39. I am the weapon.

**Kieran**

What they did for me, I'll never forget it. 

It doesn't matter that we're supposed to be enemies or that the Elite fed me such information. 

Werewolves aren't half as bad as we've been told. In fact, I dare to say they are more human than the vampires among whom I've spent far too many miserable centuries. 

The same vampires who sent me on a mission to die. The same men and women who promised me their unending trust and support. 

The same damned vampires who claimed to be my family. They forgot all that for nothing, a stupid game of power, wealth and name. 

No, fuck it, I'll be damned if I'll ever think of those sly creatures as anything but a bunch of traitors. 

All I can do is hope Octavius isn't part of the grand scheme against me because he'd be the only one I'd feel hurt to lose. 

He stood by my side through thick and thin, he has always had my back the same as I had his, and we managed to grow as a family- as brothers. It'd fucking suck to have my own brother plunge the knife in my back. 

My eyes take in the surroundings. The wolves took me to another building, a room full of weapons and explosives, which to my surprise, were more advanced than I initially assumed. 

The Elite told us werewolves didn't use high tech or weapons in general. In fights, they'd use only their wolf form, claws, teeth, and sometimes, wooden bats if they couldn't shift yet. Everything I've seen so far proves how many lies I've been fed for centuries. 

And the worst thing is that I believed in those lies, along with many other morons who fought for nothing.

Some of their warriors keep glaring at me, and I understand the distrust. Not sure how things work over here, but in Invictus, we're told that these men are our enemies, and I thought they were until I saw them with my own eyes. 

A guy in the furthest corner of the room catches my attention- he's playing with a spear, but he's far too slow for the weapon he's choosing. 

I clear my throat: "Hey, are you thinking about taking the spear?" I ask, even though I know he's adamant about picking it. 

The room falls silent, and once again, all eyes are on me. 

The guy blushes but nods his head.

Careful not to startle anyone, I stand up and tilt my head. "One thing you need to understand is that Invictus is full of Elites, ancient vampires, to put it more simply. They're fast, efficient and deadly. That spear is one of the heaviest weapons in this room, and although everyone here can see how skilled you are, you're still a bit too slow to use it against those vampires. You're risking your life, and something tells me your Alpha wouldn't be happy about losing a brilliant warrior. Choose something smaller and sharp but easy to navigate and throw when necessary. The less weight you carry, the bigger the advantage you have against them." 

My speech earns some nods and whispers, but one stands out from the others. "I told you he's more like us than them," it's the Alpha's voice, but I chose to disregard his words. 

I'm done with everyone trying to claim who I am and to whom I belong. I'm a free fucking man, regardless of my origins or the life I led up to this day. 

"Thanks, man," the warrior pulls back from the spears and focuses on the vast collection of knives. Good, that's more like it. 

I barely get to sit down again when one of the warriors walks up to me and studies me for a minute. Then, he coughs to get my attention, "No weapon for you, beast boy?"

I look up at the smug smile on his lips and chuckle. "I am the weapon." 

That shuts him up and wipes the smug look off his face. He snorts like a princess and stomps away while his friends laugh. 

A hand lands on my shoulder, but I ignore it and act as if nothing has changed. I know it's the man himself, the Alpha of the dog pack. 

"You're leading us since you're the one who knows that city from top to bottom. I'm still sceptical about your intentions, but it's better if you stick to the plan and be our weapon, not theirs. There are many innocent people in that city, and some of them could be our mates." I'm not a big fan of emotions or of showing them, but I admire the passion in his voice. 

This Alpha and his pack have been one of Elite's biggest obstacles for some time, but until now, I couldn't understand what was their drive to keep fighting. Now I know- they're seeking out mates, and some may be trapped in Invictus. 

"They sent me away to die. Of course, I'm still on their side," I look down at my hands. Honestly, part of me still can't understand why they did it; what was their reason for getting rid of me? I guess I wasn't half as valuable as the Elite always claimed. I drop the thought and look at the Alpha, "On a serious note, my woman is there. For as long as you're able to keep a promise, and I can get her out of the city, you should know where my loyalties lie."

"We're not going to hurt her; we're targeting the vampires," the Alpha announces, and all his men immediately agree. 

It's quite surreal to watch a group of men agree on something so quickly. They're like a well-oiled machine, which the Elite could never be. 

