Chapter 36
Trigger warning: a character bites their lip and causes themselves to bleed in order to ground themselves. So? Self-harm trigger. Not a thing that they want to feel pain. But it's there.
Cat had already locked the shambles of a door behind her by the time any of the vampires were even aware of her presence. "I don't remember giving you permission to wound or apprehend one of my pack!" She threateningly cracked the knuckles on her right hand as her left thumb traced over a tarnished gold ring on her left forefinger, her hands at her side.
"Step off wolf! This isn't any of your business!" Leslie learned her words were a mistake in an instant, Eve's cruel hand nearly beheading her progeny, cracking several vertebrae.
Cat would have snorted at the way the woman now more ragdoll than vampire collapsed to the floor if the act hadn't been so violent. Even as someone who considered the vampires an antagonist at best, the morose crack of bones completely severing was painful.
Gayle licked her lips, feeling a fight oncoming; she had always wondered what it would be like to rip out a shifted wolf's heart as it was still beating. Never mind how strong she might be, there are two of us and this wolf may be able to change at will but she certainly is no alpha, She thought misguidedly. Completely unaware of a wolf's shifted power and speed.
"I asked you a question." Cat instinctively knew who the leader was without having met this small murder. "And all but murdering your subordinate? And besides being idiotic and an abhorrently transparent attempt to present a facade that you are stronger than you really are, it is not an answer. It is simply proof that you are a coward." Cat's thumb brushed over the ring more as she felt the threat of a fight becoming more tangible with each moment that the vampires did not step down.
"Why you!" Gayle made a show of licking her lips. "I'm going to enjoy ripping the flesh from your bones!" She was only stopped by the feeling of her leader's nails nearly claws cutting into her jugular.
"Do you enjoy having a head on your shoulder?" Eve threatened.
"Remove your hand, or I will rip it off." Gayle choaked.
"So weak you can't even keep a single troupe in line?" Cat criticized, knowing it would only rile the vampire up, almost wishing for a clash at this point. She knew if worse came to worst she could still defend her position after they had threatened not only two pack members, but also a pack member's mate.
Eve ground her teeth, choosing to break Gayle's windpipe instead of killing her as she wished.
Alex trembled, the violence not entirely new, however still capable of striking her with fear.
"Threats, empty threats, a common bargaining technique." Eve waved the defense as Gayle struggled to breathe, clutching at her throat in pain.
"Sounded like a lot more than simple empty threats." Cat allowed muscles to swell threatening an oncoming turn.
"Well, you have my sincerest apologies for the misconception." Eve felt as if she would have to carve off each and every square inch of her own skin after this in order to exile this wretched stomach wrenching weight of weakness. She despised yielding to this common mut, however, she knew it would be her only choice if she wished to leave with her progeny alive. Eve knew it would be close but that no matter what she would likely be able to escape the elder wolf; even if it meant garnering some more than most wounds. However the same could not be said for her younger progeny. Leslie was still all but a baby in comparison to her maker, and disgustingly overconfident in her abilities as a vampire. It was a truly dangerous thing to think that she was so much stronger than she actually is, and Eve knew it all too well. She silently wished she could say she didn't enjoy something of the gnarly crack of Leslie's spinal cord, but in truth she adored it. The loud noise of Bones and ligaments tearing and cracking did nothing but awaken her craven hunger. This hunger awakening did nothing to assist in keeping her head clear as she attempted to maintain a level head to fight for her squadron's lives. "Now, I would truly appreciate it if you allowed me to escort my associate to a meeting she must make." Eve maintained her politician-esque restraint and impartiality as she gestured to the quivering Alex.
"No." Cat stood firm. "You will walk out now or the three of you will leave in Alex's dust devil."
"Again I am so sorry for the miscommunication." Eve's words were clearly infuriating Gale as she continued to choke on her own collapsed throat. "But we wish no harm, to you. So please allow us to go on our way.*
"I won't let you hurt one of my pack members!"
"Yes. Yes, I understand. Which is why we will take Alex and leave the two upstairs alone." Eve offered.
"You will not touch a member of my pack. Especially Alex." Cat growled, a snout forming.
"W… What?"
"You heard me." Cat could feel fur growing.
"Alex is no wolf, we have every right to do with or to her as we wish without you weighing in on vampire affairs."
"Are you sure? I can see her marking from here." Cat argued, apathetic to the truth she already knew; that Alex was not a wolf and she would not be turning at the next moon. However, Cat gave no care to whether or not Alex was or would be a wolf. She only cared that Alex was special to both Sam and Ruby; that Alex was family to multiple pack members, and therefore she was family to the pack; undeniably a member.
"I'm not an idiot. I can tell that the reek of mut on her isn't her own. I can tell she has been scented by her mate." Eve countered.
"I don't care. She is one of mine. And you can't take her."
"She isn't a wolf, and she has betrayed us. If you impede our business I will have to stop you."
"She is of my pack. Touch her and I will not hesitate to rip off your head and give my wolves all the command to attack vampires on sight." Cat began shifting more and more at a snail's pace. As her hands hit the floor, almost more paw Eve relented.
"Allow us to leave, and don't alert the troops to attack. If you can do that we will yield."
"Good girl." Cat replied smug as she stopped shifting, and shifted back.
"W… will you allow me to retrieve my injured comrade." Eve bit her lip with her fangs in an effort to ground herself and calm before she ran in head first for a fight with the wolf which she wasn't prepared for simply because the bitch made such a snide comment.
"Of course." Cat nodded, standing back up and surveying her clothing; busted at the seems, however still relatively intact.
