Chapter 39

Someone died

***************Jason POV**********

It feels like I am losing Nero bit by bit. I had always thought we were close, but it's like I never knew the entire him, and only perceived the side of him he wanted me to experience.

A saddened sense of frustration circled through me as I stared at his number on my screen, wondering if I should call him because we haven't talked for days.

Ever since he took Blake and left me to handle Scarlett, I have become a freaking babysitter, and she's not talking to me either, even though she's staying in my suite.

The things I do from Nero is fucking annoying Giving up my personal space and sleeping on the couch should be my breaking point, but I don't even know what my damn breaking point is at this moment.

After all, I gave up Blake for him, and now, I am stuck with Scarlett who is bossy as fuck, and Harley is not speaking to me either.

Suddenly, I have become just a customer than a friend to her since I brought Scarlett in, and I don't think I am helping my case either by avoiding her.

But what else can I do? It's not like I can tell her the truth and fix things between us. I don't even know what her friendship means to me.

"Why do I care about everything and everyone!" I mumbled beneath my breath, feeling pissed at myself.

"What are you talking about now?" Scarlett let out.

And I swayed my gaze away from the ceiling and looked to my left to see her glaring at me from the other couch.

"Look who finally decided to speak! I thought you were deaf and dumb for these past days?" I scoffed before looking back at the ceiling.

"You know I can kick your ass, right?!"

"Bossy bitch!"

"What did you call me!?"

Hearing the anger in her tone, I smirk at the thought of her being pissed because she had been so annoying for the past few days.

"I called you a 'bossy bitch!' Also, you should know not just anyone can become a beta to an Alpha, so watch your words and threat." I mumbled, eyeing her for a second.

"You and I know Nero wasn't going to let anyone become his beta, except you. So do not kiss your own ass. It's not a pretty look on you." Scarlett uttered, sounding so proud of her words.

"Can you book a flight and go back home?"

"Not until Nero accomplished his task. Our leader needs to know if plan B will be needed since plan A"

"What plan B?!"

When silence followed my question, I sat up immediately and let out, "What plan B, Scarlett."

With a half-smile on her face, she rolled her eyes and mocked, "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Yes! I would like to know!" I uttered, despite knowing that she was taunting me.

"Unfortunately, it's not for your ears."

"Scarlett, don't do anything stupid!"

"Nero is the one being ridiculous here by screwing around with that girl! I think he left his brain back home!"

"You don't understand!"

"Oh, I do."

Looking her directly in her eyes, I hardened my face and warned, "Scarlett, you don't know what you are talking about or have the slightest idea of what you are messing with!"

"Since you are such a smart ass, then tell me what the hell he sees in her to fuck everything up like this!"

"I think she's the one!"

"What?!"

When I saw the look of hurt in Scarlett's eyes, I knew those words were not supposed to escape my lips, and I tried to fix it by saying, "What I meant is that"

But she interrupted me and let out, saying, "Plan B is to break them up, so he can focus on getting the fucking job done! And I think it is time I do just that!"

"Scarlett, wait" I said as she stood from the couch. "Where do you think you are going?"

"I think I have waited a bit longer than I should to introduce myself to Blake?"

"You don't want to piss up Nero like this!"

"I don't take command from Nero or you, but his father!!"

This was getting way more serious than I expected, and I rushed from my seat, grabbing her by the arm as she was about to walk off.

"Don't do this!" I mumbled pleadingly.

Scarlett turned her head and glared at me, looking down at my fingers around her arm before grimacing back at my eyes.

"Why?" She uttered with a look of bitterness on her face.

"We both know that you are not doing this because of the mission, but your selfish intention," I uttered calmly, choosing those words carefully so I wouldn't offend her.

"How can one be so wrong and yet right at the same time."

"Scarlett,"

"Nero doesn't belong to her. He's only going to hurt himself with her in his life, and I am not going to stand back and allow him to self destroy his life. Also, this is more about the mission than my feelings for him."

