Lone Wolf Rising (Paranormal Romantic Thriller) (The Winters Series) (46 page)

Rebecca took a step forward; Savvy's hand was only inches from hers.
  "Your family killed mother?  Why?"

“We can talk about this later, without the audience.”  His voice held warning.

“Good, now tell me when you’ve caught up."  Celestia clapped her hands excited as the pieces started to fall into place in Rebecca’s mind like a jigsaw puzzle that had sat unfinished for too long.

"Did you ever love mother?"
  She couldn’t help it.  The questions kept coming, tumbling from her lips.  She needed to know.

"No, she was simply a job.  Y
ou children, on the other hand, he loved very much.  It was that love that almost got him killed."  Celestia answered for Rebecca’s father.

"You lie!"
  Hunter stated angrily.  Rebecca had almost forgotten he was there.  He made an attempt to attack Celestia, but Gabriel stopped him.  The pain in Hunter’s voice and face made something click off inside her.  Her emotional attachment to their father, to Maverick died in that moment.

"I'm sorry
.  She speaks the truth."  Maverick stated sadly.

"So you faked your death and killed mother to make sure we never learned of our family heritage?"  There were so many pieces that just didn’t fit.
 

"On the contrary, he realized he made a mistake not letting you learn the craft
, but your mother disagreed with his sudden change of mind.  He had no choice but to remove the obstacles in the way of your training.  He had to remove himself and her, and hope your grandmother picked up the training."  Celestia stated.  “I’m sorry, I can see this hurts you, but you wanted to know the truth.”

Rebecca ignored Celestia’s fake sympathy.  “Grandmother never trained us.  We
’re useless to you.”

"She tried and failed.  That’s why I came out of hiding.  I need to teach you three how to defend yourself.  There is a war on the horizon and without the proper defense you could die."
  Maverick’s eyes pleaded with them to understand him.  But Rebecca didn’t care; she had nothing left for the man who was once her beloved father.

“And how do you fit into this?”  Rebecca asked Celestia.

"Were you two having an affair?"  Hunter asked bitterly.  He was now side by side with Rebecca.  Gabriel stood on the other side of him to keep him from attacking.  Lucky was next to her on the other side ready to fight anyone who came near them.  The rest of the group stood in a line behind them.

"You can say I was the other woman."
  Celestia smirked.  “But not in the way you would expect.  I was your father’s sire.”

"And you think we can be allies after all this?"  Rebecca asked incredulously.

"You’re the best option I have at the moment.  Everyone is interested in the new alpha and what she has to offer.  Tomas was a tyrant.  Be thankful you were never under his rule."  Celestia stated coldly

"Did you kill my pack?"

"No.  I already answered that question at our last visit.  Please try and remember. I hate repeating myself."

"But you know who did?"
  Rebecca asked coldly.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I tire of this.  I’ve answered your questions about your parents’ deaths.  Now, do we have a truce?"
  Celestia placed her hands on Savvy's shoulders.

Every part of the alpha in Rebecca screamed
no
, it took all she had to be the one responding to her question, "yes."

"Good."
  She smiled and in the next instance she snapped Savvy's neck. 

Any connection Rebecca had to Savvy broke instantly.  Rebecca
screamed “No!” As she bolted towards Celestia and her sister’s lifeless body.  She could hear Hunter screaming "No" behind her but she was completely disconnected to the world around her.  Rage filled her and was replaced with overwhelming grief instantly.  It was her fault.  Once again a family member died because of actions she did.  Gabriel and Lucky ran after Rebecca.  She fought them.  She didn’t care who got in her way she would get her revenge. 

Her fist hit Lucky’s face square in the jaw.  She heard it crack as Gabriel grabbed her around the waist and spun her away from connecting with Lucky again.  Lucky stood dangerously close to Rebecca as he asked her, “Rebecca, focus on my voice.  Close your eyes and focus.”

