“You have a bone to pick with our pack, and we get it, we do. This isn’t the way to resolve your feelings. Alora doesn’t want this, and it won’t bring you any kind of peace. Fighting here, killing each other, it won’t get you what you want.” Colton is still adamant he won’t back down, so instead of arguing, I slide myself in front of him and hold his arm instead. Making it clear I want to do this myself. I love his need to lead, but in this my voice is what’s needed.
“Who says it won’t? Who says that taking down an entire bloodline in revenge won’t satisfy some of us?” Jasper’s voice filters through from behind Varro and he appears at his side. Eyes ambering out as his inner wolf grows restless. His stance is hostile, his piercing gaze gleaming bright with rage and I can taste so much pain pulsating this way from my brother. It’s almost like an overwhelming downpour coming at me from above.
“Jasper…. Do you really think this will bring mom and dad back? Do they all need to die to fix that scar in your heart? What about me? Do you not care what it does to me?” I know this is futile but I’m not ready to give up on my brother just yet. There’s enough conflict inside of him to make me believe I still have a chance to help him through this darkness. I know his heart, who he was. He was never bad, never a killer, and all of this is pain and loneliness that’s eaten away at him for a decade. He needs to heal.
“I know nothing but pain and misery from their loss. Dad would want me to avenge our family. Mom would never lay down and let it go, she was a warrior. How can I just forget them?” He turns away, eyes glistening as tears make a show and despite his angry words, my emotions are hit with an agonizing sad pang. My brother is in agony and now we’re here ready to do what he’s wanted for a decade; his heart is wavering. I can feel his confusion even if his words contradict that. He wants so badly to do something for their memory, even if deep down he knows they wouldn’t want this for us.
“Enough… I didn’t come to listen to bickering. I was offered a solution and I want to hear it.” Varro impatiently snaps, bringing my brother to heel with his tone. He snaps all our attention back to him and I have to let go of my brother’s emotions for now.
“I want this to end, tonight. The root of all of this is Juan Santo. He’s here, among us. You want someone to blame, then it’s him and his greed. We won’t stop you. His thirst for power over a pack and his acts of murder, his actions that kept me a prisoner for a decade. I have as much reason to hate him as you do. So please, don’t see this as some sort of weak compromise. This is as much for me as it is for you.”? I let go of my mate and bring myself up tall and proud matching Varro’s stance. Words finding their strength and reminding myself that I can do this. My hatred for Juan is as strong as theirs, I need them to understand that.
“He didn’t act alone. There were other Santo wolves who helped slaughter your entire bloodline.” Varro raises a brow at me, seemingly dissecting my words and acting like he’s considering them.
“His men are mostly gone. The few remaining are slinking around in the shadows trying not to be caught. You are welcome to all of them. As a pack, we won’t stop you. As Luna, I encourage you to help free us from their burden. All we ask is that you don’t touch anyone else. That this fight ends here tonight. Place blame where blame is due and not on the innocent around them. These are my people and they raised me, protected me…. I’m alive because of Santo wolves. Their own Luna for a start. Reward that…. Don’t punish it.” My chest swells at my own words as Sierra flits across my mind and it strengthens my resolve.
“It’s not that easy to let go of twenty years of heartbreak. This anger didn’t build itself up overnight.” Varro is acting reasonable, even civilized and I wonder if this is an act or if he really is the kind to compromise and listen to logic. His actions of the past say no, but his being in front of me, he seems almost sane. I guess there had to be some qualities in him that drew my mother to one of their kind and I wonder if I am seeing glimpses of it now I’ve peeled away the reasons for his war on wolves. My mother was a good person, she would never have loved a monster.
“Then look at me and put it aside. What is it you want? A relationship? Fine…. I’ll do whatever it takes to end this. I’m not scared of you. If you do this, I’ll get to know you, take the time to learn who you are.”
“My dear sweet child, I’m not asking for a sacrificial lamb. I never asked for you to be afraid of me either. I want my child to come to me willingly because she wants to know her father. The plan was to wipe the slate clean. Free the world of these bothersome wolves and take you home with me for a better life. Where you belong.”
I snort and half laugh, half cough, at his ridiculous idea. It’s not what I expected to hear but then I guess, delusional plans had to be part of the bigger picture. Did he just imagine I would up and follow him home because of who he is?
“Not a chance. You kill the pack, you kill me. You know how mate bonds work and my mate won’t stand back and let you do anything to our people. Neither will I. I am not going off to live in some vampire land with you. Get real. I’m still half wolf.” My place is with my pack and nowhere else.
“So stubborn, just like your mother. Can’t you be more like your brother… so deep in longing for revenge he will do whatever it takes, even if it kills him. He has managed to stay alive among my kind for a decade, and that was no easy task.” He seems amused at my words, and pats Jasper on the shoulder in a weirdly affectionate way. A hint of pride that my brother somehow didn’t die all these years and I squint at him. My emotions bubbling away as I try to stay on top of the chaos I feel inside.
“My mother would hate you for all of this. You never knew her if you think any different. At the last moments of her life, she was still fighting for her pack. Think about that. She lost her life while still trying to protect them. She died for these wolves, for her child. She went to war to fight against you…don’t you see that?”
Jasper shifts on his feet, drawing my attention as he turns away and I catch the glimmer of a tear rolling down his cheek. He walks off, his posture stiff but his emotions are caving as my truths sink home. My words have struck a chord and he can’t bear to listen anymore. Varro on the other hand looks smug, mildly annoyed, but he stays calm and unmoved in posture.
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