Tyrant

Chapter Ten

***Leos POV***

“Lena, still a sight for sore eyes.”

Samuel Owens, he held one of the top seats in the Wolf council. These lands were his and his pack was well known for its training, he’s one of the reasons I had met Gia. She was his niece as her father was his brother, Gias parents had died when Gia was only five years old so Sam took her in. He loved her as his own daughter; it broke him to lose her. It’s taken us a while to get to civil ground, he blamed me for the attack and its right he should.

“Sam it’s been a while how is everything?” Lena asked as I stood beside her.

“Well not to bad but not to good also, Rouges keep pushing through our boarders. Five of my warriors are lying in hospitals bed and five more have lost their lives, but we are holding on. I can’t say the same for the Night shade Pack, I sent men up there to gather survivors and bring them back here. Not many but it’s better than nothing, David’s alive but he’s in very bad shape,” he said as he finally noticed me.

He stopped and turned to me, his body language was calm but anything could happen when it comes to Sam. Last time I saw him he said goodbye by punching me in the face and breaking my jaw.

“Leo,” he greeted me.

His eyes held rage and Lena stepped in.

“Why don’t we go talk to David and Leo why don’t you go check on the Pack survivors, we’ll all meet in ten minutes to visit the pack lands.”

Lena pulled Sam along with her as they made their way towards the pack hospital.

The smell of smoke covered the land, caused by the pile of dead Rouges that burnt in the flames. I knew that these attacks where done to get my attention… He wanted her back and wouldn’t stop until he had her, but that wasn’t going to happen. I will not bow to a vicious Tyrant, he was mine to kill and soon enough I would have my revenge.

I made my way towards the main hall that held what was left of the Night shade Pack, Sam was right there wasn’t much left. I counted eighty wolves most of them were women and children, they huddled together and aided to their wounded.

“Jack sweet heart this is the fastest way to get it out, here hold on to this.”

The young boy cried as the nurse gave him a teddy, the boy had been bitten by a Rouge and the venom is like poison to us. The only way to get it out was to burn it; the nurse held the lighter in her hand, but the child cried out for her to stop. I stepped in and knelt down to level with him.

“You know I got bit once, well more than once and you know what I did to ease my pain?” I said and his tear filled eyes stared into mine.

He shook his head and I smiled softly, I took the teddy and pushed it into his chest.

“I closed my eyes and thought about the most ridiculous thing I could think of,” I said and he sniffled whilst holding the teddy.

“Like the Harry Potter movie,” he said and smiled through the tears.

“Exactly, mine was my third grade English teacher. She used to wear these skirts that had bananas on them and she wore this big feathered hat when we would go for recess. She looked like something off the wiggles,” I said and he giggled which made me smile.

 I took his hand and squeezed it softly; he moved to sit on my lap.  I stood up and sat in front of the nurse, I nodded and held him still.

“It will only hurt for a little bit I promise and after I will bring you ice cream personally,” I said and he nodded as he closed his eyes.

He buried his head in my chest and squeezed my hand tight, as the flame touched his skin he held in his screams. He was brave I give him that, when it was over the nurse wrapped his arm.

“See all done you’ll heal perfectly,” she said before moving to help the others.

“You’re an Alpha?” He asks said as he stood up and I nodded.

“I’ll see about that ice cream.”

 I ruffed his hair and he giggled, as I walked away I thought about Gia. If she was here she would be the one in my place. She was a sucker when it came to aiding to others; a part of me felt peace as I had held him. Helping others… Something I stopped doing when she died.

***

The look on his face as he ran away with the ice cream cone was the best part; I smiled as I watched the pups play in the sun. I looked up at the clear blue sky and wondered if she was watching, this place brought her back to me and I sighed.

“You big softy.”

I turned to see Lena standing behind me; she had a smile of awe plaster on her face.

“Just doing my part,” I said and suddenly I’m thrown back landing on my back.

Sam stood red eyed In front of me; I knew this was going to be bad.

“You already did! You have doomed us all, first Gia now this!” he snarled and charged forward.

I dodged him and pulled myself up, as he ran towards me again I prepared myself. He swung out and I moved to the side and landed a punch to the side of his jaw, before I could step back he pulled me down and laid hits to my face.

“STOP THIS!” Lena yelled but Sam just hit harder.

Lena tried pulling him off but he was to strong, I just let go and let him hit me… I deserved it.

“You have let others suffer for your mistakes, your parents, Gia and now the Packs. You cold hearted bastard,” he growled as he pulled me up.

