When fate and worlds collide

04 | Home bound

Jax instructed the group to gather necessary items, following closely as we made our way quietly into the lobby. A few stifled screams at the sight of Ferals, razor teeth dripping with saliva, sharp claws gauging the ground. Flicking my hand quickly I created a screen obscuring the creatures, a sharp pain shooting behind my eyes as I did.

Glen ushered the group, instructing them to keep their eyes on him as we silently made our way through the building. Reaching the back door Jax and I pried it open, peeking through the crack for immediate dangers. Two Ferals raced across the roof top, bounding over the gap, dropping pieces of concrete which shattered like bombs in front of the door.

I quickly unscrewed the silencer from my gun, slipping it into my pocket - range over silence would be needed to get this group to safety. Downside? it could alert the entire pack of ferals, ultimately overwhelming us. I gazed around the group, holding a finger to my lips; if we were lucky, we could get to the next building before being spotted.

My gut twisted, power tingling; something told me this group were all out of luck.

Opening the door wide I moved into the street, taking point. Scouting the rooftops above while Jax scanned the streets with two other men. With Glen taking up the rear he closed the door as quietly as possible.

A howl went up and we all froze, my heightened senses picking up additional movement from the Ferals; a slight possibility they figured we were no longer inside squeezed my chest. As we began moving again the building we came from shook violently, the Ferals finally breaking through my wards and pouring inside.

I cursed under my breath, it had been sooner than expected. My pace quickened, hoping the rest understood the urgency as we rushed quietly down the street. Another howl went up followed by a roar, indicating the first lot of Ferals had discovered the basement empty; too bad for them, I guess. A boom sounded not long after, igniting the trap symbols I etched into the hallway. The explosion vibrated through the ground, raining debris around us.

Out of instinct I turned to my left, my gun coming up and firing before my brain had time to process the danger. The loud shot rang out, the Feral toppling from the wall to fall dead at my feet. My heart pounded against my chest, another wave of adrenaline surging through my body, heightening my senses further while my head swooned; I just sounded the dinner bell to our location.

I felt the air ripple, gut twisting as I sensed the beasts stop, processing the death and sound. I turned my eyes to Jax, wide with panic, watching as the dread spread across his

"RUN!" I shouted, propelling myself forward while the group scrambled to follow. Squeals and roars resonated through the air as the Ferals raced to our location. Someone screamed behind me, half turning I watched as a Feral dropped onto an older man, its teeth sinking into his flesh sending blood flying everywhere, a sickening crunch filling my ears.

I raised my gun, body reacting before my brain had time to process the danger, another two Ferals dropping dead. Gunshots echoed behind me, the others started firing while more screams rang out, another two people snatched by the beasts.

With my powers tingling I turned around abruptly, firing twice, two Ferals falling to the ground with a thump beside Jax who had been seconds away from being their lunch; he nodded at me, breathing hard. I started running again, shooting as I went, ferals dropping into the street while people scrambled to get away. The ground began to shake, the unmistakable screeches growing louder as more raced to our location. I darted around the corner at the end of the street, half checking the surroundings before racing towards the door to the building.

I wrenched it opened, body almost humming, my powers overflowing with adrenaline while my senses threatened to overwhelm me, a sharp pain behind my eyes stabbing again. As the group headed to the safety of the building a woman was snatched from above, her screams cut short as the Feral bit off her head, reigning blood down on everyone below. I screamed for the group to get inside, firing at the Ferals pouring into the street like giant ants, crawling over the rooftops above, pausing only to reload my gun.

"Jax! Move it!" I shouted. He gripped a woman by the arm, dragging her forward, only to trip as he did. The woman kept running, hands covering her ears; I rolled my eyes in frustration, darting forward while holstering my gun and drawing my short sword. I severed the heads of two Ferals about to kill Jax, coming to a skidding halt in front of him. My brain raced at a million miles an hour, sifting through all my options; I was about to do something very stupid.

