When fate and worlds collide

03 | Selfish never changes

Glen effortlessly picked up the small child and tossed her into the air, her squeals of delight causing my chest to tighten. Even after the world ended, they were selfish enough to try and start a family, the small scar that ran down her cheek and arm indicated on more than one occasion she barely survived at all.

I should have left him to die.

I noticed Jax observing me strangely from his spot on the floor with his daughter, eyes searching mine. I quickly, with much difficulty, resumed a neutral expression. Even though he couldn't see my whole face, the eyes gave away too much for comfort.

"Thank you for getting us back to our family" Jax praised quietly. I glanced down at him

"Don't mention it. Seeing this hell hole you've dragged me to I'd rather not be thanked by being eaten"

"When do we leave?" he asked, a little too loudly and ignoring my comment. Heads snapped in my direction; I had hoped to keep our departure quiet

"Are we leaving?"

"Where are we going?"

"Are we going to safe Haven?"

"Is it safe?"

Questions fired off as they closed in around me. My defensive instincts kicking into overdrive, wanting to get out of here and away from the dangers these people brought. I felt my fingers twitch, wanting to grab out my knife in self defense as a spike of adrenaline heightened my senses.

"Guys! Guys back up! Give her some space" Jax fumbled to his feet, putting himself between the group and I "She probably hasn't seen a group this size in years" he added. Internally I scoffed but kept my mouth shut. Most listened to Jax, moving back to where they had been sitting or standing, muttering to themselves. But a few, the ones with the most hope plastered over their face, stayed where they were, pressing themselves around Jax

"Are you our salvation?" one of the older women asked, hands clasped together over her chest as if in prayer. My eyes flicked to the rosery beads clutched in her hand; I scoffed

"With this dead end being your hideout? I wouldn't count on it" I replied callously, looking away. Murmurs rippled through the group as Jax gave me a worried glance. I let out an irritated sigh, this had not been what I planned, and now I had cornered myself my options on what I could do were limited. Without my Alpha here to lend me strength I couldn't transport all these people to safety.

Jax ushered the remaining people away and walked back over to where I stood, his daughter clinging to his side, those big blue eyes staring up at me and I resisted the urge to look; I could sense the Aura power swirling within her. Whether her father knew or not seemed unclear; another problem for another day.

"What now?" he queried. I stopped myself from giving an irritated look to the man. My sympathy only stretched so far, but these people didn't need to know. With already being a day late from my scheduled return, adding in the consideration I hadn't meant to be out in the first place, I was already going to be in trouble when I returned to the Tower.

"In less than an hour the Ferals are going to swarm this building, sniff out where you are hiding and have a merry little feast with the buffet you have served them" I replied venomously, crossing my arms over my chest

"What is wrong with you?" Jax asked, perplexed at my hostility. I turned my exasperated gaze to the man

"I'm not the one who decided on hiding a group this large, in a room with only one entry and exit! I'm not the one who thought it a good idea to run rampant through a city still crawling with Ferals, Nightmares and every other beast you could think of. I've been asking the same question since I saved both your asses" I placed my hands on my hips, glaring at Jax "How the f**k have any of you survived this long, with being this stupid?"

"We needed to find shelter before night fell, we didn't have time to search anywhere else" he defended. I rolled my eyes

"Making it your stupidity on moving a group this large into the city, before scouting ahead and finding the right place to hide. Don't make excuses for being lazy" Jax's eyes hardened

"We're anything but lazy, stranger, we've had our fair share of losses and hardships" I pointed over at Glen's wife

"From the looks of some of your people, you've had a fairly plush lifestyle" I knew singling out one person because of a personal grudge didn't prove a point, but I was to pissed off to care. Jax frowned, looking over at the woman before back at me, a questioning look on his face.

"You're mean lady" I heard Jax's daughter whisper. I glanced down, her eyes brightening for a moment as her Aura stirred

"I'm a survivor Kid. I don't have time to coddle everyone I come across" I snipped a little too harshly. I was done. "I'm leaving before you all get me killed. I have people relying on my return" I turned to leave when Jax grabbed me, his hand barely wrapping around my arm before I sidestepped and knocked it away. I stepped in close to the man, my face coming close to his

"Touch me again and I will remove your hand from your body" I warned, voice low. With my face remaining covered the intimidation fell short, but I made my point when Jax's face paled at my reaction

"Please stranger, don't leave us to die" his voice filled with fear, his smell filling my nose and I felt it twitch. I didn't owe these people anything. Rohnan wouldn't forgive me If I left them to die, knowing I could have helped some live. Not to mention Alpha Liam's endless lectures. A few tense moments passed before letting out a defeated and irritated sigh

"Wait here" I murmured. I shouldered open the metal door, leaving it slightly ajar, and made my way upstairs. Once in the lobby I glanced up, opening my mind to my powers to transport myself to the roof. I needed to know how long I had, and how hard my next steps would be. I crouched on the edge of the building, scanning the street below for activity.

