Pack Ties, Blood Lies

Chapter 35 - Broken

Hi guys!

I hope you are enjoying it so far!

Wonder how many of you saw this coming... Let me know in the comments!

Molly  :) xx

I felt frozen in place as I watched the words pour from him lips.

"I had a family, you see. Outside of this madness of dog-people and magic. A human family." He smirked and edged closer, spinning his tale with agonising slowness to his enraptured audience. "My brother was particularly interested when I disappeared off with Evie. In fact, he never really forgave me."

The insult 'dog-people' barely even stroked a nerve. I didn't have room in my mind for anything other than processing each new word that he spoke.

"You should have realised by now... that a human wandering into a Pack of wolves with a gun, isn't just mindless suicide. I'd much rather keep on living if it's all the same to you. In fact, I really wouldn't advise killing me at all. Your pack members lives depend on the safe trade of me back to my brother."

Simultaneous growls ripped through the air like knives as we realised what we had done. Fallen for this distraction like inexperienced pups.

"You had better hope that no one has been hurt." Jack snarled. Yanking Perry through the doorway and pushing him up the stairs in front of us. "For the sake of any of your human kin that dares to challenge our pack."

We moved through the Pack House in hurried silence. I could feel the rage thrumming the air around Julian, but he said nothing, allowing Jack to lead. My mate needed no further instruction, roughly pushing our captor ahead of us.

Finally, we spilled out into the weak morning light.

I realised with a small shock that it had been almost twenty-four hours since I had stood in my kitchen, idly braiding my friend's hair.

That pleasant moment seemed like another lifetime to this. Seemed impossible almost, as my eyes met the gleeful gaze of a man I had hoped to never see again.

Drake.

He stood casually; no fear visible in the relaxed set of his shoulders. Behind him, his pack held our kin hostage. Their wide eyes and bloodied bodies and faces tugged at my heart.

I was struggling to connect the dots. And yet, there was a more pressing problem. My feet were continuing their path towards that ice blue gaze.

Jack snarled. "Charlie. Wait. We have to negotiate."

But I couldn't stop. I knew I should. But my body had other ideas.

Feeling my heart tear in my chest, I fell into Drake's arms. A thrill buzzing through me as his lips met mine in a hot wet kiss that stole my breath.

Revulsion warred with passion, and I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I heard Jack roar. The frenzied sound of a struggle as I knew Julian held him at bay.

Holly whined pitifully and I fervently hoped that they knew that these actions weren't my own.

I turned in Drake's arms. Watching numbly as my mate struggled in Julian's hold. As Holly trembled as she guarded Perry. All eyes on me, horrified with my betrayal.

Drake's laughter tickled my neck as he wrapped me in his arms. "It's good to see my pet still has her leash, despite this pesky mark." He stroked the silvered scar on my neck gently. "I'm surprised you waited until she was sloppy seconds to claim her Jack, but grateful really. Thank you for letting me have her nice and fresh."

The stillness that overcame Jack was terrifying. His eyes darkened with a fury unlike any I'd ever seen. A muscle jumped in his jaw in his effort to remain un-shifted.

"How thoughtful of you to even bring Perry back to me." Drake's words were light, filled with humour.

Julian frowned, eyes flitting briefly to our sole hostage. "Perry? He's human. You despise humans."

Immediately, deep laughter filled the quiet of the clearing. Surprising in its origin... Perry.

Shaking his head, he walked around Holly, taking Drake's clear advantage as his opportunity to move to his side. He nudged the man that held me lightly with his elbow. "You despise humans, eh?"

Drake snorted. "You can't honestly expect these dogs to see what is under their snouts" He slid his fingers through my hair as he spoke. "Shame really... Some of them are almost worth keeping around. No matter. Since you know them, I'll let you choose. Who do we kill first, brother?"

The air stilled. Life froze as his final words rang out into the silence.

Brother.

Even Jack was momentarily distracted from my treachery. "How can that be true? You are wolf and he is human."

Drake laughed again. "You really need me to spell things out for you, don't you?" He released my hair to push his lip up with his thumb, revealing small human canines. "As human as the day I was born."

That couldn't be true. I had seen him flit with speed surpassing anything a human could achieve. I had felt his strength. Felt the Alpha power in his words.

He spread his hands casually, beaming in the slightly mad way I'd come to recognise. "I'm a chemist... When my dear brother disappeared, and I found out about your filthy habit of breeding with humans, I decided the practice needed to stop. I could never have hoped for Byron to wander into my path. The perfect means of creating my very own blood tonic... giving me a bit of that Alpha power that works so well to handle you guys."

The gasps of shock were half drowned by the roar of our Alpha. "What is it you want from us? There are no more humans here. Take your brother and leave." The glint of his teeth was a terrifying reminder of our inhumanity. Sharp, long, and most definitely deadly.

Releasing me, I felt the cold of Drake's absence. Disappointment flooding me at the same time as relief. My body and head were at war. A war just as real as the flesh and blood one surrounding me.

"I think you might need a few reminders to keep to yourselves." Drake turned to face his chemically controlled Pack. Nodding sharply.

With a quick flick of their wrists, six of our brethren had their necks snapped. Allowed to crumple to the floor like pieces of trash.

Drake turned again to face the furious form of my father. "Do we have an agreement? I'll happily release the rest of our 'guests' when we are safely away from here."

The rage swirling around Julian was so thick I could taste it. My knees felt weak from the force of it.

"Fine. But Charlie stays." The set to my father's jaw told me this would not be forgotten. That Drake would be made to regret this day.

Drake took a second to glance at me dismissively. "Absolutely. She's broken anyway. Alpha blood and Allegiance seem to be a tempestuous mix."

With that last statement, he and Perry turned, disappearing into the trees as his Pack followed suit, backing into the undergrowth with our kin struggling in their grasp.

My heart sank as the last pale face was swallowed by the forest.

Drake was right. I was completely broken.