Chapter 41
Mom. They had my mom.
Something snapped onto my hind leg before I registered that there were more rogues in human form behind me.
The burning sensation immediately made me aware that it was silver. But a sudden void feeling within me made my stomach drop. Uneasiness filled me as I looked down to see there were shards of hypersthene lining the inside of the silver cuff.
I couldn't mind link anyone. Fuck.
"Shift Everette," the woman said again.
I growled again and kicked one of the rogues behind me. I watched as his body crashed into a nearby tree.
Tsking, she shook her head, "You don't listen, do you? Alpha Doris requests your presence and if you don't comply, I'm afraid your dear mother and you are both going to die."
Anger coursed through me at the revelation that we would both die whether I followed through or not.
I was no match for these rogues and I couldn't exactly mind link for help. Doris wasn't exactly going to keep us alive if she attacked our pack either.
But if the old lady wanted to talk, then we'd talk.
God knows it might buy me some until someone realizes I'm missing.
The rogue approached me with clothes in her hand and I shifted. Another was was quick in her movements to tighten the cuff on my feet and I bit back a scream from the silver touching my skin.
I grabbed the plain white shift dress and quickly covered myself up before she started walking. Two other rogues grabbed my arms and hauled me behind her.
"What does she want?" I demanded angrily.
"To talk."
"And she wasn't brave enough to come to find me herself? Some Alpha," I scoffed.
The rogues all snarled at me and I flipped them off because it's not like I could do much.
"Alpha Doris gave us a chance. She built us a home and let us do what we wish. She's ten times the Alpha you'll ever be, especially since your pack will die tonight," She stuck her nose up haughtily and I had an urge to grab her by her hair and shove her into the lava pit I came across.
"She's nothing but a coward who couldn't live with the pain everyone in my pack had to deal with," I spat.
Laughing she rolled her eyes, "No, she's wise and loyal. She knows who our enemies are and would never do anything to jeopardize our safety."
"Yeah? Is that why she's torturing young wolves and making the rest of you inject yourself with steroids?" I watched as her steps faltered.
"Y-you don't know what you're talking about. The kids were never harmed and the steroids are-"
"Dangerous," I finished her sentence. "The thing you're injecting into your bodies has all sorts of defects and I don't even want to know how it will react to a werewolf's body. As for the kids, you know good and well what she's doing. I saw the scars of one of them myself so safe yourself from lying and just admit that Doris isn't all that and a bag of chips."
Spinning around, she grabbed my neck and squeezed until my circulation was cut off.
I struggled against her tight grip and the rogues who were holding my arms. Her eyes were the definition of evil as she smirked.
"I'd kill you myself if our Alpha wasn't going to do the job. Now I guess I'll just have to suffice with watching."
My lungs started burning from the lack of oxygen and I tried to kick her but she released me and stepped back.
I immediately started coughing and gasping for air as the sweet taste of air filled my lungs.
Glaring at her, I tried to find my voice as I rasped out, "Funny thing, I'm going to enjoying killing you with my bare hands."
I didn't miss the fear in her eyes before she punched me in the face.
Everette: 0.5 Crazy chick: 2
I spat out some blood before smirking at her. Huffing, she started back her trek until we made it outside of a burning packhouse.
Shit, all my stuff is in there. Including very valuable ice-cream and a new pair of Chuck Taylors.
The crazy rogue lady started going inside and I yelled, "You do realize we're entering a burning building right?"
She shrugged, "It won't take long."
Won't take long my ass. I watched as only a small part of the house was on fire and it was on the opposite end of where she was leading me. Hopefully, Cal gets his ass here and out this.
I grew up in this house. It's been here for centuries. The memories alone that these walls held was apart of our pack history.
It was the place I took my first step, spent hours with Finn and dealt with pack issues with Penelope and Charlotte. It was where I used to sneak into my dad's office and watch him work before started teaching me the ins and outs of the pack. It wasn't just a house. It was an essential part of everyone's life.
They led me through the library door and I caught my mom's scent immediately.
Doris stood near the fireplace with one hand wrapped around my mother's neck and other hand held a syringe of something close to her neck.
"Everette," my mom cried as she saw me but I held my hand up for her to stay still.
"Doris, I'd say it was nice to see you again but you know circumstances..." I trailed off as my eyes took into account everything in the room.
My mom's hands were bound in silver cuffs, her feet were tied with rope and around her neck was a necklace with pieces of hypersthene. There weren't any visible wounds on her and the silver wouldn't affect her, so at least she was alright.
Except of course for being in the arms of a deranged wolf who was holding a syringe of, what I guess was some sort of poison, to her neck.
There was a big tough guy standing on the other side of my mom and aside from him in the room, the crazy rogue that punched me remained. The other two who held my arms released me and stepped outside.
"Everette," she grimaced, "still as insolent as ever but I'm glad you could join Emery and me."
"Like I had a choice," I rolled my eyes. "Also you have terrible choices in picking places because we're literally in a burning building."
"Well it's a good thing this won't take long now, isn't it?"
"This as in you wanting us all to burn in here?" I raised my eyebrows.
She sighed, "The youth of today are useless. Always using sarcasm to twist everything up."
