Chapter 17

Alpha Kate’s POV:

I hold Jason's hand tightly. I rub the top of it as I cry. I know he is my brother, and that is all I need to know. Jason cannot die. Maybe he knows more about me and my past. Perhaps he can help me control some of the things I cannot talk to Erick about, and he can possibly help with Belle. He may be just what we need here. I do wonder who his father is and why he has been hidden all these years. Why is he only coming out now to me? Why did he not find me sooner? The realm showed me many things, but these are answers I need from Jason alone.

The door opens to the bedroom. Erick comes into the room. He is upset. He sits down beside me for a moment.

"She is gone," Alpha Erick says, his voice is furious but trying to remain calm.

"What? Who is gone?" I ask him.

He looks at me. Erick is mad and looks like someone has ripped out his heart. "Meaghan is gone. She took both of her children and left while we were gone," Erick says.

It takes me a moment to let the news sink in, but then it hits me like a ton of bricks. "She left. I wonder why Meaghan left. We would have protected her," I say.

Erick rubs his hands across the top of his pants. He is pissed off. "Maybe she does not need to be protected. Maybe she knew all along and helped him," Erick says.

I look at Jason, struggling to live. I want to focus on him and getting him back to normal, not Meaghan or pack business, just Jason and what he needs. I do not want to underplay what is going on with Meaghan, but I do not care right now about her or Raven or Jeremy, for that matter. I already know everything I need to know about them.

"To hell with her and Raven," I say. I turn to look at Erick, and he is only getting madder.

"We trusted her and Raven. This betrayal will not end well. I will punish both of them," Erick growls.

"What about her children?" I ask him.

Erick stops growling. His facial expressions change. "They will grow to be enemies of our children. You realize that right," Erick says.

"You cannot hurt a child," I remind him.

"I know that, but we can raise them to be better people," Erick says.

He gets up and leaves the room, mad as hell. He is too good to his wolves for them to treat him this way. This betrayal will change him. I have not told him everything yet, and when I do, it will set him off.

I hear him go up the stairs to check on our children and Vivian. He will never trust anyone again. I can see it all over him. The wolves he has trusted for so long have turned on him. Not his wolves; I hope he realizes the ones that have turned are Imperial bloodlines. Those wolves are the ones we cannot trust. I curse the Imperials wolves and everything they stand for. I hope with the realm sealed, the wolves will die out and lose all of their abilities.

I wonder where this leaves Belle and me. The ones like us, the hybrids. The Imperials have wanted to be a bloodline solely of hybrids eventually. It will not happen now. The Imperial's abilities, except for the hybrids, will change with the realm gone. There will be no more ancestral magic available to them.

The bedroom door creeks. I look over to see Belle coming into the bedroom. "Why aren't you in bed?" I ask her.

She smiles and then walks over to Jason. She looks him over. "Jason is fine. Why are you so sad?" Belled asks me.

"I only want him to wake up," I say to her softly.

Belle giggles. "He will after he completes his healing," Belle says.

She touches his face softly. "All done," Belle says.

Belle giggles and then smiles at me. "Goodnight," she says, and she leaves the room.

I watch her leave and listen for her to go up the stairs. When I hear her bedroom door close, I take a deep breath. Her powers are still present and growing.

"Alpha Kate," Jason says almost in a whisper.

I turn my attention to Jason. His eyes are open. He moves around slowly in the bed. He groans as he moves.

"Jason, how are you feeling?" I ask him.

I help him sit up on the side of the bed. "I feel better than I expected," Jason says.

"Why didn't you tell me that you are my brother?" I ask him.

Jason looks down and laughs. "I did not think you would believe me. I heard there was trouble brewing for you, and I reached out to come to help you, but I also needed your help," Jason says.

"You said your parents were killed. I know we have the same mother, so who is your father and who killed him? And why do you think I can help?" I ask him.

"You know they killed our mother because of Alexander and because of my father. My father was Alpha King Jaxson," Jason answers.

"Jaxson was your father. He is the only hybrid before me that I know to have a wolf pack under him," I say to Jason.

"He was powerful, and they feared him. They murdered Rainwater to hurt him. Alexander was only an excuse to kill her. Rainwater and Alexander did some terrible things to create their children, and then there was me. The child born after Alexander, born to the Vampire King and Alpha Jaxson. I do not have the abilities you have, but I have other strengths," Jason says.

"Your father was once of the first hybrids to use both of his abilities at once. He could switch from vampire to wolf at will," I say.

"Yes, and so can Belle. She is a lot like him. She is one of the main reasons I am her. They will kill her. She is too powerful. She can reverse life and death. She can see the future and the past," Jason says.

"Jason, you have not told me who," I say to him.

"There is another pack, and they operated outside of normal packs. They consist of Imperials and regular wolves. These wolves are dangerous, and they infiltrate wolf packs to carry out tasks, like killing council members, appointing Alpha's, taking care of the children. Are you following me? Belle is in danger, and you and Alpha Erick have to protect her at all costs. She is the future of the hybrids like herself," Jason says to me.

"Why did you go to Liam for help? Why not just come to me?" I ask him.

Jason takes my hand. "Because sister, I needed to know if he was one of them, and he was," Jason says.

"We cannot trust the Imperials, can we?" I ask him.

"Unfortunately, no! Where is that little housekeeper of yours? Meaghan?" Jason asks.

"She took off," I answer him.

"She is the daughter of the Alpha of the Nomad pack. Her real name is Shiloh, and she is a bad bitch," Jason says.

"WHAT!" I scream out.

"Raven and Meaghan both are with the nomads. They were both sent her to get close to Belle and you," Jason says.

"Erick is on his way to the pack jail to deal with Jeremy and Raven now," I say.

"Meaghan will be there, and she will be ready," Jason says. Jason gets out of the bed and walks toward the door. He will help Erick if I ask him.

"I cannot let anything happen to him or Belle," I say.

"You stay with Belle. I will help Erick," Jason says. He moves quickly through the house and out the door at vampire speed.

I walk out of the bedroom and up the stairs to check in on my children. As I go up the stairs, I hear a baby cry, but it is not Claudia. It is a newborn cry. I rush to the nursery, where Claudia is asleep. I peer into the crib to find baby Katherine lying next to Claudia; she left her behind. Whatever she is going to do, she did not want her with her. So, where is Levi?

I look in on Belle and then Chan Lowell, but no sign of Levi. I go into Vivian's room, and there at the foot of her bed is Levi sleeping. She left both of her children in my care. She knew I would care for them no matter what she did, or maybe she plans to come back for them after she handles her business. No, I do not think she will ever be back.

I close the door gently and go back down the stairs. I grab my phone from my office and text Erick to let him know I have the children. At least that will give him some peace. I sit down at my desk and try not to think about what is going on at the jail. I have to stay here with the children and protect them. All of the children are my priority now. I have to ensure their safety. I will leave the battle to Erick, John, Jason, and Erick's wolves. My place is here.