Chapter Five

Darkness:

Cahira took over control, running full force through the trees. They were too far from home and couldn't go back. IF they went back home they would lead them straight to the remainder of her pack. They wouldn't stand a chance. They had little to no warriors left and they would be slaughtered. All she knew was she had to keep running and she had to do it in the darkness.  

 She would have to shift come the morning light. If someone saw her in her wolf form she would be in danger. Brandon she thought. Where was he and was he ok? 

“Brandon?” Levi linked him.

“Levi, are you alright?” Brandon asked her, his voice sounded relieved.

“Yes, I'm ok. I’m glad to hear your voice.” Levi sent back thankful he was ok.

“Did you get away?” Brandon sent it to her.

“Yes, I am, I'm going toward I think I can hear water. Travel towards the sound of water and I will  meet you there.” Levi said, focusing on the noise and things around her.

“I’ll get you a better location once I get there.” Levi sent him as Cahira jumped over a falling tree. 

“Levi you need to keep going, he’s sending more men after you. He saw your wolf. He’s hunting you.” Brandon’s voice sounded stressed.

“It will be fine Brandon, the water will cover our tracks. Just get to me. We will figure this out together and it will be ok.” Levi said to him, knowing he was always stressing about the small things.

“I am so sorry about Rose.” Brandon sent it back to her.

“You did everything you could for her. I hope you know that.” Brandon continued.

“I don't want to talk about her right now Bran. How many is he sending? Did you see?” Levi said, trying to get her mind back on fighting and surviving. 

She couldn't deal with the loss of her sister. Couldn't deal with the fact that she failed her. She needed to keep going, she needed to heal so she could fight. So she could come back and rip his limbs off of him. Images of Derek flashed in her mind. She wanted to remember every line on his face. She would never forget him. Never. Not until he was laying on the ground in front of her torn apart by her bare hands begging for his life. She would watch the light in his black eyes go dim.

“He is sending everyone.” Brandon whispered. 

“We will be ok. Just get to me. I can see the river in sight. There’s a large tree that's fallen over. If you run north. You’ll see it just as the forest gets pitch black. Over the fallen tree keep going north. Follow the sound of water and it will lead you to me.” Levi said, giving instructions as she could hear and now see the river. 

“Levi you need to go, keep going.” Brandon said in a firm voice.

“I am not leaving you. Fucking cut the shit Bran and just get here.” Levi yelled at him.

“Levi…I can’t come.” Brandon sent to her, the hurt in his voice coming through.

“What the fuck do you mean can’t? Brandon, are you hurt? Where are you?” Levi’s chest tightens.

Cahira starts to slow her pace feeling the ruse of emotions going through Levi. The panic that was setting in. Cahira trying to slow to be able to turn. 

“Brandon!” Levi screamed through mindlink.

“Li I can’t come. This is not your fault. I followed you. You understand me Levi. I did this, not you. None of this is your fault.” Brandon sent his voice becoming weaker as he sent the mindlink.

“Brandon, where are you?” Levi yelled at him, Cahire skidding her heels in the ground.

“Levi you can't save me. I’m already gone. It’s ok. It's gonna be alright. You're strong. You need to keep going. Do not blame yourself.” Brandon’s voice said to her.

“Brandon! No!” Levi screamed. 

“Levi…I Love you. I have always loved you. I wish I had told you earlier. I’ll always love you. Always.” Brandon’s voice broke off.

“Brandon!!” Levi sent back trying to connect with.

Nothing.

“Brandon! Answer me!” Levi screamed, her breathing becoming rapid. 

The connection was severed. She couldn't reach him anymore. She felt her chest breaking. She wasn’t focused on anything. She needed to go back. She needed to find him. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't reach him. Cahira was trying to hold on control as felt herself breaking. The thought of what it meant when you couldn't reach someone through mindlink or couldn't feel the connection anymore. She couldn't accept that.

“Brandon!” She screamed through mindlink.

Nothing. Emptiness. He wasn’t there anymore. 

“Levi, He’s gone. I can’t reach his wolf.” Cahira said to her.

