Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Chapter Forty- One

Michael POV

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel that you are not in control?

I had.

Lying on the ground with my hands tied behind my back and unable to do anything or comprehend what was happening around me because of the intense pain in my head, I could say that things were not in my control. In fact, I was feeling pretty helpless.

I had always prided myself for my control over me and the situations that I fell in, therefore the feeling of lack of control over the situation made me feel like a weakling. My ego had taken quite a bruising when I found out that I had, very stupidly so, walked straight into a trap. Not only that but I also managed to get struck by a silver rod and black out.

It all happened because I could not come here in time. Partially, it was the situation's fault, in which I was stuck. But half of it was my fault. I had stopped to tear a few hunters down to let my anger and frustration out while I gathered my wits. In the final end, when I had snapped out of my anger that I raced towards here.

Only to find myself alone.

Something in my gut, most probably the twin bond, had told me that James had already arrived here. Not finding me here, he had decided to leave and save them all on his own. Probably thinking that he should behave like an alpha and take charge of the situation into his own hands instead of waiting for me to give him commands.

For the first time in my life, did I felt that should not have let my anger take control of me. That instead of wasting my time, on taking my anger out on those bastards, I had come here straight.

Nothing could I have done to change that now. Hence, I had forced myself to put everything, my thoughts and my guilt, aside and walk inside.

I remembered when I had walked inside, I was careful of any sound around me. Every rustle of leaves, any crack of stick or change in the air movement. I had walked forward, never letting my guard down. It was when I had heard James voice that I let myself get distracted. He was calling my name, in almost a whisper, trying to gain my attention to warn me from proceeding further. Into the danger. But it was too late.

Somehow, it was all my fault.

Right after when I had heard James' voice, I had been hit by something strong and sharp. I was almost too stunned to even scream from the blinding pain I had felt. It was like someone had split my head open.

In simple words the pain I had felt at that moment could only be described as cruel and merciless. Even though, that pain could not be described in words. I could not recall the last time when I had felt this… excruciating pain. Within seconds, I had blacked out even before seeing the face of the person who did this to me.

Now, I knew.

It was him.

The so-called master of hers. His face had been a shock for me. Burnt from the side. His face was just not burnt but completely deformed. Probably the rat faced Elijah looked better than him. His face was just too ugly to look at. Certainly, he was tortured.

However, when he told us that it was my grandfather's doing, I was taken aback. My first reaction had been to defend my grandfather. I could not believe it, less than accept it. My grandfather could not do it. However, I was not sure. I had never met him and by the way my father, and we were raised, I had to, grudgingly, give it the benefit of the doubt. He passed out, way before me and James were born. So it was obvious for us, not to know about him.

Not that any of those things mattered now as that guy said it himself.

Especially, after James and I were bound like this. My head was still pounding from the hit and I just barely was able to stop myself from making embarrassing pained voices.

In the end, he ordered Linda to finish her task. His words made me tense.

“It's time to execute the last step of this game and end it.” He announced.

“Linda.” He said. Out of nowhere, four of his guys appeared. Two of them grabbed my arms while the other two caught James's.

Linda walked towards James and stopped when she was one foot away from him. Looking down at him with a blank face. She touched his cheek and James closed his eyes.

For some unusual reason, he was not looking afraid or frightened. Even though he knew that he was going to be executed by the very person he had trusted and fought me over with. He looked exceptionally at ease. Like he had accepted his fate.

Linda murmured something and I barely managed to comprehend what she was saying.

“Goodbye James.” She told James. She said it in a low voice. Two simple words, only made to be heard by James. Certainly, it was only for James' benefit.

James' closed eyes and ease made my heart thud faster. Especially when Linda's hand slid on their position.

If she snapped his head then he will not survive it. He will die for sure. It will be the real final end for him.

My panic started to rose, my head felt like it was going to blast, and not from the pain this time. That's when I realized that I did not want to see my brother die. No, I could not even bear with the thought of not having him beside me and ready to fight me every chance he got. Not having the twin bond. I just Can't stand the fact of having him get killed, even though all this time I wanted to do the same. With my own damn hands. Every time I had said that I Wished him dead or to kill him with my own hands, I never meant it. Those were just empty words. I never thought that could turn out to be true. Never imagined those thoughts to actually come true.

Linda's hands were almost about to twist his head. I opened my mouth and was just about to tell her to stop when I heard a voice in the distance.

A leaf cracked.

Everybody's head snapped in the direction from where the sound came and all havoc loose.

In mere seconds, the darkness in the passageway was filled with bright lights as the cover of leaves and roots were ripped apart. The whole passageway was stripped off its darkness and filled with the natural light. The first person who entered was the last person I thought that I would see.

Alpha Elijah.

Behind him was the members of the Alpha Council. Alphas along with their sons, from different packs. Elijah's eyes darted to me and James, seeing the conditions that we were in. All at once, every Alpha let out a growls and everyone snapped into actions.

All Alphas changed into their wolf forms and attacked.

To my surprise, almost, more than two hundred hunters appeared out of the darkness, in which they were hiding. I didn't even have time to speak before I noticed that the Master of Linda was gone. Lost in the crowd of the fighting hunters.

When I glanced sideways, I realized that Linda was gone too. And so was James.

“Where did they go?” I asked myself before I tried to sit up. I failed miserably because my hands were still tied behind my back. Suddenly, there was someone behind my back. Trying and twisting to see, what my hands were tied from. I looked over my shoulder to find Elijah behind me.

His eyes took in the blood that was rushing from my head and laid thick on my cheek. It was very little but still there. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but I answered it even before he could ask.

“Silver rod.” I told him. He nodded his head subtly, in understanding. For the first time in my life, I was grateful to see his face.

“How did you...?” I asked but he shook his head.

“Not now. I'll explain it to you later. Right now, we have to take you and your brother out of here and into the safety.” He said. His mention of James reminded me that James was missing with Linda. Alpha Elijah scanned the surrounding area.

“Where's your brother?” He asked me, when he could not find James anywhere.

“Linda, my mate, our mate, was working from the hunters side. She took him with her.” I explained it to him in as much as possible. For once, his moves jerked to a stop, but then his hands resumed their work again.

The news was shocking for me, so I could not even imagine how would others react to it.

Wolves from different packs were still fighting around us. Some hunters tried to come towards us but were snatched back by some unknown wolf.

Elijah tugged hard on the silver shackle, trying to snap it open, but it did not give away. He hissed a little when his hands graced the shackles, and he felt the burning of the silver. He cursed out loud.

“Nielson!” Elijah shouted over the chaos. A middle-aged man came over with a hunter tucked in his side. Nielson jerked him to his kneel and forced his head down.

“Open it!” Elijah commanded the hunter.

The hunter snarled at Michael but did not move to open the shackles. Nielson squeezed the hunter's neck from behind, giving him warning and making his intentions clear. Finally, relenting, he moved his hands and opened it.

Neilson pulled the hunter back and disappeared in the chaos while Elijah pulled me to my feet.

“Let's go.” He told me, pulling my arm over his shoulder and supporting my weight. I stopped him from pulling me away.

“James.” I whispered.

“We will look for him. But first we need to get you back to safety.” He told me, tucking me to move forward before safely pulling me out of the chaos and I let him.