Chapter 67
All movement stopped once again, but this time it seemed as though people were unable to move. The word mate echoed around the clearing. Not a single sound could be heard, other than a distant bird chirping in the forest. The silence was so tense, you could actually feel it on your skin.
"What do you mean she's your mate? You can't be mated to a human!" His dad snarled after he was able to wrap his mind around the idea.
Voices erupted around us. Arguing, shouting. It was as though Alpha Stephen's voice had awaken everyone.
I turned around to face my own family and pack. They were in an uproar.
"I don't know how this happen, but it did." I shouted so loudly it ripped through my chest, so I could be heard over the animalistic sounds. Slowly a silence spread back over the clearing so they could hear me speak. I continued to shout with force though. "Jace is my mate, and there's nothing any of you can do about it. Kill him if you want, but you would be killing me if you did that. Mom, you said so yourself. People can't control who their mate is. So why punish us for something that's out of our control?"
Nobody had anything to say about that. Dylan had finally stopped snarling though.
"Jace doesn't have to accept that,"Alpha Steffen exclaimed. His eyes on me with the deepest look of disgust, as if I was just a wad of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
"Everyone knows mates can reject each other." Jace's father continued with a snarl, "He doesn't need to be stuck with some pathetic human from the Jenner's pack. He can be stronger than that. Take a strong werewolf to mate, who will produce strong offspring. She would make a much better Luna than you ever would."
Jace was staying strangely quiet. I don't know if it was because he was afraid of his father, or because this was also his alpha. He seemed to be frozen. I took a step forward, to really face the alpha. There was now a only a three foot gap between us. I knew it was stupid the instant I did it, but I let the anger soaring through my veins take the lead.
"You are willing to risk your sons life? He will die if he rejects me. And even faster than a normal rejection, because I'm human." I snarled, staring straight into the black eyes, finally facing the man that I had feared for so many years. I had the courage to stand up to him, because something very important to me was on the line at this very moment. Jace's life. "You can't replace me, and thinking you can just shows your ignorance. You just don't get it! I was the one that was chosen to not only be the best mate for your son, but also to be the best luna for your pack."
He snapped. I knew I crossed the line, but I'd let my hormones take control of me anyways. Alpha Steffen instantly shifted into a large silver wolf, whose onyx eyes glowed with rage. I stumbled back as he crouched to lunge at me. I sensed Jace move into action, but suddenly the large silver wolf knocked me down. I landed roughly, with an audible gasp. I winced as my head contacted the earth with a sharp snap that echoed pain through my head.
Jace was also tackled down, but by a member of his own pack. From the looks of it, the Beta. The furious Alpha snarled in my face. Instead of protecting my face though, my hands instinctively wrapped around my belly.
Just like a few weeks before with Cole, I blurted out the only thing I thought could stop him. Except this time I had to hope that this would save my life, not just momentarily freeze up Jace's father.
I spat out the blood pooling in my mouth from when I had bit my tongue when I hit the ground, and spoke.
"I'm pregnant," I said, feeling the words burn with regret.
The alpha froze just as I had expected, head drawn back to snap at me. All sounds from the others fighting around us also stopped. I didn't dare look away from Alpha Steffen to check though.
"You can't kill me, because I'm pregnant with your son's baby," I said in a hurry.
Alpha Steffen un-crouched from on top of me. His eyes wide with shock, and a slack jaw. He took a tentative step back, just giving me enough room to sit up. He looked down at the bump that was barely concealed by the white dress. My hand was still on the bump protectively. My other hand wiped the blood from my lips.
"If you kill me you will kill your possible future alpha, and your grandchild," I explained.
Jace's father backed a few more steps away from me, giving me space to stand up. Mom ran to help me up, eyeing Alpha Steffen wearily.
"You're pregnant?" She asked, once she pulled me a bit away.
I nodded my head.
"And you're sure it's Jace's?" She asked.
"He's the only one..." I said a bit uncomfortably.
It was too silent in the clearing, but I knew pack members were having conversations with each other in their heads. A few audible conversations were going on though. Mom looked proudly down at my belly.
"I never even noticed." She exclaimed.
"I did a good job of hiding it."
"Oh, my baby girl," She whispered pulling me into a hug.
I caught sight of Jace while I was in the embrace, who was frozen to his spot. I pulled away from Mom, and walked towards him. He didn't move, just followed me with his eyes. A thousand different emotions flickered in his eyes, yet his face stayed expressionless.
"Jace?" I asked.
