Chapter 29


    29 One Down


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    John POV


    I left the hospital to run home and shower. My mother was busting my a** that I was starting to stink.


    I’m so d she seems to be getting back to her happy self. I reach the cottage with a million thoughts


    running through my mind. Once I’m finished in the shower, I dry heading into my bedroom. I throw on a


    pair of jeans and a t-shirt before I head downstairs. I grab an energy bar with something to drink and


    get ready to head back to the hospital. I’m still haunted by the way we found my mother in those cells. I


    can only imagine the torture she endured at that ba**ard’s hands. I try to push those thoughts from my


    mind and focus on the fact that she is safe. Now we just need to help my aunt. I know I did the right


    thing going with Lily and protecting her but it doesn’t take away the guilt that I wasn’t there for my mom


    or to protect my aunt. I’m d Lily took his powers from him. She is absolutely right that it is a fate


    worse than death for a man like him. I’m just about to head out the door when I hear a knock. I open


    the door to find a smiling rissa. I had hoped to have this conversation with her when I wasn’t in a


    rush, but I guess it is going to have to happen now. “Hi John, how have you been” she says as she tries


    to wrap her arms around my neck. I stop her and she looks confused. I ce her hands at her side.


    “rissa, we need to talk.” I see the moment she understands what I’m about to say. “Let’s go for a


    quick walk before I have to get back to the hospital.” “Why do you need to go to the hospital, are you


    alright” she says. “I’m fine, my mother is there being watched over by the doctors.” “She wasn’t well but


    she is doing better now.” As we start to walk down the path toward the eastern border Lily’s words


    repeat in my mind. I hate that this might hurt rissa, but it’s not fair to either of our mates to continue


    being together. “John, I already know what you’re going to say.” “It really isn’t necessary.” “I would like


    to say it anyway.” “I really like you, rissa.” “Your beautiful and someone is going to be very lucky to


    have you as a mate.” “John, you don’t need to act like this is a breakup.” “We had some fun and I knew


    we wouldn’t be a forever thing.” “I’m fine with just being friends.” I’m d she feels that way but I’m kind


    of in shock she isn’t upset.


    We walk a little further when rissa stops looking around. “Did you hear that” she asks, and I look at


    her confused. I didn’t hear anything. “rissa what do you”, she puts her hand up to stop me from


    talking. She starts to walk faster and I follow her. We pass the territory line. “rissa, where are we


    going, what is happening”, I whisper yell. She takes a deep breath in and her eyes sh ck. “There


    are wolves near that do not belong to the pack.” “Something isn’t right about their scents.” She starts to


    walk faster and I grab her arm. “rissa wait” I say and cast a spell to make us invisible. I have no idea


    what we are walking into. We continue to walk to the edge of the forest and I feel in my gut something


    is very wrong. The road is visible from where we are and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Wolves are


    fighting that I have never seen before. It appears that four of the wolves arerger than average. They


    look like Alphas, but what packs could they belong too? I realize that I do know one of the wolves. It’s


    that ba**ard Max. How the f**k is here if Elder Thomas took him to the Elder’s territory? Just as I


    realize it’s him, I watch him attack arge gray wolf. He is holding the wolf down by his throat while


    another wolf bites his leg. “What do we do, there are too many for us to handle” rissa says.


    “rissa link the Alpha that we need help”, I say before I start to wave my arms and begin to cast. The


    ba**ard has no idea what’s happening before his wolf falls over andnds next to the gray wolf. The


    wolf holding onto his leg lets go and steps back.


    Lincoln POV


    I’m in my office with Amelia waiting for the Elders to arrive. The warriors and patrols have been


    increased in case that a**hat As decides to attack the pack. Michael walks in and takes a seat on the


    couch near the window. “Amelia, I think we should have your Luna ceremony tomorrow.” She smiles “I


    would love that.” “I want to be yours in every way possible.” Shees over and kisses me before she


    sits in myp. I love this woman and I will kill anyone who tries to take her from me. I start to get a link


    and I allow it toe through expecting it to be a patrol guard telling me the Elders have arrived.


    “Alpha, we need help”, I hear a female voicee through the link. “What’s happening” I say as I stand


    setting Amelia on her feet. “There are wolves fighting outside the eastern border and one of them is


    Max.” I growl and cut the link. “What is going on Lincoln” Amelia asks. “There are wolves fighting near


    the Eastern border.” I turn to Michael, “one of them is Max.” “Son of a b**ch” Michael growls. We both


    head for the door and I stop immediately, remembering that I don’t want Amelia here alone. I link Lily


    and within seconds she is standing in my office with concern written all over her face. “Please stay with


    Amelia, I need to get to the border.” She doesn’t even ask questions. She just nods and Michael follows


    me out of the door. Once we are outside the pack house, we both shift taking off. We run as fast as we


    can and I hope that this is my chance to end that ba**ard once and for all.