I glanced down at the man, the absolute fear plastered on his face caused my stomach to flip, catching myself off guard as my protective side ignited. I gripped his arm and hauled him to his feet with ease, fear replaced by surprise for a moment

"f*****g run!" I screamed, shoving him towards the door where Glen and few others were firing their guns, giving him cover while I turned and fired a few extras shots at the advancing Ferals. When a break in the onslaught happened I grabbed out a dagger, quickly grabbing a few extra tendrils of power to feed into the blade, causing it to glow.

I turned to race back to the group when a Feral fell from above in a heap between the building and myself, shaking itself as it rose to its feet, teeth snapping in my direction; the petrified looks on everyone's face almost had me rolling my eyes again. I gripped the dagger tightly and rushed forward, dodging its swipe before tucking my leg underneath myself, sliding under the beast.

Once clear of the Feral I twisted mid-slide, stabbing the dagger into the concreate, the movement jarring my arm and shoulder. Immediately a ripple pushed outwards as my powers were released, throwing the Feral in front of us a few feet away. I lay there a few moments, my chest heaving and ears ringing; I used more power than I should have, and if I wasn't careful this rescue trip could end badly.

Jax's face appeared in my vision, eyes concerned as the others glanced around, noticing the Ferals howling at the edge of the barrier I created.

"If you could do that all along, why not create a barrier for us to move here safely?" his question felt like an accusation, voice hinting at irritation. I let out a huff, grunting slightly as I stood; typical.

"My power is not limitless Jax, there's consequences for overuse, and if I use too much to quick while already depleted..." I glanced at him before holstering my gun, not finishing my sentence "I will pay for the extra protection later, be grateful I used it at all" I mumbled sourly, pushing past the group to make my way inside, heading towards the kitchen where a trap door lay hidden.

With my jarred shoulder protesting I heaved the heavy and rusted metal door up, carefully peering inside; the smell of damp and mold hit my nose. I gave Jax one last look before I dropped down, landing quietly in a crouch I paused, listening for any indication we weren't alone. After a moment I motioned for the others to follow as I made my way forward, my heightened eyesight allowing me to see better than humans in the dark.

Flickers of light from torches bounced around as the group followed slowly, their footfalls loud and clumsy; the sound of the trap door being closed by the last person echoing through the tunnel. I kept a link to the dagger supplying the barrier, but it began taking a toll on my already weakened body. I just needed to hang on long enough for us all to reach the river, from there a straight shot to the Tower.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me and I felt my feet stumble, ears ringing as blood ran from my nose again. Jax appeared beside me, sparking my curiosity with how quickly I had adjusted to his presence.

"Are you alright?" I drew in ragged breaths, leaning against the wall. The water and moss cold under my fingers, allowing me to centre myself as the world dulled for a moment with my breath the only sound rasping in my head. A few moments passed, the group watching intently as I struggled with my powers. I managed to pull myself back enough to glance at the man, still trying to judge if his concern were genuine, or just returning the favour for saving his ass.

"I'm fine" I grunted, pushing myself away from the wall to stumble forward. Unexpectedly a searing pain shot through my arm, I jerked sideways into the wall of the tunnel as a scream escaped my lips. My eyes locked onto a young woman, her bright orange eyes staring at me, hand glowing from where she made contact; I bared my teeth at her and growled

"You stupid i***t!" I shouted through gritted teeth, pain travelling up my arm to my chest. I felt my hold on the dagger snap, falling to the ground while the foreign power burned its way through my drained body.

I should have just let the two men die yesterday.

The girl stepped towards me, hand outstretched and eyes glowing. I instinctively grabbed out my gun, aiming at her head; she froze on the spot, the rest of the group taking a step back in surprise, gasps rippling through them

"I thought I could help" she explained quietly. Her reply almost made me shoot her. Jax stepped between my gun and the girl, his hands raised

"I have an Alpha you moron!" she looked at me confused "oh my GOD!" I added exasperated. I felt inclined to kill them all for the pain I now endured, how could I be so stupid to allow this to happen to me?

