Retrieval

**Calder’s POV**

I’ve been stood at the end of this forest for half an hour pacing waiting for Sel to come back out I can’t believe she hit her scent from me , in fact I can’t believe she walked away from me she is so stubborn .
I don’t know how I’m going to manage her if she becomes Luna, she is reckless.
I’m still pacing and getting more frustrated that’s she’s not back yet then Vidar speaks

**"Calder our mate is in danger we need to find her "**

"Vidar, what are you talking about we don’t even know where she is " Just as I finish speaking her voice fills my head.
"*Please find me please find me please find me* " She sounds so scared, but I still can’t catch her scent, I run back into the forest shifting as I go heading in the direction, I last saw her.

I carry on running then I catch it, its faint but it hers that sweet smell of strawberries and cinnamon but its mixed with something it smells acidic and a little sour.
I get closer to a clearing and I smell blood, then I see her legs from behind a tree.
She’s lying on her back not moving I can still hear her breathing and their blood on her face.

"Selene wake up" I shake her hoping that will do it, but she doesn’t move, I check her body over the blood on her face is hers at this knowledge I take a sharp intake of breath.
She’s breathing but she is in a deep sleep I sniff the air around her and check the floor someone was here with her but who. I want to follow the scuffled path back to wear this began but I can’t leave her, the lingering scent in the air and on her is familiar but I can’t place who it is.

I change back into my human form and scoop Selene into my arms, confident in that fact that whoever was here has now gone, I head back to the pack house.
These sisters have spent more time in hospital beds than anyone I know.

It’s been 2 days since I bought Selene back from the forest she’s hasn’t woken up yet and I moved her from the hospital bed to my room after the doctors cleared her and said she has been given something to knock her out but they don’t know when she will wake up .

I’ve not been able to think straight since they told me that I’ve spent hours watching her chest rise and fall her soft pink lips part every time she lets out a whimper in her sleep. I left Sigi in charge of the pack and have doubled the patrols on our border to find whoever attacked Selene.

I feel nothing but Guilt and anger at myself, how could I say those things to her blaming the death of her people on her and her sisters, blaming the madness of Arlo truth be told he was always mad our family just decided to not acknowledge it.
How could I accuse her of hiding things from me? I want to protect her and never let her go and that’s very much what I intent to do when she wakes up, I am going to make her mine.

I lay on the bed next to her pulling her close to me the midday sun flooding the room, when I’m with her she makes me lose all sense of myself it’s like she consumes me when she is around, I’m weak. I nuzzle into her the feel of her body against mine relaxing me.

As I lay there in the silence of the room a thousand thought fill my head but the one person who keeps appearing is Arlo.
How is he still alive he must now be so old, how is his wolf still able to fight the way they said he did when he attacked the pearl moon.
I’m at a loss for answers a loss to what we should do how do I protect her and them it’s the same argument I’ve been having since I laid eyes on her for the first time.

I feel movement next to me for the first time Selene is waking up.
I pull my arm out from underneath her and prop myself up waiting for her to open her eyes to tell her how sorry I am about everything.
She moves her a mouth a little her eyes fluttering as they adjust to the light.

"*Where am I?* " She then sits bolt upright.

"*ASH! WHERE IS HE?*" There is so much panic in her voice it makes me want to rip his head off, that’s why the other scent in the forest was so familiar.
I turn her head to look at me.

"Selene, you’re in the pack house your safe "
I don’t know what I expected her to do but it wasn’t this as she stares at me, I see anger fill her eyes, Disgust at my presents in the room and my heart breaks a little.

"*Where are my sisters?*" Her voice is monotone no feeling in it. She is still angry at me.

"Sel I don’t think you should be moving yet, it’s been two days since I bought you back here "

"*2 days! No no no it can’t be that ling I have to see them I have to tell them something* "

She tries to stand out of the bed, but her legs give way and I manage to catch her before she hits the ground, once she back on the bed she pushes herself out of my arms.
"You need to rest Selene please don’t try to leave again ill have some food bought up for you "
She sat on the end of the bed her head down avoiding eye contact with me.

"*I not Hungry, but I can’t seem to link my sisters my mind is still groggy could you please get them to come here, I'd like to speak to them* "

"Sure, I’ll get someone to find them "

Not even 5 minutes later both her sisters are at my door they have been to see her multiple times since she was asleep trying to contact her but her subconscious was also asleep, they were always asking why she was in the woods but I didn’t have the heart to tell them it was because of me .
As soon as Selene sees them her eyes light up a smile forming across her face, they both sit on the end of the bed and I lean against the wall by the door wanting to give her space but not leave her alone.

They talk about how she is feeling as well as Sel noticing Cynthia’s new mark on her neck from Sigi she lets out a cute giggle in excitement then I see them all hold hands and the room falls silent it’s like this for A few minutes until Selene looks up at me .
Her eyes now cold unlike when she saw them.

"*Calder. I would like to speak to my sisters alone* "

"Selene, I’m sorry but I’m not leaving you alone"
Anger flashes across her face.

"*I’m not on my own my sisters are here* "

"I’m aware of that" looking at both Artemis and Cynthia they know I’m not going anywhere.
"but I am still not leaving your side "

She huffs visibly angry but carries on talking to them both. Then she looks up at me again.

"*Actually, Calder this does concern you, I wouldn't want you to think I’m keeping anything from you* "The Sarcasm dripping from her words knowing full well she is thinking of the last time we spoke.

"*It’s Arlo, Ash told me that he is coming and when he does is going to destroy your pack, he’s going to kill them all and you and then ..*."

Tears begin to swell in her eyes, and I step towards her wanting to comfort her.

"*Then he told me Arlo is going to take my sisters powers and murder them leaving me alive for Ash, as Ash is helping him*"

She erupts into sobs and before I can take her into my embrace both her sisters have surrounded her, the three of them seeming to amplify the powers of each other and there is a soft glow around them all.

I go into overdrive thinking about how we will protect the pack, how the pearl moon pack will end up staying with us for longer.
The sisters have now pulled away from one another addressing the 3 of now Selene speaks again.

"*That’s not it , I got the feeling that Arlo doesn’t know about me , Ash didn’t mention taking my powers but do you remember what you told me about what the moon goddess told our parents when they did what they did ?*"

The story of how their parents came to have children’s flood my memory.

"*Arti you said there will come as they will have to answer to call to maintain balance, but they will be the last of their kind. The last will restore the first and then the line will end I think that’s now I think this is it* "

They say nothing and they sit in the silence seeming to dwell on the words Cynthia is the next to speak.
"*I’ve been thinking about this a lot too, I think if we fight this fight, we can save a lot of innocent people but...*"

Artemis interrupts and finishes of Cynthia Sentence.

"*But we are not destined to survive. I’ve thought a lot about what she told them. The Last will restore the first and then the line will end. I think in order to solidify the balance after this fight we have to die so there are no longer powers for people to fight for* "