I paced restlessly along the hallway outside of Viviana and Corrigan's room. They were the only two people I felt like talking to but they were both asleep. Not just because they were both knocked out on drugs that Vera had been feeding them but because it was 3 o'clock in the morning. I have barely slept for the past week but tonight was even worse. Tomorrow would be the vote for third. All the betas in the entire pack had finally gathered and were ready for a vote. Around half of the betas for the pack stayed at the compound year round while the other half only came for official business. The last time all the betas had assembled had been well over 40 years ago.
How the hell did I end up in a competition for the packs third. It was like every time the bonds that held me to the pack began to chaff I only ended up with more.
"You should be asleep." A low voice said from the opposite end of the hall. I spun around and stumbled slightly. My nerves throwing me off balance. Hands quickly caught me and held me steady against the wall. "When's the last time you slept?" Andrea asked her hands gripping my shoulders tightly. My gaze meets her silvery one and my heart beat quickend. "I'm not tired." I said. Andrea didn't say anything but just looked at me silently. Warmth began to spread throughout my body and I wanted to look away but my wolf stopped me, she wouldn't just submit because I was uncomfortable.
"You don't need to worry about tomorrow there are only two possible out comes 1. You win by a landslide or 2. You win just not by a landslide." She said. Her eyes searched my face intently as she spoke. "...unless of course you're worried that you will win, in that case you have good reason to be worried because there is no chance you'll lose or there be a split vote."
This time my uncomfortableness wins and I break our gaze. I'm not sure what to expect say, not just because of the topic but because of Andrea in general. I don't understand her one bit one day she is open then the next stand-of fish and cold and another she's raging and unreasonable.
My gaze rests on the door to Viviana and Corrigan's room. Andrea follows my gaze and her grip on my shoulders tighten. "Are you worried about her?" She asks quietly. "Yes." I still can't meet her gaze. "Why?" At first I think she means why am I worried but before I can say anything else she continues. "Why would she do that? Why would she protect me? She's....she's..."Andrea trailed off. "She's your mother and not the person you think she is, not the person she leads you and the rest of the world to believe." I said. My voice turned gentler as memories flooded my head. When Andrea looked back at me there was a storm of unreadable emotions in her eyes. We stood there silently for a few minutes and I finally break it when I move away from the wall and her hands that were still on my shoulders but had lost all tension. "I should probably try and sleep." Silently Andrea released me. I felt her eyes follow me the entire way as I walked down the hall.
***
I looked out at the assembled mass of beta wolves trying desperately to hold back my nerves. The vote was about to begin and I was a ball of nerves. Ivo was standing to my right and acting as if he had already won. "Alright everyone settle down." Willow said. She stood up in front of Ivo and faced the other betas. Willow had taken over running the vote.
"Those who stand with Ivo becoming the pack's third rise now." Willow commanded the room. A second earlier the office had been packed with restless wolves now no one moved. Not a single wolf stood from their seat and beside me Ivo was shaking with rage. "Those who stand with Kye becoming the pack's third rise." Willow stated. This time as one every wolf in the room rose. Shocked I watched speechless as Ember strode forward. "As a whole the betas believe Kye should become the pack's third however we do not want her to claim the position permanently." Ember said. "Why vote for her if you do not want her to be elected?" Willow asked. This time another wolf steeped forward Juan, was a friend of Corrigan's. "We all believe Kye has what it takes to become the third but she is too young for the responsibility and has issues she needs to settle before she can truly take the job. Our pack is in trouble now though so we all agree that until the poltergeist is handled we will follow Kye's lead."
***
I found myself outside Corrigan and Viviana's room once more, pacing the hallway. At least this time it was still day. Most of the wolves were at a party in the red room celebrating my temporary status of third. I didn't understand why they were wasting time on something so trivial but Ember said that with the tension the pack was under lately they needed a party. I didn't enter the room knowing full well Corrigan would tell me to go and stop worrying. Viviana would likely say something to the same effect but from the sound of her breathing she was asleep. I wonder if Vera place her under again or if she was just napping since she had nothing better to do.
"Will I continue to find you lurking here until she is released?" Andrea said. "I am not lurking." Silence descended for a few moments and I was tempted to turn and look at Andrea but I kept my eyes locked on the door. "Since the moment she arrived you have claimed I know nothing about her. You insist on taking her side. Tell me Kye what part of the story am I missing. How else should I react to her killing my father?" Andrea asked.
