Axel's pov
More days have passed since the attack on the city. Many of their soldiers and members of the Four leaders clan have funded and helped donated, while the majority of the human citizens have suffered causalities.
Lyra and I have been working with Earl Lockson and the Enchantress of the Coven. Individual help from the pack, avoiding the Luna and Alpha; I've been managing command with their sons over their pack members, showing them how to ease the distraction and negate the pack when something as a raid or attack devasted the city and its inhabitants.
During the clearing where the final battle held on the academy's ground once stood, I found Ace's motorcycle that she built in the garage. I decided I would fix it for it back on the compounds of the Undead King's estate.
Extended hours from light turns into night; after a hard day of work, the members and I were greeted back with my in-laws preparing a meal where Aurora and her brother Arthur joined us.
"Ah, I missed this food," Aaron expressed, gulping up when I quickly placed a napkin over his mouth.
"Chew before speaking, Lad," I scolded him. Lyra giggles enjoying the lovely meal together with the pack. We were eating Ceviche, which I learned is a raw seafood dish that fills our stomachs quickly.
"Uncle Axel here have some rice," Maggie passes me the bowl of rice; never on my land did we have anything such as rice, I first tried it Lyra, and I overate the white rice, but I do prefer when Lyra mixes it spices with yellow and beans.
"Thank you, Lass," I mumbled through eating my food; Luke was fighting with Manuel to get some popcorn for the food; of course, Manuel was the slowest. I was hoping his training with Aaron would make him faster.
I only ate one plate of the meal. I excused myself from the dinner table. I told Lyra to go ahead in going to bed. I was going to stay up for a couple of hours. I headed to the estate's garage where Ace's motorcycle was delivered there so that I can fix it.
Turning lights on and seeing the damage that the motorcycle endured during the fire, I had to strip the motorcycle of its parts first before taking apart the engine.
"I knew I would find you here, Alpha Axel," It was the Luna of the Boyd pack; she dressed in a dress that showed off her legs and breast.
She smelled in heat, not strange since mating season occurs during January and March. We were still in the last of January due to the attack. No one has had time to rest properly.
"My wife is not receiving any visits at this hour," I told her, not looking in her direction. I held my breath so I wouldn't breathe in her smell. It isn't terrific. Whatever she drank smelled even worse. I did not want to throw up the food my mother-in-law made.
She stepped behind me, closing the space between my wolf and us, disgust by another female Alpha felt threatened.
"I'm not here for that half-breed woman of yours. I'm here for you, my Lord. You know I was a daughter of an Alpha. My parents taught me the duty of an Alpha only when I married Boyd did I realize how much of a failure he is as an Alpha, a husband, and a father _ my son, came out to us, loving another boy. His Father accepted that our son wasn't going to have a child of his own. Our duty to preserve the pack failed with my husband and son. That is why I need your seed ancient blood," She explained and leaned towards my neck. I dodged and quickly caught the motorcycle from hitting the ground.
"Enough! Get out of here now!" I demanded, but she grinned, stripping her robe off, and stood naked. I gagged at the sight of her, then, by my moment of weakness, she tackled me to the ground and straddled onto me. I tried to throw her off me until she was yanked back by none other than my wife.
"Axel breathe," Lyra told me as the Luna roared out towards her; Lyra smirks. "Oh? Did someone get money? Taking advantage of a husband when his back's turned is another form of stupidity, Luna." Lyra teased, only to have the Luna pounce on her to the ground. She used one of the tools I had to keep Luna's jaws from her neck.
"You bitch of a hybrid! Your kind stole our men and bewitched our sons to take up with men!"
"Your daughters knew and told him that he could no longer stand alone! They must have blackmailed him into telling us how he loves the Earl's son! Our lane must preserve by wolves of a female and male! Our traditions and customs!" The Luna yelled at her, clawing at her face. I felt my wolf cent out shifting from human to wolf.
"Fuck traditions! It did nothing to bring either of us happy! Don't do that to your son!" I roared out, penning the Luna to the ground, snapping at her forearm that one she used against my beautiful wife. I ran over to my wife; the wounds on her face disappeared as I approached her.
