The Delta's Daughter Chapter 390

LYRIC

Some drive and others run in their wolf form alongside our convoy as we rush towards Cambiador. The trip takes two days from where we were in Lewe to reach their borders.

Kellen and Mike keep in constant communication with Rhett and Alpha Travis who are already at the border of the werecat kingdom.

The tension in the car is palpable. All of us wondering if this is it. If this is when we face Senko and his army. The warriors are in good spirits, for some, it is not their first battle. For others, it would be a first. Their lack of worry is what has Note and I on edge.

After what I witnessed at the Golden Circle Pack - I want to scream at them. I want to pound it into their heads that they should be afraid of this Shadow Witch. Of the creatures and not quiet humans he has under his command.

I'm looking out the window from the back seat of the car I share with Kellen and Mike. I tune out their conversation and think of Zane. It was him I was fighting for and our future. Maybe Mike was right, maybe I should have stayed back with Queen Tala. But part of me, the Alpha side of me, couldn't do that.

I had run from the truth for long enough. I was as much a part of this as any of them.

'For Melody' Note says, mirroring my feelings on the subject.

'For Melody' I mentally repeat to her. 'For Zane' I say. My memories take me back to the day I thought we would be together again, only to have her ripped from me once more.

I wanted Shadow to pay for what he had done to her. To pay for what he had done to countless others including Queen Lamia. That's why I was here fighting for our future. I was a good fighter; my skills would be an asset on the battlefield.

I wasn't afraid of dying. I was afraid of leaving my boy behind. And I was afraid of losing my mate. Our bond has only grown and solidified since we marked and mated. The crazy energy we shared was unmatched to anything I had ever felt, and probably ever would. I wasn't about to lose my Beta. Another reason why I insisted on coming here.

Mike was a wanted object by Shadow, he was walking into the lion's den. I was not about to let him walk in alone. We are forever in this life and the next. My place is by his side no matter what.

The car in front of us stops all of a sudden and I watch as Queen Lamia jumps out, leaping into the air and shifting into the biggest, blackest wolf I have ever seen. The similarity between Zane's pup form and her wolf form was uncanny.

The humongous wolf strides over the field and into trees. Disappearing in a flash.

Kellen pulls our car over and the next thing I know Mike and Kellen are hopping out and shifting, shredding clothes as they do. I sit for a moment stunned then scramble out the back and call Note forward, also shifting and chasing after them.

My paws hit the ground and Note scents out Duke following his trail. We speed up to catch up when the ground below me begins to shudder.

Note growls but when she looks to the side, she sees the biggest angriest dark bear running beside her. It rattles her for a moment until we realize this is King Mathias. One of the only Kodiak bear shifters left.

The ground continues to shudder beneath our paws when a white bear, as equally as big pulls up on our left. Note speeds up but the bears keep pace with her.

My wolf turns her head, only to see a large brown wolf carrying the witch on his back bringing up the rear.

Was there something I was missing?

*Lamia caught a foreign scent.* King Mathias's voice filters through mine and Note's head.

How did he do that? I knew the Queen could, but I didn't know he could mind link with whoever he wanted.

From the woods emerged another giant bear not as big as the two that ran by my side. But still, he was huge. 'Eyota' Note says, and the name means nothing to me.

Notes fur tingles and I realize we have passed through an invisible barrier. We have now entered the werecat kingdom.

*Slow down* Mathias voice filters through our head once more. Note immediately lessens her pace with the command until we all come to a stop. Ahead stands Queen Lamia still in her magnificent wolf form. My mate and King Kellen flanked her sides.

Mathias strolls up to them in bear form, and I as look, Jonda's mural flashes in front of my eyes. Panic rose in me. She knew.

Jonda had seen this exact moment. Was it a sign? A warning? Or just an image of a future her broken mind had conjured?

Queen Lamia shifts. Her black suit fell into place covering her intimate parts. I was so glad Mike had convinced me to wear the one his mother gave me. I shift too and avert my eyes as the male's shift, naked and bearing all.

My eyes fixate on my mate, not daring to look at anyone else even if shifters being naked, is a common thing. I was still uncomfortable with it. Queen Lamia didn't seem like it bothered her in the least.

