Disclaimer: See former chapters. The only characters I own are Max, Miranda, and Aaron(Ashlocke's brother) And in this chapter Matt, Marisa, and Kyle ( cause I don't remember any of the names of Luke's friends. The Lake kids are from the show, that is what they were called.
A/N: I am trying to write these chapters as fast as I can without losing the integrity of the story. Thanks for all the reviews, they are very appreciated. So on to the story:
thoughts
Chapter 9: Conflicts.
Luke dropped off Sophia at her house. She kissed him before she got out of the car. He wanted to stay, but had to talk to Presley, and after that was over, tell the Hill kids that they were going to help him, help Sophia's friend. As he turned down the road heading to the lake, he wondered why Sophia cared so much for this guy, but stopped it there. He trusted Sophia, and trust was something he wasn't good at. In fact, he had never trusted anyone, not even Presley.
The Hill kids, as they like to call themselves, where teenage Skinwalkers looking for trouble and always finding it. There was always a party going on, every night. Luke parked his car and got out. He could see Presley hanging out under a tree with some of their friends. He walked over, his stomach starting to turn in knots, he was sure Presley would freak out. He didn't care if he hurt her, she wasn't that important to him, he was afraid that she would go after Sophia.
"Hey Luke, where you been man?" asked Matt.
"Ah, you know around. Presley can I talk to you a minute?"
"Sure, be right back guys."
"Hey Luke, before you go off and do you little thin with Presley here, I need to ask you something." said Kyle.
"OK, what?"
"Can you give me a ride to school tomorrow, my car kinda got towed."
"Sure, I'll pick you up at 7 in the morning."
"Thanks, and can you pick up my girl Marisa too?"
"OK, no problem."
"Thanks Luke" said Marisa as she came up behind Kyle. Kyle lifted his arm up and put his arms around her.
"Your welcome, look I need to talk to you guys tonight about something so don't leave before I get a chance to talk to you."
"OK, Luke, we will be right here."
"Good, Presley, you want to walk with me?"
"Sure."
"OK, Presley, you probably already know this, but I am telling you in person, you have probably no doubt heard that I am hanging out with Sophia a lot lately."
"Yeah, I heard, but it's OK, I understand, but it's nothing right? You don't love her or anything, right? Just having a good time."
"No, it is more than that, I want to be with her."
"The half-breed?" she fell silent as Luke eyes lit up with anger.
"Don't you ever call her that! Do you hear me?"
"Yeah, I hear you." she said as she turned her back to him for a minute. She turned back around to face him. Her eyes lit up with anger, and she reached back and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground, "But can you hear me? No one takes my place in your bed, and lives to brag about it." In a split second she had changed into a wolf and ran off. She was heading for Sophia!
He looked back at his friends, "After her! Stop her!" he said as he and all his friends changed into wolves and ran off after Presley.
John Kanin had one more shot at finding out the truth. He had to find Sherman Blackstone. He had ridden his motorcycle to the school, but Sherman was already gone, he wasn't home, either. He was riding past the diner and sitting out front was none other then Sherman Blackstone.
The diner was still being rebuilt, and the owner was trying to make due, by serving his customers out side. John slowed down and pulled into the parking lot. John didn't like being back at the diner. He had been there 3 days ago when the guy came crashing through the front. John took off his helmet, and got off his bike to walk over and talk to Mr. Blackstone. It was time for him to bluff his way to the truth.
"Good evening, Sherman."
"Evening."
"What you having?" as he sat down at Blackstone's table.
"Don't know, still deciding. Are you supposed to be in Seattle?"
"Yeah, but I needed to get something before I left."
"Hungry?"
"Yeah for some answers."
"About what?"
"Why didn't you tell me the truth about Wolf Lake."
"Truth?"
"Yeah, I know everything. Believe me, I was shocked. Then again, maybe you don't know what I am talking about."
"Who told you?" "Vivian Cates."
"Then you telling the truth, you do know the truth. And yeah I do know, almost made me leave Wolf Lake when I found out too."
"Why didn't you?"
"Cause they needed me to be their doctor slash friend. Someone they knew would keep their secrets. And for the most part, I kept that trust."
"So there has been a time when you betrayed the secret?"
"No, never betrayed the secret. I did however ..you remember that call you got while you were searching for Ruby?"
"Yeah ....it was you?"
