Chapter Eighteen: Caraphernelia
ALEX
Kellin: Plan failed, Rose tasered me, she's back in town at Austin's house...
My face falls as I read Kellin's text twice to see if he was joking. I agreed with the plan to get Rose the hell out of town because there was no way anyone could guarantee her safety. As long as Kellin could talk her out of doing something stupid there was still a small chance they both would come out of this unharmed. But I'd raised Rose and she could be stubborn like me.
"Why the glum face Alex this feeling is amazing. We have those supernatural abominations on the run all across town. I just killed a werewolf."
Jack runs up to me skidding to a stop a few inches away from me. I quickly pocket my phone and try to compose myself, I had to pretend this was still what I wanted.
"How'd you kill the mutt?"
Jack laughs, "silver bullet straight between the eyes. It won't be long until we get to kill Austin and Oliver."
I nod, "well we better get on that then Jack."
Jack whoops and runs off again leaving me to trail behind him. He was in a frenzy and would be very hard to talk down.
AUSTIN
Before Tino could break the news to me, I already had a gut feeling we'd lost another one of our brothers to the damn hunters. I was the alpha and could sense all my pack members, and was horrified as so many fell in such a short space of time.
"What do we do Austin?"
"If the hunters want a battle we'll give them a war, but on familiar turf. Get the word out to the rest the wolves that we need to draw back to the cemetery near the pack house to give ourselves an advantage."
Tino shakes his head, "Austin we're far from the house, it will take some time to get back there."
My thoughts quickly turn to Rose and Kellin who were hiding at the pack house, I had to get back there to take care of my mate.
"Get the word out Tino, we fight on our own territory."
The younger wolf turns on his heels before running off towards where we knew the main bulk of the pack were fending off hunters. No one else was going to die on my watch. It didn't help that I hadn't heard anything from Oliver or Vic since the fight started if they were dead the pack would be the only hope for survival.
OLI
During the fight, I was able to overhear a werewolf conversation stating they wanted to bring the fight to the familiar territory which was the cemetery outside the pack house. I also overheard shocking news that Rose and Kellin were back in town and were hiding out at the pack house. They were in danger and I had to get to them.
However when I sped into the cemetery I quickly realise I was alone, no one else was here yet which was daunting and unnerving. In the distance, I could just about make out the shadow of the pack house where all the lights were off. Something wasn't right, something was off.
Two gun shots ring out echoing between the tombstones, one penetrates my right shoulder, and the other hits my right kneecap sending me kneeling to the cold ground not expecting any attack. Growling, I feel my fangs come out and eyes blacken as rage surges across my whole body.
Out of the shadows waltzes Zack and Rian each holding a gun up towards me, the bullets they'd shot me with were wooden which made the pain even more excruciating. I'd need help getting the bullets out.
Zack chuckles kind of giddy, "Look what we have here Rian, a little vampire."
"Yes, we do Zack. Oi Jack, we got one of them."
Rian calls back over his shoulder, where Jack emerges from the shadows holding Kellin by one arm and Rose by the other both of them struggling and failing to get free. I feel my heart break in my chest, we only wanted Rose safe but here she was in the face of danger just like in Vic's vision. Maybe you couldn't change destiny.
"Have at him boys, I'll keep these two under control. I can't believe our little Kellin turned against his own kind for these mutts and bloodsuckers."
Jack shoves Kellin to the ground anger evident in his voice and facial features. Before I can do anything Zack and Rian start beating me up. I try my best to block punches and kicks but they were brutal tonight, wanting any supernatural being the could get their hands on dead.
Another gunshot rings out causing Zack and Rian to pull away from me. I take note of Rian clutching his leg, someone had shot him. Zack curses and backs away from me giving me a clear line of sight to where Rose had literally just tasered Jack sending him to his knees, and Kellin was pointing a gun at Zack and Rian who glance at each other before legging it out of the cemetery.
"Oli!" Rose yells and starts to run towards me.
Flinching through the intense pain I manage to stumble back to my feet holding my arms open for Rose. A smile stretches across my face as she nears me, however, a gunshot rings out and my eyes widen. Rose comes to a stop and brings a hand up to her chest and the smell of blood hits my nostrils, she'd been shot in the back through the chest. She coughs and blood dribbles from her mouth before she falls to her knees shaking.
