Chapter 55

Hello lovelies,

I told you to expect the next chapter soon and Voila! Here it is :D This chapter is dedicated to @6BlueRoses :D Check out her book... it's good :D

Also, in this chapter, I would like to share that my NEXT STORY will come out in JUNE but before that, I AM GOING TO POST A SEPARATE BOOK titled THE OTHER HUNTERS :D

Yes, I am writing The Other Hunters... don't ask me when the first chapter is going to be out!

The above artwork done by @HotnessNCoolness and I love it :D:D

Anyway, Enjoy!

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"Coming together is a beginning.

Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success."

-Henry Ford.

AT GRIER PACK...

Meryl climbed out of her car and ran all the way, until she reached the main door of Tyler Grier, her Alpha's house.

The door was opened by their children's nanny, who settled anxious eyes on Meryl.

"Is the Alpha here?" she asked and the nanny nodded. She was then escorted to Tyler's office. After a knock, she was permitted to enter inside.

Tyler and his mate, Vanessa, the Luna of the Grier Pack where sitting on chairs, while their children, Blodwen and Bryce were sleeping on the couch.

"I am sorry to intrude Alpha" Meryl began hastily and Tyler furrowed his brows. "But did Ekon said anything to you about leaving the pack?"

"No" Tyler answered and Meryl sucked in a breath.

Ekon was missing. Meryl hadn't seen him in five days. They had dinner that last night and then went to bed, but the next morning when she woke up, he wasn't there. She thought he had gone to get breakfast for them, but he hadn't returned the whole day or the next.

She called him and his phone was switched off. Meryl didn't know where he was, but thought he might have been hypnotized by Konrad again.

"He is missing Alpha" Meryl said holding back a sob and Tyler compressed his lips. "He went to get breakfast for me but he hasn't returned home since then" Meryl sniffed as her wolf whined inside her.

"He isn't missing Meryl" Tyler stated and Meryl furrowed her brows. "He has left on his own will to go back to Konrad."

"No... No he wouldn't" Meryl said and Tyler lowered his lashes. Her mate had left her to go back to Konrad. Tyler had seen it with his own eyes. The way Ekon was holding back Konrad from attacking Quillon!

Darya had told Ekon to go to his mate and start a new life with her but Ekon ignored it. He broke her trust and went back to Konrad... the enemy!

"Meryl" Tyler began and shaking her head, she ran out of the room. "Meryl wait" Tyler said following her, but she was already out by then.

"He is not going to come back, is he?" Vanessa, asked from behind. Tyler replied a negative without looking at her. "He left her... like this, when she is expecting his child?" Vanessa asked in disbelief.

"I don't think he knows" Tyler said truthfully and Vanessa's lips parted in surprise.

Meryl ran all the way back to the apartment she was staying with Ekon, after she got a call from her sister. Her sister opened the door before she could knock.

Looking pale, Cheryl handed her a folded white paper. "I found it in your bedroom, under the pillow" she said as Meryl unfolded it and began to read the letter, which Ekon had written for her.

My Dearest Meryl,

I am sorry to disappoint you again. It wasn't my intention to do so, but I also knew I couldn't stay after knowing that I am not good enough for you. You deserve the best of everything and I cannot give it to you. I do love you Meryl, but I do not have the ability to give any happiness to you, when I am completely broken inside. My world is dark and I do not want that darkness to consume you, for you deserve so much better.

You are perfect and I want you to remain that way. I do not want my past to come and harm you and as long as I am with you, your life will always be in danger. I cannot live with that.

You might disagree with me now, but in future, you will realize that I did the right thing.

Forgive me, if you can.

Love,

Ekon.

Meryl clutched the paper close to her chest and her body shook as she sobbed loudly. Her wolf whimpered repeatedly inside her, unable to digest what she had just read. She still couldn't believe that Ekon had left her.

He was happy with her. He really was. Then why did he leave her?

Cherly hugged her and tried to soothe her.

"He left me" Meryl said chokily.

"I am sorry" Cherly whispered, placing an arm around her sister's shoulder.

"He left me alone... I couldn't even tell him he is going to be a father."

