(7years ago)
"He's my son. He's the next alpha."
I sat down, my back against the wall, glad that my father had left the study door slightly open. Enough for me to overhear the conversation going on between him and my mother right now.
"Why does he only ever become your son when you need to justify your bad parenting?" My father responded.
I could imagine my mother getting infuriated. Slowly but surely and deeply.
"Do not call me a bad mother." I heard my her hiss.
I tried to stay still and quiet and hence invisible. But even I knew I would be able to bolt the minute I heard their footsteps.
"Fine but how does he only become your son whenever we disagree?"
I heard something scrape against wood.
Probably someone pushing someone aside. "Because he's a Melrose and you aren't. His identity lies in his last name and he will be alpha next. He's my son because being my son is what makes him matter."
I heard my father let out a dry laugh. "Wow. Do you even hear yourself?"
"I don't have time for this, Robert. If you want to argue, let's do so after the meeting. Not now."
I heard footsteps and was about to brace myself to get up and run but then they abruptly stopped.
"You keep avoiding any conversation if it doesn't have something to do with the war."
"I'm sorry, is there anything more important in this moment?"
There was silence for a few seconds.
"This meeting determines how we deal with Ornyx, once and for all." My father spoke. "We need to discuss your decision, Jean."
"There's nothing to discuss. I've made up my mind." My mother spoke stubbornly.
"Jean, the best way to kill a snake is to cut off its head."
"Ornyx isn't a snake," my mother spat, "he's a pest. And so is the rest of the Shadow pack. It's not an attack, it's an infestation. And we need to eradicate him and his ideals before they spread."
"Eradicate? Do you hear yourself?" My father asked. His voice surprisingly still calm even after the escalation. It wasn't so much angry but disappointed.
"I'm the Alpha, I'll do whatever I can to protect my people." She spoke.
"Well make sure not to count my vote. I'm not going to stand with you and commit genocide."
"That's not - that's not what I'm saying. And as my husband, you're supposed to support me. If we can't keep a united front in front of everyone, especially today, we'll be a joke. How are people supposed to trust me to run this pack if I can't even control my family?"
"We're not yours to be controlled!" He let out in frustration. "All this? The brutality and no mercy shows? It's part of an old regime that should have died with your father. It's what's prompting Ornyx."
He was breathing so heavy, I could hear it.
"'Your' son's friend just died. What do you think we're teaching him if we show him that you should always return fire with more fire."
"We're at war if I may remind you. And Tristan is strong. He always has been."
"Maybe strength as you see it isn't really strength at all. Especially if it means burying your emotions. We're not animals, we're evolved so I'm sorry but I disagree with you on this one."
"You can't-"
"Watch me."
"We'll be a laughing stock." My mother sputtered desperately.
"And I'm not here to be your 'yes man'. I know you're alpha and I respect the hell out of that but I'm telling you, this isn't the way and if you go through with it, you'll never live with yourself."
There was silence for a few seconds.
I knew in shouldn't have been eavesdropping but being so young and knowing you could only know so much drove me mad.
"I just want to end this." My mother breathed out. "For our sons. For everyone."
"I know." My father spoke softly. "But not like this, Jean. Please, not like this."
"I'm sorry. But I have no choice. I have to protect my people. And all I ask is that you'll stand with me and be there when this is all said and done. I know the repercussions on everything, including my soul. And I'm going to need someone who can still look at me like I'm still something amazing. Just like you always have."
Ornyx.
The man before me might as well have been a figment of my imagination all these years. A story my mother told me to scare me. A myth.
He barely looked any different. Even in his older age, his body still looked at strong as everyone had said it looked when he was younger. Maybe even stronger.
I looked up at the man who had outsmarted and outdone his rank mates to obtain his power. What a lot of people didn't know is that unlike my family, where inheritance of the 'alpha' title had fizzled down to bloodlines, the Shadow pack had always been about power.
About who was the strongest.
The fittest survived. The most powerful ruled the pack.
Ornyx's conquering had not only been historic and revolutionary, it had changed how the shadow pack was perceived entirely in our age. That's why you heard most referring to it as 'the Van Cliffe' pack. Because since they took the reigns, weakness became something of an intolerance.
Ornyx grinned at me. On my knees before him.
The guards stepped back as if they knew I couldn't possibly do anything right now.
The crowd watched as they surrounded us.
Theresa stood at the bottom of Ornyx's throne.
A man and a woman beside her. And not to far from them, Roman, his hands tucked behind his back.
"Tristan Melrose." Ornyx rose.
The crowd of people booed and started yelling for my head yet again.