It was too much all at once. Levi forced the shift. Her body cracking and shifting back to human form rapidly. Too fast. Levi hit the ground as if she had been thrown. She landed hard just in front of the river. The noise of the rapid water rushing by flooding her ears. Her body was shaking as she curled into herself. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. He was gone. He was dead. It was all her fault. Rose was dead, Brandon was dead. He followed her. She could have lost him, could have ditched him. She let him follow. He followed her right to his death. He said he loved her. He died because he loved her. A scream erupted from her, bursting out of her chest as she curled into herself, tears flowing down her cheeks. Her body was shaking violently. The pain from her wounds didn't even compare to the feel of her chest caving in. Her heart being ripped out. This was all her fault. It should have been her both times. 

“No!!!” She screamed again into the darkness, her body twisting in on itself.

She needed to know how. She had to find out. She got up. Her body wobbled, her legs feeling like they would buckle. She held her hand on her naked chest. Her body streaked in mud and dirt. Leaves and twigs stuck into her braid. Did he suffer? She kept repeating his voice in her head as if it would give her a clue. He sounded weaker and stressed. She always stressed him out that there wasn't anything known. She should have waited for him. She should have sent him home. She shouldn't have let him die. 

“Levi, we can't go back.” Cahira said to her softly.

“Shut up.” Levi snapped back.

“Levi was injured, you should still be in wolf form. Your healing is slower now. Levi we need to move. They are coming for us.” Cahire said, trying to get her to focus.

“Good let them.” Levi growled, warm tears blinding her vision.

‘Levi.” Cahira said softly, trying to not hurt her anymore but she needed her to get with it so they could live through the night.

“Don’t this is all my fault. I should have waited. I should have left him behind. It's my fault, me. They are all dead because of me Cahira!” Levi screamed at her.

Dead. Rose’s eyes flashed before her eyes as the arrow pierced her chest. The way she collapsed and hit the ground. Brandon’s voice echoed through her mind.

“Levi…I Love you. I have always loved you. I wish I had told you earlier. I’ll always love you. Always.” Brandon’s voice broke off.

He loved me. Levi’s legs began to buckle. He died because he loved me. Why didn't she see it? Why didn't she know? Her foot slipped on the bank of the river. She fell forward, the river water rushing towards her face. She tried to brace herself. Tried turning and twisting to catch something so she did not fall into the rapids. In her attempt to save herself she wacked her head on the bank of the river. She reached out digging her nails in the soil as the water started to push her away from the shore.  A river rock connecting with the back of her head as the world went black. Her body tossed into the river and pushed quickly down stream.

Derek looked down at the young man's body. His arrow sticking through his throat He had dipped the arrow head into wolfbane before he sent it flying towards him. He died too quickly. He didn't even get to question him. He overestimated his aim. He wanted to know more about the girl. Derek grumbled to himself looking down at him. 

“Alpha what do you want us to do with the body?” The man standing behind him says. 

“Cut off the head and keep it. Leave the body.” Derek said thinking out loud.

“Keep the head?” The man asked.

“I said keep the fucking head. I don't care how you keep it but I want it. It will be of use to me at some point.” Derek growled at him angrily. 

“The head.” The man repeated once more looking down at the bow, the arrow basically had severed his throat.

“Do you like your head?” Derek snapped, as he reached over and grabbed the man by his throat.

The man nodded vigorously as he felt his throat collapsing. Derek lifted him off the ground, squeezing tighter. 

“I’m sorry Alpha.” He choked out as his hand tapped Derek’s hand trying to get him to loosen up.

“Do not ever question me.” Derek said releasing him.

The man dropped to the ground, inhaling sharply. His hand rubbing his throat as if it would help him breathe better. After several inhales and exhales he felt better. His throat is still throbbing.

“The next time you question me it will be your head that I will be keeping.” Derek growled at him.

The man nodded quickly attempting to get up. Derek kicked him and he fell over. He had no room for weakness in his pack. If someone was weak they were a risk to the rest of the pack. Weakness was not tolerated and he would cut it off like an infectious limb. Derek glanced back once more at the man. He didn't even know his name. He didn't care, he probably wouldn't make it much longer. The man bent down, taking a blade out of his side pocket and began working on detaching the head.