LERRIN - Anima

Lerrin stood, staring at his sister's broken, blood-spattered body where it had been tossed in the dirt, and the rage that had fueled him was twisted by grief into something deeper. Colder.

The others had all stepped back to give him space as was his due. He was the sole remaining Alpha, and he carried his father's power. And this was his sister.

Unwilling to allow the others to see his feelings, he stood over Lucine, tracing her with his eyes, inhaling her cooling scent. He did not allow his face to move.

The trackers had circled the little clearing, and the cave, then reported through the pack mind. They did not yet know where the weak human, and her twisted horse advisor had gone, their scents muddled everywhere in the clearing and cave, but no single tracks could be found, save those coming in—which they could recognize because there was no blood trail on it. But the bird, at least, was dead—at Lucine's hand.

The only scent trails that led away from this clearing were Reth and Behryn's.

Lerrin knew where the Queen and her lame horse had gone, but he had vowed to keep the secret. When he spoke, it was through clenched teeth.

"Find the traitor King and his donkey,

" he said, and through the pack mind he sent images of a bleeding horse and lion being set upon by the pack. Their calls and howls of approval rose, but they didn't stop listening.

"Find them. Kill the horse. But hold the Cat for me. If anyone so much as nicks his skin, I will bite out their throat,

" he snarled.

They protested, then submitted when he looked at each of them.

"Send me your location when you reach them. Go.

"

He didn't move when they turned to run, following the trail.

He didn't move when they disappeared from view between the trees.

He waited until all sound and sight of them were out of reach, and even then he stood for another ten breaths.

Then, closing his eyes just for a moment, he dropped to his knees in the dirt alongside his sister and with a high-pitched whine, gathered her in. Her head lolled too easily against his arm because that **ing cat had snapped her neck. Lerrin growled and yanked the blade out of her spine, throwing the thing away into the trees. Then he buried his face in her shirt.

His mother had died when he was only seven, in the failed birth of what should have his and Lucine's younger brother.

His father had died just days ago at the hands of this self-serving King.

And now his only living pack-member, the Alpha Female, and… his little sister.

Cutting himself off from the pack mind, he howled his mourning alone.

Utterly alone.

No wolf should ever be alone.

He called to Lucine, again and again, the tiny huff he'd used for her since she was born, when he'd been only three and thought she was his. His sister. His cub. He pleaded with the Creator to return the spark of life to her cooling body.

But she remained still.

Dead.

Cold.

When he finally raised his face and let the breeze filtering through the trees dry the tears on his cheeks, when he stood with her in his arms and began walking to the spot where he would bury her because if he could not put her to the pyre, he would not leave her here to be devoured by the silent ones.

The bird might deserve it. His sister did not.

He laid Lucine out gently on a small patch of grass between two great trees, tucking her arm under her cheek, as if she slept.

And then he took his beast form and began to dig.

That **ing cat was going to pay.

*****

He covered her face last. It was an indulgence, wasted time to take such care, to leave her sleeping as long as he could. But when the moment came, he reached in to comb her hair back from her face, huffed her call again then, groaning his grief, he used shaking hands to pull the last pile of dirt over her. And with each crumbling armful, he vowed.

The traitor King would die.

The WildWood would shift to Pack rule.

Family first.

Family before all.

The Pack was his family now. He would not let them down.

*****

He marked the ground so the Silent Ones wouldn't dig her up, then turned away rolling his neck with a sigh. He had to open himself the pack mind again. He'd already been apart too long. But he hesitated.

He stood in the shelter of a great tree, sunlight breaking through to dapple the dirt and grass under his feet. A small creek trickled just feet away. The forest dwellers were silent—his scent frightened them. But he'd heard the slight skitters and the brush of leaves or feathers at times when his back was turned, as they sought to flee him. They didn't know he wouldn't harm them.

The moment was serene in a way he hadn't experienced in years and he was loathe to break it. The memories of the past few days, of the losses, beat at the back of his mind, but he allowed himself a breath to hold them off.

And suddenly Lerrin found a measure of peace.

It was odd. Yet something within him curled around it, wanted to grasp it, to dig a den here and just… rest. He allowed himself one thought, one vision: A den on a hill with a loyal mate, cubs, and… nothing else. His own family. Built from his own will and heart. No kingdom. No war. No pack except the one they built.

A fresh beginning.

Peace.

Then, with a subconscious swipe of his hand to wipe the image away, he gave a heavy sigh and turned.

His eyes fell on the cave mouth across the clearing, and his entire body went rigid with a whole new vision.

Though the pack was ignorant, he knew where the Queen had gone.

It was a carefully guarded secret that his father had only shared with he and Lucine. The two males his father had taken to find the false Queen, to bring her to Anima back when they'd been so confident she was utterly weak and that her death would only weaken the King, had both disappeared, never returned to the pack.

His father had brought the sacrifice through alone—or at least, had dispatched the other two before he returned to the pack mind. Lerrin had never asked.

The portal was as much danger as it was opportunity. But in that moment, utterly alone, and reckless with grief he considered it.

She couldn't have gotten far. Was likely still with the Guardians. He could just do it. Go through, find her, and kill her. Bring the scent of her death back to Anima with him, find the King and flaunt it.

There would be no better torment for Reth, he knew.

But the thought tightened his asshole and had his metaphorical tail itching to tuck between his legs.

His father had refused to take him and Lucine through for a reason.

The Traverse had almost killed Lucan the last two times he'd walked it. Even with the Alpha power. Even with the warnings. The last return, bringing the sacrifice to Anima, was the first time Lerrin had ever seen his father pale.

He'd made Lerrin and Lucine both swear they would never walk it without great need. Warned them that it could mean the end.

And right now he needed to lead the Pack.

Lerrin eyed the cave. To bring the traitor King to his knees… was there a greater need?

Rage burned in his chest. Then an image bloomed in his head of Reth on his knees, roaring his grief as Lerrin smiled and enjoyed watching the cat taste the pain he wrought on others.

He prowled towards the cave.