Brothers 3

Chapter 6

The flame spluttered into life on the end of the match. James wrinkled his nose at the smell. As the wolf approached with match in hand, Jess thrashed wildly. She called out James's name a few times and he teetered on the edge of the branch, almost ready to jump to her aid. The sound of Ella's heart knocking against her chest was too loud and James wanted to be deaf in that moment. He watched the flame get closer to Jess and held his breath. He told himself it wouldn't happen, that something would intervene. His moments hesitation was all it took for the flame to be dropped onto the bottom of the spike.

James flinched as Jess shrieked. Jean moaned and wailed, James could almost taste the salt of her tears in the air. Ella closed her eyes and shoved her bound hands against one ear. Orlando watched with a vacant look on his face.

James had expected the wolves to laugh or sneer, and one of them did, but Ella's father remained serious and stern.

"I hope he doesn't show." The sneering wolf laughed.

Ella's father surveyed the trees again. It was a wonder he couldn't spot James who was now shaking with rage.

He was going to skin the whole pack and use their fur to make himself a new rug.

"Call out to your lover." Ella didn't hear her father at first, she was right under Jean who was moaning like a ghost.

The man crouched in front of his daughter and touched the side of her face. "Call to him. Tell him to come and save you."

Orlando laughed. "You don't know James. He would never be stupid enough to come and try to save us."

James knew that Orlando had placed the emphasis on stupid for his benefit. Somehow the older vampire was aware that James was nearby. He was trying to tell him to leave them behind.

Ella's father pushed his dry lips together. "From what I hear he is the only brother who would be that stupid. Richard did nothing but complain about the runt."

James clamped his teeth together hard enough to make his jaw joint creak. He was not a runt anymore and he would show this smug dog that. He moved closer to the edge of the branch but he heard Robert's voice in his head. He remembered how his brother used to remind him, take a look at what you would be falling into before you decide to jump. He scanned the clearing again. A whole pack of wolves, nine of them, some of which must be pure-blooded, and a witch whose power James did not know the limits of.

When nothing came flying out of the trees to attack him, Ella's father motioned towards Ella again. "Scream for him. All we want is him."

James was proud to see the determined look on Ella's face as she pulled her lip between her teeth and didn't utter a sound.

Her father whirled on her. Snatching the matches from another wolf he lit one first try and stormed towards his daughter. She started to cry, loud explosive bursts of pleas and tears.

James's chest felt tight. Screw you Robert, he thought, its time to jump.

The branch snapped and hit the ground with a boom as he bounded off it and into the clearing. The impact of the branch on the forest floor drew everyone's attention to him. the match in the alphas hand flickered. Orlando swore softly.

James looked at Jess. She was hanging lifeless on the wooden post now, her screams silenced.

The alpha shook the match until the flame went out, then he straightened and regarded James.

"Are you going to draw a picture later?" James remarked.

The alpha didn't even crack a smile. "You wear his jacket, yet it doesn't quite fit you right." The pack sniggered and James narrowed his eyes at the alpha.