"Okay boomer," I whispered but she heard me and confusion was written all over her face.
I clasped my hands together, "So, I'm guessing if it isn't to burn then it had to do something with killing my mother and I?"
She smiled, "That is one part of it yes."
"Everette," my mother started, "get out of here! Leave-!"
"Shut up you," Doris squeezed her neck.
"Stop! Stop!" I went to take a step but crazy chick held me back and Doris held the needle of the syringe dangerously close to my mom's neck. "Just let her breathe and I'll listen to you. I'll do what you want."
Lowering the syringe an inch away, she released my mom's neck.
"Now if only you listened like that all the time," She mused. "Let's get on with it shall we."
I nodded and kept my eyes on her.
"Let me start with why I did all this and why your mother will die tonight."
The fear my mom's eyes held only made me want to rip Doris's throat out more. But with the syringe Doris held and the two other dimwits in her, I would never be able to save her. Especially with the silver cuff on my ankle.
"You see, I've always had a distaste for the Lunas of this pack. Humans are feeble, weak and they can't stay loyal to save their life. I knew it was only a matter of time until one of them betrayed us. Your mother was that one," The hatred oozed out of Doris's tone as she told her sob story. "She brought those hunters here. I don't care what anyone believes, she was always with them, I know. Your dear mother drove them here to destroy us until we suffered greatly.
"All because of her my mate died along with my two sons. All because she used to spread her legs for those hunters before she came to the pack and seduced your father." A tear escaped Doris's eye as she yanked my mother's head back by the root of her hair.
Doris was full of shit. While I didn't know and didn't want to know about my mother's sexcapades, I did know she was a virgin before she married my dad.
"Now you know that isn't true," I said in a calm voice. "Yes, my mom did date Jake Cain but that was before the ritual. She even hated the dude for wanting to cut her open and plant a tracking device in her. If you want someone to blame then it's going to have to be Abigail. A werewolf, previous member of the pack who ran off, got pregnant with Jake's kid and told them where to find the pack."
Doris's eyes turned murderous, "Abigail was many things I didn't like but if it wasn't for your mother, she won't have left the pack anyways. Instead, Emery here got her kicked out and then produced you. A girl. A female to lead us when your mother couldn't even do a decent job."
My hands were in fists and the more Doris spoke, the tighter my hand curled in until I felt my nails pierce the skin of my palm.
"You weren't bad but you certainly weren't good either Everette. But when you went off and brought the boy back, it just got worst. Of all the people you could have chosen, you just had to go and pick the hunter. The son of that vile man that killed my family. A man who almost killed you when you were bringing him back. A man who expected the pack to accept and put him as our leader. Callum Cain," Her face scrunched up in disgust as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.
"But oh no, you couldn't leave it at that. You went to them... for help! You brought the hunters here as if we've all been good old friends. You caused this. Because you brought them here I decided now was the best time to attack. If it was up to you the pack will be ruled by a bunch of human hunter babies. That's the last thing I will let happen to my home." She growled. "When your father didn't do more to find the hunters after the war, I had a piece of hypersthene and I knew more than anyone in this pack ever did, so I left. I broke my ties and one by one I formed my own pack with the rogues. I gave them a home and hope. I brought them together and gave them a chance. That is what a true Alpha does."
"No," I shook my head as I jaw clenched and unclenched, "that's what a coward does."
She yanked on my mother's hair again and when my mother cried out in pain, I bit my tongue.
"Speak when spoken to, your parents should have thought you that," She grumbled. "What I did was what was best for everyone. I will rule over the land how an Alpha should. My pack is strong and bigger than yours ever will be."
The smell of burning wood was drawing nearer as was the heat from the fire. If we didn't leave now, we'd be fucked.
My eyes briefly glanced over to the one small window in the library and prayed that I'd be able to fight my mother's and I way out of this and crawl through it. Out the door would be like walking into a firepit.
"You have your pack. You have your war. What else do you want?" I snapped at her.
"The pack," she said as if it was the most obvious thing.
"Your pack is fighting for my pack," I reminded her through clenched teeth.
"Of course and they will win, but I want to see you grovel, dear Everette. I want to see that confident little bulb in you get snuffed out when you realize this is the only way out. Your only chance of saving your mother. I want to see you and your family suffer as I did," She spat.
"Then fight me, old lady!" I yelled. "Fight me and we'll see who's the true Alpha."
She scoffed, "You said it yourself, I'm old. I know my limits and I may not be physically capable of taking you down but there are other ways."
"What is it?" I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Say I, Everette Blackwood, Alpha of the Blood Moon pack, relinquish all rights over to Doris Lainy and hereby declare her Alpha of the members of my pack."
My heart was beating wildly in my chest and I realized she really did know more than we ever did.
"I won't say it," I hissed.
She tsked and pressed the tip of the needle against my mother's neck, "You better say it kiddo, or else your mother over here is going to have an awful death which your father will no doubt feel once I remove the hypersthene off her dead body. Just think, he's in the middle of fighting and feels his mate die. I for one think he'll die too, how about you?"
Shit. Shit, shit, fucking shit!
