Chapter 84
“Colt! What…what did you
do?”
“He is just going to sleep for a while.” Honora says.
“What are you doing? Why?”
“Darling, you like to chase trouble and I need you to be
safe.” She points at my
stomach. “At least until that
baby comes.”
Colt falls to the ground but
he is not completely asleep just yet.
“You can’t seem to keep yourself out of trouble and this big lump of a man can’t keep you safe either, so it is up to me.”
“Are you…crazy?”
“No, just looking out for my
baby.”
“Y–your baby?”
She smiles. “Yes. The
payment I am entitled to.”
“What payment!?”
“The one your mother owed me! You! You were supposed to be my payment! She told
me she’d give me anything I
wanted if I saved you so I
agreed. When I came for you, and she realized the price she was paying…when
she realized her mistake, she fled! She fled and burned my
mark from you! I couldn’t
find you! Clever little wolf!”
My lips quiver and my eyes
water. “You…she left because
of you…”
All this time we thought it
was because of Father, even
Warrick thought it was
because of him.
“No, she left because of you.
To hide you from me.” She says. “The moment I laid
eyes on you, I could sense the power inside of you. I wanted that power but you were unstable and dying. So I helped get that power
stable and I would take what
was promised to me in the midst of a ring of fire solar eclipse. I would render your body lifeless and absorb
your powers before the
power matured. I was denied
this, your mother conned
me and now her deb is yours to pay.”
“This is why you have been
staying close. This is why you cared so much?”
She smiles. “I would have let
you rot in those pits if I had not sensed you with child.
You see you are useless to me
as an adult. I need and
innocent soul or the spell to
work.” She looks down at
Colt who struggles to resist the effects of the powder. “Hmh…the ogre is too big. He probably needs more sleeping powder.”
She puts her hands in her pocket and as she takes it
out, I slap her hand. The
powder flies off into the air.
I get up and punch her. She falls to the ground rubbing
her face and looks stunned.
“What did you think was going to happen? Did you think I was going to let you do what you wanted with me?” I ask her as I find my footing. “Did you think this through?” I take a few steps
towards her. She tries to
crawl away but I grab her by the hair. “Your greed and your power–hunger will be your undoing tonight.” I lift her up and slam her on the
ground. As she whimpers, I lift her up and throw her
across the ground.
“I am going to kill you tonight, Honora. This I promise. I am tired of people
thinking that they can do
whatever THE HELL THEY
WANT WITH ME!” I scream.
“Light witch, Ha! What a
f**king joke.”
“There is no such thing!
There is no light witch!
Witches use magic that is unnatural! It is all a lie. Every spell has a price to be paid.”
She smiles wickedly. “How
did you think I helped you? I
used another newborn’s life
to save yours. A life for a life.”
What a horrible thing to do.
“And that Ezra almost gave
me away too soon.”
“How did you know him?”
“I didn’t. He just saw me talking to Sienna–his witch–back at the pits.”
“So you were friends.”
“Acquaintances.” She says.
“Don’t trust witches…my
mother said it…”
“And you should have listened!” Before I can even
move, she takes a bottle out
of her satchel and drinks it.
slap it off of her hand but it
is empty.
“What was that?!”
She smiles, the red of her
blood stains her teeth. “What
you do to me will be
reflected on to you. Do you
wish to kill me now?”
I grab her by her shirt and lift her up. My mouth
quivers in anger.
“Yes.” I say.
“Try it then. I warn you, you may heal but you have a child inside of you that can’t just yet.”
I punch her and this causes
me to recoil back feeling the
pain in my jaw, just like where I hit her.
She straightens up and
smiles. “See.”
I grab her again but she
continues to smile. “Do it. It
will render the same results.
You can’t kill me, if you do, you might kill your child.”
“You forget one thing,
Honora.”
“And what is that?”
“My own powers don’t work
on me.”
Her eyes burst wide open.
“You don’t know that for
sure!”
“DIE”
She clutches at her heart
with desperation.
