Chapter 17 ∣ You have No Say

-Mavis 16 Years Old

I only lost consciousness for a little while because when I opened my eyelids slowly, I saw that I was still in my father's arms. He knelt on the ground, cradling me against him as the words became clearer that was being spoken all around me.

"How did she even get out?" My grandma asked with concern, pacing back and forth behind my father.

My great grandpa stated, "She's not a child and she can make her own decisions...but what the hell would have ever prompted her to leave the safety of the mansion?"

Zak laughed and returned, "You saw how 'safe' the last place we stayed at turned out...no matter where we go, as long as this feud continues to escalate, it's only going to get worse."

"Yes, the life of my daughter is not something these wolves should have ever crossed..." my father's voice was filled with rage, his irises having already shifted to their black rose color. All around me, they continued to argue and debate about what must be done.

When my father finally asked, "Scáth, can you lead us to where they were keeping Mavis?"

His voice was quiet, but he replied, "Sure, but we need to leave soon if you want to catch them before they run." I felt the shift in the energy around us, my eyes glancing around to where Scáth now stood with his demonic features present. The muscles in his wings flexed, ready to depart with whoever was going to follow him.

Slowly, I lifted my arm and placed a shaky hand on my father's forearm. His gaze instantly fell on me, the redness from the crying he'd done lingering on his features. I noticed also that the slits I'd made to my inner wrists were completely sealed shut, confusion overtaking me when everyone turned their attention on me.

"You could have killed yourself," my father's voice was angry, but filled with concern and relief that I was okay and that I had regained consciousness. I knew what he brought up was a very real fact and the events could have played out entirely different, yet I knew I just had to hold on that little bit longer, something inside of me saying to not allow myself to fall into the darkness.

I nodded my head and replied softly, "Alpha Tristan wanted to take me to King Chase...he said he couldn't wait to see your face when I came back in pieces..." I was just overwhelmed that I was actually staring up at my father, something I had thought for a moment that I might never do again after the situation I had found myself in. Tears formed in my eyes, the pain from my broken bones lingered even though the outside wounds had begun to heal, no doubt from the many blood magic wielders in the room.

My father's muscles tensed, his grip on me becoming tighter as he lifted his head and said, "Tristan?!" He flipped, his features changing instantly while he muttered, "They're all going to die. That bitch considers himself an Alpha...slim pickings nowadays and not born into an Alpha bloodline...just like Hendrix."

I shook my head fervently, begging my father, "Don't! We'll be no better than them..."

"You have no say!" My father snapped at me in an instant, "you were almost killed by those sorry excuse for animals and they'll pay for coming after my own blood," he lifted his head once again, nodding toward my great grandpa as everyone else had changed their stances. Zak checked his twin blades, my great grandma and grandma speaking with one another as they moved away from us and to the parlor doors. My grandpa wasn't far behind them, walking right out and not casting a second glance back.

Arlynn nodded to my father and stated, "We'll be ready and standing by."

Scáth's gaze lingered on me and I pleaded with him, "Don't...don't take them to them, please!"

Before he could say anything in return, my father cut him off, "You're lucky to be alive...the blood thinner that we tracked in your system shouldn't have even allowed you to lift a single drop of blood...yet you managed to defend yourself until Scáth found you. Count your lucky stars because that's sheer dumb luck and if you think they'll stop trying to kill you now that they know who you are...you're dead wrong and I won't allow a threat to hang over our heads."

"Please!" I cried again, my father shifting as he stood to his feet with me in his arms. He turned to my great grandpa and shifted me into his embrace. I tried to fight their hold, but with how weak I remained and their pureblood strength, it was like pushing against a titanium wall that wouldn't give no matter the force exerted. My father turned away from me, Scáth giving me this long look as if he were conflicted as well by the situation.

Scáth whispered as my father left my side, heading out the parlor doors, "I'm sorry...but they almost killed the only person I can ever say I've loved. My friend...I can't let them get away with this, your father is right...you don't have a say Mavis...I'm so sorry..." with that being said, he turned on his heels and all I could do was scream after him to stop and come back, to not allow this to happen.

I knew my father and the hunters would leave...but the others remained outside the parlor doors.