Why did old people have to be suck pain in the asses?
"You'll kill us anyway," I pointed out.
"I'll let you two go. I'll give you a half-hour head start before I send my wolves after you. How about that? You may even get to see that mate of yours one more time," She smirked as if she had me in the palm of her hands.
And I had to admit. She did.
She was giving me an ultimatum. My pack or my mother's life.
Except it wasn't that simple. If I didn't accept her condition, she'd kill my mother and I both and weaken the pack.
Then she'd kill everyone not willing to join her and no one would.
Taelyn, Thor... even little Olly would all either die or suffer at her pack's hands.
If I did accept it, they have a chance. They'd be under her rule but they'll live or they could leave. They could join another pack or go live somewhere else by becoming rogue. Somewhere far.
I'll find Callum and then outrun here when she lets my mother and I go. If she lets us go. I could get the word out and regroup the pack.
We'd be able to fight this. Fight her.
"Ev," my mother shook her head when she saw my face. "Don't do it. Please, for my sake don't do it."
I shook my head and tried to smile, "It would be okay mom, I promise. Just stay with me okay."
"No, Everette... please sweetheart, please. Let me go. I'll be okay, I promise," Her voice broke me as tears ran down her face.
"Tick tock, Everette, it's time to decide," Doris chastised.
I gulped before glaring daggers at her, "I'll say it, just let her go."
"No!" My mom cried out.
"Absolutely not, say it first," She demanded.
"You're sick and I swear I'll come back and tear you to shreds," I vowed.
She grinned, "Come on kid, I rather not get burnt alive in here."
"It'll be alright mom," I nodded my head towards her and she kept whispering to let her go.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened my spine, "I, Everette Avery Blackwood, Alpha of the Blood Moon pack, relinquish-"
I watched as an arrow flew across the room and pierced into the side of Doris's head.
A blood-curling scream left her lips as the syringe collapsed to the floor and broke into tiny shards.
Her body collapsed to the floor just as another arrow shot through the room and hit the man who was standing near her.
It pierced his heart and a high pitch scream escaped him as he dropped to the floor like a fly.
Before I could run towards my mother, the crazy chick grabbed my shoulders so that my body blocked her from the window where the arrows were shot through.
I smirked at her before pulling my right arm free from her grasp and punching her square in the face.
Her head snapped back and I took the opportunity to spin her around and grab her neck in a chokehold.
The cracking off wood caught my attention and I looked up to see the ceiling was on fire and quickly spreading down to the walls.
I tighten my arm around her neck to cut off her air supply.
Placing my mouth near her air I said, "I told you I'd kill you."
With one twist of my arms, I snapped her neck and shoved her dead body off me.
The pain from the silver cuff was rubbing my skin raw as I ran towards my mom, pulled her to her feet and grabbed her face.
"You alright?" I asked her.
Her eyes were wide but she nodded, "Are you?"
I grabbed the silver cuffs on her hand I yanked it off as it seared my palms. I ripped the ropes around her ankles next before straightening up. I'd remove the one from my foot but it was a thick piece of silver even I couldn't break. I don't think I could shift either without my wolf leg getting broken from the cuff since the tightened it.
"I'm fine," I smiled as I turned towards the window and saw a face I didn't expect on the outside of the window. "Taelyn?" I grinned and she smirked at me and held up her bow.
My little sister was now my hero.
As neared the window, a beam that was on fire fell across and blocked our exit.
"Mom!" I heard Tae cry out on the other side before she was drowned out by the sound of the fire.
"Shit!" I cursed as I released my mother and tried to grab the beam but I burnt my palms from the flames.
More pieces started to fall and block the window as my mother pulled me back. There's no way I could move that. With my wolf or my hands.
"The door Everette!" My mom yelled as she grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the direction of the door.
She pulled the doors open but we were thrown back from the burst of flames that pushed through the open door.
Coughing, my mom looked at me with determination.
"I'll get us out of here, I promise."
"Mom," I started as I pulled her against me, "all the exits are blocked."
Tears slipped from her eyes as she pulled the hypersthene from her neck and chucked it into the fire.
"I'm your mother, I'm supposed to protect you, not the other way around." She said before she looked like she was mind linking someone.
Hearing another crack above me, I pushed us both away before another part of the ceiling crumbled.
"We're not getting out of here," I pulled her up and took us under a table as the smoke started to clog my lungs. "The smoke will kill us before the fire. The only way is Callum."
"I mind linked him-" she started coughing and wheezing as the smoke became thick in the room. I watched as her eyes became watery and not from crying.
I patted her back tried to fan the smoke away but it was useless.
"Stay with me mom," I begged as her eyes closed and she passed out from the smoke inhalation. "No!" I yelled at her and shook her body. "Mom? Mom!"
Pain coursed through my body at our possible fate. She was still alive but her breathing was shallow.
I felt my own lungs filling up with smoke as my throat became itchy and my nostrils burnt from the smoke.
Pulling my mother's body under mind, I covered her and tried to savour the diminishing oxygen in the room.
But all too soon the smoke knocked me out.
Everette: -1000000Â Â Smoke: 1000000000
A/N
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