FORGIVE ME! I WAS EXTREMELY SICK WHILE WRITING THIS! THE FOLLOWING EXTREMELY LONG CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO Greekgodsrox AND kkworld12345! THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING SINCE DAY ONE! -Atiana
The Olympian Pack approached the Rogue Pack's land. Caelum went from a full sprint to a jog and the pack members behind him slowed as well.
When his paws were inches away from the line, Caelum turned to face his family.
This is it. He sent out through the pack link. These rogues are definitely more vicious and bloodthirsty than your standard ones. They'll be ready to fight. But we'll be ready to kill.
The Alpha looked each of his pack members in the eye. We go in. We find Percy. We get out. Let me handle the bastards that put a hand on my mate.
Reyna and Frank's wolves fiercely protested this. We know you are the Alpha and you make the decisions, they said, but we're going to help kick their asses.
Caelum accepted their help only because of their position. Everyone else is going to guard Percy when we get him back and high-tail it out of here.
Yes, Alpha. The pack chorused.
Caelum turned back around. He dug his paws into the dirt like a dog about to pounce and tears his teeth into the flesh of his enemies.
Caelum howled and charged into the Rogue's land. The Olympian Pack howled their response and followed.
The call for war had sounded.
Octavian sat smugly in his throne. He'd planned this day for years, planned exactly how his victory would be won, and now the chance was at his fingertips.
The sound of howling wolves permeated the quiet of the complex. Octavian smirked. It seems as though Alpha Jason has waged war, he thought to himself. What a poor decision.
The Alpha Rogue cast his eyes to the wall on his left. Hanging in chains was the pitiful Omega. His arms and legs were spread like a starfish, and his head hung so that his chin touched his chest. The thing still hadn't healed from Bryce's earlier beating.
Ethan crouched on the wall next to Percy. He'd told Bryce it was to watch over him, but Octavian had a feeling the bastard was going to pull something over on them. If so, the Alpha wouldn't stand for it. His Beta would have to kill his mate himself.
Finally, on Octavian's right, Luke lay against the wall. He, too, was chained and hadn't spoken since Percy was brought to the complex. Not that it wasn't a good thing. Octavian was finally able to get work done without Luke's complaining.
Bryce and the rest of the soldiers were hidden throughout the complex. It was all according to the plan.
Octavian would draw Jason in and kill him when he least expected it. And then, the late Alpha's mate would be fine for the taking.
Yes. It would work. Victory would be his.
All he'd have to do now was wait.
And Octavian didn't have to wait for very long, after all.
The door to the complex burst open. The Olympian Pack poured into the room, sneering at Octavian. Ah, they've transformed back into human form, he thought to himself. How interesting.
At last, the man Octavian wanted to see stalked into the room. Alpha Jason Grace entered with his Beta and Gamma, by the looks of it. He stared Octavian down with a fierce hatred before taking a quick scan of the room. Jason's eyes softened when he spotted Percy, but his brain registered the blood and the scratches and he snarled. Octavian grinned.
The doors slammed closed behind Jason. Finally, no more waiting in the dark. It was time for war.
"Welcome, friends." Octavian spread his arms and smiled. "How may I help you?"
Jason laughed. "I don't know if you noticed, but you happen to be holding a member of my pack hostage. You've had him for a while, actually. We'd like him back now. Right now."
Octavian smirked. "Is that so? Well, I suppose you'll have to fight for him."
Jason cracked his knuckles. "Those are the words I was waiting for."
The Alpha Rogue grinned. All according to plan. "I have a few conditions first, actually."
Jason sneered. "And what would those conditions be?"
"Believe it or not, I am against excessive violence." Octavian shrugged. "I don't want any of my pack members getting hurt. That's why I'm going to propose a fight to the death to see which Alpha is more worthy of living. If one wins and the other dies, he can leave this complex with whomever they want and no one gets hurt."
Jason narrowed his eyes but nodded. "Alright. I'll accept the terms of your deal. Be prepared to die."
Octavian laughed out loud. "Trust me, I've been ready for years."
Jason growled and shifted in mid-air. His claws made a swipe for Octavian and hit the skin. The Alpha Rogue began to bleed.
"Yes!" The rogue called out as Caelum landed softly on the ground to his right. "A worthy hit indeed!"
Caelum growled and shook his head in confusion. Why is he so happy? Why hasn't he shifted into his wolf?
The Alpha swiped again at the rogue, and hit him again, deeper this time. Octavian laughed like a mad-man. Now, blood was shining on his teeth.
"Aren't you an Alpha?" Caelum growled out. "What kind of leader doesn't give himself a chance to fight? There's no way you've prepared to die so easily."
Octavian shook his head. "No, my friend. That's where you're wrong. I've been planning this encounter since the year I lost my father-figure. He wanted to be an Alpha, too, and he foolishly challenged your father to a duel. That's how he died. I'm fully prepared to go out the same way."
Caelum growled in frustration. "That makes even less sense!"
The Alpha viciously attacked Octavian until he was on his knees in a puddle of his own blood. But the rogue was still smiling. "You have no idea what you've just done. Now that I'm dying, my Beta is going to be Alpha. He's the true monster."
Jason, back in human form, snarled. "You tricked me."
