My Alpha Mate

Chapter 13: The Unlucky Number

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

~Apple Inc.

        Sunset. The one word that triggered my mind to go into complete panic mode. I had to pack. I had to do something. But what? I looked at Jace, who had a expression of puzzlement on his face. Panicking, I diverted his attention. "Jace?! Who is he?" I yelled in my best I'm-scared-save-me voice. Jace looked at me, as if examining me for injuries. "Violet are you okay?" Jace asked concerned. I started to hyperventilate loudly, and said, "There is a criminal in our pack, Jace! Get it out! Get it out! I'm scared!" I screeched looking at Alex as if he was a rat. Alex looked like he was having a hard time not rolling his eyes as I acted like a scared girl out of a cheesy horror movie.

        "Violet, calm down. I will take him to prison and then execute him as soon as possible. Okay?" Jace said in a soothing voice, trying to calm me down. My eyes widened slightly. Execution? "No! No! Just kick him out. Don't kill him!" I demanded, "Just let him go. Please?" I begged again. The pack members watched my spectacle in amusement, and I knew I was going to be the butt of their jokes after this. "Why do you want me to let him go?" Jace questioned, clearly confused. I held his hand and pointed to Alex, "Because he's half human too. And we should be the better species and just let him go." I nodded, trying to convince myself that would work, "Jace show this criminal that you are the better man by letting him go." I nudged him towards the keys in his hands. "Let him go, Jace." I begged hoping this would work. 

        "I'm sorry, Violet. But I am not letting him go. I hope you understand." Jace said, turning away from me, and heading towards where the prison was located. The prison where Alex's death would take place unless I did something to stop it. "Forgive me, Jace." My voice a soft whisper. Jace hears me, and turns around."Forgive you for what?"

        "Forgive me for this." I snatch the keys out of his hands, and unlock Alex's cuffs. I shifted into my tiger, and take off running, with Alex's black panther following me. Everyone gasps and is frozen in place. The warriors begin to assemble and turn to Jace, whose face of shock leaves me frozen. The thing he says next kills me more. "Kill them." He says hoarsely, and turns away shamefully.

        Alex and I have all the pack warriors following us, even with their training they are no match for our speed. How ironic to think that the very men I trained with, and ate lunch with are the very men trying to kill me. Too bad I can't appreciate the irony. Alex leap ahead of me and motioned for me to follow him. I nodded and followed him deeper into the woods and into unknown paths. I became painfully aware of how dependent I am of him now. Now more than ever.

        I tread carefully towards the cave, which with it's abyss like features looked like a labyrinth. One that meant no return. Alex nudged me towards it, and I could hear the pounding of wolf feet not too far behind us. It was now or never. I ran towards the cave like it was my last hope, because it was. It was me, now. I felt betrayed, distraught, and I was so close. I had only been there a few months and the pack was starting to feel like a home to me. Jace was becoming a home to me. But the idea of home, was now gone.

        Flashback:

        It was Christmas Eve, the snow was white. From my window the world was a beautiful pure place. Kids outside were playing throwing snowballs at each other, and making snowmen. My brother was with them. I was 8. He was 9. I wanted to go outside and play but I was glued to the window. Viewing, but never being a part of the action. My brother caught me staring, and gave me a boyish grin and motioned for me to come outside. It was my first Christmas, I had just been adopted by my new family, but the loneliness of foster home was still in my veins. I shook my head no at my brother who indifferently shrugged his shoulders as if to say, 'Oh well.'. It was my fault I suppose, being left out. Maybe I wanted to be alone, or maybe I thought I deserved it. My new adopted mother stood behind me, and it was at that moment that I realize that he didn't mean me.

        I tried to play it off indifferently, acting as if it didn't matter, but the truth was it did. It mattered more than I wanted to admit, but I continued to watch through the window, my new adopted mother throw a snowball at my new brother. She changed her mind at the last minute and decided she wanted to go outside. My new adopted father, rushed past me and went outside, and started to play along with them. They were a family, like the one in the poster the orphanage keeps, to give kids hope or the false promise of something every orphan would die for. The promise of a family, the promise of being loved, of being wanted. I pressed my hand against the glass, and stared at the picture perfect family, the family I knew I would never belong to. And I let one treacherous tear, fall.

        It was my first Christmas that I knew I would never belong.

        I leaped into the cave, awed by the beauty in front of me, I was surrounded by beautiful aqua blue crystals, and to my left a crystal clear waterfall, clearer than I have ever seen; and if I looked hard enough I saw a forest protected by the cave walls. This, I hoped would be home.

Jace's Point of View~~~

        I'm a traitor. I know it and I hate myself for it. The irony, the species I detest most, one of them is my soul mate. The woman, God chose for me. To be my other half, to be the mother of my children. I wanted my soul mate dead in that moment. I told my men to kill her, I wanted them to. I wanted her gone. The burning betrayal in my heart is unquenchable. This fire in me, no matter how much I want to extinguish it, I can't. I let that woman live in my house, I loved, love her, my wolf loves her. The pack's leader was there enemy. She fought for us, lived with us, and we love her.

        Yet, here I am chasing a ghost, and honoring my promise to Catrina.

Flashback:

        "Catrina, I am going to get you!" I teased my future fiance as I grabbed her waist and spun her around. She laughed wildly, wiggling out of my grasp, and running away from me. Her wild blonde hair blowing in the wind as she leaped from tree to tree, hiding behind each of them so I wouldn't catch her. "Please Jay-Jay you can't catch your soul mate!" Catrina said giggling and taunting me by using my nickname, which she knew I couldn't stand. Her brown eyes, stared at me as she continued to dart between trees.

        "Catrina!" I groaned, tired of our game already, even though secretly I loved it. "We need to head back to the pack house, you know what my father said, these woods aren't safe. Werecats are everywhere. Let's go back now, and I'll buy you dinner and a icecream sundae." I said knowing how much Catrina loved icecream. I heard the leaves rustle and then a pained whimper.

        "Catrina!" I yelled worried. "Catrina!" I yelled again.

        Out of the shadows, a werecat, held a knife to Catrina's throat.

        His black hair, was like Violet's along with his blue eyes. Violet's similar features reminded me of him.

        He was an imposing figure, definitely leader of pride. He held the knife to Catrina throat, threatening to press it against her. He wanted to watch her bleed. "Let us go, and we won't say anything, I promise." I said my voice shaky, in that moment he had discovered the only weakness of the Alpha's son. He laughed at me, as if I was a clueless child entering the world of adults. And he was right.

        He spoke, "Your father took away my wife, my soulmate, my beloved possession. Now my child is an orphan and I cannot raise her. So I am going to take away everything you love, because your father took away everything I love." And with that he slashed her throat and left. Catrina fell to the floor and I ran to her side to catch her. She was bleeding and we both knew there was no hope.

        "Avenge me, Jace, kill all werecats." Catrina choked out, and with that being said she died.

        So I did. I avenged her. I became heartless and ruthless killing all werecats, any I could find. I had my pack hunt them down, and kill them. Because of Catrina we became ruthless killers, searching for all werecats. The pack mourned her and avenged her.

        So why do I kill werecats?

        Because of Catrina.