Annoyed, I lashed out at her, "If it's more about the mission!!! If you are doing this because of whatever task Nero has to accomplish, then you should know that plan B will only cause problems for him, and you are only going to hurt his plans."

"Nero had strayed off the path of his plan a long time ago, and he was the only one who wanted that strategy in the first place. The order has always been, 'Wiped them all up!" Scarlett said, furrowing her brows.

"Scar!"

"I am not going to allow him to mess this up for the second time. If he had not intervened the first time, I would have done my job then, and Blake wouldn't be alive to ruin his life like this!"

Now, I was confused, and the more I tried to make sense of shit, it became more complicated, and that send my anger off the chart!"

"What does that even mean?!" I cried out in desperation.

"Let go of my arm," Scarlett uttered, looking impatient as she yanked her hand only to make me tighten my grip on her.

"No fucking way! Now, tell me what the heck happened on the last mission you and Nero when on!"

"Jason!"

"Looking back now, Nero wouldn't talk about it to me back then no matter how much I asked, and he seemed depressed for quite a while! What happened that day, Scarlett?!"

"Someone died, and it fuck him up for some reason. Now let go of me!!"

"Who?!"

"Let go of my hand, Jason!! Don't make me tear down this suite and put Nero in some serious financial obligation."

"Who died that day, Scarlett?! Why did it mess him up! Why wouldn't you two just be honest with me for once! Damn it!!"

Slowly, my fingers let go of her arm when I noticed her eyes shifting color, and I took a moment, staring into her yellow eyes before withdrawing my hand to my side.

"Don't do this," I mumbled, hoping that I would help change her mind.

"Only our leader can call this off, and unfortunately, he gave me that order a long time ago, and I was simply giving Nero the benefits of the doubt," Scarlett said with this stubborn look in her eyes that told me this was happening and I can not stop it.

Silently, I watched her walk away, and once the door shut closed behind her, I rushed towards the closet, and took out a shirt, wearing it over my underwear before rushing out of the suite.

When I got to the lobby, Scarlett was already walking out of the front door, and I subconsciously shouted, "Can you stop and let's talk about this!"

Yet, my words did nothing to stop her from walking out that door, and after she did, I was about to chase her, when I froze and looked back, meeting Harley's eyes.

But she immediately looked the other way, and I felt myself hesitating for a moment before chasing Scarlett out the door.

When I arrived outside, she was nowhere in sight, and I had to run back into the hotel because I left my wallet in my suite.

Out of desperation, I did something idiotic. I ran over to the counter to Harley and asked, "Can I borrow fifty bucks? I will repay you later."

"Seriously?" Harley scoffed, giving me a look of pure disbelief.

"I'm sorry. But it's very important."

"She is very important. Got it!"

"That's not it."

As I watched her reach for her purse, I could only wonder what was going on in her head because I was too afraid to ask just what she thought about me.

"Here!" Harley let out a bit harshly, resting the fifty dollars bill on the table.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, reaching for the money.

"You know what hurts? I don't even know what you are sorry about. That suck."

"I Thanks for this."

How could I explain what I was sorry about if I too didn't know exactly what I was apologizing for?

For a moment, I studied her eyes, and then walked away, ignoring her voice when she said in a whisper, "I told you to stop being wishful, Harley."

Who was in control

Blake POV

My hands were trembling as I tried to keep a steady grip on the steering wheel, and after every couple of seconds, I would look over at Nero, wondering if he was okay, even though we were just from the hospital.

"The doctor said that no important organ was impacted," Nero said when our eyes locked for a moment. "Blake, I am fine. I just have some scars that will fade in a few days."

Giving him a faint smile, I nodded my head slightly before focusing on the road. But I was not convinced because of how bloody his shirt was, even though it was dry bloodstains.

After what happened between Loki and him, I was relieved, really, and yet, it was difficult to get rid of that feeling that he could have died because of me, and that was something I didn't want to face, not right now.