This time I did turn and face Andrea. She stood only a few feet from me and instead of the rage or sadness I had grown accustomed to seeing in her eyes determination shone. She truly wished to know what it was I saw in her mother that she didn't. I wanted to tell her. Wanted to explain everything and make her understand but I couldn't. "I...can't explain." I said.
"Why?"
"It...I...you need to ask Viviana."
"I'm asking you. Everyone knows the story, what happened was no secret. Out of everyone I have met my hate for her is understood and encouraged even. You on the other hand react...aggressively whenever anyone makes a negative comment about Viviana. Tell me do you care for her that much? How can you trust her, cling to her when you know she killed her own mate. Don't you realize you mean nothing to her. She cares for no one but herself and her power."
I stepped away from Andrea rage burning through my body. Everyone who heard of Viviana truly only thought one thing about her, she was a mate-killer. No one questions why she did what she did. No one sees her pain that she wears like a cloak around her. What she did tears her apart inside yet she did it all the same and for good reason not just because she wanted the power of Epsilon.
"Ask your mother her story if you wanted to know. I will tell you one thing," I met Andrea's eyes so she could see I truly meant what I was about to say, " I respect what she did."
A growl ripped through Andrea and her wolf ripped out. She had me pinned to the ground me her teeth clamped around my neck in less than a second. I made no move to challenge her and willingly submitted I knew this would happen the moment I said what I did.
The door burst open and Viviana strode out of the room. "Release her." Viviana's power washed over us and I felt I had been struck by lightning. The air quaked with the amount of force she emitted. Above me Andrea shuddered and she shifted back into her human form unable to hold her wolf under the impact of Viviana's command. Andrea was pinned down by the weight of Viviana's power that continued to race around us like a tropical storm. Carefully I slid out from beneath Andrea and slowly made my way forward carefully keeping my eyes down and my neck visible. When I was close enough Viviana's hands closed around my shoulders and she pulled me to her. "Are you alright?" She asked tilting my head back looking at my neck. The power that leaked out of her voice made me shiver. It was truly easy to forget just how much power Viviana wielded, she rarely used it instead she found other ways to make people do as she wanted.
"I am fine. Worry about yourself you shouldn't be out of bed yet."
Viviana growled in response and tightened her grip on my shoulders. "It takes more than a toothpick to injure me besides you were being attack."
I wrapped my arms around Viviana and brought her head down to my chest against my heart. "I am fine. But you need to relax the entire building will crumble if you continue flaunting your power."
Viviana relaxed and the amount of power around us died. Andrea stood from her place on the ground and glowered at us. "Kye, is my Servari I have every right to attack her." Vivian pushed me behind her. Her skin rippled,the air around her shimmered and the entire building quaked.
"You have no right to mistreat the wolves under you. It is your job as a dominate wolf and as an Alpha to care for and protect those who you are responsible for. For you to even say such a thing, you have no right to carry your father's name."
Viviana had Andrea pressed against the opposite way and was holding her there by her throat. The wall behind Andrea groaned and I was afraid it would break. At Viviana's words Andrea's emotions went crazy. She wasn't the only one my wolf wanted to go belly up with all the power radiating around me, she also wanted to rip Viviana off Andrea, and I wanted to calm Viviana. Groaning I forced myself to move forward and wrap my arms around Viviana again. "She didn't mean it she was angry and was lashing out. I am fine, Viviana she has never hurt me. Now release her before you hurt someone."
Against me Viviana's muscles twitched but slowly she released Andrea and corralled her power.
There was a few minutes silence and relief before Viviana spun around and faced me her power leaking out again. "Kylie Louise Hudson as Epsilon of the United States I hereby release you from your orders to mate with Azarias. I also release you from your Servari oath to the Sigma of the NightShade pack. And unless I find reason not to when I leave I will claim you as my wolf and bring you back to my pack with me."
As Viviana's orders tore though me I felt my body go weak and inside my wolf howled. I would have collapsed if Viviana hadn't been supporting me. I had never heard of anyone being able to release a wolf from their Servari vow before in a way I didn't believe it was even possible but I could tell it was. My link to Andrea had forcibly disappeared with Viviana's order.
When she finished Viviana swept me up and carried me back to the infirmary room. As she did I noticed for the first time the hallways were packed with wolves all watching us with varying degrees of shock on their faces.