Behind The Alpha Book 8 ADAM

(Chapter song ‘Revelation’ by Infinitescore, ‘I Don't Care’ by Apocolyptica)

ADAM

“You want to say that again…slowly…so I know exactly how much to pound the fuck out of you for wasting my time.” Oliver growls.

“I know it’s hard to accept…” I start.

“Hard to accept? That’s fucking crazy, man. You’re telling us the kid we celebrated with your dad, is from the future?” Wes crosses his arms and looks at me like I have two heads.

“I mean, stranger things.” Ember shrugs and motions to Ezra.

“Look who’s talking, bug.” Ezra scowls.

“That’s love bug to you, rogue.” Ember sneers.

Ezra gets her back up and her eyes glow red.

“Ok!” Cass puts his hands up between the ladies. “Neutral corners!” He furrows his brow at his mate. He chuckles at me. “Sorry, there’s still a little friction since the last time they met.”

I raise a brow and nod.

“Yeah, well, check your bug before I squash her.” Oliver snarls.

Cass looks at Ember. “Fine. I’ll be nice.” She turns away from Ezra.

Quinn steps forward. “Adam. What you’re suggesting is theoretically impossible. How can you be born in this time and be a time traveler. It makes no sense. The physics alone would cause a volatile rift in space time and the mathematics needed to achieve such an event hasn’t even been thought of yet. Not to mention, what you say you’re experiencing has only been suggested in spiritual practice. Reincarnation? It's never been solidly proven that the soul is even real, let alone be able to be reintroduced into another body. Especially by medical intervention.”

I hold up a hand and smirk. “Always the brilliant mind. I know you’re having trouble finding the logic, but trust me. It’s real.”

He looks at me strangely as Cass steps forward. “Trust you. You've threatened to kill us on more than one occasion and now you want us to trust you?” He connects with my eyes and folds his arms.

“I apologize. That was before my mind was woken to what I was. I thought I had to fight Lefu alone. I was wrong. Now, I come to you, humbled and asking for help.” I glance around them all.

If I didn’t need their strengths, I certainly wouldn’t be asking, but knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have if it wasn’t for the people in front of me.

“You’re gonna have to explain this before I make any kind of move.” Oliver arches a brow and stands just in front of Ezra.

I nod. “Fair enough.” I step into the middle of the circle. “The Regeneration Program. An experimental program designed to send soldiers into the past to fight evil that may be in the timeline. We were the first to succeed. The first of many.”

I walk away from them and remember the preparations. “It wasn’t so hard for me. I was already the triple hybrid. They used my blood to transform the others using old scientific experiments dating back to the 1900s.”

Wes tilts his head. “The Lycan experiments Alliance Labs had been performing.”

I spin around. “Exactly. Alliance Labs have been trying to develop what ReGen accomplished.”

“ReGen?” Deacon asks.

“Formally known as The Foundation.” I see Ezra and Oliver exchange looks. “The Foundation funded the experiments. They needed a specific group of people and we fit.”

“What did they do?” Nathaniel asks.

I almost smile because he looks so much like Angel. “They filled us with chemicals. Blasted us with radiation. Filled our minds with history. For six months, we were experimented on until it came time for the field test. Ten years. That’s it. That’s all it was supposed to be. But something went wrong.”

****

‘When we officially start the mission, you’ll go back to either imprison or kill Lefu. Only then will you come back to stay. If you only imprison him, he will rise again, which means you'll have a short time to report before you’re deployed again.'

Miranda walks around the room as we sit on our beds. She managed to rescue Bourne, though won’t tell us how and he’s not talking. Which is out of character for him. We were also joined by a soldier by the name of Andrews. Apparently, he has some sort of magic in his blood. He doesn’t know what, though.

A reluctant addition to my team was a sorcerer by the name of Able. A military medic and scientist named Blake also signed up.

The 12 of us just stared at Miranda in disbelief as she stood like a dignitary in front of us.

‘How much time?’ I ask.

’30 seconds.’ She replies.

‘That’s not enough time to report.’ Fredericks says.

Miranda turns to her. ‘A simple, he’s not dead, will suffice.’

‘What happens if we do kill him?’ Raven asks.

‘The cycle stops, but he must be dead. I should also tell you, should you catch up to this time, it’s game over, ladies and gentlemen. Lefu wins.’

‘So we have until 2630 to kill the mother fucker or were sunk.’ Fredericks scowls.