Eve licked up her own blood, finding some solace in it, allowing it to calm her as she picked Leslie up in her arms, kissing her and allowing her to also drink from her busted lip.
"T...thank you…" Leslie strained to make anything move, her spine having barely even begun healing itself. The broken vampire knew why her maker had done this to her. It wasn't out of anger, punishment or revenge; instead of fear.
"Heal." Eve instructed, rising to her feet and moving to Gayle who was still holding her windpipe together. "Get moving idiot!" Eve accentuated with a kick to the back of Gayle's leg.
"Bitch." The raspy choke was barely audible.
"Move or I'll do what I did to Leslie to you; but this time I won't hold back and I'll enjoy it!" Eve threatened.
Gayle whimpered, immediately regretting doing anything with her throat before it healed, even breathing.
The three vampires didn't take long after that to evacuate. The three of them were all aware of the dangers even if they didn't all know to the same extent.
"That… was her… holding back?" Alex trembled.
"Yes." Even Cat could recognize the act of mercy that was breaking the inexperienced progeny's neck.
"F...Fuck." Alex's breath caught in her throat. She stood there infuriated with herself, her weakness abhorrent. She had never been so vulnerable, so weak, easily manipulatable.
"Its ok Alex they are gone." Cat offered.
Alex heard the words without processing them, still stuck in her own mind. She was desperate to understand. What happened! Since when was she so easily shaken. Pushed to yield with so little force. Meaninglessly pleading and begging with a monster she could murder with the snap of her fingers if only she could land a drop of blood in the leader's mouth.
"It's ok." Cat repeated, overly familiar with the fear Alex wore.
"I!" Alex searched and searching for a meaning, an explanation, a reason!
"It's a lot harder when you have something to lose isn't it?"
"What!?" These words broke through and cut to her heart.
"When you have something to lose. It's a lot harder to stand up, face the danger." Cat answered, finding a stool at the bar, needing to build Alex back up her confidence before she could be of any help to you at saving Kara.
"You?" Alex would never have discovered it on her own, but having the answer delivered to her with such reserve.
"Mamma Danvers, wanna fill her in on the wonderful woman who gave me this?" Cat pointed to the smaller of two biting scars on her neck.
"The woman who was alpha before Raymond?" Alex asked, vignettes streaming in alongside her vision.
"Yeah. She and I grew up together. We were already together when the alpha and omega before us were in a car accident. She was the most beautiful and confident woman I had ever met. And I loved her since I was five. But the moment she had power; when she realized she had a whole pack to protect." Cat shook her head. "She broke. She could barely get out of bed for a month. And not because her omega was laying there with her. Because she was too terrified that she would make a mistake. That one of her beloved pack members would die. Because she knew if it did, it would be her fault."
"I…" Alex began to cry.
"It went away after a while. She began to understand. But it came back when we had our first; Adam. She loved him to no end. And eventually, she died for him. Because she had always been capable of risking or hurting herself. But when it came to someone she loved, the thought of them getting hurt made her crumble." Cat elaborated.
"Yes." Heavy sobs came in irregular heaves.
"Sam and Ruby are safe."
"But! If you hadn't!" Alex stammered.
"I did."
"But if you hadn't!"
"But I did." Cat assured.
"And will you the next time!?" Alex lashed out with an insecure fury.
"No. But I will have my wolves stand on guard for you." Cat offered.
"And if that isn't enough!?"
"Then you will be."
"But I'm not Cat!" Alex lashed out once more, tears streamed down her face.
"Then you aren't alone. You have Sam. She is strong. Nothing against your sister, but I honestly half expected her to be the one who presented as alpha of the pack after Raymond."
"She can't! She can never!" Alex felt guilt strike at her gut.
Cat's jaw dropped. "You… used that spell."
"You… know about it?"
"I'm pretty sure other than you that I'm the only one she has ever told." Cat answered.
"You are." Alex could hear the confirmation in her ear.
"Does Sam know?"
"No." Alex's head hung.
"Do I know what?" Sam slipped in from the back door silently.
"Sam!" Alex wiped her eyes and looked to her mate. The attempt she made to clean herself up was utterly pointless, tears were already welling up once more as she made eye contact with Sam.
"Know that I have a plan!" Cat saved Alex as best she could.
"Plan for what? What had you yelling baby? And … why are you crying." Sam finally noticed the tears, rushing in to wipe them away. "Baby! What is it?" Sam held her mate close, kissing Alex's cheek lovingly.
"The vampires were hassling her, but I came in and scared em out!" Cat boasted with a goofy look to undermine it.
"Did they hurt you?! I will murder them!" Sam growled, holding Alex closed and tighter.
"No no! No need to murder!" Cat gave a light-headed smile, knowing the danger of unleashing Sam on the vampires, and it's likelihood to instantly kill Alex.
"Oh, then my baby. I love you, and I'm here for you." Sam ran her hands through Alex's hair, pulling her mate's head into the crook of her neck.
Alex was still scared and worked up, but the gentle caress and love of her mate helped immensely. "Love you too." Alex moaned out, wrapping her arms around Sam, holding to her as she breathed in her mate's perfect and calming scent.
"That's it baby." Sam comforted.
Cat smiled to herself pleased, feeling confirmation in her assessment; Alex truly was already a pack member.
"Thanks love." Alex nuzzled.
"You said something about a plan?" Sam perked without releasing Alex whatsoever.
"Yes I do." Cat agreed, fearful of how they would take her suggestion. "Promise me I understand more than anyone how hard it is to be bonded with someone who you don't love. So I think this plan is for the best." Sam grimaced.
End of Chapter 36