My Light in the Dark

Loss

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Damon's P.O.V

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The box fell from my hands and bounced when it hit the ground, spilling it's contents.

My mother's severed head rested on the snow. Pale, lifeless, green eyes stared up at the sky.

I fell to my knees in shock. This can't be real. My mother was supposed to be in Germany with the Council, and she had the top soldiers guarding her. This shouldn't have happened. How did this happen?

Loud cackling broke my trance. The wild woman was doubled over in laughter.

"It's her fault," my wolf snarled. "Make her pay."

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth as I fought my wolf. This is what they want. They want me to lash out.

"Aw, is the little Alpha upset," the woman cooed. "Are you going to go cry to mommy."

"Make her pay!"

I shifted suddenly. The woman's expression change just as fast. I lunged and tackled her in mid stride. She opened her mouth to scream, but my jaw closed around her throat and tore away flesh and muscle. I turned my heated gaze to her comrades.

They helped kill her. Take them out as well. Make their deaths as painful as possible.

I lunged, but something rammed into my side. I shot up and glared at a silver wolf with a white underbelly.

I let out a warning growl. Stand down, Luke.

Luke stood his ground. "You need to pull it together. Look at what you're doing."

I looked over at the woman's corpse. I thought I only took a chunk of her throat, but I had completely severed her head from her body. Large claw marks tore ribbons into her flesh. I took a step back in shock. Did I do that?

Luke's bark snapped me back to attention. "The enemies are fleeing. Your orders, Alpha."

"Go find them and bring them back alive," I ordered.

I turned and broke into a run. I didn't have a specific location in mind; I just needed to run.

I slowed to a stop, panting. My trek had led me to the southern border. I threw back my head let out a pained howl. It didn't matter how long or far I ran, reality would eventually catch up to me and would haunt me until I learned to accept it.

I turned around and made my way back to the pack house. A covered basket sat on the porch with a fresh set of clothes. I was still covered in the woman's blood, but a shower would have a to wait. I changed quickly and made my way to the holding cells which was located below ground. It wasn't big as we rarely kept prisoners for long.

"Did you learn anything?" I asked the nearest soldier who flinched at my appearance.

"Well, one won't talk, and one can't talk again. The one named Ed attacked Luke and three others when they tried to detain him. Luke received most of the injuries, but nothing life threatening. I know you wanted both of them alive, but we had we had to think of the safety of the others."

I nodded. So all that was left was the stubborn one who would likely rather die than provide us with any information. I still had to make an attempt.

I walked to the only occupied cell. Zeke lifted his head and gave me a smug smile. He rose and walked over to the bars.

"So, you finally arrived, Damon. I hope you don't mind me calling you that. You aren't my Alpha; therefore, I see no need to grace you with that title."

I gripped the iron bars that, luckily for him, separated us. He didn't even flinch. "I'll get to the point. Did you kill Victoria Masen?"

He tapped his head in mock thought. "Sorry. I don't anyone by that name."

"Don't play dumb. The woman's head in the box, did you kill her?"

"Oh, no, I would never dirty my hands with such a task. Our Luna prefers to do it herself."

"Who's your Luna?"

"Tsk, tsk, Damon. Have you never heard of loyalty."

I growled. "Your loyalty is digging your grave."

Zeke shrugged. "So be it." He leaned against the bars and smirked. "Who do you think will be next to die Damon? We killed that housekeeper, and now your mother. I hope you mate is next. I've seen her around and she's a pretty little human. Imagine her head in a box or some other body part for that matter. My Alpha doesn't like to do the same things twice. It doesn't have shock factor then."

I grabbed Zeke by his shirt and slammed his face into the bars. "Listen here and listen good. None of you will touch my mate. I'll hunt all of you down to assure that." I shoved him back and turned to the soldiers. "Kill him."

"Kill as many as you want, Damon," Zeke shouted. "You and I both know who's next. No amount of protection is going to save your mate."
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That night I couldn't sleep. Grisly images of the dead woman and Zeke's warning kept pounding my subconscious. Sometimes my mother's head would join in the mix. After every dream, I woke up in a cold sweat and every time I would look to my right to make sure Dani was still there.

"Can't sleep?"

The lamp on the right nightstand came to life. Dani rubbed the sleep from her eye and propped herself up on elbows. The yellow specks in her eyes brighten just like anytime she was curious.

"It's nothing," I sighed. "Just a bad dream."

She sat up fully now. "Why were you covered in blood, today?"

"Lie," my wolf urged. "What if she sees you as a monster for killing that woman."

No. I can't lie.

"I messed up today? I did something because I let my anger get the best of me."

"Damon, what happened?"

"I killed a woman, and I ordered her accomplice to be executed. You must think I'm a monster, right?"

"No, I don't."

"Why not? I killed someone Dani!" I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Do you understand that? I've ordered an execution before, but I've never killed someone so violently with my own hands. Does that not scare you?"

She shook her head. "You were angry and you let rage take over. I don't think it excused what you did, but I can't say that anyone would have acted any different. Everyone has a limit, and seeing your mother dead was the breaking point."

I dropped my hands from her shoulders. "Do you regret it?"

"Regret what?"

"Becoming my mate. You are a major target for enemies to hurt me. If I had left you alone, you could live everyday without having to look over your shoulder in fear."

She crossed her arms. "Do you not want to be my mate anymore?"

"I would never want that."

"Then stop asking questions like that. You beat up my friend and cheated on me, but I still came back. You think anything you do now will change the way I feel about you." She wrapped her arms around me and rested her head on my chest. "I love you, and I know you will protect me."

I set my chin on top of her head. "I will always protect my Little Fish."

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