Chapter 45 Brothers II
forty-five
Brothers II
*SILAS*
We bumped into Nova only a couple of minutes ago.
The smart kids managed to come up with a plan for her escape.
I have never felt prouder of a member of my coven and pack before than I am of Benjamin right now.
This kid truly stepped up! Nova has shown us immediately where to head to, giving us exact details on what to expect and how to find Maddie.
“Juniper told me to tell you, it’s not her who betrayed you,” Nova hurries to explain while she runs alongside me. “She also asked to please spare Atticus as long as he doesn’t attack you directly.”
“What?” Julianus asks, dumbfounded. He has taken his place next to Nova, holding her hand possessively while running next to her. In any other situation, it would be funny to see Cassian toss an annoyed gaze at him, but right now, there are more pressing matters to tend to.
“Isn’t that your brother’s most entrusted ranked member, Lord Silas?” Eugene calls out.
“I hate to admit it, but he is. Are you sure that that’s what Juniper said?”
“Yes, he is her baby’s father, and she doesn’t want him killed,” Nova explains. “But she also said she won’t stop anyone if he makes the wrong decision and still stands in your way. She said her loyalty will always be with you.”
“Sounds like Juni,” Marcellus mutters.
“But if it wasn’t her who betrayed us, who was it?” Cassian asks.
I don’t say anything, as I don’t have it in me to answer.
Nova’s words just broke my heart a little bit.
I glance at Alex, who wears a grim expression, but there is a flash of hurt in his eyes.
There is only one person who has such vast knowledge, aside from Juniper, and that’s Durant.
My own brother. I don’t know what Aloysius told him and how he manipulated him, but Durant has made his decision, as painful as it is.
“I got the picture now,” I say. “I will run ahead.”
“I am with you,” Alex agrees.
Julianus looks torn, and I decide to take the decision from him. “You stay with your beloved and your future alpha,” I tell him. “Your loyalties are with them, and that’s okay.”
Nova peers at him, blushing slightly when Julianus nods.
I will be right behind you, Marcellus links me. Be careful.
I will.
I don’t wait for him to say anything else, I simply can’t.
Every second we waste will put Benji’s and Maddie’s lives more into danger.
Alex and I just surge forward, using our agility as vampires to cover the distance faster.
The wolves are fast, too, but not like we are.
Unfortunately, this whole area is impossible to travel through with cars or motorbikes, which threw us back at the beginning.
“Are we going to sneak in and attack silently?” Alex asks.
“We have no time for that,” I say. “Let’s hope they didn’t notice Nova missing, and we will find Maddie exactly where she is supposed to be.”
“What about Atticus?”
“I would like for Juniper to decide on his fate,” I say. “She was loyal, even while she was in grave danger and pregnant. As long as he doesn’t attack us, it should be her decision.“
“Yeah,” Alex mutters. “And Durant?”
I stay silent.
“I have nothing to say either,” Alex admits.
The moment we arrive on my brother’s territory, I realize it was a smart decision not to waste time sneaking around. There is a ruckus happening already, and Juniper is amidst it. There are several vampire warriors around her.
“Juni!” Alex calls out.
“I am okay,” she yells. “Go and help the others.”
Atticus dashes out of the front door at that exact moment, only stopping briefly when he spots me. Then, however, he turns towards Juniper and runs to her, kicking two of the vampires off her. “Hands off her,” he snarls.
“So much for our decision,” Alex says. “At least that problem solved itself.”
A loud noise pulls our attention back to the building ahead of us.
I feel like my eyes are bulging out. It’s as if I am seeing everything in slow motion.
Shards of glass are flying through the air, and then there is Benjamin, his arms around Maddie, while he throws himself out of a window of the top floor and falls to the ground, back first. Out of the broken window leans a figure I know too well.
Aloysius looks furious, to say the least.
“You go. You are stronger, and your chances to overwhelm Aloysius are higher,” Alex blurts. “I will head to Benjamin and Maddie.”
“Fuck!” I curse. “Fuck. We were too slow!”
“No, we are still in time,” Alex says, giving my back a push. “Your silly werewolf kid bought us time!”
“You are right,” I concede. “And don’t call him silly!”
I don’t hear what else Alex has to say, and make my way up to where my brother is. I don’t waste time using the staircase, instead, I climb up the wall. I haven’t done that in a while – I have become quite rusty. Time to train a little more once this is over.
“Look who is finally gracing us with his presence,” Aloysius says in his aloof manner. He can’t fool me, though, he looks angry and annoyed, and a tad anxious.
“I am not the same brother you faced five years ago,” I say calmly.
“Yes, you are a disgrace, mingling with the werewolves.”
“Disgrace,” I snort. “Funny that, coming from the man who sneaks around killing babies.”
Aloysius furrows his brows. As usual, he has trouble thinking of a comeback. That’s always been his issue. He is intelligent, but not spontaneous or flexible, which is why I was able to outsmart him all those years, and probably why Benjamin managed to snatch Maddie away.
