Chapter 100: Chapter 101: The Truth

“Ten years ago, it was about all wolves... a species that dared to kill his woman and his unborn child

for merely existing. When he found out she lived and died at the hands of the Santo pack and he

thought his child too, he concentrated his hatred on one pack alone.” Leyanne wanders casually

across the floor, shrugging as she goes, and all eyes follow her. An awkward quiet around the room

instantly as we all digest this.

“That's why the fog stayed only with us and them ... nothing further out. We saw no vampires in our

entire trip to find Leyanne.” Meadow fills in the blanks, adding to what I guess she spoke to the

witch about, and brings my mind to the truth of her observation. Outside the Santo domain, we

never picked up on a single vampire in eight hours of cross-country travel. Not one sense of them,

no scent in the air at all. It's why Leyanne didn’t care about leaving us out in the darkness alone. She

knew we weren't in danger so far from the mountain because vampires weren't hunting any pack

that wasn't Santo. It makes sense now.

"Correct. Because there were none. I told you; vampires dwell where people don't and only venture

where wolves are when they have a bone to chew. This time, that bone was buried in your father's

garden. Under his patio...” She seems almost smug at her euphemism, smiles with a hint of sarcastic

glee, and dusts the mantle as though she’s merely made a small joke. That accent of hers making it

sound more like a mocking sentence than a pretty important proclamation. Her calmness grates on

my growing nerves and I shuffle in my seat.

“So, the attacks on the home, the tests with the weapon? We weren't just unlucky... we were always

the target!” Cesar pipes in, repeating the obvious and Leyanne nods, turning slowly to face us as a

group and moves back against the mantel to get comfy. I stare at her with a sense of surreal, feeling

like this is all a weird dream and digesting it slowly.

If only the vampires knew how ironic that was, what they did. That they almost killed the reason

they were even there in the first place. My father would have seen me dead at his own hands was it

not for Colton and his pack saving me that night. It's almost funny.

Their weapon, their tests, hit the home that concealed his child for almost a decade and yet the

pack he hated protected me. If only he knew how close he was to taking down his daughter, the

Santo heir, Juan and their Luna at the same time. My death would have ended it all, by taking the

three of them with me. Yet it wouldn't have balanced anything at all. I would have died at vampire

hands.

“They're shadowing us here.... because of our bloodline. No wonder they never left. They stalked us,

they persisted. And yet the war never progressed. They were waiting and biding time, even if that

took years to get past our boundaries.” Matteo runs a hand across his face, his voice deflated as

minor shock reverberates around the stillness of the room. I sense Colton tensing beside me and

glance up, catching his eye on me as he swallows noticeably and then he turns and looks at all the

faces, locked on the witch and the eerie pause to our normally humdrum group.

“There was no war intended. It was always about avenging Marina and Alora. And now he knows

about her, which means he focused his efforts on avenging her mother instead. He knew I'd take

care of the witches in no time, and that the mongrels he left were no real threat to his child. With

Alora's brother in tow, and his need to avenge Marina too, they aren't walking away quietly as we

hoped. He still wants to address the balance. Darrius warned us because he knows you have people

there that still shouldn't be part of this, and Vampires don't lay down grudges when vengeance has

been their path for decades.” Leyanne sighs heavily.

"Why would he warn us? What does he care?” I finally find my voice and question the motives of

that dark weirdo. He didn’t seem all too invested in wolf lives back at that road.

“Darrius is a strange one, honor bound. He's a Shadow Knight commander of the highest order and

he's never agreed with Varro's need to crush your kind in revenge. It goes against his code, so he

stood back and lifted no finger in the war of the past and kept the Shadow Knights out of it.”

Leyanne's voice softens and I can tell, despite her cool manner and indifferent tone and Darrius’

obvious darker disposition, she has respect for him. Even if she makes it out like it's a flaw that he

has morals.

"What do we do, Cole... those are our people?” Radar sits down suddenly as though shock weakens

his legs, pulling my attention to the eyes around the room and I swallow hard as I try to compute all

this. I feel like crying and yet something more terrifying simmers inside that we should really be

worried about.

