Chapter 169

Chapter 41 (Chelsea POV) It was a solemn, silent ride to Gabe’s old home; I couldn’t work my mind around this situation, I didn’t understand how eleven people knew absolutely nothing, I was disappointed, beyond anything. I played over everything Leo said, while he was groaning in the back seat, still in pain, surprisingly I was able to tune that all out. My mother had given birth in that room, and from his point of view nothing had changed from the time Anya gave birth to when he would beat me senselessly. All the locks were identical, the walls the same bland gray concrete color. I thought that when I finally confronted Leo that I would get all the answers but I now had more questions, the most important, how did my mother and I get out of that locked room? How come I had never shifted after than first time? I didn’t understand and Leo was useless because he had no answers. Probably sensing I needed time to process everything Gabriel just held my hand, squeezing to show his total support. When those concerns turned into a vacuum of thoughts I switched to my engagement ring… Why did Rian want it? What could have been so important that even he knew about it when he knew nothing else at all? The inscription on my ring, did you put that there? I asked Gabriel over the mate-link. Yes, why? Do you know why this ring is so important to Rian? Did my uncle say anything about it? I questioned maybe my uncle knew why… No… Wolf, he asked me about you, knows you’re a white wolf, that I love you and I want to marry you. He then just said that he hadn’t given it to his mate because Rian killed her so he’s kept it in safe keepings… nothing else, sorry, he apologized. I shook my head, before realizing he was driving and probably hadn’t seen it, No, don’t be… I just, I don’t understand anything. When Leo would visit… you were young I know but do you remember him saying how he was changed? He said he was attacked by rogues and left for dead, thought he was dying and when he woke up he was naked… I turned in my seat, “how did you get my mother?” I concentrated on his scattered thoughts, the silver stringing him along in pain; I saw images of him following her from a park, to cheap looking motel. It gets worse, he drilled a hole in the closet, he’s pulling something, a metal cylinder and then he’s carrying my mother out to a car. “Did he answer?” Gabe asked out loud. “Yeah, he followed her from a park… she was staying at a motel… he used something to place her unconscious while she slept and then carried her to his car, then locked her up,” I answer and kept my eyes on Leo who I could tell didn’t have much time left but that was fine. I turned around facing front again, wondering still how we got out of the room, or why my mother wouldn’t have tried to leave. Once again I rewind what I read from Leo’s head, Anya’s pupils were dilated, and there was one difference in the room. When I was there, Leo didn’t have shackles for me, but in his memory he had one around her neck, one for her left leg and another for her left wrist. Silver weakens shifters… why didn’t she try to get away? Why after the birth? How did we get out of that room? Did she put me in that dumpster? Why hadn’t she gone back to Gabe’s old pack for help? My mind raced, over and over again until I rested my head against the window, swallowing the lump in my throat and letting the tears I was holding fall down my cheeks. . . As we made it to their gate, Gabriel cleared his throat; releasing his hands I wiped my face, rubbing my hands on my pants, the guards let us in and we went up the drive and saw Luna, Rian, Scarlet, Ames, Samuel, Jay, four men I had never seen before and Gabriel’s father, awaiting our arrival. We were still pulling up, “Two of those men with my father are Elders,” Gabriel said and I was on instant alert. Are you really going to give Leo to Rian? Gabriel inferred. Of course…  I thought deciding that I would read into the Elders mind, only to have Aria and Avena stop me, you can’t, they will feel you searching their thoughts, it will be painful Aria thought. Tell Leo to count in his head to 400 and give him an order to walk… Avena instructed right after, use the mind link, he is only to think about counting… nothing else. Not asking questions, I did what she asked, eventually realizing that if the Elders tried to get to Leo’s mind he may or may not be capable of mind linking them… but they could see what he thought. Unsure I put up my walls, and started to count. Aria snorted, they won’t be able to read you or Gabriel or anyone you guys have in the pack, but she didn’t quite say why. Getting out of the car I followed Gabriel, Jack getting out as well and letting Leo out behind us. I had no clue how he was walking with so much pain