Chapter 6

I didn't know how long we kept running untill we arrived at a darker, denser area. The air was thick, compared to the smooth and calming fresh air back at Blue Thunder.

I looked at my parents and they urged me to stay still in my wolf form to be more comfortable. I moved to my parents and they cuddled me with their bigger, warm woven body.

They mind-linked me, assuring me that I would be okay, but that wasn't what I cared about in the moment. I asked them the question I truly wanted to hear since Haiden came to me and told me the ugly story.

"Mom, dad, did you really kill the past Alpha and posioned Haiden's wine?"

After a moment of hesitation, they both said in sync. "Yes, we did."

My eyes widened at their words and I immediately pulled away from their woven body and angrily turned to face them. But I couldn't bring myself to be angry at them. Their minds were saying one thing, but their eyes were saying another.

I shook my head at them, "No I don't believe you! That must be a lie! You two would never try to kill someone in such an obvious way! It's clear that you've been framed! You would never try to harm my mate and his family because you know that, would harm me."

My mother gave me a sympathetic gaze, "My baby…"

"No!" I yelled, "Tell me the truth right now! Who is behind this plot? Why would they try to harm you? To harm us! You've been nothing but good to Blue Thunder, you did everything for the pack to florish and this is the thanks you get? It's not fair!"

"Anna," my father said sternly through the mind link, "Don't ask any more questions, just do as we say and be good. You're going to live no matter what, and when you do, you can find out the truth and judge then if we were wrong or right."

My father's words made me think further that something was wrong and that they had no choice but to shut up if they were to survive. I looked at my parents and the sight of them made me want to cry. It was evident that they were protecting something special to them which was why they wouldn't say anything. I turned my back to them and settled onto the ground. Something at the back of my head was telling me that they were doing this for me, but I didn't want to believe that, so I wallowed in my self-pity and hurt. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I already missed Haiden and my heart was already broken with him not being by my side. I wondered if he felt the same way.

Haiden's Pov

"Alpha, we've chased them out of the borders." The pack's messenger came to my office to report, as though I was an idiotic fool with no common sense of sensitivity.

"I know," I responded calmly, even though I was moved to snap at him for reporting such a ridiculous message.

"Get me a bottled water— No," I sighed, realizing that I could not easily trust anyone now. After all, even the closest people to me had attempted to kill me.

"Get my beta," I told the messager who bowed his head before leaving the room.

I rubbed my face slowly. Luke was the only one I had now. I sighed and rubbed my temples hard. I was still having a hard time believing that Anna and her family did that even though there was evidence to prove their sin. But I knew it was my bias that wouldn't let me think that way because I was after all, Anna's mate. Even if I didn't want to, I cared for her. I've always cared for her since I found out she was my mate even though I didn't show it. And her being away from me was like torture from hell. I wanted her near, I wanted her close to me at all costs.

Knock knock!

I must've been too deep in thought I didn't hear Luke coming.

"Enter, Luke." I said.

The door opened and Luke entered with a downcasted expression on his face, "You asked for me, Alpha?"

I stood on my feet and moved away from the desk to the coolness of the open windows. "Yes, Luke. I feel like I've developed some sort of trust issues. I can't even trust a messager to get me a bottled water without thinking it's of the possibility of it being poisoned."

"Is that why you're down, my Alpha?"

I smirked, that was part of the reason. "I live for my people, but if I don't trust them, what is the use?"

"From what I can see, Alpha. You do not have trust issues. You still believe in your mate despite what her and her parents did. You're just hurt, and that's normal, seeing that Anna has a closer bond to you than normal."

"Hmm," I nodded, "She's my mate, her loyalty should be towards me."

I heard Luke smile, "I know you still love her, Alpha. So you should give the order to bring her back."

"That would be offensive to my late father," I said without hesitation. I was the Alpha of Blue Thunder. I had an obligation to more than just my mate. I had to carry the will of an ancestors, I couldn't take back a traitor. No matter who it was.

"Yes, you're right, my Alpha. But you can decide to spare Anna after punishing the main traitors who happen to be her parents."

"Continue," I said.

"Anna is still very young and can rarely survive the wild. Her parents are old, if there's an accident and a rogue take their lives… She'll die."

Just the thought had my chest rumbling.

"So… my Alpha, the best idea is to send someone to get the traitor heads and bring back Anna. If you hang the traitor heads in public, no one in the pack will dare to question your judgement, and Anna… will be alive and in your arms, my Alpha."

I squeezed my fingers lightly, "But… Anna will hate me for killing her parents."

I didn't want the light to be missing from Anna's eyes so soon.

"My Alpha, you're sparing her life and giving her a chance to redeem her sins and that of her parents. There's no way she would hate you."