Miranda nods. ‘Eloquently put, my dear. Yes. The cycle ends. Those who are dead, remain dead, never to return. Those who are alive will remain here and alive. Your memories will be wiped and your involvement will be written off as a failed test.’

‘Well, that doesn’t sound too appealing.’ Riley grumbles.

‘It’s not. You are our third group. The stockholders aren’t pleased.’ She laces her fingers as her hips.

I roll my eyes and shake my head. ‘OK. How’s this supposed to work…’

****

I face the group.

“The details are still hidden from my thoughts, but basically, they found a road specifically built just for us. Our ancestors. We traveled our birth lines. The child that was supposed to be was replaced by us. Inside each of us was a beacon grafted to our DNA so that, should we be born, spread out around the globe, our blood would always find each other.”

I stuff my hands in my pockets, close my eyes and wince. “It was only supposed to be a quick trip there and back, to see if it would even work. They knew Lefu was present in our time, so all the guesswork was removed.”

“We trusted her. My men trusted me…In the end, it was hell on fucking earth and the worst mistake I ever made.” I say quietly.

“What happened?” Wes whispers.

I roll my eye to him. “The mission started…and it worked.”

****

I can’t see. Everything’ blurry. My ears are ringing and all I hear is the sound of my panicked heart and erratic breathing.

I look wildly around the room, reaching out for anyone. ‘Wha?...’ My words echo in my head as I try to find them.

My vision is shaky as I try to make sense of it all.

Shadows rush all over the room as explosions happen one after another. People are yelling, barking orders, but I can barely hear what they are.

‘GET RAVEN!’

‘RILEY, REPORT!’

‘WHAT’S HAPPENING?! WHERE AM I?!’

‘PRESTON! NO TIME! IS HE DEAD?!’

‘AHHHHHH!!’

‘AHHH!! GET OFF! GET OFF ME! FUCCCC…’ Then a loud explosion.

‘Fredericks! You've landed! Report!’

‘FUCK YOU, YOU SON OF A BIT…’ Another loud explosion cut her off.

‘Fred…Pres…Angel…” I pant as my vision slowly comes back and the chaos is even louder. Doctors rush to bedsides as my friends appear and disappear in different beds around the room. White smoke from the blasts fills the ceiling and the florescent lights sway as the room shakes with each entry and deployment.

I don’t remember landing. I don’t remember anything. What the hell is this?!

‘ADAM!’

I turn to the bed next to me. Angel is crying and reaching out for me as doctors hold her down. ‘Ferguson! Report!’

‘Please…’ She hitches. ‘Make it stop…’ She whispers her desperate plea as her eyes connect with mine and fill with tears.

My eyes widen as her body slams into the bed, arches sharply and she screams.

‘ANNGGEELL!’ My hand reaches for her, but her body implodes into billions of de-atomized sparks and the doctors jump back.

‘NOOOO!!’

‘Spencer! Quickly. Is it done?’

My eyes focus on a doctor as he holds my head. Frantically, I search my mind. My chest hurts from breathing so hard.

‘I-Is what…’

‘Is he dead?’

I feel my body heat rise and a strange pain grows over every inch of it. I feel my very soul start to tear.

‘N-NEGATIVE! NO!’ I grit as I arch too. My insides boil and start to rip apart. I can see my atoms clash and the violence between them gets hotter.

‘AHHHHHH!!’

‘Damn. You’ll get him next time. I hope…’

The last thing I hear is the sound of all my atoms exploding at once and shooting off into the four corners of time.

It feels like forever, then a Nano second later, I’m freshly born, staring into the faces of the people who will be providing parental protection until I’m ready to fight again.

Through every landing, over and over, we were overseen by the holographic image of a woman in white standing in the middle of the room. Her projection shakes and cuts out as our landings hit hard. Her stature stood tall as her head moved from bed to bed. Her blonde hair hung around her shoulders and her blue eyes watched us carefully as we exploded back into the timeline.

‘Genesis. Update.’

‘Vitals are normal. Though, heart rates are slightly elevated due to the re-entry. Scans indicate the minds have suffered no damage during the transference.’

‘Can we soften these landings? It’s taking too long to get anything out of them.’

‘I'm sorry, doctor. I can not.’

‘Damn it.’

****

I stare at the blinking eyes as I tell my story. “I’ve lived several lives already, but our mission is only hours old.” I rub my nape. “As I said. I’m the only one left. My time may seem long, but it’s so very short. If I don’t end this now, my next trip could very well end in my time and our world is over.”