"But...you're a First Gen Aura...aren't you?" she asked, still obviously confused.

"Of course, a downcast bred like you wouldn't understand" I spat, grunting as another wave of pain racked my body. It explained why I only felt Jax's daughter, the others were lesser Aura's. Her eyes welled up at the insult

"Please friend, put the gun away" Jax pleaded

"Do you want to take the pain instead then?" I sneered. He gave me a face halfway between frustrated and exhausted; I knew exactly how he felt

"Help me understand, so I can help you" he replied calmly. I stared at him for a moment, weighing up my options, a shudder of pain travelling through me. I didn't have the strength to hold the group back if I decided to shoot him, and the girl. However, this man felt different, I felt oddly calm and centred around him - I knew I could always trust my instincts.

I lowered the gun, glaring at the girl and clenching my teeth as another wave spread through my body. I inhaled sharply, speaking as if to a child

"You can't share or transfer power if you have an Alpha, powers can only be transferred and shared within the pack you are bound to. Foreign powers, especially those of downcast blood, can kill us in a weakened state" I explained "A state I was already in thanks to saving you and your group countless times" I added sourly

"What do you mean by downcast?" I inclined my head in the girls direction

"Someone born from a lesser Aura or bitten from...well...you know" I made a pained face, stopping myself from crying out "judging by her age she's not been born one" Jax glanced at the girl before turning his eyes back to me

"those creatures gave you powers?" I let out a dry laugh

"Where'd you think we got our powers from Jax? First Gen Aura's were only created at the time of the fall. Lesser Aura's power turn their hosts back to the original state their powers manifested from" realisation dawned on Jax's face, murmurs rippling through the group "the fact she hasn't turned yet is surprising, unless it wasn't to long ago she was bitten" the girls eyes darted to Jax; I thought as much.

"So why aren't there more Auras? I've met a few who've been bitten by beasts and never gained powers" I let out a sigh, why was I giving a brief lesson on this subject?

"Look, from what little we know only a few people gain powers from being bitten, the rest just turn into those beats" I paused, pondering my answer, my own encounters coming to mind "you would know if you met one" I added quietly. Jax shifted uncomfortably as my body shook again; I clenched my jaw tightly

"How can we stop this?"

"Normally? She'd be given the choice to join my pack, it wouldn't be foreign power anymore." Jax raised both eyebrows, I restrained myself from hitting the man "I don't have the authority. She needs to take it back, I don't have the energy or strength to dissipate it myself" I grunted out. Jax turned to the girl and ushered her forward, her fearful eyes flicked to the gun still held in my hand. She reached out tentatively, giving a yelp of surprise as my hand shot out unnaturally fast to clasp her forearm.

My eyes locked onto hers, turning a bright purple as the beast tried to surface. I felt my jaw warp as I dragged her closer to me, a growl rumbling through my chest; lucky for her my mask stopped her from seeing my canines grow.

"This is going to hurt" I hissed, forcing the foreign power from my body back into hers. The girl gave out an ear-piercing scream as the power, now slightly laced with mine, wreaked havoc through her.

I was not going to die for this group. Even if Jax's personality had started to grow on me.

My eyes drifted past the girl, the sound of her scream dulling in my ears until I could only hear my breathing. The beast inside squirmed for release, to see the horror and fear spread across Glen's face. With my free hand I dug my nails into my palm, using the pain to centre myself. Nothing useful or good would come from killing that man now.

Once I finally rid my body of the girls powers I released my grip, her body falling to the floor in a heap with her chest rising and falling rapidly. A burn mark sat where I had gripped tightly, little blood half-moons on her forearm where my nails pierced her skin.