"He doesn’t know that if Juan dies... I do.” I point out, mumbling it loud enough for those around to

hear and Colton slides his hand over mine and sits on the arm to press close to me. Giving me his

comfort because he can sense my anxiety, confusion, and fear. Leyanne exhales heavily, an

expression of minor irritation crossing her face as she focuses on me.

“It's not a detail Darrius would have excluded but that won't stop Varro wiping out everyone else

who's there and making Juan watch. I don't think Juan's death is his goal..... it's vengeance he seeks.

Even if he has to kill everyone to get to him and then lock him in a cage for the rest of his days.

Varro is cruel and torture is better suited to his personality. I believe he'll make Juan suffer until the

end of his days.” Her words soothe and yet horrify me at the same time.

"We can't let them kill everyone at the mountain. There's so many innocents.” I choke out the words,

my head bombarded with so many faces, as my eyes mist over at the thought of losing them,

because of my mother. These were people she fought alongside to protect. How was she to know

the war was because of us.

“I told him that, but Darrius, he's not exactly the warmest of souls. His response was merely that

many innocents had died in the past, what was a few more if we wanted an end to this. All Darrius

cares about is that he no longer gets dragged along watching his future king waste his time on an

inferior species. He wants him back where he belongs, back where he is to eventually rule. He

warned us so we know what's coming, but he won't sway Varro either way.” Leyanne shrugs with

one shoulder, making it clear that Darrius is not really going to be of any use to us in this. He's an

information passer at most and his loyalty is with Varro, even if what he's doing is against Darrius’

code.

“Son of a bitch! That's what you get for trusting a cold-blooded monster like them. Fucking

vampires, man!” Remo is the one to explode, throwing his arms out in agitation but Leyanne doesn't

seem to look offended at all.

I dare say she doesn't trust Darrius any more than we do and he’s more of an acquaintance for her

benefit than a friend. I'm not even surprised that cold blooded demon doesn’t give two craps about

innocents. I got the impression he doesn't feel at all; like he has no humanity. He can stand back

and watch many die over these decades and do nothing, when he has an army of his own that could

have intercepted in some way, so many times.

Shadow Knights... pffft. What good are they? It's as much a crime to stand idle and do nothing as it

is to be part of the attacks and killing innocents.

“If we want to save them. Then it has to be done by us. We have to go to the mountain and protect

them ourselves. With us they stand a chance, without us... they die.” Colton gets up, letting go of my

hand and starts pacing to match Cesar. Both seemingly intent on passing by one another as they

walk back and forth on the rug.

My anxiety elevates thirty million times more just watching the restlessness of the two most tactical

minded among us. I know his head is in overdrive as he thinks this through, and I squeeze my eyes

shut to get my breathing under control. Knowing what he says is fact and that they don't stand a

chance as a fractured pack. We took the strongest and they don't have any real leadership left with

them.

I thought we were done with fighting and now less than a day later we'll have to do it all over again.

Only this time my brother is on the other side. We'll have to side with Juan against everything we

feel, for the sake of the people and march out there to unify. I can't believe this is what we're even

contemplating but I know in my heart that Colton’s right.

"And when we get there.... can we be sure that Juan won't mount an offensive against us, even if

we're trying to help?” Radar the one who always sees flaws in our plans, points out the

discrepancies, and questions the angles. I look to Colton with a nod, that it could be a very plausible

outcome and we should seriously take time to think about this before we decide. Juan vowed to

never let his son take back his power... Juan won't see us as anything but an enemy if we go home.

Even if we fight to save them.

Colton fixes his gaze on me, stalling in his pacing and exhales loudly. His whole posture stiff and

tense and I can feel his stress levels hitting the roof, even at a distance. The weight of his emotion

pulling my insides tight.

“We can't keep ignoring what happens to them. We've done it for too long and this time, if we do it

again, none of them will be alive by morning. I can't fail them anymore.... what kind of an alpha

does that make me?” He drops his chin to his chest, breaking his focus on me and I catch the moist

sheen over his eyes from here as he battles with the turmoil of this situation. His guilt heavy

because I know that he’s struggled all these months with what to do about the ones we left behind.

