A/N: **THIS IS REVISED AGAIN! I'M SORRY! I know you probably think its a new chapter, but all you have to do is read the re-writes of those two scenes. It's crucial because the way I ended it in my last revision has been changed completely.

I RE-WROTE THE LAST TWO SCENES. (grandpa meeting Ally/Ally going home scenes) **

SORRY! Just skip down to it if you've read the chap already before..

I'm just telling you because you'll be lost in the next chap if you don't!

-B


Let's go find out your fate, Ally."

Running a hand frustratingly through his hair, Austin bit down on his lip and stepped away from Ally slightly to keep from spiralling out of control and accidentally hurting her in the process. The last thing he needed was to finally lose his mind tonight and have this girl add more onto her list of things pertaining to him. Number one being that she witnessed a murder very clearly involving him and that dipshit Marco.

He couldn't believe he had been so careless to have let someone sneak up on him and see him. He was always careful with the things he did. No matter what, he was cautious and always one step ahead of everyone. He did everything right and on point and until this night, had never messed up as bad as he had or let his anger consume so aggressively. It was eating him alive that this random girl had something so dooming over him.

What if it had been a cop walking on the beach and stumbled upon the cave instead of Ally? Austin couldn't even bare to think about what else could have happened to him and was growing an unhealthy hatred against his new found pain in the ass because of it.

Ally's eyebrows rose as she slightly pouted in worried confusion up at him and his actions. She didn't really need to ask where he was taking her, she knew that. Even if she was new in town, they both knew she still would have heard enough from everyone to know exactly where he was taking her. No one came to Bay Beach without knowing who Covenant and Austin were.

Ignoring the inquiring expression on her face he could aggravatingly tell was about to question him again, he noticed that she was bare foot. Growling at her stupidity, he leaned back inside the car and grabbed his sister's stray pair of flip flops she left in there from when they went to the beach last week. He tossed them at Ally's feet once he retrieved them.

"Here. Put these on. Or don't; I don't really care." He shot coldly.

She glanced down at them and then back at Austin hesitantly, but soon enough she slowly slipped them on her feet and something in her eyes said she was grateful.

"Thank you..." She whispered hoarsely due to all her previous crying. She wasn't crying or panicking anymore.

"Austin." He said it like she should already know. She did, she just didn't want him to know that.

Austin moved her so that he could close the car door and get going. Not wasting another second, he gripped but this time, took note of being as gentle as his current state of aggravation would allow him. As he began to beeline down the quiet street away from the Moon Family home, Ally surprisingly stayed silent but Austin could still mildly hear the quickness of her breath from beside him. Ally tried to stay as calm as she could to not set him off or let him think she was weak, but his tangible frustration towards her was almost suffocating and it made the anticipation of what was going to happen to her even more frightening. She knew he was taking her somewhere that involved the club but she didn't know for what. She inwardly prayed that this is all just a massive figment of her imagination from all the crap Trish has been telling her and she would wake up safe and warm in her bed.

All the other homes close by in the area were dark except for the one light coming from Austin's mother's bedroom distinctly shining through the curtains. She was most likely waiting up for her son and husband like she always did, and ended up passing out with the bed light on.

Austin headed in the direction of the clubhouse's large property down the road from his home and soon, they were travelling along the sidewalk flanking the tall cement boarder walls around it. He swiftly went towards the back entrance since the shop entrance was definitely closed at this hour. They reached the large gate in no time.

Before Austin went to punch in the code to give them entrance, he turned around on Ally and shot a serious warning glare as he slightly tightened his grip on her with meaning. It was like his darkening eyes were channeling all the irritation from the night's events into one look. Ally tensed instantly at the bone-chilling effect. This boy was scarier than her worst nightmare.

"Listen to me." He darkly stated. "The only way I can deal with you humanely is by letting some people—whose business you rudely walked in on—know the situation."

Ally wondered what humanely entailed. Regardless he went on, his tone dangerously low and annoyed.

"Now as much as I wish I could just dump you somewhere and be rid of you, you're more involved than either of us wants you to be, making this ten times more difficult to fix. So for my sanity, just do as I say and we'll see if you'll be going home tonight."

A small whimper left Ally's lips as he went to punch in the numbers on the keypad, her head reeling from his harsh words. She couldn't fathom her shit luck and how this could be happening to her. If she didn't survive tonight, she didn't even want to think of what it would do to her father. She muffled a panicked sob. She couldn't let that happen.

"Please promise you won't let anything happen to me."

She didn't know where the courage to ask something so big of him came from, but it just seemed like the only thing that would give her slight peace of mind. But really, why would he even care what happened to her? If anything, he would be more than happy to be done with the risk she represented by living. She guessed she just needed the reassurance to keep calm.

She saw his shoulders tighten instantly. Austin hated hearing the genuine pain and fear in her voice but worse, he hated how it affected him so much. It went right through him, her request something so simple, and yet, he seethed at how this one person was making his job so damn hard.

He didn't say anything as he took a step back and the large metal doors made a whining sound, beginning to draw open. Ally wondered if he even cared enough to answer her plea and was about to slap herself for thinking he would even give two shits, when she was brought back by the sensation of a strong arm wrapping around her small waist and pulling her in quite close. Ally silently gasped, astounded at his bipolar actions as he leaned down, his eyes still forward on the gate.

"Stay close and act normal." He squeezed her side attentively. She looked into his eyes and watched them soften just barely as they gazed into hers. But almost like he abruptly saw something that he didn't want to see, he quickly looked away and clenched his jaw firmly.

