Zeus
| ten |
As Zeus and his wolves busied themselves over the weekend, preparing for their trip to France, they had failed to remember about the man who was still lying in their morgue. Anya had remained in the hospital, stubbornly refusing to talk to her mate, which gave her a lot of time to think about her family.
She wanted to return home, but she knew that no amount of fighting would change her mate's mind; the Alpha blood running through his veins made him as stubborn as a mule.
But whilst Anya was sulking upstairs, Hercules was downstairs, avoiding her at all costs. More than one, Ares had told him that he was a fool, that he shouldn't have got in between their Alpha and his mate, to which - on more than one occasion - Hercules had stormed off. Artemis had been checking on Apollo who was now refusing to talk to Athena, who had locked herself in her bedroom.
And as Iris stood in front of the pack house, she did not like it one bit. Many times, she had contemplated approaching the younger wolves, including the hot headed Alpha, but many times she had given up, too tired to try. The past few days had been a whirlwind of emotions; bringing up the past had drained her.
Iris turned on her heel, walking in the direction of the pack hospital. Anya was the only one who was in no position to run away from confrontation.
Barging into the hospital, Iris made her way up the stairs to Anya's private room, not bothering to knock as Anya jumped in her bed. "Stay where you are, Missy," She ordered as the younger wolf attempted to move from the bed. Iris sat by Anya's feet, her face hardened by determination. "You need to fix things."
Anya stared at her, bewildered, "How-?"
Iris cut her off, "That boy is downstairs, driving himself mad about this idea of going to France." She pointed a finger at Anya, who bit the inside of her cheek, a pang of guilt rushing through her; Artemis and Athena had made it their business to keep her up to date with the plan. "He cares for you, and he's doing everything he can to make sure you live. You need to talk to him."
Anya sighed, growing frustrated. "He banned Hercules from seeing me. He wont let me go home-"
"This is your home," Iris said darkly. "You belong here now." Anya blinked, fighting back tears as her bottom lip wobbled.
"I just want to see my parents," She sobbed, Iris immediately moving to pull the girl in for a hug. "He killed my uncle, I have to know that they're okay. I don't even know where here is!" She shouted in frustration, hot, angry tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. Iris nodded in understanding.
"But Zeus wants nothing more than to protect you. You think he's doing this to punish you?" Anya remained silent, Iris taking hold of her hands. "He loves you."
Anya's looked up at her, a shocked expression on her face. "No." Iris refused to back down.
"You are angry. You may not see it now, but one day, you will. Just give him a chance." Iris smiled warmly at her, standing from the bed. "He leaves in the evening to go to France, you had better talk to him before he goes."
Anya did not speak as Iris turned around and left, leaving the tired girl to her thoughts.
~
A few hours later, Zeus stood before her, his arms crossed over his chest as his eyes bored into her. Anya fidgeted on the bed, before moving to stand on one leg, her arms reaching out to grab the crutches that Helios had given her. Zeus stepped forward to help her, ignoring her body tensing before she grasped a hold of his arm to balance herself before slipping her arms into the crutches.
Zeus stepped back, allowing her space to take a few wavering steps, she winced slightly, Zeus made to move closer to her again, but the stubborn look on her face made him freeze. "I-I want to go with you." She eventually spoke, Zeus watching her manoeuvre her body around the room, a few wobbly steps making his wolf want to comfort their mate, but she recovered, smiling as she finally got the hang of it.
"Absolutely not."
His words made her furious. "Why not!?" She yelled, biting her tongue immediately after as Zeus looked down at her darkly. A moment of silence passed between them, before she spoke again, her voice calmer, "How long will you keep me here? Locked away? Away from my family?"
Zeus sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You're too sick."
Anya threw one of her hands in the air, gasping angrily, "I AM DYING ANYWAY!" She was furious, ignoring the voice of her wolf who warned her to calm down. "There is nothing else that is going to make me worse, my fate is already sealed," She growled, Zeus remaining quiet. "I sit here, day after day, I can't do it any-more. I have a right to see my parents. I have a right to go out, to go to school, to live a normal life-"
"YOU ARE NOT NORMAL!!" Zeus bellowed. "You are my mate; no-one said life was going to be easy. But you belong to this pack now, why can't you see that?! I'm trying to protect you!"