"Yeah, when Ruby first returned to Wolf Lake, I saw a look in her eyes, I didn't like seeing. I remembered her as a child, so full of life, and then her mom died, and Willard married Vivian. Then there was Tyler Creed, he was the one who came to get Ruby while she was in Seattle, the hand you found, undoubtedly some poor sap he killed." Sherman said noting the surprise on John's face. "What she didn't tell you that?"
"No," he said realizing he had to keep it up, cause if Sherman realized that John was lying, he might never find Ruby. But it was already too late, cause the way that Sherman was looking at him, told him the gig was up.
"Nice try."
"Look, I'm sorry OK? I just want the truth."
"Oh, You know I am not that hungry, enjoy your trip back to Seattle." he said as he got up and walked to the curb, and started walking down the sidewalk toward his home, he was half way home, when a motorcycle pulled up beside him. It was John Kanin. "You are going the wrong way for Seattle Mr. Kanin."
"I know, but you said you almost left Wolf Lake when you found out the truth. What did you mean ? " "I did, and I had a feeling you were smart enough to catch it." as he looked down the road to make sure no one was coming. "And before you leave Wolf Lake, there is something you need to know. The truth about Wolf Lake. Surely, you have realized that people are a little strange here."
"As a matter of fact."
"There are those among us who can move at will between the world of the wolves, and the world of the humans. My people call them Skinwalkers."
"What? Are you telling me that the people of Wolf Lake, are wolves?" he said in total disbelief at what he was hearing.
"Not all of them, but most."
"Ruby?"
"Yes, she is a Skinwalker, which means she wasn't supposed to leave Wolf Lake, ever, much less fall in love with an ungulate."
"A what?"
"Ungulate, that is what the Skinwalkers call us, humans. They tracked her down in Seattle, and brought her back here. And you, have seen her." noting the look of doubt on John's face, he added, "you remember the white wolf, that you have encountered several times since arriving in Wolf Lake?"
"Yeah ...wait !"
"Correct."
"Why didn't she tell me?"
"Cause, she was afraid of how you would react."
"I can't believe this. I need time to think."
"I am sure you do. Don't take to long though."
John put his helmet back on, and drove off, his mind spinning at what Sherman had just told him.
Sophia was sitting on her front porch in the porch-swing reading her book, when she heard the noise off to her right. With her new ability to shift into a wolf, also came the senses of the wolf. She could sense the danger as it approached. As an instinct, she put her book down and shifted into a wolf. Just as she did, she noticed that her vision was more keen like looking through night-vision goggles. She sensed the wolf, before she saw it. And more importantly, she knew who it was, Presley.
Luke must have told her, and from the anger she could feel coming from Presley, who was just staring at her from the drive-way, she didn't take it well. Presley changed out of wolf form, and stood before Sophia, naked. She walked toward Sophia.
"So you finally flip, huh? And you decided you could have Luke?"
Sophia stayed in wolf form. She somehow knew that she couldn't reason with Presley.
"Oh, so know you are afraid, you little half-breed? I'll give you something to be afraid of." she says as she shifts back into a wolf and rushes at Sophia.
Sophia wasn't ready for this, she had never been in a fight in her life, much less fought with a wolf. Sophia yelped as claws made contact with her face. She had to do the best she could to defend herself, so she let her instincts take over. She lunged at Presley teeth first and pushed Presley over onto her back. Presley yelped as Sophia's teeth clamped down on the side of her face, and ripping what felt like a chunk out of her face. Presley wasn't really expected this much of a fight, especially from someone who up to 4 days ago, wasn't even a wolf.
Sophia grabbed Presley by the neck, and sunk her teeth in, she tried to ignore the sensation running through her body as the blood trickled down her throat. She was almost lost in the sensation when she felt Presley pull free, leaving her fur and blood in Sophia's mouth.
With blood dripping from her wound, Presley for an instance almost gives up, until the anger at being replaced as the Alpha males mate, ignited her anger. She lashed out at Sophia again, this time it was Presley who got the upper hand, by grabbing Sophia by the neck, but unlike Sophia, Presley knew how to finish of her enemy after she got to this point......
Sophia yelped in pain in her neck. It felt like her neck was on fire, she could feel the blood trickling down her white fur. She was loosing strength in her legs, and her head was writhing in pain. Finally her legs gave out, and she fell to one side. All her struggling to get free, was for nothing .....it was over.
