Mia
The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising everytime we fall.
We barely have a few hours till dawn breaks and the light comes up. From my bedroom window, Iglimpse the stars begin to dim in the night, which creates a backdrop to an illuminating cityscape. This isn't the first time I've gone off into combat. But it's the first time I'll be weaponless.
But not powerless.
Although this is the first time I'm sitting on the sidelines as well.
Carlos's rules were simple: Kristen, Merida, and I were to remain with Alex as she pointed out the attacker and ensured that no one attacked her. Then, hang in the background as his pack did the work.
When I asked why, Merida's response was straightforward. If wolves from another pack caused "trouble", it would be considered supernatural warfare against the local clans. Also, to say the obvious, Alex, who had just transformed, couldn't be trained to fight and control herself in less than four hours. It made sense; even after weeks of training with the warriors in Saga Moon, that purple flame welding witch still handed me my ass on a silver platter.
The slow buzz of the ceiling fan filled the normally quiet room as I focused on the spot where I stood when I made that ominous deal with Sarah. Touching the magical collar on my neck, I pondered why she would even do such a thing. Perhaps when I met her again, after she calls me to do god know what, I'll ask her about now. But for now, the collar and my deal pales in comparison to the dilemma swirling in my head.
The same vampires who attacked the pack, attacked Alex, and regardless of what Carlos said, that makes it our problem. Even more so, now that I know who's behind the two attacks. Darkness.
Breathing heavily, I think back to my corrupted thoughts when Alex was still going through the change. I really wanted to kill him the first chance I got. However, that was moments before Merida showed up. Which makes the situation much more complicated. Because, now, if we did encounter him, I have no idea which side she would take. In my heart, I believe that it'll be me she'll choose but in my mind, I know the reality of our situation. And the fear of the latter is the one thing that keeps me from telling her.
That only leaves me one choice. If Darkness and I were to face off against each other, I'll need a contingency plan.
My fingers curled into the soft comforter, gripping it tightly as though that might anchor me to reality, any other reality but this. Staring at the empty space in front of me, where the harsh weight of a tough decision loomed. The thought alone made my stomach twist in ways I couldn't describe. My heart pounding at the very idea.
I stood up abruptly, pacing to the window, my reflection staring back at me from the glass. My own uncertainty was written all over my face. There was no easy way out of this. If I don't go through with this, there's no telling what could happen. I spent weeks alone, and Alex paid the price for my stubbornness. I needed allies, and I know the perfect friend that would help me.
Leaving my room and stepping into the living room, I instantly spot Kristen reading a book that Alex had finished last week. Her black pants with combat boots are crossed and kicked up against the couch's edge. She's wearing a soft long sleeve gray tee that stretches slightly over her slim muscular frame. Kristen's always been the light hearted jokester since I've met her, but it's moments like this that I remember that she is the one who hunted down and killed the witch that both Merida and I failed to. She's truly someone no one and I mean no one should underestimate.
"Kristen, can we talk for a bit?" I swallow nervously. Merida had left to speak with Carlos about the plan for tonight so we'll be meeting up with her once they locate the vamps.
Slowly, she lowers the book till it's placed carefully on her lap, like it's made of glass. "What's going on?"
My teeth sink into my lips for a moment as I bounce from one foot to the other. "Actually. Alex," I call quietly from the living room. "Could you come here too?" I don't need to be as loud as I used to be anymore because her heightened senses and something inside me grieves at the lost of my sister's humanity.
Within a moment, my sister saunters into the living room, on alert. Her hair tied back similar to Kristen's but her clothes aren't tailored to fight. A cobalt long sleeve and black joggers. I focus on quickly putting her wolf to ease.
"It's nothing serious. Well it is. I mean - " You're doing great, Mia. "I'm going to tell her. She needs to know and I need her help, Alex."
"Need my help? What's going on, Mia?" Kristen questions as Alex shakes her head.
"It's likely to happen." I tell them, more to Alex than Kristen. "If it does, then Kristen is the best choice. I trust her."
Alex glanced over at Kristen, who was staring quizzically at the both of us. "Spill the beans, please?"
"Kristen I need you to promise me."
She looked at me with calm eyes before nodding. "We're friends, whatever you need."
"As you probably know by now, Merida has a brother. And it's common knowledge that her brother passed away a long time ago, however... it's not true. Perhaps at a certain point it was, but now..." I take a deep breath, it's now or never. "Merida's brother... is still alive."
Alex shifts her position slightly, ready to stop Kristen in case she moves, as her eyes go wide.
"Mia, I don't get -"
"The attacks on your pack, on me. It was to send a message to Mia. I don't know why he's doing this but all I know is that he's the reason behind all of this." Alex finishes for me, her tone a bit harsher than I assume she intended. Alex flinches as Kristen tenses.
"It's true, that's the reason I had to leave Saga Moon. I thought that it'll be safer for everyone. I just never expected this to happen." I say looking towards Kristen. "When we go against the vamps later, it's likely we'll face against him." I tell her. After a beat, I add quietly, "We'll probably go against Merida as well. It's her brother after all."
My voice hardly hit a whisper but the emotion within it was enough for Kristen to understand what I meant.
"You want me to make sure that doesn't happen." She tells me instantly, understanding the plan that I've been hesitant to say. Her eyes steeled with resolve. "I'm not stronger than her but I can do it."
Madness shifts sharply within my flesh, hating our betrayal. "I'm not saying to kill her." I plead.
Kristen shakes her head and replies with a hint of humor. "I couldn't even if I tried. But I can hold her back. If what you're saying is true then it'll be harder to fight with Merida in the mix."
"No questions?" Alex inquires with her arms crossed over her chest. "You just agreed to turn against your Alpha, who i also assume is your friend, just like that?"
Kristen glances over to her and an emotion passes in her eyes that causes Alex to suddenly blush. A hint of red caresses through her penny colored skin. "He hurt you. And if there's a chance he might do it again, I'll do anything to stop that."
"And besides, worse case is that I'll accidently knock her unconscious but she can punch me later for it." Her soft humor eases things for only a moment, before the crushing reality sets in.
I'm really going to do it. Finally after so many weeks of training. I'm able to fight against Darkness. I can only hope that I'll be strong enough to face everything that happens after. With Merida, and with Peter.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnP4xhK9veu
