Zephyr
"She's still asleep" I announced to Ethan's pacing form "Her breathing's regular too in case you were wondering."
His head around snapped, meeting my gaze with an intense glare.
"Was it really necessary to electrocute my last living niece?" he growled at me.
"If Xenos saw it necessary in the moment then...yes" I shrugged "He doesn't do anything half cocked. Especially when it involves kidnapping the Beta of one of the strongest Packs in the West."
Ethan scoffed at the idea of my flamboyant, on-a-whim cousin taking the time to plan out something so highly skilled and strategic.
"Don't judge a book by its cover"I warned "He may seem like a carefree slacker but don't underestimate his abilities. Out of all my family member's he's the most accurate when it comes to his mission hits."
Ethan's jaw slackened a bit "And by 'hits' You mean...?"
I nodded "He's had the same amount, if not a tab bit more, training than I've had."
A hand slapped my back hard enough to jolt me "I knew I'd get you to admit that I'm the superior marksmen and warrior."
I shrugged his arm off of me "I didn't say that."
"You kind of did" he grinned smugly as he took the seat across from an indignant looking Ethan, twirling a pink spiral lollipop in his hands.
"I'm going to check on my niece" Ethan announced before stomping off towards the guest bedroom "You know, the one with the fried brain."
I rolled my eyes.
"I don't think I'm ever going to live that one down" Xenos spoke softly, taking a bite of his lollipop "It's not like I wanted to zap her. She just wouldn't listen to my warnings."
"Was she really going to signal for her Pack?" I asked "Or did you just say that to pacify me?"
He nodded "I've been around Wolf Shifters long enough to know when they're about to signal for back up."
I shrugged "You did what you had to do."
"But I feel awful for it" he protested "Like...worse than I've ever felt before. Which is saying a lot considering my favorite pastime is to zap people who don't listen to me."
I sent him a pointed look "You feel guilty because of your current situation."
He flinched and quickly changed the subject "So now that we have her...what happens next?"
"We wait for her to wake up" I said, looking at the clock hanging about the dining room table "And once she does, let's see what those legends on all of your arms tell us."
~~~~~
Alessia
I woke up with a raging headache and mouth so dry I thought someone stuck cotton swabs in them while I was sleeping.
I groaned at the flaccid feeling of my muscles, urging (with no luck), for them to move.
I gave up and did the only thing I could do in the moment.
I rolled over to my side, grunting as the ache in my muscles got worse.
I was surprised to find a note on top of the bedside table as well as a tall glass of water and two little pills that looked like Advil.
I narrowed my gaze at them and with the little strength that I had, I reached over and grabbed the note before slumping back into the bed.
"Take these to take the pain away" the note read "And drink the full glass of water to rehydrate yourself. Something to eat will be made available to you when you're ready."
I didn't realize how hungry I was until I read that last part, my stomach making a dinosaur worthy roar to convey its point.
I huffed, blowing the small piece of dark hair away from my face.
"That bastard fried me and expects me to walk" I grumbled and grunted as I tried to heave my body up from the warm bed "The least they could have done was treat me like a Princess and leave some food in here."
With maximum effort on my part, and a few creative curse words, I managed to get out of bed and shuffle to the door.
I swung it open and gripped the frame to steady myself.
"Alright your assholes!" I yelled loud enough so they could hear me "I better have some food ready for me! I'm ravenous and bloodthirsty! Two combinations that are deadly for someone like me."
My uncle peaked his head from around the corner, wincing as he took in my murderous expression.
"AJ" he stammered "Hey...girl. What's up?"
"Hey girl" I snarled at him, taking a step forward on my wobbly legs "What's up? That's all you have to say?"
He let out a nervous laugh "How are you feeling?"
"How am I feeling?" I echoed his question, my gaze narrowing at him "Let's see shall we. Over the past twenty-four hours, I was hunted down, chased through a club, and electrocuted with a million watts of power by some freak with a fetish for ugly coats. HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK I'M FEELING!"
"Seventy-two" he corrected weakly.
"What?"
"You've actually been out for the past seventy-two hours."
My eyes narrowed even more "You're telling me I've been out of it for three whole days?"
He nodded hesitantly "We were about to take you to a Doctor."
"You didn't take me to a doctor the first day I didn't wake up?" I growled, taking another step forward as I held onto the wall for balance "I could have died!"
"Zephyr said..." he trailed off when I hissed at that name.
"I don't give a damn at what that asshole said" I snarled "I'm your niece. My health and safety should have been your top priority."
He winced.
"If Mom knew about this, she'd be so disappointed" I said, brushing past him and heading into what I assumed was the main living room "It's a good thing she's not here to see the type of man you've become."
He flinched away from me, my words having the intended affect on him.
Was I being a super bitch at this point?
Yes.
Did I have a right to be?
Yes
Did I feel super guilty about it and wish I could take the words back as soon as they left my mouth?
Also...yes.
I was just so upset at my Uncle's betrayal and how easy it was for him to cast aside our familial relationship and let those two animals use me for only God knows what.
I didn't want to end up like my cousin, gone before she even got the chance to live her life and create a legacy that would have changed the world for millions of other little shifter girls just like her. Girls who came from Packs that still practiced the archaic ways of Pack Hierarchy, where the women were only good in the caretaker and heir giver roles and were never given the chance to prove themselves as warriors and leaders.
I didn't want to die because I had too much to live for.
I not only wanted to experience what my parents had, the love that still shone in their eyes whenever the looked at each other, even all these years later, but I also wanted to honor my cousin's dreams too by creating a more inclusive world for girls who weren't as fortunate as we were to be raised in a Pack where women were given fair opportunities and treated as something more than what their bodies could create and house.
I wouldn't fail Serenity.
I couldn't fail her...
It was something we've promised each other the moment I agreed to be her Beta.
To keep trying and move forward no matter what happened.