All of it.
From the day she was born, till the moment she died.
Everything. He had it all engraved into his mind.
And he knew what to do next.
Michael.
~
Ariel
It broke me.
It broke me inside to know that my best friend would do this to me.
He betrayed me.
As soon as we got home, I untangled myself from Hermes' grip and sprinted to the bedroom. I slammed the door as I heard Aries' voice grow loud downstairs while he conversed with Hermes about what happened. I locked the door, needing some privacy.
Pain wracked my whole body and I limply sank to the cold floor. I tucked my knees to my chest and pressed my face to my knees.
I wrapped my arms around my tucked knees and succumbed to my tears.
It also broke me to know that he was feeling so much pain, and he couldn't tell anyone, so he decided to act upon it. That he felt that the only people that could avenge him or help him would be our enemies. That's sad. It's so sad. And it's our fault.
He was supposed to be able to tell Elizabeth or me anything, we grew up together but suddenly it was as if I didn't know him at all.
It was partly our fault because we haven't been good friends to him lately. We haven't been there for him.
I've been caught up with Aries and the pack and Liz with her new mate.
But that couldn't possibly justify his actions. It simply can't! He can't just do something like this and expect me to forgive him! He told them our plan, he told them about me, about my strengths, my weaknesses. He was working against us! He pretended to be kidnapped so that I would go and find him so that I would walk straight into a trap. He risked everybody's safety. My safety.
He didn't care about us. He didn't care about anyone.
He didn't care about me.
He didn't care anymore.
But what do I do now?
If I tell Aries, he'll kill him.
Hell, I wanted to kill him. But I couldn't.
How could someone be so spiteful? How could he be so bipolar? He loved Elizabeth and I, way more than we wanted. But now he was plotting against us? He wanted to kill Aries for what happened to his mate. I knew that, but I thought that when he would calm down, he'd understand that Aries didn't actually kill her. That she was just too weak to win a fight, granted Aries was cruel for letting them spar to death but she didn't have to spar. You'd have to volunteer to spar to death. Others just fought to practice for combat.
With much effort, I staggered back up to my feet as I dragged myself to the bathroom.
With the back of my hand, I wiped the tears sliding down my cheeks and turned on the faucet. Looking at my reflection through the mirror I studied my distraught face. My lower lip trembled and my dewy eyes began to fill once more.
I sniffled and placed my hands under the cold rushing water, filling them up before splashing my face.
I turned the faucet off and pulled at the grey towel hanging on the side.
I wiped my face dry with the towel, but the tears started to coke me once more and so I sobbed, hard. I sobbed my lungs out and my eyes dry.
He hated me. He hated all of us.
He was gone. We lost him. Liz was right.
After all these years of us loving each other unconditionally, faithfully, and unwaveringly. Michael was gone.
Pulling in a breath, I blanked the memories that threatened to play through my head, because I couldn't handle any more pain or tears. I didn't want to remember anymore.
A knock on the room's door drew my attention.
I reeled my body towards the door and unlocked it before yanking it open.
"H-Hades..." I whispered in surprise, "W-what are you doing here?" I asked, dewy-eyed.
Hades pressed his lips into a tight thin line. "He's here."
"W-Who's here?"
"Michael."
"Why?" I whispered my voice straining.
"I brought him here, after I found out where they were keeping him. I thought you'd want to confront him. I asked Aries not to touch him, that he was your responsibility and that you'd like to decide his fate." He said firmly, his eyes hard, cold, and calculating.
He was still upset with me for the stunt I pulled earlier.
I nodded, "You told Aries?"
It was his turn to nod.
He turned to leave but I found myself reaching out for him before he could.
"Wait... Hades, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry... earlier."
Hades swallowed thickly, before looking at me intensely.
The edge of his lips tugged before he gave me a curt nod. He headed towards the stairs and I followed him.
"So does that mean that you're going to follow me around like a lost puppy?" He asked with a smirk.
I couldn't help the smile that broke onto my lips. "Yeah, probably."
Hades sighed, stopping midway down the stairs as he looked back at me. "Don't ever cry like that again." He ordered, his playful nature diminishing in a split second.
I nodded.
"Hades are we friends? Am I a friend to you?"
Hades' body stiffened and for a moment I regretted asking.
He took a step back up the stair. And I looked up at him nervously.
"More than just friends." He said softly, "We're family... For life."
Chapter 45- My Name Is Jake Sullivan
Third-Person
Ariel's heart melted, and she smiled at Hades.
"Yes we are." She said, before they continued their path towards Aries' study.
As they neared the room, loud voices of death threats and swear words were heard.
Ariel didn't bother knocking, she barged right in, her eyes dead set on one person, and one person only.
Michael.
He was seething. His fangs on full display and his eyes black. But he was also battered & beaten.
