Chapter Twenty

Iliam's POV

Me , Ethar, and Toto headed out the door to go confront the general. What I didn’t expect was Leo to follow hot on our heels. I slowed my speed as I heard his nervous foot steps behind us. When he caught up to me I threw my arm around his shoulder, a mischievous smirk on my lips as I teased the boy. Not having anyone around growing up, I felt it was my duty to make him feel welcome amongst his new family.

“And Where do you think your going?” I questioned as his determined face turned to annoyance at my question.

“I want to see the demon mutt for myself, if it wasn’t for them my sister wouldn’t have had to do something as messed up as lock me away.” He answers shoving my arm from around him.

“And if anyone is going to come after her , it would be me. But my vengeance could be put to use on the generals face for right now.” He continued. The mischievous grin I wore was now his as he no doubt was thinking of all the ways he could enact justice.

“Not if I get to him first.” I said as I nudged him to the ground before jogging up to Ethar and Toto still walking and oblivious to our interaction. I didn’t even notice Leo was right back next to me when he stuck his foot out making me stubble into Ethar’s back.

“Straighten up you two, put your game faces on this is serious, and Leo if you have a weak stomach you should not join us.” Ethar chastised. Not once glancing in our direction.

“Not likely.” Leo retorted, and I watched a smile creep up on Ethar’s face. Our new little brother would fit right in.

Ethar’s Pov

“If it isn’t the dark tribrid.” The general chuckled out. Before I could even respond Leo flicked his wrist and the general’s ankle snapped. The demon mutt cried out in pain.

When my head snapped toward Leo, the boy didn’t even look my way. He continued walking to the cell with the rest of us. I wasn’t all the way sure if the boy was on our side fully, but to have him against us would not be in our best interest.

I opened the cell and crouched down to the general’s eye level.

“Turning tables and all that.” I said to Arwin, grabbing him by his hair holding his head up to meet my gaze. He drew in a few breaths before speaking.

“I could tell you everything I know but it wouldn’t change a thing, The Hunter Legion will have Calhoun blood one way or the other.” He let out the breathy sentence.

“Sooo what your saying is you’re a small fish.” Iliam taunted standing above me

“What I’m saying is the Calhouns broke the law, and the Legion demands justice.” He responds glaring up at Iliam.

My ears perked up as I felt the wisp of air fly by my face. I barley had enough to time to drop Arwin’s head and move before Iliam kicked his teeth in. Blood spat from the generals broken jaw.

“Iliam chill we can’t get any information if the mutt can’t speak” I pleaded with my brother. Just like me when he was pissed it was hard to reign him in.

“See Arwin, The Calhouns are part of a pack.” I explained to him as I stood up unbuttoning and rolling up my sleeves.

“Unlike this so called Legion, we are family. We don’t take kindly to threats against our family. Your little surprise attack at the ceremony costed me a brother among other countless lives.” I said standing in front of the once strong cocky general who was now at our mercy. I promised the pack justice and they would have it.

“I will ask you this one time only general. Who sanctioned the Legion. As old as the Hunter Legion is someone or something has bestowed power onto you. Who was it.?” I asked sternly.

The general let out a mangled chuckle and I had to put my arm out to stop Iliam from putting him back to sleep before I got my answer.

“Hella.” He responded. I nodded at his response, the others stood in confusion all except Leo. Although I don’t think he knew all along, but the general’s answer made sense to him.

“They will keep coming , you will never be saf…” the generals mangled outburst was halted by Leo snapping his fingers. The general began choking on his own breath. Leo extended his hand and raised it and I watched the generals body rise at the same time. Arwins hands went to his neck as he gasped for air. Without hesitation Iliam was in the cell in the blink of an eye. He tore the Generals head from his body.

“I can ask someone else to do it , but we need to separate the rest of his limbs to ensure he doesn’t come back.” I said speaking to the men in the room.

Before anyone could respond to my request, Leo whispered something under his breath motioning his other hand that wasn’t holding his invisible grip on the body toward the headless general. I closed my eyes as I was sprayed with blood and chunks of flesh.

I opened my eyes to see everyone was sprayed with the generals remains except Leo. The boy had combusted the body. Toto was hunched over throwing up his lunch as me and Iliam stared in shock. Leo stood up dusting himself off like he wasn’t the only one untouched.

