Chapter 5 - Tiberius

I haven’t dealt with witches before. I knew they were out there, but my only experience was reading about them in human fairytales and actual books kept in the pack library. None of that prepared me for facing the real deal. 

Shitty Witch here is a real piece of work. She didn’t touch us. I glimpsed her true face, and let me say yuck. I’m thankful for that because I don’t want her touching me. I know I’m hot, but I’d need a whole body chemical peel to get rid of layers of skin to feel clean. 

Begrudgingly we were forced to follow her. I had no intention of making this easier on her. So, I made sure to shuffle my feet or stagger along, making as much noise as possible while moving as slowly. Each time she’d turn and glare those shit-colored eyes at me.

She has NO IDEA who she’s messing with. She separated me from August, so she had to suffer the consequences. Obnoxious Tie is back with extreme vengeance. Before August, the whole pack, not just my parents, feared the Delta I would be. I was the most ill-behaved, fidgety, and all-around pain-in-the-ass child born in Nebrodi.

August may have given me more practical gifts, but being an obnoxious mega pain in the ass is my gift. If I could make every authority figure that met me want to choke me, run in defeat, or curl into a ball sobbing because nothing they said or did would get me to change, the Shit Witch doesn’t stand a chance. Thank you, Goddess. Time to put it to good use.

I’m riling this bitch up good. Her magic still sealed my lips so that I couldn’t speak, so I opted to make the most annoying sounds one can with their mouth closed. The death glares I’m getting are hands down the most entertaining thing. 

I was smirking, feigning innocence, the moment she glared back at me. Thales, Goddess bless him. He was trying so hard not to crack up. As kids, I would have him, Crista, Persephone, and little Delilah rolling on the floor in fits of giggles. I prided myself on it. As the oldest, I was expected to be the ‘responsible’ one, but I watched out for the younger heirs in my way. They weren’t getting hurt or causing trouble if they were with me laughing.

“Make one more obnoxious sound, drag your feet, rattle your shackles, and I’ll gut you.” Shit Witch sneered, pointing her index finger at me.

If I could, I’d give her the biggest toothiest grin possible. It didn’t take much to piss her off. Good to know. I can work with that. I’m going to make this bitch regret ever being born. I took her threat with a grain of salt; they wanted us to talk. If they didn’t need us alive, we’d already be dead. So, I started humming my version of Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead! from The Wizard of OZ.

And while the lyrics couldn’t be heard clearly, they played in my head as I hummed. ‘Ding-dong, the Witch is dead! Which old Witch? The shitty Witch! Ding-dong, the shitty Witch is dead! Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed! Wake up, the shitty Witch is dead! She’s gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho! Let’s open up and sing and ring the bells out! Ding-dong! The merry-o sing it high, sing it low! Let them know the shitty Witch is dead!’

Thales was fighting to contain his laughter. But that dam he had put up burst as I winked at him, and the laughter bubbled out. Shit Witch stopped and rounded on us, slapping Thales for laughing. I don’t need my wolf to be angry at such treatment of my Alpha and friend. So, I did what I would’ve done in any other situation. I head-butted that bitch.

Shit Witch let out a screech of pain and anger before sending me flying into a cement wall, raising me so my head touched the ceiling. “I’ve had just about enough out of you. But you just showed me your weakness. If you don’t like people touching your precious Alpha, he’ll get double the torture while you watch. How’s that sound, funny boy?” 

As if to prove her point, she pointed her finger at Thales. I don’t know what she was doing, but he fell to his knees in pain. I glared at her, and the bitch smiled as if this was a victory. I’ll show you who’s the winner.

She only suspended me by my collar so the rest of my body could move. Wrong choice, Shit Witch. I happen to be one of the best footballers in my pack! With a swift movement of my bound legs, I knocked her to the ground before she could react. I snorted as I landed on the unforgiving floor.

Fuck, my ass hurts.

Not only did I land on cement but with a silver chain thong from my bindings. I don’t recommend it.

Even without our link and being apart the last few years, Thales knew what was coming and reacted instantly. Whatever power she was using against him stopped, so he got to his feet, using the shackles to press the chain on her throat.

“You will unbind us, now.” Thales commanded, pressing the chain harder as she groaned coming around.

“Fuck yeah!” I exclaimed, excited to realize her spell to shut me up stopped when I knocked her out momentarily.

“I’ll do no such thing. You pups underestimate me.” Shit Witch sneered. “And overestimate yourselves. You don’t have the audacity to hurt me, to kill me. You’re too soft without your wolf.” She scoffed.