As soon as he saw her, his angry face fell.
The armchair at Aries' desk was broken to pieces and his desk looked like it was going to give in in any second.
"Didn't I tell you not to deal with him?" Hades' voice boomed at Aries.
Aries snarled, "That runt came at me!" He growled.
Ariel's eyes were dark as she stared into the soul of her EX best-friend.
"Get out." She spat.
"A-Ariel I-"
"Get. The. Fuck. Out. Or else." She sneered.
People suddenly filed into the room.
"Ariel? What happened?" Elizabeth's voice sounded softly.
Ariel was quiet for a couple of seconds.
She shut her eyes tightly as she tried to block the old memories of Michael from hounding her head.
Pulling in a deep breath, she began to speak lowly, "Michael is dead." She said, her voice just above a whisper as she revealed her cool silver eyes once more.
Elizabeth looked confused, she knitted her eyebrows as she looked at Michael and back at Ariel. "D-dead? Dead how Ariel? He's standing right there?"
Ariel shook her head. "No Liz, our best friend is dead. This person standing in front of me isn't Michael. He's a traitor. A traitor to me, to you, to our pack, and to the whole werewolf race. He's a hollow shell of our childhood best friend. But Michael Davis is dead, may the goddess have mercy on his soul. Our Michael is gone."
"No, no, no please Ariel don't say that. It's me, it's Michael, i'm here." He begged, taking a couple of steps forward towards Ariel, but she took double the steps back.
Ariel took a defense stance, shaking her head as tears blurred her vision.
He tried to near her again but she extended her arm to push him away as the tears began to fall down her cheeks.
"How could you!" She screamed at him as she fell apart, unable to contain herself anymore. "You traitor! You are no longer my Beta! You are no longer a member of our pack! You. Are. Nothing."
Michael shook his head his eyes widening in horror, "I didn't know what else to do! You
r mate killed my mate! What did you expect!" He yelled at her ferociously, curling his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms as he clenched his jaws.
"I expected you to be loyal, you son of a bitch!" She yelled back.
Michael growled loudly, smacking her across the face, hard, sending her stumbling back to the ground.
Aries roared, pouncing onto Michael with a fist to his jaw, as he pummeled him to the floor near the office desk.
Hades and Elizabeth were at Ariel's side in a flash helping her up.
Jake rushed into the room looking out of it, "What the hell is going on?" He growled, but one look at Ariel and he put the pieces together.
Aries kept attacking Michael, one blow after the other.
Michael was able to free a hand and grabbed onto a sharp long piece of wood from the broken armchair and jabbed it into Aries' shoulder blade from behind.
Ariel screamed as she watched in horror and tried to intervene, but Hades restrained her, grabbing onto her arm so tightly it would probably leave a mark.
Aries grunted in pain, but he didn't stop punching Michael. The adrenaline was pumping high into his veins and he couldn't feel a thing.
Jake pried Aries off of Michael, "Enough! We need to get you to the medical center."
"No! That bastard laid his filthy hands on my mate!" Aries snarled.
"Let Ariel handle him. She can handle him Aries." Jake said.
Aries gritted his teeth and winced as the pain from his injury ached. He looked at Ariel, unsure, before she nodded encouraging him to leave. He took in a breath and nodded then turned his back heading towards the door leaning on Jake.
Michael spat blood on the ground, and got up, his face bloodied. Then took this chance to grab another stake of wood only to charge at Aries once more.
Ariel noticed and freed herself from Hades roughly, before charging at Michael and grabbing onto the raised wood mid-air, "Don't. You. Touch. Him." She growled, her eyes gleaming as she yanked the stake out of his grip and whacked his head with all the force she could muster, knocking him out cold.
Ariel's legs gave in as she fell to the ground and wept.
A warm arm snaked around her frail body, wrapping her tightly in his grip.
"It'll be okay," Aries soothed as he kissed the top of her head.
"H-He hurt you..." she stuttered.
"I'm okay. I'll be okay." He cooed before mind linking Jake to bring Dr Darren to the house instead.
Ariel
After the violent confrontation that happened, Dr Darren came to patch Aries up and gave him painkillers.
I made him some soup and asked him to rest for the day because he really needed it.
"I can handle your work." I said.
"Ariel, are you sure?"
"Yes. I promise you I will get everything done right. Plus you need the break."
Aries smiled at me warmly and pulled me in for a kiss.
"I can't wait for all this to be over." He whispered gently.
Beaming at him, I placed my hand on top of his own, "What are your big bad Alpha plans after this ends?"
"I can finally concentrate on you."
"Oh, how so?" I asked cheekily, knowing well what he meant.
"I'll concentrate on you, so then we can concentrate on making a family." He said, grinning.
My heart melted.
I couldn't wait.