Goodbye dad .....goodbye Luke....... as she closed her eyes. Just as she gave up, she felt Presley release her, and she faintly heard Presley yelp in pain. She was to tired to get up, she could faintly hear yelling......
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Finishing your little half-breed off!"
As she finally gave in and closed her eyes.
Presley could taste the blood of her enemy as it trickled down her throat. She could also sense the life leaving Sophia, just a few more minutes and it would be all over. Luke was hers, and no half-breed was going to change that. She was so busy finishing off her enemy, that she hadn't sensed danger as it approached her, until she felt a hand on her. She felt the pain as the hand grabbed her injured neck. The pain was so severe, that she released her hold on Sophia. She felt the strength in the hand, and all at once she was flying through the air, landing painfully on her side. She slowly got up, she glanced back towards the porch, and her eyes laid on the motionless wolf on the porch. And her anger grew more intense as her eyes laid upon the naked figure as he checked the wolf out ......Luke!
Presley shifted out of wolf form, and approached Luke. But he turned around, the look in his glowing eyes told her not to come any closer to him.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Finishing your little half-breed off!"
"I told you to never call her that!" he said as he walked off the porch till he was standing right in front of Presley. "Who do you think you are? I am the leader of this pack, not you!" he said as he slapped her across the face.
Presley looked up, stunned. Luke had never shown this kind of anger towards her before. She felt the blood rushing to her face. The look in his eyes made it official, she had been replaced, as the leader's mate. She would never be the next in line to rule Wolf Lake, upon the death of the alpha female, Luke's mother.
"Fine, if you want her, have her, dead!" as she lunged towards where Sophia was laying, already near death. Before she knew it, she found her way blocked, by Luke. And the rest of the Hill kids. They were standing between Presley and Sophia. A sound behind Luke, alerted them to the fact that Sophia was waking up. Luke moved around the others to get to her.
"Sophia? It's Luke, you OK?"
Sophia whimpered, and before his eyes, changed back to human. "Yeah, I think."
"We can get you to the hospital, you will be fine." as he looked at Presley. He lifted Sophia in his arms, and walked her off the porch towards the front of the group. "Everyone, there is a change in power. Sophia is my mate, now and forever. You will do everything in your powers to protect, the next alpha female."
"Luke? Don't do this!"
"Presley, I already did. From the moment I made up in my mind that Sophia was mine, you never had a chance. And if you ever lay a hand on her again, I will not hesitate to kill you!" as he pushed be her, and headed into the woods with Sophia. Seeing as how they were both naked, he couldn't take a chance that they would be seen.
Presley watched as the others walked past her, not even looking at her. They once feared her cause she was the next in line to succeed Vivian Cates. Now she was just another easy lay.
Sherman Blackstone was sitting in his living room, thinking about the events of the day. He had told John everything, he could only hope he wasn't too late, for Ruby's sake. He heard a knock at the door.
"Coming! .........whose there?"
"Luke ....hurry up, she's hurt!"
Sherman could hear the panic in Luke's voice. As he opened the door, only to see Luke standing there naked, holding a nude, and bleeding Sophia
"What happened?" as he moved aside to let Luke in. Luke carried Sophia over and laid her on couch. Sherman walked over and covering Sophia with a blanket started examining the wound in her neck. "Luke? What happened? Who did this to her?"
"Presley! Will Sophia be OK?"
"Yes .....I need to mix some herbs to make a salve for her wound. She will need to rest for a few days before she can leave, I will call her dad, and let him know she is here."
"OK, do you need me to find any of the herbs for you?"
"No, I can do that. Would help me, if you put this robe on though, very distracting ," he said as he walked out the door.
Luke walked over and picked up the robe. AS he was putting it on, he heard Sophia moaning, "Sophia, it's going to be OK, we are at Professor Blackstone's, he will fix you up."
"Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"Why am I naked?"
"Cause wolves can't wear clothes."
"Oh, right I remember now, Presley attacked me." she said, her voice so low, it sounded like she was whispering."Where is she," she said as her fear caught up with her, and she sat straight up, almost knocking Luke off the couch. She looked around.
"It's OK, she isn't here, you are safe. Calm down. She will never hurt you again."
"She will never let you go."
"She has no choice, I never promised her that she was going to my permanent mate."
"Luke? Are you sure? Cause I am not."
"I am, cause she knows that I love you, and will,kill her if she tries to hurt you again."
