I pushed away from the wall and walked back to Raiza's office. As soon as I opened the door I wished I had left the building altogether instead of returning. Raiza and Andrea where in one corner of the room glaring at Viviana who stood in the opposite corner of the with a composed expression on her face. I felt as if I had just entered a boxing ring. Raiza and Andrea's dominance combined was barely a match for the power Viviana was sending out, I knew from experience that she wasn't even using the full extent of her power and was merely playing with them. If a human had walked in here it would look weird but as a wolf I could feel the amount of power that was pulsating off them. I tried to flee but the three of them saw me at the same time. "Kye!" They called out in union. All three voices were laced with the same strength they were pushing out into the room. I felt like a puppet, their voices the strings that pulled me into the room. Normally Alphas kept their power in check unless they really needed to use it because for werewolves orders from the Alpha were absolute. We obeyed whether we wished to or not. As werewolves however we were also human as humans no one wanted to be forced to follow orders all the time. More than one Alpha had been challenged and killed because of their blatant misuse of their power.
"Knock it off! Are you trying to upset the entire pack? There is enough power in this room to cause all the Omegas to faint!" I told them. The three Alphas looked down guiltily and slowly the power in the room faded. "Thank you." I told them I returned to my seat and looked expectantly at Raiza. The others moved out of their corners and settled back around Raiza's desk. Instead of sitting again Viviana stood behind my chair as if I was a shield that could protect her from her daughters hate.
"I apologize Kye there is no excuse for that kind of behavior." Raiza said diplomatically. "I disagree." Andrea muttered darkly. "No! No matter what she has done, or how we feel about Viviana has done nothing wrong. She and I should no better than to act like that. Not only is it a bad for the pack it is also a bad example to set for you." Raiza said.
Andrea stepped away from Raiza's desk. "She killed my father!" Andrea said. "I know, in case you have forgotten he was my younger brother." Raiza's voice was hoarse as she spoke. "Gardener and Viviana both made a choice that day. He was Mordecai's, the previous Epsilon's, sworn Sevari when Viviana challenged for dominance Mordecai asked Gardener to fight as his substitute in the duel, and Mordecai agreed to fight Viviana only if she won. Both Gardener and Viviana accepted. Gardener is equally at fault for his own death." Andrea was looking at Raiza like she had grown a second head. "I k-know that...but he's only dead because of her. That just means being Epsilon was more important to her than my father was. She knew that she would win if they fought. Tell me mother did he even have a chance?" Andrea asked. "No." Viviana said with no emotion in her voice. "I probably put more effort into playing with the young pups when I teach them how to fight than I did when I fought Gardener because I am actively trying not to hurt them."
Andrea's grey eyes turned a bright silver and she took a step towards Viviana. I hurriedly stood placing myself between them. "Move." Andrea commanded. "No!" I refused. My body shook from the effort but I didn't move out of her way. "Now! Kye!" Andrea ordered again. My body shook even harder and I was winded from the effort but I refused to take a step. "No!" I said again as if verbilizing it would help fight against her commands. "Why do you protect her? Why did you go to her? Why do you smell like her?" Andrea asked. A hint of desperation in her voice. "I protect her because I care about her. I went to her because I needed her help. I smell like her because she used me just like she uses everyone." I said. "You care about her yet she uses you? That doesn't make her sound any better and it makes you sound like a slut!" Andrea said. "I can't stand the way Viviana acts sometimes. I hate how she sees most people and things in this world as her own personal toys. She is stubborn, pig-headed, and irresponsible. I may seem like a slut to you, but so long as it is her making me a slut I don't care. Because I have never met someone who has sacrificed so much for others. She is the most selfless person I have ever met! Even so those her know her hate her for the choices she has made. Those who don't know her are too easily overwhelmed by her personality. If I didn't stand by her side than she would be alone and I refuse to let that happen. Even if that is what she wants." I said. Andrea looked like I had physically harmed her. When I turned my head to look Viviana she was wearing an impassive face but I could see the tears she was holding back. "Why? What has she done to earn such loyalty from you?" Andrea asked. Instead of using the excuse I had with Ember and saying we had a history I told Andrea the truth. "She gave me a life. After I lost my memories I was dead or at least Kylie was. Everyone who looked at me only saw her, who I had been not who I was, so I was no one. I was dead. Viviana saw me, she made me realize I wasn't dead, Kylie was. She saved me because without her I would have truly died." I said. Silently tears had begun streaming down my face as I recalled those first few months after the accident. I had been in a very dark place and would have taken my own life if it hadn't been for Viviana. I owed her and it was a debt I could never repay but I would never stop trying. Andrea said nothing she just stepped away from us going to stand back in her corner. I sat back down in my seat exhausted. "Shall we get back to the point of this meeting?" Viviana said. Instead of sitting back down she had begun pacing across the room.
