Vixen: Through Heaven and Hell

Chapter 1

And now?

Piper held in her arms the dead body of her first real friend. Noelle got paler and despite all of Piper's magical intentions, she was gone. Zack kneeled next to his mate and cried for his sister while Cody hid the body from Eleanora's view.

- What's wrong with Aunty? When is she coming out to play with us? - the child asked, looking up at Cody, but none of the adults could answer her questions. The library was covered in blood and Noelle still held the book which contained the answer to bringing her beloved mate back. Cody grabbed Eleanora's hand and with a forced smile on his face, he took the girl out of the library, leaving Zack and Piper alone with Noelle's corpse. Between his tears, Zack looked at Piper and asked.

- What happened? - Piper fought with her own tears and closed Noelle's eyes while she tried to pull herself together for the sake of her family.

- She found the answer to her question, and your sister believed that she is strong enough to do it.

- She killed herself! How is this going to solve anything?! How will I tell this to our mother?! - Zack screamed and he held his head with his hands sobbing and growling.

- I knew it was a mistake for her to give that moron a second chance after all he did to her! - Piper slapped her mate so hard that Zack gasped in surprise.

- Stop talking nonsense! She did what her heart told her to do, just like now! Your sister is the strongest woman I've ever known, and if she is sure about this, I'm as well. - Piper said.

- How long will this take? - Zack asked and Piper shrugged.

- I have no idea...

- We can't leave their corpses like this, neither we can freeze them, what if they want to come back and they can't because of the state of their bodies? - Zack asked and Piper looked pensive. She stood up and cast a spell which healed Noelle's neck and cleaned the blood.

- I have a solution for that but we need to take them back to their apartment. - Zack held his sister in his arms and took her back to the apartment, while Piper went to find Cody. After she told him her plan Cody ordered to give him his brother's remainings and he took Atlas's body to the apartment as well. He became the Alpha of the Lycan Blood Pack officially with Noelle's death. While he took his brother to his apartment on Cody's face a sad smile curved and he whispered for himself.

- In the end, our parents got what they wanted... You guys are gone and I became the Alpha. I hope this will work out because I don't want to lose you forever. - with this, he walked into the apartment and took Atlas to the bedroom where Piper and Zack already waited with Noelle's body. Cody laid Atlas next to Noelle on the bed and they looked like they were just asleep. Piper started to whisper ancient words and green light danced in the room forming into two large tubes. These tubes had doors on them and she turned to the men in the room.

- Put them in. - Zack and Cody did as she ordered and when the bodies were inside the tubes Piper continued whispering magical words. The doors closed and the tubes filled with a strange liquid. Piper grunted in pain and sweat started to roll down on her face and back. Zack stood behind his mate and held her gently while she gave all her power into that one spell. When she was done she fall into Zack's arms and smiled.

- When they are coming back there will be no problem, but we need to keep these tubes safe. - she said looking at Cody who nodded.

- I'll protect them with my life if that is necessary. - he said and Zack growled.

- This is all your family's fault! Don't even think that I'll let my daughter be with you when she grows up! This Pack and family brought nothing but pain to mine! - Zack shouted and Piper wanted to calm him down, but she was too exhausted. He held her in his arms and stormed out of the apartment screaming for their daughter. Cody walked after them and watched how they took his most precious treasure away without giving him a single chance to say goodbye. Cody was trembling in anger and pain but he had no right to say anything. Zack was totally right. If Atlas would've acted differently, or if their parents didn't make such terrible decisions, now his brother and sister-in-law would still be alive and happy, waiting for their baby. That day changed Cody. After Zack, Piper and Eleanora left he immediately ordered the highest security to Atlas's apartment. There were grinds built on the windows and three metal doors guarded the couple whose return everyone wished, but only a few believed in. Cody became cold and rough, the smile he always had on his face was gone. He started to train harder and became more rigorous about his warriors' training as well. If their life was hard with Atlas being the Alpha, now it became worse with a broken-hearted Cody. People started to keep their distance only Doris and Chris were allowed to talk directly to Cody. Whenever the elders tried to get close to him he turned into a raging monster and they ended up in the hospital. Cody tried to call Zack and Piper but their number wasn't available anymore. He often visited The Individuals Pack where with time Angus became the Alpha, which made Carol his Luna. Carol chose to be turned into a wolf so she could spend more time with her love and Angus was happy to do this favor for her. When Cody decided to spend another visit to their Pack it was raining heavily, he knocked on their door and a stern-looking Angus opened it.

- Alpha Angus. - Cody greeted him formally and Angus grinned patting Cody's back and gently pushing him inside.

- Kiddo! What a surprise! come in it is raining cats and dogs. - Angus said and Cody walked in.

- Who is it, love? - Carol's voice sounded from the direction of the kitchen.