“No.  No.  No, that did not just happen!”  She burst into tears as her knees gave out beneath her.  Gabriel fell to the ground with her and the world as she knew it crumbled around her.  She was vaguely aware of Persephone and Natalia attempting to hold Hunter back.  Vaguely aware of their father and Felicity watching from the sidelines as the drama of her life fell apart. 

“You will all pay for that.”  Sundae’s cold, eerie voice echoed through the room.

If it weren't for the alpha Rebecca would’ve broke in that instant.  "We.  Had.  A.  Deal."  Tears flowed down her cheeks.  Gabriel and Lucky were at her side, both trying to comfort her.  She pushed them both away.

“Stay away from me, both of you!”  She zeroed her eyes on Gabriel and Lucky.  “We are over!”  If she hadn’t spent all that time trying to figure out the relationship between them maybe she would have been able to save her sister.

Only Hunter could give the comfort she needed at the moment as he dropped to the ground next to her and held her hand.  Rebecca wrapped her arms around his shoulders and allowed the tears to fall.  The flood gates were open and she allowed herself to feel everything.  Her guilt, sadness, disgust, helplessness, and every other emotion that was responsible for pulling her into that familiar dark abyss.

"We still have a deal.  N
ow I have insurance that you won't turn on me.  Your sister will awaken from death's door as my vampire princess.  She will be my liaison with you."  Two of the men they’d previously fought were picking up Savvy's lifeless body and carrying her away.  Her body was twisted in an odd position, her neck hanging over the vampire’s arm.  Her eyes open, staring at Rebecca.  The crown she wore was moments away from falling off her head.  The beautiful satin dress seemed out of place on the limp body.  Rebecca wanted to reach up and close her eyes and fix her crown, but her sister was out of her reach now.  She was no longer with them.  She was gone. 

Celestia reached a hand down to help Rebecca up.
  She wanted to smack it away and rip her throat out, but instead she took it.  She was playing a long game and she and Savannah were major players.  "We’re now family."

Felicity stood behind Celestia, void of any emotion on her face.  Rebecca lashed out and slashed the pretty girl’s perfect face.  Her claws extended instantly.  Gabriel and Lucky grabbed Rebecca and pulled her back before she could rip the nephilim’s throat out.  Rebecca’s eyes were red with fury and made it perfectly clear she was going to kill her.  She would kill everyone if given the chance.  Even Celestia, most assuredly Celestia and Maverick.  They would all die before this was over. 

Celestia started towards the door, pausing in the dim light.  "I’ll contact you shortly and keep you apprised of her transformation."  She turned to leave but stopped.  "It was Violet who ordered the death of your pack."

The
 current vampire queen.  Well, at least when Rebecca overthrew that reign she would be getting the vengeance for her pack.  And in the next moment she was gone, and so were her goons.  And so was their father.  The only one who remained was Felicity.  “You will pay for that, wolf!”  She cupped her hand to her face and blood seeped out of her fingers.

“Get out of here, Felicity.  I don’t ever want to see you again.”  Lucky snapped. 

“But…”

“Get out of here before I let Rebecca finish you off.”  His voice was filled with disgust.

Felicity turned and left.  Rebecca’s feet gave out again as another wave of sadness washed over her and Lucky caught her before she fell to the ground.  Hunter was wrapped in Natalia's arms as he cried and Gabriel lowered his head in defeat.  Jackson, Persephone, and Sundae stood in the background.  No one spoke. 

No matter what it took, Rebecca would avenge
Savannah, their mother, and her pack.  To hell with justice and doing things the right way.  Now, things were different.  She made that promise to the gods.

"Hello, sister dear."

It was the first time Rebecca heard her voice since her
death.  The tenor was different; colder, and sadder.  If she hadn't been her twin she may have not recognized her with her back turned or eyes closed.  This realization pulled her deeper into the depression abyss she was suffering since Savvy’s death.  It confirmed she was no longer the wonderful person who was her best friend for seventeen years.

