Chapter 38

I remain frozen on the spot looking at the empty foreboding shell that has become my brother. With him now being more unhinged has made him unbelievably far more dangerous. The only thing recognizable about him now is his face. The face that used to be loyal, gentle, and funny. Now, a sinister and murderous stranger wears his skin. This is no longer my brother. This is no longer my other half that is my soul mate. I continue to stand my ground and stare him down. I glance around the area and find it is all clear. I shift back and cover myself with delicate small shards of ice that make a short dress.
“Some wild goose chance you lead us on, brother.” I say bitterly. Calling him brother now feels like a hard pill to swallow. After all this pursuit and chasing he just stops. Something is not adding up. Why would he let us catch up to him? There are five of us and he is alone with no backup. What does he hope to accomplish here and now?
“Well, I needed you and your little pals to follow me.” He rolls his eyes and continues. “Turns out Damon needs you more than he needs me. Just because you’re the fucking white wolf, he sees more value in you. Figures, everyone is our whole damn pack only saw you so what make him any different?”
His eyes flash with disgust and anger. An anger so powerful, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me where I stand. Knowing Damon need me however keeps him from doing that.
“Please just come home with me Aiden. This isn’t you.” I plea desperately trying to find any traces of my brother in this imposter. However this thing, has Aiden buried so deep within his own subconscious.
“Oh sister, you jest.” He chuckles darkly that makes my skin crawl. “Im far more me than I’ve ever been. Now I’m not held back by petty emotions like love and guilt. It’s nice knowing what is going to happen to you and I wont feel the slightest bit of remorse for it. “
His lips curl into a sinister smile that sends a chill down my body. What does he mean something will happen to me? I hear fast and frantic foot steps behind me and I see everyone has finally caught up. Everyone’s eyes widen and see the thing that become my brother.
“Aiden. What happened to you man?” Atlas says breathlessly. He doesn’t know what to make out of his own best friend.
“What ever do you mean? I am what I’ve always been. My other self was just too polite and self righteous to show it.” He spits at him.
“That’s not true, Aiden.” I almost say in a whisper.
“Is it?” He snaps is head towards me and his face twists in pure loathing. “Jealousy has always existed in me. Always having to live up to the golden girl Athena Goldstein. Always being compared to your image and grace. Even at times our own parents would wonder why I couldn’t be more like you. Oh, why can’t you be more like your sister? Athena this, Athena that. Maybe fathers death is a blessing in disguise.” He spits. My eyes turn into slits and glare at him. How dare he say that about my Dad. He loved us equally. “Now I don’t have to listen to that anymore. Im finally my best self. I will show every goddamn living being in this world just how different we are.”
He growls menacingly and I hear movement deep in the trees. My ears perk up and my head snaps past Aiden. My eyes meet with five other cold pairs. Wolves with giant wings, dark fur the color of slimy tar, and large horns to match. My worst fears have been realized. The rogues are here after all. How did I not sense them. They aren’t even giving off a scent. Not even Blanche felt any other wolves in the area.
Then it hits me. They have a witch in their ranks. She must have found a way to mask their scent and aura. Otherwise I would have noticed them before I even entered the forest. This was Aidens plan. To lure us here and to take me back to Damon. I look to Silas and he look absolutely horrified. He takes my hand and squeezes it. He knows what they are here for.
“It’s just as I said before, sister.” Aidens eyes turn emotionless and cold. Almost as cold as ice. “I wont live in anyones shadow. Not yours or anyones.”
With that remark, they charge after us. The rogues take the lead and snap their teeth with murderous looks in their eyes. Which is mostly directed towards Silas. Their anger and hatred evident towards him for banishing them from their home.
Silas and everyone else shifts to fight the rouges while I stay in my human form to take on Aiden.They clash with their opponents and I call upon my white wings and half shift. They stand tall and Aiden only chuckles scornfully.
“I see you learned a knew trick. Pity they wont do you much good.” He begins to run towards me and I go on the defensive. I slightly take off and I dodge his attack. Wont do me much good huh? I swoop down and send a swift kick to the middle of his chest and he goes flying back into the tree.
Upon impact, he lets out a grunt and falls onto one knee. However it doesn’t last long and he gets back on his feet ready to charge again. His stone face turns into a mocking sneer.
“Not only are you a woman. You fight like one. Is that all you got?” He storms towards me and sends punches towards my face and neck. He’s really going to pull that card? The fact that I’ve been dealing with everyone’s judgment because I’m a woman. How low can he get?
“Not even close.” I growl and punch him square in the cheek. He is slightly taken back but quickly recovers and sends more punches my way.
I dodge his attacks and they are becoming faster and more brutal. He backs me into a corner and now realizing I need to attack. Even though this isn’t Aiden I can’t bring myself to truly hurt him. The real Aiden is still in there, no matter how deep he’s buried. My twin and soul mate still have to be in there.
I duck under his punch and send my own punch towards his abdomen. It makes swift contact and he crunches in pain. I take the chance a flee from him. I make a run for it and as I’m about to take off, I am hauled back by someone grabbing one of my wings. I am yanked to the ground and grunt as it makes contact with my back, knocking the air out of me. Then before I can get on my feet something gets stuck into my arm and a burning pain consumes me.
I howl in pain and so does Blanche. It feels as if liquid fire is coursing through my veins and spreading throughout my entire body. Sweat builds up on my forehead and I feel my wings retract. I feel incredibly weak and my vision is becoming blurry. My body becomes stiff and I can only slightly move my head and eyes. I frantically looking around for help with shallow shaking breathless and find no one is around me.
I manage to turn my head up and see Aiden towering over me with a sharp syringe in his hand. He is beaming with a triumphant and evil grin and inserts a needle cover on it.
“Just some wolfsbane to keep you weak. You’ll be meeting Damon soon enough.” He says and hauls me over his shoulder. My body feels limp and I can’t fight him off.
In the distance I can see Silas fighting off a rogue that is blocking his way to get to me. His wolf is whimpering and growling, trying desperately to shake off the wolf.
Aiden takes off into a fast run, dodging trees that get in his way. He is not gentle, because multiple branches scratch and hit me. This all adds to the pain that is surging through my body. Silas sees Aiden retreating with me in his possession. He growls menacingly that shakes the forest. He lunges towards the rogues and sinks his teeth into its neck. He tears out some furred flesh, and the wolf limply falls the ground dead.
My mate doesn’t give one more glance to the dead rogue and sprints towards us trying to catch up, but its all in vain. Aiden is way too far ahead. Another rogue gets in his way and gives Aiden time to escape. Silas is now becoming smaller with distance and my consciousness finally gives away. I pray to the goddess that Silas will find me. Goddess knows what will happen to me.
Just before everything goes dark however, a loud, angry, and pain filled howl shakes the forest.