Anya sighed, feeling the urge to cry. "Maybe I don't want protecting," She finally whispered.
Zeus groaned, "Why can't you just let me save you!? I'm your mate, it's my job!" Anya rolled her eyes. "I can't lose you, you are all I've got to live for."
She did not speak, biting at her bottom lip. "You have a rubbish way of showing it." Zeus' eyes hardened, Anya turning to look at him angrily. "Did you even want to mark me?"
A low growl escaped his mouth, his eyes flashing angrily. He could find no words as he felt his heart flip painfully. He took a step away from her, making his way to the door, looking back at her once, "Maybe it's you who regrets marking me," he murmured, before disappearing from her view as he left, quietly closing the door shut behind him.
Anya breathed heavily, the tears finally falling as she felt her heart breaking.
~
After having most of the day to himself, Hercules had had a lot of time to think. And the more he thought about the dead wolf in the morgue, the more he was confused. There was something about the man that irked him, his wolf growing frustrated.
Hercules made his way to the hospital, silently passing through the halls, before making his way down the stairs to the basement where the bodies were stored before burial. Hercules reached the door, ready to push it open, before he heard footsteps, his whole body tensing.
He listened intently, before realising it was just Helios making his way to check on Anya.
Anya...
His eyes darkened at the thought of the she-wolf who he was banished from seeing. Jaw clenching, he moved to push the heavy door open, entering the morgue. It was cold in the morgue, the temperature sending shivers running through Hercules' body as he stepped further into the room, wasting no time as he began to search each table for the body of Anya's uncle. He came across the last body that was placed at the back of the room.
He chewed the inside of his cheek in anticipation, making his way over to the body, his hand pulling back the sheet from the face, before his pale orbs fixated on the face of the man who tried to steal the future Luna. He looked familiar, but Hercules couldn't quite remember, a frown etched onto his featured.
"What are you doing?"
Hercules span around, Apollo standing by the door, an eyebrow raised questioningly. Hercules sighed with relief, his heart racing as he looked back down at the dead male before him. Apollo followed his gaze, grimacing at the sight of the battered body, dried blood coating the neck of the man. He looked back at his cousin, frowning. Hercules mumbled, "There's something about him that I just can't put my finger on... I recognise him, but I can't remember where..." He trailed off, looking down at the man's face once more.
Upstairs, Anya coughed, the noise being heard by Hercules and Apollo, who looked at each other briefly before returning their gaze to the body. Anya. Hercules groaned as realisation hit him.
"That's it!" He exclaimed, Apollo looking at him in confusion. "The night I found Anya. He was there!" He looked down at the man, a look of disgust on his face.
Apollo's jaw tightened, gritting his teeth as he asked, "What should we do?" Hercules mulled it over, before he decided to be the bigger man - or wolf - and finally speak to his brother.
"Get Zeus."
~
Not even five minutes later, Hercules heard the heavy footsteps of his brother, who asked in a bored voice as he asked, "What is so important that I had to leave my preparations?" He spoke in a bored tone, not happy that he was in the presence of his brother who shared the same dark look.
Apollo rolled his eyes at the stubbornness that clearly ran in the family, pointing at the man that Hercules hadn't moved from. "Him." Zeus raised an eyebrow, his face blank as he looked at the body of Anya's uncle.
Hercules sighed, "He was there the night I found Anya. He's the man she was running from." Zeus growled, before turning on his heel and leaving the room. Hercules remained unmoving, his brother returning with Anya. She limped beside him, his arm around her waist as he supported her weight. The tension grew thick as she entered the room, her eyes ignoring Hercules as they fell on the body.
She blinked, her mouth forming a straight line as she stared at him. "Why have you brought me here?"
Zeus answered, "My brother is under the impression that this is the man that you were running from when he found you." Hercules' eyes hardened at Zeus' stubborn nature. Zeus ignored the blazing glare of his brother and looked down at Anya. "Is this true?"