"I will do all I can to keep you safe. I promise." It came out like a restricted hiss through his teeth. But it was good enough for her.

Ally didn't have time to react before she was practically being dragged across a large compound, stunned by the large private property that was rammed with motorcycles. She gulped to moisten her dry throat as it was all quickly becoming a stark reality. A very wide and large barn-like building stood in the middle of it all, lit up and busy with activity. Austin knew the place would be packed like it usually was on the weekends and being a nice night like it was, it was common for a few members to spill out and socialize outside for a smoke. Austin approached the doorway quickly with her at his side, trying to avoid any stares or unwanted socializations from stragglers outside. Thinking he was finally catching a break, it ended quickly when he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the Deadwood County Police car parked out front.

"Shit," he cussed under his breath as his blood ran cold. "What is that doing here?"

Did something go wrong already?! He bet it was that scum Marco…He cursed again. His muscles beginning to cease, he knew he had to be quick on his feet. So without a moment's delay, he thought of something and held tight to a quiet Ally, towing them around to the back room entrance. In there, Austin could stow her away without anyone seeing and then go find out what was going on with this cop presence in the house before approaching the high members and his father with his little mess. Ally knew something was wrong the moment she felt Austin freeze beside her at the sight of the cop car and wondered if this had anything to do with her as they crouch-ran along the wall in the dark.

Stealthily creeping in to the secluded office-like room, Austin cracked the door to see if anyone by any chance was in there. Thanking god for the coast being clear, he signaled Ally to come in.

"Sit." He ordered once he closed the door and drew down the blinds.

Ally, against her annoyance of being told what to do again, did what he said and lowered herself onto a plush red futon. The room was poorly lit, the only illumination coming from a desk lamp which sat on top of a big wooden desk stacked with papers. She looked curiously around but couldn't see much of the fixtures or wall décor in the dimness.

Austin stood before her pacing back and forth, looking like the night was finally taking his toll on him. He was being spread way to thin for one evening and didn't know how much more he could take without finally snapping. His tall form rigid and on edge, she could hear him mumbling a repeated curse word continuously until he halted and turned to her.

"I'm going to see what's going on." Crouching down to her eye level, he made all gestures to ensure that he had her full undivided attention and she could tell he meant business. "Don't. Move. You stay in this room. I'll even lock you in so nobody will bother you and you'll be safe. But if you try to make a break for it or do anything to piss me off further…"

"You'll find me and I'll regret, I know. I won't do anything. I promise." Ally said it all in one breath, needing him far away from her for her mind to be reliable. She stopped breathing and her chest involuntarily tightened when the vivid images of him killing her in numerous ways ran through her head in a rush.

He was surprised at how complying she was suddenly being. It made him slightly suspicious of her but he knew she was too scared of the consequences to try and do anything. He could feel it coming off her in waves.

"Good girl." He appraised mockingly, like she was a child. He then rose to his feet and went to the other door leading into a hallway.

"I'll be right back." He held her gaze and as his husky voice dimmed with threatening authority, all niggling thoughts of trying to run vanished from Ally mind in fright. He ducked out swiftly, the lock rolling over loudly.

She was alone.

In a strange room. In a strange place. Not knowing if she was going to make it to dawn alive.

She only realized then that she was shaking with terror.


Austin's POV

Once I locked the door on her with the key, I paused for a second in the shadows of the dark hallway to catch my breath for the first time all night. Fisting the ends of my hair in frustration, I tried to center my mind and priorities before I walked in the main bar looking all out of wits. No one has ever seen me at a loss for how to deal with a problem and I damn sure wasn't going to start now, even if it was the truth. My reputation is everything to me and I can't risk having people begin to think I was losing my touch over this. I thrived off of the impression people took from one look at me, knowing very well it's what comes with the territory I built around myself. So needless to say, it was seriously bruising my ego that I was having to come to my father and his highly respected men to help me figure out what to do, but what other choice did I have?! This night was a wreck from hell and with every curve ball possible being thrown my way, even I can't handle everything. I growled to myself. If only Dez was here, he would know what to say to cool me down before going in. Matter of fact, where was that little deserter anyway? One minute he was with me in the party, and the next he was gone probably hooking up with some chick. I reminded myself to strangle him when I saw him next for leaving me alone to deal with this bullshit.

Sighing, I pushed off the wall and squared my shoulders, walking tall down the corridors towards the rising sound of familiar bustling voices. I eventually stepped into the dimmed bar light, shrouded by the cloud of tobacco smoke. In an instant, the common hush of noise soon followed like it always does whenever my presence is sensed in a room. No one freely tried to meet my gaze and I was glad because one little thing in my state, could set me off. Even though many of our men were older than me, I was more experienced and equipped with this life than all of them put together. They knew not to fuck around with me. The rowdy men and prospects stuffed the place to capacity; drinking, playing pool, or socializing. I typically enjoyed the clubhouse atmosphere and usually after a hard night, I too would have liked to pull up a seat with a beer in my hand and a girl on my lap. But obviously, God had other plans for me tonight.

Noting I haven't seen a cop in sight yet, my suspicion peaked. I put on my most composed expression as I made my way through the room, being greeted submissively once or twice. I ambled on over to the board room when I noticed that the doors were closed and a guard was placed outside, signalling that a meeting was currently in session. This must be where everyone was, I could even hear faint voices through the thick wooden doors. I began to prepare myself. The door guard smirked knowingly when he saw me approach.

"What the hell have you done this time, kid? They've been waiting for you."