"Why didn't you defend yourself?" I mumbled, clutching onto the steering wheel as I tried to calm myself down. "I have seen your wolf, Nero. You could have fought back if you wanted to, so why would you let Loki hurt you like that?"

"You wanted me to attack your father in his territory, and maybe end up killing him? Does that sound like a smart choice, Blake, huh?!" Nero asked with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Swaying my gaze towards him, I took a long look at his calm eyes and sigh, mumbling, "No. You are right! It would have been stupid of you."

Right now, I was freaking out inside because there were so many emotions crowding in me, and I didn't know how much longer I could hold on before breaking down.

What happened today was all my fault, not my wolf. Because I was feeding off my hate, and I want... I wanted to kill them all for every damn thing that they did to me.

Never in my life did I know I had such darkness inside of me until at that exact moment when I felt the weight of the humiliation, the pain, feeling vulnerable and pathetic why I was being mocked and defeated by my abusers.

That moment made me channel power from raw animosity, forcing a bond with my wolf that she had to submit to, against her will, and that's when I realized exactly who was in control between her and me.

My entire life till this point, I always saw myself as a victim, and not until that very moment when I put on the role of a true rogue that I took full power of my wolf.

During that entire fight, we were still separate beings, but I had the power to make her do what I wanted without her consent.

And if not for Nero, I would not have stopped until my anger had subsided with their blood because I was completely in control of her in control of what was happening.

"Blake," Nero interrupted my thoughts and brought me back to reality. "How did you get her to show up?"

"Who?" I asked without looking at him.

"Your wolf."

"I don't know... Maybe seeing you get attacked triggered her. After all, you are my alpha, and the bond is there, even if I am the only one who knows it."

"The thing is..."

"What?"

"Nothing,"

Darting my gaze away from the windshield, I looked into Nero's eyes and saw worry and concern written all over his face.

But how could I tell him the truth, that I have tapped into a side of me that was dark, and it scared the shit out of me because that part of me isn't something that should ever be allowed to be used and abused?

A lot of things frightened me at the moment. But there was one thing that was scarier than any other and that's the thought of Nero seeing me any different than the Blake he knows.

It was already difficult enough as it is with the fact that I was not convinced that he wouldn't reject me again because his curse has yet to be broken, and we are not linked as we should be.

So, right now, it was not the time for me to start changing on him when our bond is so weak, even though I could feel the shift happening in me slowly, and I could sense my wolf a bit more timid than before to my presence.

After a couple of silent seconds, I felt Nero's gaze on me, and he let out, "I am sorry, Blake."

"For what?" My voice came out in a whisper as my lips trembled.

Nero shifted uncomfortably on his seat before replying, "For not defending you properly. I should have done more."

"How many stitches on your wounds did you get?" I asked softly, hoping he wouldn't notice the tremble in my voice.

"Quite a few stitches," Nero replied with a faint chuckle.

"Okay then, don't apologize to me after getting your skin ripped open while trying to defend me. if you do, I'll never forgive you."

"Well..."

Suddenly, Nero took my free hand in his grip, lacing my fingers with his, and kissed the back of my hand.

My breath got caught in my throat, and I felt my heart skip a beat as I glanced away from the road and looked at him, feeling hot in my cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Nero asked, breaking the silence. "After what you went through back there-"

"I am fine... Well, I am going to be." I answered, clearing my throat.

Until this very moment, I had been acting tough, but now that I was free from the rage that stimulated my ability, I have been freaking out when flashes of the images of that brutal scene hunted my mind.

"Do you think... Loki and Luna..." I whispered hesitantly, glancing back at him.

"Although they seemed badly hurt, they are going to recover," Nero said calmly, squeezing my hand as reassurance.

Smiling weakly, I took a deep breath, and then said, "My biggest concern now is that I might have just made myself an enemy of the pack, and how the fuck is Loki going to tell me about my mother or my grandfather now when I almost killed his daughter and him!?"

When Nero didn't say anything for a second, I sighed once again and continue driving, knowing that it was better if I don't talk about this anymore.