"You would?"
"Yes, now lay back, and try to rest. Mr. Blackstone will be back in a minute with the herbs to make the salve, that will heal you. And if it is like the other ointments he makes, it will stink, so sleep while you can." he said has she closed her eyes.
Elsewhere in a car driving to Wolf Lake......
"Emma you OK? You seem unusually quiet." said Brennan.
"Yeah, I am fine, just thinking." said Emma.
"Shal will be find, we will get to her in time."
"Oh, I know, it's not that ......it's just..."
"What? Come on Em, you have been acting weird every since we left Sanctuary. You can talk to me, you know."
"Yeah, I know. Brennan, I am just having trouble trusting Adam right now, among other things .... things I just don't ..... don't understand."
"Look I know how you feel as far as trusting Adam goes, I mean I have never fully trusted him, you know that. But him keeping the secret about Ashlocke's brother, that was the end of the line for me."
"Yeah, me too. It would make it easier if he had told us month ago, and would tell us everything now, instead of hiding something still."
"What do you mean still?"
"I got the feeling he was still keeping something from us," she said as she looked out the car window. "Something big."
"Well, when we get back, you, me and Shal will get to the bottom of it. But for know, try not to worry. We have been through worse and made it through, right?"
"Right." she said as she smiled. She liked it when Brennan showed his softer side. She wished he did it more often. She even thought of putting the thought in his head, but always changed her mind, cause Brennan was soft has he could be, and strong as she needed him to be.
Back at Sanctuary .......
Adam had been staring at his computer for what seemed like hours. Apparently, thanks to the Dominion, Adam had lost Michael for a second time. Adam for the last 6 months of looking for Michael, had one goal in mind. The best way for him to be protected from Ashlocke, was to let Michael be part of Mutant X. But now it would be nearly impossible, cause he would lose the other members of Mutant X, if he brought the guy who killed Jesse in to join the team. Adam wasn't even sure he could deal with that constant reminder. He hears his cell phone start ringing and walks over to the kitchen to pick it up off the counter.
"Hello."
"Hi Mr. Kane."
"Michael? Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me. Hope you don't mind me calling you."
"No, not at all. Are you OK?"
"Yeah, I am fine. Thanks for sending that Lexa after me."
"Your welcome, are you in a safe-house?"
"Not exactly." a voice said behind Adam. Adam turned around to see young man about 27 years old. Black hair slightly curly standing there. Except for the black hair, he looked nothing like Ashlocke, even his eyes were different. Gabe's eyes were blue, Michael's were almost black. Standing behind him was Lexa, with a grin on her face.
"Michael, how? Oh, never mind, come here," he said he walked over and embraced the young man. It had been years since Adam had seen the boy, now a man. He had seen the accident photos, but knew that Michael had changed his appearance .Michael was able to shift his appearance to appear to look any way he wanted.
"Great to see you again, Adam. Lexa was nice enough to bring me here. Nice place you have."
"Great to see you again too. Yeah, this place is alright." Adam said looking back at Lexa, secretly wondering what her true intentions were. "Lexa, how did you talk the Dominion into letting you bring him here?"
"Well, what they know, won't hurt 'em. Besides I remember how you cared for him, the same way I feel about Leo."
"Yeah, so are you two on the way to a safe house?"
"Yeah, Lexa says I will feel right at home there. I hope I don't feel at home there, home has never been safe for me." he said with a smirk.
"Well, this one will be, I checked it out." said Lexa. "Adam you mind if take a walk around for old time sakes. Give you two a chance to catch up."
"Sure, make your self at home. Thanks Lexa." he said secretly proud of himself for changing the computer security codes. Meaning all his secrets would be safe, for the time being anyway. He watched as Lexa walked away toward to hall where her room used to me, the one that now belonged to Emma.
"So, Adam, look Lexa told me about Jesse, I am so sorry. If I had known he was there, I wouldn't have gone through with my orders."
"I know you wouldn't have, but if you don't mind me asking, what were orders exactly?"
"Gabe called me into his lair, oh sorry, his room. He told me I was going to Wolf Lake, and that when he gave me the word, I was to crash through the front of the diner."
"How did he know when to give you the word."
"He said he had a contact in Wolf Lake that would let him know when his target had arrived. Hey, wait a min ...you don't think .....Jesse?"