“What? He won’t be coming back now just like we wanted.” Leo defended against our glares.

“You couldn’t have shielded us too.” Iliam snapped at him.

“You didn’t ask me too,” the boy shrugged.

He headed out the door and stopped next to Toto and patted him on the back as he was still hunched over.

“Weak stomach?” He questioned, Toto growled with annoyance before swatting him away and Leo took off out the dungeon.

“That kid is bad news if you ask me.” Iliam huffed out as he grabbed a towel he found that hadn’t been splattered and wiped his face.

I let out a genuine laugh. “He doesn’t remind you of anyone? Anyone at all?” I said cocking my head to the side as I watched the pretty boy try to scrub his face clean. The resemblance in the two’s temper and their nonchalant attitudes were uncanny.

“Hell no bro, and Zi might get upset, but I’m gonna kick his ass.” Iliam said before running out chasing after his new brother.

Zion’s pov

“He’s taking your magic!!” I yelled in shock. How could he do such a thing. He still had a grudge against my parents for what he and his mother went through, I understood that much but they were my parents.

“We accepted the Alphas wishes , and he is right, we cant take back all the bloodshed we caused blindly following orders from the Legion. If it would allow us to be in your life we will gladly give it up.” My father explained. I get that my parents had red in their ledger’s but Ethar made it personal too. I know their crimes against wolf-kind was not the only reason he was doing this.

“Leo will keep his magic, Ethar explained that he was not going to punish our son for our crimes.” Mom added.

“Who the hell is he to punish anyone.” I retorted sitting on my bed crossing my arms in front of my chest.

“He’s pretty much king darling. Alpha of all Alpha’s. His word is law weather you guys know that or not. We can feel his aura and our wolves are forced to submit due his new title.” My mom says sitting beside me her arm around my shoulder.

“Then so is mine right, that makes me basically queen as you put it and I should have a say.” I stood up with determination in me before grabbing my moms shoulders.

“I will talk to my mate, don’t worry.” I assured her.

“We aren’t worried sweetheart. We are just happy to have you back.” My dad said spinning me around and hugging me tightly.

“You guys go get settled into your new room, and we will meet for dinner before that pack initiation ceremony.” I tell them walking them to the door. I watched them walk down the hall where Echo was waiting to guide them to their room.

I closed the door and laid down putting my face in my pillow. Even though I was upset with Ethar his scent did it’s work and calmed me, before I knew it I was yearning for his touch. What was I going to say to him, everyone here made tremendous sacrifices, Ethar most of all. A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.

“Come in.” I called out sitting up against the headboard. Leo waltzed in looking around the room. He picked up a photo I had on the dresser of my parents and me when I was younger.

“What I would have given to have a sister when I was in the void.” He said walking over to the bed to sit still staring at the picture.

I felt so guilty for what I had done, for almost the whole year they were gone I had no idea what happened to my parents let alone that my mom was pregnant. I wasn’t sure where I had sent them or if they were suffering. The not knowing if they were okay kept me up countless nights.

“What was it like, was it horrible?” I asked moving closer to him so that we were shoulder to shoulder.

He took in a deep breathe before responding. “It wasn’t all bad, mom said you created it to mirror your home, even though we had a house with all the amenities we still had to live pretty rural. Hunt our own food, chop our own wood for the fire place. But besides mom and dad there was no one else.” He answered, I hung my head low but was relieved I had given them means to survive.

“When I first got my wolf Ohthere I thought I was loosing my shit. After he came things got a little better. I was afraid if we ever got out I would lack the social skills needed to even survive in society.” he continued.

“I know this won’t make things better, but I lost my memory of the incident until I met my mates. Ever since that day, I was shunned and hated by everyone in town and no one ever explained to me what happened. It wasn’t until Ethar needed my help and my magic to save Alpha Toto that his brother Francis spilled the beans and Ethar pieced the rest of it together.” I told him , he nodded and I continued.

“Mom and dad never taught me about my magic, with little resources I searched for a way to bring them back but I couldn’t.” I told him dropping my head again.

“How did you pull us out then?” He asked, and I felt my tears pushing forward.

“I was trying to save a friend during the attack, the pull was strong enough to reverse the spell for the void, but I wasn’t strong enough to bring her back.” I told him , my hands went to my face to hide the tears. I missed the girl already. She would have loved him.

Leo grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him.

“Your my sister, the same magic that flows through me flows through you. I will teach you to become stronger and I will teach you how to use it. If you can create a whole alternate world. You are strong enough to do anything Zion.” He says his eyes never leaving mine.

“Have you shifted yet, it took me a while to do it.” I asked a glimmer of excitement flowed through me mixed with adoration, even though I didn’t know him, I already had a soft spot for the kid.

He sighed “Unfortunately no, I could use your help in that department.” He told me. I threw my hands around his neck, at first he did nothing but I still held on and a few seconds later he wrapped his arms around me. I smiled knowing he didn’t hate me. I knew it would take him a while to forgive me, but he didn’t hate me at that was enough for me.

“Where is the little psycho, I smell him.” I heard Iliam call out and his foot steps sped up in our direction.

“Shit!” Leo whispered before hopping to his feet. Amusement on his face.

“What did you do?” I asked him shocked that he was being chased by my mate. He shrugged and was heading to the window as Iliam kicked the door open almost kicking it of the hinges.

“Not so fast you little shit.” Iliam said grabbing Leo by the back of his shirt before tossing him away from the window.

Iliam was covered in blood and gunk the only thing semi clean was his face.

“Iliam chill out.” Ethar said now leaning on the door frame looking just as bad as Iliam. Of course Iliam didn’t listen and he lunged for my brother. I felt he was upset through the bond but no anger was present if it were I would have been worried.

I watched them wrestle on the ground before Ethar pulled them apart.

“Leo go get changed for dinner, Echo will show you to your new room.” I said as I saw Echo return to his post guarding my bedroom door. Leo skipped toward the door smirking and unscathed.

Iliam stood up straight dusting his self off as if he wasn’t absolutely filthy.

“Shower now!” I ordered glaring at them both. My once sophisticated mates were acting like children. I smiled not able to hold my glare, I was happy to see the brotherly bond him and my mates had formed.

“I’ll go first Iliam said removing his shirt.” Ethar didn’t protest, but first he grabbed a wet soapy towel from the bathroom to wipe his face and hands. I heard the shower cut on, and I figure this would be a good time to confront Ethar about taking my parents magic.

First I had to figure out how to approach the delicate situation. I watched him wipe himself off before sitting in the chair across from the bed. He caught me staring at him.

“What is it Zi? You know I can feel your emotions.” He says eying me closely.

“Your taking my parents magic. Why? And you didn’t even tell me.” I said sternly. Gauging his reaction would let me know how to proceed.

“I was going to tell you, when you woke up but we had business to attend to first. As for why I’m doing it. First your parents are fugitives from the Hunter legion, and they want justice. Meaning the only way to protect them is if they denounce the legion and atone for their crimes against several wolf packs alone might I add. Second I will not ask my followers to fight or protect people that are affiliated with said Legion. And third it is not up for discussion.” He huffed out standing to his feet as the shower cut off.

He removed his shirt and headed for the bathroom door as I pondered his lengthy response. He made sure to tell me everything he could think of to combat any rebuttals I may have had. I must admit I never for once thought of it the way he explained, but I was sure he still held animosity towards my parents.

Iliam’s eyes darted from mine to Ethar’s as he exited the bathroom. I know he could feel the tension in the room, it was so thick you could cut it with knife. I sighed in defeat and let out the only response I could think of.

“But they are my parents, the hunter magic is my family’s legacy.” I whined hoping he would find my plea appealing.

He voiced valid concerns and I couldn’t really argue with any of them. I got up and followed him into the bathroom and Iliam just shuffled around the room trying to ignore the conversation and not choose sides. I leaned my back against the sink and watched him get in the shower.

“I’m aware babe. I will protect them with my life, but they have to make it right they are trained killers for hire, and besides the legion they probably have countless more enemies. I used to be one of them. If I’m going to offer protection, they have to give a sign of good faith. Anything less then what I proposed would make us look weak.” He said sternly, leaving no room for more discussion.

I hung my head low in defeat as I walked out the bathroom. Iliam was laying in the bed shirtless. When I looked up he patted his chest for me to come lay on. I quickly took his offer and snuggled on top of him taking in a lungful of his scent.

As much as I hated to admit Ethar was right, if the pack and the Treaty was going to fight for them, they had to make it right.