Author's Note: Ah-ha! Finally! A little controversy on pairing is all it took to get a little feedback. THAT'S what keeps me going. THAT'S what makes writing so satisfactory. Hearing "good job" and "well done" is great, and I love it, but even more than that, I love hearing your deep opinions and what you guys REALLY think. I'm glad you guys stepped out of the comfort zone and your opinions have been heard! However, as I've written and written, I began to love the pairing of LillyxHumphrey more and more. I, as a writer, can't turn my back on a pairing I've worked so hard to develop and have become so fond of... but at the same time, it's your support and reviews that keep me writing to begin with. So, I'm happy to announce that I WILL be eventually posting a re-written version of "When a Wolf Walks Alone" where our beloved canon pairings face their trials and resolve them, still managing to be together. For those of you that will take KatexHumphrey to the grave, I'll get to work on it immediately... but I DO hope you'll stick around and give Lilly and Humphrey a chance. Thanks so much for your support, guys, and I hope you continue to enjoy my work.
Humphrey closed his eyes. He was tired. He didn't care anymore.
Surrender.
Humphrey couldn't take it anymore. Everything he loved… everything he tried to take care of… it always fell apart… and he was tired of fighting with himself. Darkness swallowed Humphrey. He was so scared… so alone… and it made him so angry… but in the end… he was too weak to do anything about it.
Why have you fought me for so long?
Humphrey opened his eyes to see himself… his eyes were red and his fur was black… but none-the-less, that was him. Humphrey sighed. "Does it matter anymore? You win… I give up. I can only hope someone kills you before you do too much damage."
Kills "us".
Humphrey rolled his eyes. "I'm tired of you. You act like a part of me… but I want nothing to do with you. There is no us. There's me and there's you… and neither of us want to be stuck together… yet here we are.
You've dodged the question. Why have you fought me for so long? Why have you denied us what we NEEDED?
"I'm nothing like you. That's why I fought you. And I didn't need anything but to heal."
The darkness shook its head. You're lying. You seek to share pain. You seek to make people understand your hurt and your agony. You seek to hurt them… maybe even kill them… whatever it takes to make them understand the ache of your heart.
Humphrey snarled. "You've WON, god dammit! You have my body… leave me alone!"
Images flooded Humphrey's mind. Images of his parents. Voices echoed throughout the silence.
"You're in our territory, leave or be killed."
"Hey, we're just three friendly Omegas passing through, can't you just let us go? We won't cause any harm."
"Heh… your lady friend's really pretty. Nice, blue eyes. Tell ya what… you and your son may pass… but the lady wolf stays here and 'helps' us. Gets very lonely for us wolves up in these mountains."
"Please, just let us through… we're not looking for any trou-hey!"
"Let go of me, you wretched dogs!"
"AH! The bitch bit me! Hey, you've fucked with the wrong pack."
"Mom! Dad! NO!"
"Humphrey… run…"
"Get the runt!"
Humphrey remembered watching the life drain out of his parents' eyes. He remembered watching as their blood stained the ground below them. Humphrey remembered how fear didn't even register. All that came over Humphrey was the pain... pain and anger. His parents… were just snuffed out… so easily. Humphrey shook his head rapidly.
Rage consumed Humphrey. His parents were gone… They would never play with him again. They would never tell him they loved him. No one would… Humphrey was all on his own. His chest ached, and that only made his anger peak higher. Why did this have to happen to him!? Why did his parents have to die like this!? Why did he have to sit there and watch!? Why did he have to suffer through this!?
No… THEY will suffer. THEY will FEEL what they've done. I'll RIP THEM APART.
Humphrey bared his fangs. He quickly surveyed his surroundings and his opponents.
"Ha! Looks like the lint-ball wants to fight. Come on, boys… Let's… what? Wait… what the fuck!? Oh my god… oh my god! No! Please! NO STOP!"
