Chapter 29

(Chapter song ‘Ready For War’ by Joznez, 2WEI)

MARCUS With my head still a mess, I decided that I needed some time hitting balls at the diamond and try to figure it out.

After an hour, I’m still extremely confused on how to handle the fucked up feelings I have.

I walk out of the stadium with my bag on my shoulder and search for my keys.

“COOPER!”

I look up and a big guy is running toward me in a grey hoodie and ball cap.

“What can I do for you, bro?” I stop.

He stops a few feet off me. “I’d really love an autograph…for my kid, ya know. He’s a huge fan.” He pulls off a pack and searches for something to sign.

“Sure. I love kids.” I smile and pull a marker out of my bag.

He hands me an autograph book, but he doesn’t look up at me. The brim of his hat hides his face.

I take it and prepare to write. “Got it. Who do I make it out to?”

“To my best friend in the whole world.” He says quietly.

I chuckle. “That’s funny. No, seriously…What’s.. “

He slowly raises his head and my blood turns to ice. My jaw drops and my eyes widen. I swallow as terror runs through my veins.

He smirks. “Hey, Marcus. How’s it hanging?” His voice is dark and evil.

“Brock.” I breathe.

His smirk grows and his eyes become the color of fire. “Guess again, buddy boy.”

“Alistair.” I suck in a breath as my fear grows.

He his lips spread in a grin, he kicks a leg out and hooks his thumbs in his pockets. People laugh at the other end of the lot and he glances at them before turning back to me. “You know, Marc. I really missed you. I can’t wait to hang out with you guys again. We had so much fun last time. Just the guys. Screaming and bleeding. Fun times.”

“Brock…” I whisper.

“Brock’s here. Don’t worry. He’s eating properly. I’m making sure he’s getting his daily dose of hate, greed and all the other deadly sins. You gotta keep that balance of nutrition.” He says.

My mouth shrinks. “Let him go.”

“I would, but he’s very attached. I keep the hate he has for Blade and Bobby alive. I just can’t take that away from him.” He crosses his arms. “Enough about Brock.” He adjusts his hat as he casually looks around. “How’s Eddie these days?”

“You stay the fuck away from him.” I snarl as I drop my bag and ball my fists.

“I’m sure he misses me. We spent so much time together. It was nice having fresh meat to mold any evil way I wanted it. I really shouldn’t have listened to you. Brock’s ok, but Eddie…You just don’t find meat suits like his anymore. Just pure, unadulterated, psychopathic heaven.” He smiles as he steps back. “You tell Edward I’m looking forward to seeing him again.”

“I'll kill you.” I clench.

His brows go up as he points to me with enthusiasm. “Ooo…Sounds fun. My rack or yours?” He smiles.

I stare him down as a group of people walk our way.

“See ya, Cooper. It’s really nice seeing you again. You look good.” He wraps his arm around his waist and rubs his chin. “I wonder which girl would scream the loudest as I severed their limbs off?”

This got my wolf rampaging in his cage.

My face twists in anger. My fists squeeze harder and I step to him.

The group walks between us and I search for him. When they pass, Alistair’s gone.

I inspect the entire parking lot and when I don’t see him, I rip my phone out of my pocket and hit dial. Holding it to my ear, I quickly stride to my car, throw my bag in the trunk and get in.

“Finn!...We have a huge fucking problem.”

****

Eddie paces the room. He’s holding himself and rubbing his lower lip. The worry on his face is thick.

“Eddie. He won’t…”

He spins around to Finn. “Do you know the fucking hell I went through?!” He yells.

“Yes. Eddie…” He throws a hand up. “We know and we won’t let it happen again.”

Eddie leans on the table and his lip snarls. “You should have fucking told me.”

“Eddie. Reign the anger in, man. You can’t or he’ll get in.” Jax warns.

Eddie lowers his head and closes his eyes. “What do we do?”

I lean on the table. “Obviously, Brock isn't doing it for him anymore. He’s going to try to get to you, but we can stop him from doing that.”

“How?”

I look to Finn. “The Cleaners.”

“What?!”

“Fuck that!”

“Fucking suicide!”

I hold up my hands to the table. “I get it, but the only people who have knowledge on this shit is the hunters. We have to call them.”

Jax leans to me. “You want to invite supernatural hunters to a city full of fucking shifters?!”

