Chapter 36
"Between those who have experienced the same pain, there can be no hate."- Gaara (From the anime Naruto)
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THE BEGINNING OF THE END PART TWO
Tyler
Pain ripples through my entire body knocking the wind right out of me. The urge to howl is so strong, I let it out as it echoes across the battlefield making heads turn my way.
“Tyler? What-” Jenny begins to question, but I don't stick around to hear the entire question or to answer it.
Taking off on wobbly legs, I dig my paws into the ground to go faster. The closer I get to the center, the more dread creeps up my spine, making my fur raise at attention. The scent of blood is so thick in the air I can almost taste its bitter flavor on my tongue.
What I see next, freezes me in my place. “No! Baby?!” I shout the moment I shift, not caring about my complete nudity.
“Tyler! She's gone, I-I failed!” A frantic Alexis keeps repeating over and over again.
Crouching down beside Destiny's cold body, I kiss her on the lips as if this is some sleeping beauty fairytale. “Come on beautiful, you can't leave me. We're not even married yet, or started working on kids properly.” I croak out.
“Destiny! How dare you die on me! Wakeup!” Luca screams at the cold body hysterically.
“Haha. Step away from my prize you mutts,” the one called Complex spits out.
“Mom, are you okay?” Kara walks up to the woman hugging her.
“You traitor!” Jenny shouts, launching herself at Kara. But Complex flings her to the side with the use of her powers.
“It was you all this time, huh. I thought Destiny's dislike for you was out of jealousy, but now I see… I'm. Going. To. Rip. You. To. Shreds.” I grit out angrily.
Kara pales. “I'm the one who should be wearing your mark and bearing your children. Instead, you fall for this thing,” she says venomously.
Growling, I leap into the air shifting to make the kill. But a force throws me into the distance, knocking me painfully hard into a tree. Complex walks towards Destiny's body, Demon takes a defensive stance in front of it. But what happens next shocks us all to the core.
He transforms into a glowing man making both Viktor and Complex’s eyes go wide as saucers.
“No,” Complex whispers. “You're dead!” She says in a shaky voice
“Am I, I told you all those centuries ago. I would see the day when my future great-grandchild would bring you down,” the man's deep voice says.
“Ha! She's dead,” Complex retorts with a smirk.
“Is she?” The man replied, chanting ancient words no one's familiar with—outstretching his arms over Destiny.
“I, Reese Hawthorne, call upon The Reese’s bloodline to reach beyond and touch one of our own!”
With those words, the place becomes dark, lightning strikes and thunder booms across the sky. The wind rotates, things around us levitating them as the sky bursts open—waterfalls of rainfall cascade to the ground. It's as if time's at a standstill, no one moved at all.
Ghostly women started to appear chanting the same words Reese was saying before and Destiny's silver streak hair became its natural raven black. Her body lifts off from the ground, rising higher, making the chanting become louder.
The body begins to glow, smoke coming out of her. But it's not smoke, it's a ….. cloak of a wolf. The wolf becomes more than just a cloak and howls. The power of the howl brings us to submission. It stares at Destiny, howled again, then merging itself with the body. Destiny’s hair becomes pitch silver—instead of the short length hair she's sporting—it flows like a curtain down into her back. The armor and the necklace glow brighter, while the chanting grows deafening.
The blood dries off the armor as if it wasn't damaged and then the most amazing thing happens. Deep silver eyes look down on us, it's as if a goddess herself is gracing us with her presence.
“We. Are. One.” Her voice growls.
The women disappear, so does Reese, but we're all still glued in our place; even Viktor.
Complex’s the only one that can move. Surrounding herself with a water/air/earth forcefield, she takes off for the sky. Destiny cuts her palm, outstretching it at Complex.
Cutting hers too.“I see, a trial by blood combat.” She says confidently, but on closer inspection—her voice trembled a little.
“Challenge accepted,” they both said at the same time, shaking hands.
Destiny's the first to land a back kick, it echoes across the sky like thunder; sending Complex blasting into the ground. She gets back up and aims back at the sky, hurling multiple medium sized stones at Destiny—in which she sidesteps while ducking and twisting. Creating a water vortex, she hurled it at Destiny—it only fazed through her body like it was nothing.
“Mom!” Kara screamed, but a force drives her back.
“Fool, it's a blood oath combat. No one can interfere, she's on her own.” Viktor tells her scoffing.
“Right, in the meantime, we can move!” Jenny yelled, landing a solid punch to Viktor’s face—which he grabbed her by the arm—tossing her across the field like nothing.
“Fucker!” I barked, shifting, heading for the bastard.