Humphrey's memory was crystal clear. He remembered how he relished in their cries of terror. He remembered that he broke each of their bones, individually. He cut wounds so deep that blood gushed freely from their bodies. Humphrey laid each of them out in the dirt, every single one of them was bleeding, crying, and afraid. Every time they passed out, Humphrey bit the tip of their tail and ripped the end off. Waking them with agony… so they could bleed to death. As the life drained out of their eyes, Humphrey spat on their cold, lifeless corpses. Humphrey remembered it all.
You see, Humphrey. You NEED me. It was ME who avenged your parents. It was ME who made those wolves pay. You hate to suffer… and whenever you're made to suffer… you NEED to spread your pain… otherwise, you're nothing but a useless, pathetic, good for nothing Omega. Without me… you die without a fight… just like your parents.
Humphrey shut his eyes tightly. The memory pained him so much.
I am the incarnation of that memory, Humphrey. Your hatred… your rage… it was far too much for a young pup to deal with… so you buried me.
Humphrey shook his head. "Stop trying to make a point. You have control… go nuts."
HUMHREY! This isn't about making a point. This isn't about me taking control. This is about you growing up. I am a part of you, Humphrey. You don't like it, and neither do I. It's ugly… but it's our life. You come to terms with it… and you have control again. Of yourself… and of me. Or… you could let me destroy EVERYTHING.
Humphrey shook his head violently.
Kate… Garth… Winston… Marcel… Paddy… Lilly… I can kill them ALL. I can lay them out in the dirt… bleeding, crying, and afraid.
The image flashed through his mind. All of the wolves that helped raised him, laid out and bleeding, crying out in pain. Humphrey gritted his teeth.
I could kill everyone. I could destroy anything and anyone that comes near me. I could make them writhe in pain… and your den… no… the entire Jasper territory… EVERYTHING will be empty … forever.
Empty…
Empty…
Humphrey hated being empty…
Kate helped Garth up and he leaned against her. "He just… became so strong… out of nowhere." Garth muttered and coughed up blood.
Kate looked at Humphrey and her chest ached. He was gone… she knew that he was… but she had to come clean. "H-Humphrey… I… I'm sorry. If you're still in there…"
The darkness laughed loudly… an evil, maniacal sound. "Oh, irony! How you wish to make amends with the Omega… yet there's no sign of him here. And that's all because of YOU."
Tears stung Kate's eyes. She shook her head. She wasn't going to listen to it. It was a monster. It had consumed Humphrey. It had destroyed one of the kindest, happiest wolves she had ever known. She narrowed her eyes at Humphrey's inner demon. "That body doesn't belong to you."
The darkness continued to laugh. "Oh indeed, it doesn't. But how could I refuse a gift you so carefully delivered straight into my paws?"
Kate snarled. Anger overtook her. This monster has plagued Humphrey for years. Kate had promised to fight it alongside him… but she turned her back on him because of her duty. It wasn't fair to Humphrey, and her heart throbbed with her sorrow and regret… but the least she could do was what he asked all those years ago.
I need you… to kill me.
Humphrey vanished before her, just as she was centimeters from charging into him. More laughter echoed around her.
"You still think you can handle me, Kate?"
The sound of tearing flesh rang in Kate's ears. Garth yelped in pain.
"I've grown stronger… faster… and Humphrey's rage feeds me more power!"
Kate cried out as claws dug into her shoulder and cut deep into her skin. The claws pulled her flesh, ripping and tearing it as the Humphrey's demon slashed her back. Kate felt blood gush from her wounds and tears began to flow from her eyes. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering. She sniffed wildly for Humphrey's scent. She couldn't catch it anywhere in the air.
"Now… you and Garth here… will DIE!"
Garth roared in agony. "You son of a bitch!"
Kate's vision blurred as tears obscured her vision.
Stay conscious, Kate… stay focused.
Piercing blue eyes cut through the darkness and stared straight at Kate.
"H-Humphrey?"
The eyes seemed hurt… confused.
"Humphrey, is that you?"
They flickered from blue to red.
