Chapter 31-32

[Celeste]

Stop! The word screeched from my lips, but no matter how many times I tried desperately to plead with him, demanded even, Greyson stood in his place and wait for Remington to make the next move.

He was being cautious. Making sure that his body was positioned to take on any attack Remington flung at him.

"You're alive." Remington frowned at me looking disappointed and a chill crawled down my back. I staggered feeling out of balance and recalled the memory of drowning.

Greyson snarled snapping his sharp teeth at him which made him grin even more. He knew I was here, but didn't stop to acknowledge me. Slowly angled his body in a way that I was out of Remington's focus.

These two rivaling wolves weren't going to back down until one of them was completely ripped out of this world and buried beneath the ground.

"Stop them!" Desperately, I searched for anyone who could help. I came in eye contact with Bennett who was hesitating to step in between his son and the crazy man who was intent on killing everyone. To my relief, Vincent wasn't unfazed at all and ran to Greyson's side in attempt to aid him the best he can.

Stubborn as he is, Greyson didn't appreciate the support and growled signaling Vincent to back away. He shoved his nozzle to the side of Vincent's outer thigh making Vincent stagger sideways.

I sickened me more to think that deep down inside me, me and this lunatic, shared the same D.N.A.

"Let me help!" Vincent clenched his teeth and growled at Greyson.

Again, Greyson have him a warning growl. This is my fight alone.

Of all the times in the world, his stubbornness had to win out now. I could kill him myself if he wasn't trying to get himself killed at this moment.

"Greyson...I'm alive. I'm here. Please—

I begged him for what exactly? To stop fighting. To come to my side and go home? Either those options wouldn't solve our problem. It wouldn't stop Greyson from what he intended to do. The problem was staring at my mate with such killer intent. He had to do this. Greyson needs to rid the world of this man or we could never have a future. The trauma afterwards would also follow.

Had Greyson killed another man before?

I stared at the man who I have opened my whole heart to. His love, his kindness, his devotion to those he cared so deeply about. There was no doubt that he has ever seriously hurt a living creature in his life. The results after today will change him and I fear for what we would have to get through together. But that's right...we would get through this together. I am his support and starting right now I was going to give him my love and encouragement.

As much as I hated saying it, I did.

"Greyson. End this." I said blankly, feeling a stupid for saying this now when earlier I said to stop. I probably sounded crazy to Bennet and Vincent whose eyes grew wide-eyed by my sudden declaration, but when Greyson turned his head slightly and gave me a quick nod I knew I said the right thing.

"Sweetie, I should have ended this years ago." Remington said.

Greyson took that moment as a chance to attack his opponent's weak spot. He bit down on Remington's arm and it made a grotesque crunch sound.

Remington cursed through his teeth and swung his fit, punching Greyson in the head three times before he let go. Greyson fell to the ground but quickly got back on all paws. He didn't waste a second, lunging again.

It bothered me that Remington choose to fight in his human form. He would be more stronger in his wolf form, so why did he not transform?

Both looked battered up. I was pleased to see that Remington was out of breath. He isn't indestructible after all.

Greyson lunged again.

His head slammed into Remington's stomach. Remington grasped around his neck and pushed Greyson sideways flipping his over to his back, but Greyson rolled quickly to his side and back on his four paws.

Remington glanced at Vincent when he heard him growl at him.

"Their line was never supposed to be Betas. My kin were supposed to stay as Betas for this pack." Remington starts ranting. "That Beta of yours will be dead and that brother of his will be next! I will destroy their bloodline." He laughs.

Bennett snarls. "No one ever said your blood—your kin were the problem. You were the problem. You did this on yourself and you are inflicting your anger on innocent people. Your own grandchildren, your son...what kind of person would accept revenge that ruins the lives of his children?"

"Scarifies are necessary. And when my son betrayed me by marrying that wench, he became nothing to me. He left me. He abandoned me like everyone else. So I am forced to feel no emotion towards anyone. They all betray me."

"You betrayed yourself." Bennet glares at him. "You are so far past hate, Remington. You are a monster consumed by treachery."

Remington processes what Bennett just said and burst into a fit of laughter. "Maybe I am. But I've never been as happy as I am now. I finally have you and your family where I want you." He swings his fist and it connects to the soft part of Greyson's stomach.

Greyson yelps from the force of the blow and his whole body is flung across the sky and collides into a tree. He falls to the ground and rolls to the side yapping in pain.

"Greyson!" I get on my feet to run towards him. As I run after him, something snatches me from behind and I'm pulled back by a pair of large arms.

"How did you survive? I swear I left you for dead. Who saved you?" Remington shouted at my ear.