Fear resurfaced when I got no answer. He said he didn't like children. What if he wanted me to abort it? What if he wanted absolutely nothing to do with the baby or myself? What if he hurt the baby, because he was afraid of it?
"Jace? C'mon you've gotta talk to me. Your starting to scare me," I whispered.
I clutched his chin, and pulled his face down so he was looking in my eyes. His scared jade eyes bore deep into my own blue ones. It felt as if no one else was witnessing this moment, even though there were over a hundred people all around us. It was a private moment for us.
"I.." He started, before searching deeply into my eyes. As though he were trying to find another truth hidden in them.
"Sorry. It's just... a lot to..." He drifted off.
"Take in?" I finished off for him. "Yeah, I know the feeling."
He settled into a silence, his eyes flitting between my belly and my eyes. As if he was uncertain it was all real.
"So, you're...?" he trailed off again. I could see the fear of the unspoken word in his eyes. If he couldn't even admit it out loud, then he probably wouldn't want the baby.
"I want you to say it."
He breathed in deeply for a few silent moments.
"You're pregnant?" He managed to get out.
"Yeah," I whispered, my eyes landing on my bump. I felt ashamed at this moment.
"It's mine?"
I glared accusingly at the ground, as if the question had come from there.
"Yeah, the baby is ours," I muttered, the shame building deeper and deeper.
"You're pregnant..." he whispered to himself, in a tone I couldn't quite make out. Was that fear or shame in his voice?
"You're pregnant!" He suddenly shouted, his voice full of excitement, as though he was just realizing what the words meant. I leaped in surprise.
Next thing I knew he had his arms wrapped under my own, and was spinning me around in the air. His joy was so contagious. Our laughter mixed together into a beautiful melody.
"I'm going to have a baby!" He cheered, putting me down on my feet, but not letting go.
"Yeah you are," I said with a slight giggle in my voice. I beamed up at him.
"Can I?" he asked, his right hand hovering unsure over my protruding belly.
"Of course."
I pulled his hand the rest of the way, till it rested on top of my belly. My own hand resting on top of his. Even though it wasn't skin contact, I could have sworn I felt tingles spreading across my warm belly, not just between our hands. I missed this feeling. I smiled even widder at where his hand touched my stomach.
"I'm going to be a Dad," He whispered, as if he was talking to the baby inside my belly.
"So your going to be there for the baby?" I asked.
His eyes finally parted from my belly. "Of course I will."
"But I thought you said you were afraid of kids," I said teasingly.
"This is different. This is my own baby. It's my own flesh and blood. I'll learn how to take care of it, don't worry," He reassured. "How far along are you, anyways?"
"In a few more days, I'll be four months."
His brows furrowed as he calculated it in his head.
"So when..."
When I deceived you, his eyes said.
"Yeah," I breathed out painfully.
"I'm sorry!" His voice cracked on the words, and for the first time in my life I saw his eyes water.
"I know," I said.
He pulled me into a hug, wrapping one arm around my back, and the other cupping my head to his chest. He rested his head on top of mine. I felt my body fill with more energy than it's had in the past month and a half.
My face was twisted to the side, leaving my gaze towards the pack I had grown up with. Dad stood a few feet away, a dark expression in his eyes. I pulled out of the comfortable hug, and took a few steps towards him. Jace kept his arm wrapped around my lower back.
"Dad?" I asked, turning to face him.
He didn't answer. His eyes flickered between my face, my belly, and where Jace's hand rested on my waist.
"You... You won't hurt me now will you?" I asked.
Dad shook his head, his eyes planted on my protruding belly.
"You swore you would kill every last alpha heir. You won't kill Jace and my baby though... Would you?" I asked, fear evident in my voice.
After he pondered for far longer than I thought he should have, he spoke up. "I won't hurt your baby."
"And Jace?" I asked.
His eyes left mine, and drifted behind me to Alpha Steffen. He stared long at the other alpha, dwelling in his thoughts. Finally he spoke up.
"I won't hurt your son. I think this feud is outdated. I've even forgot what the root of the problem was. I believe, with these new circumstances, our packs should come to a truce. Our children ask for that much from us. They just need to be together," Dad said in his strong alpha voice.
Dad walked to the middle of the clearing, where an invisible line had been drawn between the two packs. "I've already spoken to my own pack about everything that has happen, and I have come to a conclusion." He held out a had to Jace's dad. "Truce?"
Jace's father looked between the two packs, then at my Dad. His eyes lingered on me and his son together. He seemed to be debating it between his own Beta, whom his eyes wandered to. After a moment Alpha Steffen stepped into the middle, outstretched his own hand, and shook it with my Dad's.
