'I am the heir to the throne! It is my birthright!'
'Shut up! You didn't even exist until just recently! This is my body!'
'Control should belong to the strong, not the fragile and weak!'
'Yeah, keep saying that. That's exactly the mentality that the enemies have. You know the ones trying to kill us and your precious Lord? Remember them?'
'Without my power you are nothing but a-'
'I'd choose your next words very carefully, and keep in mind that we should be fighting for our lives and the lives of those depending on us instead of fighting each other.'
"Fay!" Luke's voice snapped me back to my senses before I was lost in myself.
Alexander roared with rage as he slaughtered those within his 5 foot radius. Lucio had managed to get us to the next floor, immediately destroying the supports for the upper floors so that all the guards were doomed to fall. The sound of metal crunching and snapping bones was disturbing now, on top of the anguished cries of those trapped in the rubble. A few managed to jump and roll away last minute, and by some miracle , they were still able to move.
"It's their life or yours witch!" One man shouted. He had broken his leg in his attempt to flee, he hobbled to cover before opening fire at us. In the center of the room a beautiful woman with dark brown skin and short curly hair stood. She kept her eyes closed, her palms were together in front of her chest as if she were praying. The issue was the shackles around her wrists and ankles. The rest of us took care of the remaining guards but Lucio was focused on this woman. Her power was incredible, and though in terms of strength she couldn't take us on, her magic put her in a completely different category.
"I shouldn't be surprised that you all made it this far, but if I let you walk out that door, it wouldn't be a pretty ending for me." Joshua aimed his guns at Eliza and Shawn who stood nearest the door we should have came through.
"You're just like a roach, crawling out of disgusting places, showing up everywhere uninvited." Lucio didn't turn to address the psycho, his main concern was the woman.
"Joshua!" Alexander growled, but he knew he couldn't move.
"And you!" Joshua grinned over at me," Didn't your father ever teach you it's rude to interrupt people? Oh wait, that's right! He ditched you before you were even born!"
"Lies!" Alexander snarled.
"I mean come on! He's the Lord of the Wolves! And your mom, well to him she was just a fun night in a small town. To be honest, you're all just victims of these dogs. You never asked to be this way right? Who knows how many more women out there got taken advantage of because this beast couldn't keep it in his pants? If he really cared about you, he never would have left. He was more than able to protect you guys, believe me.." Joshua lifted his pant leg to reveal a mechanical prosthetic. "Listen, you've got the training of a hunter, I can see that. And given your situation, I believe it wouldn't be an issue to let you live so long as you join me. What do you say?"
***Luke's POV***
She looked at the man with a calm face, as if she was starting to be convinced. But I knew all hell was about to break loose. Had this been an anime, she would be surrounded by a lethal black flame. A wicked grin spread across her face as a maniacal gleam was born in her eyes sending a shiver down my spine.
"I know you ain't talkin' 'bout my momma!" She took slow gentle steps toward Joshua. "Here you are Mr. Psycho Roboto, wanting my help to rid the world of these terrible beasts that are blood-thirsty and dominating. Yet you insult my mother? Mr. Joshua, I am curious....were you taken advantage of once?" She played with imitated concern. "Did someone lock you in a cage and make you do things you didn't want to do?"
"Take another step and I'll put them both down like the dogs that they are." He snarled.
"Oh it seems as though I hit a nerve!" Fay looked excited, she really was beginning to scare me. Within a heartbeat, her eyes were purple again and her smile vanished. With a sudden rush, she was there in front of him, claws extending as she aimed to slash his chest.
"Nijen!"Joshua's coat was shredded to ribbons on his chest but he managed to leap away before he received any real damage. The woman's eyes snapped open revealing pure white orbs. She raised her hands and as she did, thick green vines sprouted from the ground. The vines seemed to be alive as they tried to curl around us.
"This is insane!" I growled slashing at the vicious flora.
