Joey's pov
'Shift!'
'W-What?'
'SHIFT!'
I whimpered quietly, but let Leon take control and my bones start to twist and reset.
'There's not enough time . . . we won't be able to shift fully!'
'Then what____________?'
'Just trust me . . . this is going to hurt, but you have to endure it or we'll lose our pup.'
'Save our pup, Leon!'
I let out a scream of pain when my bones started to shift in reverse, like I was returning to my human form, but they quickly stop and bulge out again.
'W-What's going on, Leon?!'
'A partial shift! Our body is shifting between our human and wolf forms . . . that's why it hurts so much, our body is becoming something it's never been before!'
'It . . . It hurts so much!'
'I-I know, but we have to fight through it!'
An intense burning sensation slowly building up in my body steals my breath before I can reply and I could feel thick wiry hairs bursting out all over my body, before burrowing back beneath my skins and my claws do the same, leaving tiny drops of blood leaking from my skin.
'Is it . . . Is it almost over?!'
'I . . . I don't know.'
I close my eyes when the marble tile of the floor grow closer, but before I hit the ground, the pain suddenly fades and I hear a angry growl.
"How are you still alive?!
Opening my eyes, I gasp in shock, I'm crouching down with one hand cradling my pup close to my side and the other digging into the floor as if to help break a fall that I shouldn't have escaped unharmed.
'Run, Joey!'
The warning came just seconds before I looked up to find Kyle aiming a small silver handgun at my chest, his finger poised on the trigger as and his hate filled eyes focused on our pup.
" I'm going to make you suffer for taking my pups away from me and then I'm going to kill you. "
I stumbled to my feet and rushed towards the door, desperation making me faster . . . I had to get to my mom and Joel, they would protect me from him! As I dashed through the woods, I can hear his slow, calm footsteps behind me, filling me with fear. Just as the woods opened up and the house came into view, I heard several menacing growls coming from all around me and suddenly every one of the pack's hunters were surrounding me. One of them shifted and approached Kyle glaring back at me suspiciously.
"Your new Luna who has already proven his contempt for this pack has decided to sink even farther, he tried to kill our firstborn in a pathetic attempt to control me."
"N-No I . . . I would nev______!"
Keeping their attention on Kyle, the warriors refused to acknowledge my presence.
"What will you have us to do with him, Alpha?"
"Take the child and . . . give her to the Silver Moon Pack as a good will offering."
"No! I won't let you touch my baby!"
The group advanced on me and Leon quickly took over, letting out a roar that froze everyone in their tracks.
"You would attack your Luna and try to steal his pup, knowing what the consequences for both mother and child would be if they were separated?! You wish to invoke the wrath of the Moon Goddess for the sake of a worthless Alpha abandoned by his own wolf?"
I could feel Kyle cold gaze on me, but ignored his silent command for me to take control from Leon.
"Alpha, what does he______?"
Instead of answering, Kyle waved a dismissive hand and the warriors melted back into the woods.
"You stupid big mouthed slut! Fine then, keep that pathetic mongrel you want so much because she's the only happiness I'm ever going to let you have as long as we're mated."
Leon continued to stare at him, before allowing me to shift into my human form and immediately all of my courage faded away.
"Why do you hate me so much?! I was chosen for you by the Moon Goddess too, Kyle . . . why did you choose my brother over me?! Why couldn't you take the chance to love me too?!"
"You really are a pathetic slut, aren't you? You want to know the truth, fine . . . from the beginning I was disgusted by how weak you were, clinging to Joel like it was his duty to protect you . . . how could someone as useless as you ever entice me to love them? Even now after I tried to kill you and that mongrel you're probably still ready to drop to your knees and beg me to stay with you, aren't you? That's why I cast you aside, because I knew that you would never, ever be your brother."
"And what about our baby? Will you take your hatred for me out on her?"
Kyle laughed, shaking his head.
"You're really dumber than everyone gives you credit for . . . I don't hate you, because you and that mongrel mean nothing to me."
He started walking away and I grabbed his wrist, turning him around to face me.
"You're wrong."
"What?"
"This pup is your baby, whether you claim her or not . . don't ever call our pup a mongrel again. And no, I may love you, but I will never lower myself to beg you for anything."
A smirk crossed Kyle's lips, making me doubt my own words, but instead of replying, Kyle caught one of my hands and pulled me along behind him.
"The Alpha is leaving today and we have to be there."
"You want to be there to watch your dad be taken away?"
"Your mother will be there . . . I want you to go to her and tell her what I did to you . . . I want to enjoy seeing your face when you realize that she won't protect you because she believes you deserve whatever I do to you."