I really admire how the vampire's claim we should unite and work together, yet every time they hold a meeting, they can sit in a room for days and still argue. Everyone wants the power, the upper hand, but the wolves follow their leader. 

No, I don't think that followers are weak. I'm sure wolves hold many meetings as well, but there are more issues that they have already discussed; therefore, it's easier for them to move forward without unnecessary arguments. 

They put their utmost trust in one man whose only goal is to take care of his people- I can admire that. 

My gaze sweeps over the crowd. "She's a Daywalker, so she's a half-vampire. And my brother, if he has nothing to do with the stunt Elite pulled on me, I want my brother out of there. Contrary to popular belief around here, some vampires aren't straight up dicks." I address everyone, not just the Alpha. 

It'd be childish to hope these men would ever listen to what I have to say, but out of respect for what they're doing, I prefer to speak to all of them at once rather than focus on the upper man. Strangely, they seem to appreciate the gesture. 

"So your brother and the woman are untouchable, and we can get rid of the rest?" The Alpha repeats my words. 

"Yes," I add a nod, just to make a statement. 

The Alpha turns to his men and raises a hand to get everyone's attention. "Heard that, boys? Brother and woman - we get them out, and the killing may begin. This big guy right here is on our side, so let's welcome the new addition to our pack," his voice echoes off the walls as the whole group of warriors erupts in cheers.

I never expected to see so many grinning faces cheering and clapping, let alone all of them being wolves. 

"New addition to the pack?" I raise an eyebrow at the Alpha, whose name I still can't recall. 

The Alpha chuckles as if my confused state amuses him. "Part vampire or not, you're a partial werewolf and once were a full-blooded beast. We take care of our people here, and we never forget those our people care for. You became one of us when you decided to stand up against those ancient fucks. Welcome aboard, brother," he emphasises the word 'brother', and the rest of the wolves roar it out like a pack of crazed animals. Despite their strange antics, for some reason, I feel at home.

After everyone has exchanged pleasantries and each warrior has had some time to welcome me to their pack, we pack up and leave.

Since I have no problem walking around in broad daylight, we set off around four in the morning so that we arrive at the Invictus minutes before sunrise. 

The plan is simple: we get Ocean and Octavius, make sure they're hidden, and my brother doesn't come into direct contact with the sunlight, and then we strike. 

First things first- the dome. It was my idea to blow the thing up. Every vampire walking the streets of Invictus will die once there's no dome. 

Sure, many will flee, but we'll have enough time to search the buildings and get the cowards out of hiding.

Worst case scenario, we leave, and some of them follow us, but we'll be prepared in case the vampire's attack. 

Besides, the Alpha agreed with me that it's better to set up camp than to return to his land. If we reach his pack's territory and the vampires follow us, it will put his people in great danger, and that's the last thing he needs. 

When we're close enough, the men stop to rest. I check the perimeter and make sure we're about a five-minute walk from the human patrol lines- the less they notice, the better. 

Each of us sets up our own tent while some warriors prepare wood for a fire in case we need to stay the night. 

As soon as I'm done, I notice the Alpha setting up another tent that looks nothing like the ones he's provided for the warriors, so I walk right up to him, "What's this for? This isn't a regular camping tent, is it?" 

"This baby," he taps the fabric and grins. "It's something the brains of my pack came up with. I had a feeling we might need it in the future, so I gave some instructions. This is where your brother will sleep. The tent is made of a special fabric that reflects UV rays and doesn't let them through, so your brother will be safe here during the day," he explains with pride. 

Honestly, I'd be proud too. Having someone you care for invent something that helps in such a unique way is overwhelming. 

However, I don't understand why the tent he kindly provided for my brother can't be placed under a tree. "Next to you?" I raise an eyebrow. 

"Someone has to keep an eye on him." The Alpha shrugs. 

I watch him for a moment, trying to figure out if there's something he's not saying. But since he doesn't give anything away, I just cut to the chase, "If you don't trust him, you don't trust me. I wouldn't blame anyone, but I can promise you that Octavius is on my side. I know; I said I'd get rid of him if he had nothing to do with the suicide mission, but I know my brother. No matter how much we pretend to hate each other or fight, he's on my side." 

I probably sound like an idiot trying to explain the relationship between my brother and me, but all siblings fight, and I hope this Alpha understands as much.

