Lucia lifted her her head, and the scent of roses burned her nose. Whenever she caught a whiff of such a usually pleasant smell, she felt suffocated by it. As if it was flowing through her very being. It didn't need to compete with anything else. Lucia had become almost entranced by it the very first time it greeted her all those years ago.
What could she possibly want at this hour?
Between the tall Oaks stood a pale woman with a small but sturdy build. Her long teal hair cascaded flawlessly down her back.
The wolfs steady, warm, brown eyes met a pair of bright, golden ones that always held curiosity.
"Fancy seeing you here, Dog." Amelia's voice was low but playful. She tilted her head, not breaking the gaze she held with the giant wolf.
Lucia rolled her eyes and let out a snort of annoyance.
"You summoned me, remember?" Lucia tried not to sound too irritated. She knew that Amelia was only trying to lighten the mood.
"No, our coven summoned the Alpha -" Amelia's voice cut in the air sharply.
" You know my father isn't able to travel much these days, I'm practically doing everything in his sted." Lucia flicked her ear, attempting to read the other woman's expression.
As usual, there's not much to go off of as Amelia looked blankly.
"Well, someone has to break it to you, I guess. You were bound to find out the news eventually..." A small sigh escaped her pale lips.
Her arm outstretched revealing a small silver colored envelope, between Amelia's index and middle finger, Lucia eyed the envelope cautiously.
Lucia was hoping not to shift just to open this stupid envelope, only to have to shift back to make the long trail home. Luckily, before she did, the Hertic lifted her porcelain hand.
"I'll just read it to you. Otherwise, you'll just waste your energy within 15 seconds." Lucia noticed the very slight instance of hesitation in Amelia as she spoke. Very unusual...
What could this news possibly be?
Was her father giving up more land? What else was there to discuss with these magical leeches?
Golden eyes narrowed at her, and Lucia whipped her tail in embarrassment. How could she forget they were speaking through telepathy. She needed to be very careful with her thoughts.
--
Lucia hadn't even realized she had made it back to the border until a velvety voice met her.
"Oh, Lucy, you're back~" A light Grey shewolf attempted to rub her muzzle against Lucia's scent gland.
"I told you not to call me that, Pilar!" Lucia ripped through her with a harsh growl. It made her stomach turn when someone else used her sisters nickname for her. Especially in a flirty manner. Her voice darkened as she shoved past the small dame. "Where is my dad?"
The shewolfs ears pressed firmly on her head as she involuntarily trembled only the slightest bit.
"T-the Alpha is in the tall clove." Pilars icy eyes looked up fearfully as she spoke.
Lucia felt a little bad using that voice on her pack-mate, but she was at her limit, and that was the last thing she needed. She'd have to apologize to her later.
Lucia treaded under the large willow trees towards her father. He stood with his back, facing her staring off into the distance.
At least he wasn't hacking up a lung and made it a little easier for Lucia to stay mad.
"PADRE, ¿cómo pudiste? " ("Father, how could you?") She couldn't control the rumbling in her throat.
"Hablas con tu padre, tu alfa... de una manera tan irrespetuosa." ("You dare speak to your father...your Alpha in such a disrespectful way?" )His voice was calm but held a sterness that pissed Lucia off.
"I'm serious, damn it! She's just a pup. You can't expect to just ship her off to make cozy with those -" Lucia's tail stood up in the air to prove she meant business.
"That's enough! Your sister is seventeen years old and is far from a pup, Lucia. You act as if she is your pup more so than mine!" Even in this weak state, her father stood tall and strong before her. She fought the urge to put herself in the submission position as his voice grew. "You think you know better than her own father?"
A question? An opportunity!
Lucia shook off the nerves. Her claws dug into the soil beneath her paws as her mind raced with what her next words should be.
"Well, if she's so mature, then why don't you let her make her own decisions?" She kept a steady voice, trying not to escalate the situation more. She could get a lot more informal without fighting. A lesson the younger Lucia took a long time to learn.
