Pieces (Patchwork #1)

by T. Aleo

Not only for my happiness or even Rebekah’s, but for the Works.

  Thank you,

  Ryland Kelley

  I reread the letter twice. The words hit me straight in the chest one by one. When I finish the third time, I let the letter fall to my lap as tears rush down my face. I read the date once more, and I shake my head as my tears roll off my chin. It was written three days before Ryland “died,” and nothing ever came of this. I doubt my father even considered it. I bet he was happy when Ryland was pronounced dead. No one to woo his daughter away from him or fight for the rules to be changed to what was right. As I close my eyes, my tears leak out the sides, and I shake my head in complete disbelief.

  Ryland has always been the sweetest, most unbelievable guy, and this just proves it even more. It also shows how brave he is. He contacted my father, the leader of the Works, to change a rule so he could love me freely. How beautiful and special is that? Also, how unfair because I didn’t get to fight this with him. I didn’t get to see his smiles for the last three years or taste his lips or hear his laugh, nothing, because he was ripped from me due to that stupid freaking rule. When I look back at the letter, Ryland’s chicken-scratch handwriting makes my heart soar. I needed this letter. I needed to see this so the fire I have burning in me to free Ryland is kindled even more.

  I will free him.

  Or die trying.

  When I arrive at my father’s office, everyone is already there.

  I’m late.

  Mostly because I couldn’t stop crying.

  I’m officially a baby.

  Or maybe I was too strong for too long.

  I don’t know, but I really need a miracle in the form of a master plan to get Ryland out.

  “How nice of you to join us,” my father says as I enter and walk to the chair between Cyrus and Oceanus. Meeting his gaze, I try not to glare, but a part of me thinks I might hate my father now. I try to tell myself to be patient, that maybe it was offered but not accepted, but I think in my heart, I know the truth. And honestly, why am I surprised? This family is run on power, wanting to be better than everyone else, and while I’m nothing like that, I know how my father is. This contract for the formula was entered into to make sure he has everything and is the best. I’m not stupid, but I’m sure as hell not marrying some dude just for my power-hungry father’s sake.

  “Let’s do this,” I say impatiently, totally going against how I wanted to act today. I don’t want to give off the vibe that I know what is going on, but I’m livid and more than a little scared. What if he makes me? Can he make me? When Oceanus gives me a look, I ignore it as I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest, watching as everyone looks around, uncomfortable.

  “Did you not get any sleep last night, Rebekah?” Cyrus asks, and I shake my head.

  “I’m fine.”

  He scoffs. “Oh, sure, you’re not angry at all,” he teases, and I glare back at him, which he thinks is funny.

  Rolling my eyes as my father clears his throat, demanding the attention of everyone at the table, I finally look up when he starts talking. He mainly speaks about the factions and how really no one knows anything about the plot to hurt me. “I really don’t know what to think, but I’m pretty sure the threat against Rebekah is over. With this Killian person gone, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

  I feel JJ’s eyes on me, waiting for me to make an inch of movement, but I keep my gaze on my father. That is, until Oceanus sits up a bit. “I don’t know, Father. Rebekah told me she heard from some drunk shifter that Christiana had shifted into Samuel and came in here for Rebekah some time ago. I fixed the problem, hence the new bracelets everyone has, but maybe we should stay on high alert for a little longer.”

  I roll my eyes, annoyance coming off me in waves. “What’s the point? We’ve been on high alert, and people have still gotten to me. I can take care of myself, I’ve proved that time and time again.”

  Before my father can speak, Cyrus nods his head. “She can. I’ve seen it.”

  “Me too,” Oceanus says, clearing his throat. “But I still feel the extra security is needed.”

  “But not JJ?” I ask, and Oceanus looks to me.

  “I never thought you needed JJ, my sister, but it does help to have him.”

  “I get not being able to go anywhere,” I say, looking up to my father. “Until we get a formula that works, that’s fine. But I don’t want to be babysat. I want to be my own person.”

  “She did great while you guys were gone, which is what I wanted to speak to you about, Father,” Cyrus says, and to my surprise, my father nods his head.