"Truce."
Before anyone even had a chance to argue or celebrate, a voice boomed loud and clear over us all.
"Isn't that sweet? Peace is finally struck up between these two enemies," A crisp deep voice taunted.
I swiveled around, trying to find the source of it. At that very moment men and women left the safety of the shadowy trees, and surrounded half the clearing with several layers of people lurking just behind the ones in the front. There must be nearly as many of them as there were of us.
Each person looked battered, as though they had been living in the wild for far too long. An unkept air was about them, from the unshaven faces, to the tangled long hair. Most were barring scars on their bodies.
I knew instantly who they were, yet logic debated it. They never gather in such a large group, let alone co-operate together long enough to follow someones lead. Yet the answer stared me straight in my face. Rogues.
Jace pulled me back behind him, his eyes on the man closest to our packs. He must have been the one to speak. He was clean shaven, and had a manor about him that led me to believe he was the one in charge of the all the rogues flanking him.
"Samual," Dad snarled, which rumbled into a growl. Pack members from both sides echoed the growl.
The name brought up recognition. The most feared rogue, who lived to crumble the carefully balanced systems of packs. The one who had led countless attacks against packs. He seemed to have this careful way of leading the unleadable.
"The one and only," the man, Samual, said in a cocky manner.
He seemed comfortable and in control of the entire situation. He almost seemed overconfident to a point of boredom, yet his eyes were sparked with excited amusement. He held himself like he was just having a casual conversation over coffee, yet that excited amusement in his eyes looked nearly manic. He turned his attention to Jace and I, still in the middle of the clearing.
"Congratulations on the baby," He mocked, his manic eyes glancing down to my protruding belly.
Jace snarled in response, and the reaction quirked the man's lip into a slight smirk. He was obviously trying to bait Jace.
"I've had people watching you for a long time my dear," He addressed me. I felt Jace tense even more if that was possible. "Ever since your family let that rogue slip through their fingers with important information about your existence, and your connection to both packs. Too bad Alex wasn't more patient, and got himself killed by your lovely mate instead."
"What do you mean?" I asked before I could stop the words from tumbling out.
"The rogue who approached you in your pretty red dress."
The one that had nearly raped and killed me at homecoming, he meant.
"Alex had been following you for over a month at that point. I don't know what had provoked him to attack you. No harm done though," He spoke casually, sending chills down my spine.
There was harm done. A man was killed, Jace gained more scars across his body, and another death hanging over his head. I have my own fair share of physical and emotional scaring from the incident, I destroyed the blissful ignorance of my twin by asking for help, and I was still plagued by nightmares.
A memory flicked through my vision. The glance of grey streaking between the trees near my hiding spot in the tree line surrounding the clearing filled with snapping and yelps from my mate and the rogue.
"You were there that night... I saw you in the trees."
His smile and slight nod was the only answer I got on the matter.
"You, my dear, are the key to the downfall of two of the strongest packs in North America," he said in a voice that almost seemed to purr with euphoria at the idea his words held. "But the entire baby situation makes me feel a bit guilty about my plans for you. Lucky for me though, guilt's never stopped me. Besides, it sweetens this entire ordeal."
Once again I felt a growl roll through Jace's body.
"Why are you here?" Alpha Steffen asked, sounding annoyed with Samual's taunting tone.
"Well we heard there was going to be a battle to finally prove which pack is the stronger one. We just couldn't miss it," He smirked, and chuckles echoed behind him.
"Nothing is happening now, so you can leave," Alpha Steffen said a bit too forcefully.
"No. The fun has just begun."
And with that all hell broke loose. Wolves erupted from where people previously stood. Rogues and pack members charged snarling at each other, and collided together with ferocious growls. Within moments the clearing stained with more blood and limbs. There was no way of telling who was on which side, let alone which side was winning. I couldn't even make out my own family members in the mass of wolves.
Jace was the only one left unshifted.
"You have to run," He urged.
"But-"
"This isn't a request, it's a command. Do it for our baby," He said, obviously knowing that would get me moving.
I nodded my head. Yet as soon as I started to turn, I spotted movement coming towards us over Jace's shoulder.
"Look out!" I screamed.