    As we break through the trees, I roar. The wolves turn looking at Talon . I’m shocked to see Max’s wolf


    lying on the ground not moving. As we approach, John appears with rissa in front of us. Four wolves


    are dead and four are standing just staring at Talon. He is muchrger than their wolves and despite


    not being their pack Alpha, the wolves recognize my authority. I shift walking forward until I’m just feet


    from them. “Shift now”, I give Alphamand. The four wolves have no choice but to give into my


    command. “You will be taken into custody by the Nightfire pack.” “We have not breached your territory,


    you have no authority to imprison us” one of the men say. John rushes to the gray wolf that is not


    moving. The remaining two wolves, who were not affected by mymand shift, and the Elders are


    standing before us. I realize that one of the dead wolves is an Elder. I feel sick to my stomach that he


    perished fighting these ba**ards right outside my pack. The remaining two of them are injured but they


    will heal. “You have attacked the Elder wolves and killed Elder Brandon.” “We grant the authority to


    imprison and carry out your punishments to the Nightfire pack and Alpha Lincoln Thomas”, Elder


    Marcus says. More patrol guards arrive and they take the four wolves away. That’s when I realize the


    gray wolf must be Elder James. I am at his side in an instant. Elder James’s wolf is barely breathing


    and his neck is bleeding. John stands and before I can say a word he is gone. What the hell? I start


    barking orders for my warriors to help me to get him to the pack hospital.


    Lily appears and before I can say anything, she does. “John is staying with Amelia.” “My healing power


    is stronger and will give the Elder a better chance at survival.” She begins to chant and pass her arms


    up and down his body. His breathing seems to even out and he shifts back to human form, but he


    remains unconscious. I say a silent prayer to the goddess that he is spared after all he has done for me


    and Amelia. Lily turns to me, “I have done all I can, the rest is up to him and his wolf.” My warriors pick


    him and ce him in an SUV that has just arrived. The three Elders are taken to the pack hospital.


    Elder Brandon’s body will be taken to the pack hospital and prepared for the warrior’s burial ceremony.


    The other warriors are bringing Max to the pack yard because I will not take the chance that he will get


    away again. Lily teleports back to Amelia and a few secondster, John appears. “rissa head back


    to the pack, thank you for helping John and linking me” I say and she nods before she takes off.


    We reach the pack yard and the guards throw Max’s wolf to the ground in front of me. “Michael, are you


    going to be alright with” he stops me. “After what he has done, he is no longer my brother”, Michael


    says. “He deserves the punishment, is about to receive.” I nod and turn to John. “Lift the spell John” I


    say and he waves his hands in Max’s direction. I watch as the wolf shakes his head and a few seconds


    later he gets to his feet. He growls when he realizes where he is and that he is standing before me.


    “Maxwell Major for your crimes against my Luna and my pack you have been sentenced to death.” I


    shift into Talon and we start to circle each other. Max’s wolf is big but not as big as Talon. He jumps but


    we are able to dodge. He immediately turns running at us full speed. We don’t move this time and


    when he gets close, he attempts to bite into our shoulder. Talon rears up and when wee down, he


    bites the back of the wolf’s neck. He whimpers and tries to shake us off. After a few seconds we


    release the bite and the wolf’s fur is stained with blood. He starts to circle again “end him, Talon.” “It will


    give me great pleasure” he growls out before he runs full speed mming into the wolf and knocking


    him into a nearby tree. We can hear bones break and he hits the ground. He makes attempts to stand


    but it appears his back is broken. His wolf is lying at the base of the tree as we stalk forward.


    He begins to whimper as we get close. Talon growls before he bites down and breaks the wolf’s neck,


    ending him for good. We back away from him and shift. Michael rushes over, looking me over for injury.


    “I’m fine Michael.” “I would like to take care of the body if that’s alright.” “Of course,” I say. I slip shorts


    on “Michael, do you want me to do this with you.” He smiles “thank you for asking but I need to do this


    alone.” We bro-hug before John and I head to the hospital. When we walk in, Amelia and Lily are in the


    waiting room. “What did the doctor say?” “She said the same thing I said, that it’s up to Elder James


    and his wolf now.” We take a seat and wait. I wrap my arm around Amelia and ce my hand on her


    belly. “Are you ok love, I know how stressed I am and that can’t be good for you and the pup.” She


    smiles “I won’t say this isn’t stressful, but honestly, as long as you’re with me I will have the strength to


    get through this.” I press my lips to hers. She pulls back and rests her head on my shoulder.