Awakening The Storm

WREN

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After everyone was bathed, we all sat in the living room. Xander was in the kitchen with Kassidy looking for something to eat while the rest of us thought of a plan.

“Where’s Mary Anne?” I suddenly thought. I haven’t seen her in months and knowing Xander, he would want to know where she is.

Stylo’s dad turned his head towards me in surprise.

“She’s here. I completely forgot to say something earlier, but she’s here in the basement.” He said standing up and going into the kitchen. Shortly after Kassidy came out and sat in my lap.

The sound of a door slamming and yelling came from under us.

“Kids, get down here!” Xander demanded. Kassidy leapt from my lap and followed Kash through the kitchen and into the basement.

“Should we follow them?” Noah worried. Ben shook his head and sighed.

“This is the first time any of them had seen Mary in a long time. They need this to themselves.” He explained thoughtfully.

“I couldn’t even imagine having a chance at seeing mom again,” I muttered. Ben sighed and sat next to me on the two-seater, his hand squeezed my shoulder.

“What if Stylo could help us see her again, in that part of Purgatory?” Ben suggested. I looked at him with widened eyes.

“What?” I breathed. He turned to face me.

“We were able to see her when were there, he made it that way. So maybe we could ask him to warp the labyrinth so that the memories won’t be there, and it’ll just be her,” he theorized excitedly. I shook my head standing.

“Benji, we cant be thinking like that right now. Especially when we already have so much more to lose,” I argue back. His hopeful face soon turned into a glaring one.

“We deserve to have some kind of happiness, Wren. We have been living in fear and sadness for how long now?” He rhetorically put. I looked away from his gaze.

“I know you wanna see her, but, Benji, we have people to be happy with,” I walked over to Noah and pressed his cheeks together in my hand. “How can you say no to this face, Benjamin,” I shook Noah’s face. He chuckled and pushed me off of him.

“Tell him again, Wren, tell him how sexy I am,” Noah wiggles his brows at me, feigning seduction. I laughed and pushed his shoulder playfully.

“We could always go see her ourselves in the Other Plain, we can teleport through time and space itself.” I tell him. “Let’s try to save the ones we already have first, then we’ll stop by and say ‘hi’ to mom,” I proposed with a smile. I smiled so wide my dimples showed.

Noah grabbed my face this time, and squeezed my cheeks together in one hand. “Look at this face, Benjamin, and look at it closely. Do you wanna say no to this face,” he asked squeezing my cheeks harder.

“Alright, alright,” Ben chuckled putting his hands up in surrender. “I am convinced, now stop squeezing each other’s faces. Shit’s weird.” Ben shuddered. Noah and I pushed at each other playfully while Ben, Anais, and Stylo snickered.

“What’s goin’ on in here?” Xander asked looking confused at the scene.

I had Noah in a headlock while Noah had my leg locked in between his arms. I don’t remember when he ended up on the floor.

“Nothing,” we both said in unison and pushed away from each. Xander’s silver eyes sparkled as he looked around the room at each of our faces.

“Can everyone sit down for a sec, I wanna talk to y’all about somethin’,” Xander asked asked. Kassidy and Kash came in right after. We all sat either on the floor or couch, while Xander took his loveseat. “Mary told me that Stylo has been victimized by Alex too. He knows where all of your parents are and what he’s been doing to them. I will find each and every one of your loved ones and bring you back to them,” Xander promised. Determination settled in his eyes as he told us.

“What did happen to our parents?” Noah asked quietly. He seemed shaken up a bit, that was a rarity to see.

“In the basement of all of your houses. The same as Mary was. Alex forced Stylo to make those mind traps for all of you, but made sure that your parents are the ones who controlled them.” Xander revealed. Anais gasped, Noah sat still, and Ben looked on edge.

I didn’t know I was worked up until a small hand placed itself in mine. I looked over and saw Kassidy giving me a small smile.

Just her touch calmed me.

“So, are we going to raid each of our houses and get our parents?” Ben asked skeptically. Xander gave a humorless laugh and leaned forward with his hands on his knees.

“That’s exactly what we are going to do, Benji. And while we get your parents, we’ll be getting our girls back.” He assured with a nod of his head. Ben nodded back and leaned back in his own seat.

