Chapter 41

Chapter 41
CHRIS'S POV
            Running. Running. I must get home. 'Go back,' Rock pleaded.
            'No.'
            Rock whined and kept pushing forward. Running. Then I scented her. Sam. She was near. I stopped in my tracks. But we were far from home. I looked around, trying to figure out where the scent was coming from, sniffing the air. She was nearby, though. I could tell. I targeted the direction and started running again.
            Breaking into a clearing, a squeal and a growl greeted me as the sight of Sam and Zeke came into view. I shifted, falling onto the ground in a sweaty heap. "Sam, you're here."
            She rushed over to me, grabbing my shoulders. "Chris! What are you doing here? Where's Vivian?"
            I looked up into her beautiful green eyes. "She's with Blackmoon. I escaped. I had to get back to you. I tried to take her with me, but she refused to come with me."
            Zeke stepped forward. "You idiot. We were coming to save you both."
            Sam snapped at him. "Shut up, Zeke. This is your fault in the first place. Don't act like you're all altruistic now."
            I looked between them. "What are you talking about?"
            Sam cupped my jaw. "Don't worry about it, sweet boy. You're here now. We're going back, though. We have to save Vivian. Blackmoon is going to kill her. We can't let that happen, now can we?"
            I felt like I should care, but I wasn't sure that I did. I was with Sam now, and that was all that mattered, but I nodded anyway. "Of course not. Save Vivian. That's what we need to do. Whatever you say, Sam."
            "Good boy," she said, patting my head and standing. "Now we're not far from their territory. I don't need the two of you with me from here. So you two can stay behind, and I'll take it from here."
            I scrambled to my feet. "What are you talking about?"
            "I know Killian. You two will get in the way, and I know how to escape alone. I can bargain for her freedom and then escape myself."
            I stared into her eyes, wanting to trust her. "I don't think this is a good idea."
            She patted my arm. "It's okay, Chris. I know what I'm doing. I'll swoop in, save the day, and return before you know it. You two just stay here and wait for me. When Vivian gets out, you make sure she's safe."
            To think Vivian had such horrible things to say about Sam, and here she was risking her life to save her. Sam should leave Vivian to rot. But what Sam wanted, I'd go along with even if it felt wrong.
            "Okay, Sam. If you think this is the best plan."
            Zeke nodded along. "You're the smart one, Sam."
            Sam grinned at both of us. "I love you both so much. Now. Let's make some dinner, and after dinner, I'll leave."



SAMANTHA'S POV
            Stupid Zeke. Stupid Chris. Stupid Vivian. Why couldn't anything go as I planned? I just wanted to get a little bit of justice for my poor dead mother, and everyone just wanted to fuck it up.
            I looked up at the sky, saying a silent prayer to her, hoping she was looking down at me with pride for all the effort I was putting in to get revenge on my father.
            My father's affair had torn my mother apart. The pack shunning the trollop Vivian called her mother hadn't done anything to stop the whispers, though, and my mother had retreated into herself. I was only a pup, and as I had grown and learned more about what had caused my mother's depression, the more I hated my father.
            Eventually, the depression became too much, and my mother took her own life. And I hated my father more than anything in this entire world. And he knew it. He'd stopped trying to bond with me when he realized how much I sided with my mother. I refused ever to hear him out.
            I couldn't take out my justice on him, though. He was too important to the pack, and Killian would never allow it. Even before he was Alpha, he had always had power in the pack. His father let him rule even before the title.
            When I found the box of photos of Vivian as a pup and letters to his ex-girlfriend, Vivian's mom, I knew who would suffer my wrath. Vivian. Vivian's mom was too old and had nothing going for her now. And what better way to get back to her now anyway than to make her daughter suffer?
            I trudged along, sensing the barrier of Blackmoon territory nearby. I escaped here once; I could escape again. Once, I got stupid bitch out of here. I'd trade myself back to Killian and then escape. Killian wanted to marry me for my power and be a happy couple.
            He wouldn't want Vivian. She didn't even know her power. He wouldn't want that nobody over me. I sighed. I worked so hard to get out of here, and Zeke had just fucked it all up. I was so close to succeeding.
            I stepped into the barrier, feeling the muggy barrier encase my skin. I kept walking, waiting for the patrol to run and Marcus to detain me.
            I heard the pack before seeing them and stopped walking, crossing my arms as the pack surrounded me. The wolf I knew was Marcus shifted before me and stormed forward. "Sarah."
            "Marcus."
            "You have a lot of fucking nerve disappearing and then showing your face back here again."
            I grinned. "I always did have a flair for the dramatic."
            Marcus growled and grabbed my arm. "Killian is going to have a field day with you."
            I winced. "You're hurting me. Chill out."
            "Does it look like I care?"
            "As your future Luna, you really should."
            Marcus scoffed. "My future Luna? You're mistaken. My future Luna is back at the compound."
            I laughed. "Oh, Vivian? Don't be silly. I came back. Killian will take me back, and he can send her away."
            Marcus stopped, grinning down at me. "You think so?"
            Looking into his eyes, I felt a small knot start to form in my stomach. "Well, yeah. Why wouldn't he?"
            He shoved me forward. "Come on."
            "Where are you taking me?"
            "The jailhouse."
            "What?"
            "Where else did you think you'd go?"
            I stuttered, "I don't know. Maybe one of the rooms in the packhouse."
            He laughed again. "Oh no, you're a prisoner, Sarah. You're not a guest. Or a member of this pack. You're an exile. A rogue. Someone to be dealt with by our Alpha for trespass."
            I gulped. "Okay, okay. Just let me see Killian. He'll straighten this all out, and we'll make a deal, and then you'll be very sorry about how you're treating me."
            He grinned again. "We'll see."



KILLIAN’S POV
            "Who is here?" I asked in disbelief.
            "Sarah," Marcus whispered, not wanting anyone in the mess hall to overhear him.
            I stood, almost knocking over my chair. Everyone stared at me, but I ignored them as I approached the cells. Marcus followed behind me. "She's not in high spirits. She's kind of nasty."
            "Good. I want her angry."
            "That's what I figured. She's under the impression she's going to be the future Luna still..."
            I stopped. "She's what?"
            "She came here to make a swap for Vivian. She wants to be the future Luna."
            "Why would she do that?"
            He shrugged. "I don't know. She didn't say."
            "Sarah doesn't do anything without a reason. And even if she had a reason, I'm not interested. I want Vivian."
            Marcus grinned. "That's what I thought, too."
            I narrowed my eyes. "How would you know?"
            "I see the way you look at her. You never looked at Sarah the same way."
            I scoffed. "I don't look at her any sort of way."
            "Mmhm. Agree to disagree. But still. No one would respect Sarah as their Luna after she abandoned us."
            "Exactly. The deal would never stand. But let's play with her some..."
            Marcus grinned. "I love games."