" take my pain, turn it into gold "

____

               Everything seems to go ahead in fast motion, the wolves are running in the direction of the barrier, bolting by in streams with growls vibrating off their chests.

"Where is Sorcerer Blaise?" I ask quickly.

"On the Northside with Jack and Andrew."

"I'll grab her. She can end this."

Nolan stares at me for a moment, eyes screening over my entire face and he looks every bit unsure at the idea. Possibly seeing the definitive decision in my expression, he after another beat nods in concession. "Stay safe, please."

Then, I'm suddenly moving my face closer to his without much thought, close enough that I can feel the puffs of air on me as he breathes, where my hands reach up to cup the sides of his face and before I can think anything through, I do the one thing I haven't stopped thinking about since I spotted him across the other side of that barrier.

I close the gap between our lips.

The kiss is soft and sweet, everything needed in the moment and it takes Nolan a long second to respond before his lips move against mine, his own hands reaching up to cup my face as he changes the tempo and presses against my lips harder, more desperately.

When we both pull back, we're panting a little but his eyes shine bright as he stares at me as if the sun, stars and moon have aligned.

"Stay safe." He repeats, voice hoarse.

"You too, please." I murmur back.

He dips his head down for one more chaste kiss before the world around us comes back into focus sharply, the sounds roaring back to life as the battle begins to grow as more wolves appear from the tree lines.

I turn on my heel to Henrik who's standing awkwardly with averted eyes. "Henrik," I call out, catching his attention again, "let's go."

With one more look to Nolan - long and searing, and with a certain finality in our nods towards one another, he turns and runs, shifting into his wolf form before howling towards the sky declaring the start of a hard battle.

I begin to run, Henrik once again following right behind.

"Were you ever planning on telling me you are our Queen?" Henrik yells out as we run, he picks up his pace beside me. I make a sharp right towards the border knowing any minute it could close and we'd be left on the other side, no way of even finding Sorcerer Blaise.

"It's a new title." I respond back preoccupied in trying not to trip over any roots.

There's a snort beside me but that's all that's said on the matter.

What seems forever of running in one direction, we seem to reach a small clearing, a patch of fresh grass instead of mulch with tree's lining around in a natural circle. The sky opens up above us and for a second there is calm.

That is until wolves begin appearing, fast approaching towards us on the opposite side of the clearing. Instead of being afraid, I feel the steady pulse of safety run through my mind and just as I consider this thought, one of the wolves at the front shifts in between running, body shifting and revealing a haggard Andrew at the frontline.

Before even comprehending his appearance completely I'm being shoved into his arms, my own instinctively curling around him returning the bone crushing hug.

"Goddess, Cassie." He strains into my neck, tightly holding me enough that my feet lift a little off the ground. "You scared the absolute crap out of me."

"I know, I'm sorry." I reply back but I have to pull away quicker then I want to, "we don't have a lot of time. Do you know where Sorcerer Blaise is?"

"Yeah she's with Jack, they should be here in any-"

Just as he says it a wolf I recognise as Jack bounds through the group, Sorcerer Blaise sitting atop of him as they fly through the clearing towards us. As they skid to a stop, Blaise hops off, dusting at her clothing and Jack is shifting right after.

I'm enveloped in another set of arms for the second time in two minutes.

"Cassie." He croaks out.

"I'm okay." I insist, hugging him just as tightly back, burying my head into his chest for a brief moment. When we pull apart, he's frowning, head lifting to look straight behind me.

"Something isn't right..." His eyes widen, he sucks in a sharp breath and that's when I remember who exactly is behind me. 

"Jack-"

"Mate." He speaks hoarsely.

Somewhere behind me I hear Henrik's shaky voice. "Jack?"

Jack stalks towards him, a little clumsily, face white as sheet and his arms are reached outwards before he's even gotten to Henrik yet. Henrik is walking towards him meeting Jack halfway as they both collapse in each others arms, sinking down to the ground, both choking out words mixed in between their sobs.