“You got a plan, Old Man?” Noah smirked at Xander. He smiled back with and nod.

“Of course I do! What kind of man would I be if I didn’t have a plan to get all my pups together, hm?” He boasted jokingly. But we all knew he was serious about what he said.

He considered all of us his pups, even those of us who weren’t his own.

“Good,” Noah nodded back with a broad smile. “So what do you have in mind?”

“The plan is simple, I want all of you to get your parents and bring them back here. Stylo agreed to staying behind and nursing everyone back to health.” Xander explained. “Then once we have all the parents, we get the girls and bring them back here as well.” He concurred.

“What about any bystanders and guards?” Kash asked. Xander just smiled at him with a dark gleam in his eyes.

“Have at ’em, boy,” he smirked sadistically. Kash nodded and held back a smirk of his own.

“When do we start?” I asked.

“We can go now. I want everyone in comfortable clothes, likes jeans and a T-shirt. But we’ll be stopping by your houses so you can grab anything from there if you want. I’m sure all of you have outfits around here somewhere,” Xander chuckled.

“I know I have clothes here,” Anais agreed with a smile. Kassidy laughed.

“Come on, let’s get dressed,” she put her hand out for Anais to grab. She took Kassidy’s hand and disappeared up the stairs.

“I have some yours and Ben’s clothes in a laundry hamper in my room,” Xander said to me. “Noah, I have some of your stuff laying around in the basement too. Stylo, you can use Noah’s clothes then too, or your dad can get you some,” he suggested. Stylo nodded.

“Let’s get a move on,” Xander says standing up and taking Ben and I to get our clothes. Walking past Kassidy’s room, the sounds of girlish laughter was muffled behind the door. Xander looked at the door and smiled shaking his head. “Those damn girls,” he chuckled.

__________

Everyone was ready to go. Well, everyone except for Kassidy and Anais. We were all showered, and we had eaten some canned foods within a forty minute timespan.

And they still weren’t done.

"Ugh!” Noah groaned loudly sliding off of his seat on the couch. “What’s taking them so long, I’m so bored.” He groaned some more.

“Stop whining and shut up already,” Stylo complained kicking Noah’s boot. Ben snickered quietly to himself in the seat next to me on the two-seater.

“I haven’t seen you smile this much in ages.” I pointed out to him. He sobered his chuckles and looked at me from the corner of his eye.

“You’re killing the mood,” he grumbled, still, with a small smile on his face. It was truly rare to see him smile this much.

Or smiling at all.

Usually my brother gave small smirks or half smiles, but today, he’s given full smiles.

“What changed?” I wondered. He shrugged and sighed.

“I thought about what you said earlier and it made me think. We’re living in the present and I should just focus on what I already have instead of what I already lost,” he pledged.

“You actually listened to me?” I asked shocked. Usually, it was the other way around. I took his advice, and now he’s taking mine.

“I do miss her, Wrenji, but we can see her when we get the family we already have all together.” He answered thoughtfully. I agreed, we can get the people that are already in reach.

The sound of footsteps met my ears as the voices of the girls filled the room.

“Ugh, finally!” Noah jumped to his feet and swung the door open. Stylo rolled his eyes and followed after him.

Ben and I stood up too and walked out of the door with Xander behind us waiting for the girls. Once we were all outside, we headed for the car. Xander’s black Cadillac was still in good condition and had gas in the tank. He gave the keys to Anais.

“Protect her with your life,” he said seriously. She smiled and nodded, her curls flopping all around.

“I wish I had my bike here instead,” she said with a dim smile.

“We can get that back too.” He promised her. She nodded and skipped to the driver side of the vintage car. Stylo and Noah hopped in the car with her. She pulled the car from the driveway and drove off.

The rest of us looked to Xander for instructions.

“Are we going to run there, Dad?” Kassidy asked. Xander shook his head and motioned for the four of us to follow him. We walked to the garage and Xander leant down and pulled the door open.

Xander walked in and stood next to a vehicle under a white sheet. Xander pulled the sheet off, there stood an older red truck. The sleek ruby gleam of the truck’s exterior shown even in the dim lighting of the garage. It was a normal looking pickup, but if it was stored in here all this time, there had to be something special about it.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this.” Xander berthed to himself staring proudly at the truck.

