--Samandriel's Point Of View--
I woke up being crushed by Riot sitting on my stomach and Cedric's claws digging into my side "Come on I'm dying here" I groaned kicking around waking up Riot who scurried off of my stomach jumping down onto the floor
"No, I want to cuddle some more" Cedric whined hugging me tighter brushing his fingers over my hip "Nobody is at home aside from us and Charlie" He grinned tracing his hands down my back.
"Do you smell cooking?" Cedric sat up suddenly frowning sniffing the air
"We should go see" I crawled out of bed pulling on my woollen cardigan that Charlie kept insisting that I wore, it was warm though and it was getting brutally colder outside. I kept behind Cedric slowly creaking down the stairs into the living room, I had my dagger in one hand as we both jumped into the kitchen.
"What are you doing here!" Cedric roared to the short blonde guy standing in the kitchen
"Shh. Charlie's hearing is oversensitive as it is" He hissed placing a finger to his lips
"You're the hybrid from the forest. You're standing right next to your sacrifice. I don't trust you" He growled lowly at him baring his kanines at him.
"That is my mate's doing, I'm only a newborn hybrid. I am highly opposed to the idea. All they want is more power and killing a child is no way to go about it." His mouth formed a tight line placing a hand on Charlie's shoulder "I am a doctor too, before I was turned but I know how to specifically treat werewolf pregnancies male or female" He smiled sincerely earning an appreciative grunt from Charlie.
"Although he is human, He's doing extremely well. But in three to four days time he as to be turned or both he and the pup will die and the next person in line is you Young Samandriel, the horrible things they would do to try and get that sacrifice" He shuddered, Charlie's head snapped up from the counter looking at him in sheer panic.
"Or the alternative is one of my dear friends over in Boston, Which is where you guys plan to go in a week or two right?" He smiled eagerly turning back to the kitchen counter
"Yeah, We have to bring that pack over here to help with the Hybrid threat" Cedric yawned setting himself into one of the barstools resting his chin on his hand.
"I made breakfast, Bacon and eggs for you growing teenagers and some lovely salmon and bagels with fresh fruit for Charlie" He grinned carrying three plates over to island setting one in front of Charlie and the other two in front of us
"So what's your name?" Cedric asked suspiciously.
"Tyler Bordeau, Nice to meet you" He smiled again perching himself in one of the stools
"As in the famous family all murdered surgeon Tyler Bordeau?" I gasped staring him slack jawed, He nodded briefly biting his bottom lip
"Yes. Then I was captured by the Hybrids then I was claimed by the Alpha, Alphonse Ciabattoni" He smiled distantly peering down at the counter.
"Then I died and I turned into this. Then I saw the true horrors of their web of murderers and mafia" He whimpered dropping his head shamefully, Charlie swallowed the food he was eating and cocked his head at him
"An Alpha's first instinct is to produce an heir, Why hasn't he?" He frowned confusingly scratching his head.
"Um. Well you see..He just doesn't know that yet" He smiled sheepishly blushing a deep red colour
"For Serious?!" Cedric gaped dropping his fork onto his plate
"Yep. This is why I'm highly opposed to this sacrifice" He scowled placing a light hand over his own stomach
"What's with werewolves MALE werewolves getting pregnant all of a sudden?" I grumbled finishing off the food on my plate.
"It's the year of Breeding, every decade there's one year where there's a sudden rise in werewolf pups, which is why there is Charlie's, My own and two of my friends in America then if you add on the other parts of the world" He tried counting out on his fingers before giving up.
"We live not too far away from this little town also, Have you seen over near the beach district the giant mansion on the cliff?" Both Charlie and Cedric nodded, Tyler smiled wider "Well yeah that's where we are, not even five minutes away." He giggled taking our empty plates away from the counter and setting them in the sink.
"That's really cool" I whistled lowly sitting back in the chair, Tyler laughed quietly moving back to the island, A low snarl resonated from the doorway
"Why is there a Hyrbid in the kitchen next to my husband" William growled loudly pulling Charlie away from Tyler
"N-No he's good! The hybrid has a baby too!" I stood in front of Tyler blocking him from William's clenched fist being held back by Charlie.
"It's true, The heartbeat is very small but it's there" Dmitri appeared in the doorway eyeing Tyler wearily
"He didn't hurt you and your pup did he?" He inclined his head to him apologetically
"No, we're okay" Tyler smiled widely shaking Dmitri's hand "I apologise greatly on behalf of my mate" He bowed slightly to him and he grunted in acceptance.
"Your mate almost tore out my brother in laws throat and nearly killed my mate and our child too." William snapped wrapping an arm protectively around Charlie's waist
"I'm really sorry." He whimpered under William's scrutinising glare
"Will, be nice. You know how hard it is. Imagine all my pain times by twenty then doing that all alone, That's hard" Charlie pouted elbowing him in the ribs.