- Cody came to pay us a visit. - Angus answered and silence sat on the household, even the air seemed to get cooler. Carol walked out to the hall and looked at Cody. Her eyes now shined with a reddish sparkle in them and her power was really strong. There are people whose fate is to become supernatural creatures, it seemed like Carol was one of them.

- Cody. What can we thank you for visiting? - Carol asked and Cody looked into her eyes.

- I just came to check how you were doing, we are family after all. - Cody said and Carol laughed with a burst of bittersweet mocking laughter.

- Please explain it to me why are we exactly a family?! - she screamed and Angus walked to her side whispering.

- Babydoll, calm down, it isn't his fault. - but Carol kept laughing and snarling at Cody.

- It's his ill family's fault! I lost my daughter! she took her own life! I was supposed to protect her at all costs and I trusted her mate! I gave them my only daughter, the one who saved me and united our family! But they couldn't protect her! After Atlas was gone whose responsibility was to keep an eye on her?! - Carol screamed and there were tears filling her eyes. Cody just stood there listening to her accuses and didn't say a word against them. In her eyes, he became a failure and in his own eyes, Cody felt even bigger hatred against himself. Angus hugged Carol to his chest and she started to tremble and sob.

- I want my baby back! - Carol whispered and her voice hit Cody's heart like a dagger. He was so lonely, without Noelle's family, he had absolutely nobody. This thought haunted him day and night. He checked on Atlas and Noelle each day hoping that one day when he opens the door they will be there drinking their tea in each other's arms. Angus accompanied Carol to their bedroom and walked back to Cody who kept standing at the same place looking like he had been struck by lighting. Angus sighed and nodded to Cody to follow him. They sat in the dining room and one of the strongest Alpha's made some tea for Cody. He felt like a child returning to his home after running away. After the tea was ready Angus handed him a mug and took a seat across the table.

- I'm sorry for what happened. She is in a lot of pain, all her family is.

- It is your family as well. - I said and Angus smiled.

- You are so young. Listen Kiddo, we are part of a different family. We are the chosen ones who are lucky enough to share their lives with such a special family like the Smith. But we are not part of their original family and in times like this, it is normal for them to shut us out. With time Carol will feel better and she will be her old self. Don't ever hesitate to come if you need to. Our door is always open for you Cody, and I'm truly sorry for what happened to your parents and brother. - I laughed a bit, but my laugher sounded harsh and a bit insane.

- I feel like I've ended up being a character from a Shakespeare drama. First, my mother kills an innocent woman for power destroying a family. Then after I was born my half-brother becomes the family's black sheep and he is hated despite all the effort he does, and he is still noble enough not to blame me for anything. When happiness finally knocks on his door, his mate cheats on him and my brother kills her. After that, my parents tries everyth8ing to get rid of him. When his second chance mate arrives at his life, my mother poisoned my brother to force her wants on him, and he ended up raping his mate! - I said with a trembling voice and Angus's eyes opened wide. Only Atlas, Noelle, and I knew about this secret.

- I'm sorry to say it, but if she wasn't dead already I would be the one who snaps your mother's neck. - Angus said. Noelle became like a daughter to him, a daughter he always wanted and he acted the same way any father would. I lifted my hand in the air and said.

- Stand in the line. Luckily Noelle already did that, she even gave my mother one last chance to live...

- What happened with your father? - Angus asked and Cody sighed.

- Noelle said that he killed himself before she arrived. The coward wasn't man enough to face the consequences. I hope they both rot in hell. - Cody said and Angus tilted his head. He felt sorry for this young man. In a matter of days, he lost everything that was important for him and stayed alone. His only source of happiness was Eleanora, who turned out to be his mate, but ever since Noelle killed herself, Zack and Piper didn't allow Cody to see the girl. Angus pulled his phone out of his pocket and searched for a recent picture of Eleanora. When he found it he showed the picture to Cody, whose eyes filled with tears. Eleanora was sitting on a lavender field in a white dress with her back to the camera, but she glanced back over her shoulder smiling at her parents. Her hair grew and like a black waterfall cascaded on her shoulders. Her green and lavender hazel eyes shined happily.

- Thank you. - Cody whispered.

- Everything is going to be okay, we just need to be patient. Noelle isn't the type of woman who gives up what she gets into her head. - Angus said grinning and Cody sighed.

- I wish I could see what she is currently ap to. - a little smile appeared in the corner of Cody's mouth that couldn't go unnoticed by Angus.

- What is so funny? - he asked and Cody's childish smile spread on his face.

- I bet she is kicking the ass of the Goddess of death for taking Atlas away from her. - Angus started to laugh and he whispered a prayer.

- Are you praying for Noelle? - Cody asked and Angus smirked.

- She doesn't need my prayers. - he winked and Cody laughed after long months of being depressed this was the first time he finally laughed and smiled truly.