I was taken completely aback by the knowledge that the club had already been alerted and slightly panicked that the cops present were more the real deal than I thought. But no one seemed to be trying to warn me, so what was up? I was expecting to have to come and spill all my guts to them but by having them already know about the body, my situation probably just go much worse.

Jesus Christ.

"You don't even want to know, trust me. What's with the squad car out front? Is it legit?"

He chuckled to himself at my nonchalant answer, and then shook his head. "No, it's just Carver." I visibly relaxed immensely. "He was on the scene for a party shut down when he got word from your old man of some major fuck up involving you. He's here to relay what happened like usual and let's just say the big boss is well pissed."

"Try and show me a time when he's not." I mumbled, rubbing my thumb and forefinger over my closed eyes to relieve the tension. This just was not my night. I shook out my hands, trying to loosen up. It wasn't real cops, which was good. It was only Officer Carver who was as dirty a cop as they come, loyally employed to the club. I was safe. For now. "Okay, okay. I'm going in. Wish me luck."

The guard laughed rather outwardly as he turned to open the door.

"Like that's going to help you."

Ignoring his dumbass comment, I walked straight in and closed the door in his face.

Right away, I moved forward to speak, not caring if I was interrupting my surprised superiors.

"How much do you know?"

Each head whipped in my direction wide eyed as they saw me there and a silencing blanket suffocated the entire space, the tension clearly palpable. The large meeting table was surrounded by the club's council, all highly respected men of the club. My momentary outburst stunned all of us, each face of a different man I grew up around assessing me with the same weary expression of shock and frustration. As I studied each one and tried to gouge the severity of my situation from them, I fell on Nate's face briefly that only gave off his typical business-like demeanor. My stomach twisted as I regretfully shifted to finally seek out the gaze of my father, that I felt burning me the second I walked through the door. He was standing by the window at his head of the table, Carver next to him. He had a phone to his ear that he pulled away the instant he finally caught my eyes. His eyes snap with white hot fire and recognition.

"Where the FUCK have you been?! I have been calling you nonstop for the past hour!"

Everyone seemed to shift in their seats at my father's raised voice. Luke Carver, the sheriff for Deadwood County police force, let out a deep breath. He had been under my father's payroll for quite a while now. He was the one the club called to clean up or wipe out any unwanted problems that involved Covenant before the cops could get nosy or if they already did, he made it go away one way or another.

"I left my phone in the car, dad." I breathed out tiredly, not knowing where to begin. But it was like watching a figure turn to stone when my father heard my tone. He went deathly rigid as he took me in, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists and his dagger glare pierced me where I stood. His blonde hair looked unruly from stress and I could tell his teeth were locked tight as well by the sharp hold to his face. His features always went jagged and fierce when he was extremely angry, a result from the Moon anger gene. I wasn't frightened or anything, even though he was built like a mountain, but knowing that he was pissed about some aspect that he heard of my evening's events, I knew he definitely wasn't going to like what I had to say about my little surprise in the back.

"You better have a pristine explanation for all of this, boy, or I swear on this club, not even your mother can save your hide from me."

I sighed as the awaited onslaught had begun. "Are you going to yell the whole time or are you going to at least let me say my piece?"

His eyes sharpened on me as he snarled. "Check who you're fucking speaking to with that attitude! I'm in no damn mood for your bullshit, not tonight! Not after what you've caused! "

I scanned the room as all the members stayed silent and stoic. Carver just shoved his hands in his pockets absent-mindedly and tried to look anywhere but at either of us. I quickly wondered if my situation had accumulated to something worse than I had anticipated when I left the scene in the cave. My anger that I attempted to quell all night —that could rival my father's any day—was rising again at a very fast pace.

My father made a terrifying noise as he exploded. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! DO YOU HAVE ANY REGARD FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS CLUB?! FOR OUR REPUTATION?!"

I spluttered at his accusation and his need to scream. My self-discipline was quickly cracking and my vision slightly blurred red, but I tried with every ounce of me not to become animalistic like my father always so easily allows himself to do. But of all the things he could have said to get at me, he said that.

"I am our reputation!" I snapped at him, holding back as best as I could solely out of respect for the men in the room and my own dignity. "I'm the fucking poster child for this club and I take my responsibility very seriously! You KNOW that!"

"Lately, I don't know anything with you, Austin!"

"STOP."

A calm demanding voice suddenly interrupted me and my father's quickly escalating argument, silencing both of us. Pissed that we were interrupted, we both searched to see who the brave soul was, ready to tear them a new one. But we simmered when we saw it was Nate rising from his chair. "Mike, why don't you just cool down for a moment? I think it's best if we all hear what happened from Austin's mouth first before we go out of control here."

Nate Smith, Covenant's VP, spoke up against my father who, if Nate were anyone else, would be dead the instant they said a word to either of us in our enraged states. But this was part of Nate's job as vice—like the unbiased mediator, he had immunity to reel everyone in when the anger takes over in any way possible, and no one could say anything about it.

Not even the President of the club and his highly lethal son.

My dad was nothing if not resistant though. "Don't tell me to cool down, this is my club. I know what's at stake. I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE THIS WAY!" He glared towards me. "But for his sake, I'll give him five minutes." My dad's breath stayed shallow as he grunted and gave his back to me to face the window, his arms tightly crossed against his chest.

"Okay." Nate turned to me as I tried to keep a hold on myself but it was getting almost impossible. His expression was full of disappoint and it sickened me. I hated being looked at like I did something wrong. I growled in annoyance and fury, my father's mood and this whole god damn night quickly starting to visibly show on me. Clearly, there was something else bugging my dad for him to blow up on me this big. Well, bigger than usual. "Aust, you have the floor. Use it wisely; you're on pretty thin ice it seems."

