50. Vander

Chapter fifty

Vander

*VANDER*

T he moment I knew Léna was safe, I headed out of the council building and took a taxi to my old pack. Arden will be pissed, I know he will be, and I feel sorry for going directly against his orders and my promise to him, but I'm just so angry. Léna got hurt because of Dad, just because of him. Arden is a horrible liar, and I knew something was off. Putting two and two together wasn't that difficult. Of course it was Dad who was involved. Who else could have done it?

How could he do this? How could he sell off Léna and Coralie? They did nothing to him, they did nothing wrong, and they certainly didn't deserve this. Fuck, Léna is my girlfriend. He knows she is with me. He knows I like her.

How could he do that!?

Dad, how could you?

Does he hate me so much? He has so much hatred in him against us, and I don't get why. Arden never did anything to him. He always was diligent and brave and the perfect son and brother, yet it was never enough.

I know I was stupid for still hoping to have a relationship with him. When he attacked Arden and basically kicked us out of the pack, I still held onto the belief that maybe we could all reconcile. We could all become a family again, like before Mom died. Everything is changing so fast. I don't even know where my home is anymore. How am I supposed to move past this?

Dad's been out of control for so many years, and no one tried to stop him. No one made a real attempt to protect Arden or me. Beta Jules did try to help us occasionally, but he never truly stood up against Dad. Only Arden ever tried to.

I don't know why this makes me so angry. It's not Beta Jules's fault, yet I just feel like I want to punch him—him and the other ranked members.

The taxi leaves me at the pack border, the driver thinking I'm just going for a hike. Fortunately, most people don't ask a lot of questions. Once I'm on my own, I run down the path leading me to the pack.

"DAD!" I yell while I approach the pack house, not stopping for the people looking at me. A couple of them call out to me. They haven't seen me in a while and don't know of the shitshow that went down here not so long ago. Yet, I can't focus on anything else but the man standing in front of the pack house. "It was you!" I snarl when I reach him and Beta Jules.

Dad raises his gaze, clearly annoyed to see me. "What is this about?" he huffs.

"Léna, Coralie, Juliet!" I yell. "You sold them out to this psycho, to abduct them."

"Don't be silly," Beta Jules says before Dad can say anything. "The alpha would never do that."

"Don't worry," I hiss. "It's not like I expected any form of backbone from you."

Beta Jules winces, clearly looking shocked by my words. I have no desire to talk to him, though. He is a coward, but I am not here for him. I'm here for my father. "Juliet was a valuable member of the pack. She had a mate and a child, yet it mattered nothing to you," I blurt out. "Léna and Coralie were completely innocent girls. I just can't believe it! Why? Why!? The guy you sold them to is a fucking psychopath!" Dad stays quiet. "Answer me!" I yell.

I can feel more and more pack members approaching us as they hear the commotion. I can make out Léna's father in the crowd. He is one of our elite warriors and looks incredibly upset. "Is that true, Vander?" he asks quietly.

"Is it?" I turn to Dad. "It is, isn't it?"

"Alpha," Beta Jules mutters. "But… what… no!"

The voices around me get louder, the pack members clearly in disbelief. I can see Juliet's mate suddenly running towards the crowd, the grief and anger vivid in him. "How could you!?" he screams.

Léna's dad catches him before he can attack my father, holding him back. "Don't, Nicolas," he says. "Please! He will just kill you."

Dad's hands ball into fists, his aura slowly expanding. Fuck, I didn't count on that. That's probably why Arden didn't want to face him yet. He wanted to do it with an actual team of backup warriors. I'm just too stupid. What if he is going to lash out against the pack now!?

However, there is no chance for him to do anything, because sirens erupt all of a sudden, making us all spin around.

Beta Jules's eyes gloss over. "An attack!" he yells. "They are coming from both sides of the borders! Everyone, this has to wait!"

The crowd panics, running in different directions while Jules tries to keep them together and gives orders about how to defend ourselves. No one knows what's happening or who is even attacking, until the first wolves start running towards us.

"Pierre!" Jules calls out towards Léna's father. "Please, I need your help."

Pierre looks at me. "Vander," he says. "Is Léna safe?"

"Yes," I tell him. "Arden found her and Coralie."

"Good," he mutters before turning towards Jules. "I will help you for the pack, but then I demand justice."

"You shall receive it," Jules says. "I promise."

I spin around, watching more and more wolves pour into the pack, towards us while our pack members run around in panic. It looks like a strategic attack. Jules and Pierre are slowly gaining control though, having their warriors fight back and at the same time trying to protect the minors and those who can't fight.

My father has finally joined the fight, too, at least he is doing something right.

"Get them to the shelter, Vander," Jules yells towards me.

Finally, something to do. I jump directly into action, dashing towards a group of pregnant she-wolves to usher them to safety. A loud sound can be heard, and something brushes past me. I can barely react before it happens again.

"Get down!" one of the warriors yells. "They have weapons with silver bullets."

Left and right, I can see pack members dropping to the ground, clenching their chests or shoulders, wherever the bullets hit. There is a group of small children nearby, anxiously cowering against the wall. "Get down," I call as while I sprint towards them, throwing myself over them just in time.

A sharp pain shoots through my body, and then another one. I try to get up, but my body won't listen to me. I can just hear the children crying and people around me panicking. Then, there are yells coming from all sides.

"Warriors from the Council," Jules yells. "Thank the Goddess."

"Vander," Léna's mom rushes towards me with a nurse at her side. "You were hit!"

"Léna is alright," I mutter.

"I know, I know," she reassures me, carefully turning me to lie on my back.

My view is blurred, but I can see more and more lycans approaching. The shooting has stopped, and the sounds are replaced with growls now.

I don't see him approaching, but I feel his presence. "Vander!"

Arden drops down to his knees next to me, touching my chest. "Fuck, you're hurt."

"Arden, you're here."

"Came immediately when I heard that you were here," he says. "Don't move too much."

He steadies me while the nurse and a doctor start to work on me. I barely notice what they are doing. Tiredness and darkness seem to overflow me.

"Arden…"

"Yes, I'm here," he reassures me. "I'm here."

I feel another presence approaching. To my surprise it's Dad. His eyes are wide in fear and horror. "Vander," he whispers. "Goddess… I…"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence because Arden jumps up his feet and hits him so hard that it sends him flying to the ground. "This is your fault," Arden yells. "It's all your fault!"

"Arden," I mutter, making him spin around to look at him. I reach out my hand. "Don't leave," I whisper. "Arden."

Arden takes my hand and steadies my head. "I will never leave you."

I swallow thickly, feeling how it's more and more difficult to talk. "I'm sorry for not listening to you. Are you mad at me?"

Tears fill his eyes. "No, I'm not mad."

"You promise?"

He nods. "I could never be mad at you."

He is a terrible liar, so I know he is telling the truth. Relief fills me, and I close my eyes, feeling exhaustion overcome me. Arden's hand is on my cheek, smacking it. "Look at me," he begs. "Talk to me, Vander."

He pulls me up so that I rest against his chest. "You were the best brother," I say quietly. "I love you."

"I love you too, little brother."