  “And that’s fine. JJ will only accompany you if, for some reason, you leave, which you won’t until your immortality is intact.”

  “But why will I need him then?” I ask, confused. “If I’m immortal, I can leave, go do what I want, just like everyone else.”

  But my father shakes his head. “I don’t know about that yet. Let’s wait and see.”

  As my face twists in anger, Cyrus’s hand comes down to mine. “Baby steps.”

  Looking over at him incredulously, I go to say more, but then my father is speaking again. “I’m very excited about this new formula, though. I feel it will put us at the top of the medical field in our family here in New York. Instead of killing the people who don’t react to the formula, we can grow,” he says, and my eyes almost come out of my head.

  “You’ve killed people because the formula didn’t work?”

  He only shrugs. “Of course, or banished them away. One of the two.”

  “But you kept me?”

  “You’re my daughter, Rebekah, don’t be silly,” he says, and as I look around, I appear to be the only one who thinks this is absurd.

  “They were people who deserved the same chance I have,” I argue, but he shakes his head.

  “Only the strong stay and the weak leave. It’s that simple. But with you, I knew you could be strong, and you’ve proved that, yes?”

  I can’t believe what I am hearing. Looking to my brothers, I ask, “You guys knew about this?”

  Cyrus shakes his head as Oceanus shrugs. “I don’t like it, Rebekah, I don’t.”

  “This is insane,” I say, throwing my hands up and sitting back.

  “And now we know why Rebekah is hardly ever invited to meetings,” Father jokes, but I don’t find it funny. This is all just so ludicrous. “But today, we need her.”

  My heart drops as I look up, but I hope my father sees that I am shaking with anger, that my heart is pounding so hard it’s sure to break my ribs. I can’t even fathom people dying over a formula because it didn’t work on them. But then, I’m pretty sure he’s about to tell me he’s marrying me off in exchange for one, so really, what the hell do I know?

  “Why is that?” I ask as calmly as I can manage.

  “Because we need to discuss the terms that come with this formula.”

  My heart is in my throat as I watch him, and the coward won’t even look at me as he says, “In order to give me the formula, my cousin wants you to consider marrying his son.”

  Cyrus scoffs beside me as Oceanus sits up straighter. “Excuse me? Marry his son?”

  Father looks to Oceanus, his eyes calm as he nods. “Why, yes, Oceanus, this kind of thing happens all the time. Taegan, for example. The fact she is marrying that dog to further her family—this will do the same for us. We need this.”

  “I don’t think this situation is anywhere near Taegan’s. You are basically selling my sister to some dumb kid who probably can’t find a girl of his own,” Cyrus says, shaking his head. “And I refuse for my sister to be forced into something like that.”

  “Me too. That is insane, Father. Surely, you can see why that would upset us,” Oceanus says, and I hold my hand up.

  Everyone looks at me as my father says, “Yes, Rebekah?”

  Folding my hands, I suck in a deep breath and let it out gradually, my eyes locking with his. “While I appreciate
my brothers sticking up for me and saying what they have, I feel the choice is mine to make—”

  “You’re right, my love, and I’m sure you realize how important this formula is, not only for you, but for the Patchwork in general,” he says, and my eyes narrow.

  “Yes, I do realize this. But do you realize how important and substantial it is to this faction and the others that some of the rules be changed?” I ask, leaning against my forearms.

  Father’s brows pull together. “I don’t understand.”

  “Oh, let me enlighten you,” I say, my eyes narrowing. “The fact that people are dying because a formula doesn’t work on them is irrational and unfair, but it’s not only that. People are also dying when there is mixing of the clans, and again, that is unfair. Who are you to judge who should live or die? You can’t run this faction like this. We need new leadership that is in touch with the times and can change things. I vote for Oceanus to take over because you’re still stuck in the 1800s or something.”

  I watch as my father’s eyes widen, even JJ’s do, but Samuel, he’s chuckling as my brothers stare holes in the side of my head. But I don’t care. I had to say that.

