Chapter 54: 55: The Scripture Pack

ARIEL

After removing the grate from the floor and climbing down into the basement, I gasp in horror.

It looks like something out of a twisted horror movie: filled with every kind of sinister machine, gizmo, and gadget imaginable.

And then at the back of the room, I see it.

A metal cage with a half-shifted screaming baby inside.

I run to Xavi as fast as my legs will carry me and pull him out of his confines.

I inspect his body and I’m shocked.

He appears to be perfectly intact.

No signs of the torture and abuse I endured.

~Thank Goddess.~

I hold him tightly to my chest and kiss the top of his head.

~We have to get this pup to safety.~

~Now.~

Sawyer may be dead, but I’m sure he wasn’t working alone. Backup could arrive at any minute.

Alex takes the lead as we scramble back up the ladder and into the shed.

Angel is still lying on the floor, covered in blood. But now he’s in his human form, clutching at the gunshot wound on his torso.

Realizing that we can’t leave until I heal him, I hand the crying baby to Alex, then make my way over.

Alex shushes Xavi as I gently move Angel’s hands away from his wound and place mine there instead.

The silver inside burns me, and I recoil with a gasp.

But I have to get it out of him.

~Fuck.~

~This is gonna hurt.~

I plunge my bare finger into the bloody flesh and scream in pain as I dig out the silver bullet. It burns like hell.

Angel screams bloody murder, but within seconds the bullet is out of his body.

I drop it, and it hits the floor with a clink.

Now I lay my hands back on Angel’s wound and feel his pain entering my body as his skin closes up.

Fortunately, my healing powers are in full force.

The process is quick, and the pain doesn’t last long.

His gunshot wound is healed, and even the burns on my fingers are better.

Angel opens his eyes, and I breathe a sigh of relief when I see that they have returned to their serene purple color.

***

As we step out into the field of poppies, I take Xavi out of Alex’s arms and press him into my chest again.

~Little Xavi.~

~Alive and well.~

I still can’t believe we actually found him.

Now that he’s calmed down and is no longer half-shifted, I can finally get a good look at him.

~Brown curly hair, yellow eyes…~

He looks just like me.

~Well…~ My dad and me.

I bet that kills Natalia.

I hear Alex starting the car, and I jump inside. “Which pack is closest?” I ask him. “I want to get Xavi to a doctor.”

“The Scripture Pack,” Alex says. “They’re just about a half hour north of here.”

~Angel’s pack.~

~Or rather…Marius’s pack.~

Angel hasn’t spoken a word since he shifted back into his human.

I turn toward the back seat to face him. “Do you think you can handle going to the Scripture Pack right now?”

He’s silent for a moment.

And then—

“Drive,” he says with a nod, his voice cracking.

MARIUS

The ride is too short for me to prepare myself.

After months of knowing nothing about myself or where I came from, I’m finally on my way back home.

~So why can I still not remember anything about my past?~

I’d hoped that finding out who I was would jog my memory.

But it hasn’t.

~At all.~

We drive by a lighthouse, the road twisting and turning along the seashore.

“This is officially Scripture Pack territory,” I hear Alex say.

When we drive up to the pack house, I’m spotted—and apparently recognized—by a pack warrior who is standing guard.

The young warrior has several tattoos on his arms, in the same style and artistry as my own.

“Holy—Alpha Marius!” the warrior says. “I’ll alert Alpha Lucius!”

“Alpha Lucius?” I ask.

“Y-Yes, sir,” he stammers. “Your brother has taken over as alpha since you went missing. But he never stopped searching.”

“Marius!” A voice calls from the pack house door. “Thank the Goddess!”

A man bearing a striking resemblance to me runs down the steps and embraces me.

~Alpha Lucius of the Scripture Pack.~

~Brother.~

He’s about the same height and build as me, and I can see right away that we share the same purple eyes and many of the same tattoos.

“Lucius,” I say with caution. “This is Alex and Ariel of the Royal Pack. They saved my life. And this pup needs immediate attention.”

Lucius looks at the warrior and says, “Get a doctor here, now.”

The warrior nods and runs immediately at his command.

“Please,” Lucius says, “come inside, all of you.”

***

We’ve been talking for hours at this point.

Lucius sits dumbfounded as I tell the story of where I’ve been for the past eight months.

And of the good people who saved me.

By this time, Ariel and Alex have gone with the baby to a guest room in Lucius’s family home.

~I guess it’s mine too.~

After telling him every detail that I can actually remember, it’s Lucius’s turn to give me information.

