Sorry for the long wait! I recommend reading over the previous chapter to help you remember where we left off. I know long gaps between updates cause people to forget parts of the story so if you get confused about something that is mentioned or that is happening please don't hesitate to leave your question in the comments. I will read through and clear anything up that you need. Also, this is a community! Everyone reading has at least one thing in common... You must like this book to have stuck with it, so feel free to answer each other's questions as well! Be kind! -K
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Chapter 27: Too Good to be True
Knock. Knock.
Silence.
"Open the door " came a woman's voice.
Anna stirred around in the hospital bed, not liking the disturbance. She was exhausted and so was Maks. She had finally gotten him to sleep before drifting off herself.
Anna felt immense warmth against her back causing her to grow even more drowsy.
Flipping over proved to be more work than she thought as she tried to untangle herself from layers of sheets.
Growing frustrated, Anna made a bigger fuss trying to get out from under the covers.
"Gosh, what are you guys doing in there? Open the door when you are done so we can see Maksim before we get dinner." Svetlana's voice sounded.
Just before Anna could get up, a growl sounded behind her head causing her to jump up and whirl around.
"Easy, Anna, easy. You just elbowed me in the stomach..."
As he spoke, Maksim took in the sight of the girl in his hospital bed. At first, her eyes were huge and he knew he had startled her. Maks assumed that Anna would never get used to the animalistic side of him. In a perfect, ideal world, the Alpha would have accepted the little lady to be his Luna and he could prove to her that being half wolf wasn't always a bad thing. In that world, she might accept him. She might even find it thrilling.
But Maksim knew that there would be no point in fantasizing about what could have been. He was after all on his death bed. By the look on Anna's face, however, one would think he just proposed.
"You look amazing." Anna whispered in awe, causing Maksim to raise a questioning brow. The last time he saw himself, his skin was a sickly color and his amber eyes had been reduced to a dull brown.
"Well, not amazing..." Anna corrected. "but far better from yesterday. Almost healthy."
"Yeah? Then, why do I still have this?"
Sighing, Anna already knew what he was referring to. The mark of death was still very visible on Maksim's skin.
"You still have that because you won't mark me." Anna accused.
"You don't understand... Marking someone is always tricky, even when both participants are shifters. But with us... things are... different." Maksim reasoned.
"Let's not talk about that. You know where I stand and I know you've already made your decision. I'm gonna go get your sister and then find Nik." Anna said as she opened the door.
Maksim didn't pay any attention to Svetlana as she came in. She was already complaining about Niklaus, that much he knew. He couldn't be bothered to act interested because Anna's behavior stuck with him.
It had been too easy getting the little minx to accept his decision. She let him win. But why?
"Maksim Lukin. Do you ever listen to me? Are you so sick now that your ears can't function without Anna here to hold your hand?" Svetlana fussed, earning a herself a growl.
"I'm still your Alpha."
At his statement, Maksim could see his sister visibly shrink back. Her action were caused by instict, not actual fear. No, it was never like Svet to be fearful. She had too much pride and Alpha blood in her for that.
"You sounded like Papa when you said that."
Maks demeanor changed into one of hurt, even though he knew Svetlana was telling the truth. They were both taken back to a different time and place when he said those words. A place filled with hardships and wars, but no love. A time they knew as their childhood.
**
"Number?"
Maksim looked around the dirty room and then back to the German Soldier in front of him. He was scared but he couldn't let the enemy know that.
"7713"
As the numbers left his lips, all eyes turned to him. The young alpha knew he was causing trouble for himself, but couldn't take being treated this way.
"Number 7713! Say it in German or loose you tongue."
With his heart beating faster with every passing second, Maksim answered. "7...7...1...3"
The shock he felt pulse through his body was immediate. Sadly, the seering pain wasn't new to him. Episodes like this happened once a week, at least.
Falling to the ground, Maksim's shaky fingers yanked at the collar around his neck. This new invention, created by the Nazi soldiers, was nothing but a torture mechanism. All they cared about was the beast inside a shifter that could slay an entire field of their enemies, not the human being that deserved freedom.
" I've heard others of your kind speak of you. They say you are their next leader, their next protector. You are supposed to be the strongest of them all..." The soldier chuckled as he looked to the crowd of shifters. "So tell me, how are they supposed to have hope when their great and mighty Alpha is trembling under my feet?"
Maksim lifted up his head with all his leftover strength, "You cowards can keep using us to fight your wars. You can keep putting innocent blood on our hands, but we remember the faces of the children and families you've made us kill... That will be our motivation to put an end to your kind. When my father and I lead our people out of here-"
"Your father? The great and mighty alpha. I hope you weren't counting on him to save you, because you'd be out of luck. The alpha was found dead this morning. I guess his heart couldn't take all of the killing, especially after he found your mother's body."
Tears swelled up in Maksim's eyes, as gasps filled the room from his pack. Why were they believing this monster?
"You're a liar!" Maks yelled, trying to stay composed, but searching for the bond between him and his father, he came up empty.
"Let's make sure this one never forgets his number again..."
**
"So then she brought her claws across my tummy..."
"Your tummy, huh?" Anna asked, she was more interested in finding the book she needed, than listening to Nik, but she didn't want to be rude.
"Yes! My tummy! Why aren't you sympathizing with me, Anna? It hurt so bad. Don't you wanna see how bad I got hurt?"
Sighing Anna turned to him, only to see the beta lifting up his shirt. He was sporting a pretty nasty cut that started under his right peck and reached his belly button.
"It's itchy." Nik added.
"That's probably because you're already healing. And why would I sympathize with you? Didn't you say before Svetlana did that you threw all of her clothes into the lake?" Anna asked, still searching for the right book.
"Yeah, I did. I don't see your point..."
"Ugh! Nick, you're supposed to be helping me look."
"You know what? You're right! And I will. You know why? I'll tell you why. I'm helping you because you have never used you're claws for evil purposes, like tummy slashing." Nik explained as he came beside Anna and started shuffling through books.
"But I don't have claws..." Anna pointed out.
"Are you saying that if you did, you would use them for evil?"
"Well, no-"
"Is this the one?"
Taking the old book from Nik's hands, Anna remembered the last time she touched it. She had only been here a few days and was so curious about Maks that she read four volumes of shifter books all in one night.
Smiling lightly, she answered, "This is it."
Peering over her shoulder to inspect the old volume, Nik started, "So, you never told me... Why this particular book?"
Spinning around to look at him, Nik took in the unmeasureable amount of hope in AnnaLee's eyes.
"This is the book that's gonna save your alpha."
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*End Scene*
I'm still struggling but I think this turned out fairly well.
Also, no offense to any German readers out there. Somebody had to be the bad guy.
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Love you -K