For few minutes, she continued soothing, until Meryl let out a painful gasp and sat straight.

"Is everything alright?" Cheryl questioned in bewilderment.

Meryl was silent, seemingly lost in her thoughts, until she let out another gasp and held her ribs.

"Meryl... what's wrong? What's happening?"

"E-Ekon" Meryl stuttered.

"Ekon?"

"He is getting hurt" Meryl gasped and then standing up, she rushed out of the door, towards the elevator.

Once there, she leaned against the wall and groaned when she felt a hit on the head. Her eyes stung as tears rolled down her eyes. Her wolf, who was pacing inside her, whimpered and then growled because she wanted to be there for her mate who was getting hurt.

With quivering hands, Meryl pulled out the car keys from her pocket and then ran with inhumane speed towards her car.

She drove towards Emperor Pack because she had just found out that Konrad had attacked the luna of that pack. If Konrad was there, Meryl figured Ekon would be there too.

Throughout the drive, Meryl felt aches on her body. Whoever was Ekon's opponent was getting an upper hand and it made Meryl's wolf growl angrily.

At one point, she had to stop the car when she felt her jaws hurting. Breathing heavily, she tried to clear her vision and restart the car. Her hands shook violently and the keys dropped from her fingers.

Meryl tried to pick it up, but her vision was still unclear and then, she felt it... a gut wrenching pain on her chest that made her wolf collapse inside her. Meryl's face lost all color as she climbed out of the car. Her legs felt like jelly and she fell on the ground before she could even take a step. Her breathing got rough and she placed her palms on the ground as she felt pain... pain all over her body, so much that she could feel her skin burning up all of a sudden.

The gentle breeze made her shiver and she let out a gasp and clutched her fingers on her chest. A sob escaped from her throat and when the pain became unbearable for her, she threw her head back and screamed as slowly, the mark in her neck faded, before disappearing forever!

Ekon... her Ekon, had left her forever!

She screamed and screamed, until some wolves came out to help her, but none could do anything because they knew the she-wolves mate had been killed and only time could heal her internal pain.

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MEANWHILE AT SERENE PACK...

Scott Sanders wiped the sweat coating the corner of his head and then looked at his mate, who was holding a rosary in her hand and praying repeatedly for the safety of all the wolves. She has been like that ever since they returned home.

"Orseline Rhoades has been attacked" Scott said slowly.

Grace's lashes rose and she looked at him with pained eyes. "Her condition is critical" Scott added and Grace inhaled sharply.

"Nothing is going to happen to her" Grace said firmly after sometime and Scott sighed. He hoped the same. "Sel is strong, she will get through this" Grace said unconvincingly and swallowed a sob. "Any news on Q, Darya?"

"Darya had gone back to fight with Konrad. Q was already there" Scott said and Grace closed her eyes, letting the tears roll down her cheek.

"Why are they the only two to fight against Konrad? Why can't others go?" Grace asked shakily and Scott went and sat beside her.

"They are the only two who are powerful enough to survive against Konrad" Scott reminded her and Grace gulped.

"I think... I think we should all go and help them. We are being selfish by letting them fight alone, while we hide here... like, like cowards" Grace bit out and Scott gulped.

She was right and he knew it. It was wrong of everyone to leave them alone to fight against the monster. Even though Q commanded all of them to leave, they should have rebelled against it. Disagreed with him.

"Finally, something that you said right Luna" a familiar voice spat and Scott and Grace whirled their head to look at Maxwell, standing on the entrance of their door. "You people are cowards" Maxwell said and growling loudly, brought out his gun.

"Maxwell" Scott roared in fury. For the first time, he was seeing the hatred this wolf, whom he once considered his friend, had in his eyes for him.

"You are not my Alpha anymore Scott" Maxwell said with a cold smirk and Scott glared at him. "In fact, you were never capable enough to become an Alpha. You were always a coward" Maxwell hissed and Scott clenched his fist as his wolf growled furiously.

"The only reason you became an Alpha was because of sharing the same blood as your daddy" Maxwell spat. "First, you used his influence and achievement to stay in power and then you used your son's. You are a coward."

"Shut up before I lose my temper" Scott bellowed as Grace stood defensively and growled beside him.

