Titan

20

I look over the training field. I've missed this. When Emily and I took Willow home she sent me off. I think being together 24-7 has begun to irritate my little mate. She told me to go train the warriors and I can't tell you how much I've missed the smell of sweaty men. I know weird but I kinda just want to fight someone. I want to work and feel like I'm doing something.

"My brother!" Charlie yells running up to me. "Come to see how much better I am at training the men?"

"You wish! I outranked you at ten and I still outrank you. Show some respect pup!" I joke. He growls playfully.

"All mighty Gamma! My apologies." He gives a bow. "If your tight wad training is so obviously better than mine spar with me. That is if you aren't scared. You haven't been Titan for a while. Can Asher fight as well?"

"Still a clown Anhur. Yea I can still take you. Bring it on!" I grin and Charlie jumps up on the platform.

"Gather round children!" He yells with his arms in the air spinning around like a circuses showman. "I'm gonna put our wonderful Gamma to shame!" He announces taking off his shirt. "Bring it on brother!" He jumps off the platform ready to fight.

All the men circle around us as we fight. I can hear them murmuring as we dodge blows shifting back and forth at incredible speed. Anhur was always the fastest of us. I can tell that all the men have stopped training to watch us. Guess its demonstration day. I haven't had this good of a fight in a while.

"You're going soft on me brother!" Charlie taunts. "Before you mated my cousin you would have had me pinned in half the time! What?! Being a father make you flabby? You're slowing down!"

"Don't whine to me because you can't keep a girl, Charlie." I respond. "You haven't taken me down in your life and that won't change today!"

Something catches my eye behind Charlie and I freeze. My fists drop and he clocks me in the jaw. I keep my gaze locked on the tree line past the mob of men all watching the two of us fight.

"You givin' up Titan?" Charlie asks smiling until he sees the look on my face. "What's up Captain?"

"Tree line, movement." I say and he turns around just as an army storms out from the trees.

"Hunters!" I yell through the pack link.

"Alpha squad East Bravo west Charlie, Delta charge through the center. Don't let them get to the safe house." I quickly direct "elite squad on me were gonna find the Commander." Soon every able bodied wolf is fighting. I conveniently left Emily out of the link. No way is she able to fight right now and honestly I don't want her here. I want her safely oblivious to what's going on as she cuddles our pup.

All I can hear is gunshots and growls as the battle begins. I take the strongest men to hunt down the commander. If he is gone these green wannabe soldiers will crumble. All of the sudden the fighting stops as a voice rings out.

"Enough!" A voice I grew up hearing booms... Aries.

"Aries my boy! I thought you were on my side. Imagine my surprise when your bunk was empty. You disappoint me son. Just like your brothers." The Commander steps out in front of his men. There he is. Now to kill him. I start to make my way to him when Aries speaks again.

"Father, I was just getting us some leverage. The leader's daughter and Titan's girlfriend. Can't get a better bargaining chip." He pulls Emily forward and I growl. No! Not her!

"Let go of me you brute!" I hear her scream and I charge forward only to have Charlie stop me.

"He'll kill her." He whispers.

"Aries how could you!?" I scream.

"Emanuel!" I see Alpha Samuel step forward. This is not how I wanted him to see his son again.

"Father think about it. With her in our possession they will surrender." Aries tells the commander. "We can end this war with much fewer casualties. It took long enough to gather this many men. I'd rather not lose any more. I've already lost my brothers." That hurt. I wish Aries understood but taking Emily means he is truly gone.

"Don't do this Aries!" I yell hoping some shred of my brother still cares for me.

"He's on our side Ash. I'll be in your arms soon." I hear my mate's voice in my mind. Aries! That sly dog! He's trying to get close to the Commander! I give a slight nod and try to distract the Commander and give Aries an opening.

"We won't give up so easily Commander. My brother is nuts no way we stand down so easily!" I yell and he looks at me.

"I had such high hopes for you Titan. You were my favorite. Then to be taken down by a woman. She is beautiful I'll give you that. Bring her here Aries." He commands.

I watch Aries take my mate to the devil himself. When he makes his move the old man was expecting it. He dodges Aries and grabs Emily.

"I'm truly disappointed, Aries. You think I'm that stupid? You did get me the girl tho so you have my thanks." The Commander chuckles.

"Let her go!" Aries yells. "Haven't you caused enough harm? You kidnapped us! You tortured us! Brain washed us! You made us feel like monsters then you killed Odin! Titan was right. Let her go she is not part of this. Fight me and leave her out of this you coward!"

"You are a monster son. That will always be true... as for the girl? You're right. She is a monster too. She is of no use to me alive." He says and I hear a bang.

I feel pain in my chest as I watch red cover Emily's shirt. It feels as tho my heart is being ripped from my chest.

"Nooooo!" I yell charging at them. Just as I reach the man I once called Father Aries comes from behind him grabbing his arms. I plunge my partially shifted hand into his chest and tear out what little heart he had.

"Kill them all!" I roar and my men jump into action. Without the commander the hunters crumble.

I drop to my mate's side and hold her close to me. No sparks light up my skin. No life is left in her as I cry over her body.

"I was supposed to die in this war not you!" I sob.

"I'm sorry brother. I wanted to talk to you before Father came. If I would have known..." Aries starts but I cut him off.

"I know. Emily linked me that you were on our side. You did your best. Its not your fault." I tell him not looking away from my mate. I can't blame him. He tried to save us all. This is on the commander and he is dead.

But its also on me. If I would have left her alone Aries wouldn't have gone to our house and found Emily. The commander wouldn't have gotten her and she would be alive. Maybe my first plan was right. Maybe I should just kill myself. I've caused nothing but pain. Everyone would be better if...

"Stop it right now!" I hear a command causing me to look up and see my mate's father, my king. "I know where your mind is going son and it's not good. It's not true. You have a family now that would be broken if you do what you are thinking."

"It's all my fault." I say lowering my head.

"You have a pup. Would Emily want you to abandon her daughter? Does Willow deserve to lose her mother and father only days after her birth?" He asks.

"Willow!" I snap my head up to look at him. "Where's my pup?"

"Bella has her. She went as soon as you announced the hunters. My mate knew you'd try and keep Emily out of it and went to take her and Willow to the safe house."

"Thank you Alpha." I say breathing a sigh of relief.

"Please Asher. You're my son. I think you need a Dad more than an Alpha right now." He says sitting on the ground next to me. He puts one arm around me and holds his daughter's lifeless hand in his other hand. "My baby girl." He whispers as a tear falls down his cheek.

"I don't know what to do Dad." I say so softly I don't know if it was audible.

"We live and we remember. We live on for her and make sure Willow knows her mother. It's all we can do." He says and we just sit there feeling the heat drain from her body.

Gone.... she's gone.