Anya shook her head. "There are three brothers, my father being one of them. Uncle John was there that night." She looked at Hercules, speaking directly to him, "This is Uncle Jesse." Apollo shifted from one foot to the other, feeling awkward as the room's atmosphere grew even more uncomfortable. "I was trying to escape; my parents had been away with the Alpha, and I was left in the care of my uncles. They had been brought up under the strict and brute force of my grandfather..." She trailed off, taking a deep breath. "They are cruel men, and had kept me locked inside the house, I had managed to escape when Jason, my cousin, had helped me. He tagged along in the chase to act as if he were helping them. That was when Hercules found me."
Zeus' eyes darkened at the revelation, his fists clenched, jealousy burning from within him as he stared at his brother who hadn't taken his eyes from his mate. His wolf growled inside him, a short warning that had Hercules' eyes snapping towards him. "Burn him."
"No!" Anya protested, "He's still my uncle! You can't kill him!" She yelled, stepping away from her mate, a horrified expression on her face.
Zeus snapped at her, "He locked you away, he imprisoned you! You want to take pity on him!? He's scum, vile, not worthy of your love!"
"And you are!?" Anya screamed at him, Hercules blinking at her in shock as she glared up at Zeus, a pained expression washing over his features before he narrowed his eyes at her. Apollo looked away from the scene, wishing that he was anywhere other than where he was, Hercules glaring down at the body that lay before him.
His body shaking with fury, Zeus spoke through gritted teeth, "You will stay here, with him," He tilted his head in the direction of his brother, purposefully ignoring his brother who simply rolled his eyes. "Once I get back from France, we will talk about your doubt towards my feelings for you, when I get back," He snapped. "You will be chaperoned, your protection is the most important thing to me, even when you wish to defy me." He lowered his head to place a soft kiss on her forehead, before turning on his heel and storming from the room.
Anya visibly drained, her face pale as she looked at Hercules, who stepped forward to pull the sheet to shield her uncle's battered face from her view. Anya shuffled, moving her body towards the stairs of the cellar, politely refusing Hercules' offer to help her to her room. As she left, Apollo was left with his cousin who, despite his brother's terrible mood, had a small smile on his face, which was then wiped off his face as he glanced towards the body again.
Hercules moved towards the door, not saying a word to his cousin, leaving behind the younger wolf who grimaced at what had just happened.
"Well that went well," He muttered, slamming the heavy door shut behind him.
~
It was dark as Zeus loaded his belongings into a truck. Despite being faster in wolf form, he did not know how long he would be while he was away, from the story Iris had told him, it would take a lot of convincing - after they had found her.
He stood in front of the pack house, watching as his men loaded up the car with their belongings. Ares passed Zeus, throwing his bag in the back of the truck, turning to go back into the building before he looked at the dark look on his Alpha's face. "Uh, are you okay?" He asked, Zeus' eyes snapping to him. A curt nod was his answer before the forest green orbs returned to watching his men, then moving to scan the territory.
Ares bowed his head respectfully, before jogging up the stairs leading to the pack house, disappearing through the doorway.
Hercules emerged, passing Ares who flashed him a small smile before he turned to run up the stairs. Stepping outside, Hercules looked at his brother, walking to stand beside him. "Shouldn't you be saying goodbye to your mate?"
Zeus' eyes narrowed, his head turning to look at his brother, "Shouldn't you be stealing someone else's mate?" He growled. Hercules sighed, opening his mouth to apologise, but Zeus beat him to it, "If I ever see your hands on her again, I will make sure to knock your teeth into the back of your head." Hercules opened his mouth to protest, but caught the faint smile on his brother's face, a grin plastering itself onto his face.
Their reunion was cut short when Ares suddenly burst from the house, panting as he stood before his Alpha, "Z-Zeus." The Alpha raised an eyebrow, Hercules frowning. "There's been news; Anya's old pack know you murdered her uncle." Zeus' eyes grew hard once more, a thunderous look on his face.
Hercules asked, "How is that our problem?" He crossed his arms over his chest, Ares gulping as both brothers turned their deadly glares onto him. Wide eyed, Ares felt his body tremble as Zeus growled at his next sentence, his voice shaking as he said;
"They're coming. They're declaring war."