“John was one. He didn’t hurt us. Maybe the rest won’t.” I say as I look around the room.

“Yeah and he’s dead.” Noah says. “How do we know they didn’t kill him for helping us with Cornell?”

“We don’t…but what else can we do?” I turn to Finn.

Finn leans forward and thinks. “I got nothing.”

“I’m a fucking demon puppet.” Eddie whines and slumps in his chair.

Jax points to him. “No. Eddie. That won’t happen so don’t fucking think it. We'll come up with something.”

Griffin starts typing. “I’ll search the lore, but most of it is stories. None of it actually works.”

“Look for anything we can send him back to hell with.” Finn instructs.

“I’m sorry, Eddie.” I shake my head with regret.

“It’s ok, man. You didn’t know. I don’t blame you for Scott. I blame myself. I wasn’t strong enough to beat him back. I brought this on all of us.” Eddie looks down and laces his fingers on his chest.

“Ed…” Jax starts. “It wasn’t your fault either. It wasn’t anyone’s. We needed to help you. No one knew that Alistair would double cross us.”

“We should have. He’s a demon.” He mumbles.

“Ok. So, we are demon killers now.” Finn stands. “Let’s kill this son of bitch.”

“I’ll have to help when I get back from New York. I have this meeting thing with my family.” I grumble as I stand.

Finn nods. “Ok. I’ll send you what we find.”

I nod in agreement and head out.

I hate leaving a crisis like this, but if I don’t make this meeting, I’ll have another crisis on my hands.

****

“DIA! LET'S GO!” I yell as I pick up my bag at the door.

“I’m coming! Keep ya pants on! Geez!” She yells down as she jogs down the stairs with her suitcase.

“We’re only staying the night.” I scowl as I glance at the case.

“That can change.” She says as she puts her suitcase down and fixes her waved out hair in the mirror.

Sophie throws a leg over the back of the couch, jumping over it. She practically skips over to us. “I-I could come with…like security or something.”

“No, princess. You have sessions tomorrow and I’ll be checking in.” I tilt my head to her eyes and warn. “Besides…” I give her a quick kiss. “I don’t want your beautiful self around my father.” I glance to Claudia. “He taints everything he touches.”

Claudia rolls her eyes. “Ya got that right.”

“I think I can handle the mafia, Marcus.” She smirks.

“Sophie. No. If I have to get your brother to watch you, I will. Got it?” I warn again.

“Fine.” She scowls. “Just don’t end up on the 6 o'clock news again. Got it?” She furrows her brow further.

I lean to her lips and smile. “Got it.” I give her another sweet kiss.

Turning to the door, I open it. “After you.” I motion Claudia out the door.

“Thank you.” She says sweetly and walks out.

“Bye, Baby. I love you.” I grin.

“Love you, too.” She grumbles.

I pause for second because I felt that she wasn’t just throwing a tantrum for not going. “You ok?”

She sighs and smiles. “I’m good. Go have fun.”

“Right. Fun with the man who wants me dead. So exciting.” I roll my eyes and shut the door.

I’ve seen enough of Sophie’s fake smiles to tell she’s bugged by something. It can’t be me leaving with Claudia. She’s used to that by now. I really feel like there’s something going with her.

****

“So we do this meeting, and book it out of town. I have a bed and breakfast booked out toward the edge of the city. I think you’ll like it. It’s a cute house. All the rooms are cozy and decorated. Look.” I show Claudia the pictures on my phone.

“Only one bed?” She asks as she raises a brow.

“Well…” I cough and shrug. “It’s the only out of the way place I could find that had a room. I’m not sleeping in any major hotels for a while. Besides. We're friends, aren’t we? We can share.” I feel myself heat as I raise an eye to her.

She looks at me with a little bit of shock. Like she didn’t think I’d even suggest it. “Sure. Yeah, ok. Why not?”

I smile and glance out the window of the Buick we're being driven in.

I’m not planning anything. Don’t get that idea. But just the thought of sharing a bed with her has me excited.

No…I didn’t do it on purpose. Ya think I’m jerk or something? I really couldn’t find a double vacancy. I may or may not be a jerk for not complaining about it.

I know she’s coming off a relationship and the last thing I’m going to do is move on her. That’s not right. She needs to heal first.

Then I’ll make my move.

