Damnatus

Chapter Twenty Four

  ❝Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.❞
― William Shakespeare  

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. The Difference Between Men and Monsters.

Jake's younger brother, Terry, was what you called different--the outcast of Jake's family. He was quiet, went to school and read books most of the time. He also didn't approve of his family's activities. He'd tried everything to convince them to quit hunting. But nothing stopped them. The Wards have been hunting werewolves way before he was even born. It ran through their veins.

Yet he couldn't help but try to knock some sense into his older brother. "You know this is war right? Each of his werewolves are sacred. Specially him. The moment we laid hands on that werewolf and killed him--"

Jake's eyes flared as he grabbed a dagger and put it by his belt. "You think I don't know that? That's exactly what I want. War. Werewolves have been roaming this earth for too long--especially Roman's pack."

"He's your best friend's soul mate." And he's going through enough already having to lose her in such brutal deaths.

Something flickered in his gaze but he masked it with anger. "She stopped being my best friend the moment I realized she was the cause of Roman's wrath and strength."

Terry threw his arms up incredulously. "It's Ivory for God's sake! You'll ruin her. She'll never forgive you!"

That snapped something in Jake. He stalked toward Terry, outrageous fury evident in his face. "She's already ruined enough! Why are you defending him? Werewolves are a disgrace, Terry. They're violent mutations that feed on human and animal meat--they left grandpa in pieces. As if he was bread and what was left of his arms and legs were mere crumbs!"

Terry fought the urge to cringe. "Those were rogues, Jake--"

"No! That's what Dad wants us to think. It was Roman and his pack. I know it and they know it." Terry could see the agitation in his face, in his hands. He smiled a little as he stepped back, the pain evident in his eyes. "They all need to die. Every single one of them. Even the little panther. She's the worst."

Terry remembered the dark haired girl that saved his life by pushing him off the street to avoid being ran over by a truck. Bright big, innocent hazel eyes had looked at him with annoyance. "She bit Tyler's ear off."

Jake nodded and ran both of his hands through his hair. "And peeled Monica's nails off her fingers with her teeth when Monica had scratched her face. And you're telling me not to kill them?"

Terry stared at his brother. "She saved my life." He said, trying to push away the image of Monica's bloody fingers and screams.

Terry glimpsed the surprised look on his brother for only a second. "Who? The cat?"

"Yeah. I few months ago when I was crossing the street, a truck was coming and she pushed me out of the way." Before Jake could ask he added, "I was distracted watching a video on my phone."

He was quiet for a moment, then said, "You think she did it out of the goodness of her heart?" His tone was harsh, laced with something else.

Terry shrugged and didn't say anything.

There was an amused look on his face. "I think it was pity." Then he opened the door of his room and left.

The words hurt Terry probably more than they should have.

--

"Is she all set to go?" Mara asked the nurse in exasperation for the fifth time in the past hour.