Chapter 43: Family Drama
As Always Happy Reading!
POV: FLIC
As much as I hated flying, I couldn't bring myself to celebrate the flight ending. This was potentially the longest time I would be able to spend with the men I felt cosmically drawn to.
I had revelled in their gentle touches and affectionate gestures. Even though I had only been feeling this pull towards them for less then a week, I knew they were it for me. Any potential boyfriends would be lacking in comparison to these men.
Seth pulled me into his side, almost like he was ready to bring me with him wherever life took us. I pulled away, feeling the slice of pain in my soul as Seth's lips turned down.
He had to know I couldn't come with him. My presence on this adventure ends here. My presence in their lives ends here. There is no future with me with a pack that is anti-witch. I would only bring them pain and death.
As Embry picked Bella up and started to run, I saw his steps falter as he realized I would not be following. It was clear that if I asked them to stay with me, they would. Yet, I could not bring myself to be that selfish. Not when Bella's happily ever after was on the line.
"Go help Bella get her happily ever after!" I told them both, trying to make my voice sound as sure as I could in this moment.
They both made a pained sound before doing just as I asked, rushing her out with the other adults on their heals.
The moment they were out of sight, I made myself seem like an irrelevant afterthought. I hoped that none of the adults around me recognized the child they abandoned ten years ago.
So I let myself be left behind at the small airport, with only one landing strip that was in desperate need of repaving.
Once almost all the adults I remembered from my childhood left, I was able to take a painful breath. It was as if my lungs had been wrapped in chains, each expanse of the muscles creating a tension that had my heart slowing under the pressure.
My heart felt stretched as it beat itself against my ribs. Imprint or not, the distance between the men and I was already starting to take its toll. That was something the elders should look into. It was smart of them to order that they are not allowed to look me in the eyes. Yet, imprints are still one of the strongest things that shifters experience.
If the men felt half as much strain as I did, I knew we were in the process of imprinting even without eye contact.
Pulling out my phone I texted my parents group chat.
Coming home
I hoped they would understand why I didn't call them. I just didn't feel like I could vocalize anything after telling them to leave me behind. My throat was was thick with unshed emotions.
I walked in the direction of the border, knowing no matter where I crossed it, my parents would be waiting for me. Numbness had started to overtake my body. It seemed to be pumping outward from my heart, like the blood was trying to become a sedative. I would allow it for now.
I knew it might be partly from the amount of magic use I did in a short amount of time. I needed to recharge, both my internal magic, and my emotions.
Either way, I embraced the nausea that was beginning to bubble and fester in my stomach. It was proof that I wasn't dead. I clung to it as the numbness spread.
The moment I crossed the border I took in a deep breath of my parents' familiar scents. It was almost like being in the richest candy store, Mom always layered vanilla on top of her already sweet vampire natural aroma. Dad, on the other hand, had a mix of salt to his sweet aroma, it was a comforting tinge that reminded him of being human and feeling your body sweat.
They brought me home, and to my surprise I hadn't cried yet. I thought I would have surely cried the moment the men left.
If not then, the moment I crossed the border.
If not then, the moment I was reunited with my parents.
Yet, none of this felt like the right time to cry. It all seemed too normal, too mundane for me to experience the level of emotion I was. I would need an experience as groundbreaking as the feeling of my soul snapping to allow the emotions to flow.
I watched without hearing as my vampire family welcomed me home. Their faces turning from ones to celebrate my return, to concern for my wellbeing.
Grandma Esme ran to the kitchen ready to whip up whatever food she thought would temper whatever was occurring with me.
None of it felt real enough. The storm in my body was too much.
Blindly, I took the stairs with the grace of a toddler learning to ski. My body was breaking down. I felt the exhaustion from using magic mixed with the strain of the separation. When I tried to think of the adults that had surrounded me, I felt terminally sick.
My body felt like no time had passed. I was still a child, being told I couldn't stay. Walking out into the forest, I focused on the feeling of the cold snow against my exposed skin.
Surly that was how death felt, at least the moments before the end. The deep soul cold took hold. My body convulsed against the reincarnation of the intense freezing.