“Our parents,” I say. “Where are they?”

“You only took over as alpha two years ago after our father died,” he informs me, “and our mother passed away when we were kids. You were twelve, and I was eight.”

“And now I’m…” I wait for him to answer.

“You’re twenty-nine,” he replies. “You really don’t remember ~anything~?”

I shake my head solemnly.

“Do I have anyone else? A mate, or…pups?”

“No,” he says. “You were too focused on your duties as alpha to take one.”

I’m relieved to know that I didn’t leave a mate behind to worry where I was.

And that also leaves room for the…~whatever~…I have with Amy.

“So you’re my only family,” I say.

“Afraid so.”

~But I still can’t remember him.~

And I feel guilty for it.

“But the pack loves you,” he says. “They will be glad to welcome you back as alpha.”

I blink.

~Alpha.~

“I...I don’t know what to say. How in Goddess’ name do I rule a pack of people I don’t remember?”

“It will take some time—”

“I don’t think time is the problem,” I say. “I think the Scripture Pack is in better hands if...if you keep the title of alpha.”

A look of surprise comes over his face.

“But if I keep the title of alpha here...what will you do?” my brother asks.

~Good question.~

ALEX

There’s a soft knock on the door of our room.

Ariel and I have just gotten Xavi to sleep, and are about to lie down ourselves for a few hours before returning him to Crescent Moon.

I open the door a crack to see…

“Angel! Sorry... I mean Marius.”

“Can...can I talk to you two?”

I glance over my shoulder to see Ariel approaching at my side.

“Sure,” I say as we both step out of the bedroom and into the hall, closing the door gently behind us.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” Marius says, “about the Scripture Pack, and...I don’t think I can stay here.”

“Any new memories?” Ariel asks.

He only shakes his head.

“I know how painful that is,” Ariel says. “To feel like a stranger in your own home.”

“It’s the worst,” he says quickly. “So...I wanted to ask you, Alex...if you would grant me permission to return with you to the Royal Pack.”

“You’re giving up your title as alpha?” I question.

“Yes, and I will pledge my solidarity to the Royal Pack...,” he concludes, “if you’ll have me.”

“You have already proven your loyalty,” I say, wrapping my arm around his shoulder. “Welcome to the family.”

***

We leave the Scripture Pack at the crack of dawn the next day, and in just a few short hours we arrive at the Crescent Moon Pack.

As we come to a stop outside of Xavier and Natalia’s house, I see Natalia running out.

“You have him!?” she asks frantically as I step out of the car.

Ariel climbs out holding the little guy, his yellow eyes big and searching.

Natalia wastes no time pulling him into her arms.

“My boy,” Ariel’s sister says tearfully, hugging Xavi to her chest. “My sweet, sweet baby boy.”

She runs back inside the house, her child in her arms, without even a thank you.

My shoulders tense when Xavier appears in the doorway.

He approaches us slowly.

“You found him,” he says matter-of-factly.

“We did,” I say.

While neither of us wants to be the one to break eye contact, I can’t stand to look at his face for even a second longer.

And luckily I have a reason to put an end to the standoff, because just then my phone rings in my pocket.

“~It’s my mother~.”

Wordlessly, I walk away from the ungrateful alpha and answer her call.

ARIEL

Alex walks off and I find myself alone with Xavier.

I turn back toward the car, desperate to get away from him.

But then I feel his hands grasping my wrist.

“I didn’t think you’d succeed,” he said. “But you surprised me. As always.”

“I’m just glad my nephew is home,” I say.

“Just think,” he says in a whisper, “how strong ~our~ children would be, with two great warriors as parents.”

I rip my hand away from his and look around for Alex, but he’s walked off too far. I can’t see him anymore.

“Don’t touch me,” I snarl. “You disgust me.”

“Is that so?” he asks with a wink that I want to punch off of his face.

“You’re lucky you’re mated to my sister,” I say, “because otherwise I would beat the shit out of you right now.”

“You never won a fight against me in your warrior training days,” he says. “I’d like to see you try.”

My fists clench, but I take deep breaths, trying to steady my heart rate.

“Go to your family, Xavier. Take care of them. They need you.”

“But what if I need ~you~?”

~That’s it.~

~The final straw.~

I can’t contain my fury at him anymore.

But just then, Alex reappears next to me, his phone in his hand. One look at his face and I can tell that something is terribly, terribly wrong.

“Wh-what is it?” I ask him.

“It’s my dad,” Alex says. “He’s dead.”