They All Fall Down
Tobias
My parents finally figured things out. I had a life that was void of the pain of my previous lives. Dad managed to change the fate of all of us for the better. Souls that never existed before were brought into this world to parents who loved them. The kingdom and all its territories have significantly less abuse. Alphas genuinely care for their pack members and work hard to protect them when the situation calls for it.
Justice is sought and served regardless of whether you are an alpha, beta, luna, gamma, or omega. The court no longer looks the other way when its people need it the most. Everyone in power tries to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. Of course, there are failures and misses—Aunt Ivy is an excellent example—but action is taken based on these failures. My family holds themselves accountable regardless of the situation. If you ask me, sometimes it’s to a flaw. My parents are incredibly hard on themselves for two people who have made the most positive differences to the were-world in decades. I was proud to be their son and excited for the first time about my future.
Two years is all that is left until Kayla knows we are mates. Well, really know. I told her last year when she asked me. I’m unsure how long I will wait to claim her, but I had to be careful. Uncle Steven is scary about it since catching us getting a bit hot and heavy. Hopefully, her wolf will come early, and he will see what I do.
Regardless of how much time passed or how old my parents got, nothing was more impressive than watching them fight, even when the punches were being thrown at me. Although they always held back when fighting with me, not today. Something was up with my father. Every punch was with all his might. My face was black and blue, and I lost count of the number of bruises on my legs. Then he kicked me so hard in the stomach that I flew back a hundred feet at least. When I got it together, I saw him teetering over. His howl was so loud I couldn’t breathe. “Dad.” I choked out, but my ribs were broken. He may have pierced one of my lungs because my breathing was labored. ‘Dad?’
Just as he hit the ground, I felt it. A piece of my soul was being cut off. The purple trail I could always follow to her was slowly being broken in half. When I finally broke my eyes away from it, a single strand was all that was left connecting us.
‘Mama?’ I called out, but she didn’t answer. She never didn’t answer.
‘Bias?’ I heard Oriana in my head. I didn’t know where she was. As much as I tried, I couldn’t stand up. It wasn’t the broken ribs. My chest was burning; my vision was blurry. Every breath was hard. My heart rate was slowing down.
Had Dad just killed me? Killed us both? All I could think to do was to crawl over to him. Each movement was more painful than the last. This stabbing in my chest wouldn’t stop like someone was slowly carving out one of my organs. I wasn’t sure which one. Perhaps one I didn’t know I had.
Then it hit me—not an organ but a bond. My bond with my mother was breaking, and my bond to her as my queen was gone, which could only mean one thing: The impossible had happened.
People around me howled. Their pain was suffocating. I wanted to scream at them to be quiet, but I didn’t have the energy or the air to do it. I wasn’t breathing.
‘Oriana.’ I called her back but didn’t get a response. This couldn’t be real. I refused to believe it. Mama couldn’t be dead. It was me. I was dying. And that would be okay. I’m on borrowed time, and if it means she is still here, I’ll happily check out.
After an eternity, I reached my father. He was curled up tightly, and his own claws were piercing his chest. They left a gaping hole in his flesh over his heart. ‘Daddy?’
I shook him with what little strength I had left before I collapsed. With my head on his chest and arm thrown over his body protectively, I finally blacked out.
Richard
I felt her bond break, instantly making me feel weak. Stumbling over to the couch, I sat down and whimpered sobs until I couldn’t breathe. My heart rate was slowing down. My lungs burned and weren’t moving. My eyes shut as I fully collapsed on the couch. I think I passed out, but I didn’t know for how long. No, let me correct that. I’m pretty convinced I died for a few minutes. The loud cries of the kingdom all around me made it impossible to hear anything else.
Anthony. My eyes snapped open as I thought his name, and my body seemed to reanimate. His bond didn’t break from the kingdom, but I was preparing myself for it as I struggled to get up and find him. My guess, based on the time, was that he was training with Tobias. He had wanted to teach him more. The pup was strong but not controlled. Sure, he could take down an alpha, but he needed to be able to take down an army. Anthony made him fight him for hours now. There was something behind it. Some fear. Was it this? Where the fuck had Val even been? Who was capable of killing that woman? She was too strong to die like this. Too important. My heart was broken, and I feared my brother’s was crushed into dust.
When I walked into the training grounds, I saw complete chaos. I ran towards the crowd and pushed through. He was lying on the ground, pale. His shirt was covered in blood from claw marks on his chest. Tobias was lying half on top of him. Seeing him like that, he looked like a pup again. Sleeping on his chest, desperate for comfort.
Then I realized neither of them was breathing, and their skin looked pale blue. Herman pushed the crowd aside, and I told him to pick up Tobias. I picked up my very heavy older brother, and everyone moved aside as we raced them over to the hospital wing. The doctors met us halfway with beds, already knowing this might happen.
When we entered the hospital, I saw Oriana in the first room. They put Tobias in next to her. Separate teams were working on each one of them, trying to get them to start breathing again. That horrible flat-line sound echoed off the walls as tubes were forced down their throats.
“You stay with him.” I pointed towards Anthony, and Herman nodded. We needed Penny. There was nothing the doctors could do, but she might be able to help bring him back. As I made my way back down the hall, I had to keep my eyes down as I passed my niece and nephew having a ventilator forcing air into their lungs and needles in their arms. What about the others?
As I had the thought, Gracelynn and Zachary were rushed in, each on a bed, and the doctors were barking more orders. “Are they okay?” I asked the doctor.
“We aren’t sure yet. They seem to be in some sort of shock, and their vitals are getting weaker by the second. Tobias and Oriana are not doing well. Neither can breathe on their own and-” I didn’t hear the rest because I suddenly had Kassie running into my arms.
“Uncle Richard!” She cried bloody tears. “Where’s Mama?”
“I have to go get Auntie Penny. Mama is not here, but you can go with the doctor, will you? Get checked out?”
“My head hurts a lot.” She whimpered. “Where’s Daddy?”
“He’s sick right now. I have to get Auntie Penny to help him. The doctor will make you feel better.” I loved her, but I needed to go.
“I got her!” Ivy finally showed up and took her from me. She clung to her, inhaling her scent. Ivy was her favorite aunt. The two were the perfect drama queens to keep this family interesting. I was grateful my mate was there. Without her, I’d be running around carrying the dead weight that is Kassie.
Lex made his way into the medical wing but was shifted. I think he got that from Tobias. Any time he was stressed, he was suddenly a puppy. He climbed up Ivy’s leg, and I heard her curse.
‘I’ll be back. I need to get Penny here. Anthony won’t make it otherwise.’ I explained and kissed her cheek quickly.
‘Go, ’ she said, and I took off running. I prayed Penny wasn’t out somewhere. She wouldn’t feel it the way the rest of us did since she had no bond to the kingdom. But if Anthony had any hope, I was certain he needed some witch intervention.
