21. His Last Word

Alex's POV

The annoying, yet persistent, beep of my alarm clock beside my head woke me up. It confused me because Ash didn't own an alarm. At that moment, the previous day's events poured over me. I looked down at my arm, gladly noticing that the tracking bracelet was missing. Grand, I could get out of this place.

My father burst into my room at that moment. The door slammed loudly against the wall, effectively hurting my already sore ears.

"Oh, good, you're already awake! Training is in thirty minutes, get dressed and come down."

"M'kay," I responded. He closed the door behind him, so I began to get dressed quickly before I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. Oh right, I forgot to actually eat my dinner last night. I ignored the pain and put on a pair of jeans and my navy blue hoody before fixing up my hair. I jogged down to the training field quickly, seeing as I only had a few minutes before they begun with or without me.

"Alex! Welcome back," our lead warrior, and director of combat, stated, patting my back.

I went to my usual spot near the front where I was surprised to see Winston in his position. I guess it was still technically before school hours, but I thought he had been kicked out. I wasn't allowed to think on that matter for long before the morning training began. After running about three miles, we began training to fight.

"Alright. Alpha is concerned that a new coven of vampires has moved in near us since he scented a few of them along our borders. Today we'll be touching up on our skills to fight them so that they don't have the chance to demolish us."

I felt my muscles tighten underneath my skin at his words. They were going to destroy it all over again. I have to warn Ash, but how?

"Alex, are you alright? You've been staring off into space for a few minutes. I asked you to pair off with someone and practice your skills!" the combat director snapped at me.

"Oh, sorry Christopher," I responded sheepishly before looking around to see everyone already paired.

"You're with me," Chris stated boringly.

"Okay."

We began to spar just how I was taught my whole life. I knew I was sufficiently slower than usual since I was unwilling to fight, but I didn't think my reluctance was super noticeable.

"Tell me what's wrong, kid. It's affecting your performance, so it just became my issue."

"I-I... I can't talk about it."

Chris sighed loudly, stopping our motion.

"Tell me what's wrong or I'll call your father," he threatened.

I couldn't stop the flinch that came as an instinct.

"Why are you so scared of him? He's a fair man," he continued.

"You wouldn't understand. I would be the liar because that's how well he has you all wrapped around his finger!"

Chris gave me a look of disbelief before grabbing my wrist and dragging me back to the house. I found myself standing in his office.

"What do you need, Christopher?" he asked gently, yet I saw through his outward appearance. He. Was. Furious.

"There's something wrong with him. His heart just isn't in it like it used to be, sir."

"I'll handle it."

Chris left and my father walked up to me.

"What is it?" he snarled lowly in my ears.

"I'm tired of your rules."

"I don't give a shit."

"What did they ever do to you!?" I suddenly snapped.

"On and on about those vampires. Winston told me you didn't hate them, but this is just ridiculous! You will fight with your pack, it's your duty. End of story."

"You can't make me."

"I'll kill him."

Oh God, he knows my one weak spot.

"You wouldn't dare."

"You know I killed your mother. I'm sure demolishing your cute little human mate won't be so difficult."

I was starting to get mad. Too mad.

"You won't hurt him. I won't let you."

"And what are you going to do to stop it, pup?"

"I'll warn him."

My father sighed. "You know, I didn't want to do this, but..."

I had a bad feeling about his next words. Whatever he was about to say, it definitely wasn't good.

"Guards, lock him in his room. Make sure he doesn't escape."

My eyes widened while I was forced into my room. They locked me in there despite my pleas. I collapsed on the floor in a heap out of grief.

I don't know if this will work, but it's worth a try.

'Ash!' I screamed into the abyss that was my mind.

It was about 5 minutes before I received a response.

'Ow dude, that was loud,' he responded nonchalantly.

'What the hell!? You haven't seen me for a day and all you say is that it was loud?' I reprimanded.

'Wait, Alex? How are you talking to me?'

'No time to explain. He's coming to kill you!'

'What? Who?"

'My father.'

He muttered curses on his side of the link and then whispered, 'We'll be prepared.'

He cut it off after that, undoubtedly to prepare himself. I sat down on my bed, feeling slightly better, and pulled my legs to my chest.

***

I was awoken by being pulled to my feet. My tired legs stumbled down the hallway. The people who had been guiding me shoved me roughly off of my feet into a room, and my father emerged from a side room. He shoved me into a plastic chair on the opposite side of the room, tied me to it, then grabbed a familiar body from the room.

Ash thrashed around in his grip quite a bit before being tied to a similar chair.

"Now that I have you both here, it's time for you," he began, then put a gun in the air and aimed it at Ash, "to die."

The anger flowed freely in my veins. My wolf was clawing at my insides to escape.

'Please let me save mate,' he begged loudly.

'I can't, it'll be worse.'

He howled mournfully in my mind before another voice appeared in my head.

'I love you,' he whispered silently, his voice harsh and scratchy.

'No, this isn't the end! It can't be!'

My father slid the safety off of the gun and I felt the anger wash over me again.

'I don't want to believe it either, but there's nothing we can do. No escape other than him killing me. My last words to you are I love you. Tell my parents I forgive them and to not get killed getting revenge.'

The tears came faster than I could stop them. His eyes met mine and filled with tears as well.

'Don't cry, please. You'll be fine without me.'

"You remember when I killed your mother with no emotions? Well here goes round two," my father snickered sinisterly.

I sobbed harder before I heard a gunshot.