My room felt crowded. I felt like I was suffocating on everything going on downstairs. My skin had dried blood on it, flaking. The silky shirt I had on was spattered with blood. I just couldnt feel. I was numb.
Addelynn was gone. That's two of the most important people in my life. Taken away from me in the blink of an eye. My wolf howled in agony. As close as we were in human form, our wolves were closer. A pack wasn't just a group, it was a family.
My mind replayed the scene helplessly.
Addelynn was running for me, her eyes bright. I smiled and held out my arms. Then, as though from nowhere, a grey blur swooped by, there one minute, gone the other next. And in a horrific slow motion, I watched as Addelynn's body dropped to the ground, her throat slit.
Panic erupted. Demetri and Connor didn't miss a beat, following the blur. I screamed and ran the distance to Addelynn's, collapsing next to her. I picked her up, holding her against my chest. Her eyes were so dull, devoid of the once glowing bright life. I buried my face in her hair as I screamed again, the sound empty in my chest. The rest of the boys huddled around the girls and I, on high alert.
My heart broke again. I yelled at her, at the sky. I screamed as loud as I could, my throat raw. The boys came back into the clearing, shaking their heads sadly. Demetri was behind me, kneeling down and placing his hand on my shoulder. I ignored him as I cried, little pathetic wailing.
"Misty."
I barely hears him. I was completely numb. It all seemed so...surreal.
"Misty. Let's call the Council."
More tears flowed down my cheeks. I could still smell her on my clothes, hear her laughter. Who had done this? Why did they kill Addelynn? Was Lawrence trying to make an point?
My wolf growled a warning. I growled back, sending her images of nine years prior. She backed grudgingly. She was still angry I would think of our Mate like that. I ignored her and laid my face in my arms.
I was curled up on my bed and held my knees to my chest. My room was dull. I didn't have to look at it to see the pictures of my friends and I. Addelynn was in a good portion of them. She'd been under my care since she was a young pup.
I smelled someone at the door and looked up to see Matthew. He looked like a skeleton. He had a bruise on his right cheek from when he'd tried to take me from Addelynn. I felt bad.
"Hey, champ," he said quietly. "You okay?"
"No," I croaked. My throat was so raw it hurry to even utter that one syllable.
He shifted his feet. "They'd like to see you downstairs."
My heart fell. I'd have to face her parents and mine. If have to face my Alpha and Beta. And, worst of all, Lawrence. Sucking it up, I slowly moved from my bed and went to the door. Matthew put an arm around me and led me down the stairs.
All eyes went to me. Addelynn's parents, Josephine and Aaron, say on the couch. They gave me smiles and my eyes went to my Alpha and Beta. They waved me over, where I bowed my head.
"Alpha, Beta," I said hoarsely.
"MistyAnne," my Alpha said. "Firstly, we want to tell you, no one blames you. It is not your fault. Do you understand?"
I nodded weakly. "Yes, sir."
"Misty, honey," Josephine said. I turned to face her. "We still love you. As if you were our own. Addelynn..." She swallowed. "Addelynn loved you as a sister. I, personally, want you to know Aaron and I still love you."
I nodded at her and turned back to my Alpha. Anthony, my Alpha, had been my fathers best friend for years, and held me at a special place in his heart. Standing next to Lawrence, he shifted a little, as if waiting for the enemy to make a move. But Lawrence wasn't that stupid.
I hope.
"As I was saying," Anthony said gently. "Or doctors went back to get here. And they found something I think you should look at."
He handed me a folded...something. I took it carefully, looking warily from my Alpha back to the thing in my hands. I opened slowly, my hand hammering in my ears. Then my heart stopped as my blood ran cold.
It was a couple of pictures of...me. One of me leaving my house with a giant red "x" over me. The next one was of Cassidy, Matthew, Tyler and I. We were drinking coffee and laughing as Tyler ranted on about something. The red "x" was over my face again, question marks by the boys. The last one was from earlier. When Lawrence and I were having a stare off. And the "x" was still there, and a circle around Lawrence. But the ex had a line going to an empty part of the field. The words kill in ugly red lines.
Good goddess above, someone was trying to kill me.
I dropped the pictures as if they were made of silver. My wolf whimpered with worry, trying to send me comforting waves. My mind was blank, and I felt cold all over. I hears Anthony calling my name, but I couldn't talk. I could only stare at those ugly red "x"s.
"Misty?"
I looked at my Alpha, my eyes watering again. "Who?" I managed. "Who's..."
"We couldn't get a scent," the Beta, Oliver, said sadly. "Whoever it was is obviously a well-trained assassin."
"MistyAnne," Anthony said carefully. "Do you know anyone who would want you dead?"
"No," I whispered. "I keep to myself and the pack at school. I talk to one or two humans other than the teachers. Why would anyone want me dead?"
It was quiet before Oliver said, "Your...Mate thinks he's got a good idea." It must have killed him to say "Mate".
Lawrence cleared his throat. "A couple years back, we had a Rogue join our pack. But he was more animal than human when we found him on our territory. He preferred his wolf form more than his human one." He paused. "My father welcomed him into our pack warily. He had the stink of blood, smelled of decay. I was eighteen, under training for my role.