"Why are you running?" I could hear my mate taunting with blood lust in her voice. There were several gunshots but I was in no position to help. Daniel, Eliza, and Shawn charged at the witch who lowered then raised one hand again, and a wall of wolf's bane sprung up to protect her. Shawn stopped a second too late and he crashed into the wall. He howled in pain, dropping to the floor instantly. Lucio torched the wall before going to Shawn's aid. It was a heartbeat later, my legs were pulled out from under me and I was hung upside down by my ankles.
"I've had enough of this shit!" I slashed through the vines and charged at the woman, Alexander came from behind her. I pulled my gun out from my waistband and cocked it aiming straight for the witches head.
"Sitaki kuua wewe, mwana wa Esmeralda." She turned in my direction, speaking very quietly.
"What?"
"You must survive for her sacrifice. She knew you would end up being the key to your father's downfall, even if she wanted you to have a normal life."
"What are you talking about?" Esmeralda, how did this lady know her?
"You must survive!" She repeated. In the corner of my eye, I saw Joshua aim in our direction, the witch's vine launched me aside as a bullet hit her between the eyes.
"No!" I managed to choke out before crashing into a wall. The vines turned to ash as the witch's body dropped. I rushed over to her, praying that somehow she was still alive. "What about Esmeralda? How do you know my mom?!"
"If you want something done right-" Joshua began but his voice cut off with a gasp.
"I'm sorry, did I interrupt you again?" Fay snickered from behind him. Her hand had pierced through his heart and he choked on his own blood. "What nonsense were you going to spout this time?" Pure terror was written on his face before his eyes rolled back and he crumpled. The room went silent except for Shawn who was growling at Lucio who was trying to heal him. Fay stared at her hand cover with crimson, her bloodlust was probably trying to get the best of her. Many thoughts flashed across her eyes in conflict, and none seemed friendly.
"Fay, it's over..." I held my hands up and walked to her, but her eyes never left her hand. She felt cold and ruthless.
"We have to go!" Lucio insisted, Shawn was up and walking again. "Snap out of it!" Alexander snarled at the witch who glared silently. Eliza and Daniel couldn't even look at their friend.
'Mate.' I thought to her and her eyes flicked up to me. They recognized me, but didn't seem to register completely. 'Fay, we have to go. Trust me ok?' She nodded slowly and I took her hand. Her skin against mine normally felt borderline intoxicating, but in this state, she barely felt like my mate.
A gun cocked to our right; a guard on the verge of death raised his weapon with the little strength he had left. Fay snarled and bared her fangs at him, moving to go and end him. "Enough." I held her firmly, the more she killed, the more she seemed to lose control.
"We have to go!" Eliza was beside the guard that same moment. She kicked his gun away, he glared but it was over and he knew it. I pulled Fay along beside me as we left the warehouse. Of course they had slashed our tires so we had to leave on foot, or paw. My body remembered how to shift, but it was an uncomfortable process, like when you're sun burnt and you stretch and the dry skin cracks and peels. But once I was in my paws again, the rush of strength and freedom felt glorious! I wanted to howl in that very moment, my pride bursting at the seams.
Then the sweetest scent overcame me and hijacked my senses. She gazed ahead; her coat was white, with splashes of silver on her muzzle, a ring of it on top of her head, and the tips of her ears painted the same color. To be honest she had the style of a fox painted on a wolf's body, with her paws and tail tip being silver as well. But the aura surrounding her...
A snarl snapped me back to my senses. Lord. We had finally returned to civilization several towns away. As a giant wolf, covering miles and miles isn't much of a challenge. THE challenge was being kept away from my mate. We all hadn't officially introduced ourselves so he didn't trust anyone running beside him except Fay, who regained her senses. The rest of us ran on ahead; every now and then I tried slowing my pace to fall back and join them, but the Lord would warn me off with a growl. Did my mate defend me? No, she did not.