He's quick for an old man, but I'm mated to someone who taught me—speed doesn't count at all, your timing does. He's too arrogant to believe I can actually take him. Sidestepping my act, he shifts, shaking out his grey fur. Aiming for the kill, he quickly snaps at my neck. Counterattacking, I take a swipe at his gut, drawing a good amount of blood. Angry, he leaps at me—sinking his canines into my flesh.
“Get off my son!” My dad comes to my defense, dragging Viktor off me giving me enough time to shift into human form—grab a nearby dagger, pinning him down with it.
Howling, he tries to escape but to no avail since it's one of Destiny's daggers.
“I guess my in-laws hate your guts so much, they refuse to let you go.” I sneered, kicking him in the face.
“You think you've won something here boy, take a look at your savior.” He chuckled, spitting out his blood.
The field trembled like an earthquake with the way Destiny landed, falling out of the sky—Complex smirking. Leaping back into the sky, she misses Complex face by a mere inch with her fist. Rotating herself both ladies clash at each other with air vortexes, Destiny getting the better of her opponent.
All this time we're all just stare memorizing at the scene before us. That's until Destiny disappeared, only to appear behind Complex—she up knees her in the back—she staggered, falling to the ground.
“Mother!” Kara cried out, and I grabbed her by the arm; snapping it.
“The hell you think you're going Kara, I always knew you were a snake,” I retorted with a growl, squeezing her neck making her claw at my arm.
“Pp-lease Tyler, I-I love you,” she wheezed out.
“I can forgive a lot of things, but putting defenseless women and children from your own pack is unforgivable,” I replied, snapping her neck just as I glimpse Destiny walking to a crawling Complex.
“Stories were told about you people and I thought you'd be a much better force, but you're just greedy human beings who take pleasure in other people's pain.” Her deep and barbaric voice says.
Grabbing her by the neck, holding her to face the bloody field. “Rogues, I know some of you are only fighting because your families are held hostage. You're only here out of loyalty to protect the people you love!” Destiny says.
“We've all lost someone because of the Crystals. I lost my mother when I needed her in my life the most. The Crystals have hurt us enough! Stand with me and I promise you, I will grant you the freedom you desperately deserve! I swear it upon my ancestors,” Destiny adds, trying to compromise with the rogues.
“Why should we trust you? You're a witch too and what about our family?” One of the rogues shifted to ask.
“I'm neither a witch or a wolf, I'm a person fighting for my right to exist in this world. As for your families, I have them all.” She answered.
“Impossible, they can't escape.” Complex boasted.
Backhanding her in the face, “shut your mouth. You can never understand the true strength of someone's will to save the one they love.” She growled.
One by one, a few rogues shift into human form baring their necks showing submission. Nodding, Destiny flies into the sky—throwing Complex body hard to the ground. Like a bullet, she slams the heel of her boot right in her throat, crushing it—the sickening sound makes bile rise into my mouth.
“I’ve destroyed many packs, taken down plenty of alphas, killed and slaughtered witches over the centuries and here I am, at the mercy of an abomination,” Viktor says in disgust with himself.
Getting her sword, Destiny steps up to the man and that's when we see why he can't move. A woman with tribal tattoo and multicolored hair restrained him.
“No, not at the mercy of an abomination. But at the mercy of a coven that has waited centuries to get the justice that deserves you murdering piece of shit,” Destiny retorts, plunging her glowing sword twisting it into Viktor’s heart.
“Lkhylncf,” he spits incoherent words gagging on his own blood. Withdrawing the sword, she does a right/left combo with it, slicing his head off clean.
The ground shakes like an earthquake, lightning striking Victor's body turning it to ashes. Ghostly glowing women, men, and children appear smiling with Destiny. Mumbling some words, the sky literally opens up—they all walk ahead towards the light. “Safe travel,” she whispers.
Two women are the very last to head into the light, I recognize Maureen but I'm not sure about the other woman. “You did very good baby girl, I always knew you would make an awesome alpha, but a better warrior,” Maureen says smiling warmly.
“Your armor still has our people's power, cherish it and when the time comes; you pass it down. The struggles were all worth it,” the other woman adds and they both disappear.
The sky turns back to its normal evening orangish colors. She turns around, facing me for the first time with a smile—one I return.
“Alpha, the perimeters are secured. We repeat we're all okay, the enemy is down.” News rings throughout the link.
“Alpha what do we do with them?” A warrior asks, pointing to the detained rogues who're snapping wildly.
“Kill them all,” she growls, falling on the ground. Thinking something's wrong, I'm held back as she screams in pain. The most amazing thing starts to happen before our eyes.
