In the upcoming days, the castle of Duke Romanov was in a hubbub. Several of the members of the Blood River Pack were in hushed but eager conversations. The Lunar Gathering was a prestigious event where only the leaders of the lycans were summoned together with their trusted people.
"Do you think I will be taken along, Max?" Duncan asked. "I know the Alpha will bring his Beta, but I've been doing a lot of great work, recently, right?"
"I think you will be staying here in order to take care of the children," Max said and frowned. "Besides, I do not think that attending the event this year will be a good idea."
Since more than half of the Blood River Pack suddenly abandoned the orders of their Alpha in Riga, the more cunning and level-headed lycans knew that their position as the largest and strongest pack was now under peril.
However, their Alpha was not someone who simply backed down from a challenge because of such circumstances. In reality, Leland was already preparing everything for the trip while making sure that his family was attended to while he was gone.
He was actually tempted to leave Lucas and other strong lycans behind to protect his mate. However, the gathering was not simply a friendly meeting. Any weaker packs were treated with less honor than others.
Even though only a maximum of twenty individuals attended from each pack, most of them were the strongest and accounted for major power within each pack.
Right now, Leland was in the healers' area of the castle and made sure that all of the tonics and medicine that Sophie drank were available until his return. The Alpha didn't expect one of them to speak to him.
"Alpha, I believe it is necessary for you to bring the Luna to the Lunar Gathering," A healer explained.
Leland frowned at the man who spoke. He didn't expect somebody to make such a suggestion. He glanced at the healer and raised a brow to ask what he meant. "What makes you think that this is a good idea? The journey can be tiring for her. Several packs will also be around and not all of them are friendly toward us."
The Alpha was confident about his physical strength and battle prowess, but if something happened to Sophie during the trip, he wouldn't be able to fully protect her.
Leland didn't want to risk it. He thought the safest place for her to be was at home.
"While it is true that you can share strength over long distances, the safest side for the Luna still lies with you, Alpha," the healer explained, countering Leland's train of thoughts.
"More than that, Alpha. Great Healers and Shamans from different packs will also be attending and they may be able to help. Our capacity is limited and we have done our best so far. But perhaps, you might be able to find more help from outside."
Leland's gaze sharpened slightly at those words. Blood River Pack was a lycan pack that specialized in combat against humans and other enemies, and so, most of their knowledge lay in that aspect.
"Then it seems there is no other choice," the Alpha said. Even though there were dangers of bringing Sophie to the meeting, he thought that this was his best chance at finding a way to help his mate.
That was worth everything.
***
< Several Days Later >
Sophie was shocked at first when Leland suddenly asked her to come with him. She was ready to be left behind with the boys while Leland went to the gathering. However, she was more than happy to accompany him on the trip even though her two boys had to stay behind.
"Are we nearly there, Leland?" Sophie asked her husband with a smile.
Leland took off his coat and draped it across her shoulders. He was happy that his mate looked healthier and even excited about this trip far more than him. "We are. The meeting is tonight after all."
Sophie peeked out from the window and saw the beautiful full moon above the clouds. All around her were the sandy desert and yet to her surprise, the temperature was actually quite cold and chilly.
That wasn't the only thing that surprised her though. It was far too shocking to see figures dashing off in the desert sands. At first, Sophie thought they were mere animals who lived in the area.
However, she was wrong.
They were creatures far bigger and even more agile, dashing through the desert even faster than their carriage. Sophie recognized them as lycans and for a moment, she looked at them enviously.
If Sophie was able to shift, then the need for a carriage might have been unnecessary. She didn't realize it at first, but for a moment she thought one of the lycans had made eye contact with her and saw her despite the distance.
She quickly closed the curtains and hoped she was wrong.
"I guess this is why your mother was able to get used to the temperature of the Blood River Pack," Sophie said and pulled Leland's coat over her shoulders. "During daylight, the Gazi Desert can kill you with immense heat but then freeze you at night."
"When did she speak to you about that?" Leland's brows knitted together and he frowned. His mother once remarked that her pack was truly far better than Blood River Pack when it came to adaptability.
Sophie's expression was plain as she closed the curtains of the carriage. "During breakfast when she first arrived. Your mother was very charismatic… but all I'm wondering now is whether or not she is hiding cowardly somewhere."
The memory of Dinah returned to Sophie and it filled her with cold anger. When Sophie wasn't in her faint spells or felt weak, she actually took the opportunity to meet with Dinah's injured brother.
She couldn't keep her anger to Dinah for what she did to her when she saw Desmond and realized how much the man was suffering after humans captured him and tortured him.
Since Leland mentioned that there were great healers and shamans who served the Moon Goddess, she was actually hopeful that there was also something for Desmond and others.
"I do not want to make it seem like I'm praising her," Leland frowned. "However, she is far too crafty to be simply hiding in cowardice. She is only lying in wait for now, which truly fills me with regret. I should have finished her off."
Sophie gently touched his hand. "This time, we will be more than ready for her if she ever comes back again, Leland."
"Yes," Leland said.
"Alpha, we have arrived at our destination," Lucas called out to them from outside of the carriage.
"At last." Leland sighed and pulled up to his feet. "I am not looking forward to this meeting at all. I will return as soon as I can, but a meeting like this can happen for a few hours."
Sophie grabbed his hand. "I'm sure that you'll do fine, Leland."
The Alpha managed a smile and squeezed her hand. "I apologize that you will need to remain here, Sophia. Please do not go out of the carriage at all costs."
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