In the packhouse…
Tatiana had her hands full with sorting through reports about damage and casualties.
The pack hospital was getting filled quickly. In order to handle an unprecedented number of injured, the doctors set up a tent outside to triage patients and do first-aid before deciding if they could be sent home or if they needed to stay in the pack hospital. Cornelia went there with Ivy and Lily to help with patients, and Meg stayed by Tatiana's side to help her with administrative work.
It was busy, and the hardest part was when they needed to take a note of another life lost. The number of fatalities reached seventeen.
Tatiana was exhausted and overwhelmed. She took a sip of now cold coffee and waved to a nearby Omega to bring her another.
"Should you be drinking coffee?" Meg asked Tatiana.
Tatiana puffed her cheeks in frustration. She loved coffee. But now she was pregnant, and she needed to eat (and drink) healthy things.
"Make it herbal tea. Something refreshing.", Tatiana said to the Omega, and then she turned to Meg. "Happy?"
"I will be when you mind-link that woman to make two of those."
Tatiana did as Meg asked, and then she looked around the living room. People were coming in and out, talking in hushed voices. The solemn atmosphere and grim expressions were obvious signs of how serious their situation was.
Tatiana's eyes moved to the papers scattered on the low table in front of her. How did things fall apart so quickly?
They were planning her wedding. It was supposed to be elegant and glamorous, something that future generations will talk about, and they will, but for the wrong reasons.
No one will remember the previous night as the one where Alpha Maddox and Luna Tatiana had a fantastic ceremony. This will be the day of mourning, the day when many perished. Seventeen good people were gone, and Tatiana feared that every next report might increase that number.
The unexpectedly large number of rogues they found within their territory was evidence that someone leaked not only the latest information about their patrols but also helped rogues pick the right spots to hide. That could be done only by someone from the Blue River pack. A traitor.
Tatiana could sense Maddox's anger and anguish mixing, and she was unsure how to help him. He was out there with warriors, ensuring that no rogues were left lingering, but no matter how much they combed the forest, there were always spots left unchecked. Damn it!
Maya and Kalina entered the living room that was filled with people, and Tatiana was in the middle of it all.
"We need a place to store Lulu's body until we can take her home," Maya said to Tatiana right away. "Somewhere cold. With water would be best, so that we can wash her. We don't want her father to see her like that."
Tatiana's heart ached. How much bad news one night can produce?
Tatiana had difficulty believing how that same night, Lulu was in this living room, munching on grapes and enthusiastically escorting Talia, yet now Tatiana needed to find a place for her body.
"I am sorry for your loss," Tatiana said, and Maya nodded in acknowledgment.
"Take her to the basement. An Omega will show you which room you can use."
"Thank you, Tanya," Maya responded, and the fact that she didn't move meant there was more.
"Anything else?" Tatiana asked Maya.
"I don't see Cornelia here."
"She is at the pack hospital, helping."
"Can you send a message that she should come here? There is a situation that only she can handle," Maya said cryptically.
Tatiana's eyes lost focus for a moment, and then she said, "Someone will tell her to come as soon as she can."
Maya thanked Tatiana and left.
"Tanya?" Kalina called.
Before Kalina could say anything, Tatiana was talking.
"You can help me with these." Tatiana gestured at one stack of papers that one Omega had brought in. "Count injured, see if any are dead, take note if repairs or supplies are needed, and let me know if anything stands out."
Seeing that Kalina didn't move, Tatiana looked at her impatiently.
"Did you come to look at me or to help?"
"Neither."
Tatiana couldn't believe this. The correct answer would be to help! "Why are you here then?"
Kalina was trying to figure out how to say this, but there was no point in sugarcoating it, so she decided to say it outright.
"Varya found her mate," Kalina said, and she pressed her lips into a line while bracing for impact.
Tatiana's eyes widened in surprise. That's fantastic news! But why did Kalina's mood seem off? And why did she say it softly so that others don't hear? Tatiana thought of one possibility, "Is he injured?"
"No."
"Then? Is there something wrong with him?"
"You could say that," Kalina said. "He is not affiliated with any pack."
Tatiana was stressed and exhausted, and she hated that Kalina spoke in riddles. What was that supposed to mean? Was he one of their kind? Their parents always said how only special werewolves could live like them: as individuals, without a pack link, and without their wolves going feral. The Wilkow parents spoke about it like it was a big deal, and Kalina should be happy if Varya's mate was one of them. Or was he human?
"Can you stop beating around the bush?" Tatiana asked impatiently. "Just tell me what's the deal with him."
"A rogue."
Tatiana's mouth hung open. "Sorry. It's been a long night. For a moment, I thought you said how he is a rogue."
"That's what I said."
"Is he alive?"
Kalina confirmed. "He was captured by the group from the Dark Howlers pack. Varya said that if we kill him, we need to kill her as well."
Tatiana was sure that the room was spinning. "Where is she? I want to talk to her!"
"Caden is watching them outside on the driveway. We are still not sure where to take them."
"Them? THEM?" Tatiana's temper was rising. "Who is THEM!?"
All Omegas in the room covered under the wave of Tatiana's aura. It was obvious that their Luna was angry.
Kalina raised her hands, palms up, indicating to Tatiana to calm down. "Them. Them. Didn't I tell you that Varya found her mate? They are together. His name is Grady."
Kalina wanted to say how he seemed to be a good guy, but the truth was that Kalina didn't believe in that herself. And how can she vouch for a man who came with the same group which caused all this mess?
Kalina saw fights and injuries, but this was different. People died. Until a few minutes ago, she was escorting Lulu's body. That was Lulu, a female she knew, a warrior with a promising future, Talia's personal guard, about the same age as Kalina… but it was all gone now. A life was gone.
Kalina had no idea how Tatiana was holding on, but she knew that if this happened in the Lightclaw pack, she would feel responsible for every injury and death. That was a weight too heavy for anyone to carry. And Kalina could guess that Tatiana hated rogues specifically.
"Grady," Tatiana said with disgust. "Now they have names, do they?"
Tatiana stood up abruptly and walked out in large strides.
Kalina was quick to follow after her sister.
What will Tatiana do? Kalina was unsure, but Tatiana always had a temper, and now she was also under the influence of pregnancy hormones. Kalina had a good guess that Grady should brace for impact and Varya should get ready to defend her bond.