Rebecca looked up at
Savannah and attempted a shaky smile.  "Savvy!  Oh, how I have missed you."  Tears stung the back of her eyes but she managed to keep them under control.

Hunter looked up from the book he was reading on the sofa, speechless as he eyed
Savannah cautiously.  He was there when Celestia broke Savvy’s neck.  He watched as Savannah’s lifeless body crumbled to the ground.  Gabriel came into the room and kept his strategic position behind their visitor.  

"Is everything okay in here?"
 Gabe’s voice was steady; such a wonderful warrior and protector.  

Rebecca
offered a smile and nodded her head slowly.  "Savvy, you remember Gabriel?"  In truth, Rebecca had no idea how to handle this situation.  Her twin sister, the one person she had loved for almost eighteen years was now her genetic enemy.  Her body and mind betrayed her as the scent of death assaulted her senses.  The familiar scent that uniquely belonged to vampires put her wolf on alert.

‘
She is your enemy now.
’  The alpha reminded her in her mind. 

"One of your boyfriends?  Sure."  Savvy’s tone showed no emotion.

"He isn't..."  Rebecca was tired of the boyfriend drama.  After Savvy’s death she cut all romantic ties, focusing only on finding a cure for her sister.  Nothing else mattered.  It was the reason why Hunter was here at the compound.  It also helped that she could better protect him in this place.

Savvy interrupted her impatiently.  "I really don't care
, dear sister.  He is of no consequence to me.  You, however, are."

"Oh?  Why is that?"  Rebecca set her pen down and gave Savvy her full attention.

"Mother has tasked me as the liaison between the wolves and the vampires.  I understand we have a truce, one that was sealed with my blood."  Savvy said the last part with full on disgust.  She wasn’t pulling any punches and Rebecca couldn’t blame her.

"Yes."
 Rebecca tried to push back the memory of her being held captive by Celestia.  Of the fact that she was the pawn used to ensure hers and her pack’s compliance in the truce. She tried to push away the memory of Savvy’s neck snapping and her body going limp in front of her.  She drove away the sight of her eyes, the same eyes Rebecca shared with Savvy losing the light of life.  She tried, but was unsuccessful.  "I’m so sorry you got mixed up into this situation."

"Don't be."
 She smiled wickedly as her fingers ran softly along the front rim of the mahogany desk.  "In truth, I’ve never felt more alive than I do now.  Because of you, I’m free."  She spun on her heel and crushed her lips to Gabriel's.  He attempted to push her back.  Being that close to a vampire would’ve been unbearable for him, but she held him in place with a hand on the back of his neck.  When she released him he stumbled backwards and managed to catch himself before his legs gave out.  Savvy laughed, no cackled.  In that moment she sounded like Celestia.  She spun back towards Rebecca and zeroed her now red eyes on her.  "I would’ve never done that to you as a human."

The memory of kissing Gabriel only hours after Rebecca told Savvy she should go with him to the homecoming dance replayed in her mind on fast forward.
 The look of pain in Savannah's then blue eyes still haunted her.  Rebecca shook her head to force the memory of her betrayal out of her mind's eye.

"As I tried to tell you earlier, I’m not with Gabriel." 
I’m not with anyone.  I won’t be with anyone until I bring you back to us. 
She thought quietly to herself.

Savvy laughed, "Oh
, sister dear, I’m not naive enough to fall for that again.  But that isn’t the reason why I came today.  I’m simply here to invite you to a meeting with my mother."

"Celestia is not your mother."  Rebecca said dryly.

"She is now, thanks to you."  Savvy’s eyes narrowed, Rebecca shivered from the anger that vibrated off her sister in waves.

"We’re going to find a way to help you
, Savvy."  Hunter closed his book and moved to stand beside Rebecca. 

“I don’t need help, foolish brother!”  She nodded understanding.  "But I see you have chosen a side."

"I have not chosen any side.  You have.  In fact, it sounds as though you’ve chosen a new parent, something we can’t do."  He responded with short tones.