"She has made her choice. I have discussed matters with your sister, and that in itself is not for you to question. Her future, in general, doesn't concern you."
"What's going on?" Lucielle pushed past her big sister, appearing out of thin air.
Lucia jumped at the sudden appearance of her sister. Her round eyes scanned the room as the two older wolves stayed silent.
"Uh...is everything ok?" Lucielle narrowed her eyes at her father, hoping he'd speak up.
The Alpha cleared his throat before speaking.
"Your sister thinks you're too young to be seeking a mate."
"No! I think she should be able to go at her own pace and not rush to marry someone for an ulterior motive -" Lucia growled.
"That's it! I've had it with you Lucia, you need to think about the bigger picture here! Now I have to go make sure they dont think we've lost our minds. I knew I should have gone myself. If you want something done right, you need to do it yourself! Hopefully, she knew better than to listen to a hotheaded mess like you." Their father grimaced and pushed past the two of them heading towards the trail that Lucia had just come from.
Hopefully, one of the Blights would still be at the border.
"You know you don't have to worry so much, Lucy..." Lucielle broke the silence. She nuzzles at her sister comfortingly.
"I'm the one who told Dad I wanted to do this!" The younger spoke camly, she released calming pheromones that caused Lucia to relax the slightest bit.
Lucia snorted with a shake of her head. Her sister was always the go with the flow type. What would her mother think if she didn't speak up for her sister?
She could still hear her mother's voice clear as day.
"Lucia, you know your sister is going to need you more than anyone else in this world. When your father and I are gone, you'll only have each other. " Camila's hand rested on her belly. It wouldn't be much longer until she'd be able to get back to her pack duties once this pup was out of her.
A short breath escaped her before she rested against the wall, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over her. Lucia was at her side with her brows furrowed.
"Mom, don't talk like that. You and Dad have a long time before that. The little squirt will be able to hold her own by then." Lucia sat her mom on the couch and continued wiping the counter tops in her mom's stead.
"Lucia, listen to me. We never know what this world is going to throw at us. Your father and I aren't invincible. No matter what age you are, you two will always be our pups. she -" Camila took her daughters hand, placing it on her stomach. "Will always be your little sister."
A heavy feeling loomed over Lucia for a moment; like her mother was trying to warn her about something. Her mother always seemed so wise, like she knew everything, and all this talk about not being here anymore really made the preteen uneasy.
Lucia's thoughts were interrupted by her moms soft laugh. She felt a smile creep on her own lips as she felt the baby move, "I'll always protect you, sis." She whispered.
"I promise."
"Lucy, are you crying?" Lucielle whimpered with a tilted head, her ears angled down with a worried expression.
Lucia cleared her throat. She moved away from her sister. "I just think you need to take a little more time to decide if this is really what you want. I mean, you don't even know what this guy is like."
"Well, that's why we are doing the greeting party, and each of us will have time to talk to him one on one." Lucielle seemed content enough with her even tone. Lucia knew better, though. Her sister was probably a nervous wreck under all that calm, level-headed, smart talk.
"Well, I just hope you turn and high tail it out of there at the first sight of a problem. You can be a little...ditzy, sis." Lucia smirked a bit as her sisters eyes narrowed at her.
"Hey! Says the one who is strutting around like they are a gift to all the omegas and yet still hasn't been with anyone serious. Like I need to take any advice from you. You are so dense when it comes to finding a mate, so I think you should worry more about yourself." Lucielle's tail swayed in dismay. Her sister could be such a jerk sometimes.
Lucia successfully distracted her sister from her previous observation. An Alpha shouldn't be so weak as to cry. Especially in front of those who they are supposed to protect. How could they feel secure with such a wimp?
"Speaking of, I think you need to go apologize to Pilar if you still want a shot with her." Lucielle snorted before strutting out into the clearing.
Lucia shook with an exhale before following her sister.