Saving Kinsley

Kinsley's P.O.V

Ian was still in that conference room, this time he looked a bit disheveled. The smile I had been wearing, dropped from my face when I remembered why we were here in the first place. How was I supposed to deliver the news of Cassius? I couldn't believe it myself.

How could the brother that sat and consoled me on the riverbank, be a traitor? The same brother that didn't give up on me to reach Vesta. The brother who never gave up hope of finding me. I clenched Kole's hand tighter in my grip as the tears began to burn my eyes. Thankful now more than ever, that I had him at my side at this moment.

"Alpha Ian, may we come in?" Kole gave me a reassuring squeeze as he addressed Ian.

"Of course, come in." Ian's eyes locked onto our hands, giving me a small smile.

Sitting down at the rounded table, "What brings you two here, at this hour?" Ian's eyes glanced between Kole and me.

Taking in a shaky breath, "It's about Cassius." Ian's face went ashen, his shoulders slumping as he dropped into a chair facing us.

"You know." Kole coldly stated. My skin prickled at his tone.

Ian nodded as he dropped his head into his hands, "I've had my suspicions. But you've just confirmed them."

Kole slammed his hand down on the table, "Why wasn't this brought up in the meeting? Did you not think this was important?"

I jumped at his sudden outburst, "Kole." I snapped out his name.

"No. Had we known about Cassius, we could've avoided you being targeted again. You almost died, Kinsley. Whatever they had used on you, had traces of silver in it." My mouth dropped. "That's why Madi needed to heal you." Kole finished sharply.

"I didn't know. I didn't know he was this involved with them, I swear." Ian's eyes glazed over with unshed tears. My heart pained for him, this was his son. But I was also his daughter.

"You should've said something Ian, I almost died." I whispered my agreement with Kole. The words tasted like ash on my tongue. I couldn't imagine having to choose between the safety of one child over another.

I pushed my chair back, disappointment and sadness filling me. Reaching the door, Ian spoke up just as we were about to leave. "Don't trust the elders. Cassius isn't the only one." Flashes of sweeping cursive filled my mind, Elder Lee. Could he be involved somehow too? He had to be, why else would he lure me out to the darkening woods. But what was the end game? It seemed as if we made one step forward, it was another ten backward.

Rubbing at the growing ache in my temples, "Are you okay?" Kole asked from beside me as we walked down the hall. "Yeah, I just need time to process and maybe sleep." At least in my dreams, I wouldn't have to think about all of this.

Kole swept me into his arms, "You can sleep in my room tonight little one. I want you close after what just happened." My head fell into his chest, being this close, I could hear the thumping of his heart. The beat of his heart was like a lullaby meant only for me, putting my already tired mind to rest.

I felt Kole's lips press against my forehead as he pulled a blanket over me, "Get some rest little one. I need to go for a run, I'll be back before you wake." My chest filled with warmness as I mumbled a reply, burring my face into his scent-covered pillow.

I woke up panting, my eyes sweeping over my body and the room frantically. Patting myself, "Fucking nightmares." I shivered as the remnants of my dream of spiders crawling over my skin lingered. I wasn't just scared of spiders, I was terrified. After spending countless nights in a darkened cell, that would do it for anyone. My time in the Sallow Pack would always haunt me. Throwing the blanket off, I quietly left the room to quench my thirst. My body felt a hundred degrees hotter right now.

Entering the cafeteria, I padded my way into the kitchen area in search of cups. After rummaging through three cupboards, I finally found the glasses. Filling the glass, I chugged as much as I could in one breath. After a couple refills, I made my way out of the kitchen. Kole should be back any minute.

Stepping into the cafeteria again, 'Danger.' Ember growled. I managed to duck in time as an arm swung at me, thanks to Ember's warning. Growling I swept my leg outwards, "You'll have to try harder than that." I heard a grunt in the darkness followed by a thud. Standing up as my eyes adjusted, "Cassius." I growled out.

Ember stalked about, pushing for control. In her mind, the best way to deal with him was to kill him. "Did you really think that was going to work? You think my guard wouldn't be up after you already tried to kill me the first time?" I snarled as I stepped closer, struggling to keep Ember contained. My skin was starting to ripple, I had a sliver of control left over my beast and my anger was quickly breaking it down.

"Yes, actually." A feminine voice came from behind me, one I recognized as Kassandra. I felt the pinch at my neck as a cool liquid dispersed into my body. My body instantly swayed as my vision blurred. "You- T- Traitor." I managed to slur out before my world filled with a cold blackness.

A shiver wracked my body as I peeled my eyes open. A deep chuckle drew my attention, "I see you've survived our little concoctions."

A growl ripped from my chest, "You son of a bitch." I yanked at my restraints, noticing now I was strapped by my hands and feet to a chair.