Two people rushed over to the girl, checking her pulse, one of them glancing in my direction with disgust on his face. I simply stared, my eyes dulling back to their normal colour. I didn't care what they thought of me, I wasn't here to make friends. The pain dissipated quickly but my body felt heavy, sluggish, and exhausted. I turned my focus to Jax

"Get them moving" I instructed quietly, turning abruptly on my heel and walking away, footfalls silent as Jax directed them to move, organising two people to carry the girl. Slowly, their shuffled footsteps followed me down the tunnel.

~*~

A few hours passed, my body slowly healing itself after everything I'd tolerated the past two days. We exited the tunnel at the edge of the river, the sun sitting closer to the horizon then preferred. All the extra detours and distractions had lost valuable time. So far there had been no Ferals in sight, though their howls could be heard in the distance, searching for a trace of our scent.

Despite Jax's efforts I didn't speak again, using the time to rebuild my powers. Another wrong move, or attack could potentially kill me. I wouldn't take the risk, being so close to home. If we were attacked now, I would leave them behind.

Part of me knew Jax understood this, his perception and ability to remain calm welcoming; there weren't many like him anymore, it felt almost...refreshing. He reminded me of someone I was very close to before the fall. He would do well within the Tower, his natural leadership skills would benefit us greatly.

The gates to the Tower came into view, broken and abandoned shops lining the deserted street, the giant building stretching towards the sky as a beacon. The high walls encircling the Tower disappeared in both directions, indicating the protection as they had heard. My stomach felt tight as I scanned the road ahead, an uneasy feeling settling with the upcoming revelation on my identity.

Part of me still wished I left the two men to die.

I indicated to Jax to sweep the ally to the right. This area was closely patrolled, but it didn't mean we could relax our guard. He gave the all clear, the whole group moving forward with eyes glued to me at the lead. Part of me felt excited at the scolding Glen's woman would receive, for her selfish actions at saving her own life above her child and the other children.

I heard a faint whistle echo down the street. I held my fist up to halt the group as I scanned the buildings, noticing the pair of eyes peeking over a windowsill, sniper trained at my head. I gave the guard a small nod, noting it was the same man when I left two days ago. His jerk of the hand told me we were safe to pass through.

As we closed in on the wall my powers enveloped me, like a fresh breeze after being stuck in a windowless room for too long. I looked up at the Tower, the slight shimmer surrounding the compound only visible to Auras. As we neared the gate something sounding like a large, heavy bolt scrapped from the other side, before the wall split open, groaning from the weight.

I heard some people cry out in relief behind me, safety finally before them.

I glanced at Jax, his eyes wide as they darted ahead, trying to see past the opening gates; he was looking for his daughter. I gently touched his arm, causing him to jump as he looked down at the touch

"Soon Jax. She is safe" I reassured, speaking for the first time in hours. He gave a weak smile

"Will I finally be able to thank the person behind the mask properly, once we are inside?" he glanced back at Glen "I can tell you know Glen, and whatever transpired between you is a past filled with pain. But people can change. He might not be the man you once knew, whoever that may have been" I blinked a few times, surprised at his observations - I hadn't even revealed my face to this man

"There are some people that just...don't change. No matter what struggles they've been through" I looked away "you will find out who I am soon enough" I added walking forward. I paused, turning back slightly "I like you Jax, and I don't like many people. You seem to have your head screwed on in this f****d up world. I'm glad you didn't die" I headed inside, passing familiar faces and noticing the relieved look when their eyes fell on me.

The extensive area inside the gates teamed with soldiers and people. I heard the tink of a blacksmith off too my left, and the scent of something amazing filled my nose. Chatter filled the space as we entered but died down slightly when many noticed the substantial group flowing in through the gates. I looked around at the familiar faces, their relieved expressions comforting.

This was my family.

I was home.

We stopped in the centre of the open courtyard where a few large crates had been placed for later storage. People started gathering around, trying to scope out the new group - Many still hoped to see the faces of family, friends or loved ones.

The group started to mutter amongst themselves, new fear rolling off them in waves; I scrunched my nose up in response. Jax stepped beside me, eyes scanning the crowd of men and women

"So" I peered up at him "what now?"