My eyes sting at the reunion, blinking rapidly to stop my own tears from falling, before looking away to give them a little privacy for such an intimate moment.

"What kind of situation are we running into here?" Sorcerer Blaise comes up beside Andrew, staring intently at me. I don't miss the way she gives me a once over, assessing me for injuries.

"The warriors were running into territory grounds to gain control and Nolan was stalking towards Richmond, Alpha Hex or whatever, to end it all. We need you though he's- he's not right. Sheila the witch said he made a deal with dark magic."

Her eyes blacken, "if dark magic is involved in this then it is much worse than we have thought. I'd need his body to be completely immobile for me to solve the problem."

"Then that's what we need to aim for." I assert, glancing towards the pack of wolves behind them who are clearly awaiting for their next orders. "Andrew can you tell them to head straight into the main part of the land and help out the other Warriors in commandeering the territory."

Before he can though, they're already sprinting off and out of the clearing, disappearing into the forestry and leaving me a little stunned.

"They heard you." Andrew comments unnecessarily.

Right, werewolf hearing.

I turn towards the boys who are still huddled almost atop of one another. With their faces incredibly close, Henrik has a hand lightly trailing along the scars across Jack's face and my heart melts at the sight.

"Guys, I'm sorry but we need to get moving." I call out to them regrettably.

They both turn in union, shifting to make a stand upwards. 

"We'll get there quicker if we're shifted. Sorcerer Blaise will be with Jack and Cassie you can be with me." Andrew commands and then his head dips down, "I mean if that's okay with you, your majesty."

My mouth open and closes a few times, confused and slightly surprised at what just happened before I finally find my words. "You're right, Andrew." I agree, "let's do this."

It's definitely a first for me, sitting on top of a wolf that's half my size, and I try my best not to grasp the neck of his hair too hard but when he starts running I can't help but fall forward where my arm wraps around his neck and my face buries into the back of it.

So fast, I think to myself frantically holding on, since when do werewolves move this fast.

"We're near." Sorcerer Blaise shouts out in warning.

I pull myself upwards as much as I can on the top of a running wolf, eyes narrowing as they all slow to a small trot clearly now a short distance away.

I hear the vicious growls as we continue in the direction, so I decide to slip off of Andrew easily enough, getting ready for the situation we were about to walk into.

We appear from between the trees just in time to see the horrifying sight of Richmond shoving his claws straight into the stomach of Nolan.

"Nolan." I screech out, horrified.

There is a malicious and twisted smirk on Richmond's face as he twists his hand. Nolan's whole body is drawn tight and before I can do something ridiculously stupid to help him, Nolan's own claws swipe at Richmond's neck, he comes back with his other hand to grasp tightly around it. Richmond splutters as he chokes, eyes wide enough that they almost seem to be popping out of their sockets and then...Nolan yanks.

I have to look away for a second as the blood spurts and pours out from Richmond.

When I glance back, Richmond is tumbling down into a heap and with his claws still lodged into Nolan they harshly pull out taking goddess knows with it. Seconds later Nolan tumbles down beside him, falling into a heap on the ground, back against the mulch of the earth.

My brain finally sends the right message to my legs getting them to move.

"Nolan." I yell out, sliding up and beside him not caring as the ground marks up my knees. I cry out, my hands shakily hover over his stomach, there's now blood pouring out of him, it makes for a gruesome sight and I try to swallow over the bile travelling up my throat. "It's going to be alright."

I need something to stop the blood, I think hastily, but Andrew's already beat me to it with his shirt in his hands, he's suddenly kneeling beside us and pressing them to the wound. Nolan gasps out, hands shooting out to stop the pain but I grasp onto his wrists stopping him, leaning forward so my face falls into his eyesight. "We need to put pressure on it." I insist, "Nolan, it's going to be okay."

"Cassandra-" He splutters, eyes flickering from gold to brown insistently. His wolf pushing forward as protection but it's clear he's fighting it.

My hands release from his wrists and move to hold his face and I lean more closer as I stare just as determinedly back. "It's okay. You're okay." I insist because he had to be. This was not how this ended. There wasn't a single bone in my body that believed it ended like this.