"Let's put him up in my old room, He must be exhausted" He smiled looking up at William hopefully
"I wish I could but if he found out where I went. I wouldn't know what he would do" He looked down at his feet biting his bottom lip
"You should tell him though, he might call off the sacrifice" I poked at an apple in the fruit bowl, Tyler shrugged shuffling over to the door
"I'll try and keep him occupied for now" He gave us a short smile before disappearing out of the back door.
"Sammy. Where's your pendant?" Cedric asked placing his hand on my neck, I swear I put it on before we went to look for the pack
"I-I swear I had it." I swallowed blinking back the tears of guilt from losing the pendant
"That pendant is extremely important" Cedric hissed slumping down into the stool
"Why?" I asked looking at him suspiciously as his eyes darted around nervously.
"I received it from Angelo saying it was hexed to lessen the effects of any products that can potentially kill a werewolf like silver or wolfsbane or even a hybrid's bite to protect you and is one of the keys to purgatory, If that's in the hands of a Hybrid they can surely use it against us" He massaged his temples harshly trying to think of something.
"We go find it then. Right now" I pulled him out of the chair retrieving my sword and my bow just for extra measure "We're gonna kick some Hybrid Hiney" I grinned darkly and Cedric gave me a proud look and threw open the back door.
--Charlie's Point Of View--
"You need to stop flying in at the wrong times" I watched William pace across the bedroom from my spot curled up amongst the insanely warm comforter
"It doesn't matter. He was a hybrid which was within millimetres reach of you. One certain touch and you and the pup could of died" He snapped turning to face me standing at the foot of the bed.
"He had a baby too so he knew how we felt. Heck his mate is the ringleader of it and he doesn't even know!" I crossed my arms arms disappointingly and William's expression softened
"I know. I understand you're both attached to eachother because you're both going through the same thing but he could be double crossing us." He shook his head flopping down onto the bed staring up at the ceiling.
"I feel more sorry for the poor boy in America. He's only nineteen, imagine the pressure that's putting on HIS body" I crawled over to him sitting by his head watching him closely
"Something is up. Stay right here" He sat up abruptly jumping up from the bed and darted out of the room leaving me sitting there completely confused.
--Samandriel's Point Of View--
"There's the pendant! It's hanging from the tree! We need to get it before any hybrids arrive" I sprinted toward the tree and scaled it in a few leaps snatching the pendant down from the branch and slipping over my neck, I felt my strength increasing substantially from the enchantment that was cast on it by Cedric before he gave it to me but I was thrown back and the pendant slid across the dirt
"Oh look! The vampire and the werewolf" A hybrid appeared from behind a tree, oh boy the Alpha Hybrid.
"Give me my mate. Or I'll get my new puppet to tear your throat out with his teeth" The Hybrid apparently named Alphonse laughed sinisterly coaxing a dazed looking William to his side "I told you not to get in my way Squirt, part of my pack were injured because of your arrows and now you have my mate" He sneered angrily baring his large pointed canines at me menacingly, I hissed back at him flaring my eyes back at him in retort.
"If you don't tell me though I can make use for you, The blood of a hunter and vampire hybrid helps speed up the sacrificial ritual for us. So your death will have some meaning" He nodded to William who raised his hand brandishing a long silver gun right in my direction, Cedric whimpered from his spot bound to the tree by the Hybrids invisible bonds
"You can kill me but you won't hurt my big brother!" I swallowed holding my head up to him fiddling with the card in the waistband of my jeans below my coat.
"Oh no. I'll get him too" He scoffed condescendingly nodding to William "It was nice meeting you, but I have my orders" He shrugged nonchalantly snapping his fingers and strolled away, I clamped my eyes shut bracing myself for impact. The gunshot resonated out through the forest but there was no pain and I wasn't dead? I opened my eyes to someone's back and my stomach turned as my knees buckled from beneath me right into Cedric's waiting arms.
--William's Point Of View--
I yelled and tore at the bond that trapped both my wolf and I inside the compulsion, the gun was pointed right at Samandriel and I knew if this guy made me shoot him Charlie would never forgive me in a million years. My hand involuntarily pulled the trigger and I clamped my hands over my eyes as the deafening shot rang out into the air, the compulsion broke off and I could finally see again.
I hadn't shot Samandriel at all, Charlie was standing between me and Samandriel clutching his stomach crimson blood dripping between his fingers "No!" I whined as he dropped into my arms "I told you to stay!" I growled cradling his head in the crook of my elbow
"Y-You know I barely listen" He whimpered pressing his hand into the wound
"I can't lose both of you" I begged swallowing the lump forming in my throat
"N-No they're okay. The pup is okay" He smiled resting his head against my arm
"Stay with me okay? Please." I shook him gently kissing his forehead trying to quieten the sob escaping from my throat.