  My father doesn’t recover immediately, and taking that time, I hold up my hand. “Does anyone else back me on Oceanus taking over?”

  “Rebekah, put your fucking hand down,” Oceanus mutters, but I shake my head.

  “No, this is ridiculous, and I refuse to be treated like this. We all should be able to live a life with someone we love.”

  As Oceanus stares back at me blankly, I can see that he agrees with me, but he is too scared to admit it. I hadn’t planned on saying all this, on losing my cool, but it had to be done.

  “Rebekah, I am truly appalled by you right now,” Father says then, bringing my attention back to him.

  “Yeah, I was appalled when you thought you were going to marry me off to some dude for a formula,” I throw back at him, and his face burns with anger. “And what really gets me is that you would be okay with me marrying my cousin, but not with Oceanus marrying a wolf.”

  “Rebekah,” Oceanus warns, but I shake my head.

  “It’s okay because this boy is a Patchwork,” Father reminds me, but I throw up my hands.

  “But he is my cousin. That is disgusting!”

  “So you won’t?”

  I laugh. “Oh, you didn’t get my answer out of all I said? Let me be more direct, then. The answer is not even no, but is unequivocally fuck no.” Cyrus chokes with laughter as I stand, shaking my head. “The fact you think I would is insulting.”

  “After all I do for you?” Father says, his eyes full of hurt.

  What the hell?

  “Do for me? You torture me! You are so obsessed with making me immortal that you assume I would marry some dude I don’t even love? No way.”

  “I do it because I love you,” he argues and I roll my eyes.

  “If you loved me, you wouldn’t ask me to do something like that. You wouldn’t tell Oceanus to go to the wedding of someone he loves but can’t marry because of your stupid rules.”

  “The rules are in place to protect the Works.”

  “They are in place because if someone did mix together and had a baby, you wouldn’t know how to control that creature. It’s all about control, and I, for one, will not be a part of that. I won’t feed into it so that you can get ahead.”

  When my father laughs, I pause, my heart skipping a beat. What in the world could be funny? “You silly girl, do you hear yourself? You think you can decide what you will and won’t do? I am the leader of this faction, and everything I do is to help you. You know what would happen if everyone found out you weren’t immortal? They’d push for you to be killed—”

  “Because of your established policy of senseless killings. You did this! You’ve made this bed, and now I have to lie in it. So please, if you think threatening me with the people coming to get me if they found out about me not being immortal scares me, think again. I have people trying to kill me left and right. Nothing new.”

  I go to leave, turning on my heel, but my father’s words stop me. “I’m going to let what you just said slide. You’re obviously upset, and once you think this through, you’ll see how dire it is that you must accept.”

  “Which she won’t,” Cyrus says.

  Father looks to Cyrus and points to the door and yells, “You’re dismissed.”

  His voice makes me jump as Cyrus’s brows reach to his hairline. “What?”

  “You heard me. Leave,” he demands, and Cyrus looks around, confused.

  When Cyrus’s gaze locks with our brother’s, Oceanus shakes his head. “Just go. I’ll take care of this.”

  Laughing, Cyrus shakes his head as he stands. “You do that, brother.”

  As he leaves the room, it’s silent, until the door crashes against the doorjamb, making me jump once more. Looking to my father in disbelief, I ask, “Since I don’t agree with you, should I leave?”

  His menacing glare meets mine, and my heart stops. For the first time, I’m scared of my father and what he could do. He bites out, “Go, but don’t go far. Your surgery for your eye is tonight.”

  My face scrunches up. “Already?”

  “Yes, I need to remove them from the donor—”

  “I highly doubt they donated their eyes,” I interrupt, and when his fists come crashing to the table, I regret saying anything, especially when his eyes glare into mine.

  A cold, hard chill runs down my spine as he says, “As I said, be ready. Tonight we fix you, like I’ve been doing from the beginning—”

  “Just think, you wouldn’t have to if you’d just kill me,” I say, my eyes in slits, and my father exhales loudly.