“Well, I sure the fuck am not! Without my wolf, I’m pretty much unhinged, Shit Witch.” I proclaimed as I used my shackles across her ribs. I knew the pressure would force the air out of her lungs; hell, I could break a rib.

Shit Witch was gasping for air but smiling. The fucking bitch was smiling. Why? I don’t like that smile. I got my answer to her smile when Thales and I were both sharply lifted by the collars and held off the ground. It didn’t take a genius to realize who could be strong enough to lift us like we were part of a weight set.

“IVAN! How nice of you to join us! I believe I owe your over-grown ass a beating for killing my parents!” I shouted, struggling to kick back, wanting him to drop us. Of course, Ivan is a brick shithouse for a reason. He didn’t seem phased by my kicks. 

“Quiet.” Ivan growled those two syllables in his deep rumbling voice. 

Shit Witch was grinning as she got to her feet. “Put them in the torture room. Make sure they are secured to the floor.” She instructed, pointing to the room at the end of the hall. Like the mindless asshole he is, Ivan silently obeyed.  

“Oh, come on, Ivan. Don’t you have a brain in that giant skull? Use it! Madonie was always peaceful and now look at it. You’re part of that! You’re hurting your people! What kind of a Gamma are you!? The pack always comes before whoever claims to be Alpha.” I shouted as I struggled, trying to get through to him.

“It’s pointless, Tie. Ivan’s made his choice. It’s wrong, but he made it. Now he must see it through even though it will end in the fall of his pack and maybe the end of his life or the life of someone he cares for.” Thales calmly shrugged as Ivan set us down only to force us to our knees, attaching our chains to hooks on the floor.

“I bet he’s going to be pissed and kicking himself for following Ignazio when this war he started gets his little sister killed. What was her name again?” I cocked my head. 

“Amelia. Her name is Amelia.” Thales confirmed.

“Yes, that’s it. I remember Amelia. She was cute. I can’t imagine she’s very proud of her big brother. Does she know you helped massacre the ranked wolves of not just our pack but your own? Does she know you killed your parents? What kind of cold-hearted fuck does that? They were the people who gave you life, and you thanked them by taking theirs. For shame. The Goddess will have a special place in werewolf hell for you.” I scolded, turning my head to look at the big man.

Oh shit, I hit a nerve.

I’m unsure if he wants to rip my head off because he generally wants me dead or because he knows I’m right. I don’t know Ivan well enough to guess if he has the mental capacity to understand what he’s done, how much suffering he’s caused, and how he will pay for it in the end.

“Leave us. Return to Ignazio. I’m sure he has something for you to do.” Shit Witch dismissed him with a wave of her hand as she went to the wall of torture devices. Yeah, nothing on that wall looks fun. They also don’t look sanitary.

“Don’t you clean your torture devices? I mean hell, Shit Witch, that’s how you spread disease.” I wrinkled my nose.

“That’s the point. It makes it hurt longer and more.” Shit Witch sneered, eyeing a cat-o-nine tail that looks to have blades on the tips. Yeah, that looks like it’s going to be a party. Probably a good thing August is blocked from me. I don’t want him exposed to all this silver.

“Oh yeah. I bet you loved the AIDS epidemic and generally enjoy spreading diseases. It’s fitting for a Shit Witch like yourself to smear disease around like you’re Pestilence of the horsemen.” I rolled my eyes.

“You’ll pay for your insolence. Or rather your Alpha will.” Shit Witch sneered, cracking the cat-o-nine tails across Thales’ back.

I clenched my jaw, glaring daggers at the bitch as Thales winced, falling as far forward as he could, chained as we are. I give him credit. He didn’t cry out even though I knew that had to sting. I heard it and could see the blood dripping down his back.

“Tell me everything you know about remaining Nebrodi defenses, the Fayte sister, and any ties your pack has with Incubi.” The Shit Witch demanded as she cracked the whip against my back.

I clenched my jaw, the force of the whip making me lean forward. But I said nothing. Neither of us will. She’s going to realize it soon enough. Until then, our backs were getting chewed up as she started to alternate whipping us as she demanded answers.

“We won’t tell you anything, hag.” I spat blood out, but it’s all she’s going to get me to say. 

As she readied to strike again, something felt different. I’m not sure what it was, but it felt like we were being watched. Maybe it’s cameras in the room, yet looking around, I couldn’t see any cameras. I felt something. A presence was in the room, a presence that felt…welcoming. 

What the fuck? I’ve been separated from August for too long. I’m getting loopy, or maybe it’s the blood loss. That’s it because it was gone just as I felt that warm presence coming closer. That warmth in my heart was gone as the pain continued to rain down on us until we collapsed.