Walking into the bathroom, I was greeted by warmth that caressed my body as the steam from the bath attempted to thaw me.
The water waved against my skin, causing it to prickle and ache. I welcomed the pain. Anything to distract me from my soul shattering.
POV: Rebecca
I ran from the house the moment Bella ran into the back yard. It had been too close to losing everything. If Dad successfully forced me to imprint with Sam, I would have no reason to live anymore.
I wouldn't be myself, have my freedom, or be his.
The arms that wrapped around me, I would know anywhere. Had dreamed about her every night before I met Edward and he became the focus of both my sleeping and waking world.
Pulling away, I needed to see, have a visual confirmation as to who was hugging me as I shook in their arms. I felt weak - it was probably all the rounds of puking I did, trying to get whatever my father gave me out of my system. If I was going to be forced to imprint, no one could say I did it willingly.
Looking at the women who was holding me I felt my soul shatter again. This was impossible, there is no way this is happening - my mother was alive.
Sarah Black was standing in front of me, full flesh and blood. She attempted to deepen the hug again, tears streaming down her face as she said something I couldn't hear. It was like the world had gone mute for a moment. My brain was rejecting any extra information. This wasn't happening.
I raised my siblings, gave up my adolescence willingly because my mom had died. The Mom that was currently standing in front of me, looking older than before, but not deceased.
The noises of the scene before me came rushing back. It was too much. There was only one person I needed, and he was not welcome on pack lands.
Twisting out of my mothers arms I ignored the rest of the resurrected adults, bypassing them towards my only form of escape.
Ignoring my sister yelling my name, I got on the running motorcycle. Edward can lecture me all he wants about me not having a helmet. I just needed to hear his voice, have him hold me, tell me everything will be okay.
Most importantly, I needed to get the fuck off of pack lands to process this where I felt safe.
The shortest rout to the Cullen house felt like an eternity. My hands shook as I drove, making it harder for me to keep the bike heading in a consistent trajectory.
I knew the moment I passed the border because his cold body pressed behind me, his arms taking control of the bike. Leaning back I let go of the motorcycle, knowing he wouldn't let anything happen to me.
All the lights seemed to be on in the big house. None of the vampires needed light to see, so it always reminded me of their connection to humanity when I watched them turn on or off lights.
Edward had me off the bike before my next breath. He held me out in front of him, examining me for any injuries. If only my injuries were physical, then at least he could patch me up with the precision of the best plastic surgeon.
No. This was a festering deep hurt, that only time would be able to heal. Yet, how could it. The story of who I am, and what I am, was missing gaping holes of truth.
"Talk to me" Edward begged, with desperation lacing his tone.
Tears fell from my eyes. The concern on Edward's face seemed to begin to etch itself into his deep marble exterior. Gently, he picked me up, bringing me inside. Alice had the couch fully ready for human processing.
This wasn't the first time I ran away from home because I had something dropped on me. It was, however, the first time I felt the pain of it in my soul. This was the betrayal that changed people.
How could my mother be alive? I was there when we held her funeral, she was dead. Dad had her cremated, telling us that we were not able to see her after she died. He told us her body was almost unrecognizable after the crash, that we didn't need to remember her that way. He was so shaken when he told us the news.
Yet, It was all a lie. Mom was alive.
Alive.
Alive.
Alive.
I had lost a piece of myself when she died. I could no longer go to school to the point that my father being chief couldn't keep me from being expelled for lack of attendance.
Robotically, I had cleaned the house, tended to my siblings, doing everything necessary to help them grow to be good humans. I didn't do anything for myself - until Charlie walked into my house one afternoon, dropping off paperwork to enroll in Forks High School.
He picked me up daily in his cruiser, driving me to the front doors of the school. No excuse would work on Charlie. He would simply nod and tell me I can be late to school, but I will still be attending ,as he pulled me out of my father's house.
Then I met Edward and my world became brighter. No longer was I only keeping myself alive for my siblings. I wanted to live again, experience life again.
