The Pack House

Pressure

A/N: comment & vote

*warning*
"Zach!"

The dark haired wolf from before froze. Zach was lying in a melting pile of snow, stained pink. His clothing was scarce and ripped. His chest was hardly rising. I could smell the life draining from him. "Mason stop!"

Marc hooked an arm around my middle as I scrabbled toward him. "Let go of me!"

My throat seared as a sob weld up in my chest. Marc pressed my against him. I went limp, hiding my face in his shoulder as I cried. Between my tears I could hear the sound of dirt being overturned. "Raven told me to bury him. I figured it'd be nicer to let him suffocate rather than waiting to die in camp."

I pushed away to puke on the ground. The man groaned in disgust and continued to dig his hole. Marc was there, rubbing my back comfortingly. "Let's go baby. I didn't want you to find out this way--"

"You knew?" I felt betrayed. I hit him as hard as I could on the chest. "You son of a bitch!"

Marc didn't get angry. Instead he rubbed my back and crouched down and kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry sweetheart. I'm so sorry."

I could hear the blood in Zach's lungs as he gave sudden gasp. "Can't you take care of that Dax?"

"This little bitch just won't die," argued Dax sounding offended. "We left him there for almost a week, no food, no water, cos he was so close to dead. Somehow he's still fucking hanging in there."

"What happened to him?" Marc growled. "Arrow is going to be furious."

"Raven tried to make him take his entire fist," Dax retorted. I felt ready to puke again. "With all the blood he's losing, he should've died already."

I felt Marc gathering me. "Help him!" I pled through my tears. "Please!"

"There's no help for him Mason. He's going to die. Whether it's today or a week from today."

I sobbed helplessly. I felt truly powerless. It was my fault this had happened to him. I should have helped him--fought more. And Marc was the coward who let it happen.

Why was I having so much trouble blaming him? Because all the death and pointless violence came back to one name: Raven.

He was the real monster here. People around him dead. He claimed lives proudly and celebrated others taking them. There was only one punishment that could fit the kind of crimes the man had inflicted: death.

But who was capable of taking down a man who had killed his own Alpha and most of his Pack single handedly? Who held enough power? Surely not me, an Omega. Or Marc, the unfortunate coward. Someone else had to exist who was capable.

***

"All cried out darling?"

"He was the sweetest of all of us. He didn't deserve what he got out of life." I whispered into the pillow. "He should have been catered to. Cherished."

"He's with the Moon Goddess now--she'll take care of him."

"She let this happen to him." My voice broke and I rolled over to look at him. "We let this happen to him."

"Don't blame yourself. It was my fault."

"What choice do you have? Clearly Raven is the one in charge here."

Marc sighed and ran his fingers through my hair. "I bet it seems like that huh?"

"He is!" I countered angrily. "Arrow hardly has a say. Raven is in charge because everyone else is afraid of him."

"Arrow is the only true Alpha in this Pack." Countered Marc. "Raven respects him."

"Raven tolerates him because he's not a threat."

Marc growled a bit. "When did you become an expert in Pack dynamics?"

"I'm not an expert--I'm just not blinding myself to it."

"I understand you're hurting Mason. And I know how easy it is point a finger at someone. But sometimes things just happen."

"This wasn't an accident, Marc!"

It was like he was making excuses for this monster. "Raven wouldn't purposely try to kill an Omega--it's a complete waste."

"He's demented--he would for his own enjoyment. I want you to take me to Charlie. Now."

"Mason you're not in a good place. I certainly don't want you messing with Raven with the attitude you have now."

"In case he 'accidentally' kills me too?" My voice broke. The hardest part was knowing he wasn't dead yet but was suffering slowly in a cold grave. I began to shake with sobs again. "Please Marc. I need to know my friend is okay,"

"Alright, alright." Marc cooed comfortingly. "I'll set it up. I need you to stay here though."

"You promise?"

"Of course I do." Marc kissed my cheek. "And I'll bring back something to eat."

My stomach had been in knots since I saw it. Eating was the very last thing on my mind. "I'm not hungry."

"I know. But you've been sick almost four times. You need something in your stomach. I'll be back as soon as possible." He got up and rose the heat. He tucked me into a warm cocoon of blankets and kissed me on the forehead lovingly. "Don't worry sweetheart. I'll be back as soon as I can."

QOTC: I know this was really sad and I'm sorry. 😭 It was essential for the plot however. Thoughts?
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