Chapter 29: The Beast

Chapter 29

"Thane, I swear I can-"

"No!" He growled angrily at me and it was the first time that he had ever channeled that amount of rage at me. Guess the fairy tale dream from yesterday was over.

"Please, hear me out." I tried again and stepped closer to him but he walked away towards the bedroom with his back to me.

"I don't want to hear it," He growled. "Get dressed, we're about to meet the vile human who thought he could dare come into my land and take one of my wolf."

I walked behind him to try and get through to him but he slammed the bedroom door in my face and I heard the tell tale sign of the lock clicking.

He really just locked me out of the room and refused to listen to me.

I wanted to yell at him but knew he wouldn't listen so I tried my new power out, mind link. I tried to envision and reach Thane in my mind but I couldn't feel his presence and knew he was blocking me out.

My stomach was in knots and I was scared about how Thane was going to treat the situation but he wouldn't listen to anything that I had to say.

Within five minutes, Thane emerged from the bedroom freshly showered and dressed. He looked confused to see me still standing there outside the door but after looking me up and down he stepped around me and muttered, "Grab your shoes."

Not knowing what else I could do but go along with the situation I hurriedly grabbed a pair of tennis shoes and slipped them on my feet before following him out the door, pancakes and marriage forgotten.

Thane walked ahead of me at a fast pace and I could barely catch up especially since the pain I had didn't completely subside.

I couldn't help but slow down a bit when I couldn't manage to walk any faster and Thane abruptly stopped but didn't dare turn back, "Keep up would you."

"My lady bits are sore, would you slow down." I grin out because he was infuriating.

He turned back slightly and glanced at me with a worried expression but it was gone as soon as it came. Instead of apologizing, he kept going but at a noticeably slower pace.

I realized we were headed towards the Crypt when we passed the pack house and even though Jake deserved to rot in hell, I couldn't condone the death of anyone.

Human, wolf or rogue.

We made it to the Crypt a little longer than usual because of my slow pace but as we walked up to the underground building, I realized we weren't going inside because a few pack members surrounded someone who was on their knees, restrained in the grass a few meters away from the Crypt.

As we made it closer though I realized it wasn't Jake, it was a guy named Ian. He was Jake's best friend and a hunter as well. I felt a sudden chill down my spine because it meant that Jake was still out there with the knowledge of the wolves.

"Alpha, Luna." Everyone greeted us as we met them and I could see Ian staring at me in shock as if he couldn't believe I was actually there.

"This is the sedative we found back in the pack house." Lucas handed over the needle that Jake gave me that day and I gasped at the sight of it.

How did they even find it?

I could see Thane tense and I felt the anger radiating off of him as he looked at the vile of liquid before turning to glare daggers at me. But it wasn't just his eyes on me, it everyone's eyes giving me a shocked and outraged glare.

"How'd you find this?" Thane asked the question I was thinking.

Lucas glanced at Ian with a sickening expression, "He said he gave the Luna it three days ago when he found her here so Bailey went in and sniffed it out."

Even Bailey must think I'm a bad guy now.

Thane just nodded his head and handed back the needle to Lucas.

"So this is our little human." Thane said in a deadly playful voice as he bent down and gripped Ian's chin to force him to look into Thane's eyes which shifted to red which meant his wolf wanted out.

"And you're the dog." Ian spat in disgust.

Thane drew a fist back and punched Ian square in the nose to the point where he was bleeding, "Don't forget who has the power here!" Thane growled.

Ian tried to wipe the blood off on his shoulder with a bit of struggle since he was restrained while Thane raised to his full height, "Now I heard that you know my wife here," Thane said the word with disdain, "care to enlighten the rest of us on the little story you told my friend earlier." He said in a command instead of a request.

I was about to protest but Ian cut in, "You're wife?! What the hell Emery?"

"Ian don't." I gave him a warning look to shut up before he got himself killed.

"Well if you look at that, they do know each other." Thane chuckled without an ounce of humor, "So is this your ex Emery? The guy who wanted to plant that chip in your arm?" Then his expression changed to one of understanding, "Ahh, I'm right aren't I? After you met me that night you ran along and let him stick some chip in you so you could lead them here."

Ian looked confused, "Emery, what the hell is he talking about?"

Thane looked back and forth between us, "You aren't the ex?"

"Thane, let me explain, please." I begged.

Thane acted as if I hadn't uttered a word and I could see Beau giving me a sympathetic look and I hoped that someone would hear me out.

I walked closer to Thane and grabbed his shoulder but he flinched as if my touch burnt him.

"Don't." Thane backed away from me with closed eyes and a pained expression, "Don't fucking touch me right now Emery." His eyes opened and I could see the pained expression he held.

Heck because of the mate bond I felt his pain and anger and it was so unbearable since it was mostly directed at me.

"Just let me explain, please." I tried with him.

"For all I know, the same way you hid the fact that he was here, you might lie to us all about what really happened." Thane growled.