but I didn’t care. When Rian saw him behind us she smiled, only it dropped when she took in his pale face, sniffing the air I knew she smelt his blood, but when I moved to the side she was able to see that he was restrained. “Let him go! That’s my brother!” She demanded dropping Jays’ hand making way to get closer. My right hand around Gabriel’s waist reached, I didn’t think just acted. Taking his gun, I let out two shots both to the head. I tuned out the sounds, my back to everyone we saw driving up, I watched the surprise eyes at the sound on Leo’s face, the blank as he fell to the ground. I wouldn’t be a coward like him when he tied me face down for punishments and training. There was a ringing in my ear for a while, but as everyone ran up, all I saw were moving lips and wide eyes. Shaking my head to clear the clutter, I returned to the here and now. My hand with the gun fell to my side, my hold tightening, and I felt Gabriel run his hand down that arm, reaching to my hands, he removed his gun from my grip. His touch was what really brought me back, cleared the haze in my mind. I sagged against him, as I took in the scene, Rian at her brothers side crying and Jay there in tears as well, but not letting them fall unlike his wife. He was crying for this- this monster! I watched them all, Rian, Ames, Madeline… all near Leo, weeping for him. The red tint was slowly taking over my vision again, Gabriel forced my face to his, “Are you okay sweetheart?” his voice honey smooth and full of concern. I lifted my left hand shakily to cup his cheek; I nodded slowly, not wanting to look at Jay mourning over Leo, I concentrated on Gabriel’s stormy eyes. Two things happened. Rian stood from her brothers corpse angrily, “She shot him! And- and you’re asking if she’s okay? He was restrained! Elder Caelum, Elder Tallon do something!” she shrieked, her eyes wet. Then, talking over Rian, Luna Mina let out a screech of her own, “You’re Engaged!” Her eyes dancing with happiness as her eyes focused on my left hand, clearly Mina understood why I shot Leo, that or she just didn’t care and with my body so close to Gabriel I felt him stiffen. How dare she- she pretend to be happy when she kept me from my mate! He raged to his self. “Mina,” Alpha George snapped, his eyes darting between Leo and the two Elders. I dropped my hand pulling my sweater to cover my ring, but moved closer to Gabriel not caring about anyone at that second, but Gabriel tensed when both Elders walked closer to us, before stopping. “Hello, we haven’t met. I’m Elder Caelum and this is Elder Tallon,” he said holding his hand out to me, while sizing me up. I didn’t return the handshake but held his stare. When he let his hand drop his eyes changed colors, instead of the normal black, they seemed to just glow a bluish purple. He wanted me to look away, but I held my ground, kept eye contact, “My name is Chelsea Hobbs,” I said watching as the view on his forehead bulged. His stance changed, he became tense, taller, back ramrod straight. I could hear a growl forming deep in his chest. Piercing stares witnessing this battle for dominance but I refused to look away, Aria and Avena were furious in my head, slowly a low dominant growl was forcing its way out of my mouth, my chest vibrating, but before it could escape Elder Caelum looked away, his head tilted to the side, submitting. One dismissive nod and I turned to face Rian. “Your brother was my abuser for two years; he is nothing but a coward, and a waste of space. I killed him here so all of you and anyone else you tell will know. He hurt me and look at the conclusion Rian… He. Is. Nothing. Now,” I said calmly as Gabriel rubbed small circles with his thumb in the palm of my hand. She shook her head, her face turning to the Elders and then me, “There is no proof-” I growled angrily, ripping my hand from Gabriel’s, turning I lifted my shirt showing them the scars on my back. Yanking it down, I growled. “That. Is. Your. Proof.” I spat ignoring the growls from Jay, he didn’t get to cry for Leo and be angry for what Leo did after. “He tied me down, beat me! Called it training! I was nine years old damnit! That piece of shit hurt me and I feel that his life is the perfect retribution,” I roared in anger, ready to shift and attack her as well. Meeting her eyes, “Just remember Rian… when it comes to those that hurt me, or anyone I care about, I will be judge, jury and executioner Rian, remember that,” I warned calmly, despite being anything but at the moment. “Chelsea… you-” Jay tried to speak. “Am I what Jay? The world is a better place without Leo in it,” I cut him off, finally turning to Mina, “Yeah, we’re engaged.” I thought that the discussion of Leo was over, but I was sadly mistaken when Ames interrupted Luna Mina.