There was no way he could help me with this, anyway, and he was already wounded badly. Stressing him out was the last thing I wanted to do.

Finally, I drove his car into the yard, and we both stepped out of the vehicle.

As soon as Nero's foot touched the ground, he immediately fell onto his knees, gritting his teeth. The wound on his abdomen wasn't life-threatening, but it was still a pretty nasty slash, and it was obvious it hurts immensely.

"What the fuck?!" I shouted in fear, running towards him as he held his stomach, trying his best to stand up.

"Hey, hey, relax, it's nothing serious!" Nero managed to say despite his pained expression.

Because of me, he had to stay with such a deep wound untreated for a long time, and that's why his healing process is so slow, causing him to suffer from extreme pain.

"Nero, stop acting strong, just let me take care of you," I demanded as he balance on his feet, looking hesitatant with his eyes on mine. "I'm sorry. I should have-"

Before I could finish speaking, Nero grabbed my face with his hand, making me stop, and I stared at him, waiting for his next words.

"This is not your fault. Stop blaming yourself. If anything I should be the one telling you, 'Thank you,' because you saved my ass back there." Nero muttered, pulling me closer to him.

"Your ass wouldn't have needed saving if I wasn't so damn pathetic." I cried softly, clutching his shirt tightly in my fists.

Letting out a small laugh, Nero shook his head gently before saying, "Maybe we should stop playing the blaming game and be thankful that we both came out of there alive."

"True," I whispered, nodding my head before raising my gaze to meet his eyes. "I promise you that that will be the last time I put your life in harm's way like that again."

Looking into each other's eyes, Nero said nothing and leaned in towards my lips, brushing his against mine lightly as I wrapped my arms around his neck while deepening the kiss.

Maybe he didn't believe a word I said because I have always been weak and unable to take care of myself properly.

But after today, I knew it was time for a transfer of control between my wolf and me, and if I have to break and bend her to my will to do that, then I would do it even if it meant giving in to my inner demon.

With that, I pulled away slightly and gazed into Nero's eyes as I whispered, "I love you."

"I love me too," Nero teased smiling as he cupped my cheek with his hands. "I love you, Blake."

I can't be honest with you

Nero POV

As I took off my shirt, Blake sat on the bed,  staring at me, her gaze fixed on the bandage around my torso.

One look into her eyes and I could see a mixture of guilt and anger buried under them as she bit on her nail slowly.

"Blake, I am fine, seriously," I reassured, taking a step toward her.

"I know, that's what you say. But I can't shake this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that makes me uneasy." Blake whispered, looking even more anxious.

Knowing that I am probably not gonna win this argument, I decided to drop the subject for now.

Honestly, Blake wasn't the only one freaking out about what happened. I was too. And even if I tried to act calm in front of her, I was a bit scared as well.

It bothered me because I'm worried about her safety. After all, she not only killed a wolf from her pack but also attacked Loki and her sister in front of influential members of the pack.

There's no telling what this meant for her... for us, even though she and I were allowed to walk out of that mansion in peace. Because when I looked at Loretta, it was clear she wanted to tear us to pieces.

But that was just one of my concerns. People now know why Blake is, who she is, and that could be the most dangerous thing for her at this point, her identity getting known by all.

"What's on your mind," Blake whispered, her eyes glowing with concern, looking directly at me as I sat down next to her.

Resting my head on her shoulder, I  closed my eyes and breathed out, inhaling the scent that belonged solely to her, and whispered, "Nothing."

We both knew that it was not, 'Nothing," but Blake didn't press me, and just rested her chin on top of my head, sighing heavily.

The silence lasted until I heard the sound of the front door opening and closing, and immediately my wolf was alarmed when I picked up Scarlett's scent.

Raising my head off Blake's shoulder, I looked her in the eyes and knew that she was onto Scarlett's scent too.

"Why is she here?" Blake whispered, waking from the bed with her face screwed in a frown. "How did she know this place?"

This was a fucking disaster, and I knew that whatever Scarlett was here for, it could not be good, and I was not prepared for shit like this, not now!

