Black Ice-Completed

Take care of my daughter, Veronica. She is all we have left of Analise.

Those were the last words Braytek had said before leaving for the challenge and Nyota was still irritated by it. She had just turned eleven and that’s all her father had said. Not take care my daughter, or I’m so proud of you, or even I love you.

Nyota understood Braytek and his love for Analise, who had died in child birth to her baby sister. Neither had survived so Nyota understood but why couldn’t he have understood that she was her own person? She knew she was nothing like Analise because her Aunt Veronica would always lecture Nyota about being more like her.

Braytek had left Nyota frustrated, and to be honest, heartbroken. It showed he loved her only because Nyota reminded him of his dead wife and the future of the pack, nothing more or less.

Enough, Nyota growled to herself and went to her feet. She was done with the pity party. Nyota had more important things to do, such as hunting because somehow Veronica’s larder was extremely low of meat. There was an assortment of veggies and dried fruit but meat was nonexistent.

Sighing once again, Nyota went into the usual stance to hunt. It had been several weeks already since she started staying with her aunt for the winter. Both thought it best because if one of them seen the falcon they’d be able to follow whatever Braytek had given them.

She knew it wouldn’t be long when the falcon would show up if Braytek lost and died within the challenge. Nyota was trying to keep positive though. Braytek was a strong wolf and would easily defeat Lyosha who was well into his forties.

It made Nyota pause. If her oldest half-brother was in his forties, how old did that make their father? How long did Black Ice wolves live?

There was still so much to learn. Growling low, Nyota pushed it out of her mind and went back to hunting. If she wanted meat she would have to catch it. The Gods forbid Aunt Veronica from trying.

It didn’t take Nyota long from finding a large enough deer for them to be set for a while. Following the trail, she had to bite her lip from grinning. Yet again the deer in this valley were predictable. They always stayed in the far thicket during winter but Nyota was thankful that Patou had taught her how to track. It made hunting a bit easier.

Circling around so that the buck wouldn’t catch her scent, she pulled back her arm to fling the spear towards it but just as suddenly, lightning blasted across her vision.

Nyota began blinking rapidly and felt her spear drop from her hands as her eyes focused on Braytek’s body being thrown onto the ground like a pile of rubbish.

Nyota knew he was dead, just like she knew she was having a vision of what was happening up in Azgeta. His eyes held no life just as his body was nothing more than a rag doll.

Horror filled her mind and all she wanted to do was scream out in agony, but was paralyzed by her vision. She could neither move nor speak. She watched as the blackest wolf she had ever seen came forward and snapped her father’s neck.

The crunch made her mind flinch but she knew why the other wolf had done it, it was to guarantee that the opponent wolf was truly dead.

Nyota could only suspect that the bigger wolf was Lyosha. He was quite huge, more so than Braytek. But Braytek’s eyes had been clear as ice while Lyosha’s eyes were rimmed in red, making him look more demonic.

Nyota stared into her brother’s eyes and grimace when Lyosha raised his head and howled his victory. The surrounding wolves howled in union with the new alpha whereas the men who were still in human form roared their approval.

Lyosha immediately cut the howl off and transformed into the most handsome man Nyota had ever seen. Not that she had seen many but his features were sharp, a face that could command anyone. His hair was short, the strands barely brushing his eyebrows and he pushed them back much like Braytek and she did with their own hair.

The betas came forward one by one to show their respects to the new alpha, the first few placing the cloak of the first Black Ice wolf on Lyosha’s shoulders. It contrasted with his pale face so much that Nyota could just make out the shimmer of a scar that started at his temple and came down by his eye and across his cheek, curving towards his nose.

“My Betas!” he called which caused Nyota to shiver at his voice, a voice like ice, “The first order of business is to find the sword of Allaidh. As alpha, the sword now belongs to me. Where is it?”

Silence greeted him as the wolves looked back and forth in puzzlement, none knowing the answer but Nyota’s breath hitched as the answer came to her. The sword of Allaidh, a sword of power, resided in Braytek’s hut several miles from her aunt’s home.

“Find it!” Lyosha growled as he started climbing the steps to the throne that sat on a dais above the great hall.

“Alpha,” one wolf came forward and bowed low, eyes downcast, “Before the challenge started, Braytek ordered the falcons be set free. As the new Alpha, I ask if you’d like the same done?”

Lyosha frowned, “What use would that do? Keep them caged!” he sneered but Nyota saw Lyosha was still perplexed and she kind of hoped he was the stupid type. But she also knew that it was a false hope, it would only be a matter of time before he would figure out what Braytek wanted to accomplish, a message.

She jerked in surprise when behind her, the doors banged open, “All hail the new Alpha!” was called out and shivers ran down her spine at the deep rich voice called out in sarcasm. Before she could turn though, the vision left her and she was looking around the clearing she had been in.

Without a pause, Nyota started running for Veronica’s, needing to tell her aunt what had happened. But when she made it to the cabin, she was so out of breath that she had to take a moment to catch it.

“He’s dead!” Nyota cried as tears were now streaming down her face.

“Who’s dead?” Veronica asked in confusion as she frowned down at her niece.

“Patou…. Braytek is dead! I-I watched Lyosha kill him!” Nyota sniffed loudly as she tried to stem the flow of tears.

Veronica’s own tears started to form but then confusion resurfaced, “What do you mean you saw Lyosha kill Braytek? Did you see the falcon?”

Nyota felt panic rise, her Aunt was not going to believe her vision, Nyota did not want to believe it, “No Aunt, the falcon hasn’t come and won’t. Lyosha commanded they be kept caged after finding out Braytek wanted them released!”

“How do you know this Nyota?” her aunt asked, her voice turning cold in disbelief.

Nyota stared at her aunt, trying to comprehend Veronica’s expression, “I had a vision,” Nyota whispered, knowing her aunt was not going to believe her.

Instantly Veronica’s face calmed and she smiled indulgently at Nyota, “Ah, so it was a dream? Don’t scare me like that!”

“No Aunt Veronica! It wasn’t a dream!” Nyota cried, watching as her Aunt went about fixing a stew as if their world was not falling apart.

“We have to read the envelopes and go! There will not be any falcon or Patou at the end of winter and eventually Lyosha will send wolves to follow Patou’s path to here! We can’t be here when that happens!”

“Nyota, you’re still quite young. You know nothing of the world yet, we’ll watch for the falcon and for Braytek, now get ready for dinner!” her aunt said as she hummed a soft melody.