I glanced up, spying the Tower in the distance, light glinting occasionally from the glass. Again, I considered the possibility of leaving. The sun sat high in the sky, giving me plenty of time to get back before nightfall. Being on my own gave the advantage of moving freely and quickly between buildings. I let out a huff - I couldn't turn away from these people now.

Pulling on a thread of power I scanned the area, noting the Ferals a few blocks away. They were sniffing around, following our scent in this direction; they would be here quicker than I had initially thought. I sucked my teeth in annoyance.

Even if I did leave now, I would have a hard time getting back to the Tower without being spotted or followed.

I transported back down to the lobby, only to be met with Jax's surprised face. I froze, staring at the man and waited for his reaction. Even though many Aura's were created after the fall, it being no fault of our own, humans still reacted differently to us, but mostly with hostility.

Many humans died within the first week of the fall. Many Auras afterwards when people discovered what we were. The real brutality came once discovered what our blood could do - we were hunted, drained or captured as slaves to the point of extinction. In four years, humans most certainly proved why they as a species should not survive.

"I thought you had left" Jax admitted.

"I considered it" I murmured "I needed to scan the area" tense silence drifted between. I used this moment to regard the man before me. He stood taller than I by a foot at least, somehow still slightly well built. Light brown hair, blue eyes and a slightly crooked nose suggesting it had been broken. He had a scar running from the tip of his eyebrow to disappear under the beard framing his face. If not for a life and death situation, I would have found him attractive. I was about to leave when he spoke.

"You're an Aura?" I nodded slightly "Why didn't you say anything?"

"The risk of being hunted and killed or enslaved tends to keep us quiet" deciding he posed no threat I walked over to the front door and began drawing a symbol, power rippling through the glass and metal

"We hold no ill will or grudge against Aura's. We have a few in our group" surprising since his daughter were the only one I sensed with power. I kept that information to myself though "what are you doing?"

"I need to slow the Ferals as much as I can to give us a chance. These wards will help, but not stop them entirely" I finished the doors and stood back, checking my work. No one knew why we had the knowledge to draw these symbols; they came freely and naturally once you learnt to control your powers. I headed back to the basement, drawing as many symbols as I could along the way "this isn't going to end how you want it to Jax" I finished drawing the last ward outside the door to the basement.

"We have to try" his words lacked confidence. I shook my head

"You can't believe all those children are going to survive while we attempt to leave this place" I stared up at the man, his eyes fearful "it's not possible to save your whole group"

"But you're an Aura!" he blurted out. I frowned "You can do things we can't, surly that gives us an advantage" again I shook my head. Typical expectation of someone who knew nothing about Aura's. Our heads snapped towards the front doors as a high pitch scream rang out in the distance, indicating the Ferals had found us

"s**t" I mumbled. The damn mongrels were fast when pissed off "There are still rules Jax, and consequences. Attempting to move this many people without aid from my Alpha or pack aura's, not only would kill myself and potentially your group, but I would put my own home in jeopardy" Jax ran his hand down his face

"I guess even after the world's gone to hell, there are still things I need to learn" I glanced at him sideways. He seemed different from the others "then what do we do?" he asked, his voice quieter

"We need to prepare your people to fight...and to possibly die"

"How about we leave out the dying part" I raised my eyebrows "most human's respond better if we have a bit of hope to cling to" I shrugged

"Whatever works for you" as I finished speaking a loud boom sounded, the whole building shaking; they were here. We shouldered open the metal door, pushing it shut but unlatched. I heard a few people scream behind us as another boom sounded, the Ferals throwing everything they had against the building to get inside. At least it meant my wards were holding.

Children screamed as debris reigned around them, their parents or guardians hugging them tightly while hushing them. I stared at the closest group, face neutral but eyes wide as regret tugged at my heart. They were all going to die, and I wouldn't even be able to protect the children. The size of the pack outnumbered us, even with me. My eyes darted from one person to another, taking in their expressions, tasting their fear. The switch to my emotions niggled, wanting to feel again, needing the freedom. I gritted my teeth, locking down on the thought - if I flicked it on now, everything I felt towards Glen and his wife would come flooding through tenth fold.