"One night, I couldn't sleep. So I went for a run with my wolf. I stopped by the house our newcomer was staying at. But something was wrong. They had a dog, but it wasn't barking. When I walked in, I almost gagged.
"The scent of blood was strong,. The family who had stayed there lay in their own blood. I found pictures, similar to yours, in their home. So I can identify the assassin, not the person behind him."
It was quiet as the information sunk in. "Then why..."
"Obstacle." Everyone turned to Connor. "He might have seen her as one. From what I'm hearing, Addelynn was always with Misty. And that could prove to be a problem."
My head swam. Someone really wanted me dead. But who? And why? What did I ever do to that person?
"Misty, baby."
My fathers voice jarred me out of my thought process. I looked at him, shocked. His eyes were wet with unshed tears. I wanted to go to him, comfort him. But I was rooted where I was.
"Baby, we've come to a conclusion," he said. He seemed to brace himself as he said, "You're going with Alpha Lawrence."
My world stopped. My wolf howled in glee. I looked around. Anthony and Oliver wouldn't look at me. My parents were in tears. Matthew, Demetri and Cassidy were looking at the ground. Tyler was giving Lawrence the death glare, his eyes wet.
I stumbled back, my mouth moving silently. And, for the second time that day, I ran.
"No!"
I busted through the front door, pushing everyone out of my way before their shock wore off. My wolf barked at me, demanding I go back. It wasn't safe for me to be alone. But I didn't want to face them.
I could smell Lawrence behind me, hearing his fast approaching footfalls. My wolf howled at me to stop. I pushed the traitor to the back of my mind. I knew I hurt her, but I would not go back to that...killer.
"Misty!"
He called after me. But I ignored him. The forest line was right there...
"Misty, stop right now!"
My heart fell to the ground. Shit. The Alphas Command. It was a powerful tool that allowed Alphas to ensure Omegas like myself obeyed them. The Beta had one as well, on a lesser scale.
My body slowed to a stop. My heels clicked slower on the pavement as I came to an absolute halt. Lawrence caught up to me and turned me to face him. I glared up at him angrily, my temper flaring.
"How dare you," I hissed. "You are not my Alpha. And I will not leave mine."
He stared down at me with a straight face. I noticed his eyes grew stormy, like Addelynn's color. The thought brought tears to my eyes.
"I may not be your Alpha. But," he said, "I am your Mate. That takes top."
I glowered at him. "Leave me alone."
"We're doing this the hard way then." With a shrug and a playful twinkle, he bent, hoisting me over his shoulder.
I screeched, hitting him with closed fists. He ignored each hit as he leisurely walked back to my home. I kicked him repeatedly and shouted obscenities at him. People looked out their windows to check out the commotion.
We steppes in my house, me still screaming at him. He put me down, still facing him. I had half a mind to slap him. But my wolf begged me not to. Instead, I huffed as he looked down at me, amusement reflecting in his eyes.
"After the funeral," he said loudly, "you are leaving with me. Final."
I grit my teeth. My eyes spilled their tears. They rolled hotly down my cheeks, which I'm sure were red with anger. I glared up at him defiantly once more before I ran up to my room, slamming the door.
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The days that passed were long, hard. The group I attended school with came over everyday. They were still my family. Word had spread to the adults about Lawrence and I. Now, the ones that had helped me grow up turned their backs to me.
My pack was beginning to hate me. And I hated it. This wasn't my fault. I can understand he has taken out land and killed our wolves. But Fate was the one who chose him for me.I didn't want him. He was...detestable.
The funeral for Addelynn was hard. I stood with Addelynn's parents, the Alpha, the boys and Cassidy. Oliver stood behind me, hand on my shoulder. As the Alpha spoke the familiar words, I kept my head down, thankful that by law, Lawrence and Connor were banned from this.
Josephine was speaking, weaving a tale of her daughters life. Our names were included, being called daughters and sons. I couldn't smile at the funny stories she told. I could only stare at Addelynn's lifeless body. She was dressed in a white gown and her red hair was splayed around her. They had sewn her throat with biodegradable thread and used foundation to cover it up.
The funeral was short. Everyone left to leave the immediate family to grieve. Before I walked away, Aaron stopped me.
"Misty." I turned as he jogged up to me. He stopped in front of me and handed me Addelynn's bookbag. I took it and almost toppled over. Holy hell, what was in this thing?
"What's this?" I asked, regaining balance.
Aaron smiled. "Some of her things we knew she'd want you to have."
I smiled back and put the bag down, giving him a hug. He squeezed me back. He let me go after a few moments and went back to his Mate. I watched him before I picked up the bag, turned on my heel and headed home.
"Goodbye, Addelynn," I whispered brokenly.
I left the woods and continued home. I felt the accusing eyes at my back. Maybe it was good I was leaving.
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A/N: Hey guys! Thanks again. I hope you guys like it thus far. Comment, vote, whatever. Haha. Thanks again!