"You think I care about that?" Maxwell asked mocking and then laughed humorlessly. "No. Today, I am going to kill you and make sure your bloodline is completely wiped out" Maxwell said and as Scott and Grace froze in shock, he grinned cruelly, "That's right. Konrad is going to kill Quillon and Sanity is going to finish Quinton."

"You bastard" Grace hissed and before she could lunge, Maxwell pointed that big, loaded gun at her.

"Ah, ah, ah... Grace. I wouldn't do something as stupid as that if I were you. The bullets in this are laced with moonflower and one of it is enough to kill you" Maxwell said coldly and immediately, Scott enclosed a wrist around Grace's arm and pulled her back.

"What do you want?" Scott asked, compressing his lips.

"I thought I made that clear... I want to wipe out your bloodline."

Soon, Maxwell pressed the trigger and let the first bullet fly loose. Grace and Scott ducked and sought refuge behind a couch.

"You cannot hide forever" Maxwell taunted in a singsong way and then stepped into their house.

'He is right, we cannot' Grace reminded Scott through the link.

'I know, but we have to find some weapon that can get rid of that gun of his.'

Grace was silent for a few seconds and then her eyes widened as an idea flashed in her mind.

'The mattress' she said referring to the rich red rug on their floor.

'What about it?'

'We pull it' she said calmly and slowly, they sneaked their hands under the couch. Since Scott's hand was muscled, he couldn't sneak in. Grace's fingers danced around the floor for few seconds, until she finally felt the soft material of the rug.

'Give me the signal' she said to Scott and he nodded.

Scott peeped through the corner of the couch and when he noticed Maxwell already standing on the other end of the rug, he shouted through the link the word, 'NOW'

Grace didn't waste any second and gritting her teeth, she used all her energy and pulled the rug as hard as she could.

Maxwell lost balance and he fell backward onto the floor while the gun slipped from his hand and fell atop glass coffee table, shattering it.

Maxwell was trying to get up, when Scott jumped forward and then kicked him in the stomach.

"How dare you come into my house and threaten my family?" Scott demanded furiously and then punched Maxwell in the face.

After taking a few good hits, Maxwell managed to push him off and then coughed out the blood from his face. He stretched his hand to pick up the gun, but Scott held the back of his neck and pierced the skin there with his claws.

Grace on the other hand, rushed forward and picked up a gun. She aimed at Maxwell and pressed the trigger, but the bullet didn't come flying out as she expected.

Maxwell on the other hand managed to pick a broken shard of glass and he blindly moved his arm. The sharp piece of glass pierced Scott in the stomach and as he groaned Maxwell, pulled it out and stabbed it to his thigh.

Scott let go off Maxwell and when he tried to attack him again, Maxwell slashed the sensitive skin of his hands.

"Scott" Grace screamed and rushed to help him, as he stumbled backwards. Grinning, Maxwell, pulled out the glass and then holding Grace's arm, he pulled her back and then stabbed her in the stomach.

The blood drained from Grace's face as she gasped and clutched her stomach.

As Scott saw that, he growled angrily. Q had told him to keep the fighters with him, but he had still dismissed them and asked them to patrol the area around the pack so that they could alert about Konrad's presence.

"Now, Serene is going to be mine. Your whole family is going to be wiped out" Maxwell grinned maniacally and drawing his hand back, he prepared to slash Grace's throat.

A powerful hand enclosed around his wrist at that precise moment and Maxwell, looked through the corner of his eyes at the person, who was letting out loud, feral growls.

The person dug his claws on Maxwell's wrist and flinching in pain, he loosened his hold on Grace, who fell on the floor, still clutching her stomach.

"Never again, my family" Cortez Moreland hissed through gritted teeth and Maxwell cried out in pain, when Cortez twisted his hand, breaking a bone. He then caught a fistful of Maxwell's hair and slammed his head against the nearest glass window, breaking the glass window.

As Maxwell fell on the lawn, Cortez jumped through the window and followed him there.

"Where is Vincent Evigan?" Cortez demanded, walking ahead as Maxwell attempted to stand up.