"I understand, thanks." I spat rudely. All eyes then fell on me to speak. "Okay, first off, how did you guys find out everything so soon? It just happened like less than an hour ago…"

I heard my father rumble something crude from his throat. I squeezed my eyes to stop myself from retaliating. What's really happened that's pissing him off? Is it because of Fury's involvement through Marco? Did he know I had my witness still alive in the backroom maybe? At the thought of her, I quickly tried to dismiss her from my thoughts. She was the last thing I should be thinking about right now. She fucking caused all of this.

"Dom Di Santis contacted your dad, kid."

"WHAT?!"

I was totally caught off guard with that news. I rounded on Kevin Brookes who had spoke up to answer my question from the seat to my left. A true blood like myself, he was a direct descendant of the Deadwood Originals that started Covenant. In fact, most of the council was, in some form or another.

He looked intently at me as I looked incredulously at everyone else in shock. They all nodded their heads and said small things in agreement. My father looked like he was about to snap the closest standing person in half. I realized then amidst my disbelief, that this must be what's got him all riled up. He had heard of my fuck up from the President of Hell's Fury shoving it at him. Dom Di Santis. Marco's father. I tightened my hands in fists.

"Yeah, rubbed it right in his face too of how his kid Marco beat you at your own game tonight like it was nothing." Someone else spoke up.

"Told us everything, Aust." Said another.

Kevin took lead again. "Yeah, even right down to how he killed your assignment and left you there with the body and a witness to boot." He shook his head. "Worst part is, after he said some garbage about how there was no way for even you to get out of the situation they put you in, he had the balls to brag to your dad about how if it was so easy to pull something over on you, whose reputation surpasses anyone's, than it's going to be easy to do to Deadwood Covenant as a whole."

I was shaking in rage, speechless from what I was hearing and seething with all my hatred towards the Di Santis family. I hated Hell's Fury for playing fucking cheap and dirty. I hated them for antagonizing and goading my father with novice tactics. This was getting out of hand and I was losing patience fast.

My father took my anger-bubbling silence as his opportunity to speak up again. He thrusted his finger accusingly at me.

"You're fucking lucky that little shit Marco and the prick that spawned him made a rookie mistake and threw around their victories, or else I wouldn't have been able to retaliate so quickly and you'd be rotting in jail right now!" He roared, getting everyone's attention once more. "If it wasn't for Carver here coincidentally being on the scene already for that party shut down tonight with his phone handy, that body would still be there and their stupid little plan to get you out of the picture for good might have actually worked! You already know the cops are just dying to lock you up!"

"I fixed it, Austin. The cave is spotless and the body's currently in the trunk of my cruiser. I'm going to dispose of it once I leave here, but..." Officer Carver who has decided to speak for the first time paused. "It was a close one. Really close."

The vein in my father's neck pulsated to an inhumanely fast beat. He clenched all his muscles and went stiff again as he lowered his voice and eyes threateningly. "Boy, you're good at what you do for this club but with this whole dealer's assignment, you're really starting to get out of control and sloppy as hell, putting us all at risk! You better stop this now before it's too late because so help me god, I will die before I let you drag the rest of us and all that your grandfather built down with you!"

His last words boomed across the room and slightly stung me but more so pissed me off, since he hasn't even let me say my side of the story. I respected him for his authority and usually, he isn't this out of control with me but when it came to the club and its business, especially when involving Fury, family was the last thing on either of our minds. He was just so pissed of being provoked by Fury that he didn't care about the minor details. The club's authority was everything to him.

An eerie silence and very heavy audible breathes was all that anyone could mange right now. No one moved to speak. I stood there, boundlessly fuming from everything that was being relayed to me. I didn't think my night could become anymore of a hell than it was. But I was clearly wrong. My limits were breached as far as they could possibly go without breaking and opening the flood gates of my pure wrath upon everyone and everything. Something needed to be done.

I had to explain myself.

"You don't understand. None of you." I hissed from between my teeth. "I had everything under control. It was all going according to plan; Devon was as good as dead. But as I was about to kill him, I realized I had been breached and someone was watching me from the shadows." The table erupted into silent murmurs. My father, cold as stone, stayed silent as he watched me. I went on to settle the men. "I was careless, I know. But it's not like it isn't a risk we all have to factor in when going out on any job. So obviously, I was going to kill Devon, silence my witness and clean up my loose ends. But before I could even breathe, everything fell out of my control! Marco fucking ambushed me out of nowhere and next thing I know, I was left with a dead body, a hysteric girl, and cops five seconds away from me! The situation couldn't have set itself up more perfectly!" My breathing was so heavy; I wouldn't be surprised if the door guard and the men outside the room could hear me. I stared straight at my father, who didn't move to speak but his eyes told me everything he was thinking.

"IT WAS NOT MY FAULT! It was all a very shitty matter of wrong place, wrong time and it just happened to work out exactly for Marco and his pack of ass sniffers! It doesn't mean I'm losing my touch!" I was practically panting.

"I am not sloppy." I said. "I know what I am doing, god dammit!"

"Austin—" Nate called on me to try and gain my attention before I fully flew off the handle.

"Shut up, Nate!" I growled deeply in his direction, finally hitting my boiling point. "This is fucking retarded! I've had it up to here with Hell's Fury getting involved in our business and with the stupid little games they're playing! I will not let my reputation get shit on by twisted stories and cheap set-ups!"

"Where is she now?"