Ornyx raised a hand that silenced them all immediately.
Ornyx turned and looked in Theresa's direction then back at me.
He descended his throne slowly. His eyes fixed on me until he got to the bottom.
He nodded. "Rise, boy."
My feet still felt weak. My muscles felt like they hadn't been used in months.
But I chose to preserve my dignity. Even though it wouldn't take much to knock me down again, I pushed myself to my feet and looked right into his eyes.
The best way to kill a snake is to cut off its head. My father's voice played through my mind.
I looked at Ornyx. Looking as strong as ever. As much of the snake he had always been.
Werewolves didn't necessarily need weapons but it would be stupid to neglect them seeing as to how, unlike older times, we spent most of our time in human form.
So it wasn't surprising to me when I saw the blade in a nearby soldier's hands.
Almost six feet away but something told me that even if I was lightning fast, I wouldn't be able to get to him, fight him for it and turn around and strike Ornyx without getting trampled by his security or heck, him himself.
"Are you the legacy your people have built their hopes on?" He asked, his voice laced in humour when my leg shook underneath me.
I looked up and saw someone with a phone pointed in my direction.
Were they recording this?
Ornyx walked around me, my eyes refused to follow him.
Only a coward would strike from behind and I had studied Ornyx long enough to know that he was very intentional with his attacks. He wanted you to know it was him.
"Are you the boy my daughter chose?" He seemed even more disgusted.
I looked at Roman as he stiffened at that statement.
I suddenly felt a force on my back and I felt forward landing hard on my knees and hands.
I heard a chuckle and Ornyx came up in front of me. His boots all I could see.
I looked up at him hoping he could see all the hate I had for him in that look alone.
"Pathetic." He spoke. "Even your mother was a better opponent."
I gritted my teeth.
One strike and the snake was down.
I let out a growl and mustered all the strength I could. I pulled back my arm and punched Ornyx straight in the face.
I barely had the chance to go in for another hit when I felt myself being held back.
I looked up at Ornyx.
He was smiling even though there was blood coming out of a small cut on his lip.
He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed on it.
"That was cute. Maybe you have your mother's fighting spirit after all."
He walked back to his throne, but didn't sit down.
"My people!" He called out raising his hands. "Did I not promise you redemption?"
There were cheers that erupted suddenly as fervour built up in the crowd.
"Did I not promise that we would rise from the ashes the werewolf union thought they had buried us under?"
There were louder cheers.
Ornyx rose his hand and everyone was suddenly quiet again.
Just like puppets.
He turned to me. "You know what you and your family did, Tristan Melrose. For years I have been bidding my time but now... now I want everything back that you and the union took from me and my people."
A few people whooped.
"Nothing was taken from you, you fucking tyrant. You're a mad radical whose ideals were going to destroy and poison this world!" I spat out.
Ornyx simply grinned. "Spoken by someone who has truly been brainwashed by humans and oppression.
We are the superior species. We shouldn't be hiding. We shouldn't be a myth. Humans mock us! When they should respect and fear us."
"And when I take control, that's exactly what will happen."
The guards were still holding me back. I looked up at Ornyx and gritted my teeth. "You will never control anything."
"And who's going to stop me, you? The joke of an alpha who couldn't even pick out the spies I sent into your domain?" He scoffed.
He walked around, addressing his people.
"See how they don't even consider us! None of them do and none of them ever will. They underestimate this pack and our power.
"Yeah!" A bunch of them yelled.
"They left us to rot and die out but we proved them wrong, didn't we? We proved that the Shadow pack will always be mightier, stronger, powerful."
Cheers erupted. I watched as Ornyx revelled in it. They worshipped him.
He turned to me.
He lifted his hand again demanding silence.
His eyes settled on me.
"Now don't think of me as a heartless man, boy. You are still alive after all. That's called mercy."
I glared up at him. I knew Ornyx wouldn't kill me then and there. He wanted to make a show out of it, a spectacle. He wanted everyone to see.
That's probably why he was recording.
He walked up to me. "I've humiliated you enough, haven't I?" He asked feigning kindness.
He tsked.
"If only you had returned the favour to me and my people."
Fury burnt within me. I wanted to get up. I wanted to show him the 'mercy' he had exacted on so many of my own. On my parents and my people.
I just needed the strength.
"I'm giving you a chance, alpha Tristan." He spoke my title mockingly. "Surrender. Your pack and your territory. And I will show mercy towards you and your people. You shall graciously be incorporated into my new regime."
My eyes burned with anger.
Just cut the head off the snake. Cut the head off the snake and this will be over.
