Ch 8

I had returned to my home to find it in a state of madness. My father had transformed into his monstrous true form and was wreaking havoc to the palace. The tall walls were torn apart and one of the towers had caved into the roof. What could have caused my father to reveal such a rage?

Walking down the main entrance carefully my nose became overwhelmed with the smell of fresh blood from multiple familiar scents. Demon and human blood had been split.

From the corner of my eye I noticed my mother first assisting a small group of human and demon servants while her maids carried small crying children. I flew to her side immediately to smell her for injuries.

"Mother! Are you-"

She raised her hand to stroke loose white hair behind my ear as she used to when I was younger, "I'm fine son, your father lost control of his inner beast when he was approached by lady Inukimi..."

I softly growled as I took one of her maid's weeping children, Hoshi, in my arms to calm him down.

"Come, I'll take you and the others to the forest before father smells me, where are the guards and servants?"

My mother shook her tan and silver streaked hair as she glanced aside to not let the women and children see her sad eyes, but I smelled her tears.

"The guards and men are trying to stop your father still, and the other servants are now dead. Lady Inukimi and her servants left the castle before the chaios started."

I calmly rocked Hoshi as I listened to my mother's words, inside I was boiling with anger over the situation. What could Inukimi had said to father to rile him up? Why did she and her servants disappear to leave the rest of my family and household to suffer? A true Inu alpha female would never abandon her pack of followers for her own sake, she would stay and support her mate and pack over any disaster!

My mother must have sensed my anger because she ended up taking the now calm Hoshi from my arms to cradle softly.

"My son, I need you to take the females and children to the forest away from the castle till it is safe, I'll speak to your father while you go find you-lady Inukimi and her maids."

I felt somewhat relieved that she couldn't address Inukimi as my wife, but I would have to tell her what I had experienced in the last two days I was away from home when the time was right. I wanted to tell her everything her father told me, but I would need to protect the rest of my pack before more were slaughtered.

"Mother, you shouldn't go to father, he could kill you without realizing it-"

"Pup! I'll be fine, an alpha male cannot hurt his mate without hurting himself in the process. His demon will remember that. Now move quickly!"

As much as I wanted to protest, I realized the position she put me in at that moment. She was still lady and alpha female of the west over me, and the situation did call for her to appeal to her alpha male to submit.

"Mother, I-"

She stopped me by giving me a look before handing me back Hoshi to carry before turning to address her maids and servants.

"Trust and follow my son, stay in the forest until things become still again. If not, please take refuge in the old tribe land of my father's in the west where our estate will welcome you. Stay and keep each other safe."

The maids and older children all bowed lowly at the waist in high respect to their kind lady before looking to me to depart.

I sighed and held Hoshi closer before turning aside, "I'll return for you mother, I promise."

"Take care of the others first, son."

I silently nodded before leaping into the air to fly above the group following me in-case there was a threat following us.

When I landed in a clearing deep in the forest I waited a few minutes for the rest of the group to catch up to Hoshi and I.

I felt Hoshi tug on the back of my hair in question, "What is it Hoshi-chan?"

"M-my lord?"

I gave a reassuring side look to the little boy I held, "Its alright, you can ask me anything.."

"W-will I-I ever s-see my Tou-chan a-again?"

I silently looked away to sniff the air for his mother, one of my mother's maids, trying to think of an answer.

"I don't know if I'll ever see mine again..." I could only answer the boy honestly.

He surprised me by hugging me around my neck in full trust and acceptance.

"W-we'll be okay, m-milord, I-I'll be here even if both our fathers don't come back, I-I'll keep you safe m-milord."

I found myself rubbing the back of the small child near tears because of his vow, such a brave and strong human child I would gladly live for.

"This I promise you, Hoshi-chan, and you know that when a lord gives a promise he keeps it, right?"

The little one wiped his eyes with a fist and nodded seriously, "Y-yes, Tou-chan told me..."

"Good boy, listen well and remember, whether our fathers make it out alive or not, I want you to join me on my journeys as a follower, and when your old enough I'll train you in the ways of the samurai, if you wish to?"

The little lad gave another solemn nod of his head, "It will be an honor, milord, this Hoshi wishes to protect his lord always."

I gave a reassuring grin before setting him down on the ground, "Thank you Hoshi-chan, now, I need you to continue being brave a bit longer to make sure that your mother and the others stay safe while I'm gone. Understood?"

The boy nodded and bowed lowly as if he were a grown adult, the thought alone saddened me that Hoshi would be forced to grow up early if his father died. At the hands of my own father no less.

"I hear the others coming Hoshi-chan, I'll leave as soon as I speak to your mother..."