It's plagued him endlessly.

“We could warn them, make them leave... get those out that we can in daylight. I mean they still

need darkness to attack, right? So we have time?” Carmen this time, trying to find a solution with a

somewhat upbeat tone as she perches on the edge of her seat. I sink my head into my hands and

rub my temples in defeated exhaustion. My brain throbbing from all of this and emotions strangling

me at the same time. Anxiety growing and hemming me in at the wall and hard place we find

ourselves lodged between.

“If they want them that badly, no matter where we take them, they'll still come. And we don't have

room here, not for the long run. If this is what he needs to end this, there's no outrunning it.

Colton’s right. We have to go there and protect who we can and let Varro kill who he needs to while

making sure Juan isn't one of them.” Meadow is the voice of reason as this all swirls inside my head

and makes me dizzy. I know that this is because of me and I can't accept that the losses and deaths,

all of this, came out of my being conceived. I can't process it.

"Son of a bitch... fuck stupid mate bonds.” Radar snorts out through gritted teeth, his anger flaring

in his raspy tone. He storms off towards the bookcase before slamming a fist into a row of them and

sends them scattering to the floor with a clattering noise, giving me a jolt as he does so. My heart

hammering as I recover from flinching at his sudden aggressive display, but it only adds to my

uptight tetchiness. It's no guessing where his anger is focused and that in itself makes me feel

worse. If only Radar had been Sierra's fated mate, then maybe everything would have been so

different.

I exhale and throw my head back on my chair and try to relax my sprawled body, inhale slowly as

nausea rises around me and pushes out the deafening guilt that's building. I only end up stiff as a

board and unable to release the tightness of my shoulder muscles as tears fog out my vision.

Hormones are making this worse and I'm already exhausted to the point that I can’t think straight.

“There's maybe a chance I ..... if I can see Jasper and my father. Maybe I can talk to them, stop this.

Maybe I can somehow..." I don't even know. I'm deflated, grasping, consumed by the responsibility

of all this and I feel completely useless. This is partly about me, so shouldn't I be able to fix it?

Didn't the fates pick me because of all of this? Why don't I have the answers if they have been

guiding me all along? What good am I? Or my gifts that can't be used. I don't get why it seems just

when I might have a purpose, the fates throw in a curveball and render me useless all over again.

Knowing I was alive didn't even stop this, so what really am I here for? What is the point of me

being what I am when I feel shackled and useless.

“You heard Jasper... Santo is the enemy, and he won't stop until he takes revenge. Not even the

mate bond could make a difference, not his sister being alive, and certainly not pleading.” Carmen

sounds bitter, pulling me to sit up slightly with her tone and I look to her. Catching her eye and

biting my lip on the surging pain as I recognize her inner sadness. I'm not ready to admit defeat

when we still have hope, even if she seems to be. She deadpan locks her gaze on mine and

unflinchingly shakes her head at me, as though telling me this is not a solution.

“Maybe the two of us, there, ready to stand in front of him and die... maybe that will make a

difference. I know my brother, he’s not evil. He's not a killer. He's in pain and he has a stubborn

head and a loyal heart, and he thinks this is what he needs to stop the agony in his existence.” I

mumble, attempting to appeal to her, trying to send some sort of begging message, hoping to

invest her in this a little more. I can tell by her closed off expression and her bleak and cold aura

that she isn't buying it. I know what she’s thinking. That this is futile, and she won't be a part of

being humiliated for a second time at my brother's hands when it will change nothing.

"Well, I guess I better come along and try and do damage control. I mean, I was planning on

heading out, but as the vampires hired me to solve the issue of Varro returning home, and I'm not

quite done with that... guess we march to your mountain.” Leyanne cuts in abruptly, bringing

everyone's attention back to her and her steady and nonchalant tone. She really doesn't seem like

anything in this world phases her at all. It's like she just announced we were going grocery shopping

and not taking control of a decision to go fight in a battle to the death.

