Forbidden Queen

Anna

The fighting has been going on for an hour and we have had a steady stream of injured wolves arrive needing treatment. I am supposed to be working on minor injuries but none of the wounds I have seen so far have been minor. Deep claw marks have caused vicious wounds in our warriors’ chests and necks, broken arms and legs are deemed as minor inconveniences unless they stop a wolf from continuing to fight,

I am used to my father’s wolves being injured in battle but never like this. These wolves seem to be a match for my father’s warriors and the fighting has been brutal. There have been too many wounded wolves to treat them in the ambulance, so we have made a makeshift hospital out of one of the larger tents.

I have been using my healing touch to heal the injured warriors. No equipment or medicine can work as fast or heal as well as my touch, but it is exhausting. I have treated ten wolves so far and I am not sure how long I am going to be able to keep going.

Diane and Simon are using the medicine and equipment they have at their disposal. At their age my method of healing is not possible. It would take too much of their remaining strength.

Diane smiles at me “you are doing so well. I don’t think we would have been able to save so many wolves without your help.”

“I want to help” I tell her. “I couldn’t stand back and watch so many people suffer.”

“That shows that you are a true healer.”

All of a sudden, we hear snarling at the entrance to the tent. It is being guarded by Daniel and three other warriors who have stayed here to protect us. I watch as Daniel and our warriors rush to take on the enemy and prevent them from getting close to the wounded.

My father’s pack are known for targeting those they consider weak during a battle. The injured, children and the elderly are all considered to be legitimate targets because of the fear that it engenders within the pack they are attacking. We expected that they would target our makeshift hospital as soon as they realised that there were healers here.

I am terrified that my mate might be wounded or killed but I don’t stop what I am doing. I continue to heal the injured. I can see the fear in Simon and Diane’s eyes as they realise what is happening just outside of our tent. I smile at both of them, and grab Diane’s arm squeezing it gently “all we can do now is keep on treating the wounded Daniel will protect us.”

They smile at me nervously and try to continue with what they are doing.

A warrior appears in front of me, covered in blood, snarling, I recognise him as one of my father’s warriors. He has managed to evade Daniel and get into the tent with us. Daniel following close behind him trying to stop the wolf before he can attack me. He leaps onto the Black Moon Pack wolf’s back forcing him to the floor. My father’s warrior struggles, trying to push Daniel off him before he can position his fangs at his neck and tear out his throat. Suddenly he looks up, his eyes focus on my face, and I can see that he is shocked to see me here, he knows who I am. For a crucial second, he stops struggling and says,

“Anna?” Daniel uses the opportunity to tear out his throat.

I turn to look at Daniel hoping that he didn’t hear the wolf say my name, but I can see from the look in his eyes that he has, and all the trust we had started to build up in the last few days has been destroyed. No one else heard him, but Daniel is the last person I wanted to know.

He stares accusingly at me, and then he is gone. He leaves the tent and goes back to join the fight outside. I know that this isn’t the end of it. That once this fight ends, if we both survive, he will want answers. I won’t be able to hide the truth from him any longer.

I can’t think about that now, there are still patients to treat, their wounds to attend to.