“What do you want, Aloysius?” I ask. “What’s all this about? Have you truly lost your mind? Is this what you want? Sneaking around, killing your children?”
“We were so strong once,” he snarls. “Look what we have become now.”
“We are still strong,” I say. “Just that there are others who are strong, too.”
“The lycans should have never risen to such power. We should have killed them when we could.”
“So, that’s the reason you are going around killing your offspring?” I ask. “Help me make sense out of it, because I can’t.”
Durant glances at Aloysius, and he looks curious, too, now.
“We’ll start with our own bloodline,” Aloysius says. “And then when I have a worthy woman at my side, and a strong child, I will challenge everyone else.”
I am so glad no one else is hearing him right now. I am getting second-hand embarrassment just listening to him. Who does he think he is?
“And my siblings will be at my side.”
At this, I can’t help but laugh. “You were crazy up to now, but now you can also add delusional to the list. I am not going anywhere with you, let alone rule at your side.”
“You’d rather rule with a lowly werewolf?” he snarls.
“Yes,” I say without thinking twice. “I would rather rule with a man of integrity, who knows his own value, but also values those around him. Someone with respect, grace and dignity.” I pull my hair aside. “Or do you think I would just let any werewolf mark me?”
Aloysius looks at me, shocked. “You didn’t!”
“I did,” I say. “It was a surprisingly easy decision once I finally let my past go.”
“You chose the stupid, simple wolves!”
“No, I chose my freedom,” I argue. “And the right to live the life I want to live. I chose happiness and love. Meanwhile, what do you have?” I turn to Durant. “And you?”
“Leave him out of it,” Aloysius hisses.
“Oh, I am the one who is supposed to leave him out of this? It was you who manipulated him in the first place.”
“So what?” Aloysius snarls. “He is the youngest of us all with the least power. He should be happy I am paying him attention. He was useless before I took care of him.”
“He is his own person, with his own strengths and talents. And above all, he is our brother. He was never useless.”
Durant turns his head to look at me, his lip quivering slightly.
“You are not useless,” I tell him. “I wish you would finally understand that.”
“So, what now?” Aloysius spreads his arms. “Are you going to fight me? It didn’t end well for you the last time you did.”
“That was because you tricked me. This time it’s different,” I say coolly.
“So, what, we’ll fight until one of us dies?” He laughs. “You know that’s impossible.”
“Maybe I am ready to kill you,” I point out. “And pay the price for it.”
“And leave your werewolf?” He laughs. “Who are you fooling?”
I frown. “You believe I am not being serious, but I am. You are not invincible. Why are you so convinced no one else might kill you? I know you were involved in a lot of shady stuff that’s happened over the last couple of years, including the kidnapping of a vast number of werewolves.
Their community is just waiting to finally have a name to hunt down. ”
Anger flashes in Aloysius’ eyes.
“What, you thought Alex and I wouldn’t be able to track that to you?” I ask, laughing. “Don’t be an idiot. You sold kids to your sick followers.”
Durant looks at me before turning to Aloysius. “So, it is true?”
“Oh, he told you he didn’t do it?” I ask.
Deep inside, I am feeling relieved that Durant wasn’t aware of what’s going on.
It means he is just stupid, not evil. “For years, he supported a trafficking organization,” I say.
“You might remember how Alex talked about it. Plus, he meddled with a number of elitist alphas to take advantage of them.”
Durant stares at our brother. “Is that true?”
“Does it matter?” Aloysius snarls. “They are just lowly beings. Who cares about them?”
“They are living beings with dreams and hopes, with faults and strengths. Just like us. They deserve to live, just as we do.” I look at Aloysius insistently.
“You messed up this time. The lycans have been waiting for me to verify it’s been you who is behind it all.
You might be able to take it up against the werewolves, but against the royal lycans and their allies?
Unlike you, they were smart and combined with different species.
I don’t need to be the one to kill you. One of them will. ”
“If I go, then I will take you with me,” Aloysius sneers.
He has lost his mind, clearly. He has spiraled for many years and has now hit rock bottom. In the distance, I hear footsteps coming closer, the bond to my beloved easily telling me it’s him. The door flies open, and Marcellus rushes in. “Silas!” he calls out. “Are you alright?”
Before I can say something, Aloysius turns toward Durant. “Do it now!” He hisses.
Durant nods, his body is trembling though, as he holds a single revolver in his hand. His expression is bland, tired and void of any emotion.
“You know that you will die if you kill me,” I say while he points the gun at me. “I am your brother. The curse binds us all.”
“I do know that,” Durant says. “I do… I always knew,” he mutters. “But wasn’t strong enough.”
I blink at him, feeling confused, not sure what he is talking about.
Realization settles in, too late. Durant turns to the side and fires his gun at Aloysius, the bullet going right through his heart with deadly precision.
Aloysius looks shocked, his mouth dropping open while blood seeps out of the wound on his chest. “You fool,” he snarls towards Durant.
“No,” Durant groans, clasping his chest as well. “You are the fool.”
“Damn it,” I curse, finally finding my voice again. I dash forward, catching Durant before he can drop to the ground.