill the offspring, they were born. So, I enchanted the female whelp and let the male live, because it would only work with a female."

"But what did you do, for what purpose?" Rude asked, releasing his dominance, tired of the evasion.

"It was to separate the mates, Ramon and Catleia, and to ensure Rude would never be recognized as a son. Please, stop!" she pleaded in desperation.

The fire could hold back no longer and engulfed the woman, who writhed as she burned, and a black smoke emerged from her, dissipating into the air as her body turned to ash, and the earth swallowed her.

June gathered the fire and approached Catleia, embracing her. She could feel the pain of a mother losing her child so violently. She had seen it before at La Cruz house, when the young girls gave birth and the babies could not survive.

"I'm so sorry, Catleia," said June.

"Thank you, dear. You've freed us from a great evil," Catleia responded, supported by Rude.

"Shall we go inside?" Rude addressed everyone present, "Thank you all, and I'm sorry, beta Julius."

He moved to leave, supporting his mother, and June watched them go, and once again, he forgot her. She let her wolf out, startling everyone with its strength and size, and ran into the forest, needing time alone.

Catleia noticed and said to her son:

"That's how your father lost me, will you let it happen again?"

He looked in the direction of the wolf and replied:

"Let her be alone for a bit, I'll go soon."

His mother felt sadness for him but said no more and went into the house with him, released him, and went to the backyard, stripped, and let her wolf out, following the scent of Luna's wolf. She ran until she caught up, brushed against her side, and she stopped, locking eyes with what would be her mother-in-law.

A female who had suffered so greatly, yet still had enough mercy to come to her and empathize. If wolves could laugh, it was as if they smiled at each other and, together, they ran, hunted, bathed in the river, and laid side by side on the bank, sleeping.

Rude realized his mother did what he should have done and chided himself. He heard someone call him and responded. It was his second in command, beta Gomes.

"Hi, Gomes."

"Sorry to come after you at this time, but I need to be apprised of all this and know what actions to take."

"Yes, sit down, and I'll fill you in on the recent events."

Rude recounted his steps from leaving the Pack to the present moment, and Gomes wore an expression of pure horror.

"You seem upset and confused, why?"

"She, with these powers, seems stronger than me and even commanded me, on the way, saying that she protects me, not the other way around."

Galvao laughed heartily and said:

"You wouldn't be the Alpha male you are if you didn't feel this way. With time, you'll understand each other, you're both young, inexperienced, you need to spend more time together."

"My mother said that's how she lost my father, she ran, and he didn't follow."

"I don't think that's what happened; you went inside and left your female outside alone, without even calling her into your house, which is now hers too."

"I was a fool, wasn't I?"

"Somewhat, I'll give you credit for being inexperienced, but you'll have to learn quickly, or this Luna will take your place." Galvao continued to laugh.

He remembered how hard it was to win his female; for the more important the male's position, the stronger the female must be. Ramon was very strong, though young, and had already defeated many Alphas, unifying the Packs, forming one large, powerful one; only a worthy Luna could match.

"My mother went after her."

"Then let the two of them understand each other. Go take a bath, eat, rest, and I'll put the house in order. Everything will be resolved, especially now with two powerful Lunas in the Pack."

Rude managed a smile; his beta was older and more experienced and had a way of making him trust that everything would be all right.

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