"You think I am going to answer that?" Maxwell spat and Cortez kicked his ribs.

"Last time, where is he?" Cortez demanded and then pressed a foot on Maxwell's wrist.

"Go to hell" Maxwell spat.

Cortez compressed his lips and shook his head.

"I can do this slowly and painfully or quickly and easily. Which do you want?" Cortez demanded, leaning forward and as Maxwell watched his eyes darken, he swallowed audibly.

"Doesn't matter, what he wants. Vincent is in Regal Pack. Alpha Tyson found him" a voice said from behind and Cortez turned his head to look at Quinn, who was standing beside Sabine.

"Do me a favor and kill him with this please" Quinn said and then threw the gun he was holding to Cortez, who caught it easily.

Loading the gun, Cortez smirked and pointed it at Maxwell.

"Never liked weapons, but I do not want to make my hands untidy either" With that said, Cortez pressed the trigger and shot Maxwell in the head first and then twice to his heart.

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"Better?" Sabine asked Grace, after she handed back the empty glass of water.

"Fine" Grace replied with a smile.

"The pack doctor will be here soon. I can't believe you sent the guards away, dad" Quinn said for the umpteenth time, frowning at his father, who was pressing a soaked towel against the wound on his stomach.

"Quinn" Grace called in warning and Quinn compressed his lips, while Scott sank lower in his seat. "We are fine. Cortez arrived in time" she said and shot a grateful smile to her nephew.

"How did you know?" Quinn asked him.

"I didn't. I came here for you. Kasey just found out that Konrad cannot be killed" Cortez narrated and watched as all their eyes widened in shock.

"W-what do you mean he cannot be...?" Grace stuttered.

"I think he can be. We need to find a way and you—" Cortez said looking at Quinn, "—You can find other people's strength and weakness, find his and tell us, what do we have to do to stop him?" Cortez finished.

Quinn inhaled sharply and stared at Cortez for a few seconds before saying, "Do you know where Darya kept that Katana sword?"

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MEANWHILE AT REGAL PACK....

Tyson Grier turned his head to look at Vincent, who was sitting in the backseat of his car and staring sightlessly.

Tyson had to list down the electricity bills of all the warehouses in the district and then, he had sent his trackers to each and every location and on one such location, the trackers had found Vincent, sitting alone in a couch.

"We need to snap him out of this" Zach, his beta, who was driving the car said the obvious and Tyson nodded.

"I don't know how"

"Hit him, throw water on him... they try that in movies" Zach defended himself when Tsyon shot him an incredulous look.

He then looked out of the window and thought, what he could do to bring Vincent out of his trance. They needed Vincent's help to stop Konrad. He could see the future and he could tell them what they must do.

Kasey had suggested how but Vincent could tell them exactly what they must do.

"What do we do?" Zach asked after sometime.

"We will take him to the pack prison. I had already called Granel, he can help us" Tyson shrugged and so, Zach took the turn that led to the pack prison.

They had to drag Vincent inside because he was absolutely non-responsive to anything they asked him to do.

Tyson watched as Vincent stood in the cell, like a rigid rock staring at nothing in particular. He furrowed his brows wondering what Konrad had done to him, to keep him like this.

"Keep a watch on him" he told Zach and then marched out, to call his mom to find out what the doctor told about Sel.

Ten minutes later, Tyson cut the call and rubbed his forehead in visible stress. Sel had lost lot of blood and the doctor had told that she has to respond within twenty-four hours or else she might slip into comatose state.

He closed his eyes and prayed for the health of his cousin.

"What happened to you?" Tyson's opened his eyes to look at Granel, who closed the door of his car and strode towards him.

"I just called mom. Sel's condition is very serious" Tyson said and watched Granel visibly pale in front of him.

"I didn't know it was very serious. I was told she was getting treated and a good doctor has come" Granel said and then ran a hand through his hair.

"The bastard had stabbed her in the spine" Tyson gritted out as they entered the prison cell, where Vincent was standing, while Zach was talking to someone on the phone.

"We should go there" Granel said immediately.

"Yes. But first, we have to bring him out of his trance" Tyson said, nodding his head towards Vincent. "We tried for at least thirty minutes in that warehouse but he has been the same" Tyson sighed.