But even I knew that between the wolfsbane and not having any food or water for days, I wasn't going to put up much of a fight.
I would be down in seconds.
I felt so useless. So weak.
I was supposed to save my people. But look at me.
I was able to lift my head, though. And I made sure Ornyx was looking into my eyes when I spoke my next words;
"Fuck you." I spat at his feet.
A few gasps of outrage escaped the crowd.
Ornyx stood still.
He then nodded slowly. "Very well, boy. You've made up your mind. So now, you die."
He spoke the words so simply. Like it was an everyday order.
He then turned to the person recording and looked into the camera.
"Silvercrest pack, your alpha has failed you. But I am a fair man. So I'll give you one more chance, whoever is baring the title of alpha right now, I give you the same offer. Surrender and I will show mercy. Don't and prepare to be a myth. You have until midnight."
The recording was cut.
He gestured to Roman.
Roman who looked a bit taken aback nodded and stepped forward.
Ornyx placed a hand on his shoulder and turned to his people.
"My son, Xavier was mercilessly killed in the war." He spoke, he turned to look at me. "By his parents."
I looked up and saw Theresa shift.
"I think it's only right that my new son, the one who obeyed all my orders, sacrificed himself by infiltrating the enemies pack..." he looked at Roman in what I could only describe as pride.
"It's only right that he gets to do the honour."
Cheers erupted.
Roman didn't look as smug as I thought he would. His expression was straight and serious.
Very little could stop me from fighting back. But that doesn't mean I wasn't going to try.
I forced myself to my feet, refusing to die on my knees.
"Do the honours." Ornyx spoke, patting Roman on the back and gesturing to me before he stepped back.
The cheers got louder.
Roman watched me. He lifted his chin.
I just know this bastard had been waiting for this moment.
"David! David! David!" Chants erupted all over.
'David' glanced to the side, it didn't take long for me to realise he was looking at Theresa.
Theresa didn't do anything. She, too, looked on silently and seriously.
Roman looked back at me. He walked forward.
It's in that moment that I saw it for the first time, hesitation.
Fear.
He suddenly stopped.
And it's then that the cheering died down.
Confused murmurs spread.
Ornyx looked on, equally as puzzled. "Is there something wrong, David?" He asked, clearly angry.
Roman's eyes fixed on me and this time I was certain.
He couldn't do it. All that big talk and he couldn't do it.
"I'm not a coward." He suddenly spoke.
"I'd like to think not." Ornyx spoke.
Roman turned around.
He then bowed his head.
"This isn't how I fight my battles. Kicking a man who is already down is no victory. You taught me that, alpha."
Ornyx was silent. I couldn't tell if he approved or disapproved.
"Besides," Roman added, "it wouldn't bring me any honour. Especially since this is the man your granddaughter has chosen, alpha. I plan to claim her. And if I am to do so, I will do so rightfully and without a doubt by killing the one not worthy of her in a fair battle."
Ornyx was still silent.
He then let out a chuckle. "Well, your rationale is beyond even me. The old ways have been taught to you well, my son. All that is not necessary though. You have proven yourself plenty." He spoke then made a pause.
"But if that's what you will then I will allow it. We shall let the boy alpha regain some of his strength if a fair fight is what you wish. But the execution will be done this evening. We could use some entertainment."
The cheers were restored louder than ever.
Roman turned to glare at me.
I glared right back.
If a fair fight is what he wanted. A fair fight is what he would get.
***
I flinched when I saw Tristan hit the ground, Ornyx kicking him from the back.
Bridget twitched slightly but other than that showed no emotion.
'Pathetic. Even your mother was a better opponent.'
I flinched at the words. I saw Tristan tense up at the words and right there and then I knew he would do something stupid.
I watched as he got up and punched Ornyx. I quickly shut my eyes and looked away before I could see him get taken down again.
"Stop it." I snapped. "Do we really have to watch it again?" I asked.
Jasmine turned off the screen and I have a feeling it was because a huge part of her didn't want to watch anymore either.
My whole body felt like it was tingling, it felt sick and... incomplete.
The room was silent for a while.
Everyone taking in the clip and trying to process.
"This is ridiculous." Raphael finally spoke up.
He looked at Bridget. "Send me in. I'll choose a team of the best. We'll extract Tristan in a matter of hours."
Bridget turned to him. She seemed weaker and more exhausted than ever. Her youthful and pretty face taking on more aged characteristics.
"I'm sorry, Raph, did you not see the crowd around Ornyx? What makes you think you'd get past all that?"