Octavian spat out a spit wad of blood. "I said a fight to the death between Alphas. I never implied which ones."
Forgotten in the corner, Luke lay propped up against the wall, watching the battle. Without even realizing, a tear made its way down his face.
On the other side of the room, Ethan's body tensed in fear as he realized what Octavian said. On the wall, Percy was barely able to open his eyes.
Octavian took a deep, ragged breath. "You can come out now, Bryce. I just have one more thing to say before I die."
The Alpha Rogue turned toward his chained, starved, and beat mate. "I'm sorry, Luke. You deserved better."
The wolf began to sob. No, you idiot, he thought, I deserved you.
Bryce Lawrence stepped out of the shadows behind his dying Alpha. He kicked Octavian's body out the way. "You were weak in the end, Alpha." He muttered.
Jason sneered. "So you're the one I'll have to kill?"
Bryce grinned his shark-like grin. "Why, of course. I'm sorry I didn't have time to change for the big occasion, I was a bit pre-occupied…"
That's when Jason noticed the blood covering Bryce's arms and clothes. The blood that held Percy's scent.
"You. Touched. Him." Jason saw red and blindly attacked the new Alpha.
Bryce dodged his claws with surprising speed and swiped his hand at Jason's stomach. Jason started to bleed, but paid no attention to his injury. He let his anger drive his battle from here on out.
Unfortunately, that hadn't worked as well as he'd hoped.
Bryce took advantage of his lack of focus and precision so that when he struck, it got closer and closer to the fatal blow. Jason realized this too late and Bryce got hold of his throat.
"It seems as though we've reached the end of the line, Alpha Jason Grace." Bryce grinned. "I wish we could have fought for longer, but the fun can only last for so long." He started to crush Jason's windpipe. Jason's hands landed on Bryce's.
Damn it. I'm sorry, Percy. I messed up.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of your mate for you. I'm sure he'll be a lot more compliant once he knows you're dead."
And with those words, Jason found his second blessing from the Moon Goddess. There was no way Jason was going to leave Percy here.
"I'll be taking care of Percy myself." Jason choked out. "He'll never be touched by a bastard like you again."
Bryce snorted and pressed harder on his throat. "How exactly are you planning to do that?" He brought Jason to his eye level. "You're about to die by my hand." He whispered, smiling. "Once that happens, that precious Omega on the wall will be mine to play with forever. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. Who knows, maybe I'll keep you alive for a month or two and you can watch some of it."
Jason grit his teeth and looked at his mate. Percy hung obliviously on the wall, his wounds almost completely healed. His black hair was dirty with sweat and dirt, and his eyes no longer held the sparkle of joy they used to. He could barely hold the weight of his own head on his shoulders. This is what had become of his Luna.
It sickened Jason to the core what Bryce did to him.
Jason doesn't know where he found the air, but he screamed like an animal and the complex ceiling burst open. Tiles poured down. Luke raised his hands to protect himself. Ethan cast his body over Percy's to shield him. A dark storm cloud circled in mid-air where the ceiling used to be. From within that cloud, thunder boomed and lightning flashed.
Bryce's grip went slack for a few seconds, but that was all Jason needed. His hands went down to Bryce's forearm and twisted.
The rogue howled in pain and surprise. Jason kept his arm there and willed the storm cloud to get bigger. It listened.
"This is what happens when you mess with my pack." Jason growled. "Don't you ever think of laying a finger on my mate again."
Bryce chuckled despite the amount of pain he was in. "You think this is the last of us? We're everywhere, Grace. You can't hide, and you can't protect your little Luna forever."
Jason laughed. "I disagree. I believe the rest of your pack fled the grounds the second Octavian died. And I am fully capable of offing you and protecting my Luna. So if I were you, Bryce, I would concern myself with my last words."
Bryce grinned. "His screams of pain are still ringing in my ear. They were delightful." And he spit on Jason.
Jason screamed and a blast of lightning hit both wolves at the same time. Only one was left standing.
Alpha Jason Grace brushed Bryce's ashes off of his clothes. The Olympian Pack descended to one knee and, as one, howled for their Alpha.
Jason smiled at his family and ran to Percy. He stopped short as he noticed a body sitting on the floor crying next to Percy.
"Who are you?" He asked, tensing.
"I'm Ethan. I was Bryce's mate." He wiped the tears off his face. "He dragged me from my home to this pack, but now that everyone's gone, I don't have a home to return to. Neither of us do." Ethan quietly gestured to Luke.
"Why are you sitting next to Percy?" Jason asked.
"I stopped Bryce from killing him." Ethan said. "I understand if you don't believe me, but Percy knows the truth. Luke and I are innocent. But our fates are in your hands." He bowed his head in respect.
Jason thought over it and gestured for Reyna to break Luke's chains. She did so wincing, as they were still silver. Jason knelt down next to Ethan. "I'm making the decision to trust you two and bring you to my pack. Don't make me regret that decision."
Ethan nodded.
Jason couldn't break Percy's chains fast enough. Percy fell from the wall right into Jason's arms. The second the Omega's body touched Jason's, his wounds healed completely and his face relaxed, showing zero signs of pain. Jason touched his forehead with Percy's. "It's okay." He whispered to him. "I'm never letting you go. Ever."