"Listen, I'll tell you." Ian sighed.

"And what makes you think we'll believe you?" Thane growled.

"Because I don't have a reason to lie do I?" Ian pointed out.

Lucas snapped at him, "It's clear that you humans are liars."

I stared at Lucas in complete horror.

"Thane..." I trailed off as I felt useless.

He didn't even look at me as he said, "I rather hear him than her right now." I felt the blow to my heart and couldn't believe he was acting like this. "So you better start talking human, before I starting breaking your fingers."

Ian shot me a terrified look and even I felt scared for him. I nodded my head for him to go on and noted that Thane was glaring at our silent communication.

"Start talking, now!" Thane roared.

Ian cringed back but spoke up anyways, "What do you want to know?"

"Why don't you start with how you got here?" Lucas answered.

Ian shot me one last look before he proceeded, "About three months ago Jake started to act strange. He started hanging out with this new chick in town and then suddenly he started talking about the beast again as if we were any closer to finding you all." He gave Thane and the other guys a glare.

"What new chick?" Thane pressed.

"He never said what her name was and we never saw her but she was suddenly shacking up with him. Anyways, it was as if she knew everything about what happened on the night of the ritual. According to Jake's new hook up, she said it was a werewolf that took Emery that night." Ian looked at Thane's glowing red eyes and gulped. "He only told me, no one else and when I didn't believe him, we followed an elderly woman out to the forest and saw her transform into this animal. Jake made us this type of spray that concealed our 'scent'. He said that way she wouldn't know we followed her. But I saw it Emery," he gave me a look of revelation, "I saw what they are. They're no humans, they're beasts, animals, dogs. Large wolves." Ian shuddered at the memory but the only thing crossing my mind was Jane's safety which was now compromised.

Thane turned back around and glared at me, "If something happens to Jane..."

"It wouldn't." I tried to convince us both and hopped she hadn't left yet.

"Go find my grandmother and ensure she stays in the pack." Thane growled out orders to one of the pack members who shifted immediately and ran off.

"Holy shit!" Ian scrambled back on the ground and gasped in horror at the wolf before he turned to look at me, "You know what they are and you're still here? You're married to one?" He accused me as if I betrayed everyone.

And I had betrayed everyone. But it wasn't the humans, it was the wolves that I betrayed. My own pack.

"It's not what you think." I tried to reason.

"Emery they take a human from us every twenty years. They took you! They kill whoever seeks them out. You know that and yet you stand here and tell me it isn't what I think?" Ian shouted angrily.

Thane grabbed Ian's face, "Don't you dare raise your voice or even look at her, do I make myself clear?"

Great, now he wanted to act like my mate.

Ian nodded and gulped in nervousness before he went on, "Only Jake and I know what you are and when he figured out how to get here through the mountains, he came to find Emery..." He trailed off.

"But?" Lucas pressed him to go on, impatiently.

"But when we came here that day, there was a dog around..." He trailed off contemplating what he was about to say. "But before it could attack us, another one of you guys came out and killed it for us so we were set. After that we tried to lure Emery out into the forest away from you guys but we saw her greet another one of you in the forest without surprise and we knew you creatures brainwashed her so we left."

"The rogue that was dead the night you meet Aiden in the forest." Thane muttered in confusion, "But that doesn't make any sense because no one in the pack reported the dead rogue until I stumbled upon the body."

Lucas looked confused as well, "What did the wolf who helped you look like?"

Ian thought about it before he said, "I'm not sure, maybe black or brown, it happened so fast that Jake and I just backed away from the scene before we got caught."

Lucas didn't look convinced but nodded for Ian to continue.

"Jake couldn't leave it at that though, he had to make sure everyone knew what was out here so that's why he came back a few days ago, to get Emery's help. You see no one would believe us, two hunters dead set on the fact that mythical werewolves exists. We couldn't kidnap the old lady from town either because she's an elder and everyone knows her as being human. So our best option was for Emery to get us a wolf. I thought it would've been harder to convince her that's why I didn't risk coming back out here but when Jake returned saying that she agreed, I was shocked." Ian glanced at me and Thane growled at him or maybe it was at me, I wasn't sure.

"And what exactly did your friend ask my wife?" Thane asked in a dangerously low voice.

Ian looked at me guiltily and I knew he felt bad because despite coming here for a wolf, he didn't understand the situation like I did. He just assumed I'd been taken hostage and back when I knew him in Fairbairn he was an extremely kind guy so he must have just wanted to help me.

"He asked her to sedate one of you animals and bring him or her to the back of that big house where he met Emery a few days back. But he sent me instead and just said to get the wolf, nothing more. That's why I'm here." Ian concluded.

"Why would he send you instead of coming here himself?" Lucas questioned.