No one here would survive.

I knew what needed to be done. I promised my son I wouldn't use it unless faced with a life-or-death situation. But if I did nothing I was no better than the monsters now plaguing our world. I stared at Glen and his daughter, at the woman clinging to his side. I wanted nothing more than to leave them behind, but it wouldn't solve any of the problems we had.

Many of them were looking at me with dying hope, they knew this was it. They had come so far only to die so close to safety. I let out a breath I hadn't realised I had been holding - he would forgive me for doing what is right. This was a life-or-death, and with the world we lived in, saving a life meant another able body to fight back against the creatures.

Jax stumble over, fear radiating off him and I stopped myself from scrunching my nose at the smell, his eyes wide with terror

"What do we do?" his asked as his voice shook. He seemed to ask that question a lot, as if already looking to me for guidance. He wasn't the first to do so, nor would he be the last. He covered his head when another boom vibrated through the building

"I can save your children" I said quietly. His head snapped in my direction, confusion and determination chasing each other across his face

"How?"

"Don't ask questions. Do you want your children to live or not?" I snapped. A few others heard my question and started herding the young towards me

"Please save them" they pleaded. They needed something to fight for, something to survive for, and maybe this would be enough to get them through the horde.

"Listen!" my voice rang through the room, every single pair of eyes locking onto my physic. The building above us shook again "I can save your children, but only your children. What I am about to do defies everything you knew about our time before the fall" it became evident after the fall humans were unable to accept or comprehend our world had changed. When the sky split open everything we knew, everything we believe in, was gone in an instant.

"How?" Jax asked again, doubt lacing the fear

"Like this" I turned abruptly, waving my hand as I did, drawing on the strange and ancient power now residing inside me. A swirling mass of purple and black appeared in front of where I stood. A few people yelped in surprise, murmurs rippling through the group like bees. I turned to Jax "the only way your children are going to survive, is to send them through to the Tower" I instructed

"What's the Tower?"

"The place you've all been searching for. The safe Haven, protected from monsters and Demons" I don't think Jax knew whether to be scared or relieved "I can only send so many through, and the smaller the human the more I can transport. I can't send any more than that" I gazed around at the adults, hoping they understood

"Clarice, come here" Jax called to his daughter, she cautiously walked forward. Bending down he whispered in her ear, those big blue eyes fixated on me

"How do we know they will be safe?" Someone piped up

"You don't" the murmurs increased, more fearful than before "you can either hope to send them somewhere with a chance to live, or let them die bloody and painfully here. Your choice; I can't force anyone to walk through" Jax and his little girl stepped forward. She clutched that broken doll to her chest. "There's people waiting on the other side. Good people who are good with children" I explained softly. I watched in wonder as he knelt, whispered something in her ear again before gently nudging her forward.

The portal enveloped Clarice with a whoosh and small pop sound as she disappeared. I felt her arrival, panic and fear echoing through the portal. I turned expectantly to the others. We didn't have long before the Ferals broke through, any children left would force these people to fight, and unnecessarily die, defending innocents.

With Jax's display of trust the others followed suit, ushering the children into a small line. Many young ones were crying or screaming, but some remained silent, their faces indicating they had experienced worse than a strange portal. Still, it amazed me the level of trust people placed on a stranger, based on the fact I saved two of their own. The end of the line was nearing, Glen and his daughter a few from the end, the woman clinging to his arm looked ready to pass out.

Glen stepped forward, the woman and their child slightly behind him. I kept my face neutral but my stomach flipped with rage

"You helped us when you could've left us to die. I would like to think I'd do the same if the situation were reversed" he praised. Internally I scoffed - not if he discovered my identity. They shuffled closer to the portal, a woman cradling a five month old to her chest a step behind, hand clasped firmly around her eldest beside her.

It baffled me why people thought it a good idea to procreate during the apocalypse. With the human race still dropping like flies, starting the next generation was just suicide for them. The mum bent down to hand the baby to her daughter when hushed argued voices drifted over.

Glancing over to the portal I observed Glen and his wife arguing, her face flushed as she gestured to the swirling mass. I opened my mouth to stop the bickering when the woman shoved Glen away, dashing into the portal. My blood froze in my veins, pain shooting through my body as her large physic weakened it exponentially.