"Remember what I told you before about incubation, and If you do meet them. Tell them all bout me okay? How their daddy was a badass hunter that fell in love with a werewolf" He smiled gently as a shallow cough ellicited from his throat painting his lips with blood as a steam of tears trickled down the side of his face onto my hand "It hurts so much" He whined wrapping his hand into my free hand "Take care of Sammy. He needs someone to look out for him, don't let him try and hurt himself. Apologise to him for me" He let out a quiet saddened sob biting down onto his lip pulling my face down into his pressing his paling cold lips into mine.
"I love you so much" He smiled painfully resting his head into the crook of my elbow listening to his heartbeat slow to almost nothing as his eyes slipped closed and his head nodded to the side
"No! Charlie! Open your eyes! You have to live to see our child grow up and Samandriel graduate! You have way too much to see!" I howled hugging him to my chest dropping my forehead to the top of his hair sobbing sorrowfully into the soft strands as my wolf howled in raw anger "It's all my fault! This wasn't supposed to happen!" I yelled squeezing his still body closer to me sinking my canines into the side of his throat to try and remotely turn him to no avail.
--Cedric's Point Of View--
"Let me go! This isn't real! You're lying and this all a trick!" Sammy wailed trying to struggle out of my grasp
"I'm so sorry Sammy but it truly isn't" I swallowed the dryness forming in my throat as Sammy drenched the fabric of my jacket in gut wrenching sobs clinging to me for support as his trembling knees refused to hold him, I could bring myself to look at William again to avoid hurtful memories of when Sammy died himself. I heard a few approaching footsteps, I turned my gaze to Claude who had turned back into my father's arms whimpering into his shoulder with Arianna sobbing loudly into Felix's shoulder
It was entirely silent aside from Sammy's quiet exhausted hiccups in my jacket and the sound of William's muffled cursing and hoarse cries over Charlie, No one made a move to touch him rather not risking losing one of their limbs. Sammy broke out of my grasp slowly wobbling over to William kneeling down beside him reaching out with his shaking hand to touch William's shoulder. Everyone's eyes widened bracing themselves for tearing flesh.
William's eyes flicked to Sammy's hand resting Charlie's head into the grass wrapping his arms around his shoulders as Sammy started up again and the entire pack cringed at the pain eminating from both of them clearly taken back by the sudden action. Sammy climbed to his feet and waddled back to me dropping back into my arms burying his face into the crook of my neck as the entire pack watching William folded his arm under Charlie's knees and the other around his back still being mindful of the painful reminder still crying out in distress inside his body.
We trailed behind slowly behind William in a horizontal line like a solemn march that someone would for a fallen soldier because that's what he was, Charlie was a good hunter and a good brother too. We entered into the hospital and Hayley immediately crumpled into one of the chairs sobbing uncontrollably "You must be William. Is my son ill again?" Sammy's father appeared at the end of the hallway with his mother
"No. Not my baby" His mother gasped her gaze turning to a hatefilled glare stepping toward William
"What happened!" She cried as Sammy stepped out in front of William
"H-He stepped in front of a bullet for me" He sniffled standing protectively over William.
Sammy's mother threw her arms around Sammy cradling him in her arms like a porcelain doll trying not to smash kissing his forehead like you would to console a child before dashing past us out of the hospital with his father running after her
"T-To the morgue" Hayley stuttered leading us down one of the hallways, the morgue was freezing and I swear the steel was making it even colder "Onto the table" Hayley pointed to one of the empty steel tables, William hesitantly rested Charlie onto the table and stared him for a moment before turning and darting out from the morgue leaving Hayley, Sammy, Claude and I standing there
"Take Sammy home, He shouldn't see Charlie like this" Hayley rasped kissing Sammy's forehead pulling one of her handkerchiefs from her pocket to dab at the raw skin under his eyes.
--William's Point Of View--
I stumbled blindly toward my apartment narrowly missing some bear traps along the way, I threw off my jacket somewhere into the room and toward the alcohol cabinet. As much as he hated me drinking I couldn't bear it, Photos of us were newly hung on the walls and set on the coffee tables and I slammed them face down onto the surface and retreated into my study. I stood aimlessly in the middle of the room gazing down into the transparent brown liquid swirling around in the glass.
I clenched my hand tighter around the glass and it hurtled across the room shattering against the opposing wall. I sank to my knees sitting against the wall as my wrecked sobs filled the silent room as my only comfort "William! Please! You're strong!" Ferris roughly shook my shoulders, He was just making things worse. Another reminder of my failure to protect someone I care about.
"William! Stop it please!" He wailed twisting his hands into my tee shirt "Charlie wouldn't of wanted you to do this!" He cried throwing his arms around my middle squeezing as tightly as his little arms could rubbing his face into my shirt crying loudly clinging to my shirt, How Ferris looked reminded me of Samandriel in a way always fragile and upset but still carries on no matter the hardships place upon him.
"There's hope! There's always hope William!" He sniffled burying his face into the crook of my neck
"I don't know if there's hope for me now, I already can feel a lot of my power starting to drain" I swallowed the dryness in my throat gently rubbing Ferris' back "I don't think there ever will be hope for me now."