"It's not only that, okay?" He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. There's something off about this guy, and I'm not sure if he's ready to tell me. "Of course, it will take everyone some time to learn to trust you guys, but I'm setting this up as a favour for you. Well, and maybe for my escape as well. Call me selfish." 

"What kind of favour? And why would I call you selfish?" I cross my arms in front of my chest as if to defend someone I care about. 

Or maybe that's exactly what I intend to do. Perhaps this man has managed to gain my respect and trust by, well, being himself. Maybe, just maybe, I feel obliged to stop him from badmouthing himself. 

"You're bringing your woman home. If I know anything about our savage nature, it's that we don't shy away from enjoying what we have," the Alpha winks at me. 

I chuckle at his input and shake my head. He's not wrong, though. It's really hard to stay away from Ocean, and now that she's finally mine, being away from her is true torment. 

"Yeah, that makes sense. But why do you say you're selfish?" I decide to forget all sense of privacy and question him until I get my answers. 

His eyes dart everywhere but at me. The Alpha is hiding something, and I can't tell if it's anything that could harm anyone but our enemies. 

After a moment of silence, he gives up and quickly points his finger at someone, whispering, "There, see that man?"

My eyes follow his movement until they focus on the man I recall standing next to the Alpha in the cells. "Yes," I whisper.

Normally I wouldn't bother to be quiet, but it's obvious he's doing his best to keep the information secret, which I can do for him.

The Alpha's shoulders slump as his gaze focuses on the ground. Shit, this must be serious. "That's Adrian, my Beta. Well, my mate too, but not anymore. Usually, we'd take tents next to each other, but he decided to break the bond and focus on everything unrelated to me. I'm selfish because I want to keep my distance from someone who's supposed to be mine but won't accept the wishes of the Moon Goddess." Somewhere mid-sentence, his voice breaks. 

The poor guy is in pain. No matter how hard he tries to look cheerful and happy, everyone probably sees he's hurting inside. This shit fucking sucks- I've heard a few things about werewolves, and the whole species practically lives for their mates. Disrespecting the pairing and the wishes of their deity is something I deem selfish, not hurting for the choices made by someone you can't have. So yeah, the Alpha isn't selfish; if anyone is- it's his Beta.

"But why?" As the question crosses my lips, I'm not sure what I'm asking. Maybe I'm just trying to make sense of the situation, or perhaps I'm too curious for my own good. Whichever it is- it goes. 

"He has feelings for someone else and claims they're stronger than the mate pull he destroyed." The Alpha shrugs like it's no big deal, but I can hear the pain and anger penetrate his words, no matter how hard he tries to hide them. 

"So what now?"

"Not sure. The lonely life of misery?" He chuckles. Trying to make a joke about this situation can't be the best way to cope with the pain. 

I scratch my chin and consider if the next question should be graced with an answer, but I don't give it too much thought and just spit it out: "Isn't there a chance you two will get together in time?"

"No, once the pull is broken, it's over. No pain, no sorrow, just emptiness. But hey, Adrian seems happy next to his warrior; that's all that matters." God, this man. He's the type to sacrifice everything he loves for his people. Even when it hurts him, the Alpha puts the happiness of others before his own. 

"But you don't look happy." I frown.

"That's because I'm not. But that's life, my friend; it's all life." He shrugs off my concern and focuses back on his feet again. 

It's sad to see someone hurt like this. I've been in his place before, and now that I have Ocean, I wouldn't wish that awful feeling upon my worst enemies. 

"I hope you'll find someone who respects and appreciates you soon. We barely met, I got my ass handed to me by your men, but I believe you deserve happiness." I try to smile but probably fail. It doesn't matter, though; my words might be enough to lighten his mood. 

"First of all, it's rather the other way round. You did good on those men; I needed someone as fierce as you by my side." He laughs, bringing his hand to my shoulder as if we're long time friends. "But as a side topic - I'm not worried about the whole mate thing. Yes, it stings to be rejected, but life doesn't stop there. Perhaps the Moon Goddess had bigger plans for me, and there's a second chance for me."

As much as I wish I could say the right things at the right time, like my brother, I can't think of anything. Maybe silence is better than any words, at least for now. 

After an awkward pause, the Alpha chuckles, "Let's not dwell on depressive topics, grab our gear and head to the city of leeches; it's about time we made friends with some of those old fucks."

"Hell yeah!" I grin at the encouragement. No matter how the attack plays out, I already know where I'm going once we break into the damn city. I'm getting her back.