Jace moved just in time to shift, and knock me away from the oncoming rogue. He climbed off me quickly, and charged at the russet red wolf. They interlocked into a ferocious battle. I watched frozen to my spot as clumps of blood covered fur fell sickeningly to the grass between my mate and the rogues fighting figures. Whimpers escaped the interlocked wolves, and a few times I felt searing pain from Jace for only a few moments before it disappeared. Jace reared up on his hind legs, and launched his powerful jaws around the rogues neck. A snap echoed, and Jace let go of the neck, allowing the body to fall to the blood covered grass, where it lay motionless with it's empty eyes staring in my general direction.
Jace ran over to me, and nudged me with his large black head to stand up. I stood on shaking legs, and felt a shove towards the mainly empty part of the clearing, towards my escape. I turned to tell Jace to be safe, but he was once again charging towards a wolf who had managed to escape past our packs.
The fighting figures were starting to spread out around the clearing. More corpses scattered the earth. An equal amount of whimpers of pain accompanied the growls. I couldn't find my family, and I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Cold worry itched it's way up my throat, filling my stomach with lead.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I had to get out of here.
I turned, and started sprinting towards the forest. I knew someone would realize I had escaped and come charging after me, so my best hope were the trees. I could never outrun them, but my petite figure could cling onto thinner and higher branches than theirs could.
The shadows of the forest reached my sprinting figure, yet I never made it into the trees. I was tackled from the side, just a few feet from my escape. I landed roughly on my side, and felt the force of my fall crack a rib, which instantly blossomed into searing pain. I hissed, but never got a chance to get up when one of the rogues pounced on me. His heavy front paws on my chest, keeping me pinned to the ground. I punched and kicked, but had no success getting the over sized wolf off of me.
I screamed for help, hoping to attract someones attention. The wolf dug deeper into my chest, trapping the air in my lungs, and the scream in my throat. His large brown head bent down, lips curled off the sharp canines in a snarl. My vision started to darken around the edges. I gasped franticly, arms reaching to grab for anything that could help me. My legs flailing, trying to catch a sensitive spot on the rogue's underside.
My vision cleared for a small moment, and I took that as my chance to direct my thumbs straight into the rogue's eyes. I felt the sickening crunch, and then thick warm liquid pool around my thumbs as they were lodged into the squishy eyes. The wolf howled in pain, and bucked off of me. I gasped for breath, coughing, and rolled over to the side. He landed roughly back on the ground, and let out a yelp of surprise when he landed on the earth instead of me. I quickly stood up, and turned to run again. The growling wolf didn't let me get far. It's sharp canines pierced my upper waist, with it's powerful jaws crunching them in deeper. I screamed out, as pain seared through my nerves. It felt like a hundred needles were piercing through my skin. I heard the crunch of my rib under the powerful jaw, and my side exploded in even more excruciating pain.
At that the rogue let go, where I fell with a thud to the earth. I couldn't stop screaming at the intense pain pouring through my nerves, all twisting together at my upper waist. Warm sticky blood gushing out of my punctured skin. Crimson blossomed across my white dress. I tried to slow the bleeding, by pressing my hands firmly against the wounds, even though it made it sting with even more pain.
The rogue turned it's bloody muzzle to my face, probably knowing where I was from the frantic gasps escaping my lips. This was it. I was going to be killed by a wolf in the end. My head started to feel light, and I knew if the rogue didn't kill me now, then I would bleed out anyways. A rushing filled my ears, so no other sound could enter. My thoughts slowed to a hum, and I couldn't even muster up enough emotion to fear death looming over me.
I blinked slowly, and when I opened my eyes again, the rogue was no longer standing over me, but a few feet away with a black wolf on top of it. The arrival of the black wolf seemed to spring some life back into me, and my thoughts started to buzz lazily in my head. Jace, my mate. He was here to help me. I turned to look away as Jace ripped off the head of my attacker. Straight ahead of me, coming nearer, was the man who shot fear and repulsion through me. Yet my foggy mind couldn't figure out who it was. Samual or Alpha Steffen. It blurred the two together.
My thoughts were fading again, only quicker this time. The pain numbed out entirely. My grip on my waist started to slacken, and somehow panic started to surface in my mind as my only thought. I don't know why that small action triggered panic, but I let myself delve into the emotion. I looked out at the black wolf again, and felt a familiarness about it. I couldn't quite pin it, but I felt the panic fade away as I continued to watch it. The panic was replaced with serenity. I didn't want to, but I felt myself start to give into the serenity. It cocooned me into a place where pain could never exist, and only security lay.
The last thing I could feel before I completely gave into the dark serenity, was a hand applying pressure to my bleeding waist, and I formed one last thought- it's useless.
This is for my friends who keep bugging me to update. Hope everyone enjoys this!
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