My Brother’s Mate
Chapter 62

Mikes POV

I've been running for days. Only stopping to sleep, hunt and eat. I hope that girl knew what she was talking about. Eventually though, I start to notice familiarities. The trees are beginning to look like the ones we have back home.

I'm running along on edge of one of our larger neighboring packs. I should only be about a half a day away. But it's late. I find myself a cave to sleep. I've haven't shifted back into my human form since I left Millerborg. I tied my clothes up around my back leg, a little trick my dad taught me. My body is weak. I lost so much of my strength while I was being held prisoner, only eating their slop. I catch a squirrel and eat it quickly, before curling up to sleep.

The sun peeks out over the horizon. I positioned myself so it would hit my eyes and wake me up at first light. I stretch for a bit then drink some water in a nearby stream. A fish! I catch it and gulp it down. Then I begin to rest of my journey. I'm a little slow going at first but once I get into a rhythm I'm good. I'm careful not to accidentally step onto anyone else's pack lands. I can't handle a fight with one of their guards.

I'm so eager to get home, I wasn't planning to get any breakfast so that fish was a happy surprise. It gave me the energy I need to sprint the rest of my journey.

I finally arrive to my pack lands. However I'm surprised at how quiet it is and I don't see any guards. I make my way over to the pack house. I shift and get dressed. It's jarring being back in my human form, but it only takes a few moments before I'm settled. I need to find my parents and find out what's going on. I walk up the steps.

"Mike?" I hear someone say.

It's Colton, but he looks different, like he's aged five years in the last few months.

"Colton. Where is everyone?" I ask.

"Where have you been?" He asks. I guess I look different too.

"I was captured and held prisoner." I say, waiting for him to answer my question too.

"Oh wow. That's crazy." He looks down.

"Colton, what happened here?" I ask.

"Let's go inside." He walks inside and I follow him.

Luther's POV

"A dragon? I thought dragons didn't exist anymore." Bethany says.

"They do now. We need to fall back. They are just going to evacuate the mountain now. Once the Pures realize the Tribrid is gone they will come after us." I say. "Where should we go?" She asks. Where is a good question.

"We can't leave completely until we have collected Marjorie." I say.

"Yes wouldn't want to leave without your favorite." She says sarcastically.

"I don't have favorites. I'm just harder on some of you. I see the potential. I know I created this rivalry among you, but you are all my daughters." I tell her.

"I will pull the men back into the forest. We can hide there until she escapes." Bethany says.

I nod at her and continue watching the battle, while I think of our next destination. I watch as the dragon lands on the far wall and rains fire down on half the city. I am mesmerized by this fierce animal and I wonder how the worshippers are going to handle themselves against it. Out of the corner of my eye I see Edaline, I can't believe the old crow is still alive, and Hiroen. They are floating towards the dragon. Oh they are going to use their life energy to destroy the dragon. That is just like them, sacrificing themselves to save her. At least I won't have to deal with the dragon myself. I watch as Edaline and Hiroen lure the dragon out of the city. Then a flash of light and they, and the dragon, are gone. They really did it The old crow still had it in her. Well at least now I won't have to worry about her anymore. I focus my attention back to the mountain.

Where is Marjorie?

Arthur's POV

"THEY DESTROYED OUR DRAGON?!"

"Gavin!" I shout, even though he is right next to me.

"Yes, Arthur. I see."

"How is that possible?" I ask.

"They used their life energy to destroy it." He says.

"But it was a dragon!"

"Dragons aren't indestructible. You know about the crystal, right?"

"YES! I know about the damn crystal. I just thought that he would last a bit longer than that." I interrupt him.

"Release the second dragon!" I shout. A loud roar echos off the mountain. Let's see them destroy this one. Our armies are at the wall, soon we will be inside the mountain. Mike's POV

As we walk to the Alpha's office, I still haven't seen anyone. This is so strange, the pack house always had people in it. We walk inside the office and Colton closes the door. "Colton what is going on man?" I ask.

"Mike, most all of our warriors are gone. Our pack has been picked clean by Luther and the other group."