Panting, my chest hurt from over exerting my lungs. "Let go!"

"I underestimated you." He chuckled. Something sharp ran across the corner of my jaw. I looked down and noticed he had withdrawn a small blade. "You and I are like two peas in a pod."

"I am nothing like you." I hissed.

He pressed the blade firmer into my skin. I wasn't sure if it punctured, but it should hurt as much as how my nails were clawing at his arms to release me.

"On the contrary, you and I my little granddaughter are very hot blooded and whenever we get upset nothing can soothe our temper."

"I get that from my mother. Don't make false assumptions. You were never a part of my life so therefore we are not family."

That made him smirk. "You have your father's eyes. Do you know that? He never talked back to me. Such a passive boy he was. Always doing my bidding when I needed him like a lap dog. But when I stared into his eyes, I could see through his soul. He hated me, that boy. He never said it, but I felt his feelings when he looked at me. The more I stare at your eyes, the more it reminds me of how ungrateful he was. I'm glad to have rid of him."

Talking about my dad in that way made my blood boil. "My dad never spoke of you. No wonder why...he was ashamed of you."

"Watch your tongue, or I will cut it out."

Greyson struggled to get back up. He had fresh blood running down the side of his head and blood dripping to the dirt. All I could do was watch helplessly. If only I had his strength. I wished to help him but I couldn't do anything. I felt like a burden at this moment.

"What are you going to do now? I have her and you can barely move. I can easily kill her with this blade. When I do I might be nice and burry you both in the same hole so you can rot together."

Greyson's wolf hunched down in defeat.

"No!" I pleaded with him. "Don't submit to him!" I cried.

With slim chances of winning, I knew we had lost. But it hurt to see Greyson this way.

As I moved the blade pressing on my skin dug dipper into my flesh and soon I saw small traces of blood dripping into my shirt.

Greyson's body began shifting back to his human form were it was more vulnerable. It had bruises that were red and angry. He had dried blood on areas of his skin. He looked battered and abused, but he did not look at all fatigued.

"No...You can't give up!" I cried.

He lifted his head and looked at me with such seriousness. "Who said I am giving up. Not to you. Never."

My heart wept for him...For us.

"CELESTE!!!!!" Someone roared.

We all turned to witness my little brother, red-eyed and half naked running our way.

"Trent." I said shocked.

"Let go of her you sick Ba$&^*d!" Trent leaped up and swung his foot straight across Remington's face. The blade near my throat pressed on my skin and when it dropped from Remington's grasp and onto the floor, I feared that I was decapitated.

My hands immediately went on my neck to check the damage.

"Who the hell do you think you are!" Trent fumed. He didn't expect to be hit over the head in that same instant.

Greyson had turned back into a human right behind him and was glaring at him. "Reckless!" Was all he uttered.

"Why'd you hit me?!" Trent hissed rubbing the back of his head.

My little brother looked different. He seemed taller, taller than me and more muscular. He has abs now...For some reason seeing my little brother with abs made me feel weary. Without a doubt he is going to be more self-absorbed now that he had a fit bod.

"You could have killed your sister!" Greyson yelled at him. He pointed at the blade near my feet. "That could have slit her throat and if it had you would be next in line!"

Trent rolled his eyes. "I know what I was doing! She isn't hurt." He gestured at me to prove himself true.

I removed my hands from my neck and stared at them. When I looked at my palms there was a small speck of blood. A scratch really, but Greyson lost it.

"You stupid pup! Who let you out? You weren't supposed to leave your confinement yet until you are able to control your wolf!"

Trent ducked when Greyson swung at hm again. "Charlotte told me what was going on. She wanted me to help."

Greyson groaned and Glared at Vincent. "I'll deal with you and her after this is over."

"Enough of this childishness." Remington got on his feet cradling the side of his face that was now beat up because Trent had kicked him--pretty hard.

It looked as though his nose was broken.

"Trent." Greyson sent my brother a hard stare. Leave this to me.

"You're not my mother." He snorted and charged at Remington. "Don't mess with my family!" He  says dramatically.

Despite how courages my brother wanted tone I thought he was being an idiot.

"Trent!" I yelled at him hoping he would stop.

Of course he wasn't going to listen. He never does.

He throws a punch at Remington but this time Remington is fully aware of his presence and quickly side steps him sending Trent hurling to the ground.

"Get your ass out of here Trent! You aren't ready for a fight like this." Greyson leaps into the air mid transformation. When he lands, he is in full wolf form.

He runs at full speed towards Trent's direction and bites into a part of Trent's jeans dragging him away from Remington's reach.