Ian sighed and went on, "He probably assumed Emery wouldn't give him what he wanted and that she would hand over the wolf to me without much of a fuss." When Lucas gave him a confused expression he continued, "Because he's her ex, for all he knows she probably told one of you guys and would've had him killed. Me on the other hand...well I've always been nice to Emery and her sister so I doubt she would want me dead."

"Well you're going to be dead in a few minutes so don't count your luck." Thane snarled in resentment.

I gasped, "Thane, you can't kill him."

Thane glared at me as if I betrayed him, "I can and I will. If you can't be bothered about the own pack you vowed to protect yesterday then I'm going to have to be the one to make the decisions around here Emery." He grated out.

"But he's done nothing wrong Thane."

"He has! By even stepping foot on my land he should be dead already. For planning to take one of my wolves he should be dead already. He will pay for your betrayal and his crimes." He snapped at me with a deadly look and I couldn't help but recoil back.

"Thane." I pleaded with him and he finally turned his full attention to me.

"Leave us." He commanded the other guys and they all walked away as Thane, Ian and myself all remained there.

"You can't kill him Thane. He's human and he's got a family back home."

"Why are you so adamant that I not kill him?" He asked calmly and I felt scared by his sudden change in behavior,

"Because he was a friend to me back home." I reasoned.

"But this is your home now Emery and I don't care about his family. The wolf you would have sacrificed would've had a family too and yet you were going to throw him to the hunters." He said in disbelief.

"I said that I could explain what happened." I pleaded.

"Explain? There's no words you could say to me that would make this okay Emery. Don't you see that?" And I could tell his Alpha exterior was cracking into one of hurt.

"I wasn't going to do it!" I yelled at him in frustration.

"You're words have little meaning to me now." He shrugged me off.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Thane. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I was only trying to protect the pack." I said as a tear slid down my cheek.

"Protect the pack." He scoffed. "The only one you care about is yourself and your human family."

"You're wrong and you know you are." I croaked out.

At the sight of my tear drops, Thane's expression hardened, "Save the drama Emery, we may be mated but what you did today could never be forgiven. Never."

"Don't push me away Thane, please. I-I... just let me explain. Please." I grabbed onto his cheeks and tried to reach him through our bond but I could feel his presence recoil from me as if he was fighting his feelings and the mate bond.

"I need to do what needs to be done Emery. He knows about us and so does your ex. We can't have them running around knowing that we exist." He completely expelled all his emotions and removed my hands from him.

"Thane you promised you wouldn't kill anyone else, please?" I tried one last time for Ian who looked like he was about to pass out.

"I made that promise to the woman I fell in love with." Was his only words as he approached Ian. "After I'm done with him," He gestured to Ian, "I'll go find your ex lover. I'll drag him back here so you could see the look on his face when he finds out you married the enemy. I'll show him what the beast really looks like and then," He gave me a smile that sent chills down my back, "then I'll kill him with my own two hands along with that girl who's been feeding him information on us."

I ran up behind Thane and grabbed onto his shoulder to stop his approaching form to Ian but he called for Beau and Lucas.

They both grabbed my arms and pulled me back from Thane as he spoke in a chilling tone, "Take her back to our house and ensure she remains put."

He shifted instantly after that and circled Ian.

Ian gave me a panicked look and there was nothing I could do. Nothing he could do to save himself.

His eyes were still piercing my soul as Thane pounced on him with a fierce growl and bit into his neck. The blood from a boy I once called my friend was now splattered around his body and on Thane's wolf as the life drained from his eyes and he took a piece of my soul with him.

For the life of me I couldn't look away as Thane basically teared Ian's head off and mutilated his body.

I didn't even realize I was screaming until Beau pulled me into his chest and I let it all go and sobbed.

Sobbed for my friend and my broken heart caused by Thane.

Besides Ian being a friend, the sight of the true Thane carved a horrifying image into my head. The image of what I expected the Beast to be when I first encountered him. And low and behold, my nightmare was standing right in front of me, tearing another human into pieces because of my mistake.

"I feel sick." I mumbled and pulled away from Beau as I turned around and hurled.

I felt someone hold my hair back but I knew it wasn't Thane because I felt his presence leave and I knew he ran off.

Beau held me up as he and Lucas escorted me back to the house where Thane and I spent our dreamy wedding night, which felt like it was years ago as my memory was now marred with the image of a dead Ian.

Fairy tales suck. Reality always catches up with you sooner or later.

A/N

A big hello, welcome and thank you to the old and new readers! I noticed this story was at #7 in romance and #10 in werewolf and a lot of you guys took the chance on my story and have been reading and voting and I appreciate each and every one of you <3 You all are what make this story into what it is and I can't thank you all enough, truly!

Wow, who would've thought Thane would've gotten that cold and distant? But can we blame the guy, the pack is his entire world and what he's vowed to protect since he was born.

Though both him and Emery have issues listening to each other when it comes to dire issues.

Song: Aqualung & Lucy Schwartz - Cold

IG: @1fandombookgirl

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