"You're right," I said after thoughtful contemplating. "Fine, we'll do as you say, Luke. I'll administer you to the task." I swallowed nervously and released a breath before turning around and saying, "Bring back the former Gammas heads and bring back my mate in one piece, she must be safe and sound. Not a single scratch on her body because I'll be holding you responsible, Luke."

Luke bowed and said, "Yes, Alpha." 

"Go tonight," I said. I was too chicken to delay my plans any longer. Anna not being by my side made me flighty and anxious. I worried for her life, and health. Did she eat anything? Was the weather outside affecting her? Were rogues near her location? I hadn't marked Anna yet and that made me very regretful. I should have done that when she first acknowledged me, and peharps I should have mated with her, that way, she would fend off lustful rogue wolves that would prey on the innocent. Now that I was thinking my decision through, I realized that I should've held on to Anna in the first place and never let her go. She was a member of the pack, and Incapable of protecting herself. She was not meant for the wild at all.

"But Alpha, shouldn't we wait till tomorrow for them to bond before—"

"—I don't care Luke," I snapped, "Obey my orders and bring Anna back to me tonight. I don't care what it takes for you to find her! I also don't care if she's going to hate me for this."

Upon seeing my anger, Luke bowed his head and slowly retreated out of the room.

Anna's Pov

My eyes flickered open as I heard a sound from the woods. 

"Mom," that was the first thing that came to mind as I sensed danger. I stood on all fours and turned to my parents who were walking towards me, in sense of figuring out the danger.

My mother stood over me and I cowered in her embrace. 

Soon, a familiar figure stepped out of the woods. It was Luke, and he didn't seem to have a nice expression on his face.

"Former Gammas of Blue Thunder, I greet you."

My mother's protective form weakened and when I looked up at her, she was staring at me with a sad gaze.

My father stepped forward and shifted into his human form, before saying, "Why have you come?"

Luke sighed and brought out a sharp knife from his pocket. "I have come to take your lives, both of you." He pointed to both my father and mother simultaneously causing me to hiss at him. Luke gave me a look and scoffed, "The Alpha wants you alive so be grateful."

My mother sighed and moved away from me before shifting into her human form. "What did the Alpha say?" She demanded in a strong voice.

"He'll let Anna live, as long as you two die. No betrayers will be allowed to live, but Anna is still young so he'll let her off."

"Will she still be his Luna?" My father asked Luke who simply rolled his eyes. "That's not for us to wonder, Stefan. My job is to bring you two heads back to Blue Thunder." 

"Mother, father," I said through the mind link, "Let's run away. I have a bad vibe about Luke, he's not very good. Please let us go away!"

"My daughter, if you go back back with Luke. You'll be with your mate and you'll even have the potential to be his Luna, isn't that great?"

"No, it wouldn't be great! I don't believe Luke."

"Then, don't you believe Haiden?" My mother asked.

I stopped for a moment, recalling how much love I'd show Haiden because he was my mate. I was utterly emotionally attached to him, it didn't help that I had a crush on him before even knowing that he was my mate. Despite all of these… love. We couldn't go back to the way we were because he'd never trust me again and I would be wary of him if indeed, he was the one that sent Luke here to kill my parents. I especially didn't like how my parents seem to be caving into Luke's ideas. What about their warrior spirits? Why weren't they fighting back? Why weren't they defending themselves?

"Mom, dad," I said through the mind link. "Please let's go away from here. I'm willing to let go of any attachments to Haiden as my mate."

"Luke, my mate and I will obey the Alpha's order. Please take our lives, but in return, spare our daughter please."

"Don't worry," Luke said, "After all, it's not me that wants to keep her alive, it's the Alpha."

"Then we have nothing more to say," My father bowed his head in defeat while my mother clutched his hand.

My eyes widened as it ingrained in my mind that they were really going to surrender to Luke and forfeit their lives. I wasn't going to allow that. Not in the singlest bit.

I growled and raced in Luke's direction with my canines in display and he didn't go in the defensive. The moment I reached to bite his shoulder, he struck the back of my head, forcing me to shift into my human form.

I fell onto the dusty floor and the next thing I felt was a white  scarf on my back. I looked to the side to where my parents were standing with their hands tightly clasped. They gave me reassuring gazes as Luke walked towards them. This made me realize that they had choose this path before we were chased out of the pack. They were actually forfeiting their lives, for me. For me to have a chance with my own mate. A tear trickled down my face as I watched Luke behead them. And I couldn't do anything to stop it as I was bound to the ground. My body wouldn't move with my permission.

"Mother… Father…" I watched in distraught as their heads rolled to the ground.

"I love…" was the last thing I heard from my mother before the mind-link cut off, leaving me empty.

I screamed, and hot tears rolled down my cheeks as I saw the look of sadness and surprise in their face that was now isolated from their bodies.

The smell of blood… The agony I was feeling. It was all too much for me. I felt darkness closing in on me and I didn't fight it.