"Yeah, I think Jesse was the target. I wasn't sure, but now I am."
"Adam, I don't know what to say. I know it sounds weird, but I became a Link, to hide from Gabe's evil. But I failed."
"You did what you had to do, Michael. You are nothing like him."
"How can you say that? I killed Jesse!"
"You remember him don't you?" asked Adam, as he donned on him that Michael had known Jesse. They received treatments together years ago when they were kids.
"Yeah, I do. You don't know it, but me and Jesse talked a lot about our lives. I told him about my brother, told him more, than I even told you. In turn he told me about his family, how is family treated him like he had the plague. He was the first first kid my age that I let see me use my power. He was my friend. And I did the worse thing possible to him. How can you say I am not like my brother?!?"
"Cause you did it, not knowing. Gabe does evil with full knowledge of the pain he is inflicting. He gets off on hurting others, while you feel remorse."
"It will take time for me to believe that. But enough of that, before Lexa comes back, you need to know something. You are in danger, I overheard Gabe talking about it."
"Danger? From who? Ashlocke?"
"No, not from him. He said that one of the Links, Miranda, came back with news that the word underground was that you were in danger. That someone was going to kill you. I don't know who, just wanted to give you the heads up."
"Thanks, I will call some of my contacts and see what I can find out about this threat."
"Adam, there is one more thing. While I was with the Dominion, I overheard some guy tell Lexa that your son was in danger. I didn't know you had a son."
"Yeah, I do. I thought it was a secret till now. Did they say how he was in danger?"
"Yeah, they said something like ...he was to be killed when he gets to the safe house. Is your son a mutant?"
"Yes, he is. Michael, I don't know how to tell you. But my son ....is ...you."
"What? How is that possible, I was 6 before I even met you."
"There are 7 years difference between you and Gabe. When I first started working on Gabe, he was a 6 months old. His parents marriage was rocky, and they separated. Your mother and I started seeing each other, they in the mist of getting divorced. She found out she was pregnant, and he stopped the divorce out of anger at her affair. I kept quiet to protect her, and myself."
"I can't believe this, but I know you. You wouldn't lie to me. Does Gabe know?"
"No, that I am sure of."
"Wait, if I am your son, then that means they are going to kill me, when I get to the safe house."
"No, I won't let them, I will make arrangements somewhere else for you. But you need to change your appearance again."
"No problem, I can do that in my sleep."
"OK, phase through the wall here, and wait till Lexa leaves."
"What is on the on the other side of the wall?"
"Jesse's room."
"OK, please hurry." he said as he put his hand on the wall, and slowly slide through. What he faced when he got into Jesse's room was hard for him to see. On the coffee table by his bed, was a photo of the two as kids. He had forgotten all about that.
Jesse, I am so sorry man. I broke my promise to you. I promise to never hurt you the way your family did, well I hurt you worse.
Back in the kitchen .....
"Adam .....who has my old room now?"
"Emma does. Why?"
"Like what she did with it. Looks like I was never there."
"It was your choice to leave."
"No it wasn't and you know it. I chose to work with the Dominion for two reasons, Leo and that the fact that they deactivated this thing." she said as she lifted up her long black hair to expose her neck. Adam cringed when he saw the governor there. He could kill Mason Eckhart for what he did to Lexa.
"I know, I'm sorry."
"Yeah, whatever. Where's Michael?" looking around.
"He left. Said he could find the safe house on his own."
"What! Sorry Adam I have to go." she said as she started walking fast toward the garage area, but before she left the room she was at a dead run.
Adam waited till he was sure Lexa was gone, and then walked to Jesse's room. He hadn't been in there since Jesse's death. He took a deep breath before opening the door. But what he saw, tore his heart out, all over again. In the floor, huddled in a ball, crying was Michael.
Adam walked over to Michael and sat down on the floor beside him. Took his son in his arms and held him.
"I killed him ...I killed him." he repeated over and over.
"Michael, calm down. You didn't mean to kill him."
"I wish I could go back ....and kill Gabe instead!" he said as he pulled away from Adam, sitting up with his back to the bed. "Adam you have to help me, I have to make it right. Help me find Ashlocke."
"Michael, he will kill you." but then he looked in Michael's eyes. And there he saw the same determination that he saw in Shalimar's eyes when she wanted something. The same look he saw in Brennan face when he was angry. "OK, let's find him, together!"
"Thanks ....dad."
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