"Jason is here too?!" Blake mumbled beneath her breath, approaching the bedroom door.

"Blake, wait!" I shouted, jumping to my feet.

Fuck! I am going to kill those two if they do something stupid that's going to cause problems for me and Blake, especially at a time when she is volatile.

Unfortunately, I couldn't reach Blake in time to stop her, and seconds later the door slammed right in front of my face, causing me to stumble backward a few steps.

Not wasting a second, I opened the door and ran after her, ignoring the pain shooting through my whole body and my wounds.

When I got into the downstairs hallway, I stopped in my tracks, glared at Jason, and then swayed my gaze on Scarlett, shooting her a warning look.

"Nero!" Jason shouted, his eyes clouded with concern. "What the fuck happened to you?!"

Before I could utter a word, Scarlett rushed over to me, touching my bandage as she frowned and asked, "Who did this to you?"

With a look of confusion and anger burning in Blake's eyes, she grabbed Scarlett's wrist and yanked it away from me, letting out harshly, "Does any of you three want to tell me what is going on?"

"Is that you doing?!" Scarlett lashed out, jerking her hand out of Blake's grip. "Did he get hurt because of you!"

"Jason, get her out of here!" I let out, turning to look at him.

Nodding, he rushed towards Scarlett, grabbing her arm again. But she pulled her hand with force and shouted, "Let go of my fucking  arm!"

A growl immediately erupted from inside of me as I fixed my eyes on her, and she suddenly stopped struggling.

Her body went completely still and she met my gaze, fear, and desperation glistening in her bright yellow orbs.

"You two know each other!" Blake whispered, looking at Scarlett and then back at me with her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Oh, what made that clear! Is it because of what happened now, or the fact that I know he has a serpent tattoo on his bare back? Which one,  please, enlighten us." Scarlett spat, glaring at Blake.

This was a mess that I wasn't sure I could recover from and it was just getting worse with every passing minute.

"Scarlett!!" I cried, pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and index finger.  "Enough!"

"Fine, I am leaving!" Scarlett spat, shoving Jason away and storming out of the house, slamming the front door behind her.

Looking at Blake and me, Jason seemed nervous, as if he was afraid we would snap at him, and then he met my eyes and said, "This is my fault. I befriended her and thought it was okay to introduce her to you two, but I didn't know she was a wacko!"

"Can you not treat me like a fool!" Blake shouted, throwing him a deadly glare. "I know she's not just some lunatic, so what are you two not telling me!"

Swaying her gaze off Jason, she looked at me with hurt in her eyes and a pleading expression on her face, begging me to give her answers.

But the truth wasn't something that I could give her and that scared me. It scared me how many lies I have to make her believe.

So I decided to keep silent, but knowing Blake, she wouldn't accept that answer, and she mumbled, "Nero,  please, I won't be able to handle it if you lie to me. You know that."

"I should give you two some space," Jason said before turning away and then leaving the villa.

Now that it was just me and Blake, staring into each other's eyes, she finally let herself tear up and whispered, "Is this why you didn't want Scarlett and me to get close? What are you hiding from me, Nero?!"

"I'm not hiding anything from you," I replied, trying to keep my voice soft so as not to anger her any more than she already was.

"Then make it make sense how the fuck she knows about the tattoo on your back?!" Blake yelled, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

We grew up together, so of course, Scarlett saw my tattoo the first time I got it. But I don't know what the hell she is doing now by trying to make Blake upset. But I can bet who is behind this mess because only my father can make Scarlett go against me.

"Nero!!" Blake screamed, her face red as she glared at me.

"Scarlett is someone I know." I let out, avoiding eye contact with her.

"What does that mean?! Who is she?! How the hell could you possibly know someone you just met days ago?! I mean, she just came into the state!"

"Well..."

Seeing how frustrated and upset Blake was, I sighed, walked toward her, and tried to reach for her hand, but she pulled back, taking two steps backward.