"We need to make a move. The bloods not going to stop anytime soon, he was impaled almost straight through." Andrew states.

"Okay. What can we do?" I ask, my mind so far from thinking clear right at this moment. Richmond had gotten the best of us...Richmond- I snap my head upwards to see him, only for my shoulders to sag in relief when I see Jack and Sorcerer Blaise handling his body.

Sorcerer Blaise looks up just as I look at her, our eyes meeting and she nods at me. "I've got it from here." Her hands twirl over Richmond's body, with a flattened palm on the side of his shoulder, her other hand pressed against the area of his heart, a black mist starts to form and spin around them.

Richmonds body starts seizing as the mist grows thicker and Sorcerer Blaise's eyes turn completely purple, she begins muttering under her breath, no doubt casting some sort of spell to rid of the dark magic centred around him.

My mind pulls back to our situation at hand. Nolan is looking paler by the second, Andrew has secured the shirt tightly but there's so much blood it's starting to seep through. "How do we do this?"

Panic was tugging at my chest and it takes me a moment to realise it's not just my own- it's Andrews too. You wouldn't be able to tell if it weren't for the Pack Bond because his face is nothing but determined and I suddenly realise that this is on me. I was supposed to be in control right now, with the King injured the next in line is the Queen and that was me.

Any fogginess left inside of me begins to lift as everything becomes much clearer.

"Okay." Andrew mutters unsurely. "Okay ah-"

"I got some more shirts," Henrik announces running up towards us, a bundle in his hands, "do we have a plan?"

"Where did you even- never mind. " Andrew shakes his head before, "no we don't-"

"Here's what we're going to do." I suddenly announce, their attention falls straight to me as they await for orders. "Andrew do you think you can carry two people on your back when you're shifted?"

Realisation dawns in both their eyes as they realise where I'm heading with this. He nods rapidly already moving to stand. "Yeah, yeah of course."

"Okay, Henrik you're going to help me move him. I'm going to sit towards the back of Andrew and you're going to place him in front of me, so his whole body is supported. Andrew you're going to run like hell - you guys got it?"

"Got it." They both echo.

Andrew's shifting before anything else is said.

I turn towards Jack who's keeping a stern eye on Sorcerer Blaise who is still muttering things under her breath, there is a lack of dark mist now meaning everything was coming to an end.

"Jack." I grab his attention, his head snapping to look at me. "We're heading to the hospital. Do you have any idea whats happening on the Warriors end?"

His eyes mist over for a second and I let him have the moment before he nods. "They've commandeered the land. Apprehended whoever's resisted and now they're awaiting orders."

"Let them know what's happening here. Tell them to move anyone apprehended into the holding cells and gather anyone else into Hall C within the castle. Do not leave them unattended and be wary - we still don't know whose really on their side. Okay?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"You have everything else handled here?" I nod towards Richmond and Sorcerer Blaise.

"Yes."

"Cassie, we're ready." Henrik calls.

I take one last look at the man who had been on the front page of all my nightmares, the stillness of his body and the gruesome sight has me feeling no sympathy towards his ending at all.

The demon had been slayed, the nightmare fading fast in the distance but slowly morphing into a new one as I turn back towards Nolan who is rapidly deteriorating right in front of me.

Somehow, this nightmare was much more terrifying than the last.

_____

I was aware I was pacing up and down the halls of the hospital but my body wasn't allowing me to sit still. Perhaps it was the adrenalin still pumping through me but it had to be the also added adrenaline and energy pumping through the entirety of the pack and in turn with the bond becoming stronger every hour, my own energy was matching up to theirs.

I was aware of the implications of that but was steadfast ignoring them because dammit there could only be one thing at a time.

There was so much happening right now that staying still was not an option. I had already sent out Andrew and Henrik to give a hand with the Warriors, the clean up, and assessing the situation on what needs to be done next but I couldn't help but feel horrible that I wasn't out there myself.