The Queen of Shifters puts a hand to her lips and tilts her head. A mass of blonde and black streaked hair falls to the side, her green eyes are bright and sharp as she listens. "We are not alone."

Mathias growls, Hunji too when a distinct rustling and tread of large paws can be heard.

Mike moves closer to me, pushing me behind him as the sound of a large beast nears. I lift my nose to scent the air but smell nothing except for us.

The air around us stills and Note crawls to the back of my mind in submission. She senses the change in the atmosphere too. A heavy invisible weight blankets the forest around us, a sixth sense of magic lingers in the air and the feeling of power surrounds us all.

The bushes' part and there stands, in pure white form a wolf that rivals the Queens. Matching green eyes peer at us. The white wolf stands tall and unafraid. Most importantly, unthreatening.

The air around the wolf shimmers. I blink and where the mighty white wolf stood, an older female with white hair and white robes has taken its place.

"Ascena?" Comes the shocked sound of Hunji's voice.

"I sensed another Dire Wolf, the same feeling I had when I met little Zane," Lamia says to the old female.

"Us Dires can sense each other. Though there has never been a male Dire Wolf before." The old woman says in puzzlement.

Hunji and Morgan round us, Hunji lays a hand over his heart and bows his head "It is good to see you, priestess."

"My child, it has not been long. I wish I wasn't here, but it is time for things to pass." The old female speaks to Hunji leaning forward and placing a slender hand on his cheek, but she looks at Lamia.

Her gaze slowly moves to Morgan. "You saw me?"

"Yes, Ascena." The witch replies "What does it mean that you are here, that you would fight the Shadow witch with us?"

Ascena ignores Morgan's question, only offering a small smile and a tilt of her head. "Senko's army is but a few hours away. Chakor has already warned the werecat king. Their warriors are already moving into position. The ring may have been hidden but with Kolby Crimsons blood he feels a pull to its magic."

"Why couldn't he feel the pull to the other stones?" I blurt the question out and the female smiles widely.

"Because young Swift, he already has the other three and he is pulling from their power." She then looks at Mike, "He will sense you too now. Mind you keep your emotions in check Royal Beta."

"So many questions…" Morgan states in awe of the older female. "Your wolf…"

"… changed with time. I was once as dark as the night sky just like Inanna." Something akin to sadness passes through Ascena's eyes. "Senko's army lays twenty-five clicks to the west. They have almost reached the outskirts of Cambiador. We must hurry."

I watch Lamia's eyes fixate on the sky before I hear her soothing yet commanding voice in my head *Bring the weapons, we travel by paws from here.*

In less than ten minutes warriors from all kingdoms joined us. A tall female with toned muscles, rivaling those of any male hands Lamia a pair of swords. More come with clothes, uniformed suits for Kellen and Mike, bearing weapons.

King Kellen twists and twirls the magnificent sword in his hand a few times and sheaths it. Mike too looped a belt around him and placed his sword in the scabbard.

"Beta female, your weapons." Captivated by the way my mate and the other leaders calmly dress for battle, I turn in confusion to the warrior, Ava. She holds out a thin utility belt that is already fitted with throwing stars, small knives and two daggers, and a small satchel. "Your things."

I turn to Mike, still confused. "I thought we were running in wolf form?"

"We are." He replies. "Your wolf form will hold your belt and adjust when you shift between fur and skin."

I make a large O with my mouth, "That's really cool." Then, "Why isn't Hunji wearing a uniform?"

A deep chuckle comes from behind me, "Because Hunji is special and doesn't need one." I look at the giant pale werebear. "Touched by old magic." He finishes semi-clarifying it for me.

When I look back at Queen Lamia, she stands toe to toe with Ascena. Although there is clearly an age difference, Ascena stands just as tall and just as commanding, maybe a little more. My gaze lingers and my eyes begin to notice how similar they look. From their piercing emerald-green eyes to their matching height and similar body shapes.

"Ascena…" Lamia softly says.

"Call me Nessie. Please."

"Nessie," Lamia repeats as if trying out the name, letting the syllables roll off her tongue. "You are my… Who are you to me."

"To you, a great, great aunt. Maybe one more great. To your wolf spirit… Her daughter."