They stood in silence and I saw the discussion in their glancing eyes.

Oliver smoothly stands up to me, crosses his arms and stares me right in the face. My stone expression hits him right back. He raises his chin. “When do we fight?”

I blink away and glance at the rest of them. “I still need Graham. This battle will take all of us. I promise, I won’t let you down.” I mumble.

“We know.” He says. “We won’t let you down either.”

I press my lips together and nod. “We'll meet soon. I need something still. I will contact all of you when I’m ready.”

I turn and walk away. I stop, turn back around and look at my friends. “Thank you…for...for coming.”

Oliver snorts. “Wow. Did that hurt?”

I look at him, my face unmoving. “Yes.”

I turn back around and hop on my bike. I need to formulate my plan and contact Graham to see if he’s ready for what he needs to do. Hopefully, he’ll be stronger than Mitchell was. I can’t afford to lose if this is to be my last trip. I wish I knew for sure.

Either way, Destiny will show me my path. I make my final stand and I’m going in armed to the teeth.

With everyone on board with my plan, the last thing I needed was information on where the demon and his army is and there’s only one group that knows that.

I headed to the Phoenix Council and prepared myself for another one of my fathers bothersome harassments, but what I heard instead, peaked my interest.

She was a stunning creature. I can’t lie about that. Her scent invaded me in a way I’ve never felt before and I felt myself doing something I never thought I would.

Her long white hair, soft, porcelain skin and large, ice blue eyes penetrated my chest and tries to breathe life into me and it only pisses me off.

Her angelic voice assaulted my ears and tried to soften me inside and I felt insulted by it.

I have spent countless times with many women, but this one is like a beast who wishes to destroy me and my mission.

I thought I wouldn’t allow myself to move from my mission, but when she asked for help, I felt compelled to answer her pleas.

I did, but on one condition. I refused to let her fight with me or be near me. I may have to endanger the people I require, but not her. She’s not suited for this type of fight and the farther away she is, the better.

“Go home. You'll only get in the way.” I glare at her.

“Let me be clear. The mountain is mine. It’s you who will fight by my side, not the other way around.” She growls.

When Astrid got defiant and angry with me, it riled me even more. I did accept defeat in her staying away from the fight for her pack, but I made one thing very clear.

“I won’t save you if you get in trouble.” I point in her face as I snarl.

“Don’t worry.” Her beautiful eyes narrow at mine. “If I do need saving, the last person I’m calling…is you.”

She pushes past me and I groan. I know I insulted her, but I have my reasons. I can feel the pull to want her. The need to touch her.

There’s no point. It’s a fleeting moment. Once I accomplish what I need to do, she’ll see what a waste it is.

After Astrid left, I needed to focus on the demon.

“Uh, guys? They’re on the move.” Jake says.

A group of vampires were seen on the mountains to the north east of country. They’ve been gathering in numbers and I suspect it’s due to the Empress Gia. The one who rose the demon in this point in time.

This is the unfortunate part of my mission. I’m never born to stop his rising in the first place. I always have to fight him.

“Where?”

“Axelridge.”

“I’m calling Finn.” Hunter pulls out his phone.

“They’re joining Lefu.” Graham says.

“Looks like it.”

I lean on the table. “Lefu is mine. You deal with the armies.”

“Adam. You can’t fight Lefu alone.” Hunter says to me.

I glare at my father and get in his space. “Don’t you dare presume what I can and can’t do, shifter.” I sneer at him and look him over. “Lefu has been my enemy for longer than any of you have lived, combined. The only reason I need you is for the army. As for Lefu…” I get real close. “Stay out of my way.”

He swallows as he stares into my hate-filled eyes.

I growl and storm out of the room.

I leave the city and try to clear my thoughts. Thoughts of my father, Lefu, my memories and Astrid. Everything is trying to confuse me. Trying to block me from my purpose.

The vast desert was clear enough to allow me to my thoughts. The engine of my bike beneath me calmed my nerves. That was until I looked into my mirror.

As I stood on the side of the road with Astrid blinking at me, all I could think is such beauty shouldn’t want to follow me to death.

She should be living a life of happiness, not striving for torment.

She doesn’t need me. I can’t want her. My end…my fate…doesn’t include her. I was hoping I didn’t have to, but she’s forcing my hand.

“GO HOME, ASTRID!”