“She’s beautiful.” Kash practically drooled. I smirked and walked towards Xander and stood next to him.

“Why’d you keep her in here for so long, Xan?” I questioned curiously. He sighed and caressed the truck’s hood.

“I knew there was a point in time where I would get my chance to overthrow Alex, and I knew this truck was just what I needed when the time came.” He explained.

“You souped it up, huh?” Ben asked with a knowing smirk. Xander smiled with pride.

“I couldn’t let her be like every other truck, now could I? Of course I souped her up. Gave her everything she could possibly need.” He boasted. Ben shook his head and smiled. “Alright, kids, lets get this show on the road.” He rapped the hood of the truck and hopped behind the steering wheel.

There wasn’t enough room for all of us to fit in the cab of the truck, so Xander motioned for Benji and me to sit in the caboose.

“Why are they sitting in the back of the truck, Dad?” Kash questioned curiously?

“It’s part of the plan to have the boys do some tearin’ up.” Xander answered. Kash nodded his head with a small, ′Oh′ of understanding.

“Do you know where exactly he’s keeping the girls?” Ben asked as Xander started the ignition of the truck. Xander turned his head over his shoulder and answered.

“They’re in the Pack House on the top floor. Apparently, he’s keeping them as slaves but making sure they’re healthy. Stylo gave them a better headspace than the rest of you kids because of the things he was doing to them.” Xander growled. I shook my head in irritation.

Why would he ever want to hurt them?

Hell, any of us at that. What did we ever do to him?

′We never did anything, he’s just that fucked up.′ Kassidy’s voice flitted through the link. I sighed and ran a hand down the length of my face.

“Let’s just get them out and destroy everything already. He’s already taken so much from us, what’s stopping us from taking everything of his?” I answered back. It was easier talking this way through the link instead of aloud over the rumbling of the truck.

′You’re right, we need to take back the pack, and Raven’s Creek. Who knows how much trouble he’s caused this place and any surrounding packs, clans, or covens.′ Ben grumbled.

′I want you boys to shift when we get closer to the Pack House. I need you to be a distraction and plow to get us in there.′ Xander’s voice instructed over the shared link.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. When I opened my eyes again, the horizon was covered in shades of orange, pink, purple and blue, indicating that the sun was going down.

We left only a couple minutes ago, but since the temperatures are dropping, the nights come faster.

′Get ready, guys.′ Kash instructed through the link. Ben and I had taken our shirts, pants, and shoes off and bunched them together in the truck. ′I’m coming with you guys, I’ll be keeping watch and getting rid of any problems that get in the way,′ Kash added undressing himself too.

Kassidy was uncharacteristically quiet today, except when she was with Anais. I don’t have any idea how hard this might be for her, or for Kash with the knowledge that Alex has done the same to them.

I hope they get the justice they deserve.

′We’re here,′ Xander parked the truck a couple hundred yards from the Pack House. ′There are about twenty-five guards surrounding the house, and another twenty-five scattered in the surrounding wood area.′ He says as his eyes took in the area.

′Wren and I will take care of the guards out front. Kash, you should get rid of the ones in the woods since it better suits you’re affinity.′ Ben proposed. Kash nodded on the other side of the glass separating us from the front seat.

′I’m going in with Kassidy as she gets the girls, I’ll be taking care of anyone on the inside. I’ll make sure the Beta isn’t here and make sure to deal with Alex if I cross him.′ Xander informs us. ′We should be hearing from Noah, Stylo, and Anais soon enough. They’ll be coming here to assist once all the adults are back at the house.′ He says ending the link.

Ben looked to me and motioned for me to take the East side of the house as he took the West.

“I’ll be covering the both of you,” Kash whispered as all three of us hopped out of the truck. We moved quietly, making sure to make as little noise as possible. “If you shift, make sure not to use your transformation powers, use what you’ve got now. We need to keep our energy, also keep your links open so we have some line of communication if anything gets out of hand,” Kash instructs. Ben and I nod in agreement and blur around the house, and Kash dipped into the darkness of the woods.