He had lost his family, and slowly he helped me process not having a mother anymore, until I felt capable to tell people my mother passed away without it plunging me into a comatose state.
Looking at Edward now, I panicked that he wouldn't love me anymore. We had started our relationship with a lie. Sure, I didn't know it was a lie, it had been the truth as I knew it until now.
Warm arms wrapped around me. I just felt how cold I had become, slowly I felt myself warming up. I was safe, this house was safe.
"Please love, tell us what happened" Edward whispered just loud enough for human ears.
"They tried to force an imprint again." My teeth chattered as I spoke.
Vampire growls filled the space, it wasn't the deep chest growl the wolves had, it was closer in tone to a predator cat.
"Did they succeed?" Alice asked breaking the silence.
"No"
"Can you tell us why you are so scared?" Emmet asked "If I need to kill someone I would like to know sooner then later"
"Mom…." I couldn't bring myself to speak it out loud.
Leaning into the warm arms I felt myself panic again as the distinct scent of pack entered my nose. The arms released me as I recoiled. Looking over I saw Kyle holding his hands up in surrender.
"Sorry. You were shaking and they were all debating how many blankets you needed to warm up. Figured a warm touch might help." Kyle spoke fast.
"Its okay. I forgot you were here. Sorry" I tried and failed to smile at the young boy.
He was going through so much, I didn't want to pile more onto him.
"What about your mom" Edward asked. He knew everything I did, or at least everything I had known.
"My mom is" The words cut off again. Almost like my body was rejecting the truth I had felt and seen.
I shook my head, I couldn't voice it.
Flic walked into the room. Clearly she had just been submerged in way-to-hot water. Her skin looked red and raw. Her eyes held the same deadness that I felt mine must have. Yet, it was for a completely different reason then mine.
"Her mom is alive. She was apart of the exiled pack" Flic informed the family.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Edward demanded slightly too harshly for my liking.
Flic shrugged, walking away from us gathered in the room. I could almost feel her heart ache. From the expression on Edwards face, I could see that my mother miraculously coming back to life was far from the girl's mind.
I watched as Edward's lips moved too fast for me to comprehend what he was saying. Rosalie left the room quickly. Emmet invited Kyle to play video games in the other room. Whatever had been discussed at vampire speed was now being enacted.
"You look tired love, why don't we try to get some sleep" Edward asked me.
I let out a manic laugh. The way he said it was so human, yet we both knew he didn't sleep.
Nodding he lifted me off the couch, pulling me into his loving embrace. We were up the stairs and into his room faster then my human brain could process.
"I am sorry this is happening to you love" Edward whispered in my ear.
"Is anything real?" I asked as loudly as I could manage.
"Yes love, things are real, even if they don't feel that way right now" He kissed my temple.
"Like what?" Tears continued to fall "They almost took you away from me today"
The knowledge that my mother was now alive still had not affected me as much as the knowledge that if I imprinted on someone I would lose Edward. He was the only thing in this world that was mine. I loved him more then life itself. They had tried to steal him away from me.
"They can never take you away from me. Imprint or not, there is no way I will not love you for the rest of my existence." Edward vowed.
"You would be the boyfriend of someone who had an imprint forced on them?" I snorted.
"I was thinking something a little more official then boyfriend."
"Oh, like Vampire life partner, then I could tell people I have a VLP at home." I teased.
Edward had always known how to get me out of my head. Something about him spoke to my soul. It was a deep connection that I would describe to anyone aware of the wolves as my imprint. Every time they described the need to be with and love their imprint, I knew I felt the same for Edward.
"I was thinking fiancé, then when you finish planning your dream wedding, husband" Edward held my gaze with a ferocity that promised me the world.
"Edward, are you asking me?" I started.
He moved off the bed until he was on one knee. Pulling a ring box seemingly out of thin air. Opening it to reveal the prettiest ring I had ever seen. It was an oval shaped diamond stone placed on a sparkling delicate gold band.
"I promise to love you, protect you, and cherish you all of our days together. You are the most incredible human I have ever met, after having you almost ripped out of my life I know it would be ridiculous to put our lives on hold any longer. Rebecca Black, will you make me the happiest vampire un-alive by becoming my wife?" Edward held out the ring to me.