"She'll help me because she . . . she loves me."
Kyle laughed at how uncertain I sounded and I swallowed, forcing myself to put more passion into it.
"She won't turn her back on me, no matter what."
"She forgets that you exist any time Joel gets hurt, do you think she'll suddenly remember that she has another son just because you tell her that I choked you while you were holding your worthless mongrel in your arms, that I pointed a gun at her unwanted grandchild? She blames you for the loss of her precious son's unborn baby if you go to her and tell her what happened, I think she'll want to know why you didn't lay that mongrel you're so persistent on protecting at my feet and let me end its life as atonement for the pain your exsistance has caused everyone around you."
"Then kill me."
"No."
"Why? You hate me enough, don't you? Why would you give up this chance?"
"Because if I killed you, I would lose the chance to watch you fall apart and that's more satisfying to me."
I stared at him in shock, as his words slowly sank in.
"And . . . And our pup, are you going to destroy her along with me?"
"It'll be more fun for me to watch you trying to hold yourself together in order to convince her that everything's fine as you feel yourself slowly being driven insane with nowhere to turn . . . or you could stop it all now."
"I___________."
"I'm giving you this one time opportunity to kill me while you're still able to."
I smiled sadly, when my heart clenched at his words and the realization came to me that even if I'd wanted to I could never lift a hand against him because I'd been under his control from the minute I met him.
"I can't."
"I won't defend myself if that's what you're afraid of. I'll even make sure that you don't face punishment."
"It's no use, I could never hurt you because I . . . in spite of everything you've done to me, I'm . . . I'm still so in love with you Kyle, that it hurts."
"Just like I said, you're pathetic."
"You . . . You'll never feel anything for me, will you?"
"None of the others that you lay on your back and spread your legs for felt anything for you, did you think it would be different with me just because the Moon Goddess made the mistake of making you my mate?"
"B-But you accepted me in front of the pack, Kyle! If you didn't feel anything for me, you had the right to refuse!"
"The only reason I gave up on Joel and mated you was to become the unchallenged Alpha of this pack, Joel is the only one I'd ever accept as an equal, his pups are the only ones I'll lay claim to . . . but you can keep trying and failing to earn my respect. The least you can do is entertain me. Oh, and before you get any ideas about defying me, well no one will blame me for whatever you bring on yourself."
I looked down at my pup who had woken up and was now watching us with intelligent grey eyes and, my heart filling with a mixture of sorrow and relief when a decision hit me.
"Then in order to rid you of the burdens of my pup and I, I . . . I will go to the Elders and request to have our mating overturned. I refuse to let my pup be hurt by you."
A spark of joy went through me when I saw the flash of surprise in Kyle's eyes, but it quickly faded with his next words.
"If you think that's a good idea, then go for it. Just remember, before you'll be allowed to leave me, you have to provide a male pup to succeed me as Alpha and by the time you do that, I'll have used all of the power at my disposal to rip that pup you're holding away from you and even if you manage to take her back from me, I'll make sure that she hates and distrusts you so much that she'll run away from you until you lose every ounce of your strength just trying to get her to acknowledge you. Now come on, put on a smile and stand beside me like a good Luna is supposed to while I take my place as Alpha of this pack. "
'He's right, Joey . . . we have to surrender for now . . . the whole pack would help him if he decided to take our pup. We don't have anyone on our side right now, so the only thing we can do is endure until the time comes when we can escape from him and take our pup with us.'
Realizing that I couldn't win yet, I lowered my head submissively, following behind Kyle who had walked away without looking behind him to make sure I followed.
Joel's pov
'Where is he?'
The Alpha stood on the stage, ready to transfer his power to Kyle, but he hasn't shown up yet and the bad feeling I'd woken up with was getting stronger. The longer Kyle wasn't here, the longer Joey was alone with him and I knew better than anyone how dangerous Kyle is when he's angry and how defenseless Joey is when it comes to fighting. A hand took mine and squeezed it gently, instantly soothing me.
"He's going to be fine, Joel."
"You don't know Kyle, Devlin. He nearly killed all of our pups because I refused to forgive him and he was supposed to be in love with me . . . he knows Joey caused him to lose me and now that he's the Alpha, no one will even attempt to stop him from whatever he has planned."
Before Devlin could reply, Kyle arrived with Joey trailing behind him with his head lowered and his trembling arms wrapped tightly around the pink blanket in his arms. I started to rise from my seat, but Devlin's hand tightened on mine, preventing me from getting up.
"You're no longer a part of this pack, Joel. If you attack their Alpha, even to protect your brother it's within his rights to take your life."
"But how can I___________?"