“You can stop him from killing Juan right.... if we fail, if all goes to shit.” Colton is the one eyeing her

now, homing in on her usefulness and I can tell by the surge of hope he gives off that he thinks the

witch might have influence. My heart sinks, because I know him so well. Nothing will sway him from

marching there now his mind is made up, and despite everything, he will fight to protect his people

even if they turn on us when we get there. He already knows it's what we'll do and he's already

planning. As much as I don’t want to do this, I know it's happening. She shrugs at him and then

exhales slowly and heavily.

"Yes... I can protect your sniveling weasly old man if that's what you need. It won't be too much of

an inconvenience... You know, if Sierra hadn't used one of my spells to bind her life to Alora, this

would have been an easy fix.” Leyanne gestures the twins to move their legs as she looks like she’s

planning on leaving the room by walking past the couch where they're sat. Her faint smile on show,

and that indifferent vibe once more. “Just saying.” She adds with a hair flick before she wanders off,

obviously done with this meeting and she knows what her part is in it. She doesn't seem like she

wants to sit and mull it over now she knows what role she has.

I scowl at her parting words, along with most sat present, and disagree with her silently while

separately glaring after her. Tied to Juan or not, Sierra should never be put at risk. That witch really

is a cold and heartless one if she thinks sacrificing a life is the answer to everything.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck ... fucking, fuck!!” Colton’s spew of expletives and his hostile and loud elbow ram

into the bookcase near him startles me and startles the room once more with the sudden outburst.

"We need to recall the pack, pick out the strongest, apologize for making them do this all over

fucking again! Then head to the mountain before dusk. God dammit. Fuck my life..... Most of them

haven't had a chance to recover and now I'm asking them to put their lives on the line all over

again.” He vents and kicks the wastebin across the floor with an impressive thrust, to the desk

leaving it dented as it attempts a wonky roll under a chair. All eyes following and quietly

understanding his need to get the aggression out.

“The pack will do what's needed. Not for you, but for them. The ones we left behind. They're our

familia, we won't abandon them this time.” Meadow soothes him from her seated position, but the

heaviness in the air is suffocating and I know everyone feels the same way.

We always intended one day to do something about the split pack on the mountain, I just didn’t

think it would be like this. We thought we had time to come up with a plan. We have to protect

them, they're part of us too. We can’t watch them die when most of them had nothing to do with

what Juan did to my family. They're only crime was staying behind. And the reasons for that are not

a simple case of loyalty to father or son or even choosing a side.

“We have zero time to plan, to even think about this. It's now... happening, and we can't ignore it.”

Colton lets it out, the stress he's been holding and sinks down on the arm of my chair where I

automatically lean forward to rub my hand up his back to console him. My touch softening his rigid

posture a tad and he leans in to scoop my other in his and pulls it to his lap to cradle tightly. My

touch is his harbor sometimes, even when I feel like he's locked up inside his own head.

“We have half a day.... We can rally what we need. Pack the trucks and sit at the mountain waiting

for dusk. Juan won't attack us if vampires are invading. He'll be too distracted, so we can focus on

the people. Separate them.... Juan's loyal from the rest. Maybe if we divide two camps and just work

our ass off to keep them safe, then Varro will do what he needs to do and realize we won't back

down.” Meadow is determined and I nod almost numbly, seeing the logic in her words and daring

to hope. If we stand up for them, not standing in his way with regards to Juan, then maybe we have

a chance. If his efforts are focused on one camp, then he may leave ours alone.

“I think with me there.... With Carmen there... we might have a shot at swaying them once they take

down all Juan's men. Juan, they can have him, as long as they know he has to live, and they can take

him away so the rest can be free.” I chime in, knowing somewhere my words will be hurting Colton

but he doesn’t react or look my way. It's still his father but he knows it's what he deserves.