The world that felt confusing and erratic the last few days seemed to right itself for me again. I held out my left hand watching without breathing as he slipped the ring on my finger. Happy tears sprung to my eyes. No matter what tomorrow brought I knew I would be safe, loved and coming home to my vampire.
I pulled Edward onto the bed, crushing his lips to mine, needing to feel him against me, proving to me this was real. He kissed me with a ferocity that only true love could create. Edward's love had the ability to hold me in an embrace between worlds, until it created a reality only for us to know.
POV: Sam
I hadn't realized how close I had come to my soul shattering apart. Each time I touch Bella, smell Bella, or even look at her my entire soul seems to light with joy.
It was a relief that the only time that she let go of my hand was to wrap her arms around my waist as we rode my bike to get to the meeting.
I parked the bike a short walk away from the meeting hall. It took everything in me to not start the bike back up and drive Bella and I away. Turning the bike off took a physical toll on my body.
What was I going to be walking in to?
These are the same people who had tried to break my imprint yesterday. The trust I had for them was broken. It had shattered when my soul flexed towards fracturing. Just because Bella survived and was providing sustenance to my soul, didn't mean the trust magically was rebuilt.
I felt Bella's lips pressing against my back. She hadn't let go of me even though the bike had been parked for a minute. Bella could have gotten up and I would have followed her into the meeting hall. I would have followed her anywhere, no matter what.
Guilt flooded my gut. I should have followed her when she left, knowing now the pain of the separation was nothing compared to the pain inflicted by the council. The same council that I was, what? Expected to walk in, still performing my alpha duties. They didn't deserve that from me.
Would Paul step up?
I didn't want to leave the pack in the hands of anyone who would be open to being manipulated by the council. Manipulated as I had been. If they had done something smaller - not tried to take away my reason to draw breath, but instead, I don't know, forced all the men to wear bright pink short shorts. Would I have gone along with it?
Probably. That was a stupid alternative scenario. My brain was simply fried. Between the reformation of our souls, and a much needed reconnection, I didn't have much time to process this crap. It had been someone I would consider as close as family, that had attempted, almost fucking succeeded in ripping my soul to pieces.
Is this a betrayal that was fixable?
If not, who would run the pack? I refuse to leave it to Jacob, even though he wasn't following his Daddy's orders to a T he still followed. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, allow him the grace to say that he had a plan. Even if it was the weakest, stupidest, most nonsensical plan. Just because the candles are set up an inch to the left doesn't mean they won't burn the same.
Bella ran her hands over my back, bringing me back into the present. I breathed deeply of her scent, picking up on the slight burnt tang to her normal enticing odour. My Bella was stressed.
"We should go in" Bella sounded strong, braver then I had felt. She pushed her shoulders back and inhaled my scent.
"I really don't want to" I admitted to her.
Her resolve wavered. If I asked, I knew she would hold onto me tightly, and let me drive her far away from the council. They didn't need to govern our lives, wolves went rogue all the time, hence why the term "lone wolf" was so popular.
I could keep Bella safe, we could travel the world, living for the moment. Enjoying each other to the fullest. Ignoring the obligations I had been born into. Turning my back on the people who raised me after Dad left and Mom died.
Yet another reason to not get off this bike. If my Dad was inside, I wasn't ready to face him. He was the reason my Mom and I struggled. It was hard not to compare myself to those of my friends who lived happily with two parents. Always a parent to watch them play sports, pick them up from school, ensure there was fucking food in the house.
10 year old me would have taken the bare minimum from my Dad. Just to have him at the house, drunk but semi-present would have been enough for me. Knowing that my Dad didn't leave, abandoning me. Then I could have told people 'My Dad's at home' even if he never looked or spoke to me. Instead, I lived my life as the boy who didn't know where his Dad went. One day he just left, Mom cried for weeks, when the tears stopped I didn't dare bring up Dad. Not wanting the streaks of sadness to reappear on Mom's face.
