Fighting Fate

Flashbacks and Feathers

RENT'S POV

"Where the hell are they?" I demanded, pacing up and down the cave.

My two guards looked at each other, then back at me, then shrugged.
I rolled my eyes, it looked like they had rehearsed it.

"It's been too long, I want you to track them."

Dante scrambled up beside me, rolling his eyes, "you're being paranoid."

"I didn't ask for your input pretty boy."

Dante shook his head, breathing out angrily as he looked away from me.
We walked out of the cave, my men began putting their skills to use, leading us up to a dark and deserted Forrest.

"There was a struggle" Bently, my eldest guard said.

I nodded looking around the scuff marks and footprints.

"They were taken." Said my other guard, Bradly.

I ran a hand through my hair, panic rising in my blood.

"What?" Asked Dante, now completely panicked

"They were outnumbered, and whatever took them, they definitely aren't human."

"Shit," I replied, staring at the footprints.

Dante glanced frantically between the guards and me.

"Which way did they go? We have to get them back!"

I glared at him, "no shit sherlock."

Dante met my gaze, I growled and turned away, Carrie's words still running through my head. After I stormed out of the cave she had followed me, much to my surprise.
******
RENT'S FLASHBACK

I stormed out of the cave, my blood boiling, god I hated that wolf. He made a rage bubble in my chest.

"Rent!"

I spun around, Carrie was running after me, her chocolate hair flying about her.

"Go back in Carrie, console that idiot pretty boy of yours."

I turned again and began walking away but she gripped my elbow and spun me around. "Rent, treating Dante like dirt won't change what's really going on here."

My eyes widened, she knew. But she couldn't know. No one knew.

"I don't know what you're talking about Carrie."

She sighed and stepped toward me.

"It's okay."

I glared at her, pushing her away.

"You don't know anything, you're a bitch, a bitch, stupid enough to get a bomb injected into her neck. I could call my alpha, you'll be dead in seconds, and."

"Rent," she tried, stepping closer

"Fuck you!" I yelled, my fists clenching.

"Rent." She repeated softly.

I went mad, red clouded my vision and I ripped the nearest tree right out of the ground.

My wolf was taking over as I slashed at every tree in sight, I threw rocks and broke branches, my anger never slowing. Then I turned to Carrie and threw her against what was left of a tree. Then I was in her face, panting and furious.

"You're a stupid bitch, you don't know anything, you,"

I was cut short, her arms had wound around me, her head on my shoulder as she hugged her slim body to mine. I shook in her arms, angry tears falling down my cheeks, but she refused to let go, and slowly I wrapped my arms around her.

"It's okay." She repeated, holding me tight.

We stayed like that for a while, I rested my head in the crook of her neck and cried. It felt like hours later when we pulled away.

"You know," I whispered looking at the ground.

She nodded softly and dipped her head so that my eyes met hers.

"And it's not something you have to hide."

I shook my head, "the pack, my parents, they would never understand. They'll think there's something wrong with me."
Hurt danced in her eyes, she was hurting for me.

"Well, that's their problem, not yours. There's nothing wrong with you, absolutely nothing. "

I stared at her, "you barely know me, but you're, you're, I don't understand."

Carrie's nose crinkled, "the only thing you have to understand is you are who you are, fuck what anybody else thinks."

I looked at her quizzically,

"And you don't care? You mind that I am, that I like, that I'm gay?"

Carrie laughed like it would be ridiculous if she did.

"Of course not. And neither should anyone else. And if they do, bring them to me, I'll introduce them to my wolf, she can be a bitch when she's angry."

I grinned at her and pulled her into my chest.

"Thank you, Carrie."

She nodded against me happily, then I pulled away, cupping her face gently.

"You won't tell anyone will you?"

She shook her head, "you do that whenever you're ready, just stop taking it out on Dante, he has no clue."

I nodded, looking at the floor. "It's just he, he's,"

"A really pretty boy?" Carrie guessed.

I laughed, "yeah."

She grinned, stood up on her tiptoes to reach my height and kissed my forehead.

My heart ached at her kindness, and her fierce protection over me. Then I took a deep breath, smoothed out my hair and clothes and we began walking back to the cave.

END OF FLASH BACK
******************

"Rent? Dude, are you listening?"

I shook myself out of the memory and looked up and Dante. "Sorry, what?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his inky hair. "They were taken by a Luri flock."

My eyebrows furrowed, "what?"

Dante sighed, "They look like humans except with really long bird legs and feet, and big black wings."

I growled, "shit."

Dante sighed, "my thoughts exactly."

"So how do we get them back?" I asked.

Dante looked at me, cocking his head,

"you'll help me get them back?"

I nodded as if it were obvious,

"Sorry, I just thought you might make us continue without them."

I shook my head nonchalantly, "you'll just kick off about Carrie, and probably lead us the wrong way, so might as well just go get her."

He nodded, "thanks."

I didn't tell him that Carrie meant too much to me now to ever leave behind.

Instead, I rolled my eyes and turned to my guards.

"So how do we get them back?"
They looked at each other then back at me and Dante.

"We find their nest."