"Did you try electrocuting him?" Granel asked and Tyson cocked an eyebrow. "Shock often brings person out of shock" he remarked smoothly and Tyson compressed his lips. "Like electric shock"

"We are not planning to kill him"

"I know. Trust me. We can do this"

And so, the two Alphas' got on a mission to help the younger Alpha, while the beta stood in one corner and watched them in disbelief.

"Right, it will be just for five seconds and you have to switch off the button after that" Granel warned and Tyson nodded.

He then took a deep breath and held the wire in his hand, "You ready?" he asked Tyson.

"Yes"

"Are you really serious about this?" Zach asked staring at Tyson in incredulity.

"I have got no other option" Tyson defended and then said to Granel, "I am ready."

"Good. Start" he commanded and Tyson switched on the button and glanced at the timer in his phone.

Granel on the other hand pressed the end of that wire to Vincent's chest. Vincent's lean body trembled for a few seconds before he went flying back and hit the wall.

Tyson, Granel and Zach, watched with their mouth dropped open and only when Vincent's body hit the ground with a thud, did they snap out and rush to his help.

"He is unconscious" Zach breathed out and Granel gulped.

"Your idea sucked" Tyson said frowning at Granel and then nervously looked at Vincent. "He is breathing right?"

"Yes he is" Zach replied immediately and both heaved a sigh.

"Crap! What did we do?" Tyson muttered and then gritted his teeth in anger.

"I think we need to wake him up" Zach said and Tyson furrowed his brows, while Granel straightened.

"Wake him up? I can do that" Granel said.

"No thanks... you have done enough" Tyson interrupted.

"Hey, relax. The crazy idea worked. I think we just need to wake him up" Zach stated and Granel smiled smugly, before extending his claws and digging it on the back of Vincent's neck.

"Where am I?" Vincent asked with a frown.

One corner of Tyson's mouth curled upwards, while Granel fist pumped the air and claimed, "I did it!"

"Regal" Zach answered and Vincent narrowed his eyes for a fraction of a second, before realization dawned on him.

"Shit" he whispered.

"Shit indeed" Tyson agreed. "Now, get up. We need your help"

Groaning, Vincent stood up and pressed a hand to the back of his neck, where the cut was already healing.

"How bad is the situation?"

"Very bad" Granel replied grimly and Vincent closed his eyes in pain.

"Look into the future" Tyson suggested.

"I need a charcoal piece" Vincent said instead.

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Ten minutes later, Vincent was standing alone in the same prison cell with the tip of the charcoal piece pressed to the white wall in front of him.

He very much regretted rebuffing his gift because had he accepted and trained well, he might have already found out what Konrad had been intending to do. He could have warned his friends and saved a lot of people's lives.

Shaking his head, Vincent pushed that thought out of his mind. They say it is better late than never and now, he was ready to do anything he could to help Darya stop Konrad.

He took deep breaths and after a long while, he finally saw it...

The sky was covered with thick grey clouds. Lightning flash could blind anyone and the thunder roar that would make even the strongest men jump in fear.

Darya was running forward holding a sword in her hand. Konrad being pushed until his back hit a trunk of a tall tree. Darya's body shaking in rage as she stabs Konrad with that sword!

Quillon running with a determined look in his face. Ashes spread on the green pasture.

Darya lying on the ground, while tears leaked from the corner of her eyes!

Vincent's eyes flew open and he immediately stepped back to stare at what he had written on the wall.

He had written nothing. Instead, he had drawn...

A leaf?

A COLOCASIA LEAF!

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Phew!

One done.... Two more to go in four days!

Yeah... what happened to Meryl is sad :'( And about Scott and Grace, I guess you found out whom did Quinn take those silly goofy behavior's from! And Yay! Vincent is back! What is it according to you that he saw?

Also, What do you think is going to happen in the next and final chapter?

Alright, this chapter filled in about the details of the rest of the characters and the next will be the last part of the war.

If you find any loopholes in the story please mention it to me so that I can answer it to you all in the upcoming two chapters.

Don't forget to vote, comment and follow!

I LOVE YOU ALL :D