Chapter 23 Monster

Eric's POV

“Eric…” I heard Liam groan, “Eric stop her.”

I try to reach out to her, somehow close the gap, but her hold on all of us was too strong. “Serenity, please…”

I hear Siam growled and whined as he struggle as well.

“This is the only way to stop this.” She said, “I’m sorry Eric, but I have to think of our kind first.”

“Serenity…” I felt my heart drop to the ground.

How can it be like this? We were starting to be happy. To make plans and live life to its fullest.

“Keep her safe for me,” she glanced at me, Jospehine, I thought, “until we meet again.”

With that the hunters grabbed her and took her away. No one moved or said a word.

I glanced down at Liam who now had his eyes close and still as a statue. I promised Liam… I thought. I promised to protect her, her family trusted me…

I struggled from her hold wanting to run after them.

It took us about fifteen minutes before her hold loosen. Instantly Siam sent for the remaining shifters to go after them, while we took Liam to get healed.

I followed the smoke that raised to the heaven, it was said that when a werewolf die, his soul is presented to the Moon goddess, he then will be ask to choose between a life as a human or as a wolf. The nice part of it is, both the wolf and the human would either reincarnate as a shifter again or be separated.

That was why we are always sure that we will have our mates the next life, though it is a whole different thing if the were asks to be separated from his wolf.

I sighed as I watch in silence the cremation of the King and Queen, they were good people. Though King Silver wasn’t exactly my favorite person, he helped us in the end. And the queen… I sighed, it was like losing my step mother all over again. She was kind and very motherly, something that being an Alpha Female for so long made out of her.

Then there was my father, he laid still and in peace. He once told me that to be alpha, you need to be strong, right down to the list second of your life. And he was, he fought bravely and courageously, he fought to protect my mate.

I looked around as we watch the cremation of other shifters and how their family grieved.

The whole pack is practically grieving. First it was the fact that our pack was unable to protect the Royal family showed weakness to other packs; then the fact that we had lost the daughter of the moon cause humiliation; then the lost of a great alpha brought regret to everyone. But in the end, it was the lost of many of our brothers that made us mourn.

Made them mourn.

I was numbed.

I lost my father and Serenity.

I was weak and pathetic. I couldn’t even keep a promise to Liam.

Liam… I sighed and turned to see his dad staring blankly at what was in front of him.

Liam took a bullet for Serenity, he saved her and threw his life for her.

Siam was pretty messed up losing everyone. That nigh, I expected him to run after Serenity, but to my surprise he ran to Liam’s aid.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Flashback~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Liam, man, wake up…” Siam picked him up in his arms. Then he looked up at Mama Ellena, “Mama Ellena…”

“Bring him inside.” She said.

I looked at Siam with surprise; I needed to know what he was thinking. Why wasn’t he rushing to Serenity. He picked up Liam and faced me.

“She made her decision, Eric.” he said, “But she did say she will come back.”

“But-“

“I have sent men to follow them.” Siam says, “But you have to understand for now, our priority is to save those who we can, and right now, that’s Liam.”

“Serenity wouldn’t like to come home to fins out Liam isn’t here.” Anna says reaching for my arm.

They were acting so nonchalant of the whole missing Serenity. It was like I was the only on who cared to find her.

Later into the night I was in the library where Serenity and I were last, the book we were reading was still sprawled on the floor. I frowned and picked it up, unconsciously I grinned.

“I’m betting its Alice in Wonderland…” I remembered Liam say, “Just act surprise if it is.”

Then I remembered how excited she was when I stepped into the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Flashback2~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“There you are!” she says, sitting on the sofa.

“Sorry, to keep you waiting.” I smiled as I walked toward her.

“Its cool.” She says and tapped the sit beside her, I sat beside her.

She had her legs tucked under her and faced me. I raised a brow and she stretch out her arms to me showing me the book.

“Alice in Wonderland?” I asked.

“Yes.” She says excitedly, “Its one of my favorite book.”

“Why is that?”

“Cause that’s me, I’m Alice.” she said and grinned.

“How are you Alice?”

“This is my Wonderland.” She sighed, I gave her a questioned look. “You know how some girls would love to be in my shoes, have everything and all that. That’s there Wonderland, and I’m living it. But if everything else is different, like I’m not so important and just a normal shifter, that’s my reality. It’s the other way around for me see?”

I frowned, I know how much she would die for to have a normal life, but she can’t escape this now. Not even at her happiest moment.

“Aren’t you happy, Serenity?” I asked, worried.

“I am,” she says, “Liam said that if it wasn’t for my circumstances I wouldn’t have met you, and he’s right. And I would probably choose this life over and over again knowing that I’ll have you in the end.”

I smiled and reached for her face, then I pulled her close to me and kissed her. It was slow and deep, one which I wanted her to understand how much I need her with me, my desire and love for her.

