Chapter Fifteen Solution

Chapter Fifteen

Solution

 

Aly

 

I walked into the house, still wondering who the traitor could possibly have been, and walked right into my mom.

"Ouch," she muttered.

"Sorry!" I apologized quickly. "I wasn't paying attention."

"She continued down the hall. I frowned, she seemed more distant tonight, almost like she didn't want to be near me. She usually acted that way, but still, this was an extreme.

Hours later, I was in my room, wondering about the traitor. Who could possibly want us all dead, besides the Phoenix/human's? I doubted Cassie would have betrayed us, and Michael.... well, it was hard to tell about him anymore, but I doubted he was the one who had cause all of this. He had come back to us, but maybe there was still a streak of darkness left in him, the black still present in his wings seemed to indicate that might be a possibility.

My mom and dad were the only other people who knew about Mark and I. But they wouldn't be behind this, would they? I frowned. I was sure my dad wasn't, he'd been determined to keep me from ever finding out, but then, when I did, he was willing to help me and to support me. And my mom... well, I couldn't be sure about her. I mean, she had been kidnapped, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. She had been even more determined not to let me know about the supernatural world than my father had. Could she be the one behind this?

I lay there, thinking about everything and planning what to say to the pack tonight, when Mark and I held our conference. They wanted to know who was behind all of this. I knew, of course, that Seyton was partially to blame, but there had to have been someone else involved as well. Someone who knew about me. That I wanted to be alpha...  Only my parents, Mark, Chris, Kat, Cassie, and Michael knew. I was sure none of them had done this to me.... Someone had... Who was it?

Someone knocked on my bedroom door.

"Come in," I called. I figured it was my mom.

"Aly," mom said softly. I was right.

"Yeah, mom?" I asked, curious. Why would she have been trying so hard to avoid me before, but come to my room now?

She turned and nodded to someone standing behind her. I couldn't see who it was.

She stepped to the side and Mark's mother came in.

"Mrs. Night," I said in surprise, rising quickly.

"I have to confess," she said, getting straight to the point. "I never liked you. Not from the start. I knew you wanted to take from Mark what is rightfully his."

I nodded, understanding her feelings completely, though I felt it was rightfully mine.

"I realize now how wrong I was and I apologize.

I smiled at her. "I understand," I answered. "I would have felt the same way."

She smiled slightly. She looked as though she'd been crying, though whether it was grief for her husband's death, I couldn't be sure. "Thank you," she said. Her sincerity even seemed fake. I had an uneasy feeling. Something was wrong, or going to be. She turned and walked out of the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

I picked up my phone, planning to text Mark, only to discover it no longer worked. I growled. If she had ruined my phone... why didn't mom want me to contact anyone?

 

 

Mark

 

Mark was pacing in his room, wondering where Aly was and why she hadn't contacted him yet. She was supposed to have texted or called ten minutes ago. She had never been this late before and he was worried about her.

"Where is she?" he wondered aloud.

"Aly?" his mother asked from doorway.

Mark jumped in surprise at his mother's voice. "Yes," he answered. "She was supposed to contact me ten minutes ago and I've heard nothing from her."

His mother frowned. "Maybe her phone is dead. She was home twenty minutes ago, when I left."

"You went over there?" he demanded, trying not to sound overly angry. "Why?"

"I wanted to apologize for disliking her so immediately." Mark recognized the false note in his mother's voice and started to panic.

"What did you do to Aly?" he asked, fighting to keep the panic out of his voice. He couldn't show weakness to his mother. Not now, when it could cost Aly her life.

"I only apologized." Again he heard the falseness in her voice.

He took a menacing step forward.

She took three quick steps back. "Mark," she said pleadingly. "I swear I didn't hurt her!"

He glared her. "Then tell me who did!
 Even as he spoke, he took another step towards her. He soon had her backed into a corner.

"No... nobody..." she stammered.

"You're lying!" he growled. He felt the icy pain pulsing though his veins. He would shift soon if he wasn't careful.

"Mark! What are you doing?" The terrified squeal came from the doorway behind him.

He turned to face his sister, Chey, with his teeth bared in an animal snarl. He could feel his form shifting. He had to get out of here before he lost it and killed Chey.

Chey whimpered when she saw his face. "Mark," she whispered.

He pushed himself away from the wall and ran from the room, tears in his eyes. Not only had he possibly lost Aly, but he had nearly harmed his mother and sister! As it was, they were both terrified of him now. He could never be forgiven for what happened this night, of that he was certain. Even Aly could never forgive him for what he had just done.

 

♠♠♠

He was running toward Aly's house, desperately hoping she would still be ok.