“No, they'll torture him... if they do that, you will all feel it when he’s close to death. You'll feel

extreme pain, They can't put you all through that.” Cesar is drumming it over while tapping his

thumb on his leg and Meadow gets up and goes to him. Wrapping her arms around his waist as he

envelopes her in and hugs her back. Pulling her onto his lap as she curls up tight and for once, looks

vulnerable in his arms. I'm so used to seeing strong, sexy Meadow, that this sudden need for her

mate's reassurance and the coiling up in him makes me even more determined that I have to

protect my pack. We're all scared of the outcome and yet here I am.... with the means to really end

this. Simply existing.

“When will this all end? I feel like I've spent my life killing and fighting these damn creatures and

one day I just want to settle down and think about puppies. Half the sub pack is already retired

because they have their own...I want to be like that one day too.” Meadow starts to cry, shocking us

all with the show of tears, and without meaning to my eyes fly straight to Carmen who glances away

and bites on her lip. I curse myself for the reaction, but any mention of babies and I can't help it,

she’s the first thing I look at. Guilt sweeps over me and I stare at my hand in Colton’s instead as the

heat form my cheeks engulfs my face.

"We just have to get through this.... I told you didn’t I, your papi will give you the best pups when

life is more stable. Maybe this is the last hurdle. We have so much time left Princesa.” Cesar leans in

and kisses her gently on the temple, and I caress my stomach absentmindedly, catching Colton's

eyes move to follow my motion and a steely expression floods his face as his warrior side shows

face. That air of stubborn comes out of nowhere and he stands up, letting go of me and stiffening

aggressively.

“You know, screw this. You're right. This is the last hurdle and then after.....a stable life to raise my

kids. We just got to suck it up, do what we got to do, and then be done with this shit. All of it. The

vampires, the feud with the mountain, my father's shadow, living in fear.....it all ends if we do this

right and sort this out tonight. I will hand my father to that vampire myself if I have to. In a cage,

bound and gagged, if it means this ends, and we all get to walk away alive.”

My breath catches in my throat and my pain aches with the way he just came out and said it.

His kids.

In one little reaction he told me what I've been waiting to hear since he found out. That he wants

them, that somewhere he’s accepted they exist, and he is ready to protect them. He was never one

for emotional chats or opening up too much when it came to feelings. Especially when he was

carrying so much else on his shoulders, so this is enough for me.

I get that happy joyous reactions are a no, given our circumstances and the way he was fired with a

multitude of facts in one go, but this tells me what I needed to hear. He is happy. He's just holding it

in check until he can relax, knowing we're safe and he can let out his feelings about the fact he's

going to be a dad. He can priorities them when his responsibility to everyone else is dealt with. I

know him well enough to see that this is what this is.

"With the vampires attacking, we can at least separate out the ones not loyal to your father as he'll

be focused on saving his own ass anyway.” Matteo who's been quiet finally cuts in and throws

Colton a reassuring look that we got this, and we have nothing to worry about. He's right too. Juan

won't care about the people, only himself. His attention won't be on the valley or anyone that can't

shield him.

His loyal will protect him and look to him alone, while they let the rest die. It won't be hard to see

which wolves we should be there for.

“Darrius and the Lord are the only two vampires with any kind of real strength that we should fear,

and neither will harm me. Darrius won't even lift a finger. If he took only the strongest from the

mountain and left behind the weak then it'll be tougher than what we just did, but not impossible.

Wolves have defeated halflings before, we will again.” Carmen brings the voice of certainty out,

somehow finding that inner fire I know is always just within grasp, even when she wobbles. The

quiet nods of agreement seal our fate, as we all understand and agree what's to come.

She seems somehow stronger in this second, determined, and there's a look in her eye that tells me

she isn't about to go down without a fight. A moment hits me in the stomach, a tiny little tremor

that had I never come back to Colton, I think she would have been a Luna in her own right. She

maybe isn’t the warm and approachable Luna in the traditional sense, but maybe in time she might

have grown that way if she had felt secure in her mates love. Shes a warrior for sure.

The pack isn't done fighting yet and tonight, before we even have time to catch our breaths once

more, we will face a battle we've been putting off for months. It's time to go home and save our

people, and maybe this time, the problem that is Juan might get some sort of resolution.