Now, I would not only be walking into a room with the council, but my own Father. Desperately I wanted to leave, as Bella pulled her leg off the bike. I knew I would follow her.
She would not be leaving my sight until, well truthfully, at the moment I wanted her to be in my line of view forever. My wolf felt the gravitational shift in our reality, yet, didn't fully understand human dynamics. All my wolf felt was that something had changed that put us on edge. This change was not understood by either my wolf or myself. I felt antsy, focused on Bellas safety.
Would she come out of the council room unscathed? Would I? Would we?
I had only had known my soulmate, my Bella for less then two weeks. In human relationships that was maybe enough time for two dates. Potentially, I would know her middle name by now. Yet, with imprints, it was hyper-powered. Easy to open up to the person your soul claims, for each party involved in the imprint.
Bella held my hand, and slowly I unclenched my fist from around the bike's handlebar. Looking at Bella, I was struck by how beautiful she looked. Even with her hair semi-flattened by the helmet - probably a good thing, even after she ran a brush through it it had a wild post-sex property before the bike ride.
If her mom was in the council room, I didn't want her to think I had bad intentions for her daughter. My heart dropped. I was not only meeting the family member who abandoned me, but Bella's mom as well.
Pillow talk had told me all I needed to know about Renee. My wolf warred with my human self, Renee had caused pain to Bella. The wolf part of my soul would have been happy to bite Renee, and banish her from the tribal lands. Yet, the human part of me saw the love and care that Bella had put into her relationship with her mother.
Luckily my wolf loved Bella more then instincts. Knowing that, my wolf would wait, taking orders from our mate before acting.
I held Bella's hand, following her guidance and de-straddling the bike. The ground felt unbalanced under my feet. It was an unfamiliar feeling, since shifting it had almost felt like the world beneath my feet was a continuation of my wolf.
With the uncertainty in the council chambers, my wolf stirred inside me, allowing my placement within my tribe to be held in contention. Only the members of the pack in tune with their wolves would feel my disconnect. The Alpha in me hoped that no one who would take advantage of my uncertainty would notice. My abandoned inner child didn't give a shit.
POV: Bella
Sam held my hand like I was his only connection to Earth. The desperation in his grasp had the hair on my arms standing up. It was unlike Sam to be anything but confident when the pack was involved. Even during my first meeting of the pack, he had not worried about their reactions to me.
Now, I had left and returned.
We had spent the short time between my homecoming and this meeting in a primal state of need and reassurances. It was not the passionate love that we had been partaking in before Phoenix, this was more desperate.
Not that I minded, I needed it as much as breathing. Being away from Sam was not anything I would offer to do again, no matter the circumstances. He would need to accept me as an amoeba, stuck to him for the rest of his life.
The way he didn't let go of my hand when we reached the council doors told me he agreed with my plan. We would face whatever shit show we were walking into together as a bonded, imprinted pair.
A ring of chairs had been formed, yet even though the space looked to be in unison a distinct divide could be seen. The older exiled pack was outnumbered by at least ten. They seemed to be relaxed in this room, I guess they had spent time in here like the rest of the pack did, before they had been exiled.
Renee sat in the front, holding onto Frank's hand. She was more relaxed then I had ever witnessed her being in my childhood. It seemed being with her soulmate had finally provided the relief she sought through substances.
Looking at her now, I could not see the angry mother who threw bottles at my head. This Renee was so different, my eyes stung for a moment as tears threatened to fall.
No. I will not allow her to make me cry. I will not show weakness. I was a mated to one of the Alphas of the pack. I could not cry now.
Even if the Renee that was currently ignoring my entrance, entranced with a conversation with the woman I had met briefly leaving the plane, seemed almost a different person. Renee laughed with an almost whimsical, carefree tune. This wasn't the laugh I had heard throughout my childhood. That stung deep - knowing I was raised by the shell of the woman sitting in this room now.
Yet, I understood, knowing the feeling of leaving my imprint. I could not blame her for losing herself in that pain, I did, and my time away from Sam could not compare to the agony she must have gone through.
Sam stood rigid. Looking up at his face, he seemed paler then normal. Almost like he was looking at a ghost.
