Demons & Battles

Gabriel’s POV

            I couldn’t believe her. Ripping the throat out of a wolf, I pivot and race towards the front of the house. I slide to a stop. Henri and Kirk, the professional assassin, were circling each other. I start to walk forwards, but then I notice that everything around me is frozen; except for Henri, Kirk and myself.

            I watch as Henri slowly ices Kirk’s legs. As he tries to move, he realizes that he can’t. “What are you doing pup?” He taunts her. I cringe as her icy laugh fills the air. A slight shudder rips through my body.

            “Oh, I’m just about to repay you for the deaths of my parents. You remember them, right?” Her voice sounded so sweet, it made my stomach hurt. Suddenly I notice a ball of fire in her hand. Kirk sees it and I watch as his face pales. I lend some of my power to her and the fire ball grows.

            I had faced Kirk once before, the night he killed Robert and Hannah. Not even once did he show the look of fear and terror that was now written plain on his face. To tell you the truth, if I was in his place and facing Henri, I’d be scared out of my mind as well.

            “I hope you said goodbye to those you love killer. Unlike me, I didn’t have the chance when you killed them so long ago.”

            “I always tell them goodbye when I leave for a job.” Henri glares at him then throws the fireball. It hits him and within seconds nothing but a small pile of ash remains of Kirk.

            “Gabriel.” Henrietta whispers as her eyes roll back and she falls unconscious. Time resumes its pace and I rush towards her barely catching her. “It’s alright my love. I have you.” I place a soft kiss on her cheek as I carry her to my house. I heard several wolves run into the yard and then towards the house.

            I don’t look back as I carry my mate to the hospital floor. I would make sure that she gets looked after first before I talk to anyone. Leaving her with the doctor and my beta, I make my way outside. Standing on my porch stood Alpha Reid and several of his pack members along with an alpha I didn’t recognize.

            When they notice me, several give me glares. “I want my sister.” A man says as he steps towards me. I could sense that he was a beta. “Your sister is at the moment unable to do anything.” I say monotone. This young beta didn’t like that to well. He growls softly at me. “What do you mean?”

            “I mean that she just fought with a professional assassin. The battle took more out of her than she realized it would. I tried telling her to wait for me, but my little mate is very stubborn.” I chuckle softly but stop when I notice the look of confusion on their faces. Sighing, I step back and invite them in.

            “Only the ones that are close to Henrietta should follow me to my office. There are some things that you need to hear about her.” As I make my way down the hall, I notice that the beta, Alpha Reid and his pack members followed. Closing the door to my office, I sit behind my desk. “Y’all might as well take a seat. This is a long story.” They nod at me as I watch them. I take a deep breath and start to talk.

Henri’s POV

            I couldn’t believe that I actually killed someone. I know that it was either him or me, and I would chose me any day, but I’ve never had to take someone’s life. Opening my eyes, I start to walk through a thick forest. “Hello, is anyone there?” I call out as I slowly make my way towards a bright light.

            I gasp when I step out of the trees. Standing before stood a beautiful woman. Her hair was as black as night and her sky as pale as a full moon. When she hears my gasp she turns and looks at me. “Hello Henrietta.” Her voice sounded as soft as a rose petal.

            I shudder at her voice. “Hello.” I say softly eyeing her. “Where am I?”

            “You are between death and life dear. You used a lot of your power to defeat Kirk. If your mate hadn’t leant you some of his, you would be dead.” She states calmly. Suddenly it was like a light bulb went off in my mind. “You must be the moon goddess.”

            She laughs softly and smiles at me. “Why did you give me three mates, and these powers? I’m just a normal wolf. I don’t deserve what’s happing to me.”

            “You and Gabriel are the only two that can stop the war’s that coming. The two of you are strong wolves and even stronger with your powers. But together, as one, y’all will be undefeatable. But that will only be if the two of you mark the other and complete the mating. If the two of you try to stop the oncoming war, not only will y’all die, but many of our kind as well.

            “The vampires have joined with hunters and rouges to wipe the packs out. You must stop them Henrietta.”

            “But why me Goddess? What makes me so special?”

            “It’s because of your ancestors Henri. Every time the vampires would join with the hunters, a chosen one from your lineage would be born so that on their twentieth birthday, they would have the powers you now have. With these and their true mate, they would be able to defend the pack wolves and stop the war.

