Betrothed

Chapter 25: An Axe of Flowers

Willow

Something had leapt up over the top of me as I laid on the ground still with Ash who was by my side still in his wolf form. The black wolf then stood in wolf form below my feet as I slowly started to roll over but before I could Ash was standing over top of me trying to protect me from my controlling twin brother that has only just been introduced into my life. Ash and Romellow share a history which makes the new knowledge of Ash and I being true mates very upsetting to controlling Romellow. Romellow and Arashnic growled loudly. I couldn't move the adrenaline from the marking was wearing off and did not feel very good at the moment. I was losing too much blood for someone that had little recovery from anything lately. I started pulling grass from the ground near me and sticking it to my mark trying to coat the blood to get it to stop bleeding tremendously. Romellow was getting closer to Ash and I and started snarling with drool just rushing out of his mouth almost as if he was rabid. I could imagine that outcome it would explain Romellow's erratic behavior. I got done sticking my wound with grass and rolled back onto my back. "Ash, I can-t losing too much blood." I called out to Ash into the mind link before blacking out. 

Arashnic

"Willow, stay with me! Please!" I shouted back into the mind link as my growling grew louder in frustration towards Romellow. Romellow kept pushing himself closer to us, but it was when he lunged forward that I jumped at him grabbing his throat as we collided in the air. We landed to the diagonal side of Willow. I clenched my teeth as far into Romellow's neck as I could knowing that the only way this tyranny would end was with him dead. His parents were supposed to end him before he could become this damaged controlling ex-alpha Royal bloodline heir to the Glisten pack. Romellow would no longer control me or Willow or anyone else for that matter. I am sick of standing by him as he destroys the people that I love and care about. No matter our history together I am willing to end it all and keep the few good moments as a memory. Romellow squirmed beneath my grip causing me to give a quick tug clenching my jaw more. I could feel his breathing slow. I released my grip and watched as his weak wolf retreated causing him to change back into his vulnerable human form. 

He lay there with puncture wounds holding his hands to his neck gasping. "How could you, Arashnic? You were supposed to be my pack brother and grow Optimus into the biggest pack to overthrow the royal bloodlines for good alongside me. Now you are marked my sister though she already has a true mate that I have hidden away by the way. I told you to stay away from her! This is how you repay me?" Romellow said weakly. "They'll kill him now!" Romellow gasped a huge gasp and then his chest fell one last time. He was gone. I hoped what he said was not true for Willow and Brayden's sake and mine as well. 

I quickly gathered myself knowing what I had just done was slaughter my so-called friend to protect everyone and my pack alongside my true mate's protection. I grabbed Romellow's limp body with my teeth pulling on his feet dragging him into the field of flowers. I let go of his body and started digging a hole big enough to give Romellow a proper burial. He might have gone rabid, but he was not always a bad guy he just had a really hard life. Romellow's obsessions were his downfall. 

I buried Romellow in the hole I dug. After I covered the hole back up and made it into a nice-looking mound, I carried some of the flowers that had gotten thrown out of their spot in the field and laid it on the mound. I knew Romellow would not get a proper funeral service being who he was but as one of the only people that ever knew him when he was a good person, I felt the need to honor him. I mourned the loss of my friend who he once was before his obsessions made him go rabid. 

After I was done saying my goodbyes, I heard a loud noise from behind the tree that still had Brayden's shirt nailed to it. I knew Romellow was behind the message with Brayden's shirt with the message of "time is running out" on it. I was worried about Willow, but I knew she would be okay for a moment longer until I figured out what the noise was coming from behind the tree. I approached it slowly. I was still in my wolf form, so I knew that I was being stealthy as I have trained a lot to keep up with my alpha status. I sniffed the air around me as I stalked toward the tree. 

Then I heard a low growl, and something hit me hard. I started growling at the silvery but mostly black colored wolf. I could tell I have never met this wolf before and with the hints of color in his fur meant he was of royal blood or of alpha lineage. The two meanings are similar as it usually means to be aware of the wolf of higher status, but I too come from alpha lineage, so it is a fair fight. I felt myself getting pinned by this silvery black wolf and I rolled to get away from his full pin as he was only a quarter of the way finished with the job. As I rolled, I thought of Willow helpless as I thought that this would have not taken too long. 

"Willow, if you can hear me, I need you to wake up! Please!" I begged Willow through the mind link. The wolf got agitated that I had dodged his pin and I got up onto my feet to stand my ground. I faced the wolf head on as I stood my ground with Willow behind me there was no way he would get past me to even get a glimpse of her. I growled loudly at the wolf as he stood there snarling at me. I pawed at the ground and showed him that I meant business. 

The wolf took a deep breath and as soon as he released it, he shifted to his human form. 

His hair was shorter and lighter than mine. He stood taller than me but not by much, as I stand tall at six foot one. I wondered who he was and was slowly realizing when I saw the scrapes and bruises all over his naked body. This must be the famous Brayden. I shifted back to my human form. "Give me a second before we do introductions." I told Brayden. I then went over to the bush nearby where I knew that I used to hide clothes as a teenager and grabbed the black duffle bag. I pulled out two pairs of shorts and threw on a blue pair myself and immediately threw him a red pair of shorts over my shoulder. "There we go. I hope that is comfortable enough as that is all I have at the time being."

We stood there in the brink of the field of flowers and both of us wearing shorts and no top just puzzled. I then remembered I was supposed to check on Willow. I had been too shocked to see a beaten-up Brayden who would have killed me if it weren't for her scent I assume. I turned my back to Brayden and started running to Willow who was still unconscious in the grass. I went to check her wound and noticed it had stopped bleeding when I was pulled backwards. "What are you doing?" I yelled at him while he dragged me backwards away from Willow making me beyond mad. "I need to help her she needs to wake up." I begged him but he kept dragging me until he finally stopped and looked me dead in the eyes.

Brayden stood over me only scowling at me and so fuming mad that his eyes were looking into my soul. "She is mine! So, get lost Optimus scum!" Brayden yelled at me agitated he had balled his hands into fists.

"She is not just yours, Brayden!" I growled at him irritated as he kept me from my mate, our mate that needed help. Then his fist collided with my face and the world fell dark.

Willow

I slowly came out of it and when I finally managed to flutter my eyes open, I was laying in the same spot as before except this time the air smelled of blood. I quickly tried to sit myself up which ended up being of moderate or slow pace as I was dizzy. I looked around for Ash and found nothing. Where the hell did, he go? I slowly gathered myself so I could stand up. I slowly stood to see a pile of blood not far from where I laid. Please do not tell me that Romellow hurt or killed Ash. I could not take any more bad news. My world has already collapsed on more than one occasion lately with my draw of bad luck. "Ash?" I called out weakly. I walked slowly looking for drops of blood that would lead me to whoever was injured or worse. I found a drop and continued following the trail as I started to look up ahead of the last drop I seen. The field of flowers caressed a beautiful view. I heard something from within it. "Arashnic?" I walked slowly continuing forward as I felt the weary feeling of uncertainty creeping over me. I see a hole that just had been dug with paw marks all around the dug and buried mound of dirt and pulled flowers. What was this? It was then that I heard something from behind me. I whipped around with my right hook swinging and made contact with skin. His eyes were pure goodness and my heart dropped.