My father's voice was so silent and different from before as he interrupted me, but instead of the loudness of it, it was like all his anger and agitation took it away and replaced it with a deathly low tone that I couldn't decide if it was more intimidating than his shrieking.

"Who?" I questioned stubbornly, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

"Don't play dumb, Austin. The witness. What did you do with her?"

"He silenced her indefinitely, probably. That's what's supposed to be done." Nate said to my father. They looked at each other and shared something unspoken, the both turned to look at me, making me uncomfortable with their inquisition. I refused to look at my father but Nate's expression changed to one that looked slightly confused as he gouged me. "I am right…right?"

I became absolutely frozen solid, knowing soon they would catch on. I tried to the best of my ability to hide my panic from everyone in the room, especially my dad. It wasn't so hard, I was good at it, but after the exhaustion of the night, my walls were too weak to properly barricade and hide myself behind. I knew that the whole point of me deciding to bring her here was to allow the men to decide if she would live or not. And I had accepted that, telling myself she was just a stupid girl who deserved whatever she got as long as it was far from involving me anymore.

Until now.

It was a gut wrenching reality now as all the men stared me in the face. The whole table watched me suspiciously when I didn't instantly move to refute Nate's accusation and I could see them slowly snapping the pieces together, small flashes of confusion and angered astonishment running across all their features. The club's view on having witnesses in any situation involving the club were perfectly clear;

A dead man can't speak of what he sees.

A small part of me thought that the council might have let her live and let her go home if I presented my story well enough for them. For all incentive purposes, she really was innocent. But after the phone call from Di Santis and all the harboured pent up anger for Fury being released at the notion of Covenant being so outwardly challenged like this tonight, I knew she was just as dead as Devon was. She was a liability and liabilities were lose ends.

I did not anticipate this meeting going like this at all.

My father's eyes widened and he curled his lip menacingly. "Answer. Him. Where is she, Austin?" I started at him expressionless, my face a blank slate. Never in my life have I not had my answers for people planned out 3 or 4 steps ahead. I was always pre-prepared. But right now, in this moment, I didn't have a clue on how to answer him properly.

And I blamed her.

He gaped and sucked in air sharply as the final pieces fell into place. "She's here, isn't she?"

I clenched my jaw at his accuracy. I guessed my face instantly showed some form of recognition, because my father knew, there was no denying it now. I can't figure out for the life of me why I'm unable to form any plan, idea, or excuse…I'm frozen solid with a hard look on my face.

It was like my body already knew and was preparing before my mind even registered anything.

"ARE YOU COMPLETELY BRAIN DEAD!? NOT ONLY DID YOU NOT KILL THE WITNESS BUT YOU BROUGHT HER ONTO CLUB PROPERTY?!" he bellowed. "DO YOU WANT US ALL TO GO TO JAIL?! YOU COMPLETE IDIOT!"

"I BROUGHT HER HERE TO KEEP AN EYE ON HER UNTIL I COULD PASS A FUCKING VOTE ON IT, DAD! I HAVE NEVER BEEN PUT IN THIS HARD A SITUATION BEFORE, I NEEDED TIME!" I exploded.

"Oh really?! You couldn't have just KILLED her and saved yourself all this trouble and risk?!"

"I-I.." I was cut short. I didn't know how to answer. Why was Nate not stopping us?! Now would be a good time..

"YOU WHAT, AUSTIN?!" He hollered impatiently.

"I-I CAN'T! I JUST CAN'T!"

"WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?!"

And like his damn had finally ruptured, my father shoved Carver into the wall out of his way and charged me from his end of the room in the matter of 2 seconds. All the men at the table jumped from their seats and a frenzy seemed to have begun. Before I could process it and move to get away from his reach, my father grabbed my jacket roughly in fistfuls and slammed me to the wall. I grunted as he smacked me hard against it once more, mildly disorienting me.

"You listen to me, my son." He whispered venomously. "You have pissed me off for the last time tonight. Now, you are going to leave this room, you are going to go get this girl wherever you stashed her, and you are going to deliver a nice little bullet to her skull like you should have already done. Then you are going to create an alibi for this party and we can put your mess behind us. I will not be made a fool of by Hell's Fury! AM I CLEAR?!"

Time was frozen still. How dare he challenge me like this. In front of everyone.

There was only two people on this planet that would ever get away with putting their hands on me like this and besides my mother, who would never really dare to do something like this, the other was currently doing so right now. The only difference is if my father escalated soon, I wouldn't hesitate to retaliate. My father bore his raged eyes into my skull as I tried to look as unfazed as I could by his attempt to intimidate me. But suddenly, I felt a fresh flow of rage, a second wind that was so powerful that I didn't even know I could possess, build in the pit of my stomach. As my father gripped me, it started off slow but it was building fast, spreading to every inch of body. At first, I thought it was because he was man handling me like I was a child, not a twenty year old man, fully capable of challenging him if I was disrespectful enough. Then I thought it was because he was doing this all in front of our most trusted friends and club members, threatening my reputation and personal morals. But finally, as my father shook me and continued to bark shit at me that I couldn't hear do to the pounding of blood sounding off in the ears, I knew it was because he was forcing and physically pushing me over the edge to break a promise.

A promise I made to the girl.

Her pained voice echoed in my head as I remembered her silently asking me to keep her safe and it fuelled my rage like I had the strength of 10 men. I snapped my dark gaze at my dad.

I growled so deeply and aggressively, that it momentarily shocked my father enough for me to grab his hold on my leather jacket and grip him tightly back. But instead of shoving him off, I pulled him closer to me so I could look directly in his eye.