"Now that we aren't running for our lives, I'd like to properly introduce myself." Daniel bowed in the same manner he had when he first laid eyes on his leader. "I am Daniel Marsh, Beta to Victor Kertis. Do you remember him?" Alexander simply nodded, gazing around our room. We booked a few rooms in a small hotel, trying to keep as low of a profile as we possibly could. "I am honored to be able to pledge my loyalty to you in person, my Lord."
"What's so honorable about it?" He replied flatly. Eliza's eyes shifted from one male to the other.
"Lord, there are still those who follow you and what you stood for. We remember what you did for our people."
"You're pledging alliance to twisted tales that have been passed down and around from mouth to mouth. How much truth do you think remains in those words?" This is not quite what we were expecting. "And you.." His eyes locked on me. "Do you belong to the Kertis family as well?" My eyes unconsciously met with Fay's, observant to the max.
"No, I do not belong to any pack."
"Are you a rouge?"
"Of sorts.." I could feel heat coming of the relatives in waves. The resemblance of their gazes were uncanny.
"Answer my question, boy."
"My name is Lucas Milano...Fier." The pack members eyes widened but dared not move. Alexander quietly rose to his feet, his claws extended and his aura grew darker. Becoming submissive wasn't even in the equation, something in me itched to defy his authority.
"And you dare attempt to stand by my daughter?" He snarled. My jaws clenched and my fists followed.
"Don't judge me based on him." I tried not to lash out but my belly burned.
"You? Him? You're all the same! Traitorous, blood-thirsty mongrels! You don't deserve to even look at her!" Alexander growled.
"Says the man responsible for dumping this mess on her shoulders! She didn't even know you and yet she inherited the disaster you left behind! Don't act all high and mighty just because you're the Lord! You know nothing about her!" I snapped back at him. In the blink of an eye Alexander had his hand around my throat whilst my feet kicked in the air, his eyes an electric purple. Fear inched its way in me as I felt his rage.
"Alexander!" Fay jumped to her feet, yanking his arm down. He let go and I dropped to my feet in a coughing fit.
"You're defending this asshole?! Do you even know who he is?!" Alexander questioned incredulously.
"That asshole is my mate! That's who he is!" She stood between us with her arms stretched out as if she were blocking me from her father.
***Fay's POV***
What in the actual fu*k?! What could my "missing-for-longer-than-I've-been-alive" father know about Luke that I didn't?! Whatever it was, I couldn't keep watching this go on. As angry as I was with my mate, I just had to defend him. Alexander glared at him and I almost smiled to myself. This was just like the day I met Luke, except he was trying to kill me and my mom...
"Mom!" A surge of panic swept over me and Alexander 's rage died instantly.
"Your mother? What about her?" He grabbed my shoulders.
"We have to hurry and get back home!" How could I have lost focus?! "We have to leave-"
"We'll head out first thing in the morning. I've already called Victor." Daniel sat on one of the beds.
"No! We need to leave now!"
"Fay, everyone's exhausted. We need to rest or we won't have the strength to deal with what's to come." Eliza interjected, plopping down on the other bed.
"That's right. The closer you get to home, the messier things may get." Lucio chirped. I bit back a growl after noticing his presence. "It's good too see tempers finally cooling, you're all too intense for your own good."
"Then what would be left to entertain that twisted psyche of yours?" Alexander shot back cooly but there was a smile in his eyes.
"Excellent question..." The witch grinned before clapping his hands, "Bed time kids! Tomorrow we face maniacs with claws and teeth! Sweet dreams!" He bowed dramatically and in a puff of smoke, he was gone.
~~~~~~~
Hey!!!!!!!!!! Quick shout out to @storm-of-grace , dude, you're awesome. As are all of you peoples out there in the world. Just had to say thank you so much for reading but apart from that, just thank you for being alive! And I mean this from the bottom of my heart, you ALL matter and you are meant for so much! I may not know who any of you are personally, but yes I still care about you! Souls are the most precious gift we have, and we have to cherish the light each one gives. "Who cares if one more light goes out in a sky of a million stars?" I do!
Rest in peace Chester...