"Cassie." A voice calls getting my attention.

"Jack, hey." I greet with a hug, he sinks into my arms easily and I hold him tight.

We stay that way for a long drawn out moment, clearly the both of us needing it.

"Where's-?" I don't have to finish the sentence thankfully.

"Transferred him to a room in the prison. We have him strapped down just in case but-but he's uh gone."

"I can't say I'm sorry." I shrug uncaringly.

"Neither." His eyes darken a little, "he deserved everything that was coming to him. Blaise says she has it from here. Any updates on King Nolan?"

"Nothing yet." I sigh, "what can you tell me about everything else?"

"It's just clean up now. Everyone has been moved into the correct areas, we had an incident with someone trying to make a run for it but that was handled. We've got Warriors patrolling, some scouring the area still just in case someone is hiding but other than that everything is looking good."

"Good." I murmur, "that's really good."

For a moment I stare towards the corridor that led to the surgical rooms, heart feeling heavy in my chest at what is going on behind there before I realise-

"What about casualties?" I ask.

"On our side? None. We have twenty five severely injured and a fair amount of small minor injuries. We lost a lot of people from the other side however, they weren't as strong as they wanted to believe."

"Speaking of which, do you know if we found Sheila? The witch who was being held hostage?"

He shakes his head no. "No sign of her."

"Is it possible to create a search team? Have them focussed on finding her? She has to be hiding somewhere on that land. There is no way she escaped, not in the state she was in when I saw her." I look at him before tacking on, "if that's okay."

His lips tilt up a little on the side. "Your in charge, your majesty."

"Don't." I nudge him with my elbow, "we're brother and sister now it's weird."

"Do you think we're half-siblings or full blood?"

"There is a test for that isn't there?"

He nods. "You know this means Josh is our half-brother."

"And that makes Sheila our..."

"Step-mom," as he says the words though his nose scrunches up along with his forehead.

I bark out a laugh that comes out a little hysterical before letting my head fall forward onto his chest as my shoulders shake. "This has been the longest week of my life."

"It's Tuesday."

I punch him in the stomach.

He retaliates by pinching me in the side.

_____

The first thing I do once Jack heads back out is march towards the emergency department of the hospital which is located on the opposite side. After coming to the realisation that other people would of been injured during all of this, I figured paying a visit would be a respectful action to take.

As soon as I step into the room a doctor is frantically approaching me.

"You majesty, are you hurt?"

My heart still stutters at the title being said directly to my face. "I'm-" but I pause, the throbbing at my side had been so constant throughout all of this commotion that it had fallen short of being forgotten, "uh, actually I may need a quick check over when you're free."

"I can do that now." She replies, ushering me towards a spare bed in the corner.

"If you have anyone more important than me then I urge you to attend to them first." I insist.

She smiles shaking her head. "You take precedence over anybody else, your majesty."

"Just Cassie."

"Queen Cassie, please take a seat."

I almost completely recoil at that name- having not been called that yet.

The assessment is quick and I require a few stitches on one of the claw marks on my side but other than that every other bump and scrap would heal up in no time. "Thank you for your help Doctor Elise." I thank genuinely, "and for everything that you're doing."

"My absolute pleasure." She beams.

"A quick question, there didn't happen to be a Warrior named Lucas admitted?"

"Let me check for you." She picks up her electronic pad, types something swiftly before answering the question. "He is in room 205, would you like me to take you there?"

"Just pointing me in the right direction will be fine."

I realise ten minutes later after heading around in circles that I should have possibly gotten her to show me and it takes another five minutes for me to finally find the room but in the end I do and thats all that matters. I would not be telling Andrew this incident though- he was constantly on me about my lack of direction.

Knocking politely on the door, I hear a quiet come in before I poke my head inside, smiling softly in greeting. "I do hope it's alright for me to come in for a visit."

"Your majesty," both Lucas and a woman who is heavily pregnant gasps out at the sight of me.

"Oh no, stay seated please." I tell the woman who makes a move to stand up, "don't move Lucas. It's