"I won't kill an innocent girl." I whispered vehemently back to him with anger-infused promise. "She may have been fucking stupid for not minding her own business, but she's just scared." I paused to emphasize my point. "I may be a monster, but I still have some morals. This is one of them, fuck what you or what anyone else thinks."

All the noise in the room coming from the protesting men trying to stop my father, shut up immediately. I had never in all of my years of being a part of this club refused to kill someone. It struck them all speechless.

And not even I knew the reason why I did so now.

I was telling myself it was because I made her a promise but I knew that wasn't fully it. I hated her so much for what she has indirectly done to me tonight and I couldn't wait to kick her the hell out of my life. But no matter what, I couldn't kill her. I just couldn't. And. I. Don't. Know. Why.

My father's pupils dilated at my outright refusal, engulfing his whole eyes in black, and with a deep rumble from his throat like the angry animal he is, he raised his hand high like he was preparing to strike me.

But before any one of us could tell him 'enough 'or I could push him away, the wooden doors of the meeting room burst open and in walked my grandfather and Charlie McCormick.

They were chuckling about something that was just said between them but both of their amused attitudes dropped the moment they sensed the high emotion in the room and took in the scene of my father trapping me against the wall. My grandfather locked eyes with me immediately.

"What the hell is going on here?" My grandpa Attie, the Creator of Deadwood Covenant, became serious and authoritative without a second wasted. He was 72 but still intimidated men like he was my age. Hell, like he was me. He attentively scanned the room, his button up flannel and jeans making him look like any regular dude, minus the riding jacket. All the council surrounding the table instantly sat down in silence and respect while I felt my father stiffen at the sight of his own father. Dez's grandpa, Charlie, glanced at the other men confusingly and tried to figure out what was happening. Obviously this kind of thing isn't what happens at usual meetings.

"Michael, Austin! What the bloody hell is wrong with you two?!"

Snapping out of our rage induced power trips, we both released each other with hard shoves and grunts, like we were two strangers in a bar fight or something. But nothing like a father and son.

Either way, there was no way in hell either of us was going to continue this in front of him.

"Hello, father. You always do have impeccable timing when it comes to this one." He spat at the both of us as he moved backwards to his seat, staring at me like he wished nothing more than to follow through with what was just interrupted.

I just stood there; blanking out my face once more, making it seem like I was bored and that nothing bothered me.

"What happened? Explain this right now." There was no arguing with him when he asked for something, especially in that quickly elevating tone of frustration of his. It seems none of us Moon's knew how to control our tempers.

"Why don't you ask you grandson." My father said as he sat in his seat and folded his hands, looking professional and deadly. "He's the reason for most of our problems nowadays, isn't he?"

I glared at my father, wishing I could just knock his lights out and call it a night.

"Without the commentary, Michael." My dad blinked but unruffled a bit at the request of his father. "Austin? Care to explain then?"

It took me a good 5 seconds before I turned my attention to my grandpa. He looked thoroughly confused. "My assignment got compromised tonight by some Fury members who have now decided to take their bullshit to the next level of interference in our affairs. They've stepped up to direct contact." I sighed, irritated. "So long story short, gramps? I was left with a body, a witness, and cops on my ass, forcing me to make a difficult decision that not everyone is agreeing on."

"I see." He tightened visibly at the mention of Fury. Grandpa loathes anything that has to involve them, especially their leading family. This rivalry was obviously age old and starting to get really personal.

He then looked at Carver with his scary grey eyes and the officer instantly froze. Not many people didn't fear grandpa. If anyone beats me in reputation stats, it's him.

"And why are you here, Luke? I'm assuming you dealt with this obviously or else Austin would be rotting in a cell right now, am I right?"

"Y-yes, sir. That's correct." He stuttered. "I handled the situation at the scene. It's like nothing was ever there. Wiped clean."

"Okay then." Grandpa looked at Charlie incredulously like he couldn't see the true issue and then turned to my father who still hadn't moved from his previous position in his seat. "So what is there still left to discuss then?" His voice rose slightly. He was becoming annoyed, I could tell. I remained still against my stance on the wall.

My father's face contorted. "HE LEFT HIS WITNESS ALIVE! HE BROUGHT HER HERE!"

Grandpa's eyebrows furrowed at hearing this, and appraised me with, not a disappointed feeling, but one that was just trying to find out the facts behind everything first. Everyone was still quietly listening and absorbing.

"Why would you do this, Austin?" His voice stayed surprisingly calm and even.

I growled. "I don't know, okay? I needed to buy myself some more time, I couldn't just kill her and run, leaving not one but TWO bodies behind on the scene! It would have made things worse! So I thought to bring her here and let the council decide what we should do with her like the organized club we are." I directed that last comment directly to my father's face with relish. He needed to realize my intentions and stop being so blinded by his bruised pride delivered from Dom Di Santis.

Grandpa nodded at my explanation. "It seems to me that you did what you needed to."

"Michael, what are you suggesting we do about this?" Charlie spoke up.

My dad huffed and I swear I could see steam come from his ears. But I could also tell he was trying to control the anger in his voice when he talked to Charlie. "I told him already, Charlie." He worded through his squeezed shut teeth. "He needs to get rid of her. She is a loose end that needs to be severed immediately."

"No."

Every single head twisted in the direction of my grandfather. Some weird sensation went through my chest.

"No what, dad?" My father was having a hard time not losing his cool again.

"We don't kill her. Not until I've seen her and assessed the situation myself. I will give the final verdict since we are having such a conflict over this one measly witness."