OK. I can hear it already. Yes, I’m an asshole for even thinking of cheating on Sophie, but there’s something here I really want to explore. I’m not thinking of leaving Sophie. Not a chance of that, but these feelings I have for the woman sitting beside me are getting stronger everyday. I can’t just ignore them. Especially, when my wolf is so insistent. He knows something. I feel it. Something’s right. I gotta find out what that is. It’s one of the rare times I wish the bastard could talk.

We pull into the driveway of my fathers house.

My heart thumps and my wolf growls intently. I calm him as the door opens.

I get out and button my jacket. I reach out and Claudia takes my hand as I help her out of the car.

I protectively put my arm around her waist and escort her to the house.

His goons stand at the door on either side and side eye me as we walk in.

I keep my cool and walk in.

The house is packed. Who are all these people?

“Marc!”

I search the heads and see Stevie push his way through.

I tilt my head. “I thought this was a meeting? The whole fucking family’s here.” I say as he walks with me to the common room.

I hold Claudia’s hand as we get to the room. I can feel her squeeze my hand. I feel her anxiety rise being in a room with so many male shifters. Her lycan is on red alert.

“Dad's in his office with the Vinellis. There’s been a change.” Stevie says.

“What change?” I ask.

“They have a new Alpha.” He crosses his arms.

“Who?” I study his face just as the room starts to stir and turns to the office hallway.

My father walks out with my mother at his back. “The negotiations have been set and the truce is finalized.” He announces.

“That’s it?” I whisper to Stevie. “Shouldn’t I be in on this?”

“I don’t know, brother.” He looks just as confused as I am.

“The families agree to cease fire. The territory lines have been drawn and the trade off will happen as soon as possible.” My fathers eyes meet mine.

“What trade off?” I question him suspiciously.

“Marcus.” Claudia pulls on my jacket and I turn to her. She looks extremely worried.

“The quicker we get this done, the quicker we can move on.”

My brows cinch together as the crowd parts. My father smirks at me then steps out of the way.

Heavy boots hit the floor as a gigantic, dark skinned guy with close cut, curly, yellow hair, steps past him. He smirks and looks me over with his yellow eyes.

“No.” I say low.

He stops and crosses his thick arms. “Oh, yes.”

Lefu looks to his left as Dahlia steps out from behind him. He turns his head back to me. “The Lycans are under my control.” He raises his finger and points to Claudia. “Including her. Return her to me.”

I shove Claudia behind me. “Yeah. That isn’t fucking happening.” I growl.

“Dahlia?” Claudia whimpers.

“Do as your told, Claudia.” Her aunt raises her chin and looks as pompous as ever.

I look to my father and back at Lefu. “No. You’re not taking her! Fuck that!”

Claudia cowers behind me and I feel her fear which is absolutely pissing me off.

“She’s mine.” Lefu growls.

“No, you demonic piece of shit. She's mine.” I snarl.

He looks to the floor then walks over to me. He has at least four inches on me. As he gets in my space, I look up at him. I stare Death right in the face. I don’t fucking care. I’ll die before he lays one hand on my girl.

My heart races as his eyes look me over. “Marcus…” He hisses slowly through a growl. “Let’s be honest. You never wanted her in the first place.” His eyes meet Claudia’s. “She’s nothing but a pretty…piece…of meat.” She shrinks as he rubs his bottom lip and eyes her.

I shove him back. “Get your fucking eyes off her.” My wolf surfaces and my eyes glow blue.

“Marcus. Return the girl, now.” My father says.

I glare at him. “Do you have ANY idea who this is?” I point to Lefu.

“Yes, I do. Return the girl.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and holds his chin up.

I slowly shake my head. “You fucking coward.”

“Watch your mouth…Son.” He says snidely.

“The girl!” Lefu barks.

“Stevie.” I look to my brother.

“Sorry, Marc. A lycan ain’t worth it.” He backs off.

“Ok. I get it.” I chew my lip.

“It’s for the truce, Marcus. Your family or the lycan. Be smart for once.” My father meets my eyes and I want to kill him.

I look to the floor and pause. The tension is thick. My head is all over the place.

I turn around and face Claudia.

“No. Please. Marcus. They’ll kill me. No.” Claudia quietly begs as she holds my cheeks.

I swallow. “Shhh.” I gently touch her lips with two fingers as I look into her terrified eyes.

She whimpers and I see the tears begin to well. My wolf is trying to rip his way through my ribs. It’s taking everything to keep cool.