“N–n…”
It reminds me of Niles.
I watch as she breathes her
last breath.
Honora.”
“And what is that?”
“My own powers don’t work
on me.”
Her eyes burst wide open.
“You don’t know that for
sure!”
“DIE”
She clutches at her heart
with desperation.
“N–n…”
It reminds me of Niles.
I watch as she breathes her
last breath.
“Never trust a witch, got it.
I let her body fall to the ground and immediately
run to Colt.
He breathes heavily but is
well awake.
“Are you okay?” I ask him.
“Yes. Are you?”
“I am okay.” I look at Honora
and then at an unconscious
Oliver. “It is over. It is finally
over.”
Colt sighs in relief. “Finally.”
We hug each other. I feel a sense of relief I have not felt
in a long time.
Colt looks at Oliver.
“Are you sure you don’t want
me to kill him?”
“No. Apparently, he has wronged his family worse
than he has done us. They
deserve to have their
revenge.” I look at Colt. “Ezra is dead. Finally…but James…
Colt immediately puts his
arms around me and I start
to cry. It is not fair. What
kills me the most is that
smile he had as he slit his
own throat.
I clean my cheeks. “Let’s go
back. I want to make sure
everyone is safe.”
Before I can turn from him,
he holds my face in place and kisses me. He hugs me
and then kisses my forehead. “The thought of losing you again made me crazy.”
“Thank you, Colt. Thank you for loving me, protecting
me, and being a wonderful mate. Thank you for
rescuing me from the
darkness that I was in.”
“You rescued yourself. You
are the strongest person I
know.”
We embrace each other a
little while longer and then
drag Oliver back to the pack
house.
Garret–looking
exhausted–starts giving a report. “We lost a good amount of men. If not for
Rodrick getting here so fast,
we would have lost more.
The children in the pack
house are all safe. Dash
caught two men trying to arm a bomb just like the ones that were going off
around the pack. Dash got
injured but he is safe.”
My heart dropped there for a
moment.
Garret continues. “Four
Alpha visitors were killed
and many others.”
One of the Alphas steps forward. “We will convey the
nature of what happened
here. You are without fault.”
“Thank you.” I say giving
him a nod.
Victor now addresses Colt.
“What did you find?”
Colt was allowed to speak to
own pack.” Colt says.
They all suddenly look at
“Yes. The Blood River Pack is
Colt’s pack by right. Let him
do what he wishes with it.” I
say.
They all give a nod.
“And what do we do with
him?” Victor points at Oliver who is tied up in the corner with a fabric bag over his
head. Colt knocked him out
of existence apparently, he is
still out cold.
“Contact the packs back in
Europe. I am sure you will immediately find them.
They will want him back.”
“And the witch’s body?”
Victor asks.
“Burn it.” I say with no hesitation. “Everyone else, make sure they are returned to their packs and be
respectful about it.” I look at
Colt. “As for Ezra…it’s your
call.”
“That will be Kaecy’s call.”
I am confused but I nod.
“Okay…” I look at everyone in
the room. “Those of you who
are injured, go rest. There is
much to be done.”
When they all scatter out, turn to Colt. “Why did you say it is Kaecy’s decision
about Ezra’s body?”
“Because he is the one I will
be leaving the pack to. He will be Alpha…if he wants it.
“You don’t want it?”
“No. I will be with you. This is your pack and so it is mine
now too.”
“And you are okay with that? This pack…my father did so
much to you-”
“All forgotten.”
“How? It was so horrible-”
“You…because of you.” He puts a hand on my cheek. “It seems that love really does heal all—and for goddess sake don’t you dare say that is cheesy!”
I laugh. “I wasn’t. You are the
one who ruined the moment
now.”
He sighs as I laugh at him.
“Listen, let’s get you
checked.” He says.
I stop laughing and look down at my flat belly. “Okay.”
I say.
He seems surprised that I didn’t argue it.
