Chapter 6 What Duty?

• I could see them, the slashing, the massacre.
• “No! I'm not running!” I say defiantly. “There's no way I'm running, and leaving my people behind.”
• My mother cries. “You have to!”
• “Run! Run, Autumn! Run!” My father yells.
• My breath hitched and my eyes went open suddenly.
• I was back in that same room, the Luna's room. Damn, Xavier's territory.
• Beads of perspiration trickled down my face even though I had fallen asleep on the cold tiles.
• I groan unconsciously as I sit up. My back still hurts and I figure that I haven't even healed at all.
• It doesn't even matter. It was only the tip of the iceberg. I need to find my way out of here as soon as possible.
• The door opens suddenly and my heart skips a beat at the thought that it could be Tito.
• However, it is Elixir.
• “Mistress!” She calls softly and I can vividly see the happiness on her face. “Your parents were captured, and not killed as well as some of your packs,” she revealed.
• I feel a sense of relief descends on me. This is the moon goddess' way of telling me I still have a chance.
• I look at her quickly. “Can I meet with them for a few minutes? I don't mind. Two minutes is enough for me.”
• Elixir pouts her lip briefly and suddenly bursts out. “Yes. The Alpha is out with the beta, the gamma, and several of his men. So, it was easy for me to bribe the soldiers at the dungeon,” she explains.
• I smile, the pain in my back already forgotten.
• I have no idea what has happened and I need to find out. If I had no idea, I wouldn't know how to solve this mess.
• “Come, I will take you there,” Elixir offers.
• I managed to get up with her help. I smile at her. “It's ok, I'm fine.”
• She looks at me with worries written all over her face. “This will all be over if the Alpha finds the Luna. Who knows, he might bring her home today.”
• I prayed silently to the moon goddess because that was the fastest solution. Though, I wonder what would happen to me next.
• Would I be rejected and killed?
• I know I shouldn't be worried about such a thing but I just couldn't help it.
• My whole life is at stake at both options.
• “Yes, let's go,” I mutter.
• Elixir nods once and walks out of the room.
• I follow her quickly.
• We walk along the hallway for a while before we take a turn to our left. We walked further in and eventually had to walk out of the building.
• We only stop in front of a cave.
• “We are here,” Elixir announced but didn't wait. She walks inside and I follow.
• I feel the chilly air around me suddenly. I can't believe this is where Xavier kept my parents.
• Elixir stops in front of a cell. “Your parents,” she mutters and gestures ahead of her. “You can speak to them while I watch out for you,” she suggested and quickly walked out before I could say anything.
• Shock keeps me motionless and speechless for what seems like an eternity as I watch father and mother in the cell. The fact that I get to sleep in a room but my parents will be in here breaks my heart.
• The tears threaten to break but I blink it away bravely and move closer.
• “Dad, mom?”
• My mom looked at me and I could see the stress look on her face. My mom was not the healthy one anyway. She gets sick a lot and has to go through a lot of treatment.
• What will become of me if she dies?
• She stares at me in shock for a moment. “Autumn?”
• “You are here?” My dad was also shocked.
• “Yes,” my mom says quickly. “Why are you here? You were supposed to be away!”
• I nod briefly. At that moment, I couldn't stop the tears anymore. I blink and it streams down my face, making me even more miserable.
• My parents' sacrifices have been in vain. In the end, I wasn't even able to protect the silver wolf.
• “I didn't make it. The Alpha's men came after me,” I explained.
• I thought of telling them that Alpha Xavier is my mate but no, that wouldn't do. It would just worry them the more. Besides, I need to think of a way out of this mess.
• My father regards my clothes for a moment. “But why are you dressed like this?”
• “Well, it looks like the Alpha has another use for me. That's why I'm not in the cell like you. But I need to get you out of here. Can I know what really happened to the Luna?”
• My father hesitates briefly and pulls out a small note. He stretches it out to me and I take it.
• “We received the note two days early that the Luna was going to take our route and she was in danger,” he started.
• I look at the note. Truly, the note talks about the danger that the Luna is going to face. It was even dated.
• “So, we decided to go there. Apparently, we were late. When we got there, the Luna was missing and her men were dead.”
• That means someone set my pack up. They lured my father there and made it look like he took the Luna.
• “And well, we have a bad relationship with the Alpha king,” my mom chimes in.
• Which made it perfect! The Alpha would never believe us.
• “Mistress!” Elixir calls suddenly and moves closer. “We have to leave now. I don't want the guards to know that you were here and they will be back any moment from now,” she reveals.
• I nod and look at my father. “I will be back. Please, take care.”
• My mom opened her mouth to say something but I was already rushing out of the dungeon.
• “Mistress, hurry up!” Elixir calls out.
• I followed her quickly and we ran as fast as our legs could carry us until we were in the hallway.
• I slow down, barely catching my breath as we enter the Luna's room.
• Elixir turns to me immediately. “Were you able to talk to them?”
• I nod once. Though I have that urge to tell her everything, including the note, but I change my mind immediately.
• Elixir has been helpful to me but I don't think I should start bothering her with all my problems. I will do this alone.
• The door opens suddenly and the chilly air I felt in the dungeon rushes at me again. I feel uneasy immediately.
• That same feeling! There's no way I would miss it!
• Elixir shivers and steps aside. “Alpha.”
• I force my eyes up, to look at the Alpha. He looks like a demon now and I couldn't stop the hard beating of my heart.
• Elixir didn't wait for further instructions and hurried out of the room.
• I swallow hard on the lump that has suddenly appeared in my throat. Unconsciously, I feel my legs move backward on their own accord as the Alpha moves closer to me.
• But within a twinkle of an eye, he is standing so close to me and pinning me down with his dark scary eyes.
• “What do you think you are doing walking around?” His voice sounds harsh and scary.
• Now that he's standing so close. It feels like the room suddenly went smaller. His height was really intimidating.
• “Or did you think I wouldn't know you went to see your parents?”
• How did he know?
• “Do you even have the slightest idea why you are here?”
• I didn't know what to say, so I kept shut.
• “Before Gwen’s parents arrive, before you are ready to meet them, you are not to roam around. If anyone discovers that you are not Gwen, I will kill you first,” he threatened.
• “Do you hear me!” He yells, angrily when I don't answer.
• I nod quickly, unable to say a word.
• I feel his eyes on me again. I couldn't look at him. I'm too afraid to do so. “I haven't seen my mate, did your father tell you where he's hiding her?”
• I gather my strength. “My father didn't take your Luna.”
• He chuckles like I just cracked a joke. “Then who did?”
• “Someone, I don't know but it's entirely someone else and I'm going to find out.”
• He looks away and huffs. “Does it look like I came to listen to your cock and bull story? The mere sight of you standing in this room angers me. I could kill you this instant but I won't,” he looks at me again, and a smirk appears on his face. “Why will I even do that when I could make you stay alive and regret your whole existence?”
• What!
• “You are my mate, aren't you?”
• I blinked once, unsure of where he was getting at.
• “Then be ready to perform your duty as one,” he mutters and he is suddenly out of the room.
• What! I nearly stop breathing.