His anger is obvious and the show of force yesterday as trucks came in, depositing screaming women and children in the camp, hinted that he’s snapped and started to take them against their will. It’s horrendous, and I watched in horror as women with bound wrists, roped so they couldn’t fight, were hauled out and unclamped to be reunited with hysterical children from another truck. He separated them. Taken babies from mothers in a bid to keep them compliant. Their mates following soon after, giving up the fight and coming to submissive control to be with their families.
Who does that?
It left a mixed feeling among the Santos and everyone has been on edge, nipping at one another, having to police the new additions in case they try to return home. You can feel the utter disgust in the air around us. No one questioning their alpha, but no one agrees with this. The Santos aren’t as bad as I used to think they all were, and it’s obvious that many are not like Juan at all.
Colton was beside him on the podium when the first trucks came in, and he couldn’t stomach it for more than seconds. Saying something to his father, I could see his aggression peeking, his expression thunderous, his eyes glowing even from this distance, and his actions animated as though showing his disapproval angrily. They argued and Colton stormed off and stayed out of sight for the rest of the deposit. The elders all looking on in silent agreement with Juan, showing who exactly in this hierarchy were the empty hearted and power hungry with all the control. Traitors to their own kind.
It feels like this place is turning into a prison, much like the home was, with wardens and it’s fast collapsing around Juan’s ears as wolves begin to question this in the corners and hallways. You hear the whispers, but they soon fall silent for fear it’ll get back to him. Everyone knows he’s ruthless and will punish any one of them, blood or not. He has his own lethal pack of war bitten psychotic wolves who do his bidding. His elders, his brother, and his beta. Four deathly loyal sub packs at his beck and call if you dismiss Colton’s. Strong enough of a mini army to get wolves to fear them. Juan’s untouchable and has the force to back up his claim to being the uniting alpha. He rules with fear, not respect. There’s no care in his heart.
There’s been no word on any vampire attacks beyond ours since the orphanage, we’ve had no word that Juan has actually let anyone know about, and there hasn’t been any new hits or hints of a threat. Apart from my new living situation it’s like it never happened and no one mentions the lives we lost that day. I didn’t even get to bury them or pay my last respects. The cleanup crew moved in and their bodies were burned outside the city limits without anyone being told until after it was done. Like worthless trash that needed to be disposed of. A black mark Juan wanted to wipe clean and push out of sight, because he can never be seen to be failing at anything.
Juan hiding more shame, the same way he hides his failure mate, Luna Sierra Santo. It seems he likes to keep secrets and pretend history is not what it is. I wonder how many of the stories of our victories of the war have been exaggerated and twisted. No one talks of the fallen, or the battles they lost, they only teach us of the heroic wins and the wolves that came back.
“Tell me about it. Colton is high on my hit list today, not that I’ll get close enough to do anything about it.” I sulk into my own lap, answering Meadow, depressed and exhausted with this situation, and Meadow leans up on her elbows to look at me.
“He won’t even talk to me about it,
Chica. God knows I’ve tried, but he’s inside his own head. He does this sometimes, although not for so long. Goes into lockdown and pushes everyone to arm’s length until he figures it out on his own, been this way since the wars made him grow up way too fast. I think the impending full moon is only making him worse, as the clock ticks down, and his father is still messing with his head. I swear, if Juan left him alone for just a week, maybe even a couple of days, that boy would soon see right and do what his heart is telling him.” Meadow spreads to star shaped across the grass and blows out a huge lungful of air, as though to expel her frustration, staring at the sky.
“Has his father said anything more about Carmen?” I ask outright, afraid to have these conversations with her as they always leave me feeling worse, but she’s the only person I have had to talk to, and I know she’s on my side in this.
“Only that Colton needs to think of the future of his people. Honestly, I don’t even know why Juan is rooting for Carmen, she wasn’t good enough a month ago, when he was constantly telling him he needed to get serious a find a better mate. I don’t get it.” Meadow shrugs, rolling on her side to perch herself up on one elbow, picking out some peeking daisies and twirls them between those talons she calls nails.
“Wait, what? I thought Juan was invested in her as the best femme for Luna? He’s sure as hell fighting her corner hard enough!” I blanche, my head spinning to her fully as rage ignites inside of me, pushing self-pity down.
“Nah, you got that all wrong. Juan has never warmed to her, he only seemed to take any kind of interest in their relationship the second the fates brought you to Cole as his companera. Up until then, he was one of the reasons Cole hadn’t yet settled and marked her. Always whispering in his ear that he wasn’t ready, that he’s too young and had time, that he should sew some wild oats and live a little. He only started with this marking shit when he knew Cole had his sights set on you.”
“So, his dislike of me contradicts even that. Screwing with Colton’s choice even before me. I swear, I wish I knew why he was so against me. It can’t just be because of the home and losing my family.” I exhale grabbing at the grass in exasperation and yanking out some more stems before watching them blow from through my fingers on the wind. Set free, roots severed, to find their own path, wherever the wind chose to blow them, and it stirs something in my head.
“The man is all about honor and power, it’s totally about you being one of the unwanted. It’s like a black mark on his bloodline to accept the fates bonded one so unworthy to his only son. He’s obsessed. I don’t think he’s all there, you know, since the wars, a little loco if you ask me.” She points at her temple and rotates in a circle, leaning up further to gaze at me with crossed eyes, jesting that he’s crazy, but it doesn’t bring any lightness to the conversation.
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