My knees buckled as I struggled to keep the portal open, the impact jarring my body, unprepared for the sudden size change I couldn't compensate the shift in power quick enough, causing it to flicker. Glen grabbed his daughter, about to send her through when I shouted at him to stop. He stared at me with fear and regret. The portal made a sucking noise as it flickered, trying to draw on more power to stay open. I placed my hand on the concrete, the cold centering my focus for a moment.

I could feel it taking a toll on me, blood dripping down my nose under my mask as sounds around me dulled, breath grating against my ears as I struggled to breath. Struggling to my feet I grabbed the young girl with the baby and dragged her forward to stand beside Glen's daughter

"Felix!" I screamed, hoping he could hear through the unstable portal - I didn't have long before it collapsed "Three. One baby. Catch!" a scream slipped out as I forced the portal to stabilise, throwing all three children into the swirling mass. Internally I felt something tear, as if the tendrils of power I gripped strained to the point of snapping. The mum behind me cried out in terror as I fell to the floor, my power unpredictable as I forced the portal closed, the boom vibrated through my body and the ground beneath my hands. If I didn't get it under control soon, I would kill everyone in this room.

"Doctor" I wheezed, the old man rushed over, fingers gently brushing my arm "Turlin, Lician prezamine and...wolfsbane?" I mumbled off words I hoped he understood. Many would have no idea what those three foreign words were, but after glimpsing the herbs and medicines in his possession, I knew he had enough knowledge of these otherworldly plants.

"Yes but...but they're extremely toxic. It could kill you" he warned, I let out a small laugh

"If only" I wheezed "it will help stabilize my powers. Crush them to a paste and add a bit of water" I added quietly. He nodded and grabbed his supplies, rummaging through his bags. Jax knelt beside me but made no attempt to make contact, his worried eyes searching for wounds

"What can I do to help?" my chest tightened as I drew in a raspy breath

"Beating the crap out of Glen would certainly make my situation feel slightly justified" I wheezed out, rolling to my side and pulling my mask up so I could cough, blood splattering the ground while my powers rage untamed inside. Jax let out a small chuckle

"If you help us get to safety, I'll be happy to hold him while you do the beating" I pulled my mask back down before Jax could see my face. His lips a thin line while he stared at me "is it me...or Glen?" he queried, the question barely more than a whisper. I glanced at him briefly before rolling onto my back, not giving an answer. I had to focus, my out of control powers allowing the primal beast to wake.

I heard shuffling feet before the doctor appeared in my vision, holding a cup full of dark purple liquid. This would hurt, but in such a small quantity the wolfsbane would help subdue the raging powers. Downside? I would heal and move more slowly; the old man handed it to me. I turned away from the group, glancing at Jax with an eyebrow raised. He shook his head, looking away as I lifted the bottom of my mask to quickly drink the liquid.

A sharp, stinging shiver passed through my body as the elixir spread throughout, containing my powers, and shutting the beast away. I lay there a moment, chest rising and falling rapidly while staring at the gray ceiling. The building shook above us again, dust reigning down around me as I considered my options. There was no way I could save everyone here, there were too many Ferals, and not enough strong people to help defend the weak.

And now with my powers weakened, I'm even less help than before.

I grunted as I pushed myself to my feet, keeping a neutral expression - I needed to remain looking strong. I faced the group, ignoring the pitiful look of guilt Glen gave me, and gazed around.

"I'm not going to lie to you, this isn't going to be easy. There are dozens of Ferals outside the building and night is fast approaching" I reminded myself they needed hope, not more fear "There is a building across the street, underneath is a tunnel leading to the river. If we can get there, we have a chance at making it to the Tower together" the house shook again, a few glanced at the ceiling in panic "I need you all to understand this chance is small. This is going to be hard. It's going to be bloody. And we're going to be in for a race of our lives. Stick together, watch each others backs....it might just be enough" I felt the wards waning. The Ferals would break through soon and we needed to be past the lobby when it happened.

I made my way over to the metal door, body screaming in agony and exhaustion, begging for rest. I was going to be sore tomorrow

if I made it to tomorrow I thought bitterly, cursing myself for the most idiotic decisions I had made in years. Opening the door wide I glanced back at Jax and Glen, they were helping a few of the elderly to their feet while others shouldered their packs and supplies; what had I been thinking? If I survived this, I deserved whatever ass whooping the Alpha had planned for me.