37. Rule #37 Family Sticks Together

Rule #37: Family Sticks Together

Zoe

I threw my hands up, pouring all my power into the barrier spell I erected around the house. A shadow bolt came flying toward the house and it hit the forcefield I had put up. I raced down the stairs, following my friends to the lower level of the house. I wobbled on the staircase as another shadow bolt rattled against the barrier, righting myself as I reached the bottom step. My family had congregated in the bay window of the living room, taking in the scene outside. Benjamin stood there with Selena at his side. That stupid fucking ring still on her finger. The rest of their pack fanned out behind them.

"I didn't buy her that," Daniel growled, sensing my irritation.

"I know," I replied. "You'd never pick something that gaudy."

"Damn straight," he replied, his large hand coming to rest on the small of my back. His touch alone calmed me down.

"Is that Marcus, Agatha and Katie?" Lewis asked in disbelief.

"They have some fucking nerve," Rory seethed .

Marcus threw another shadow bolt at the house, but it ricocheted off the barrier.

"What are we going to do?" Lexi asked.

"Defend our home," I said. "The wolves haven't shifted so they shouldn't be as deadly, but if they do…"

I spun around and ran to the library. I made for the cupboard that stood in the far corner where I kept all my potions. I grabbed the wolfsbane and was about to go back to the living room when the rest of them filed in. Handing Lewis the potion, I said, "Drink up. You don't get to die today."

He unstoppered the vial and tossed it back without argument. "Do you have any weapons here?"

"What kind of a shit question is that? In the trunk at the foot of my bed. I think the gun Amelia gave me is in there too."

"Good," he said before he sprinted out of there.

"We can't take on a pack of wolves," Rory murmured.

A sly smile crept onto my face as I held up my hand, electricity crackling between them. "Oh, but you forgot. I have a coven again, and I'm at full power. Marcus is a mediocre offensive witch at best, he always relied on someone stronger than him. I'd watch out for Agatha, I trained her, but Katie's speciality is dreamcasting and premonition. They're probably going to use the wolves as a shield."

Lewis strode back into the library, armed to the teeth. He had two katanas strapped across his back, a dagger on each thigh and was checking the clip of the SIG Sauer before handing it to me.

"You keep it. I'm good with some daggers," I said as he handed me a few along with a crossbody bandolier. I looked up at my friends, my family. "Ready?"

Rory's fangs shot out. "Ready."

"Ready," Daniel and Lewis echoed .

"What do you want me to do?" Lexi asked.

"Chaos, my little ghostie. Chaos," I said. I turned to my other best friend. "Rory, you're with me. Lewis, with Dan. Don't let him die," I said, pointing a finger at my bond mate. Daniel grabbed me by the back of my neck, pulling me to him and kissing me like we didn't have an audience.

"Gross," Lewis said. "I'll be fine."

Daniel laid his forehead against mine. "He'll be fine."

"Okay, Rory and I will go out the front. The two of you out back and bring up the rear." I turned to Lexi. "If they get inside for some reason, give them hell. But it shouldn't come to that."

Everyone dispersed and Rory and I made for the front door. I took a deep breath and put on a dazzling smile as I swung it open. Stepping on to the porch, I scanned our front garden where I noticed that there weren't as many wolves as I initially thought. Maybe ten others. They thought we were weak. Well, they were in for one hell of a surprise.

"I'm sorry, we're all stocked up on Girl Scout cookies," I called out.

"Although if you have any Thin Mints, we are running out of those!" Rory added.

I looked over at her with a smile. "Oh, yes. We do go through those quite fast."

A deep growl echoed through the wolves in our garden.

"So, if you don't have any cookies, I'd suggest you get the fuck off our property. You get one warning."

"One warning or else what?" Marcus spat, fury and venom in his eyes. Agatha and Katie stood behind him, looking unsure. They didn't want to be here.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Marcus? I mean, I knew you didn't want me as part of the coven anymore, but fuck, what did I do to make you hate me? "

"We don't hate you," Katie answered.

