"I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different."
-Veronica Roth, Divergent (Divergent, #1)
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Nodding at them, I explain what I saw again and who I was sure I should be. "How can you be so sure, Blythe?" Adele asks me. "I am and this is not about gut feelings," I reiterate confidently.
"Rick, Xandro has been spotted in his pack," Chris reports. "Ask them to capture him," Rick's order catching all of us by surprise.
"But, what about Kay and Mae? What if his goons do something to them?"
"They won't if they want their Alpha unscratched. Let's give them a dose of their own medicine. Chris, pass the order," his tone concluding.
**
"WHERE ARE MY SISTERS, XANDRO?" Rick roars, his fist colliding the other's jaw. Xandro spits out some blood and laughs. His laugh malignant and condescending.
He hasn't uttered a word since he was caught. Except for a couple of shitty comebacks and snarky comments.
"Find it out, Devraux. Why do you care anyways? The black haired one. What's her name? Ah, Mae. She isn't even your sister. Why the hell would I tell you? Maybe if you ask your Luna to ask me, maybe I would. She knows what I want after all. She gives, I give and that's a promise," he says with a conspicuous wink. He's treading on a thin line. Not good, Hale. Rick has been edgy throughout the evening.
And I'm right again. His malicious reply earns him continuous blows. The mixture serum of wolfs bane, silver poison and liquid silver is injected into Xandro as hewrithes in agony and we all leave the cell.
Completely heartless, turning a deaf ear to Xandro's screams.
**
"The scents have vanished as it seems to be," Chris sighs exasperatedly. Rick, Chris, I and some guards were trying to track down both Mae and Kay. Jake stayed back as the Beta to guard the pack.
Ashes had been used to mask the scents.
The Rapscallion pack was in lockdown. All the buildings on the pack were checked thoroughly only to reveal nothing suspicious. As time ticks by, worry and guilt burdens my heart and I find myself reconsidering my decision. Maybe I should've given him my locket?
But how could I?
Something no one except three people apart from me know about this; Me, Theo, Aaron and Rick. Ana too did, I guess. Well, she's no more now. She passed away a year ago.
That my lifeline was tied to that locket.
The locket was an inheritance in our family. I had told rick about it already. When Ana foresaw my prophecy, she also asked me whether my family had a heritage treasure. It could've been a locket, book or even a feather. I had replied that I had a locket that was gifted to me by my grandfather. It was crescent shaped, silver in colour. She made me promise that I should never lose it. If it was destroyed, the destruction this world sees would be immeasurable.
"Your majesty, Alpha Xandro has escaped."
The utterance that invaded our minds through the pack link, stagnated us in our positions. An uncomfortable silence lingered among the sound of tired breaths.
"What?!" The warrior is pinned to the wall in seconds. Jake pulls Rick away from the warrior who sinks to the floor.
All of us phase to our wolves in a sync and sprinted back to the pack.
**
"Our patrols have been tightened. We will be able to retaliate," Jake voices out. Although it was an affirmation of plans it sounded more like an assurance to himself. It was. But none of us found any solace in his words. I bet even he couldn't.
Maybe Xandro was a ruthless, evil, sinister, and purely malignant but he was diplomatic and tactful in the context. As soon as he had touched down at his pack he had his pack members throw out are royal soldiers.
It was not a matter of lack of capability of our soldiers but rather the fact of majority of the rogues siding with him. It was actually a great shock and misfortune to our pack because he soon after declared war on us. For all his villainous deeds and malicious nature he was reasonably insightful.
Werewolf wars throughout history have been carried out during the night. Under the moon's gaze. Tonight was full moon, a lunar eclipse. And tonight was the night another event was going to be added to the books of history.
Most of our ally packs had extended their hands towards us.
All of us were nervous. Not knowing the odds. Maybe I should've turned over the locket to him. Now, in turn for one life, hundreds of lives were going to be massacred brutally.
Rick was strangling within jumbled emotions. Anger over his sisters' kidnapping, disappointment over Xandro's conduct, nervousness over tonight and the pack's safety. His jaw was clenched, hands fisted at his sides, muscles taut, and demeanor rigid.
Adele enters the room strapping her armor. "No way, Adele," Aaron strolls over to her with a smug look on his face. "You're not going battleground." Of all the people I know, never would I've expected my brother to be so damn chauvinistic under the name of love.
"Come on, Aaron. Of course I am. Do you seriously think I'll sit back and chill while my little sisters are being held hostage?" she says rolling her eyes.
"No, Adele. He's right. You're not going to the battlefield," all of our eyes whip to Rick's at his statement. Et tu Brute!
"You need to be with the medics," he clarifies, "you're important that way." "But, Ric-" "Adele Beaumont, this is an order as your Alpha. Report to the medics," Rick utters, the command in his voice evident.
"Yes, Alpha," Adele retreats with a nod. Ron clenches his fists, his jaw tight, storms out of the room. What was wrong with him?
"I'll head to the observation post," Chris volunteers, leaving the room as Jake mutters something about checking on Tessa and leaves. "Are thinking of backing off, now?" Rick's question startles me.
Even if I'm going to turn in I can't let him know. "Of course not," I ensure him, "What in the pits of Tartarus gave you that ridiculous idea?" He shakes his head in response, "you've been unexceptionally quiet for too long..." he remarks. "And," he continues, "I know about you. You'd probably feel all guilty for Mae and Kay being kidnapped. And I'd be shocked if you've never had the idea of turning over the locket, even for the fraction of a nanosecond."
The fact of him having read me like a book makes me feel different. I'm not sure if I can decide between swooning and feeling even guiltier.
"Is the locket safe?" He asks me, "Wherever it is?" his question immobilizing me. He didn't want to know where it was when I first told me. His exact words were...
"I don't want know, Blythe. I'm your mate. I'm sure I wouldn't reveal the information that would result in you being killed to some stranger. But I'm afraid, if I knew I may let it pass somewhere someday maybe. You know it. That's completely enough. I believe in you."
I nod for his question, "Yeah, it's safe."
"I need to leave to the observation post too. You'll be fine," he says pressing his lips to my forehead. Mentally I think that it might be the last time I see him, so I inhale his scent of pinewood committing it to my memory. Tears spring to my eyes as his back retreats down the empty corridor.
"I love you," my whisper ricochets through the bare hallway but it doesn't reach his ears. I know it.
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Sorry for the long wait guys. Hope you liked it.
Only a couple of chapters more. 🤭 I can't believe I've come this far. 🧐
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-Vishael