"Hey!" Trent protested.

Greyson dropped him by Vincent's feet, growled and bared his sharp teeth at him. Don't interfere.

Trent scowled.

"Trent, please listen for once." I said calmly.

Trent looked at me then his eyes darted to the small wound on my neck where the blade scratched me. Guilt melted into his features. He didn't say anything but nodded obeying my plea.

"It's for your own good." Bennett finally spoke up. "Fighting against an old wolf like Remington will only end badly for you. Let Greyson take care of this it's his fight."

Trent frowned. "I want to help."

"You're not the only one." Vincent huffed.

[Greyson]

It was a challenge to strike him on his weak spots because he moved like a ghost. It irked me that he could move so fast with his age. Plus, he was in his human form. How was he able to out beat me as a human? It was unbelievable--absolutely ridiculous.

"Give up yet?" Remington chuckled as if he we were playing a game of cat and mouse.

I growled in response.

"You're all bark and no bite. Pathetic."

His taunting was getting on my last nerve. I just wanted to tear him limb from limb and get it over with.

"Greyson, concentrate." My dad yelled.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and also noticed Celeste's worried expression. As much as I wanted to tell her everything will be fine, I wasn't going to allow Remington to break my defenses. He could easily kill me in one move if I didn't watch his moments.

Remington snorted. "Look at you. Protected within the confines of your luxurious house with servants to do your bidding. Your parents trained you since birth to be their replacement. You think your father is that powerful? That's you're as great as he is? You're all so full of yourselves. I've been all over the world. I've been roaming the boarders of other packs. Let me inform you...Alpha and son..." His eyes traveled between Bennett and Greyson. "They are stronger !" He laughed.

His words faltered me a bit, I had to admit.

"Don't believe him, Greyson. He's trying to upset you." Dad yelled.

I nodded, trying to maintain composure and glared at Remington.

"Feeding off your father's words like a bear and honey." Remington mused. "He's brainwashed you your entire life! He makes you think the whole world revolves around you but it doesn't!"

"Shut up!" Vincent barked. "Lies! Our Alpha is strong. He keeps us safe and trains us to be strong!"

"Son, filter him out."

"You're weak. Pathetic. Incompetent. Spoiled little brat who is tied by a leash by his rich ass parents."

His words went through me. I assured myself that all he said were insults. however, deep inside it hurt to realize some of what he said were somewhat true. What was the world like outside the safety of my home? I was curious to know.

The second my thoughts wondered I didn't see him reach into his back pocket to pull out a second gun.

"Greyson!" Celeste screamed.

In slow motion, I saw Remington pull the trigger the same moment I saw my dad's wolf leap straight at him to stop him from pulling the trigger. Vincent was a few seconds close to flying past me in attempt to block my way but from my calculation he wasn't going to make it on time.

The second bullet that lodged into my body hit me bellow my breast bone. The pain vibrated throughout my body like a ripple. My body recoiled on impact and I fell to my side howling. On instinct, my body began to morph back into human form.

"No, don't turn back! Fight it!" Vincent yelled.

If I turned back while the bullet was still lodged, it would be harder to remove with my muscles morphing.

My eyes were blurred with tears as I fought through the pain. Vincent began pressing into my wound to stop the bleeding.

"It doesn't look like it went in too deep. I'm going to pull it out okay?"

Did he know how to? That concerned me most.

I heard growling and barking. From the corner of my eyes I see dad fighting with Remington. He had his jaws sunk into the arm that carried the gun earlier. The weapon was now on the ground, which Trent decided was the best time to charge in and get it.

"Trent!" Celeste screamed.

He grabbed the gun and ran back to his sister.

"I'm going to pull it out now!"

He didn't even give me time to respond when he stuck two fingers into the hole on my body. If he weren't my pack member and my beta's younger brother I wouldn't have stopped myself from biting off his arm. It freaking hurt like a beast.

"Got it!"

I snarled at him. Hurry up and pull it out!

When his fingers pinched it, it widened the wound and made it ache more.

"Almost, hold on." He said.

"Greyson," Celeste knelt next to Vincent, then caressed my head. "Can we move him?" She asked Vincent.

"After I pull this thing out."

I nodded my head. No. I wasn't done with this fight. This bullet wound was nothing. It hurt, but I was still able to move.

"You're hurt." Celeste reminded me.

I know that.

I felt it when Vincent was able to pull the bullet out of my body. "It's a regular bullet. You will heal pretty quick."

I looked at Celeste assuring her that I was indeed ok.

"Let me fight with you!" Trent was up on my face,annoyingly.

"No you won't." Celeste frowned at him. "I'm not letting you fight."