"No! Humphrey… it's me… it's Kate. Don't you remember? Please, Humphrey… fight this."
A low growl came out from the darkness.
Garth snarled. "Show yourself!"
"Where's Lilly!?"
Garth snapped his teeth. "We're not telling you anything!"
Kate barked loudly. "Garth, enough! We're taking her back to Jasper, Humphrey. She belongs there."
Humphrey walked into plain sight. He sighed. Kate tensed as he approached her. He laughed when he took a look at Kate and Garth. "You two look awful…"
Garth trembled as he tried to stand, his wounds bleeding profusely. "I… I'll kill you, you bastard!" Humphrey laughed again. "Go ahead, Barf. Go ahead and try it. I've been waiting for someone to kill me for a long time."
Kate's heart throbbed at those words. She could've ended his suffering years ago… instead she gave him false hope… and salted his wounds. Kate sighed. "Garth… go home."
Garth's eyes widened. "No, Kate, I'm not about to leave you with-"
"GO… HOME." Kate ordered between clenched teeth. "Lilly might need to talk to you. There are things that need to be sorted. I want you to make sure she's okay."
Garth grunted as he struggled to his feet and staggered away from the Alpha and Omega. Kate tried to reach out to Humphrey, but he pulled away from her. Tears fell from her eyes. "Humphrey… I… I don't know what to say… except… I'm sorry."
Humphrey shook his head softly. "It's not your fault, Kate."
Kate looked at him with confusion. "How could it not be, Humphrey!? All these years… I vowed that I'd fight for you and that I'd help you… but I turned my back on you."
Humphrey looked up at the night sky. "It was never your responsibility to begin with. It was unfair of me to put that burden on your shoulders… as was the burden of asking you to kill me."
Kate moved up to Humphrey and rubbed her head against his chest. "I didn't mind, Humphrey… I didn't want to kill you… and I didn't want you to have to struggle with that thing." Humphrey smiled and closed his eyes.
"I was supposed to be the leader of the pack, Kate… but because I couldn't face my dark side by myself… that responsibility fell to you… and it's that very same responsibility that took you away from me." Humphrey said calmly. "You had a duty to uphold. It's taken me time to get over my pain… but it's happened with time, and with your sister's help. You're an Alpha, Kate. Why should I take you away from your duties and responsibilities?"
Kate buried her head deeper into Humphrey's chest. "Humphrey… I love you…" Kate muttered into his fur. Humphrey sighed as he pulled Kate into a hug. She sobbed against him. "I love you… and I'm… so, so sorry… I didn't stop the wedding… I didn't chase after you… I completely forgot about what I swore I'd protect you from."
Humphrey nuzzled the top of her head. "Shh… shh… it's okay, Kate. It's okay."
Kate looked up at Humphrey with pleading eyes. "Humphrey… I… I know I've been awful to you… and I know it's unfair of me to expect anything from you… but I'm really sorry… and I don't care what it takes… Garth and I agree that we mean nothing to each other. It could be a fake marriage! Humphrey, you matter to me… and I was so stupid to abandon you the way I did."
Humphrey's eyes flickered from red to blue. Confusion and hurt warred within him. Kate's eyes widened as she noticed the change. She clutched him tightly. "No! Humphrey! Stay with me, please… Don't let go!"
Humphrey shook his head and placed a paw against his head. His vision blurred. "I… I need to talk to Lilly." Humphrey said, his breath growing shallow.
Kate's heart throbbed. "Why…?" Kate asked, bracing herself for Humphrey's rejection.
"I'm sorry, Kate… but it is what it is." Humphrey muttered quietly. "I-I… I need to speak to her, Kate. I need to speak to her soon."
Humphrey's eyes flickered from blue to crimson red.
Tears filled Kate's eyes. The gashes that Humphrey's darkness had left in her back throbbed. Kate shook her head as regret and shame filled her. Kate couldn't fight for him anymore. Kate could no longer save Humphrey from himself. Her very own sister was Humphrey's new savior.
I'm sorry, Humphrey…