He thought about who the traitor could be. Kat? Chris? Michael? Cassie? Aly? Aly's mom or dad? His own mother? Somehow none of them seemed likely. Why would any of them have betrayed them? Betray supernaturals.

Mark was worried and confused. How was he going to figure out the identity of the traitor? He had to. Aly had been threatened too many times to let this go on. He was sure, now, that his mother was in on it, but she obviously wasn't the mastermind behind it all. She wouldn't have the patience to do all of this. Michael had betrayed them, sure, but he had come back, and nobody figured he was behind it. He wouldn't have been an informant. Not to that degree.

The only person who really could have been that much of an informant was Aly's mom, Aly said she confided everything in her. But that didn't make sense. Why would she be trying to get her daughter killed? She hadn't wanted Aly to know anything of the supernatural world, but even still, would she be willing to do all of that, just to prevent Aly from being part of it?

He ran to the front door and rang the bell. "Please, please, be home," he pleaded in a whisper.

Seconds later, the door opened to reveal Aly standing there, looking upset.

"Mark," she said softly. "We have to get out of here. Now."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door.

 

 

♠♠♠

 

They were trapped in the cave that had become their safe haven. Nobody knew where anyone was or what was happening. All they knew was that the second they had stepped through that door Phoenix/humans had descended upon them, trapping them in their own hideout. How had they known? Who could have told them? It couldn't have been Michael, despite all evidence seeming to point to him, he had been helping Mark for the last three days. He hadn't been out of Mark, Aly, Chris, Kat, or Cassie's sight the entire time. One of them had been with him at all times.

The only logical person left was his mom, or maybe Aly's. But why would one of them have betrayed the pack? It made no sense. Unless of course it had been his mother. If she had been given enough reason, money, she might have been willing to give them all up. You could get her to tell you anything if you paid her enough. Though he didn't even want to consider her asking price for information of this magnatude.

He glared at the wall as he thought about this. He had always hated the way his mother was. She had caused them endless trouble before his father had been murdered. Mark  had decided to avoid letting his mother in on any pack secrets, it would be too easy for her to destroy them even further.

He and Aly had walked right into the trap. How could they have been so stupid?! It made him hate himself for not being more careful. He should have known better.  He should have been more cautious. He should have insisted on Aly staying outside. He'd felt there was something wrong, but he'd thought it'd be ok. He'd thought it was simply paranoia, they had always been safe here before. Then he realized, they had been attacked here by the Phoenix people before, he should have listened to his own mind. It had been trying to warn him. He was stupid.

"Aly," he whispered to her.

"Yeah?" she asked softly from beside him.

"Silence!" Seyton snapped. He looked thoughtfully at Mark. "You would be very useful to me," he observed.

Mark glared at him. "Useful?" he snarled.

"Certainly. You could complete the mission Michael failed, destroying the lovely miss Donovan's parents."

Aly tried to hold back the whimper when she heard the assignment Seyton wanted Mark to fulfill. 

Mark frowned thoughtfully. "Alright," he agreed.

Aly stared at him for a long moment. "Mark?" she whispered brokenly. "Why? Why would you do that?"

He didn't look at her, nor did he answer her.

Seyton smiled at her. "He has a better sense of self preservation than you, I would assume," he said tauntingly.

Aly remained silent, hurt by Mark's betrayal. She had thought she could trust him, apparently he had never changed. He had only wanted her to  think he had. He had tricked her into giving him everything. Her love, her trust, her help, he had taken it all and betrayed her.

Seyton untied Mark quickly and guided him to the door. "You may go," he smiled.

 

 

Aly

 

I hated him now. How could I not?  Given the choice between death and murdering my family, he had chosen the murders. But I didn't hate him, I loved him. I was so confused. How could he have been so wonderful, and loving. Caring and tender. He had been everything I had ever wanted and more than I deserved.  I could never have done anything good enough to deserve him. He had been so wonderful. And now... now, he had betrayed me worse than I had ever thought possible. He was going to destroy my family. How could I love him? And yet, how could I hate him? He was my life. He had been more my life than my parents had ever been, and now he had betrayed me. What should I do? What could I do?

I got the feeling that he wasn't betraying me, but helping me. I couldn't understand it, but I felt it was true. I watched him, tears in my eyes, as he was released.

"You may go. Complete the task and return within the hour," Seyton said softly.

Mark nodded.

Seyton smiled and I whimpered. I saw Mark's eyes flicker briefly to me and saw pain and sympathy in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't dare to. I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but love and pain in his eyes. I was sure then that I had been right, he wasn't going to kill my family. I loved him. I knew he wasn't going to hurt them, he was going to help them, but he couldn't take me with him right now. I knew, though, he would be back for me.