"Rose!"
I hobble towards her unable to catch her before her body hits the cemetery ground. Behind her, Jack holds a gun smirking quite proud of himself, no emotion or remorse on his face. We lock eyes and he gives a small cocky bow before running out of the cemetery. I drop down next to her instinctively checking for a pulse which was weak.
"Oh My god! No!"
Alex, who hadn't been in the cemetery during the shooting, appears next to me distraught holding onto a distressed and crying Kellin.
"Stay with us Rose."
I stroke her hair, hoping the small gesture gave her some comfort. Alex shakes my shoulder.
"Feed her your blood Oli, I can't lose my daughter."
Without needing to be told twice by Alex, I bring my wrist up to my mouth and bite into the flesh before placing the bloody wrist up against Rose's lips unsure if she was able to drink enough blood, or if it was too late for her.
A couple minutes pass, I check her pulse one last time before the light leaves her eyes and she exhales her last breath before dying in my arms. I let myself cry as I clutch her limb body to my chest not wanting to face the truth that she was dead.
"I'm sorry Alex."
Alex holds onto Kellin cuddling the boy who had become one of Rose's best friends. As I look down at Rose an unfamiliar scent hits my nostrils which kind of smelt like a werewolf. Not wanting to do anything to disturb her peaceful slumber, I trace my fingers down her stomach and feel freshly torn skin that didn't come from a bullet wound. Lifting up her shirt I gasp seeing the telltale bite of a werewolf, Austin must have bitten her when she came back to town thinking it would protect her. But the bite wasn't healing, in fact, it looked kind of infected. Rose's one possible chance of survival was gone.
"Can I please have a second alone with her Oliver?"
I let go of Rose and hand her gently over to Alex who cradles her in his arms like she was a baby. Even if he was a hunter, he was a father first and had raised Rose into the strong woman she was today. Moving away from the father and daughter scene, I pat Kellin on the shoulder trying to give him some comfort.
ALEX
Oli pats Kellin on the shoulder before hobbling out of the cemetery to go and receive first aid from his injuries. I'd never seen a vampire cry and show raw emotion before, but my heart broke for Oli who seemed to really care about Rose.
Looking down at my baby girl in my arms I let tears fall more freely down my cheeks, I can't believe Jack had shot and killed her and showed no remorse. He was her uncle and I thought family meant something to him but obviously, in this situation, he was heartless just like Zack and Rian who had also run away.
"I love you so much Rose, I've always loved you. You're my daughter no matter what people and the law say."
I place a small kiss on her forehead, choking up even more at the coldness of her skin. She was so big now, I still remembered the day in the park when I first met five-year-old Rose and how much she looked like me. When we got back to England without hassle it was quite easy to make Rose think that I was her dad thanks to Jack's drugs. I raised her, taught her everything kids needed to learn from how to swim, to climbing trees, and riding a bike. She was never girly, preferring to be a tomboy and I taught her she could be whoever she wanted to be.
Her Jacket was slightly open and in the inner pocket, I see the corner of a picture. Taking it out a small smile ghosts my lips; it was the same picture Kellin had told me Rose kept in her journal. It was one of the two of us at one of her birthday parties. Rose still saw me as her dad and I liked to think that she died remembering the good times instead of the bad.
"I can't believe she's gone, Alex. She was my best friend."
Kellin sniffles next to me and I make a motion with my free hand for him to come closer. Even though we treated him like shit, Kellin was still young like Rose and needed comfort and family just as much as she did. I guess Kellin would also need a father figure now he'd broken away from the hunter lifestyle, and since I had no intention of going back to hunting I would be the father figure Kellin needed.
"Maybe you should call Vic and update him Kellin, he deserves to know."
Kellin nods with some reluctance.
~Couple Hours Later~
KELLIN
"You were so brave tonight Kells, I love you so much. We can leave town if you like and start a new life together if you like."
Vic cuddles me, cradling me against his chest as I clutch onto his shirt and sob into the thin material.
"I will deliver the news to Austin, you go home and pack. The hunters will never get in our way again, I promise to keep you safe Kellin."
I sniffle and look up into Vic's warm eyes, he was so good to me and I didn't deserve someone as good as him in my life.
"I love you, Vic."
He smiles and brushes his fingers through my hair. I didn't want to be the one to deliver the bad news to Austin.