"Other group?" I ask.

"The Blood of the Pures or whatever." He took a seat, well more like collapses.

"After the announcement, Luther brought a whole army to our lands and your parents let him. They were here for a few months, eating our food and making life difficult. But one night they just vanished, your parents included. No one knew where they went. Beta Max took over for awhile until." He took a pause.

"The Pures came. They killed Beta Max and they had warriors planted within our ranks. Then they called on the rest of us to join them. Those who refused got killed, Conner, he refused. I had been in the village with Jacob when they got here. By the time I got back, I found the dead, I found Conner."

I slumped into my chair. We were silent for a while as I let this sink in. My pack has been ripped apart by everyone. And it's my fault. Luther's POV

Bethany and I watch as a second dragon appears at the mountain. Our army has pulled back and is now deep within the forest. "Another dragon. How many do they have?" She asks.

"If they have one, they can have many." I say. We have waited long enough.

"Marjorie, where are you?" I reach out to her.

"Father, Mike." Is all she says.

"Something is wrong Marjorie isn't making sense. We need to get in there." I say.

"But what about the dragon?"

"We'll cloak ourselves. We need to find Marjorie. Stay close to me." I say. We head into the mountain.

"We can't go through the front gate, where are we going?" Bethany asks.

"We'll go around to the other side away from the dragon. The first dragon knocked down the wall." We run as fast as we can to the destroyed wall. Finally we reach it and we climb up. Half the city is on fire and the other half is over run with pure soldiers fighting the dawn. “Come on. We have to be quick." Bethany says. We race inside without being seen. We run down the stairs and to the cells where Mike was being held.

"Marjorie!" Bethany yells. Then I see her body on the ground surrounded by blood. The cell is open in front of her. I race over to her. No no no. There is another body next to her, but it's just a guard. Did he do this to her? I cradle her head in my hands. "Oh Marjorie what happened to you." I weep.

"What did she say to you?" Bethany asks.

"She just said Mike."

"Do you think he did this to her?" She asks. Why would he? She helped him escape.

"I don't know, but he's the only one who will have answers. We need to find him." I say. I move a piece of hair out of her face. My little girl is gone. And I will find out who did this. There is a loud crash and the mountain shakes.

"We need to get out of here." Bethany says. How can I leave my daughter in here like this. I feel Bethany's hand on my arm as she pulls me out. We race back outside the mountain, the Tribrids army is almost gone, the dragon is causing a lot of damage. We slip back out through the broken wall and go around the outside of the mountain. I stop when we reach the tree line.

"We need to find Mike." I say.

"We will. We can start at his pack." Bethany says.

Arthur's POV

I watch as the dragon tears through the Tribrid warriors. The large beast breathes fire over them as our soldiers beat them back.

"We will be in the mountain in no time." Gavin says.

"It would have been sooner if we had released both dragons." I say.

"We only have so many. We don't want to risk them all." He says, his presence annoys me. I walk over to Gesenia.

"Annoyed?" She raises an eyebrow at me.

"How did you know?"

"I've know you both for years. You are an arrogant a** and he is an annoying boob. You two don't mix."

"And what does that make you?"

"A saint for dealing with the two of you."

"Ha." I say. Our army is finally through the gate and rushing the city.

"Shall we Saint Gesenia?" I say sarcastically.

"How does she get this title." Gavin asks.

"Don't worry dear, you have your own title." Gesenia says patting his chest and walking away.

"What is it?" He shouts, but Gesenia just laughs. We move through the mountain looking for anyone we can find. But there is no one here.

"Where did they all go?" I ask.

"Council, it looks like there are tunnels under the mountain. It looks like they escaped." I scream in annoyance.

Mikes POV

"So who's left?" I ask.

"Mostly women and children. Jacob and I guess you now. It's been like a ghost town. People don't feel safe anymore. Some have left for other packs. It's been hard. We need a leader." Colton says. Suddenly we hear running up the steps. Jacob runs into the office. "Luther and his men are back, and I think they are looking for you." Jacob says to me. Uh oh.