  “Rebekah, that’s enough,” Oceanus demands, and I press my lips together. “Go on.”

  Before I can move, though, my father glances at me. “Think about what I said. I want a thoughtful answer before we get started tonight, and if you can’t give me one, then I’ll make the decision for you.”

  I scoff. “So you’ll make me marry someone I don’t love?”

  “Yes.”

  Oceanus shakes his head, standing and pressing his hands into my shoulders, directing me toward the door. “Go. I will take care of this.”

  Before I can fight against him or even tell my father to go royally fuck himself, I’m pushed out the door. As I whip around, my words about to fly out, the door comes slamming into my face.

  “Well, fuck you too!” I scream at the door as the guards look at me, but I ignore them, pressing my face to the door.

  One clears his throat and says, “Ma’am—”

  “I have a knife in my pocket, and I will gut you. Shut up,” I threaten, and his eyes widen as he takes a full step back.

  I should have done that a long time ago.

  I press my face into the door, listening to Oceanus as he yells, “Father, this is unreal. You can’t force her to marry anyone! She is only nineteen years old.”

  “Oceanus, I don’t care what you say. I will do what’s right for this clan, our faction. We have to be stronger, bigger, and I can’t do that when I’m executing teenagers who could be soldiers. I need this formula.”

  “You’re insane, and everything Rebekah said was true. You can’t do this. I won’t let you do this.”

  “You won’t?” he challenges, and then I’m met with silence.

  “You’re not thinking, Father. JJ, Samuel, either of you, please, talk some sense into this man,” Oceanus yells, and I can hear the emotion in his voice.

  “We’ve tried,” I hear JJ say. “His mind is set.”

  “No matter how much we don’t agree,” Samuel says, and my eyes slowly fall shut.

  “So you save her, only to lose her? ’Cause you do this, and she’ll never speak to you again. Unlike me, she is not forgiving. And let’s be honest, she might off herself before she marries anyone. She isn’t one to be pushed around.”

  “Hence why I am doing the surgery to
night. I will save my daughter!”

  “You’re not saving her if you force her to do this.”

  “I will do what is right for our clan, Oceanus. A good leader does that, and the fact you don’t see that makes me believe you are not ready to lead the Works.”

  Oceanus’s laugh is harsh. “Please, you never planned on allowing me to anyway. Not anytime soon, at least.”

  “You don’t know that, but that’s fine. We are dropping this. I have a surgery to perform—”

  “I’m not done fighting for my sister, nor will I ever be!”

  “And that’s fine, son. While you’re at it, go down and get that shifter so I can take his eyes and save your sister’s vision.”

  Oh. Shit.

  “What?” Oceanus roars and then there is a crash. Or wait, maybe that is my heart bursting through my ribs and falling to the ground.

  I’ve run out of time.

  This is going to get nasty because Ryland will not go easily, and I can’t have him kill Oceanus. Or my father, no matter how much I hate him. Or JJ, Samuel, anyone I care for. Maybe I can talk Oceanus out of it? Convince him to let Ryland go? I have to stop him, but before I move or even form another thought, Oceanus is yelling once more.

  “You can’t do this! I thought we were still questioning him.”

  “He won’t talk,” JJ says. “It’s time to get rid of him before he causes any more issues.”

  “Are all of you crazy?”

  “Do as I say, son. Go get the boy. The code is Rebekah’s birthday. Bring him to the lab.”

  The code.

  I have the code.

  Before I even realize it, I’m moving, running toward the kitchen for the bastille. I can’t feel my body. I don’t even know how I’m moving, but I am. I have to beat Oceanus there, and I’m pretty sure I have a second since I can still hear him yelling as I run down the hall. Each step I take, I replay Oceanus’s and my father’s words. I almost can’t believe what was said, or what he plans to do.

  Give me Ryland’s eyes?

  No way in hell.

  I’d rather go blind.

  When I reach the kitchen door, I throw it open before coming to a sliding halt in front of Cyrus. He’s holding a sandwich in one hand and a bag of chips in the other, about to turn to the bar. His face is still red with annoyance and anger.