"Witches are no longer an issue; my only responsibility is what the vampires first asked of me.... To

get Lord Varro to give up this vendetta and go back to where he belongs to begin learning to rule. I

can achieve that tonight, and your people, will see an end to a twenty-year fight once and for all. So,

I'm coming, and I can possibly offer a little protection where it's needed.” Leyanne's voice cuts in

from the open doorway, surprising me, and I realize that despite her leaving, she didn't actually go

far or she's come back. She is lazing against the frame, seemingly bored and looking out of place in

such a casual manner.

Despite not being sure about Leyanne, I feel like we can rely on her and trust is growing when it

comes to which side she fights for. She keeps people at a distance much like Carmen does and she

has an aura that she doesn't care too deeply, but I guess at three thousand years old she has cared

about many and had to watch them die. Maybe the repeated loss of people growing old and fading

around you made her not want to soften towards anyone anymore. She doesn't seem bad; she

seems disconnected, lacks feelings, yet helpful because its suits her to be. I cannot imagine the

loneliness of her existence at all and I could maybe forgive her lack of heart when I think that maybe

she’s just bled one too many times.

“I guess we do this. Meds call an early meeting in the hall; we need to see what numbers we're

taking and prepare. Radar, you are the commander of the Luna“s guard and that's what I need now.

Form the ones you want to shield Lorey and my mom, make sure they're worthy. I don't want any

mistakes... she stays safe in this. They both do. Matteo, go sort out transport for as many of us as

possible, the rest will have to travel on foot. We need a map of the mountain and a tactical plan of

where we wait and where we launch an attack. That's on you Cesar. I have to go see my mom...

Leyanne you do what you need to do, we appreciate the help. I guess we just.... hope and fight and

see where this ends.” Colton scrubs his fingers through his hair, his voice strong but I can feel the

tiredness in his tone, his fatigue obvious and stress weighing heavily on him. This is what he was

born to do and I doubt anyone else would be able to do it the way he does. I know his father is

sitting heavily on his mind, because either way, tonight Juan will be the focus and finally this will be

the end. It's why he wants to see his mom, because he knows as well as I do that she will want to be

there whether he wants her to or not.

She was his mate; she is linked to his soul and she has just as much right to hate him and want to

see him suffer as I do. She lost a decade of her life as his silent prisoner and her future is empty

because of her bond to him. It's only fair that she gets a chance to see him shackled and caged and

led away by a species that will make him live in agony without death for as long as he breathes. She

wouldn't want to stay here and see everything she suffered for happen without her.

“There's one thing... I have a possible solution to a problem of yours Colton. Seems I do have a trick

up my sleeve. I'll have it ready by the time we need to leave. I just need to make a few adjustments.”

She holds up a book she didn’t have with her before and I guess it's where she went. To get it from

the grimoire library and came back because she found something. I eye her with interest and let my

gaze sway to the leather-bound ancient book held loosely by her side with interest.

"What solution to what problem? Colton blinks as he stares back at her, also flicking a glance at the

aged book in her hand. Leyanne moves to leave and stops with a self-satisfied smile and gestures

towards me with a flourish.

“A life bound.... only mates should hold that power. It wasn't ordained by the fates, but by magic's

touch and with magic's breath it can be undone. Especially when the source is standing right here.

Although I don't think you want to tell your mother about it... who knows what ideas she might get

if her life no longer endangers yours.” She shrugs with one shoulder as my mouth falls open and I

gasp in realization at what she’s saying.

“You mean unbind me from Sierra? So that her death is no longer mine?” That means Juan's death

would not take us from this world...only Sierra.

My blood runs cold as I realize why she doesn't think Sierra should know and Colton looks instantly

afraid. His mind going the same place as mine and coming to the same conclusion. To rid the world

of Juan, and to end her bleak future, she would sacrifice herself. Like she once did to ensure my

survival. We both know Sierra would do it without hesitation and the sudden chill of Radar's aura

sweeps my way as his emotions overwhelm the space with the same realization

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