"Yeah," Agatha echoed, pulling on Marcus's arm. "This isn't our fight."

He shook her off. "Shut the fuck up. You never know when to hold your tongue."

Anger brimmed through me. "Don't talk to her like that!"

Yes, they had kicked me out, but Marcus had manipulated them. And apparently I had learned a little something about forgiveness recently.

"I'm her coven leader. I'll talk to her how I want to and she will follow my damn orders."

He was insane. I could see it in his eyes. Power had gone to his head and he hated that he hadn't destroyed me. That not only was I standing, but I was thriving.

"You're not in the position to be making demands," Benjamin growled, pulling my attention back to our other little problem.

"Seems you're very fond of making demands. Ben," I said. "You have ten seconds to clear out and then I'm not responsible for whatever happens to anyone here. You dare come to our home and threaten my family?" Anger seeped into my words, though I kept my voice cold.

"We came here for the wolf. Give him to us and we'll leave you be," Benjamin said.

"You can't fucking have him."

The dark gray clouds that had been looming on the horizon rushed in. I held up my right hand to the sky, curling my fingers toward my palm. "I warned you," I said in a low voice. I called to the heavens and several bolts of lightning struck down, incapacitating five of the wolves. Not enough to kill them, but they wouldn't be waking up for a while. Unfortunately, while I summoned the lightning, Marcus had seen his opening and brought down my protection spell around the house .

Rory zipped over to him, punching him in the face and he crumpled to the ground. But he jumped to his feet, wiping the blood from his nose on the back of his hand. Agatha froze Rory in place.

"Marcus. Please let's just leave. This isn't our fight!" she begged.

I jumped down the four steps leading to the garden and ran for Rory, but something or someone knocked me off course. The back of my head hit the ground and my teeth clattered. Blood filled my mouth. I felt Daniel's concern through the bond but I couldn't concentrate on that now. Because currently, a blonde werewolf bitch was straddling my chest and holding me by my throat.

"He's mine," she hissed into my face.

"Sure about that?" I asked, tilting my head.

Her gaze narrowed on my neck where it met my shoulder. "What the fuck is that?" she hissed.

"You know exactly what that is."

"He bonded you?" she screamed, spit flying into my face. Her grip on my throat tightened and that was just about enough of that. I jerked my hips up, twisting to the side and flipping her off me. Jumping to my feet, I roundhouse kicked her in the face as she came running for me. Even though she had incredible strength, Selena didn't know how to fight and fell to the ground, howling in pain. Shouts came from behind me and I whipped around to see Lewis cutting through the wolves to get to Rory. Marcus must have done something to Agatha, because she lay limp on the floor and he had Rory immobilized, hanging in the air.

Katie was having a small mental breakdown trying to wake Agatha up. Fuck, I hoped she wasn't dead.

"Rory!" Lewis screamed as he fought off two wolves at once.

A movement from behind me caught my attention and I ducked down, throwing a right hook as I spun around and connected with Selena's midsection. It put some distance between us but it didn't hold her down for long. Unluckily for her, I had business with this bitch and I was itching for a fight. Selena lunged at me. I aimed a push kick to her stomach followed by a left jab to her face. She bared her bloody teeth at me and tried to shift, but I wasn't going to let her. I dealt a series of blows to her body and face that she didn't know how to block. Then I swept her off her feet. Literally. She fell on her back and this time it was me straddling her, by her hips this time so she couldn't move. Pinning her arms beside her head, I brought my face down to hers.

"He's mine. And I'm his. I won't tell you again, back the fuck up off of him. I'll let you live this time, but come for what's mine again and I'll make your death fucking painful."

I placed my hand on her forehead and muttered, " Somnum ", placing her in a deep sleep. I spun around to take in the scene and my heart jumped to my throat.