He takes me to the doctor
and we find out that I am
okay. The baby is doing great, even after all I went through. This puts Colt at ease though the doctor said that I need to rest more
which I agree too. I wanted to help around the pack but I am exhausted and need the
rest.
“Hey, I want to see my dad
before we head to our room.
“Okay, but then it is straight
to bed. I am going to bathe
you and give you a nice
massage until you fall asleep.”
“And how can I say no to
that?”
“Right? No sane woman would…but you are not that
sane.” He says and laughs.
I laugh even though that felt like an insult. “Shut up.” I
swat his arm.
“Are you sure you are okay?”
I ask him looking at the
burns on his arms that have
slowly started to heal. “Colt, you almost died.”
“Maybe I did.”
“Don’t say that!”
“I am not trying to upset you. But think about it, maybe I am only alive
because you are alive. Maybe I am only alive until you are alive and I welcome it
because I don’t want to live
in a world without you. If you die…I die.”
I don’t know if that is what
happened, if that is how this
works but he is alive and that
is all that matters to me. I
kiss him and start walking.
Before I make it to Warrick’s
room, I stop at the parlor to take something with me.
I give three knocks at Warrick’s door and open it.
“Let me see you.” I
immediately say.
“Don’t start fussing over me
too!” He says.
“I’ll fuss if I want to! You
don’t tell me what to do.”
Lotus and Poppy giggle as
they leave the room. Colt
waits outside for me too.
“How did it go? Victor told me most of it.” He says.
“The meeting went well and everything is being taken care of. You don’t have to
worry about anything.”
He nods. “Good.”
“Your wounds?” I ask looking
at a few burns he has.
“I am fine. They will be gone by tomorrow. I was the
furthest from the explosion.
“I am glad you are okay. We
might not have the best relationship but…I don’t want to lose you.”
I sit on the bed next to him.
I can tell he doesn’t know
what to say. “I…I am okay.” He taps my hand.
I stay silent for a few moments thinking of my
next words. “Mom wasn’t
running from you.”
“Mh?” He asks confused.
“She didn’t leave the pack
because of you. It was
because of Honora.” I
explained to him everything
that Honora told me. Now
he’s been looking at the floor with a faraway stare.
“Dad?”
“Thank you…for telling me this. Thank you. I…I thought she hated me. I thought I had pushed her…”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “She loved you. I can tell by the way you speak of her. I know she loved you just as much as you loved her.”
He suddenly hugs me and I
am in shock. I can feel him
shaking and I can tell he is
crying. When my stupor is done, I rub his back and hug
him. We stay like this for a while until he finally
composes himself and clears
his throat.
“Now run along. This old
man needs his rest.”
“Rest well old man.” I take a
small box with a deck of
cards inside. “Next time I
come back, we are going
head to head.”
“What in tarnation is this?!”
“Uno.”
“Uno what?!”
crying. When my stupor is
done, I rub his back and hug
him. We stay like this for a
while until he finally
composes himself and clear
his throat.
“Now run along. This old
man needs his rest.”
“Rest well old man.” I take a
small box with a deck of
cards inside. “Next time I
come back, we are going
head to head.”
“What in tarnation is this?!”
“Uno.”
“Uno what?!”
“You can’t tell me that you
have never played this game?!”
“I have never played it. Never even heard of it.” He says.
“Wow, you aren’t kidding
when you say you are old.” I say even though this is an
old game.
“Yeah, I told ya.”
“Well, it has instructions.
Read and learn them.”
“Fine, fine.” He waves at me looking tired of me already.
I turn to leave but then his
next words stop me.
“The pack is yours. I
renounce my position. I’ll
announce it tomorrow.”
“Are you…sure?”
I am shocked and scared but
too tired to think about it
right now.
“Yes. You have done great
and you will do even better. I
am tired my dear. I wish to just…live in peace.”
I slowly nod. “Okay. Rest.
We’ll talk tomorrow.”
He closes his eyes with a
smile.
I leave him and head to my room with Colt where I tell
him about what my father just told me.