"Sammy!" The woman talking to Renee stood ,running over to us. Only to be stopped in her tracks by Joshua. He gripped her tightly, holding her back with the most loving of embraces.
It seems that the separation of the two groups was on purpose, as none of either side attempted crossing the lines again.
Sam seemed to stop breathing. I guided us over to where Seth and Embry sat, wanting to be near my brothers for this meeting. Sam didn't seem to mind me choosing where we sat.
It was awkward, to say the least. Our pack sitting, waiting, for something to happen. I hadn't been to a council meeting before, yet, I could tell this wasn't going to be a normal experience.
When Billy finally rolled in the air impossibly became thicker. Almost like everyone took a final inhale at the same time.
Billy positioned himself at the invisible cross section boarder of our circle. It was clear that whatever this meeting was going to entail it would be starting now.
"You are not welcome on our land" Billy spoke to the outsiders.
The alpha tone in his voice was strong, almost commanding. It would have been more effective if the exiled pack hadn't laughed after his demand.
The way the exiled pack looked at those of us sitting on this side of the circle it made me feel almost uncomfortable. Renee was looking at me with such longing. As I looked at the other adults on that side, I noticed they all had someone on this side of the room that had their attention. These two groups hadn't been split for long, maybe just enough time for all of us to grow up forgetting, but the looks on their faces spoke of pain and regret.
I took a moment to glance at Sam, the bond was pushing feelings of confusion and pain. It was understandable, he had gone through his pack attempting to break his imprint. Yet, when I looked at him it wasn't Billy he was staring at. It was a woman sitting next to Joshua.
She had Sam's eyes. If I took the woman's eyes and placed them on Joshua's body it would be an older version of Sam.
"Sorry to interrupt, can we please talk about the dead mom of it all?" Jacob demanded in his most eloquent fashion.
"No we will not" Billy scolded his son.
"I feel like it is kinda a necessary conversation" Sam added.
"Billy, they are not children anymore, they get a choice in this" The woman who looked exactly like Rachel and Rebecca spoke up.
"Sarah, we already had your funeral. You are dead to our tribe and pack. Look at our children - you coming back just caused more pain" Billy looked at her with hateful eyes.
"I left to save a baby you wanted to kill. I thought if I left you would see reason, you would admit you were wrong!" Sarah yelled.
"See that I was wrong? She was a witch. Seeing how you don't have a teenage witch sitting amongst you, I am assuming you came to your senses and killed her?" Billy barked.
"No" the woman who looked like Sam whispered. I could see the pain in her eyes.
"No? She's not dead then? Good. I wanted to see the life drain from her eyes, ensuring our safety" Billy spat.
This was all going over my head. I could tell by the demeanour of the pack members next to me that this was new information. It made sense - none of them would have been old enough to participate in council meetings if the witch was meant to be a teenager now.
Sarah looked over at the woman who looked like Sam. For a moment, I saw the same passion I often caught in her daughters eyes. She had realized something that the other woman had not caught yet.
"Would you demand that you are in the room to watch her die?" Sarah asked.
"As Chief it would be my right" Billy looked like he was talking about requesting to go fishing. Not about ending a teenagers life.
"Allison, she is alive" Sarah sounded hopeful.
"Our girl was always a fighter" Joshua smiled.
"Your girl is the reason you were exiled. You birthed a witch, you knew the laws. She was to be destroyed, yet you kept her a secret, claiming miscarriage. Then you claimed that Joshua left you because you lost his child. Pathetic. You should have terminated the moment the elders noticed a difference in your pregnancy. I wouldn't have been one of the only mothers left to raise all of our children. Did you not think of the impact you where having when you left? One witch saved despite the lives of all the living children here?" Sue cried out to them. The pain in her voice palpable.
"Sue, it wasn't like that and you knew that" A man spoke from the far side of the circle.
I hadn't paid much attention to that side until now. The man looked so much like Leah, same eyes, cheekbones and cadence in speech. There was no way this was not her father.
"Easy for you to say Harry. You left. I had two kids to raise. Our daughter turned into a wolf, she went through hell." Sue spat at him.
