The Power Within

Chapter Twenty Three

Walking into the opening, I felt the storm brewing inside me. I don't know how to explain it, but something was not right and Cassandra knew it too. We both were watching all sides. I did not know who was where, which is probably due to the witches hiding scents. Smart idea. Sometimes it is hard to believe that the past eight months have been leading up to this moment. This very moment is here and I do not know if I am ready for this. How can I be the person to save my race, a race that I did not even know I was until eight months ago, because I had never shifted until that moment?

Looking around I see the people that have stood beside me for months and have believed in me every step of the way. Alpha James that has taught me to fight and trusted me to use my powers and kept that secret from everyone, until the time came that we needed to tell them. He has been more of a father to me than my own father. Pat and Thomas have been the brothers that I have always wanted. They helped me train and helped me find my way. Derek; my mate, my love, my everything. He is the person that I have always believed in me when he did not even know me. I am not sure why they would all risk their lives for me, but here we are, and we are ready for this fight.

I hear the leaves crunch in-front of me, and so does everyone else. I still cannot see who is there, but I know it is more than one person. It was the calm moment before the storm. We all knew what was coming, but we did not know how bad it was going to be. I knew we could not let them win.

Everything was at a standstill for a moments before the first person walked through the clearing. I knew who is was before he even made his whole body present. His scent wasn't being covered, and that was to let me know who wanted me scared. My father. The man who thought he could control me and bring me down, was here to scare me into submission. Little did he know that I was not the same person I was when I left that house?

"Oh Hailey," he called. "It is time you come out and stop these little games," he said with a snarl.

Knowing this is the final time I will be able to stand up to the people that brought me down and abused me for years. The people that were supposed to protect me and show me love are here trying to take me back for their own gain. I won't do it, I can't do it. I would rather die than to give them what they wanted.

I felt Cassandra unease when I thought that, but we both knew it was the truth. I couldn't let them have their missing piece.

Walking out from the bushes, Derek looked at me with a warning but I kept going. I will not show fear and I will not hide anymore. They need to see who I have become, not who they think I am.

I didn't need to say anything to Cassandra. She felt the same as I. We both knew this is going to be the battle to the death, and hopefully we make it out.

"Ah, there she is," said my father. "I see you have finally found your wolf. Daddy is proud." I growled at his statement which made him flinch, slightly, but still a flinch. He has no idea what I am capable of, but he will find out.

"Why don't you shift back so we can talk?" he requested. I only bared my teeth at this. "Ah, I see you are going to be stubborn about this." He started to walk forward then stopped. He knows that even if he shifted we will not be able to communicate.

I heard the shift behind me, but I didn't need to look to know that Derek was walking up beside me to communicate for me.

"You can speak to me," Derek stated loud and sternly. He being an alpha meant my father had no way to out command him or beat him. My father knew this, now.

"Well, well, well," my father snarled. "Looks like you found some new friends Hailey. Let's just end this now and you come with us. It will save you all."

Cassandra answered for us all with a growl. One thing neither of us like to be told what to do by him. Clearly this did not sit well with my father. Before I knew what was happening Derek was on the ground grunting in pain.

I could feel the pain coursing through me and all I could hear was roaring in my ears. My skin was on fire from the rage that was coming from me. I could see Derek's mouth moving but I would not hear what he had to say. All I wanted was to kill whoever was making my mate hurt. The trees were swaying in the wind, the grass in the meadow was almost flat from the gust, and the clouds were rolling in. My anger was fueled by my rage and I was not going to stop it.

"Where is she?" Cassandra asked as we looked around. It was hard to tell who was who in the purple-red haze, but I found her. Seeing the witch that is causing pain to our mate made our mouth water with thirst. "Her blood will be mine." That is all we needed.

Moving towards her, I felt them trying to restrain me with their weak magic, but they couldn't. I am stronger. I am faster. And I am better. They can try all day long, but they did not know that I can access my magic in wolf form.

Walking on fire towards the cowards that tried to take me and break me because I was different, because I wasn't good enough burned my rage and fueled my fire. The fire wouldn't leave my side until I was ready. Nature did not need to be damaged today but souls will.

I laughed at their little attempts to put out my fire, and looking at the shocked expressions told me I was winning this battle. I didn't need to look behind me to know that my family was there. They will always be there, but at this moment, they waited for me. Alpha James held back everyone, knowing I needed to release my power before they got hurt.

The ground began to shake when I felt another wave of pain from my mate. I wanted to go to him but I knew they were only trying to distract me. It wasn't going to work.

"Stop Hailey," Derek whispered to me. "They are trying to get you by yourself. They will attack you all at once. You can't win alone." He was right. I was half way to them. They knew what they were doing now. They knew he was my mate and I would kill for him. They were smarter than I thought. They were hitting me where it would affect me the most and I was playing right into it. I had to think about what I can do. How can I protect my mate and everyone else?

"You have the power within you my child," a voice said in my head.

Yes, yes I do. I have more power than even Iknow I have. Feeling the power inside of me, it was faint at first, but I knewit was strong. It wasn't like my element power, which was natural to me. Thiswas foreign and did not know exactly what to do with it, but we are about tofind out. 

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I want to say I'M SO SORRY for taking soooooo freaking long to post this!! It has been a crazy year for me and my family. My husband and I welcomed our first child this past year and it has been a wonderful but tiring experience. We are in awe of all the things our child is learning and doing and such a young age. 

I am now able to spend some time working on this book. I have re-read my story and decided I wanted to rewrite some of, but wanted to give you guys an ending first. I will slowly get the chapters rewritten. I have already started on it and have the last couple chapters finished but they need some serious editing before I can put them on here. (I read them before posting this and I was all over the place in these chapters and that is why I will not post them until they are good enough for you guys to read).

I want to say thank you to everyone that is reading this story. I hope you enjoy it :)

Jenn