"AAahh, you fucking bitch!" She screams out, only Lyra's eyes flashed red with fury. Her black hair turned white, and she started to growl and snarl like us wolves. Magicians have the ability of any animal they chose. Like her mother the owl, her sister a snake, her brother a falcon, and Lyra, she can transform into two animals, a hummingbird from her native land and a wolf with white fur from mine.
"Taking a form's wolf won't help you, half-breed!" The Luna yells upon shifting as well; both of them started fighting one another as wolves, sinking their teeth into one another. I do know more about Lyra. Her bite is much worse than other wolves and mine.
Many humans believe wolves ripped each other to shred that it is not true primarily for us. Alphas of both male and female-only need one bite against another pair of Alpha. We bite to kill, not in petty fights like tis one instantly.
In this case, this Luna's weakness is her face; she quickly shifted back to her human face so did Lyra's her face covered in Luna's blood.
"Aaahh! Ugh!" The Luna cries out, but Lyra stomps down on Luna's chest to shut her up. Her eyes are glaring down at her with red fury.
"Shut your mouth! How can a mother like you do such a thing? Only because your son fell in love with the same sex doesn't mean your world is over!" Lyra lectured her Lyra stomps on the woman again, knocking her out. She was shaking and collapsed on the ground.
"Lyra!" I went over her, covering her body with my coat. "Hah, blood, I thought my time in your homeland seeing battle after battle and treating the wounded at the castle. I still get shaken up no matter how long I've bathed in blood, Axel." I held onto my wife soon after guards ventured by the princess who heard the fighting outside, and our son soon came out to help me bring his mother inside.
Soon after, the whole pack and family came to the living room where Aaron, spending more time with his Abuela, studied the herbs and mixtures to use for bruises and cuts.
"Here, Mom, give me your hand," Aaron instructed politely. Taking his mother's hand into his, she stopped shaking.
"¡Haha, incluso después de poco tiempo, puedes golpear a esa perra!" Lyla expressed everyone in our family agreed I had no clue as to what they said.
"Tia Lyla said, even after soon long, you can still beat the shit out of that bitch." Aaron translated Manuel and Santino along with Maggie and Luke, and Lydia and Henry laughed too. I grinned too as the Princess return after dealing with the Luna.
"We sent word to Alpha Boyd and his Luna to him. I'm sorry my household has failed in its duty to protect you," Aurora stated; Lyra and Aaron glance at the child.
"You did your duty well. Your house protects us from the outside. And as you can see, a hybrid's shed none of our blood of ours," Lyra expressed; the lass slightly smiled at us and respectfully took her to leave to her quarters. Tyler and Grace smirked over at me.
"Reminds you of the castle?" Grace teased her mate/husband, "Oof the formalities and titles glad we're not in those times anymore," Tyler teased. Lyra giggles at me; Aaron was young when he was first born at Dire castle.
My mother had difficulty showing him formalities in battles and war since there were no banquets or ceremonies—only church sermons for our counting fallen comrades in battle.
"It's getting late," I stated; the pack knew what this meant. "Good night, Alpha and Luna. Sweet dreams to you and your heir," Grace and Tyler courtesied towards us as they left to their room, earning a heartful laugh between the family and pack.
Luke stayed behind since he and Aaron share a room with Santino and Manuel.
"Boys, no more roughhousing yer abuelos need sleep," I warned Luke, especially since he loves proving to my nephews that their abilities are slow. Aaron used eggshells on Lyra's minor cuts and even gave me lavender and jasmine for me to smell to get rid of that awful smell and in calming my wolf.
"Me nino, you learn so quickly," Lyra praises his knowledge. He smiled and bid us goodnight going off to his room.
Aaron's pov
"Hey guys, I'm going to head to the garage. I'll be back later," I told them, turning towards the hall that leads to the garage. But Santino stops me from blocking my way.
"Tio Axel said to sleep, and if you leave us with Luke, we'll blast him," He concluded I knew he would, and I don't blame him sometimes for Luke winning a few fights. He gets it in his head that he's the best fighter in the pack.
"I'm right here," Luke commented, sweeping Manuel under his feet, Manuel hits his head against the floor, groaning, and Santino grabs his collar, a bit of energy slipping from his hands. I stepped in between them.