Morgan gasps, clamping a hand over her mouth. "I knew it!" She exclaims in a barely hushed voice. "Ascena, will we stop Senko?"

The older female turns to acknowledge Morgan. "As I have said before, our visions are only glimpses of a future. I do not know the outcome of this battle."

The air around the ancient female shimmers once more her white hair and robes turning to fur as she forms into her majestic wolf once more.

Even Note is impressed and in awe of the white dire wolf. Never had we seen a wolf so white and so big. Lamia then shifts, her jet-black wolf equal to its opposite. Except where Ascena's wolf is all white, Lamia's wolf bears a white stripe across its eyes accentuating her wolf's bright green glowing eyes.

King Kellen shifts into a gorgeous Sliver wolf, nowhere near as big as Lamia and Ascena's, but still the biggest wolf I have ever seen, eyes as blue as a crystal-clear lake. His sword sits against the silky silver fur on his back.

Next is Mike, I shiver with arousal as Duke's paws hit the ground, he shakes out his thick dark brown fur that catches the light, his weapon strapped to his side. Duke nods at me, gesturing for me to shift into Note.

Before I do, I watch Hunji morph into his fur form, the air shimmering around him just as it did with Ascena. His wolf is large and darker than Duke, with a powerful aura that surrounds him.

I transcend from my skin form, suddenly feeling small next to my mate and the other leaders. Yet Note stands proud and confident. Walking up to her mate she brushes against him then nuzzles her snout into his neck.

Mathias takes his place by Lamia's side; his beast is humongous and bigger than Lamia's wolf. His fur glistens under the afternoon light giving his fur an effect of gold. Finnegan's white beast stands next to him, just as imposing and his fur shines with silver tones.

I think how glad I am to have these two bear shifters on our side. Just one of them alone is enough to make your spirit animal cower under their powerful aura. But the two of them together, side by side… Is a sight to behold.

Lamia's wolf lifts her head and lets out a powerful howl, accompanied by Mathias's beast with a commanding roar.

Within minutes, over two hundred and fifty thousand warriors from three kingdoms, begin to tread at a steady but swift pace in unison towards the border of Cambiador. Our paws pound against the ground, heartbeats thumping like the beat of drums as we race to face the enemy.

*****

We ran for miles upon miles over open valleys and through thick forest until the tall pines gave way to tropical trees and fast-running streams. The further we ran into Cambiador's borders, the weather should have become warmer except it wasn't. The air became chillier - wisps of fog rolled at our paws. Puffs of steam from our breath dissipated into the icy air.

The big black wolf came to a slow stop with the white wolf and was shortly greeted by The most unique, and dare I say handsome colored wolf I had seen. A rare mutation of chimera coloring. One half of the wolf was a dark brown, almost black. The other half is not quite silver like King Kellen's but more blue but also just as big as the Kings. Like two sides of a coin. The same but not. The wolf's eyes shone a golden color, piercing and dangerous.

Note looked at the strange wolf closer 'His eyes are different.' She spoke. Just as obsessed with the look of the large wolf as I was. I saw what she saw. Those golden eyes were rimmed. The left with a hue of red, the right a hint of green. Just the slightest outline encompassed around the golden. You would miss it if you weren't staring like Note and I were.

Next to the unusual wolf stood Rhett, Eyes dark with the mark of the knight hiding his light green eyes. His teeth poked over his bottom lip and claws curled from his fingers. Sporadic hair covered his arms and face.

Rhett bows his head and the two-toned wolf shifts into a male covered in tattoos. Intricate designs wove around his arms kissing the base of his throat. A neatly trimmed beard outlines his jaw "Lamia, my Queen." The male bows his head of dark hair. "Our scouts have pegged The Shadow Witch five miles from here." He speaks with Queen Lamia, yet his eyes wander over the white Dire Wolf next to her.

The white wolf sniffs the tattooed male and takes a step back as if his nearness bothers her or she's being cautious.

"Tobias is with our army just over the ridge. We are waiting on your orders, my Queen."

"Very good Travis," Lamia addresses the male. "We will cut Senko's army off from crossing further into Cambiador."

I only then realize who he is. Travis Wertz - the Alpha of MacTire that I have heard so much about.