"Mavis," my great grandpa still held me in his arms as I slowly gave up my fight, the energy I spent regretting when the pain came back. While he shifted me in his arms, his brows furrowed, and he gently placed me down on one of the couches. When I attempted to get up on my side, my great grandpa lightly pushed my shoulder and I fell right back down. He sighed, "Don't try that...you've broken more than your father initially thought."

I shook my head with hot tears streaming down my cheeks, "I'm not! He's going to make a mistake!"

"He's not...he's sending a message that will reach Chase," my great grandpa pulled one of the chairs over and set it down beside the couch I laid on. Once he had settled himself down, he lifted his arm up, brushing his fangs along the inner part of his wrist. After he pierced his own flesh, he pulled his wrist away and brought it closer to me while he insisted, "You have many broken bones, little love, you need to heal."

I didn't want to admit that I needed help, especially when my case was to stop my father from killing the wolves. However, my great grandpa was right...

My lips parted when he brought the puncture marks up to my mouth, closing my mouth around his wound as I let the blood slide down the back of my throat. His blood alone was immensely powerful, never having tasted anything like it and causing me to become lightheaded fast. He pulled his wrist away after I exhaled slowly, my eyelids heavy as I stared back up at him.

He held this expression, a curious thought passing through his head and I asked, "Wh-What?"

"Nothing," he chuckled when the puncture marks sealed on his wrist, "it's just...you should have lost consciousness."

I accused him while sitting up fast, "You planned on knocking me out!" I instantly regretted my actions because the world felt like it was about to be pulled out beneath me. My great grandpa placed an arm on my upper back as he steadied me, helping me lower myself back down on my side so I could rest.

He merely laughed at my response and replied, "Not entirely...but I can't say I wasn't counting on it...however, the only reason I thought you might be different, was the way we were showed that you could manipulate your blood magic while under the influence of a blood thinner. That's not something I've ever seen before."

"I hardly did anything..." thinking back to the way I'd just barely been able to shield myself and if Scáth hadn't shown up when he had, I probably wouldn't be here right now.

"You did something," he corrected me and shifted on his seat to become more comfortable, "you shouldn't have been able to do anything like your father mentioned. Take this as a blessing..."

I asked, "He's going to kill them...?"

"He has every right to, they nearly killed you," my great grandpa agreed with my father and it only made me madder because I thought he might see where I am coming from where violence only leads to more violence. He corrected me when I was about to snap, "It goes a bit deeper than just the surface though...you see, your father made a very bad decision when he was a rogue, killing the mate of an Alpha," he paused as he leaned his elbows against his knees, "that Alpha took your mother, an eye for an eye as he would have put it. Your father rescued her, but at the cost of killing that Alpha. From what I know, if this is the same Tristan, he witnessed the events that have led to this ultimatum."

I shook my head, understanding that yes, we can't change the past, and even with my father having lost my mother twice...he was only provoked to this extent because my life was in danger. I replied, "I don't want any more blood spilled."

"It will continue to," he replied with a very saddened look on his face. His eyes glimmered with something I hadn't seen in a while as he stated, "I'm tired of this fighting as well, but there's nothing that can be done."

"Yes, there is...no one wants to stick with it and resort to violence when progress isn't quickly met," I replied, slowly lifting myself up and swinging my legs over the edge of the couch. As I had gained my balanced, I felt a shift in the room and the doors to the mansion opening. Loud voices filled the entryway and my skin crawled at the very short amount of time that they'd left.

When I lifted my gaze to see my great grandpa looking over my head and at the doors, I turned slowly in my seat. My father walked in with Scáth not far behind. There was chatter, perhaps some type of lightness filling all their moods, but mine instantly dropped when my father stated, "They're dead."

My breath caught in my throat when I stuttered, "A-A-All?"

My father shook his head, a glare set on his face as he said, "I figured you wouldn't believe me," he removed the arm he had concealed behind his back and I gasped in horror when he brought Alpha Tristan's severed head into clear view. My stomach churned at the frozen look plastered on his face, my heart filling with remorse and anger.

I couldn't say anything, turning away as I curled up into a ball on the couch. It was in moments like this that I was reminded that I live with a vampire family and the violence extends out wherever they go...there's only so much more I can take before I slip out of the reality I've come to know.

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The True Born Huntress by K. A. Young.

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