Aries was all that i've dreamed of in a mate, and more.
I will forever be thankful to the moon goddess and will forever be blessed with him by my side.
"I love you." I found myself saying with a voice so soft, i almost didn't recognize it.
Aries tucked strands of my hair behind my ear before cupping my face, "And I love you my queen." He whispered before placing a gentle, lingering kiss on my forehead.
Third Person
Ariel headed downstairs, calling out for Hades & Elizabeth on her way.
Everyone was huddled in the living room.
Hermes, Eric, Liz, and Hades sat on the couches discussing things.
"Where's Jake?" She asked.
"He chained Michael up in the cellar." Said Eric.
"We have a cellar?" Ariel asked, seeming dumbfounded.
Eric shrugged at her.
"Alright, well. Aries is resting upstairs, and well, uh, i'm taking over for today. And i'm actually glad you guys are here. I needed to discuss a couple of things with you all."
The group looked at her attentively, curiosity dancing in their eyes.
Ariel cleared her throat, "Task number one, fill my empty Beta spot." She said, her eyes landing on Elizabeth, "Elizabeth Jacobs, would you accept the position as my new Beta? I don't trust any other wolf..." She drawled out.
Liz's eyes lit up in alarm, "Actually Ariel, there's something I need to tell you."
Eric cleared his throat, "Yes, well, uh. I have been voted by my pack to be their new Alpha. There weren't any heirs to Blake or his father... So the task has fallen to me & my new Luna." He said, shifting his eyes proudly to Elizabeth.
Ariel's eyes widened in surprise and a grin broke onto her lips, "No way! Ahhhh! Congratulations Lizzy!" She squealed.
Liz bounced out of her seat and they both hugged doing a little dance in the process.
Eric laughed, "And, as new Alpha & Luna, we have a proposition for you Alpha Ariel, we'd like to co-join our packs, as a sub-pack. This way our people could be protected, and have perks. If that's okay with you."
"A sub-pack. Hmmm. That's actually not a bad idea..." she said, pondering for a few minutes. "Eric, could you call for Jake and send Third Landon in his place?"
"Sir yes sir!" He jested, before heading to the cellar.
Elizabeth looked at Ariel curiously, "What are you thinking?"
"Lizzy my friend, we are entering a new era. I'm calling a Lycanthropy Meeting."
∞∞∞
Ariel hurried to get everything ready. She asked Jake to call the meeting, and she decided to make it into a celebration.
She asked Aries' chefs to prepare a feast for the Alphas & Betas who were coming.
She wanted everything to be perfect.
Heading upstairs while the house vibrated with energy, she went up to check on Aries and inform him on her plans.
He wasn't resting like she thought he'd be. He was standing in the balcony of their room, overlooking the hustle and bustle of the people of his pack who were getting the garden ready to welcome the guests.
"Aries.." she called out as she approached him, wrapping her arms around his torso.
"My queen." He acknowledged, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him.
"I called a Lycanthropy meeting."
Aries laughed, "I can see that," he said pausing, "You're bossy when you're in charge."
Ariel giggled.
"I like it," he whispered mischievously his minty breath sending a shiver down her spine while pecking her cheek.
"Did you hear? Eric took over the Night Crawler pack. But he was requesting that they would become a sub-pack underneath our pack." She said.
"I heard," he said, smirking at her.
"You're eavesdropping!" She exclaimed outrageously as she slapped his chest.
Aries laughed, "I just have super keen hearing."
Ariel rolled her eyes.
"I like what you're doing. I know what you're trying to accomplish and i'm all for it." He informed her, "but keep it flexible. Offer the Alphas to do the same, tell them about the perks of co-joining as sub-packs, and let them decide. If anyone wants to join, they're welcome. If not, it doesn't really matter. We have a solid pack and solid alliances."
Ariel nodded, "You're right. And i think we should rename our pack. Since we merged with my old pack. Are we Blood Fang or Blood Prowlers?"
Aries pondered the thought, before raising an eyebrow, "How about we revive your grandpa's pack again? We could be The Shadow Lord pack."
Ariel beamed as tears gathered in her eyes, "Really
?"
Aries nodded, giving her a small smile, "Anything to see you smile my love."
Ariel threw her arms around his neck and slammed her lips onto his.
Aries groaned as he lifted her up with one arm, and retreated to their bed.
∞∞∞
Ariel had everything ready for the meeting.
She had a plan in mind.
There used to be 13 packs in total.
Now that the Blood Prowlers & the Blood Fang pack had co-joined. They were now called The Shadow Lord Pack.
So there were now 12 packs.
The Night Crawlers new Alpha and Luna were coming. (Eric & Elizabeth.) Alpha Eric had still not decided who his new Beta would be.
Aries (Gods & Monsters Series Book 1) Page 40