When we pulled away, we just stared in each other’s eyes as we both catch our breath.

“Please don’t let this be a wonderland Eric…” she whispered, “I don’t want to wake up and finding out that this is just a dream.”

I gave her another kiss, this time a quick one but as intimate.

“What was that for?”

“To make sure that this isn’t a dream, sleeping beauty.” I said.

She smiled and moved near me, letting me wrap her in my arms.

And that moment of heaven just had to be broken.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End.of.Flashback2~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I looked around, the room that had a glow just an hour ago has now turned into a cold and empty space. It was supposed to be my favorite room by now.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small box. I flipped it open and glanced at the almost black green sardonyx stone resting in the middle.

I was planning to propose to her tonight, to have me mate her so Josephine can already move to her.

It was stupid not to think of it sooner when I arrived, but I wanted a normal day with her, I knew she wanted that. I didn’t want to burden her of responsibility them moment we got together, she had enough of that her whole life. But I guess I was wrong.

I should have taken her as my mate the moment I came back. Which was a tad bit impossible with all the injuries I had, and even after a good night sleep after mama Ellena healed me, the bruises and wounds may be gone, but the pain was still there.

I wanted my night of mating her to be perfect, I wanted to please her like no man could. Well, tenchincally no one did and ever could.

I should have at lease given her the ring, normally a man would give his fiancé a diamond ring, but Serenity was different. She was special in different levels. Sardonyx is a stone for protection, both physical and psychic, after the flashback Josephine gave us, I think she would appreciate it if nothing like that was forced to her ever again, and since I am incapable of protecting her from those moments, I thought that with this stone, I can somehow ease her worries and fears.

I leaned my elbows on my knees and sighed. Then I remembered her words.

“Don’t let this be a dream…”

I sat up and closed the box. “It won’t be, princess…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End.of.Flashback~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I glanced sideward hearing Anna cry in Siam’s arm. We were driving back to the pack house, each has an urn with us, Cam held unto dad’s.

We drove at the cliff overlooking the sea, the same sea we were all admiring the day before.

Siam stepped up at the edge of the cliff holding unto his parents’ urn, which he decided to have mixed thinking that’s what they would have liked, to be together even after death.

He took a handful and slowly let it out into the air.

“To those who had given their life to protect the one who is precious to us,” Siam says as he scattered his parents’ ash, “to those who lead us and taught us of our ways, to those whom we love and will always love, let them find peace in this world and beyond. Believe that they will be with us again in the future in a form they have chosen.” He paused and frowned, “Please keep Serenity safe.”

Everyone took their turn. And I was the last one, reaching into dad’s ash, remembering when we did this with my step mother.

“To the man who found me, raised me and saw me as his son.” I said, “thank you.”

I stepped back and Cam gave me a smile and I hugged her, before she broke down.

“I’m going there, Siam.” Uncle Luke says, “I hope you don’t mind.”

“We’ll be right behind you, uncle.” Siam says.

The drive back to the house was quiet, despite being anxious. We were still missing one man.

When we arrive Siam, Jake, Aaron and I walked toward his room and saw Mama Ellena changing his bandage.

“How is he?” Siam asked.

“He’s fine, but unless he don’t wake up and shift, he won’t be able to heal his wounds.”

The bullet Liam took for Serenity hit him on the spine, the human doctors said that the chances of him being able to move again is very small. That his body had gone in shock which cause him to go into a coma until the body had healed enough.

It takes more than a bullet and a stab wound to kill a strong shifter like Liam, that I know. But still, with him unable to shift, it will take a ling time to heal.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to see his father staring at Liam.

“He’ll be fine young Johansen.” He says. “He’d be very proud of what he did.”

“I’m sorry for this Uncle Luke.” I said, “If I was just stronger and-“

He chuckled, “Do you really think Liam would allow that you get hurt Eric?” I gave him a questioned look. “You are Serenity’s mate, to get you hurt will cause pain to her, and that is something my son will not allow, he’s very stubborn when it comes to her, believe me.”

I shook my head, “I still think that I should have done something.”

“That something is to heal yourself so we can start the search for Serenity.” He said. “You still have her wolf with you?”

“Yes.” I said.

“Then as long as she’s with you, she’s alive.” He said.

“We should have gone after her right after they took her.”

“That would just get her in more trouble.” He said. “He had made a deal with the hunter, they will not harm any of us in exchange of her, and seeing that she is our weakness, they know her death will start a rise among the shifters, something that the hunters would not want.”

I stared at Liam, listening to his father as he continued to explain.

“The problem with us shifters is we put our own pack first before our kind.” He says, “That’s because our pack is our family. But like most being we have a belief, and once that is disrespected, chaos worse than last night will break, and surely shifters would win.” He paused and let go of me. “Right now, the fact that Serenity has chosen you as his mate has left a bitter taste on the other packs, but it won’t take long before Siam put them in place. Believe me, he will.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When we got back to the pack house I went to my father’s study and looked around. I was now the Alpha, mated or not. And the first agenda was to find Serenity.