"Your mother . . . if you can talk to her, if you can convince her to step in for him she'll be able to stop whatever's going to happen."
"And . . . And if she doesn't?"
"Then whatever revenge he has planned for your brother will go unchecked."
Nodding, I gently tugged my hand away and stood up, making my way over to my mom; was watching Joey with an unreadable expression.
"He needs you, mom. Even if you're angry at him, he needs you to stop whatever Kyle has planned."
"Why? Why should I help him, Joel?"
"Mom?"
"Before you say anything, I do love your brother, but a part of me feels like he needs to be punished for the things that he's done. After all the pain he put the two of us through and his only excuse is that he wanted your mate for himself. He needs to understand that he can't manipulate people like that."
"He'll never look to you for protection again, mom."
Smiling sadly at me, she averted her gaze from mine.
"I know. But this is for his own good."
"Please mom."
She shook her head and I knew she'd made up her mind. Giving up, I made my way back to my seat, lowering my eyes to the ground as Kyle and Joey to the stage and Alpha Blake was led forward.
"I now impart the Alpha strength, wisdom and spirit on this your chosen leader. May he use this strength to protect, this wisdom to lead and this spirit to guide this pack to prosperity."
I felt Devlin's fingers on my chin lifting my head until my eyes met his.
"Out of respect to a great man, you should watch until he leaves."
Reluctantly, I rose my eyes to the stage, biting back a gasp at the image in front of my eyes . . . the strength inside of Alpha Blake was leaving his body and flowing into the hand he had pressed against Kyle's chest to be absorbed into Kyle and combined wit Kyle's own Alpha power at a causing him to grow more powerful; until Alpha Blake suddenly broke the contact and collapsed to the ground. Kyle took a step forward before remembering himself and turning his back on the barely conscious man in front of him. Swallowing against the knot in my throat, I watched helplessly as the former Alpha was lifted by two members of the Silver Moon Pack and carried off the stage. A third, let his gaze run over the crowd, his eyes filled with disgust.
"You all had the chance to create a strong pack that couldn't be defeated, but you chose to not only betray your rightful Alpha, but tortured one of your own to the point that he sought out another pack to escape from you. Now you're going to reap the seeds that you've grown for yourselves."
Without waiting for his words to sink in, he followed the others to a car, climbing into the driver's seat and closed the door. Two door slams later and the car was driving away, taking with it any hope for our pack's survival.
"Now that that's taken care of, I have a little surprise for everyone. Come here, Joey."
Joey looked like he wanted to refuse, but when looking out across from the pack, he seemed to change his mind and placing his pup a good distance away from Kyle's location, he made his way over to Kyle who was watching him with a cruel smile on his face.
"It seems that your new Luna wants to go to the Elders and reverse our mating. I for one feel like some kind of punishment is needed."
A cheer went up through the crowd as a frozen Joey stood at the center of attention.
"I'm glad you all agree."
Moving swiftly, he grabbed Joey, by the back of the next, slamming him face first into the stage floor, before lifting him up and slamming him back down again.
"Is this enough?"
As one, the crowd of wolves surrounding me, began to cheer for more punishment and Kyle's smile grew wider as he lifted his foot and slammed it with all of his newfound strength into my brothers side. Unable to take anymore, I jumped to my feet, and cried out for mercy.
"Please, stop this!"
Kyle turned to me and I cringed at the emptiness I saw in his eyes, moving closer to Devlin for strength.
"You are no longer a part of this pack, so your words hold no weight with me. Sit down or leave our pack lands."
"P-Please Joel, do what he says . . . I deserve this and everyone knows it. I'm a mistake that never should have been born, maybe he'll make me go away and everyone will be happy."
"Please, Kyle____________."
"SIT DOWN!"
Unable to resist the Alpha command I could do nothing but collapse into my seat and watch in horror while Joey was kicked again and again as he struggled in vain to get away from the increasingly brutal beating, the sound of his bones snapping and his screams and wails of agony shattered the silence. Finally when he still and quiet, Kyle stripped off his clothes and roughly forced him onto his stomach, before digging his claws into his hips to hold him still while he violated his slowly healing body. Dropping my head and covering my ears to block out the sounds of Kyle's moans of pleasure, I screamed out for the only person who could help.
"Mom, please stop this! Please help him!"
I was met with silence and when I looked over to where mom was sitting, she was gone.
AN: I don't know if anybody noticed, but in an earlier chapter I called Jesse's pack the North Wind Pack but I later changed it to the Silver Moon Pack. To clear up any confusion, the pack will be called the Silver Moon Pack for the rest of the story. Sorry about that (: