Book 2: Chapter 77
John
I walked until I was taken to a grand clearing, seeing deer only they could hunt run, scattering, along with songbirds the size of eagles. The sky was a strange mix of twilight, with a pale-yellow moon at its center. Its light casted almost a glow on everything, and also a strange sense of artificial peace…. Terracotta said nothing, and oddly enough I almost felt like we were more in tune than usual, as even though he wasn’t active as I thought he’d be, I could sense him and his feelings without issue. He only thought one word, beautiful. And it was…. Flowers of every color made almost a rainbow pattern in the strange twilight, and in the center was a fountain, one of old marble.
It was cracked, but out the howling wolf statue’s mouth, the water glowed, being perpetually struck by a full illustrious moon…
Am I dead? I asked, and he turned to look at me a moment with a sly wolfish smile. It told me nothing, but I wouldn’t ask too many questions.
Drink. He commanded, and I walked ahead of him. I felt I shouldn’t, but I had in my dreams… I looked back, and they stood, not crossing the tree line, and I stopped.
…. where am I? I asked, staring at the fountain…. I’d seen this thing before… My mind felt like it was running in circles, as if there was a fog that was forming… and I shivered even though I was warm.
The in-between. The resting place of the Unshifted, to protect the Unborn, and those who die with honor. Currently you are freezing to death in the snow. Soon you will run with us. He said stiffly.
If I drink, and I die, I will leave behind all I have worked for…. All I love, all I protect… I don’t need this power if it means I will run with you forever. Not yet. I said fully turning around, and he came forward.
Never before has an Alpha turned away from the Fount. Never again will you be offered. He said stopping just short of being able to reach me. He looked at me as if to ask was I sure, and I had to think…. Never again…. His words echoed in my mind.
I am sure. Death means I will stop my life’s journey, and I do not want that. I respectfully decline.
So be it. He growled
I blinked; I was in my mate’s arms. She shed tears on my half-shifted body while Rahrraam was making a fire.
“You stupid, stupid wolf! You said you would take me with you!” She screamed, hitting my chest softly then she squeezed me as hard as she could, and I weakly cupped her cheek, thumbing the water away that froze to her cheeks before they landed on me or the ground.
“I’m so stupid I left the afterlife a second time to be with you.” I smiled, kissing her on the lips, shifting into my human form, feeling the cold of the wind. She’d taken off her cloak, laid me on dry wood near a fire, and flew on her broom to come for me…. “Thank you Heidi.” I said quietly. “I don’t deserve a mate like you.”
“Don’t say that!” She yelled, still shedding tears. “Stop thanking me, it was Rahrraam that pulled you from under the rock.”
“Awe.” Said a voice I vaguely recognized. “You should’ve drank the water.” He chuckled.
“Gods damnit….” I grumbled getting up, and standing in front of my mate. “I came all this way… but I will ask but once. Come quietly. As it stands, you are wanted dead or alive. See reason.” I growled, though now the growls from my chest didn’t really sound like my own. They were much more guttural, and I figured it was because I was in the snow half alive and half shifted.
He hesitated, but his growl sounded similar to mine. We sounded more like our father’s age than our own…. And it made me wonder what he’d done out here so long and alone.
“There is no honor in dying out here.” Said my mate. “I know you see my broom…. And the emblem on my back.” She said loud, but shakily. Her eyes were her wolf’s while she stood behind me, but her stance was that of a Luna’s.
“Your words hold no weight half breed. A half witch of diamond is still a Half.” He growled.
“But I can still see.” She growled, but she sounded almost as a pup. He grinned, holding a laugh. “I know what will happen… but I can’t stop you.”
“And let me guess, you think a pup can best me?” He scoffed.
“That isn’t it.” She said stomping her foot in the crunchy snow. “I’ve seen this moment every night for two years. Nobody wins. Look around. We’re in the middle of nowhere. If you die or get injured out here, nothing can save you.”
“You make it sound so simple to go back.” He said looking to the sky. “I tried. You don’t think I crushed my spirit trying to satisfy my father, and his king.” He spat. “I was heir. I was to be perfect, willingly kneeling without question, and without thought just accept that everything was my fault, even StoneMoon. Then he slaps me in the face by naming your pack the very thing that drove me to Brutus in the first place.”
“I heard what happened.” Said my mate. “Your mate was reckless- ” he cut my mate off.
“She was Innocent.” He snarled, pointing a clawed finger. “She was with Me. My mate was setup and everyone knew it! They didn’t like her because she was lowborn. Do you think you’d stand next to my little brother if not for the Crown Prince allowing himself to imprint another pup into his brood? And you.” He snarled as we began to circle each other. “They send you to do their dirty work. What are you going to do when it’s your mate whose throat is slit? What will You do when Brutus has answers father can’t look you in the fucking eyes to tell you himself. What? I did what I did to cope. Everything was taken from me.”
“You betrayed the King. You planned to assassinate him. What the fuck do you think would’ve happened? And you’re as strong as any Alpha, you could’ve left with your mate.”
“Like it’s That easy. You know nothing of how it was after the war. You don’t know the feeling of not being able to trust anyone but your own kin and kind, only for even them to stab you in the back.”
“I don’t... but I Do know one thing. Brutus was likely the one who set your mate up, then used you. Surely you know that.” I said eyeing him. He was about the same height as me, and oddly enough it was almost like looking in a mirror. He was the older, more insane looking version of me, but I would do this if he really wanted to die this bad.
“You don’t know that.” He countered.
“You know I’m right, you just feel too far gone down the rabbit hole to admit it. You listened to Brutus because he’s a SNAKE and lured you with plot reveals that HE devised. I was told she’d shifted and led humans to your camp, but who’s to say that they were tipped off your general direction in the first place by someone who only had something to gain.” I said and he stopped.
“Even so… I cannot go back. Not with you, and I won’t let you take the only thing I have left.” He held the necklace briefly before it dropped to his bare chest. It was old, but shined like a coin…. “If I could just figure this thing out. I could be King. They could all pay.” He glared at Heidi, who said nothing, but I could smell her anger mixed with her worry for me.
“But what good would that do? And why do you hate the King so much?”
“Because he sat there on his ass and allowed the one you call ‘snake’ to slither around his ankles freely, biting everyone he touches.” He spat. “Because if he would have used his inability to die for real good, he could have stopped the Hunters before their organization gained real ground. Because he chooses to hide in his castle with false leadership while others run the Kingdom their way without.” I cut him off this time.
“Either stand down, or I challenge. You’re bitter, and you hurt, but your choices were your own.” I snarled, shifting slowly, standing in front of Heidi, who was trying her best not to show his words stung. His eyes were brown as mine, and I’d heard enough.
“Challenge accepted.” He shifted midair to charge me, and I met him in the air as we leapt at each other’s throats.
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