"Can you just stop trying to hide everything about you... about your life from me?!" Blake pleaded, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Just tell me who she is, please! Why the hell would you hide something so damn big from me!?"

"Scarlett is nothing more than someone I messed with in the past." I lied, avoiding her stare, knowing I had to say something to make her stop asking questions.

And that was the only excuse I could think of that I knew she would not question. But the way she looked at me after those words left my lips, told me that I fucked up badly, and I could not see anything good coming from this conversation.

"I don't believe you," Blake stated, her face filled with hurt as she stared at me. "How about that?!"

"Blake,"

"Nero, all you do is lie... to me! Why can't you just open up! I tell you every fucking thing about myself... my life, my struggle, my  dreams, even my feelings, and you still never show me your side!"

My heart broke into thousands of pieces when I saw tears forming in her eyes as she spoke, "No matter how much I try to show you the real me, or the person I truly am deep inside, you always shut me out when it comes to you!"

When I didn't answer, she aggressively dried her face with the back of her hand. "Do you realize how difficult it is for me to understand you sometimes?!"

"I do," I mumbled, hating how hurtful this entire situation was getting. "And I regret every time that I closed you out. I just don't know how else to explain my life without hurting you, or breaking our bond,"

"Then maybe if you showed me your side of the story, you wouldn't need to shut me out anymore! Maybe we could just work on it together."

"Maybe you're right, but not now... I can't be honest with you, Blake."

The room was dead silent except for the sound of sniffling. She was crying. I hated seeing her cry like this. And I was guilty as fuck for causing it.

Nodding her head, Blake looked into my eyes for a moment. Then she lowered her gaze, took in a couple of heavy breaths, and wiped the wetness away from her cheeks before walking past me,  and I didn't stop her from leaving. I just couldn't.

The night Blake was born

Luna POV

When I raised my eyelids, I stared at my mother who looked stressed and had a look of darkness in her eyes that I have never seen before.

The anger in my mother's expression was more terrifying than usual, and I could only imagine the dreadful things that were going through her head.

"What happened?" I whispered, trying to sit up, but my body gave up and collapsed back on the bed.

My bone ached, my stomach hurt like hell and I felt like I was going to pass out from all the pain tearing me from the inside.

A sense of fear washed over me as the agony began to build. I didn't know what was happening. I couldn't breathe properly. My head felt like it was going to explode. I felt my body start to convulse.

A small whimper escaped my mouth as a sharp pain sliced through my back as I laid flat on the bed, striving not to move the slightest bit.

"Did the hit you took from Blake make you lose your damn memories too!" My mother mumbled, sounding disappointed and angry.

Her words immediately brought my memories rushing back to me with such force that it made my head pound in pain as if there were a hammer being banged against it every second.

"What is she?" I whispered, absentmindedly, remembering the beast that stood before me, eyes red with the promise of pain and murder in them, a creature that looked just like a wolf but something so much more terrifying than that.

"An Ultima. One of the most powerful beings of our kind, and a bloodthirsty creature that turns humans faster into a werewolf than a true alpha can within one bite." Uncle Rolex said, sighing loudly as he ran his hands through his hair, almost as if in frustration or fear.

"Where has that thing been all this time...! I mean nineteen years and we are just realizing what she is?!"

"I don't know, but her wolf is out now, and that is a problem for us and your position in this pack because you are no match for what she is, none of us are!"

The room grew silent, and I tried to sit up again, but my body refused and collapsed once more, causing me to groan in pain.

Frowning, Uncle Rolex met my eyes, sighed, and mumbled, "You are not going to be able to walk just yet because your body sustained two cracked ribs, a broken ankle, and you fractured three of your left arm bones during the fight."

"Okay, how long am I stuck in this bed?" I asked, feeling a sense of anger filling me.

The thought of the fact that I couldn't even walk, let alone stand or sit still without pain shooting through my entire body seemed absurd and enraging, and it irritated me to no end.

That bitch literally cripple me for I don't know how long, and now, I don't even know if revenge was possible, because honestly, I am afraid of her, although I would never openly say that to anyone.