"I knew my child had magic in her veins. That is why I did not find it fair that another girl with different magic be put to death simply because she would be different. That is why I left you LeLe. I knew you would be safe, I knew the baby would not." Harry sounded regretful when he spoke directly to Leah.
Leah breathed heavy as Jake pulled her under his arm. It was obvious she was biting back tears.
"Sure, Leah was fine, I raised her right. She knows the dangers of witches. It was hardest on Seth being raised without a father!" Sue yelled.
Seth stiffened beside me. I could tell he wasn't ready for whatever was about to be shouted about.
"Really? You are still going to pretend that the boy is mine? Don't start that Sue, it will just make you look bad." Harry sat back in his chair.
The tension did not leave Seth's body I could almost feel it radiating off him. I reached over and clasped his hand, allowing him to tether himself onto me. I knew what it was like to think someone was my father and be mistaken. It sucked, but he was not alone in this.
Allison looked over at Sarah with a pleading glance. Sarah took a deep breath that had everyone freezing, waiting to hear what she had to say.
"Allison's baby was not the witch. She was further along and when the elders sensed a witch they were confused. Partly because they had been around Allison since the conception and partly because." Sarah paused, almost as if she was preparing for the bomb to drop. "Mainly because, the witch wasn't in her womb - she was carried by me." Sarah looked at Billy "conceived by us. I was only just pregnant when they accused Allison. I came home to you crying and you had so much anger I knew you wouldn't save her. So I went to the people I thought would support me, and they did."
"Abandoning your other children, for what?" Billy spat.
"So our baby could live in a world where her father wasn't hell bent on eradicating her." Sarah cried. Looking at both of her children in the circle "I never planned on leaving you. I was going to take you with me that day, yet, I couldn't convince either of you to come with me. I tried everything I thought of, I know I didn't try hard enough now. I was sentencing myself and your youngest sibling to a world of exile, I wanted you to have some choice over the matter. When you didn't want to get in the car with me I bawled. Your father blamed it on my pregnancy, yet, I knew I was saying goodbye for now. Thankfully it was not a forever goodbye." Sarah spoke between sobs.
"Stop lying. You did not carry the witch Sarah. The witch died when Allison's baby did." Sue spat.
"That is as true as both your children having the same father. A bold face lie" Harry spat back.
The circle divulged into a sea of screaming and accusations. Sam held my hand, almost as if he was trying to support me through all of this. I leaned into his touch, knowing no matter what we would get through this.
"I have requested that every pack member of mine has their genealogy tested, so we know exactly what links us to the pack. It is also so that future Alphas of the pack do not have to guess at which children to provide extra teachings to throughout their youths. Will you be willing to contribute DNA to this?" Sam yelled over the crowd getting their attention.
"They won't because they are leaving" Billy scolded.
"Billy, you might be chief of this tribe, and fuck, you had a hand in raising all of us after everyone on the other side of this circle left. Respectfully though, you need to remember I am Alpha of the pack, I am in charge of this pack and what becomes of it. Do not for one second think you will be using this pack to impact a child that you want dead. Regardless of if she is a witch or not. The pack will not be used as a mindless militia, we are to protect the tribe, not dictate the lives of the people born here. Free will is allowed." Sam spoke with more authority then I had heard him. If it wasn't such an intense space I might have pulled him from the room so he could speak sternly to me in private.
Embry and Seth seemed to relax slightly as Sam spoke. I turned to them trying to understand the change of their body language. Then it dawned on me - teenage witch…
Flic.
"Is the witch still a part of your pack then?" Billy asked. His tone confused me, it was almost like he was trying to be civil.
"No. We lost her about ten years ago. Always thought she would make her way back here though. You know how the tribe is, you always make it back home." Sarah spoke quietly.
"So, she would be a part of our pack then?" Sue asked with raised eyebrows.
My heart beat out of my chest erratically. I wanted all the adults in this room to still consider her lost. If the witch was Flic or not I didn't want her being lost by this cruelty.