Suddenly the room began to shake. More accurately the things in the room had began to shake. Books came flying off the of the shelf. The chairs started to tip over. The clutter on Raiza's desk even came to life. Poltergeists were able to move more than one thing at a time which resulted in havoc. One limitation poltergeists did have is that they can't move objects in death that the wouldn't have been able to move in life. Without warning it stopped. As if nothing had happened in the first place. We stood quietly waiting, it was odd behavior for that to be the end of a poltergeist's interference. Too late I noticed a letter opener on Raiza's desk slowly creeping forward. I was on the opposite side of the room and could only watch helpless as it launched off the desk heading straight towards Andrea. I wasn't the only person who had noticed it. A figure blurred through the room faster than I thought possible.With a loud thunk the letter opener drove home. Only it hadn't hit Andrea. The letter opened was buried hilt deep in Viviana's back. Viviana had jumped in the front of the blade shielding Andrea. I had just processed what had happend when Viviana tipped over. The pain had caused her to faint...at least I hoped she had just fainted. Blood was trickling steadily out of the wound. Andrea was obviously in shock, I think I was as well. Raiza was the first to react. "Kye, go get a healer. There should be one in the down the hall to the left in a room on the right. Go!" Raiza commanded. I ran.
***
"The blade was stainless steel that saved her life had it been silver she wouldn't have survived. It will take a while to heal but she should be up and walking around in a week or two." Vera said. Vera was the most talented healer and had taken over my mothers job of running the infirmary after she had died. I nodded at her grateful for the information. Viviana was laying in one of the beds in the infirmary. She was still out of it because Vera had given her something before she stitched up the wound. Werewolves healed incredibly fast but it always took longer to heal when the injury was inflicted by silver or another supernatural. "She'll be fine, Kye." Corrigan said. Corrigan was in the bed next to Viviana. Her leg had been broken when she had shoved Raiza out of the way of a falling tree branch. The branch had landed on her right leg. According to her she'd be healed before Viviana.
I nodded again. "Kye!" Corrigan said. I looked up at her for the first time. "Get over here." It wasn't an order but I followed it all the same. Zombie like I stood. When I was close enough Corrigan reached up and grabbed me by the shirt. She forced me to look her in the eyes. "Snap out of it! There is nothing you can do here. Vera and I will make sure she stays stable. You don't belong here!" Corrigan said. Her words were sharp and seemed to part a fog in my head. I blinked confused for a second before I finally focused. "I know, don't worry Corrigan I will make sure Raiza and Andrea are safe." She released me satisfied. "Don't die." She called after me as I left the infirmary.
***
"Meet in the Beta's office!" I said wordlessly. I had sent the message to all the betas at the compound. Normally it was something Corrigan would have done but with injured in the infirmary she wasn't going to be much help. Our pack didn't have a third, no one had ever had the support besides it hadn't seemed important before now. I opened the door to the office and stepped in. Twelve other wolves had gathered here already, including Ember. "What happened?" A tall wolf with long brown hair asked. He was standing in the center of the room clearly in charge. I remembered him, he was one of Raiza's Sevari. She had three: Corrigan, this guy- Ivo, and Jez. I was more familiarly with Jez because when I had been training with Corrigan she would sometimes show up and watch. "There was another poltergeist attack." I said. "Was anyone injuried?" Ivo asked.
"Viviana." I said.
"Her? How?" Ivo demanded.
"The poltergeist flung a letter opener at Andrea. Viviana blocked it."
"What?" Ivo asked. From the various reactions around the room I could tell everyone was thinking the same thing: 'why would the heartless mate-killer risk her own life for someone else?' It really pissed me off but I knew better than to say anything. If I did Viviana would seriously kill me. "According to Vera, Viviana will be fine. So we should focus on Andrea and Raiza. I heard from Corrigan about the other attacks in each case they all had something in common. Either Andrea or Raiza was present." I had grabbed everyone's attention finally and Viviana became the last person on their minds. Having the Alpha and Sigma in danger would rile any wolf. "Why? What have they done to anger a spirit?" Willow asked.
Willow was a Beta wolf who I had seen around a lot but despite being a beta her personality reminded me more of an omega. She was quite and thought thinks through before acting. She didn't take chances that she didn't have to. I had only saw her mad once and she did not mess around.
"There are a couple theories but if Raiza or Andrea haven't shared them than it is not my place to explain." I said. "If someone is targeting our Alpha and Sigma we have a right to know! We need to know who and what we are dealing with. Just spit it out we don't have time to waste playing games with a child!" Ivo said. There was command laced in his voice but it bounced off me easily.
I growled at Ivo and stepped forward my teeth were showing and I could feel my skin rippling. "You have no right to order me around. Back off before I rip you sorry excuse for a head off your shoulders!" I said. Ivo stilled and moved away his face paling. There was a reason Betas didn't hang around together as much as other groups of wolves. When it came to a werewolf pack one wolf was always more dominate than another. Betas however were in a class all there own. They were more dominate than another wolf but no matter how dominate another beta was they detested listing to anyone other than the Alpha, Luna, or Sigma. The second in command of a pack only stayed in charge so long as they held the respect of the other Beta wolves. A betas position wasn't based on how dominate they were but in how much respect the others had for them.
"Do you think it should be you in charge? There is no one here who would trust you let alone respect you." Ivo said. Willow stepped forward her long mousy brown hair swaying behind her. "If you want to start this now at least give us a chance to voice our own opinions, Ivo. I don't want you speaking for me." She said. "You want to call a vote, about this? It is obvious what the answer will be." Ivo said. Willow didn't respond she just continued to stare him down. "I agree with Willow." Jez said. "Same." Ember said. A few more of the gathered wolves muttered their agreement.
I watched stunned they were actually taking about holding a vote for third. What's more is: I somehow ended up in the running. How the hell did I get myself in these situations. "Fine, does anyone else want to join in or will this be just between Me and Kye?" Ivo asked. No one else stepped forward and no one nominated anyone one else, leaving this between me and the egotistical jerk.