She'll still save us

She'll still save us

Raven's POV

The old bruised man, that I now barely recognize in all that blood, coughs.
He twists with a groan, his bloody eyes searching for me. And I stiffen, watching his face pull into another sick grin but he fails to hold it for more than a second before hissing in pain.

“You’ll regret this, Raven.” He seethes. “You think you’re strong? One day you’ll lose everything. Because werewolves always turn on themselves. And when betrayal comes, it will come from those you love the most.”

I breathe in, my hands shaking. Saviour nods at Victor, silently telling him to take over but before we take a step away, the bastard speaks again.

“Even your so-called alpha King was betrayed by that snake he calls a mother so tell me, what makes you think you'll be different?!” He roars.

Saviour turns back around. “What do you mean?” He asks, storming back into the cell, not letting go of my hand.

I see it in the way the bastard sits up, the way his shoulders drop with relief. This is the reaction he was hoping for.

“Don't say it!” One of the hunters in another cell yells, trying to stop the old fool from speaking.
But I know this man more than anyone else. And if there's anything I'm certain of, it's that he's going to speak… but he'll only do so at a price.

“If I’m going down, everyone is going down!” He yells back, getting multiple curses from the other hunters.

“You better start speaking or I'll have your goddamn tongue cut off.” Saviour barks, his hold on my hand firm.

The old man’s grin widens. “Your mother,” he chuckles, making me desire to burn off his smirk forever.
“She staged it all. She came to us, promised us enough food. We were fucking starving! Every time we tried to reach out to you…” He glares at me. “To tell you we were starving… the same people who fed you most years of your life, you sent guards after us, you…”

“You wanted me dead! You all did!” I thunder, catching a silent sniffle from the cell beside us. “I would never have needed your help if you had left me with my parents. If you hadn't killed my mother!”

He watches me silently and then breathes out. “How did you find out?” He mutters.

“That's none of your business.”

“It is…”

“My mother promised you food in exchange for what?!” Saviour cuts him off.

“What else? Your son obviously. Listen, she gave us orders, gave us the plan, promised a reward if we took the boy. And when everything went to shit, that snake… she ran away.”

“Shut up! Stop talking! She’ll still save us!” Another hunter shouts from his cell. “She swore.”

“She left us to rot!” He shouts, his eyes wide with madness.

“You were the ones who took Solan?!” I fume, only staying still due to Saviour's firm grip.

“No!” The second hunter shouts. “We didn't take the boy. The other pack did. We were never able to catch that beast. He fought like no werewolf I've ever seen.” he curses.

“Maybe if you both just shut up and stay patient, we will get saved from here like Lenora promised.” A female hunter down the hall snaps.

The sick bastard, whom I can't believe I once called father, laughs, shaking his head. “She won’t! We’re finished! Doomed! Unless…” His voice drops as he smirks at Saviour. “Unless I make a deal.”

Saviour curses under his breath and I see it in his eyes… the rage he's trying to tame.
When he steps forward, his dominance floods the cell. “What deal?” he growls, surprising all of us.
“Saviour?” I whisper but stand back when he shakes his head.

The old man smiles, his teeth bloody. “If you kill us all, you'll never get to the bottom of this. You don't even know where your mother lives and believe me, you'll never know. No other hunter knows but me.”

“Get to the fucking deal.” Saviour snarls.

“Give me a contract. We’ll both sign it and I'll tell you where she lives. I'll tell you… for my freedom.” He finishes.

“And your men?” Saviour queries.

He scoffs, whispering, “I couldn't care less. They got me into this mess after all. If I didn't have to provide for the clan, I'd have had enough to feed just myself. I'd never have agreed to your mother's deal to capture the boy a second time.”

Saviour’s jaw tightens.

“What are you still thinking about? All you have to do is free me. Me alone. And I’ll give you what you need. I mean, you weren't actually going to kill me since I'm her father.”

“You are not my father, you selfish dog!” I snap, causing him to flinch before composing himself.

“Take off his chains.” Saviour commands loudly and the old man's eyes enlarge, filled with joy.

“B..but the contract?” He stutters as two guards hurriedly take off his hand and leg chains.

“You can't set him free,” I seethe at Saviour, ripping my hand out of his.

“We don't need all that paper work. I'll let you out of here. Just speak.” Saviour insists.
“And how can I trust you?” Pa stutters, looking around in suspicion.
“It's left to you. If you don't give me her address, I'll find her either way and when I do, you'll already be dead, alongside your men.” Saviour sounds so controlled I know he's not kidding.

Pa smiles, shaking from the effort it takes for him to reach into his zipper, from where he pulls out a paper. He hands it over to Saviour.

“What is this?” Saviour asks, already opening the stinking note.

“Her address. That's where your mother hides. I already fulfilled my end of the deal, now get me out of here.”

Saviour’s fists clench. His breathing heavy. For a long moment, he doesn’t move.

Then his voice explodes, shaking the hallway. “Guards! Throw him into the dungeon with the rest!”

The guards rush in, grabbing him.
“You promised! You said you'd get me out of here!” He struggles, screaming like a madman.

“I am letting you out of here. I never promised you freedom. Lock him underground.” Saviour commands.

“Raven! Raven this is your chance to fight for us … your family…” Pa’s voice echoes down the hall as they drag him away.

“Bring me my mother. Now.” Saviour commands Gafar, handing over the note to him.

The guards rush to obey while I'm left, looking at my bloodstained hands.