"Shut up, seriously, abuela and abuelo need their sleep," I told them, helping Manuel up to his ground, reminding him of Luke's weak point, which it's the weak point of every man. Since I know the second best thing to Luke is screwing around.
"I'll be back later," I told them, going towards the garage, putting on the lights, seeing the motorcycle. I knew that Da wasn't going to leave in the ash. Plus, I can't sleep. I haven't been since my sisters left, and now my dreams can't tell if they were real or not.
Abuela told me that sometimes dreams are predictions or messages from someone tied to your life or will be part of your life in greater chances. Sometimes I dream about my past back in Dire castle and when I found my mother. But mostly, it's my sister Kathryn scaring the shit out of me.
"What are you doing?" She asked me. She appeared in the garage with me as I picked up the tools Da laid out before Luna tried to jump into his skin.
"Cleaning you?" Kat calls out to me, her white hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she had makeup on. I know she's out of the building. She was passed out on her bed where it is.
"Drinking same as always," She giggles, the same pair of eyes staring back into mine; it's funny how the firstborns we're the only ones apart from Ace's one eye that has blue like Da's.
"You got into another fight with Maya, didn't you?" I asked her even though I already knew the answer. Kat growls. I can see her fangs and angry in her eyes when I mentioned Maya.
"You don't know what she's capable of doing. I mean, she always thinks she's better than me at everything. And knows what best for me without considering my options," She shouts my ears rang which tells me it's magic; Abuela says that's how Da figured out that Mom can perform magic, magic has a sing ring towards it by the sounds of it we can determine friend or foe.
"Options? Kat, there are very few options that you get to walk away from this," I told her. She scoffs at me, grinning.
"Yep, I guess you can say that considering your Mama's favorite," Kat noted to me. I slammed the tools back into the toolbox.
"Stop it!" I growled at her. She sat down on the motorcycle, staring at me with no amusement.
"C'mon, we all know it. I mean, why else would this have happened? I mean, you're the boy that they wanted full blood at that too. I mean, even how you look in today's world, you got all the privileges that we don't have. I mean, if you got killed, everyone will mourn for you," Kat added. I stayed silent, thinking bout what I can say about us being equal and how the world isn't as terrible as it is. But I would only be lying to myself and her.
"You're right, Kathryn," I responded to those blue eyes of hers.
"See, at least you admit it," Kat sighed in relief.
"But you're also wrong," I replied, and Kat rolls her eyes. "What makes you say that?" She asked
"Because with your power, you can undo how the world views you and our sisters." I pointed out, and Kat sneers at the idea.
"Magic took our little sister away," Kat muttered through her teeth.
"I know it did, but she isn't gone. It was magic that gave you the power to end that battle at the academy and save the drainers from being walking corpses. What can I change if I had a power like yours,"
"Don't! This power isn't a blessing. It's a curse. The fact I had it this whole time of me being powerless to stop the abuse and fighting my whole life magic could've stopped it all," Kat recalled.
"You can't blame yourself for what happens, Kat. Neither of you should," I repeated, but Kat merely shakes her head.
"That's easier for you to say, brother. Our beloved Father kept you safe in his castle while we were locked away in our room. I mean, we even called it our tower," Kat recalled the minor details.
"Da never wanted that. He only wanted you to go to school, to make friends live together as we all had," I assured her.
"Then why Aaron?" Kat cries out, holding onto herself, tears running down her face; I came over and felt her energy holding onto her. Even though I know, she isn't here with me.
"Why didn't he come? Why didn't he protect us?!" She screams, and she disappeared from me. I feel her crying in her sleep. She wasn't the only one, Maya I can see her crying in Sam's arms. I can also see Ace wires and ivs and a machine attached to her to keep her alive; tears ran down her face as she breathed.
I knew why he couldn't save them, and I know it kills him to this day. Gabriel, the man who sits at the same table as our Father, knew about my Mom and sisters' true identities. By help with Uncle Brody, who we entrusted and was present at my sisters' birth with his wife.
His exact words were, "I'm sorry young Lord, this is for the good of the pack," He told us I attacked him while yelling at the others to take my sisters' to run away. Afterward, I got choked out. Maggie and Luke hid my sisters in the cabinet. They attacked him, trying to protect them.