"I will say, you're much stronger than I anticipated. I've had to change my formula three times now." He twirled a syringe between his aged fingers, a sinister smile stretching across his face.

Dion Warren. Dakota's father, the very Alpha who single-handedly destroyed my life at the young age of Four. I wanted to cower in fear or run for my life. I knew if he ever caught up to me, I was as good as dead.

'Don't show any fear. It's what he craves to see.' Ember's exhausted voice whispered. It was only now, that I could feel the lingering effects of what Kassandra injected me with. The troubling part was I could barely feel Vesta now, and Ember felt like she was slipping out of my reach too.

"Don't worry though. I'm convinced this one will do the trick, but first, let's have some fun, shall we?" I yanked harder at my restraints as he stalked closer. The fear was beginning to choke me. Memories of being in the Sallow pack were coming to the forefront, fear starting to take over my senses as I tried to calm my breathing.

"When I get out of here, I'm killing you first." I spat. I hissed out a breath as he gripped onto a handful of my hair, yanking my head backward.

"I look forward to that challenge." He chuckled out, right before a cloth was draped over my face and pulled tightly. My lungs burned violently as I struggled to breathe through the water being dumped over my face. Coughing, "S-stop."

"I don't think so. We'll keep this up until you both grow tired. I need you weakened for this to work."

I continued to cough, my lungs burning to the point I was afraid to inhale my next breath. I'm unsure how long he kept using the tactic, but I was struggling to hold onto consciousness now. Maybe I was dying. He'd alternate between damn near drowning me and pushing a blade drenched in wolfsbane into my flesh repeatedly. I was struggling to heal my wounds as the wolfsbane ran through my bloodstream, let alone breathe through the pain.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, the cloth was being pulled off my head again. "Why are you doing this?" My throat was raw as I spoke, barely recognizing my own voice from my screams.

"You'll find out soon." I felt a pinch then, at my neck. My veins flooded with the contents of the syringe. I screamed as my body felt like it was being lit on fire, tears blurring my vision. Glancing down as pain coursed through my body, I watched as my veins began to darken. It was at this moment, I was thankful Kole and I hadn't finished the mate bond. If we had, he'd feel every second of this as if he were experiencing it all himself.

"Just enough to make sure that your wolf is down for the count."

'I can't- fight- Sorry.' Ember's faint voice whispered. An agonizing pain ripped its way through my heart, forcing me to scream out again. I could feel ember leaving me, she was dying.

"No!" I yanked on my bonds to both sides, desperately clinging to whatever energy was left. "You can't take her from me, you sick son of a bitch!" I screamed as I thrashed around. I felt the burst of energy as I won the tug of war. My skin began to itch and burn. The restraints seemed to fall off my body as I shifted into my auburn wolf.

Dion shifted without missing a beat, his large black wolf, bigger than mine. Snarling its disdain at me. Standing my ground, regardless of my weakened state. I'd fight till I was lying in a pool of my own blood.

I could feel the flames of my final form burst outwards as I let out a challenging growl.

The two of us clashed, singed fur instantly filling my nose. Our battle forced us through the wall of my captivity and into the moon-filled night. We continued to claw and bite, striking with the intent to kill. My fur was already weighed down with blood, the metallic taste staining my mouth. My energy was quickly depleting, I needed to finish this now.

"Enough!" A deep voice cracked through our fight.

"Shift!" I watched as Dion immediately obeyed. I continued to stand on all fours, resisting the pressure in my mind. Whoever the voice belonged to, he was powerful enough to force his dominance on me.

It hit me then, that I haven't belonged to a pack since Haven. I left myself vulnerable to any dominant shifter.

My eyes shifted from Dion, to a man with a scar stretching across his face. His hand was gripping Cassius by the throat. "Shift or I kill him." I now recognized him from the photos, I was face to face with Conrad.

Shifting, I collapsed from exhaustion. "Cuff her." My hands were swiftly restrained with what I assumed to be silver-lined cuffs. The contact already burning my flesh as a hiss of pain left me.

"Did you know that Cassius here, is responsible for all of this? You wouldn't be here if it weren't for him searching for his long-lost sister, accepting anyone's help. But now that you are here, I have no use for him, now do I?" Conrad spoke as his grip tightened around my brother's neck.

My eyes caught Cassius's tear-streaked face, "Forgive me, sister." He mouthed as Conrad's hand shifted into claws, slashing open Cassius's throat. My chest heaved as my mind struggled to process, and my vision began to tunnel. Consumed by sorrow and pain.

My head fell back as a deafening, shrill howl burst from my core. Finally, I was being swept into the darkness of my mind. But this darkness wasn't one I recognized. It wasn't the deep recesses of my mind anymore. It was something else entirely.