Zev
Something isn't right.
Thea is sound asleep beside me and there's no noise coming from anywhere else in the shelter.
And that's the problem.
I heard Rhett all night moaning, breathing, every twitch and roll he made was easy enough to hear in this confined space. Now all I hear is Thea's mumbled dreams escaping through her lips.
I climb out of bed taking one glance at my fiery beauty and then treck down the hall. His injurys seemed to be healing last I checked so there's no way he died in his sleep. Thea wouldn't be able to handle it, hell even I'd feel guilty. Rhett was a good man who protected us both when he got the chance.
When I enter the living room it's exactly how I left it except no Rhett.
There's not a lot of places to hide here in fact the only place is the kitchen. I walk into the room and there he is, still as a statue staring at the bleak dirty walls. His clothes are torn and bloody but other then that he seems fine.
"Rhett, are you okay? Maybe you
u should sit down."
He stands there silently with no reaction to my words.
"Rhett."
I place a hand on his shoulder, he jerks around swiftly and for a second his eyes appear red, with no irises, but just as quickly it's gone.
"I'm sorry," He smiles at me. "I-I must have been to deep in my thoughts. Where are we?"
Something uneasy tugs at my instincts but I push it away.
"Somewhere safe. It's better if you don't know the exact location. I don't know the extent of Mythic's powers. If you have a run in with her again this place could be compromised."
His head cocks to the side, "Of course, and where is my sister or is she being kept from me too because your fear of Mythic?"
I'm a little suprised by his abrasiveness. I just dragged his ass over two hours into the forest and I risked my mates safety. My wolf wants me to show him his place but I know Thea wouldn't be happy.
"My mate is asleep and since you seem to be just fine we're going to leave her be."
He smiles at me, "Very well, I can wait though we have much to discuss."
"Yeah I'm wondering how Mythic knew you were both Fae for starters."
"She was torturing me not answering my questions. You couldn't figure out where her information was coming from?"
I raise a skeptical eyebrow, "Well she says the underworld but I have a hard time wrapping my head around that."
"And why is that."
"It's unlikely she can communicate between worlds. It's more likely some low level spawn of hers followed us to the Fae kingdom and reported back."
"But who could get passed your senses?"
"There are ways to accomplish anything if your determined enough."
"That we can both agree on."
Our conversation dies after that. What more is there to say? I don't trust him it feels like he's gathering information.
"I'm going back to Thea there's no way out so sit tight till morning if you need food there's some in the kitchen."
When I turn my back he speaks again, "She's jumped right into bed with you, huh? Who knew she'd be into dogs. "
I turn around in the blink of an eye and have my hands wrapped around his throat.
"I'll write off this sick twisted attitude of your's as you waking from the dead. But let me be clear, if you ever speak about her in any way that isn't respectful I'll kill you. I don't care who you are to her. I'll bury you in our back yard and plant a fucking garden over your rotting corpse."
He puts his hands up in an innocent gesture but there's something behind his eyes that finds all of this funny.
I walk away disgusted.
For tonight I'll hold Thea, tomorrow we'll deal with the apparent brain damage her brother suffered while in Mythic's care.
~~~~
Thea
I wake up sometime later.
With no windows or clocks I could have been asleep for years and not realized it. My mind goes right to Rhett, scrambling out of bed I accidentally hit Zev in face with my elbow. He opens his grey eyes and sends a little glare my way.
"That's not how I was hoping you would wake me up little one. I was thinking more along the lines of a kiss?"
He sweetly looks up at me and lord knows I can't resist him (and if I'm honest why would I want to?) I dive onto his chest and lay as many kisses as I can manage and then I jump off the bed.
"We have to check on Rhett! There's no time for kisses."
He sits up, his naked chest screaming for attention. Large muscles and biceps are covered in warm, tan skin, he must know what he's doing.
"First off, there's always time for me to kiss my mate. Secondly, he woke up last night."
My giggle breaks off as my eyes pop out of my skull, "He woke up! You didn't tell me, I've been worried sick!"
His eyebrows tense, "You were asleep and he's fine, acting a little odd to be honest. I'm worried something bigger happened when he was with Mythic."
I raise my hands in a 'duh' gesture, "He was tortured, almost killed of course he's acting different."
"It's more than that little wolf."
"No, It's not. Now I'm going to see my brother who I didn't even know existed until about a week ago are you coming?"
Rhett has been through something horrible so even if he is acting odd he deserves a little leeway.
"I'm not leaving you alone with him."
I don't bother responding, just roll my eyes as I walk down the hall with an angry wolf on my heels.
"And don't think I didn't see that little eye roll."
~~~~
Rhett's smile takes over his face when he sees me.
"THEA!"
He yells before he picks me up off the ground and swings me around. I laugh loudly at his antics secretly I saying a thank you to the universe, that he's okay.
"I'm so happy your okay but put me down you just had several broken bones!"
"Ha! Look at me, good as new." He flexes his arms and raises his eyebrows.
I roll my eyes for the second time in 5 minutes, "And Zev said you were acting weird, he should of remembered what a weirdo you are naturally."
"I think he doesn't want your new brother to steal all your time." He teases.
He knows! Of course he knows I guess from Mythic but... he knows! I feel queasy but excited I step back a little, bumping into Zev's chest.
"S-So you know? That were f-family."
"Mythic likes to go on and on she told me that we were and I knew it was true. That's why I felt so close to you from the start."
My eyes get watery and my voice comes out small, "R-really you're happy, you want to be a family?"