"I ALPHA ORDER THE WITCH THAT HAS BLOOD OF THIS PACK IN HER VEINS TO APPEAR BEFORE US, AND MEET HER FATE." Billy ordered.
Seth and Embry sat up straight, looking at Sam waiting for permission to leave the circle. They kinda looked like two little kids wanting to go play after dinner.
I was not the only one who noticed the look.
"I was right to ban imprinting on her. I knew there was something wrong with that girl." Sue looked smugly at her son.
We all waited with bated breath for twenty minutes. Nothing happened. Maybe Flic was on a flight away, maybe the vampires had locked her safely away. Either way I knew she must be in an immense amount of pain.
The room felt like it was going to break out into a fight at any moment. Both sides not fully sure on where any of the other individuals stood. Mainly, the exiled pack was examining us as if questioning if we would condone the murder.
"Maybe she is already dead. That is unfortunate." Billy actually seemed disappointed in the fact that the witch might be dead.
The doors banged open, and a very angry Rebecca stomped in. She was vibrating with murderous intent.
"What the fuck are you lot meeting about?" She looked daggers at her father.
"Rebecca, this does not concern you." Sue attempted to excuse her from the room.
Rebecca was not having it.
She walked up to her father. Standing in front of him, glaring at him. It was a palpable scene, one I was very happy to be an outsider to.
"You need to start talking. You are the only one stupid enough to put out an alpha order of this magnitude." She spat at her father.
"Rebecca, witches are dangerous, they cause turmoil and strife. I have taught you that since you were a child. You know the stories, they hurt people" Billy reasoned.
"No." Rebecca retorted. She was still shaking with anger.
"No?" Billy questioned.
"Hurt People Hurt people dad. That is why you are currently inflicting pain on the people in this room. Why you would order a witch you haven't had a fucking conversation with to death." Rebeca paused looking at Sam "That is what he ordered right?"
"He just ordered her appearance but that would probably include her death if he had his way when she appeared" Sam confirmed.
"You have no right to kill her. She is better then half the people in this room." Rebecca spat.
Sue snorted at that. It was met with growls from the exiled pack and Embry and Seth.
"You have no right to control people's lives. We are only meant to be protectors. That is it. You have already fragmented the pack once. Do not be an old fool and do it again. Lift the fucking order" Rebecca screamed at her father.
"Is the order causing her pain?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah mom. She woke up screaming." Rebecca divulged.
"Woke up? Its the middle of the afternoon. What a lazy witch she must be." Sue laughed.
"Mom stop" Seth barked at his mother.
"Take away the order." Rebecca screamed at her father again.
"No. Its okay Beck. If not now when?" Flic walked into the room. She was dressed in workout attire, and her hair was done in a long French braid. It was obvious to see that she was loved by her adoptive family.
She was well taken care of right before she came here, like a show lamb to the slaughter house.
There was no fear in her eyes as she walked into the circle. Beck had tears streaming down her face now.
"I'm sorry. This was never meant to be your fight. I knew my life was likely to end like this. Take care of Mom and Dad for me, okay? They might be nearing triple digits but, they deserve so much more than this." Flic spoke to Beck without fear in her tone.
Beck hugged her tightly "You are not dying today. One day maybe when you are old and grey but not now." She kissed Flics head.
When Beck released Flic she retreated to Embry and Seth. They made space between them for her. I could see the intensity that they looked at the rest in the circle. If she died today we would lose them too, imprint or not they had an everlasting bond that time would only strengthen.
"Well Billy, are we going to have a vote, or are you going to kill our daughter out of ignorance?" Sarah demanded.
"The children I raised will know the proper way to vote. My daughter or not, she will be dead by morning." Billy responded.
Seth and Embry kissed Flic on her head, cuddling in closer, trying to provide any form of comfort as their lives hung in the balance.
(Authors Note: Please Please Please tell me what you think in the reviews! Sorry I have been gone so long. I was actually re-reading this story and was appalled that the author left it on the previous chapter. Then I realized I was the author. So I'm back, hopefully the writing gods keep the candle lit in my brain. As Always thank you for reading! )