I cursed myself as I realized I let out a breath I didn't know I was harbouring for her and a massive amount of tension left me. The men in the room made murmuring comments but never moved to outwardly question grandpa.

"FINE." My father snarled keeping his eyes planted on the opposite wall, refusing to look at anyone unless he finally snaps again. Nate stared at my father, hoping he would see sense again. He never acted like this, only with me.

"Austin, come. Bring me to her." Grandpa said as he approached the door again. I moved to follow him, but not before I tried to see if my father would look at me again. I didn't mean for this to happen like this but he's relentless. He never listens to me when it comes to matters involving Hell's Fury.

As we walked out and began to make our way to the back room where she was, I couldn't help wondering if she was okay and how scared she must be.


Ally's POV

It had been over half an hour since Austin left me in this dark office room and I have not moved a muscle out of my position in fear that he would burst in any moment and kill her dead for trying to run. But I was dying of exhaustion, the escapades of tonight taking their toll.

I was surprising myself by not crying or even panicking anymore. I just sat on the red futon, curled with my knees to my chest and my arms wrapped tightly around them, anticipating what was going to happen next. Was I going to live? Was Austin going to keep his promise? Is he even to be trusted or was I just a complete moron?

I haven't prayed in a long time, but I did tonight as I sat in silence awaiting my fate, as Austin said. I prayed to God that I got home safe and that no one would try to hurt me. I also prayed that if I were to die, that it was quick and painless and it wasn't done by Austin's hand. For some reason, I felt this connection of trust to him—which is absolutely insane—but I did. And if he were to end me, I couldn't help feeling like I was being betrayed somehow.

My thoughts were interrupted by a faint noise of a key in a lock, and I froze still with baited breath. I released my tucked legs and planted them on the ground but remained seated. The door that Austin had previously exited out of suddenly opened and a large old man walked in tall, his white thinning hair standing out in the darkness. I squinted to see his face but I was scared nonetheless.

'Who are you? Are you here to kill me?" I questioned shakily.

Just when I began to entertain the idea that he was sent to kill me, I saw another shadow crowd the doorway and realized it was a familiar one.

"It's alright, Ally. No one's here to kill you." He stepped in next to the old man who just looked me up and down assessing. He made me nervous. In the little amount of light, I could still see the large increase of stress lines and tiredness adorning Austin's taught features. He remained against the door frame.

'Then what's going on? Who is he?"

"I'm no one really important…Ally, is it?"

"Yes." I whispered. I didn't know why out of all times possible, my energy depletion chose now to start to affect me. My limbs were becoming very heavy but I struggled to stay fully attentive.

He started to approach me, his light eyes still studying me. I cringed away by his closeness.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." He soothed. He stopped about two feet in front of me.

I looked up at him and he didn't look particularly scary. He was an old man, for Christ's sake. But something about him reminded me of Austin and the authoritative air that surrounded both of them that seemed to demand something. Obedience?

"You're right, Austin. She's just scared. Look at her, she's about to pass out." He then knelt down to my eye level, like Austin had done before but without all the menacing demeanour.

"Ally." He spoke rather sweetly. "I understand you saw something you shouldn't have tonight, am I correct?"

I gulped. All I could manage was a nod.

"And I hope you understand it's none of your business, yes?" I nodded robotically again.

"Then you can leave." I wanted to cry out in elation at his words. I'm not going to die.

"But," he went on a little more serious and harsher. His face was beginning to blur together in my vision. "If we come across the knowledge that you have told absolutely a single soul of what you witnessed tonight in Austin's company, I will revoke my mercy and you will not like the end results, I can assure you. Am I understood, Ally?"

His eyes bore into mine and he instilled more fear into me from one sentence than anything that I saw the whole night. My exhaustion overcoming me, my eyelids began to droop as I mustered the energy to answer him with as much conviction as I could. "I just want to go home." It was barely a whisper.

"Good." He was back to being gentler again. He got up from his position and offered his hand to help me rise from my seat. I hesitantly grabbed it but as I went to stand, I didn't realize how weak my body really was. My legs buckled beneath me.

But the old man caught me before I could crumble to the ground in fatigue, Austin suddenly beside me as well.

"You know what...Take her back to my place. she can barely stand and you don't know where she even lives. At least this way once she's rested and calmed by morning, I can talk more convincing sense into her to keep her mouth shut and make sure she isn't a problem. I'll take care of your father and the rest of the council. I don't see why this innocent girl has to die and if I don't, then they shouldn't either. So go, I'll follow along shortly.."

"Wait, what?! Are you crazy? But-"

"Just do it, Austin."

Through my faintly blurring vision, I saw Austin step beside me and put his arm around my body to support me.

"Let's go." He mumbled. But when I went to move, I barely made two steps as a surging head rush overcame me.

Austin grumbled something incoherent.

"Austin, just carry the damn girl. She's in no state to walk."

At his suggestion, I stiffened and began to protest as I saw Austin reach to knock my legs out from under me. But I guess I wasn't convincing because sure enough, he was soon scooping me up and holding me bridal style, his strong arms cradling me tightly to his chest like it was nothing. He looked down at me briefly with a strange expression and looked like he was the walking dead. I myself tried to stay awake but my weariness was pulling me down quick.

"Okay, go. Now—" The old man was cut off by the slamming open of the door. I lolled my head up from Austin's shoulder to see who it was, and felt Austin go completely hard as a board around me.

The scary man takes us all in slowly and nods, but the look on his face is thunderous but controlled.

"You have made your verdict then." His voice was deep and dark.