"As long as it needs to take for your body to fully  recover and heal itself."

"What the hell! This shit is unfair!"

"Be grateful that you faced an Ultima and came out of the fight alive, and stop acting like a child, alright?"

Chuckling faintly, Uncle Rolex shook his head and whispered, "Also, be thankful that you are not your father."

"How bad is his state?" I mumbled, worrying more about my injuries than his because this shit is his fault, that I am in pain.

If he had not used me to play in his dirty game, I wouldn't be lying in this bed, unable to move my damn body.

"He suffered multiple concussions, broke several bones, bruised several of his vital organs, and suffered a lot of internal bleeding... His healing is going to take quite a while."

"What?! How could that happen? He is the strongest Alpha around here, and one of the powerful wolves in our pack!!"

"Not anymore. Luna, Blake's force is not something that should ever be taken lightly. Even the strongest alpha would die if they were to face her full power in a fight."

Suddenly my mother's voice called out, breaking whatever silence there may have been between the three of us, "I want her dead!"

"Who?" Uncle Rolex asked, looking at my mother as though she was insane, and I wondered whether she might be.

"Blake Hayes! She needs to die!"

"Okay, Loretta, chill and stop acting crazy! It will only get us killed."

"I'm not an idiot, Rolex!... What did Blake say before her transformation?"

"I don't know! She said a lot of things-"

"She doesn't have control of her wolf, Rolex! She can't shift at her free will!"

The room went deathly quiet after that, and Uncle Rolex looked as shocked by what my mother was saying, but I felt as if she made perfect sense.

After all, if Blake can not control her wolf, then she can't defend herself right away in a surprise attack, and that is an advantage we can use to take Blake down quickly, once and for all.

And yet, Uncle Rolex looked hesitant, but there was more than just reluctance in his expression, he seemed afraid and upset as well.

"You saw what she did in there without even having full control of her wolf, and you think that this decision of yours is a good idea? Are you mad?!" Uncle Rolex demanded, pacing up and down the length of my room.

"I was stupid enough back then to not have killed her because I thought her mother's pack... her grandfather would come looking for her and it would be best that she would be alive when he did!" My mother let out a humorless chuckle.

"Loretta-"

"It has been nineteen years since the night of the attack... since we fled and moved to this state, and know what from the Silver Crest pack had shown up for Blake, and now she has become an even bigger threat to us than before!"

"Well-"

"I know that that was my mistake, but we can not make that same misstep now! We have to strike when she still has a weakness, or we might never get such an opportunity again, Rolex!"

It grew quiet as Uncle Rolex continued to pace, a thoughtful expression plastered on his face, and my mother looked anxious as she waited for him to respond.

Suddenly, his ringtone interrupted the silence, and we both watched as he answered it, saying, "Hello, Carla. What is it?"

"The elders are thinking about appointing a temporary leader because of Loki's critical condition." I overheard Elder Carla say.

"And,"

"Blake names seem to be on their tongues way too much for my comfort. After what happened, their fear seemed to be getting stronger enough for her to have them wrap around her finger and bend them to her will if she ever decides to."

"Who all are in favor of this treacherous decision?"

"Almost all of the elders are, and they are planning on having an emergency meeting soon."

There was a long pause, and then uncle Rolex signed, letting out, "Thanks for the heads up."

"So what's our next move to stop this madness from happening?" Elder Carla asked, sounding nervous and anxious.

But Uncle Rolex ended the call, looked at my mother, and said, "I guess I will have to take care of Blake soon We did not come this far to lose everything we worked so hard to gain."

Then he shoved his phone back into his pocket and smiled faintly as my mother nodded at him before walking out of my room.

Darting my eyes off my bedroom door, I stared at my mother and asked, "What night of an attack were you talking about?"

"It was the night Blake was born." My mother mumbled with an unreadable expression on her face, but as soon as she turned around to gaze t me, it disappeared, and the cold hard stare clouded her eyes once again.