Page 45 of The Dark War

Kane

Driedbloodcoveredmychest. Clara’s arms were full of children of various ages clinging to her as if their life depended on it. Tiny tears streamed down their dirty faces, leaving small paths of sorrow in their wake. They were no longer crying, their eyes filled with darkness, void of anything that they once were. As Clara questioned them about what happened, they weren’t able to answer. They just knew they were no longer with their parents and were completely broken from their families.

The ages ranged from four to ten. We couldn’t save any of the younger ones. They all died when their little hands clung to their mothers' chests as the witch sent the electrical currents their way.

I couldn’t look at Clara, not when she asked if there were any babies that had survived. I wasn’t sure if we would have been able to save them if we wanted to. The shifting alone was painful as I half-shifted to Torin’s form. The area was riddled with dark magic. Not being able to sense it when we entered the territory was disturbing.

I would have been the only one able to carry the babies, but the vampires attacked me two and three at a time. I was just too late, and that would haunt me for the rest of my days. Clara stayed quiet, hushing the children and letting them cry into her chest. They trusted her more than I. I let them get their peace, let her healing aura protect them as I held Evelyn.

Evie looked on in wonder as her mother held the others. I wouldn’t be surprised if Clara wanted to adopt them all and the funny part was, I think I’d let her.

My mate would be the one to heal them, and I couldn’t deny that.

Roland sat staring out the window into the darkness. The young alpha pup had seen more than any child should, but his wolf that lay dormant in his body knew it had to do something. Protect the children that were left and gain revenge for the death of his parents. My fists tightened, and Evie’s squeak had me loosening the hold.

Marcus had stayed behind. He and three other warriors stayed to help burn the bodies of the vampires we had been able to slaughter. The wolves, the whole innocent pack that was slaughtered, would be given proper burials, but the ceremony to watch their spirits ascend into the stars would have to be put on hold.

One massive ceremony at the end of this war would be for the best. We couldn’t take the risk of having wolves travel to the dark wood to wish them well on their journey to the afterlife.

At least they had their mates.

At sunrise, we reached the pack borders. The link had been restored after the witch’s body was killed by Clara. It didn’t settle well with her, not in the slightest. The dried blood that coated her skin made her body itchy. The way she tried to scratch it away with her claws had me grabbing her hand constantly to steady her.

Warriors, briefed on the ordeal, came forward. Men and women who held extra rooms in their homes came to the children. None of them cried or complained as they were taken into their temporary homes. Their bodies clung to whatever adult they could, daring not to let go.

“Thank you,” Clara said softly, taking the youngest out of her hold. “Sweet one, Leia is going to take care of you until we figure out what to do.” The little pup sniffed and gave one more hug before going to Leia. “I don’t know if she remembers if her family was attacked by vampires,” Clara said through the mind-link. Torin purred, pleased that Clara would leave her link open for us to hear.

“Don’t worry, we will take it slow. Kyler is helping the warriors with patrolling right now,” Leia replied as she held out a wolf stuffed animal. “We are going to be great friends, huh?” The little girl nodded, smiling, taking the stuffed wolf.

Clara breathed heavily as we took our daughter into the pack house. Keeping my hand placed on her lower back, she carried Evelyn, who had dozed off in her arms. Placing her in the bassinet, Clara stared longing at her. Her mind twisted into darkness, spiraling down faster than I could pick her up and put her in my arms.

“Love.” I growled in her ear. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Clara didn’t move, still staring down at our daughter. “I’m scared to leave her; I have to protect her.” Growling, I picked my mate up, taking her to the bathroom. She whimpered, but she didn’t protest as I led her to the hot shower I already had running. The warriors stationed outside our room would alert us.

Holding her under the shower, I let the steam fill the room. Her head lay on my shoulder, her exhausted body letting me work those tired muscles as I sat down in the shower. We let the water blast over our bodies. I reached for the soap, slowly washing her, taking care of my mate as she silently cried.

I could tell her to stop, tell her to dry her tears and I would take care of everything, but there was fucking shit I could do. There wasn’t an impending war; the war was upon us. The battles around the Cerulean Moon Kingdom were becoming too frequent.

On top of it all, my mate felt obligated to fix it. She was a fixer. She fixed me, she fixed the rage in my heart, but hell, she didn’t have to do anything. Just having her was what I needed. She sated me, Torin, and the rage that boiled inside me.

The worst part was I knew it was her mother that was pushing her. Clara had lived so carefreely, the sunshine to my darkness, until she began her lessons. She felt like she should please her parents—her mother, most of all—because she was the one to take control of the kingdom. Too much pressure, too much shit my mate had to deal with.

It was going to stop.

Rocking her back and forth, her cries stopped. My lips grazed her forehead as she settled. The dried blood washed away, bringing new life to the darkness that tried to hover over her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as the heat rained down. “I’m overwhelmed.”

“Anyone would be,” I muttered. “You were thrown into all this shit, and now your mom is giving you too much responsibility too soon.” Chuckling, emerald eyes gazed into mine.

“She feels like she has to shove it all in my head quickly, huh? Like I’m supposed to take over soon.” Torin growled, my chest vibrating. Biting her lip, her head laid back on my chest. The blood had completely washed down the drain, and her wet hair stuck to my skin.

“You don’t think she’s planning on doing it soon, do you?” she muttered. The back of my head tapped the wall.

Fuck, I sure as hell hope not.

“Alpha,” August interrupted our conversation. Clara’s head tried to leave my chest, but I put it back to feel her warmth. Sighing, she listened through our link. “The king and queen have been attacked while their carriage was just over the ridge. Her majesty is healing, but they fear the life of the baby.”

“Goddess, no!” Clara jumped up, but I held her in place. “Get her to the infirmary. We are on our way,” I ordered. Clara began to shift her body out of my arms, and the panic crashed down on her in waves. My hands reached to keep her face trained on me.

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