"I have. There is no reason for her to be disposed of. She just wants to go home, Michael. Probably to her family and loved ones. Once she's rested, I will talk to her again and then it will be like she never existed. So let her go."

The man, who bore an uncanny resemblance to both Austin and his grandfather, had eyes wide like dinner plates. It was clear he wanted to argue about this decision.

"And you are sure about this?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, Michael. She's harmless." He said it with finality. The man nodded again in strained acceptance and then through my grogginess, I saw him turn to look me dead in the eye. I gasped. He approached me in Austin's arms faster than I have ever seen anyone move.

He grabbed my face tightly between one of his hands and I cried out, weakly struggling with my last ounce of energy. Austin said something rude in protest, surprising me completely. His grip on my body so tight and firm that I thought he was going to squeeze me to death. I could tell he could only do anything if he released me to have his hands free, but he didn't seem to want to do that.

The man looked me closer in the eye as he turned my face forcefully. "You even think about breathing a word about what you saw tonight or what you think you know, I'll hunt you down and kill you myself before you can utter a dingle syllable. Do I make myself clear?"

I gulped. "Crystal." I breathed as sincerely as I could, trying not to sob and cry again.

"Good. Now get out. And pray you never meet me again." He let go when Austin jerked me quickly from the man's grasp and stepped back in case he did something else. But the scary blonde man just stormed from the room without looking back.

"Go." The old man whispered to Austin, as he too exited the room after the scary guy, looking at them once more.

Austin made a deep growling sound as he turned and carried me out the back down into the now nippy air. It seemed like it was fairly close to dawn or at least it felt that way. I was slipping in and out of consciousness and didn't even want to hold on any-more. I felt myself being jostled and juggled as Austin jogged lightly across the lot, hearing him swearing avidly about something along the way. I just tucked my head in his neck and shoulder, inhaling his scent and enjoying the warmth for as long as I could. I didn't know where I was going, I didn't know whose home I was being brought to, but all I understand was that I was alive for now and Austin had kept his promise to me somehow. I was so incoherent as I tried to stay awake, afraid of what would come with sleep, but it was like my body was going into to shut down mode.

Austin was now walking down the dark street back down towards where we first came. Maybe it was my head playing tricks with me and my over exhaustion fragmented things, but I could have sworn the last thing I heard before fully blacking out was him saying something to me, or himself. I wasn't sure.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing to me?"


No One's POV

Austin gently jimmey'd the guest bedroom door in his grandfather's house while holding tightly to the fast asleep girl in his arms, silent even breaths emitting from her parted lips. Ally had tried her hardest to stay alert and she fought it as best as she could but in the end, her fatigue overcame her and pulled her under. To be honest, Austin didn't know what his grandfather was thinking by bringing her into his home for the night. The man had finally gone insane. He personally just wanted to be rid of her and all the drama as soon as possible. Austin was glad his witness conked out from exhaustion back at the clubhouse, himself being too tired to muster up explanations and threats for her any more. Contrary to what everyone thinks, he needed time to recover too from whatever that was back there. If not from that, than from everything else that weighed him down that night.

He stepped quietly into the darkness of the room. In the dark, he took in the plain room and spotted the bed. Not wasting any time, he headed straight for it. As he moved to softly place her down on the blankets, she clung to him momentarily, her face digging into the crook of his neck involuntarily in refusal. And as her warm breath hit the exposed flesh around his jaw, he clenched his entire body at the weird sensation it emitted in him, having someone actually refusing to leave his embrace. It was a foreign feeling. He moved to pry her off of him instantly. Making a sleepy groaning noise as she curled into the comfort of the bed beneath her, Austin let out a huge gust of air as he ran his hands through his hair in a moment of relief, closing his eyes. He was finally done with her and now he could get the hell out of there and get back to his life, his world, that was a massive shitstorm from the trouble she caused. He had so much crap to get to, so many things that needed his attention back at the clubhouse. But despite all of the responsibilities he knew he had, despite every part of him screaming to jet it out of there and leave the rest to grandpa, all his system could seem to compute was to look down at the sleeping girl studiously. It was the first time he really saw the pretty girl. He saw how small and innocent she looked lying there and felt an odd and unknown satisfaction with himself for not killing her, which was a strange new feeling for him. But he knew deep down that for everything she had stirred up for him tonight, she didn't deserve a fate like Devon and Trey and was glad grandpa chose to spare her.

Before he knew better of what he was doing, he reached out timidly and removed her shoes from her feet placing them to the ground and gathered the duvet at the end of her bed around her body, securing it tightly around her. Astounded by the curiosity he had for this random girl, he even dared to tuck the stray hair away from her face and place the tiniest of feather-like caresses along her exposed cheek bone, its softness a stark contract to his rough calloused fingers. She sighed gently and mewled sleepy nonsense rather cutely.

"I told you I'd try and keep you safe. I don't break promises."

Once he soon caught himself automatically stupidly smiling at her child like gesture and thinking of how intriguing her innocence had been to him since he met her, he gathered what was left of his senses and suddenly stepped far away from her appalled of his ridiculous and uncharacteristic behaviour. Austin shook his head viscously like it would rid his thoughts of the weird directions they were going in. But he stood there confused as of where to go. Should he leave? Does he go back home and leave her with someone she isn't familiar with?

"Dammit."

He ground his teeth at his absurdity and at the fact that he even has to ask such dumb questions. But regardless of all the reasons saying to go home, he pulled up the large chair from the desk beside him and fell in it comfortably, onlooking her.

He was out like a light.


A/N:

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