He overtook us; when we woke up, found by my parents, my sisters covered in blood with what was left of Uncle Brody. He told us that a man who found them told them they were what he needed the perfect saviors for his camps. By then, Brody led Gabriel to our home showed him our secret treasure, my sisters.
He left before my parents got there, but they knew that the vampire was in our home, and it was only a matter of time until news of our house and the murder of Brody was going to spread. Mom made arrangements to head back to the homeland to take my sisters with her.
Only the morning they left, Da got a call from Gabriel the moment they flipped the taxi that they've taken them. He used my Da's love for my Mom and daughters to get him a seat at the council and threatened to kill them if Da tried to raid the camps.
Gabriel would've traded off my sisters to other noble families to ally themselves with our Clan even through force. They would've assaulted my sisters until they were with child to use against our family.
Every day my Da became distant and cold to everyone around him; he stayed behind the same reason Mom did to protect one another. It turns out all it was all in vain secrets didn't protect them, nor my sisters; they lost their lives before it started.
Kat's pov
San Francisco
The sunlight shined over my eyes, the headache started, I groan blocked the sun from my closed eyes the train was shrieking loudly that snapped my eyes open, I covered my ears quickly, and I wasn't in the loft, I don't see Sean and John.
"Ugh, I reek," I grunted, tasting vomit in my mouth; the pounding in my head hurt more. Why is it so hot?
"An okitemasune asa," (Good morning). Jiro greeted me happily and considering I was in his shirt. I can adequately figure out what happens. They likely locked me out of the building, and Jiro correctly took me to his apartment.
"I'm sorry uh how?- iroiroto mōshiwakearimasen'," (I'm sorry for everything,) I bowed over to him he waves it off and praises me for my pronunciation he reheated some food he had in the fridge and luckily it wasn't anything fishy I hate seafood.
"It's ok here eat up greasy food helps cure hangovers," He mentions setting up the small table for us to eat together, Jiro kind-hearted good looking, and very fun to tease. Especially in bed, just seeing him squirm gets my blood boiling. God, I sounded perverted.
"Like it?" He asked me. I picked up the chopstick and started eating; it was good thought about my brother came to me, and I started looking around Jiro's apartment even though I've been here twice.
"Huh, I met your brother," I said through chewing, pointing at the small picture frame that hanged on the wall.
"Oh Andrew, how is he?" Jiro asked. I raised my eyebrows, but if Kubo had ties to the black market, contacting Jiro would make a trail back here.
"Good, I can understand. Why didn't you tell me Andrew was Ace's lawyer," I mentioned adding more sauce into the large.
"You never really asked," Jiro replied snarkily, and I laugh. "Yeah, I guess I don't,"
"Why do you drink so much?" Jiro asked. I finished my meal and collected the plates since he already did so much for me. I answered his question while cleaning the dishes.
"Issue loads mostly about my family," I admitted. "Drinking keeps me sedated from feeling anything," I told him, rinsing the soap off the plate placing them on the drying rack side by side.
"Andrew mentioned you have a brother too," He mentioned as he grabbed some disinfected wipes wiping the table, and putting them away. I turned off the water and wiped my hands dry.
"Y-yea, I do, but I don't know him. It's a long story," I said quickly and looked at the clock, realizing the time."Thanks for the meal. I can head to work. See you," I waved, heading for the window.
"Wait, wait, you can't go out like that?" Jiro pointed at the shirt. I stare at him, confused; then I remember I wasn't wearing my regular clothes. Luckily, he had washed my clothes when I blacked out. He gave me a disposable toothbrush. He even charged my phone too.
He gave me my now cleaned clothes changing into them, but halfway through the bottom of the apartment building's stairs did Jiro jumped from his window, stopping me.
"Andrew texted me to escort you back to the building. The record store was closed the boss went out of town. So come on, there's something you gotta see," He told me, grabbing my wrist and walking towards the building where we've been staying since arriving here.
"Don't yank my wrist, please," I replied softly. Jiro apologized, and we walked side by side, and I notice several stores were closed. The once busy marketplace was silent, and people were lining up outside our building.
"What's going on?" I asked aloud, seeing families, store owners and employers, policemen and gangs, and all of them respectfully lining up waiting to pay their respects, but this worried me.