His claws came out and as he brought them down I closed my eyes and waited, then we were thrown back yet again but this time I felt the presence of something else.

“Enough.”

I looked up and through blurred vision and saw Esme standing beside Lena; Lena hurried towards me and helped me up. I winced as she touched my face.

“What is all the fuss about?” Esme said as she stepped forward.

Sam went to step towards me but Joe stopped him. Joe was third in command of the Royal pack, he had come with Esme.

“Es, I didn’t know you were making the trip,” Lena said.

“Well I wasn’t until I was informed that there were sacrifices performed at all four points of Leos Pack boarders,” she said and I frowned and stepped away from Lena and towards Esme.

“You didn’t know?”

“I knew of one, Willow informed me before I left of a fire. A mass of bodies were found,” I said and she nodded.

 “Well we’ve got a lot to talk about but first why don’t we go somewhere where we can settle this dilemma in private. I won’t take no for an answer so, come along,” Esme said and we walked inside and into Sam’s office.

He couldn’t even look at me, but I understood why.

“Now first why don’t you tell me what the hell that was about?” she said as she sat down in Sam’s chair.

“Ask him,” Sam snarled and we sat down in front of her.

She turned her eyes to me and I just looked down, I couldn’t say but I knew I should.

“Leo, whatever it is that has caused this it needs to be put to bed. There are more important things that need to be handled,” She said as I looked up.

“It’s retaliation,” I said and she frowned waiting for me to continue.

“For what?”

“Gia and my parents, I took away someone the Rouge king holds close to him,” I said and Samuel growled.

“Don’t act like you’re doing this for them Leo, you’re doing this for yourself and now you’ve signed our death sentences,” he said as his eye flicked back to red.

“ENOUGH!”

Esme’s voice bombed shaking the walls around us; Samuel sighed and got up leaving the room.

“Lena, joe please leave us I want to talk to Leo alone,” she said and they left us.

Esme got up and moved to the Whiskey bottles that sat on the other side of the room; she poured two glasses before moving back towards me. She leaned against the edge of the desk in front of me, she held out the glass which I took with no hesitation.

“Go on.”

I sighed and took a sip letting the liquid burn my throat.

“It was my fault; the night before my family was killed I was out and made a bet with two Witches. I won fair and square they took it another way, when they attacked me I defended myself. I killed both of them; I left their bodies to rot in the woods. I didn’t know who they were until my father told me; they were the sons of the Elder witch. She descended on us and took away the things I cherished the most; the Rouge king was working with her and killed my Parents. What hurt the most was watching him rip Gia’s throat out right in front of me.”

I stopped as I could feel my bones trembling beneath my skin; I threw back what was left in my glass. I looked up at Esme and he eyes showed sadness.

“Leo I-“

“I don’t want Pity Esme, I want my Mate back!” I yelled as I got up and threw the glass at the fire place.

The pain of Gia never wondered, never faded. It killed me each morning to wake up alone and cold, I had boxed up everything that reminded me of her and locked them away.

“It’s not Pity, its understanding,” she said as she reached out and took my hand.

Her warmth brought me back and she smiled, she pulled me up and we walked towards the window seat. As we sat down her eyes wondered to gaze over the pack land.

“You remind me so much of Gabriel, strong, fearless and… Alone.”

“Gabriel Jackson?”

She nodded and reached for her locket, she drew it from around her neck and opened it. There were two pictures, one of the past Werewolf King and Queen. Freya and her brother Devon sat wrapped in their arms, when I looked at the other picture it was just Freya and Gabriel. Their love showed clear as they held each other, their smiles… They were happy. Just like me a Gia.

“She sacrificed everything for us, and when she died it was as if our world flipped upside down. Every time we tried to get back on track something always pulled us back, Gabriel was the worst. He move to France and we didn’t see him for two years, we got a warning from the wolves in France that Gabriel was mixed up in some pretty bad things. I took a trip over there and found him; the Elder witch had found him and offered to bring her back.”

Could she do that?

Esme’s eyes found mine as I thought of the possibilities and she smiled knowingly.

“Trust me I know, I thought about it too but when I broke through that I thought about everything that comes with it. Necromancy and resurrection is dark magic, I know enough about dark magic to know that it has side effects. It wouldn’t be Freya; it would be something dark and dangerous.  So when I found him I gave him the same advice that I’m about to give you,” she cupped my cheek and brought my eyes to level with her.

“The pain that comes with loss is permanent it will never leave you no matter how hard you try, but the sadness and sorrow does not have to be forever. Live as though they are with you always and when you do that the pain will just be a reminder of how much they loved you and you loved them.”