As I made my way around the wide perimeter of the house, I clawed any guards I seen as I blurred around them. The sounds of skin ripping and choking on blood filled my ears like music. The demon part of me smiled wickedly at the thought of raging out. Riot wanted out, scratching at the back of my mind to be let out was distracting.

“Ooh,” I huffed as my body got thrown to the ground. My lungs constricted as my body tried to catch some air. A clawed hand punched my jaw, my vision turned splotchy as more hits rained down on me.

I caught the hand in mine and froze it. The man on top of me wailed in pain as frostbite nipped into his system, leaving me an opening. I palmed his chin up, the sound of his jaw cracking fueled my bloodlust. The taste of metal hit my tongue as blood from my lip entered my mouth.

A feral growl left my throat at the thought.

′Blood!′ Riot shook in the back of my mind. My vision tinted red and I knew what came next.

My hands clawed and tore into the man’s gear. His vest was shredded but that didn’t stop me. My hand turned to a fist and punched straight through his breastplate. Blood and skin covered my hands as I dug around his insides. Riot howled in hunger, and its been a while since I’ve eaten anything fresh.

I gripped the man’s still faintly beating heart in my hand. Tanking it slightly, the organ plopped our of his body and into my jaws. Chewing hungrily on his heart, my eyes found another victim to prey on.

This is gonna be fun.

Licking my bloodied lips, I stood up silently, the air thickened around me. The unknowing guard stood under a light. I stalked forward, my claws dripping in bloody ice as approached my next meal of the night. His head turned like he had felt my presence, and as soon as his eyes locked into mine, he knew he was done for.

I launched at him with a joyous growl, he let out a scream. My hand went around his neck and snapped it to the side, quieting him forever. I tore into his body like I had with the last one, rearranging his guys to get to his heart.

After I finished with him, a lot more blood covered my body as I stood up and found more prey.

Tearing, shredding, cracking and destroying everyone lone wolf in sight. Feasting on each one like I didn’t just eat hours before I arrived here. Each one put up less of a struggle than the last.

I licked my fingers clean of any left over blood that littered on them after my meals. About twenty-five meals, but some I just decided to kill them. My pent up anger came out on them, if one of them was still breathing, I snapped their necks and picked some more meat from their bones and kept walking.

The sound of rustling coming from behind the trees made me pause. Soon, Kash came walking out of the shrubbery covered in small splats of blood and dirt along his skin.

“You look like you had a good time,” he chuckled nervously. I smiled back at him only to see him cringe and step back.

“What, do I have something in my teeth?” I ask him. He sighed shakily and walked further out of the woods coming closer to me.

“Yeah, and looking at all of these bodies,” he looked around the ground at the guards I handled, “it seems like you raged.” He explained concerned. He pat my shoulder and cringed with a frown at the amount of blood that appeared on his hand.

“What do you mean, raged?” I question him with a low growl. He put his hands up in surrender.

“You lashed out and used more demon than Revolutionary, Wren. Do you want your brother to see you like this?” He asked. “Or even Kassidy?” He raises his brow. I huffed out a breath, my irritation spiking the more he talked.

“Shut the hell up, Kash, I have my powers under control. And I would never let Kassidy see me like this again.” I argued. He sighed and nodded his head.

“Have you heard from Ben? We need to let Xander and Kassidy know it’s good to go in.” He says. I shook my head. Kash opened his mouth to say something more but a body rounding the house stopped him.

“It’s clear,” Ben stated. His own body was smeared in the blood of his victims. His eyes shown black and crimson as he stood before us.

“I’ll mindlink them,” Kash says before his eyes glaze over. When he was done, his eyes went back to normal. “Okay, they’re going in, I’ll stay out here to keep watch and wait for the rest to get here. You two should cover Xander and Kassidy.” He suggests.

“I’ll stay out here with you, you might need help and none of us should be left alone.” Ben tells him. Kash just nods and walks towards the front of the Pack House.

“I guess I’m going in—” I start before the sounds of howls ring in my ears. “We have company.” I announce. Ben and Kash our themselves in a fighting position.

“Plan B, we’re fighting.” Kash asserted. “Are you two gonna be okay?” He asked Ben and I, we both gave nods.

“Let’s go,” I say and Kash smirked, shifted, and began running in to the forest. I stepped forward, but a hand shot out and held me back.