            “But you must know that if you are not able to stop the war, then you or your mate will have to pay the price. It will be your life for the lives of our kind.”  I just stare at her shocked. Several times I open my mouth to speak, but nothing would come out.

            My wolf snarls at her. She may be the moon goddess, mother of us all, but haven’t we had enough heartache and loss? She yells at me.

            I agree. We have had enough pain and suffering to last a life time. I turn my face back towards her. “Haven’t I had enough pain and heartache to last me a life time? Why would you ask me to go through more? You know good and well that I won’t sit by and let Gabe die for me. But you also know that he wouldn’t let me give my life up without trying to protect me.

            “First I lose my parents, then my brother. Then my mate rejects me. I finally find a pack that loves me and accepts me. And then I meet Louis. I finally let my walls down and let him in. But then, by some sick twist of fate, Gideon and he are required to kill each other so that Gabriel and I can be together to stop your stupid war!

            “Now you’re telling me that if the two of us don’t complete mating ritual, then one of us will have to die to save the rest of our kind. My wolf and I will die if we have to lose another mate, especially Gabe. What more will you require me to give up for you?!” I scream as I release the hurt and anger that has been pent up inside me since the death of my parents.

            She sighs softly and looks at me. I could see my hurt and pain mirrored in her eyes. “I know the pain and suffering you’ve gone through child. As the mother of all wolves, I can feel what each of you go through. But the life you lead was the only way I knew of that would make you strong enough to survive what lay ahead of you. I’m sorry that you had to experience so much heartache and loss.”

            My wolf growls softly at the goddess, but she could hear the truth in her words. I shake my head and lower my eyes. “If Gabriel and I don’t complete the mating, is there any way you can make sure that it’s me who has to give my life for the other wolves?”

            “There might be a way. But why do you want me to make sure that it has to be your life that has to be sacrificed?”

            “I wouldn’t be able to live if Gabriel dies. He’s stronger than I ever was.” I reply softly. I look at her and I see her smile. Then an idea hits me. “Does Gabriel have another mate out there?”

            “He had two others like you, but both she-wolves died before he met them. The first died in a battle between her pack and a coven of vampires. And his second mate was killed when she was kidnapped and tortured by hunters. You are his third and true mate. He has no others.” I nod as I think my idea out.

            The thought of Gabriel with another woman made my blood boil, but I wouldn’t let him be alone if I died. Looking the moon goddess in the eye, I stand taller. “I want you to make sure that if I die giving my life in this war, whether it be because we didn’t mate or we mated but I died fighting, I want you to give Gabriel another mate. And I want you to make it where he can’t reject her.”

            She looks at me with understanding and confusion in her eyes. “Could you tell me the reason behind this request, although I think I already know why?”

            “I don’t want him to be alone after I die. I want him to have a mate who will love him, give him pups and who will be there for him even though I wasn’t able to.” 

            “Alright my child, I’ll make that deal, but only for you. If you die from fighting in the war or from giving your life to protect the rest of the wolves, I will give Gabriel a mate that will love him and that he will not be able to reject.” 

            “Thank you.” I say softly and turn towards the trees. Darkness surrounds me. I heard the sound of a heart monitor and my eyes slowly open. Looking around, I see Gabe, Ryan and Dare asleep on the couch. For a brief second, I look around for Louis only to remember that he would no longer be there for me.

            “Dare?” I whisper as I start to move. In just a blink of an eye, Dare jumps off the couch and at my side. “Sis, you’re awake!” I give him a weak smile as Ryan and Gabe join him. “Did Nicolas, Sam, Thomas, Shane, Will, Bobby, Dean, Steven, John and Aaron make it?”

            Dare meets my eyes and flinches. I could feel the color leave my face. “Dean didn’t survive Henri. Kirk killed him. Dean was on his way to get you and take you home when that monster showed up. Dean died protecting his sister, just like he would have wanted to.” He says softly as he slowly removes a necklace from around his neck. “He wanted me to give this to you.”

            I wrap my hand around Dean’s good luck charm. I bite my lip as it burns my hand a little. Only Dean and I knew that it was liquefied wolf’s bane that had been made into a charm. It hides the wearer’s scent from anyone. I could feel the tears spill from my eyes as I slide it over my head.

 “We’ll leave you alone for a bit Henri.” Ryan whispers as the three of them walk out. I knew that when I died, it would hit Gabe pretty hard. But I knew that he would be fine without me. I try to muffle a scream as it slips out. There’s only so much pain that a wolf can take before they break. And I had just reached that limit.