I watched sadly as he walked out of the room. "I love you," I whispered as the door closed behind him.

Seyton turned to smile mockingly at me when I spoke. "You're love is not returned," he said cruelly.

 

♠♠♠

The door opened moments after Mark had left and my mother entered. "Mom?" I whispered when I saw her.

"You got her?" she asked, sounding pleasantly surprised.

"Of course," Seyton answered. "That was our deal. I would capture and kill your brat and you would turn over the lapis of power."

"Yes. That is what we agreed upon," she said icily. I knew that tone, it was the tone my mother used when she was going back on a deal. She was betraying Seyton as much as she had betrayed her own daughter. I realized in that second that everything that had happened had been my mother's doing. All the attempts on my life, on Mark's life, they had been planned by her. Mark had been the one always there for me and my mother was the one behind my pain, not the other way around. I should never have hated or distrusted him. I had been such a fool, I didn't deserve him. "Mom?" I asked.

"What?" she snapped.

"Why?" I whispered. "Why do you hate me?"

"That's simple," she said haughtily. "You tried to take the alpha position. I told you I didn't want you to have it, but you decided to take it anyway. for that you must die."

I make my own decision and I have to die? I didn't want to hate her, but I did. She had  killed so many people close to me, because she didn't want me to have anything to do with the supernatural world. I didn't bother to fight the tears as Seyton moved toward me.

 

Michael

 

He watched as Seyton move toward Aly. He knew what was going to happen. Seyton would kill Aly, or, more likely, allow her mother to kill her. He couldn't let that happen. He had betrayed her once, yes, but never again. With Carrie's help and the phoenix he had realized he didn't have to be evil to be powerful, power came in many forms, he only had to decide which form to allow it take for him.

He saw the pain and betrayal in Aly's eyes. She had never imagined her mother to be the traitor. It would have been easier for her if he had been the traitor. He had proven once that he could betray her, but her mother... Seyton now stood directly in front of Aly. He smiled at her as his hand snaked around her throat. Michael knew he had to do something or Aly would die and it would be his fault. If he had done a better job, Seyton would not have looked elsewhere for an informant.

He swooped into action, throwing Seyton across the room, into the stone wall. Seyton threw him backwards, into the chair Aly was chained to. He heard a soft cry of pain as he hit her.

"Sorry," he whispered.

She didn't answer him.

He was on his feet again in an instant. He placed a well aimed blow to Seyton's stomach before being punched in the jaw.

"Why do you defend her?" Seyton demanded. "Surely she cannot mean that much to you, you betrayed her once."

"I did, because I thought you were right, I didn't realize at that time how evil you are nor how evil I was becoming. Power is a choice, and I choose to forfeit it for friendship and love."

Seyton laughed in his face. "Friendship and love?" he demanded, pushing Michal against a wall with the butt of a spear.

"Yes."

"They mean nothing, boy. Join me and you can rule alongside me. Our kind shall bring back the respect and fear humans used to have in supernaturals. We will be feared and obeyed for eternity!"

"Never," Michael spat. "I will never re-join you. Your ideals are no longer mine." He pushed the spear back, forcing it into Seyton's chest. He watched as it penetrated Seyton's heart. He turned to help Aly, failing to notice her mother's disappearance.

"Come," he said softly. "We must get back."

She nodded and began to follow him. "Wait!" she cried. "Mark is going to kill my family, I have to stop him."

Michael shook his head. "He will not harm them. I know him."

"No! You don't understand! He will! I have to go to them!"

"You go to them then, I will report back to the others."

Aly nodded. "Very well," she answered, sounding hurt and disappointed.

 

 

Aly

 

I ran home, desperate to stop Mark from hurting my family. If he killed them, I could never forgive him.

The door was ajar, never a good sign. I pushed it slowly open and fought back the wave of nausea threatening to overcome me at the sight that met my eyes.

My father lay in the doorway. He was still breathing, but only just.

I knelt beside him, in his blood, and brushed a lock of hair from his face. "Where is mom? I asked. "And Loriane?"

He looked at me, uncomprehending.

"Dad, I whispered."

He stared at me, confused. "Who are you?" he whispered.

The tears spilled over then. He didn't know me.

"I love you," I whispered.

I stood up and tried to regain control of myself before continuing through the house. I found my mother in the bedroom, sprawled across the bed, blood pooled around her head and shoulders from her throat. She had been nearly decapitated. "Mother," I whispered.

I ran to the nursery, hoping against hope that he had left Loriane. She lay in the crib, appearing to be peacefully asleep. I moved swiftly to the side of the crib and touched her baby face. She was still warm, but not breathing. Her neck had been snapped. A swift, merciful death. At least he had done that much for me.

He had killed them. I could never forgive him.