“Let’s try not to overindulge tonight, yeah?” Ben smirked at me. His black surrounded crimson eyes twinkled in mischief at the thought of eating more.

“Sure thing, brother.” I smirked back.

“You’re eyes used to be just like mine,” he says walking, “now you only have one of my eyes and a revolutionary eye to go with it. How does it make you feel?” He questioned stepping into the shrubbery.

“Like two halves are fighting for the same body,” I answered honestly. “I feel like the darkness wants full control, but then the lighter part reigns me in before anything too crazy happens,” I added with a shrug.

“I found out that I have weapons too. I have swords just like you, they’re black stiletto swords with red trimmings.” He chuckled. “They match my eyes,” he shakes his head. A guard runs towards Ben. Ben grabbed the man by his neck and snapped it with ease.

More guards filed in, surrounding us. Ben and I looked to each other and gave mirroring smirks.

The sounds of anguish, ripping, and sloshing filled the woods as Ben and I killed and ate our enemies. Kash got to the point when he took a life, he didn’t enjoy it as much as Ben and me.

We loved the hunt.

Every part of destroying another person’s being brought joy to our hearts. Maybe we really were monsters.

Maybe we should have stayed locked up away from civilization.

Maybe we should have been killed a long time ago.

The wolf I had in my hands right now was still squirming. His neck was in my hand, I didn’t apply any pressure, just held it there. His fur was caked in his own blood, maybe some of mine too. He managed to bite a nice sized chunk out of me.

“End it, I just got word from Noah that he’s on his way here with Anais and Stylo.” Kash announced hurriedly. I nodded.

I curled my hand into a fist and ouch s hole through the wolf’s chest, pulling a liver out. Kash cringed and turned away from the scene as I sank my teeth into the tender meat. I looked up into the wolf’s eyes to see the life in them dimming away into nothingness.

He was dead.

“Let’s go, Wren.” Ben called patting my shoulder. I stuffed the last of the organ in my mouth and stood up.

The three of us walked back towards the Pack House. Covered in blood, sweat, and any other bodily fluid, we stopped in front of the entrance. Xander’s Cadillac pulled up next to his truck. Anais, Noah, and Stylo hopped out and made their way over to us.

“You guys look like Hell.” Anais worried, looking as rough as the rest of us with blood smeared on her face.

“How are they?” Ben asked Noah. Noah sighed and pulled a cigarette from behind his ear.

“They looked horrible, malnourished and crazy. We took them to Stylo’s dad and he’s taking care of everyone.” Noah answered worn out by stress. A bit of blood was smeared across his features as well as Anais. Stylo, however looked clean.

“Why do you look so cleaned up?” Kash questioned Stylo. He shrugged and smiled.

“I had a layering of force field around my skin. No blood or dirt on me,” he says looking the three of us over, “can’t say the same for you guys.” He grimaced.

“What are we waiting for?” Anais asked curiously. We all directed our gazes to the Pack House, the sound of rumbling and ruckus could be heard from where we stood.

“Xander went in and took out everyone inside, while Kassidy looked for the girls,” Kash explained. Anais nodded to herself.

“Where are all the pack members?” She asks.

“Not here, they’re in a second location. Probably at that warehouse Alex owns.” Ben informs. She shrugged and stared at the house.

“Why’d it go so quiet all of a sudden?” She asked. I strained my ears to catch any noise, and there wasn’t any.

“What—” I was cut off by Xander’s body tumbling out of the door with two others.

“Dad?!” Kash rushed over to them. Xander was covered in some blood and sweat. Kassandra and Jordan looked completely fine, except for the looks in their eyes.

Their eyes were empty. Nothing to show for in them. No life to see, nothing to indicate that they were alive besides the rise and falls of their chests.

“Where’s Kassidy—” Someone asked and was cut off yet again.

This time, by an explosion.

We all ducked and scurried away from the flames. The flames burned brightly in the night, the sound of glass shattering and wood breaking filled the night air.

I looked around checking if everyone was alright. Everyone seemed fine except for one person.

Kassidy wasn’t anywhere to be seen, she wasn’t here.

If she wasn’t here. . .

She’s still inside.

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