"They're here to pay tribute," Jiro said, walking towards the door. Everyone bowed their head towards me; seeing my face, I bowed back in respect so did Jiro. We walked to see the kids handing out drinks and snacks to all who came.
"To who? The squad?" I asked him, worried, looking at the line leading up to the loft did something happen to Ace. Jiro followed up with me towards the loft where The squad removed the door Yua and Bao placed at the door Guang and Tilo with their families beside them next to the bed.
"Yes, and your sister, after they've seen you guys around, they found out about her condition," Jiro mentioned. I looked at the monitor. Her heart was still beating, and I calmed down, seeing she was still stable, only they removed the wires and ivs from her body.
She was placed in a black dress, and her hair braided as well; she looked alive. But this scares me, of course. Because in our culture and gathering, this usually meant death to a family member, and this was a final goodbye. Sean and John were there too, wearing their best clothes, accepting the gifts, and arranging them the best they could around the loft.
"Wow," I spoke out. Maya was standing too by our sister's side. I didn't notice Sam across the room further away from my respectful sisters; Maya looked towards me. She was shaking with the same thought, too. When seeing this, I went over and stand by her side.
Taking her hand, all the fights we had with each other, and the petty arguments and my resentments towards her disappeared because seeing this is the reality if Ace never wakes up because then it will just be her and me.
Everyone who visited her brought money and gifts and hoped to everyone in the loft for her recovery. Tilo and Guang explained that due to this, several of their business would rest for a month. That's the amount of time they placed for Ace's recovery, and if she hasn't recovered by then, they will pull the plug.
In respect of their comrade and the little girl, they raised together. Andrew will stay for the month to overlook the final instructions left by Ace. The week before the end of this month, our family will be brought here by the Undead King as promised.
The whole event took the whole day, and several hours before 11, the whole loft was surrounded by flowers and offerings of things that Ace loved, her favorite snacks and books, even teacups. They even gave us personal photos of Ace when Takeshi first brought her here with the shop, restaurant owners.
"All of these people owe so much to her," I spoke out after staying quiet the whole day. Maya agreed with me; the last person to leave bowed towards us directly. Guang helped his wife clean up the loft and placed the flower surrounding Ace's bed.
Tilo and Yua helped re-insert the ivs and wires over Ace's body. We watched in silence, and when they finished, I quickly went on my knees and slammed my head hard against the ground towards Yua and Tilo.
I knew I slammed my head hard against the floor, hearing the crack on it too.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me for the trouble I caused you . . . please let me stay here with Ace. I-if this is her final month, please don't let her be alone here," I begged them. Maya came beside me and kneeled with me. She bowed her head to the floor, keeping me close.
"You have our permission," They allowed it; we thanked them over and over again, even taught us how to check the monitor and set alarms on when the nutrients and bags of ivs need to be changed and the days they wash her body with warm rags.
Maya and I slept in Ace's full foam mattress. It was so big that we could fit in and not touch each other's side; it was so comfy. The room was large and opened no door; by a wall where behind it is where Ace was sleeping.
Her room was different compare to the rest of her loft. Christmas lights hanging over the bed with a warm light that doesn't hurt our eyes. A swing with a fur custom on the room seat was large enough to swing and jump into the bed. With the large window tilted.
Clear white marble floors, her clothes lined up on the exposed pipes, and her shoes underneath the bed neatly lined along the bottom of the bed. A single painting above her head was Daria Sick Sad world in black in white, the first tv show we watched in the apartment.
The monitor attached to her the sound of her heart beating and her calm breathing overwhelms us hearing anything else. On her bed stool were pictures of her adoptive family and the squad next to it was a sketch of Mom and us that she traced over the picture she kept.
"A month, they said," I laid out my arms and legs, looking up at the ceiling, tears coming down my eyes. Maya crawled over and wiped my tears away. Lay down by my side, and we hugged each other Maya pulled my face away from the ceiling towards her. Tears slid down her cheeks, wetting the sheets.
"We'll get through it; remember we're strong together," She held onto me. I embraced my sister, holding her tightly away. Takeshi might take her from me too.
"Together forever," I cried to her, crying she did too; we fall asleep that way, holding onto one another.