Kacie
The three of us took a deep breath to steady ourselves and only when we thought we were okay did we exhale. We looked at each other, eyes bloodshot from tears, closed stained with blood, and hearts heavy. The three of us had all lost something, someone today, but the battle hadn’t been won yet. There was still more for us to do. I looked to them for strength as they looked to me. Only when we saw understanding reflected in the other’s eyes did we move back. Clara took a deep breath and swiped at the stray tears.
“Let’s finish this,” Clara said.
Her voice was raw with emotion and my heart wept for her and the shitty situation she was in. Even though I knew the pain it caused her, I needed Jade’s death more than I needed air in my lungs. She looked into my eyes and there was a surety there, determination. We would have revenge. We would get what we needed today. We would leave picking up the pieces for another day.
“It’ll be easier from here on out,” Nyx promised. “Now that…” She trailed off.
“Now that they no longer have one of our kind on their side,” Clara finished.
“Yes,” Nyx said.
“They’re weak now and we won’t let them get away. We’ll strike before they can even try,” Clara said.
I couldn’t find my voice, I couldn’t form words, so I just nodded. We pulled apart and faced forward. We ran past the bodies of our loved ones, my eyes widened as I looked past what was left of the mud creature and instantly honed in on the men standing far off behind it.
A group of four elderly men stood twenty feet behind the pile of dust behind us. The men were older and weren’t what I expected. I knew they were called elders but I thought it meant wise, not actual elders. Three of the elders looked decrepit, as if they were on their death beds. They didn’t look like they could have been responsible for mass genocide, but looks can be deceiving. The evil of men could dwell within people of any age.
They looked back at us, without worry, without fear, but they would be. They should be afraid. We had wanted to strike before they could even think about leaving. But now as we stared out at them, they stared back. They had time, if they tried, some of them might be able to get away. But none of them even tried. They weren’t even trying to run away.
Good.
I’ll make sure they don’t live to see another day. They had taken from my pack, my family, from me. I’ll make sure they go through as much pain as we suffered from their hands today. My hands shook with the need to kill. I would enjoy taking them apart and I would savor the sound of their screams as I burned them to the ground. The three of us took off toward them, stronger this time, united as one force, with one common goal in mind.
To kill.
To destroy.
To get a taste of revenge.
There was nothing I could do to bring him back, but they would pay in blood.
As we grew closer I got a better view of their face. I felt uneasy as smiles spread across their faces. They wore long black cloaks that dragged along the floor. Three of the four men looked similar to each other, wrinkled faces, white hair, and beards that ran down to their chest. The only thing that differed were their eye colors. Two had blue and one had brown eyes. The fourth man was old, but looked younger than the other three and had green eyes. He looked more sinister than the other three. He had gloves on and in his hands were very thick chains.
We slowed until we came to a stop and the green eyed elder’s smile only widened. We watched as he yanked on the chains and a large body came forward. As if in a trance, Viktor crawled forward on his hands and knees. When he straightened his back and stood tall, the first thing I noticed was his eyes. They were glazed over as if he were in a haze. His hair stuck to his forehead and sweat beaded and dripped from his brow. His jaw hung loose and he swayed where he stood. His chest was scratched and bleeding but he was in one piece. He was alive and breathing. He was naked in his human form but covered by mud. Chains wrapped so tightly around his wrists they cut. They had to have been soaked in the strongest variant of wolfs bane because Viktor could fight against the most common variant.
Knowing that they were hurting him had my lip curling. I hated this, I hated seeing him like this. What had they done to him? I took a step forward, my soul reached out for him. I hated this so much. I couldn’t, no, I wouldn’t stand here and lose another mate. I couldn’t bear it. I wouldn’t be able to stay in a world without them. My mind was already on the brink of spiraling over what if’s with Jake. As I looked at Viktor, my mind promised insanity if I didn’t get to him. I tried to link him. I called out to him once, twice, three time but nothing. He didn’t answer. It was as if he couldn’t hear me, or see me. When he didn’t answer me I decided to open my mouth and call him.
“Vik—“
Nyx’s hand on my shoulder cut me off. It was hard to tear my gaze from my mate but I did. I turned and look at her. A sob stuck in my throat as I pleaded, begged, for help with my eyes. She stared down at me and what I saw on her face had me mentally taking a step back. There was no fear and no worry etched in her features. There was certainty. There was an absolute feeling that made it’s way into my chest, and tunneled into my soul.
“I won’t let them hurt him,” Nyx promised.
And I believed her. I knew what she could do, knew what she was capable of. I ignored the voice that told me she hesitated before and that’s why Jake was no longer here. I would rid my pack and this world of corrupt leaders. If I somehow failed, I knew I could count on her words, her promise, and count on her ability.