Light on the Side of Darkness

Chapter 10 How Could You?

I was so happy my mate my other half was actually here, but what confused me was the fact that Cas was with him and he had a little sister who was an infant. I also smelt something on him that I couldn't quite place and what Kyle said was nagging at the back of my mind, go ask your pathetic excuse for a mate what's wrong. What did he mean by that? When we reached the camp Lilly squealed and launched into Cas's arms he shifted and caught her smiling in joy they kissed passionately, I felt Leon nudge me, "Sapphire we need to talk." I nodded and we walked away from the camp. I found a big rock over hanging a river we walked onto it and I sat and curled my tail around my my paws. He did the same and sighed heavily, "Sapp, I don't know how to tell you this, but Cas and I are the reason your parents are dead."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Cas and I are half brothers, our father is the leader of the hunters." He said softly.

"But how are you responsible?" I asked.

"The day I met you, my father said to take out the guards, so Cas and I did and we made sure to keep the gates and doors unlocked. He threatened to kill Rose and my mother." He whispered softly. I was shocked my parents are dead because of my mate. Leon shifted and reached a hand towards me I snarled and pulled away, "Don't touch me right now I need to be alone." I stood and turned around and ran.

"Sapphire wait!" Leon yelled. I ignored him and pushed harder digging my claws deep into the dirt normally cats can't cry but my heart was so broken tears poured down my cheeks wetting my fur and pressing it against my skull. I couldn't believe it my mate the person who was suppose to bring me only happiness took it away from me. I stopped when I ran to a cliff. I skid to a halt, I curled into a ball and looked out over the edge, for miles all that could be were beautiful pine trees a river snaked through it I sighed, how could this have happened. I heard a sound in the bush, I turned around my ears flicked forward, "It's just me Sapphire," I voice said. Kyle emerged from the bushes he shifted and handed me a simple dress I shifted and slipped it on. He held out his arms and I fell into them sobbing he rubbed my back soothingly, "It'll all be ok Sapp."

"How Kyle? I've lost my parents and my kingdom, I just found out my mate is the reason why all this is happening, I'm about to declare war on the hunters. This is anything but ok." I sobbed.

He didn't say anything he just held me while I cried into his chest.

*Several hours later*

I pulled away from him, "Thank you Kyle. I needed that."

He wiped away the last few tears, "That's what friends are for, Sapphire talk to Leon he needs you just as much as you need him." He stood up pulling me with him, "Come lets go back to camp so we can prepare the battle plans."

I sighed, "Kyle what happened to you while you were prisoner you told us the general idea but not the whole thing."

"I spent many hours in his lesson room as he liked to call it, most of the time he would you leather for the whips and steel for the metal, but I was a reptile and we all know how hard it is to catch us, so he decided to try experiments on me to see what made us so special, when I was six he dragged me out of my box and chained me to the wall he asked me what made our kind so special I didn't answer instead I remained silent that's when he pulled out the knife, he told me to tell him and again I stayed quiet. He got angry and drove the knife into my calf and dragged it down, he did this over and over again I screamed for countless hours while this happened I finally passed out from the pain and when I awoke again I was in my own puddle of blood, my body couldn't heal quickly because he used silver so I had to stay still while my body knit itself back together. It is more painful then normal because my body was fighting off the poisons. It is the hardest thing your body will endure. Over the years he learned how to make cigarettes that had silver threads laced through it, the belt he used a pure silver, I was beat daily, most of the time it took days to heal because I was barely fed and my body needed fuel." Kyle looked down tears trailing down his cheeks. I grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug he buried his head into my hair I felt tears trickling down my scalp, I couldn't imagine the enduring what Kyle did. I pulled away and grabbed Kyle's face, "Kyle you can't let that control your life you are a strong shifter who lived through all that, I'm proud of you for being able to live through that."

He leaned into my hand, "And your mate could've helped me, I saw him help other shifters, but he would walk past my cage just because I was a reptile and it was easier to heal as a serpent."

I pulled him close as tears began to trail down my cheeks once again. He sobbed for a little then I felt him stop he pulled away his eyes puffy and swollen from crying. He shifted into him mamba and I slipped off my dress and shifted into my leopard, and together we headed back to camp. As soon as we got back Lilly hugged me, "Sapphire, Cas told me everything are you alright?"

I shook my head and walked to Kyle's tent, I grabbed by bag in my mouth and walked behind a flap and shifted I slipped on some clothes and walked out. Lilly, Justin, Muse and Kyle were already waiting for me, "Alright we need to go back to avian territory to get your uncles warriors, then we'll move to my territory and find the rest of the felines."

They all nodded, "Sapphire, Muse and I were thinking what if we go get the avians while you guys go to your territory," Justin said

"That would work except I have to have the same ceremony done, with the avians." I replied.

Lilly looked at me, "Muse and Justin can go with you I'll go with Kyle and we can do more."

I nodded, then sighed, "What about Leon and Cas?"

"They can come, but they can't know the details of the plan we don't know what that monster did to them." Lilly replied. We all stood up and went to get ready for the war that was coming.