I sighed, this was not how I wanted to start my Alpha time.

I looked at the corner of the room and saw father’s brandy out, I didn’t drink unless during occasions but this was an exception.

I took one glass and drank it with one gulp. Then I took another and it was gone within seconds.

I was right, it numbed the head, but not the heart.

I have lost my father, Serenity and many friends. The pain was blinding and agonizing, but the lost of Serenity again was what tore me into pieces. I knew to be mated to her was hard, but I never expected this. I guess now I should expect the worse. What is the worse?

I frowned. Death.

I pushed away the idea of Serenity being killed for us.

I wasn’t one to plan the future, but I am willing to do it with her. With her.

I put the glass back with a thud on the table and sat on my father’s chair. I looked at his table and scanned the papers he was working on.

I read one contract after another, all were connected to the pack. With shifter’s long lives they were all bound to make wealth. I knew my father’s family was rich, but I never knew that he practically built an empire. Each contract showed the business that the Johansen family had and it was to finance the pack.

A folder with a list of names of members of the pack who were working for the companies was tucked in every folder with a different company name. His father secretly provided for everyone, how could I have not noticed this? I thought.

“Working already?” I looked up and Siam stepped in, “I was knocking and I could smell you inside, but you weren’t answering. Then I smelled the alcohol and thought you wouldn’t be so drunk and passed out easily.”

I grinned and glanced at the alcohol again. “I was just curious, I guess.”

He smiles, “Good thing you aren’t a cat.”

I chuckled, “I think its applicable to everything.”

“I’d prefer to think not.” He says, amused. “We were raised to be curious.”

We, he and Serenity.

“Eric, I am here to ask a favor.” He says.

“A favor?”

“Liam would need to heal and I don’t think I can wait for him to wake up before I put my plans into action.”

“Plan?”

“Do you really think I am fine not having Serenity here and let her be with the hunters for so long?” he took a deep breath, calming himself, “I want her back, as soon as possible and I know you feel the same way. Maybe greater than I do.”

“She is my mate and-“

“But I need you to think as a strategist.” He cuts me off, “I know your emotion would probably bring the best fighter out of you, but what we need right now is strategy, we need thinkers, and with Liam in coma, I would admit, we are very weak in that department.” He grins.

I stared at him, wanting to know what was going through his mind.

“The reason why I chose Liam to be my beta, aside from his father, is because he is wise. Almost like Serenity. But then again, probably greater as he is the only one who can read her with so much precision, he knows how to handle situations and what needs to be done, and he is smart enough to not let emotion keep him from doing that.”

“I can’t be like Liam.” I said. “I am aware of his wit and abilities, I can’t level with him.”

“But you are Serenity’s mate, you are what completes her.” he says, “You are chosen because you compliment each other. It isn’t just fulfilling what each other lacks, its completing what each other has with what you have.” We stared at each other as the room fell in silence. “Until Liam wakes up, I need you as my beta.”

I sat up, surprised.

“Jake and Aaron knows about this and has agreed already.” Siam says, “The four of us, we have a system. Liam and I are planners as Jake and Aaron are doers, that’s why we make a good team. But with one man short, we can’t move.”

“I don’t think that is fair-“

“Uncle Luke had given his blessing.” Siam cut me off again, “He had already stepped down as beta and had handed it to Liam, but for now he would be very please for you to step in for them.”

“But I have my pack to run, Siam.” I reminded him. “I am already planning of searching for Serenity, but I also have my responsibilities to the pack.”

“As I have to everyone of you.” he said. “I am taking over as the Alpha king of shifters, Alpha of my pack and the search for Serenity. I understand where you are coming from, and I thought that maybe if we can help each other out, then everything will be easier.”

I stared at him, thinking it over. I needed more men to search for Serenity, and I needed someone who can teach me of the cogs and screws of what’s behind of being Alpha. And who can teach me more than the king himself? He was born and raised to do this.

“I will do it in one condition.” I said.

“A condition?” he raised a brow.

“I don’t want you to make the same mistake as I did,” I said. “You need to mate Anna before we start with your Alpha responsibilities.” I grinned, “One of us needs to have someone to calm us, don’t you agree?”

He chuckled and nodded. “It’s what Serenity would have wanted.”

“It is.” I said standing up and reaching out my hand to him, “You have my word to be your beta until your real beta is up on his feet. You will have mine and my pack’s full support.”

He chook my hand. “Thank you, Alpha Johansen.”

I grinned, “Right back at you King Siam.”

He scrunched up his nose and whined at his new label making me laugh.

Later into the night, we had started planning our search for Serenity and it all begins with a meeting with the Alphas.