"You're not my alpha!" He retorted.

I roll my eyes. Now he accepts having an alpha.

"You're not fighting." Vincent answered for me, then he looks at me. "I'm fighting with you."

Mentally I sigh. These pups are going to be the death of me...literally.

remington viciously roars and his voice echoes across the sky. We watches dad's massive form is thrown and then glides across the dirt leaving a streak of dust swirling into the air. Dad stumbles on his feet and rolls backwards. He collides with Trent and Trent gets pancaked into the ground.

Trent moans and Dad's weight crushes him.

Slowly I stand on four paws. With my wound I wouldn't be as quick to attack him like before. Dad rolls of of Trent and the poor kid gasps as if his lungs were desperate for air.

"You weigh like a ton!" He coughs.

Dad ignores him and sways to my side. He nudges his nose on my head asking me if I was okay. I respond with a nod.

Knowing I had no choice in the matter, my dad and I cautiously walk forward both facing Remington for battle.

"Two against one...now that ain't fair at all."

"Three! Don't forget me!" Trent began to strip off his shorts but Celeste grabbed him by the loop of his pants and pulled him down.

"You're staying right here."

I barked Vincent an order. Watch them.

He didn't looked too pleased about being the guard dog once again.

"Looks like I'm out of weapons." Remington pulled out his pockets as if needing to show us.

My dad gestured left, then right. You take that way.

This was a hunting routine, but one that my dad and I tweaked bit.

"Ha! You think you can catch me with that old trick? How foolish."

He watched as dad and I rounded him. Usually in a normal hunting routine, the wolves would charge at opposite directions to herd the prey to a trap and corner him.

Dad inched two meter s away from Remington. paused at five.

Remington stared at us knowingly already predicting our next move, but unfortunately for him he overestimated his ability to read us like a book.

Dad gave me the signal. Remington leaped thinking we were going to strike on both angles. He didn't expect me to run on top of a slope and leap onto a tree branch. Dad ran underneath him and I leaped from the branch and pounced. My front claws aimed directly at his face, but landed on his shoulders scratching the surface of his skin.

He screamed.

As we fell, dad jumped and his teeth clamped onto his ankle pulling him down faster with our combined weight.

He grabbed the fur on my back, pulling me off him. His foot connected with my dad's stomach. When we slammed into the ground all of us rolled different directions. I landed on my front shoulder, making my bullet wound bleed more.

I got up using my front paws and limped away, giving myself a safe distance from Remington.

"If I kill the both of you it would be like killing two birds with one stone. Bang bang." Using his hands he formed a gun and pretended to shot my head then my dad's.

Dad charged at him one more time ramming him into a tree. He wheezed as the air from his lungs were squeezed out and just when i thought we finally busted his amused attitude the man started laughing hysterically.

"What the heck is wrong with him." Trent commented.

I strid over to where they were, shifted back to my human form and shoved my elbow at his thought making him choke. "What's so funny?" I growled.

"This." He lifted his leg. I thought he was attempting to kick us gut instead, he reached for his boot and bulled out a small knife. He swung his hand and the tip of its blade cut across my dad's face.

"Alpha!"

"Dad!"

Vincent and I cried at the same time.

Dad yelped in pain, his face dripping with blood.

I turned back at Remington and punched him directly on the face. I swear I heard bone crack when his face was pushed in when I did it. I removed my fist and two of his front teeth fell out of his mouth.

"That really hurt." He said.

He bounced off the tree and swung the blade again, attempting to slash it across my chest.

I backed away every time he came a little closer.

"Don't be a coward. Stay still!" He yelled.

I ducked when he aimed for my face. I tripped him with my foot and he came down backwards.

Behind him, dad ran and struck his claws across the side of his head. Claw marks gashed from his eyebrows to the corner of his nose.

All of use were battered and bleeding.

"AH! You will pay for that!" At last we finally pushed his last nerve.

He threw his fist back with no purpose whatsoever. He basically there a punch at the air.

"What's wrong rogue? Is your old age finally catching up to you?" I said.

His eyes narrowed. "Shut your trap." Wrapping his arms around me he pushed me to the ground. His fingers crept onto my neck and tightened there. His nails dug into my skin. His grip squeezed my trachea blocking my air.

Dad jumped on top of him and bit into the space between his neck. His head thrashed trying to get Remington to let go. Pressure built against my head and I felt like my brain was going to explode from the lack of oxygen.

My head turned slightly just as my eyes rolled up. I could see Vincent and Trent transform into their wolves and charging my way to give aid.

Suddenly...BANG.

The sound of a gunshot.

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