Mates Conquer Everything, Right?

Run Violet, run. Faster and faster, I run to the barn. Déjà vu comes to mind, but this time is different. I have a chance of surviving, but also I feel for the children and the rest of the pack. They are going to battle, and I know that this isn’t something that happens often.

I reach the barn and see that it looks like a wooden barn from the outside, but I can see the metal work within when I come closer. Eight teenagers around the age of twelve are standing around the barn and pointing for me to go inside. I do; at first I thought that they were waiting for me and my human feet to carry me to the barn, but once I get in, they don’tcome after me. They just stay outside and close the doors. I look at them, confused, trying to understand what they’re doing. But they are too concentrated and focused to notice me.

I feel lost and frightened. I hear the growls and whining of wolves outside, knowing that they are people makes me shed a tear. It seems like the sounds are getting louder, but I am not sure.

A hand touching my back makes me come out of my thoughts. I look down and see a little boy, about five years old looking up at me with sad eyes. Without hesitation, I pick him up and balance him on my hip. I turn away from the doors, and I see that I am the only adult in the barn. Becky and her friends are gathered in the back. There are about twenty children, between the ages of three and ten.

I want to cry and break down completely. In just a small period, I have been scared for my life too many times. Coming to America was a stupid idea. Stupid Violet, if I live after today, I will take the first plane back to Europe. But for now, I need to be strong. Strong and confident, for the kids. This must be the first time an attack is real for them too. I look at the boy on my hip. He weighs a lot.

He looks up, and I smile at him. “You are a big boy, aren’t you?” He just nods his head.

“Alright, let’s sit in the back with the rest.” I walk to Becky and take the other children with us. The lighting is dim, and there are no windows. There are many tools and gardening equipment, just like a regular shed, not a secret bunker.

We all sit together in the barn, with the sound of the battle becoming more prominent. The children are looking at me, and I have trouble deciding what to say.

“What do you normally do in the barn when you practice for an attack?” I ask Becky, knowing they practice for attacks.

“We play games,” she says in a small voice.

“What kind of games?” I ask, and a boy takes out a narrow suitcase from under a closet.

“Okay, then let’s play games, and try to take our mind off what is happening outside.” I try to sound gentle.

Ten kids are going to play a card game, and some are going to color pictures, with drawing materials they found in the case.

“What’s going to happen?” The boy still by my side asks.

“I don’t know, but I have faith that everything is going to be okay. What’s your name?”

“Dillan.”

“Well, Dillan, can you sing a song for me?” I don’t know why I ask that question. Maybe the sound of us singing will distract us from the excruciating sounds outside this bunker-barn. Dillan is shaking his little head no, and I look at the children.

“Who wants to sing a song?” Everyone is quiet, but a girl with a pink dress speaks.

“Violet, would you like to hear our Pack song?” Becky asks.

“I would love to.” And with those words, some children begin to sing and more join in. After ten seconds, everyone is singing their beautiful pack song.

The song is about being strong and helping each other. The family bond with the pack and looking out for the weak. It makes me more emotional than it should.

After the song is finished, I praised the kids for their amazing voices and beautiful pack song.

There is a cracking sound and Becky gasps.

“They made it to the second barrier.”

“What do you mean?” I ask her, knowing it couldn’t mean something good.

“The first barrier are warrior wolves. They are in the tree line. The second barrier is the rest of the wolves with other specializations, like handymen, teachers, and shop owners. They all know how to fight, so they are the second barrier. The third barrier is the young wolves, doctors, and the pack elders who still shift.” Becky explains to me.

I remember some of the information that Oliver told me this morning, like the different roles within the pack.

“The sound you just heard was a young wolf shifting. Because they aren’t very familiar with their wolves yet, the shifting is harder and less fluid. I think one of the wolves changed and hit the barn.” She explained, and I nod my head.

Knowing that young children are fighting and risking their lives is horrible.

“How do we know the battle is done?”

“There will be a knock on the door and we will recognize it.” Dillan adds.

Bang!

There is an object hitting the door. The sound hit again, and then we heard a scream, and the banging stopped.

“They’ll try to take us. That’s what most rogues want.” One of the boys whispers, and I get the chills.

“Nobody is going to take you.” I say with a growl, surprising myself.

The banging begins again, and I look around. “We need to hide. Is there somewhere we can hide?” I ask them, but they shake their heads. I look around and see a ladder lying on the floor and a small attic.

Without thinking it through, I take the ladder, and stand it up to reach the attic.

“We are going to hide a bit better. If they are going to come through the door, it will give the pack more time.”

“Go!” I say to the two bigger kids, and they go first up the ladder. Then I pair two kids, a younger and an older together and tell them to look after each other.

In five minutes all the children are in the attic, and I go to hide the ladder. It is a folding ladder, and I make it as small as possible. I hide it in one of the closets and look for something to protect myself with.

The banging stopped and started again.

’Becky!” I yell, and she looks down at me. “How can I kill a wolf?”

“It is very hard to kill a werewolf,” she says, “but you can kill them if they are hurt, because they will shift back to humans and are easier to kill. But it’s still harder than a human.”

Great, just great. The banging sound is making me nervous, and I must look twice to finally find what I was looking for. A weapon I can handle.

At least that is what I think.

“Bang!”

The door flies open. A rogue is standing in the opening with a grin on his face.

I try to stay strong. I try to be something I am not. I must do this for the kids.

Come on, Violet. Just hold them off long enough. Long enough to get backup.

Please let there be a backup. I pray and hold my weapon tight when the rogue steps into the bunker. I am shaking but have my muscles under control.

He is heading to me, heading to the children. I won’t give up without a fight. It will be a short fight, but I will fight.