"We can't just do nothing." Raphael spoke in frustration.
I saw the emotion in his eyes.
I felt the exact same way. Helpless.
And it sucked. Because we all knew if the roles were reversed, Tristan would sacrifice himself in a heartbeat for anyone in this room.
I looked up at Peter who was staring blankly at the screen, having not uttered a word.
I then looked back at Bridget.
"Tell them." I told her.
She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Tell them." I spoke more insistently.
Mikey had been dismissed the minute the video had been sent. Bridget couldn't stop either him or Joshua from watching but she could make sure they were back in the manor and heavily guarded.
"Tell us what?" Jasmine asked, looking at me then Bridget.
Raphael and even Peter turned their attention to us.
Bridget didn't speak so I got up and did so myself.
"The twins and I contacted Tristan."
"What?"
"How?"
"Are you serious?"
I let out a breath letting them finish with their shock and confusion.
"Through a mindlink, I spoke to him and his being kept as a prisoner, he didn't tell me where he was but - he said we shouldn't prioritise him and Bridget agrees. Which is crazy, right? We have to prioritise him. We have to save him."
Everyone looked at Bridget and they all seemed to be taking in the information.
"Forget that." Peter spoke. "Of course T isn't going to want to be saved. But I'm with Raph. We can have a special ops team go in just to extract him. Count me in on that."
Raphael nodded at Peter in approval. "You just have to give the order, alpha." He spoke.
I felt elated that they both agreed with me. I turned to Jasmine hoping to hear her voice as well.
She had blatantly gone against Tristan's orders with me. So it obviously wouldn't be the first time she didn't listen to him.
But to my great dismay, she remained silent, just wrapping her arms around herself. A far cry from the authoritative and confident woman I had met. There seemed to be little to no life in her face and she simply looked solemn and exhausted.
Bridget wheeled herself away from her desk.
Her phone beeped and she pressed something on it to silence it.
"You can all stop holding your breaths because I'm not giving that order." She spoke.
She headed towards the door. "Come of Jazz, the union reps are all here. Time to start the meeting."
My mouth dropped.
Okay, surely she could flat out tell me know.
But everyone else? Even Peter?
Was she really not gonna listen to anyone but Tristan? Even in this situation.
I looked at Raphael. If there was ever a time to argue with Bridget, it would be now.
But he was silent.
Wow. Just wow.
"Bridget, come on!" I yelled as I hurried after her and Jasmine, placing myself in front of the door, blocking the only exit point.
Bridget looked up at shot me a glare.
"Please." I spoke breathlessly. I didn't have words. Nothing at all to plead my case. "It's Tristan."
She of all people shouldn't have even hesitated because of this.
Bridget watched me for a few seconds.
It's then that I saw her lips tug down slightly.
"Do you really think he's still alive after that?" She asked, her voice laced in anger.
The silence in the room was unlike any other. Like everyone was holding their breaths.
The video had cut just after Ornyx's ultimatum to 'the new alpha', i.e Bridget.
We didn't see what happened to Tristan next.
But the point is that we saw him. Alive and well.
Okay, maybe not well. Clearly weak, clearly broken and beaten too.
But I refused to believe that. He had been there. My Tristan wasn't dead. I refused to believe that.
"H-he... he's not - how could you even say that?" I snapped.
It couldn't be true.
I had just seen him. He wouldn't be taken away from me just like that.
I had just seen him.
"You think I'm stupid? You think I'm speaking from without? I know Ornyx. He's not one to take prisoners. Especially if having them serves him no purpose."
"Don't say that!" I yelled, my voice cracking.
Bridget tried to keep a straight face but I saw her lower lip tremble.
"I'm just trying to say what no one else wants to accept." She spoke in a low voice.
Then it happened, Jasmine let out a cry.
She walked away and sat on the sofa, burying her head in her hands as she sobbed.
Raphael clenched his hand into a fist and pressed it against his mouth. He let out a loud, agonised groan.
Peter turned away from all of us and walked towards the window. His back to it.
Me? I was still. Paralysed.
I stared at Tristan's desk.
I thought about him in his rightful place. I thought about him holding my hand and fighting for me.
I thought about his strength and his courage and I just refused to mourn a man like that.
Because he couldn't be dead. He just couldn't.
"I'm not accepting that." I told Bridget. "I'm sorry but I'm not. And you're not allowed to either."
I told her firmly.
She looked up at me. A silent tear left her eye.
"We're not giving up on him Bridget." I told her. "Not now."
She lifted her chin and wiped away the tear.
"Well come on. I think the meeting has been held up long enough."