Wayward Wolf - Completed

Divided We Fall

 

Chapter 35 - Divided We Fall

 ~ Mason's POV ~

"I knew we shouldn't have brought him back here!" Austin hissed as we all crowded inside my kitchen.

I looked over to Alex and saw that she still looked ashamed of herself for her letting him into our pack. It wasn't her fault. We were all wary of him, but we all let him in. I hated the way she was blaming herself now. That asshole of a brother of hers got her to start doubting herself again because he managed to destroy her trust. He took advantage of her, weakened her, and that was the exact reason he manipulated her. He knew her weaknesses like a book. He knew that what she wanted more than anything in the world was her family back. Appearing out of nowhere as a long lost brother and pretending to live through the same pain that she did...he weaseled his way right into her life. Like a disease, he destroyed everything she built from the inside out. I knew he couldn't be trusted, but not even I could have predicted that he accomplished as much damage as he did. 

I wouldn't go as far to say that he broke her again like Gerald did. But I could see that her confidence was shaken and I knew she was hesitant with what she had to do. Who wouldn't be? Her brother may be the spawn of satin himself, but he was still her brother. Her last true family. And after letting him into her life so easily, being so desperate to repair what little family she had left, she was now forced to kill him or else he'd risk the lives of everyone. 

I wish I could kill him myself, but I know that the only one who could go up against something as powerful as Alex is Alex. She has to face him, and I hated it. Almost as much as I hated the idea of her facing Gerald again. She shouldn't have to do either. She should just run, get the hell away from here and come back when it's all over. But that's a fantasy, and this is the real world. 

My mate is the strongest person I know - mentally and physically - but I fear that asking her to kill her own family might finally test that strength to it's limits. 

"He fooled all of us," Holt cursed to himself.

"Are you sure he's just like you, Alex?" Duke asked her and she gave him a brief nod. 

"He's not Shunkaha but...yes...he's capable of the some things."

"Why didn't Shunkaha tell you about him!? Why keep it from you!?" Austin hissed.

I looked to him, warning him to watch his tone. She was distraught enough as it is without his misplaced anger. He backed down slightly when I glared.

"Because knowing about him earlier would have changed things. Would have changed the prophecy. I wouldn't have let him in, I might have even attacked prematurely." She stared off into space as she spoke, and I squeezed her tighter to my side, feeling her pain like I have so many times before. Wanting nothing more than to take it away. "We followed it like a damn script...this prophecy." She shook her head in disbelief. "I want nothing to do with it anymore..."

She pulled away from me and stalked out the front door. 

I looked to everyone and they too looked as worried for her as I was. I ran out after her and I heard them close behind me.

"Alex?" I called out, reaching out and clasping her wrist before she could get any further from the front porch.

"No, Mason! I have to kill my family! I have to kill my brother! Nothing's okay. Nothing's going to be alright," her voice sounded worn out, filled with pain and exhaustion. "I can't be who everyone wants me to be. I can't do what Shunkaha wants me to do. How am I supposed to live with myself after I kill my own flesh and blood? Everything I've been through...everything Gerald put me through...I know nothing's going to compare to the pain of killing my own brother. I was suicidal then, what do you think is going to happen to me after I kill my brother?"