We watch as her bones break, transforming themselves together, while hair sprouts out of her body. Before you know it, she stands up on all fours. Her wolf is very beautiful. Snow white fur and deep glowing silver eyes staring back at us. She howls a sound of victory and we join in on it, together it's like we're singing the song of wolves.
Nuzzling her neck, she returned the favor and we resumed the howling.
*****
“We're all gathered here today to say our final goodbyes as we lay our family and friends to rest. They fought with honor, nobility and with profound bravery. We'll forever be in their debts, but they'll keep living in our hearts,” I say as pack members in wolf form howl.
The graveyard slowly becomes empty leaving only us and the gang. Dante pulls up and we enter the SUVs. I'm not sure where we're going until I noticed the charred land that once hosted the Hunter's entire pack.
“I didn't kill everyone from the Hunter's pack,” Destiny announces. “You guys can come out now,” she calls out while facing the surrounding forest—a number of elders, women, men, and children emerge.
“This land and the entire forest land actually belongs to my ancestors,” she says, turning to us. “As I promised, you can join my pack, coven or you can start your lives wherever you wish on this land. It's entirely up to you.” She says softly and the people murmur amongst themselves.
“Some of us will remain here, others want to join your pack and some want to leave Rosewood entirely.” An elder man says a bit timidly.
“Very well, that can be arranged,” Destiny agreed. “For those of you who wish to leave, you'll have my protection and a place to always come back to.” She promises as the crowd bubbles with excitement.
“Thank you!” They shout together.
“You're all welcome. Michelangelo will set you up with everything.” She informs them and they beam even more.
“You're amazing, I knew you would've never killed anyone that is innocent,” Alexis says proudly hugging Destiny.
“Thanks for being the best guardian, you never once judged me.” Destiny squeezes Alexis tightly. “Let's get going if y'all don't mind, I'm a bit drained.” She adds, leaning into me.
“Sure thing beautiful, let's go home,” I replied, and everyone nods in agreement knowing how down and sad she's been these three days.
***
Pulling her long, silver, hair into a high ponytail with a sigh she takes a last look at herself in the mirror—seeing me in the reflection. “Tyler!” Destiny exclaims. “How long have you been standing there and why are you wearing full white?” She frowns, looking at me up and down.
“Sara was our friend too. Plus, we're all here to show our support.” I kiss her cheek.
“We?” She says puzzled.
“We,” Dante announces his presence, hugging his daughter. “You'll be okay, we're here and you're not alone.” He soothes her while rubbing her back and she inhales his scent.
“Come on, we need to go,” Jenny says, gently patting Destiny's shoulder.
~~~~~
“Αφήνουμε τον κόσμο αυτό με φωτιά, αλλά όπως και το Φοίνικας, ξαναγεννιόμαστε από τις στάχτες [We leave this world by fire, but like the Phoenix, we are Reborn from the ashes], Destiny mutters making Sara’s body catch fire. The smoke twirls around forming something, turning out to be Sara.
The sky opens up like it did on the battlefield and Sara frowns. “I'm not a Hawthorne nor a Reese, this is the gateway for them only.” She protests.
Smiling. “You're right, you're neither. What you are is my grandmother and I grant you permission,” Destiny replies softly and Sara smiles brightly.
“Everything I went through, leaving the Crystals to find your grandmother was worth it all. Goodbye my stubborn saving grace,” she says chuckling then disappears.
Demon appears, walking up to us, transforming into Reese. “Destiny, you don't need me anymore. My mother trapped my spirit into this dog form, I would only be free once all of us were free, thank you. Never lose yourself again or forget who you really are.” He advised kissing her forehead before disappearing.
“You okay?” German asks her and she smiles.
“For years I felt lonely and empty, with the burden of my family on my shoulders. And today? My family is free, I reclaimed back our land and my dog turned out to be the very first Hawthorne. I lost so much, but gained a lot more.” She smiles at us all.
“I still can't believe it.” Grace, the doctor that took care of Destiny, mumbled.
“Aunt Amiyah, thank you for coming,” Destiny says, shaking the woman's hand.
“I made a blood oath to your mother, kid. As long as anyone bears your last name, the Scarlet Coven will always assist you.” She replied with a hug. “Take care of yourself alright,” she warned.
"I'm proud of you halfpint, never forget that Barbican is your home too. You'll always have a place there," Arturo declares, hugging her.
We watch as they both huddle inside the van that's already occupying a few of Amiyah's people, smiling, she waves at us—driving off.
“What now?” Jenny asks.
“Now, I will rebuild my family's legacy. Destiny replies with a satisfying smile.
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