I lean down and gently kiss her. She closes her eyes and softly lets out a little cry.

“When I tell you, jump out the window.” I mumble quietly on her lips. My eyes meet hers.

“Wha.” She starts.

“Shhh…” I pull back and hold her cheek. “It’ll be ok, princess. It’s for the best ok?” I quickly wink at her and her jaw goes slack.

I put my hands in my pockets and turn. “Ok. I will.” I take a few steps closer to Lefu with the same posture my father is holding right now. “On one condition.”

“What might that be?” Lefu asks.

I look down to my pocket. “You can have her if you can…”

My thumb finds the button and I press it.

I look up. “Catch this!”

I pull my metal baseball out of my pocket and toss it up. Lefu reaches out in shock and catches it as the small, blinking red light starts to blink faster. He looks at it and arches a brow.

“NOW!”

I grab Claudia and we run for the front window.

“MARCUS!!” My father yells.

We leap, smash through the glass, just as I hear the click of the ball signaling times up.

The explosion rocked the whole house. Screams of terror and pain mix with the sounds of the fire ball flashing out the window behind us. Wood and glass breaks apart and shatters. Sounds of parts of the ceiling collapsing inside almost overpowered the cries for help. I hear Lefu scream demonically and we are blown forward as the shockwave blows out all the first floor windows and doors. The house practically jumps off its foundation and the outside walls crack and break.

We land in the grass on our stomachs and look back to the chaos in the house.

“NOW YOU DIE!”

We look to the front steps and Lefu falls out the door.

I look to Claudia. “Shift.”

We both explode out of our clothes and run for the road.

Lefu roars and shifts to his lycan. It’s fucking huge. We run through the New York streets not daring to look back. Claudia grabs my wolf and leaps to the walls. She runs up a building and onto the roof.

I look down and see a pair of angry, yellow eyes on my ass. As soon as we hit the roof, our claws dug in and we took off.

At the edge, we jump. Claudia’s lycan arm wraps around me and she rides her claws down to the street.

On the ground, we round the corner. Lefu hits the ground and his growls shook windows around us.

“What do we do?!” Claudia yells as we turn down alleys and side streets.

I think hard. We can’t run from him. He can run forever. I skid to a stop and turn.

‘We fight.’ My wolf lowers his head and his fur stands on end.

Claudia stops and turns back to my side.

Lefu stops ahead of us and his shoulders rise. His drooling teeth snarl and his clawed fingers flick out. The street lights shine on him and he looks like Death.

I stare him down and Claudia flexes her clawed fingers.

Lefu lets out a loud growl and runs.

We run at him and the sound of us hitting was like three heavy weights in a ring.

I bit and tore at everything. Claudia landed on his back as she ripped at his neck.

He grabs Claudia and throws her. He picks me up and tries to throw me, but my canines sink into his head. I feel bones crack and screams. He drops me and I don’t hesitate. I jump on him and grab his throat.

He’s much weaker than the last time we fought him.

He tries to rip me off, but my wolf hangs on.

Claudia holds his head and arm as I chew my way to his death. I’m coated in his blood as he cries and hollers. His legs thrash under me, but I’m like a rock.

I find his spine and was about to finish the job when he disappeared and my nose hit the pavement.

“Where'd he go?” I shift and get to my feet.

Claudia shifts and grabs my arm. “Who cares?! You just blew up your family!”

My jaw falls slack and I slowly turn to her. “How do you feel about running home?”

“I'm game. Better than dying.” She says with panic laced words.

“Beat ya there.” I smirk, shift and run as fast as I can.

“Yeah, right!” Claudia says in her lycan voice as she jumps over me and lands on the walk.

People scream and get out of the way as the two animals escape New York. Outing us is the least of our worries.

With Lefu now in the picture, I’m not sure what our next move is, but now I know why Alistair is here.

Lefu is a fucking neon sign. Alistair can smell a power opportunity from space. The question is why does Lefu want the Vinellis – if there are any left.

One thing’s for sure, Claudia is no longer a Vinelli. The truce is over. I just broke it and I’m so fucking glad I had that ball on me.

I don’t regret blowing up the evil sons of bitches. As far as I’m concerned, they got what they deserved, but I’ll have to be prepared for what comes my way. I ain’t running this time.

They’re a threat to what’s mine. I’ll kill every last one of them without hesitation.

I just need to figure out how.