His face turns serious, "Of course I do."
I jump away from Zev and hug Rhett one more time.
I'm happy in this moment.
~~~~
Rhett
I can see the world going on around me. I can see Thea's big smile and Zev's dark glare. I can feel her small arms try to hug me, I can even hear myself laugh and speak.
But none of this is me.
I am trapped in some dark corner of my mind he controls me, manipulating my movements and words. I feel my sanity slipping away like and errant thread. I think it might be worse that he's playing house in my body at least if he was outright evil his intentions would be clear. But he's laughing, hugging, bonding with my sister.
My only consolation is Zev knows somethings wrong, he doesn't know what but his eyes hold mistrust. I want to scream, wave my hands, yes! Run! Something wrong is happening listen to your instincts, you were given them for a reason.
"So what's our plan now? Mythic wants us and has the control of an entire kingdom, two if you count The Naiad."
Everyones sitting down on a dirty couch now. Zev roughly rubs a hand down his face, "We may have no choice but to reach out to the Elves their the only standing Kingdom that hasn't turned bat shit crazy and that's really saying something if you know Elves."
"I think we should just go back and take on Mythic the army doesn't respect her we can form a rebellion. "
There will never be anything stranger then hearing your own voice and mouth speaking but it not be you.
"We are not returning there with no help. She wants you both and I want Thea safe the last thing she would be there is safe."
The demon controlling me speaks again, "She would have you and me to protect her."
"And what if we contacted Ardal and Samira?"
Thea pipes in, the demon is intrested in this information.
"Who is Ardal and Samira?"
"They-"
"None of your business." Zev cuts her off with a snarl.
"Zev! He's saved us before what's wrong with you!?"
For Gods sake Thea listen to the wolf.
"I am not the one with something wrong he isn't right I can smell it, there's something rotting in him and I won't allow him to gather anymore information from us SO STAY QUIET!"
His voice gets violently loud at the end I know it's cause his instincts are screaming somethings wrong while his mate is demanding the opposite. Thea looks stricken though, she immediately lowers her gaze and stays quiet.
I stand up, "I won't let you speak to my sister like that mutt. She's not your chew toy."
Zev stands up now to, "Shut the fuck up! I know what you're doing there's something inside you that isn't right your fooling no one!"
"My sister stays with you by choice, you have no claim over her we can leave now if you find my presence so unworthy."
~~~~~
Thea
I know Zev snapped at me because he's worried. He's always worried I'm his little wolf, he says, to little to protect myself but it was...embarrassing to be put down like that and a little hurtful.
But why the heck would Rhett suggest leaving? That's insane I wouldn't leave Zev, I couldn't each minute with him makes me want to stay more, even when he's grumpy and threating to take me was the wrong move. Zev's face is starting to turn red and his eyes have long since turned a stark black.
"SHE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH YOU."
His voice is roar but when he leaps across the room I shoot to my feet. Zev crashes into Rhett and they both go over the couch in a mess of tangled limbs.
"Zev s-stop you two acting like idiot's!"
They ignore me completely crashing into the couch, table, walls everything in the room. Zev's fist is a blur as he smashes it against Rhett's face blood and bone cracking under. His strength is going to kill Rhett. I jump onto Zev's back and scream as loud as I can, finally gaining his attention he turns to me his face is bleeding too and his eye looks swollen. He spins us around so he's carrying me, snarling as he pushes me back against the wall and burys his face in my neck.
"Z-Zev I have to check on him, p-please!"
I'm frantically pushing him away but he's an unmovable wall.
"I wouldn't worry about me."
Rhetts voice rings out from behind Zev before either of us can react he wraps his hands around Zev's neck and twists. The worst noise I've ever heard fills the room, a distinct snap.
His body falls to the ground on top of me because he was all that was holding me up.
"Zev." I push his arm, "Zev," he's not moving. "ZEV! Wake up, get up!"
His body his flipped off of me. Rhett stands above me with blood red eyes. I scramble to Zev holding his face in my hands. I shake his face and lay a kiss on his still warm mouth but he's not responding
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM, I'LL KILL YOU WAKE HIM UP!"
He laughs at me, laughs.
"Please, p-please what's wrong with you Rhett, I need him you have to help me."
He crouches down so he's on my level, "We're leaving Fae bitch."
I don't care about what he's saying anymore I lay my head on Zev's chest sobbing. It doesn't matter what he says anymore, it doesn't matter what happens to me or Rhett. Zev was right as always, something happened to him when he was with Mythic. Suddenly arms wrap around my waist but it's the wrong pair, their not his.
"GET OFF OF ME, I WONT LEAVE HIM."
I kick and thrash my body landing one good hit on his face because he drops me. I run back to Zev whispering in his ear, "Wake up now, I need you please Zevie. I-Ive learned my lesson I'll do whatever you want from now on, just come back to me."
I'm yanked back by my hair and look up to see Rhett again he comes towards me so I spit on him, it lands right on his face. He smacks me hard and the room spins but I still don't care if he's dead then I want to be dead to.
I'll be with him if not here then in the place after this.
~~~~
Zev
I gasp violently.
That mother fucker thought snapping my neck would kill me? No. It will take much more then that to tear me from this world. I look around the room expecting to see them, he shouldn't have been able to leave here even with me unconscious. But when I see the exit open and blood smearing the frame I'm scared, I may actually drop dead on the spot. Looking down I see a long deep cut on my arm.
He took her.
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