№48|I’ll Be Back
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“He wants us to do what?” Ambrocio growled, glaring at Barron through the screen.

Barron and Medusa had gathered all the alphas to discuss the events of the meeting with Irvam.

“He wants us to turn over the packs-” Medusa began to reply, but was cut off by Giselle.

“But we're not going to, right?” Giselle questioned, her fingers intertwining with Olly's.

“Of course not.” Barron answered, sureness filling his voice. “Nobody is giving up their pack to that monster.”

“But isn't that the only way to get your parents back?” Chaaya reminded him

Barron gritted his teeth slightly, “yes…” he sighed, trying to contain his composure, “but my parents would murder me if I gave the pack to Irvam and Julius.”

“Then what? Julius and Irvam won’t just give up your parents without you giving them something in return.” Dayo stated, earning a nod from Barron.

“I know, but I just can't leave them there.” Barron replied, clenching his fist.

“As much as I love Medusa and your parents, there’s no other way around it.” Endar explained. “I’ll be happy to take care of Irvam and Julius myself.” The Russian wolf’s eyes flashed a deep silver. “Trust me… put me in a room with them and I’ll show ‘em what happens when you mess with our packs.”

“Calm down, Endar.” Medusa shut her notebook, placing it on the desk. As the pages flickered in the light, she could’ve sworn she saw a name on the cover page for the mermaid notes. She couldn’t see the full name but it was something with a ‘L’.

She rubbed her eyes before glancing back at the page to see the name was gone. “Medusa,” she practically jumped out of her skin at Barron’s whisper, “is everything alright?”

“Ye-Yeah, I’m good.” Medusa flashed a fake smile, trying to assure him she was okay.

“You sure?” Barron questioned, knowing she was lying.

Not responding, Medusa turned her attention back towards the alphas and lunas on the monitor. “I don’t know what Irvam wants with Barron’s parents or my research, but today I’ll be sending Montego, Chelia, Alistair, and Yvette to investigate.”

Suddenly there was a crash as the bedroom door burst open, and Barron’s group of wolves fell into the room. Barron and Medusa sighed, chuckling slightly as they watched the group of wolves scramble to stand up from their pile.

“Were you eavesdropping?” Medusa laughed, helping Yvette off the floor.

“Well, Alistair and Montego were eavesdropping at first. Then I heard my dad and I wanted to see what you all were talking about.” Yvette explained, dusting off her clothes.

“After that, everyone began to eavesdrop.” Ayame laughed, getting off the floor.

“Lastachka, is that you?” Endar immediately perked up at his daughter’s voice.

“Hi dad!” Yvette smiled, waving at her father.

“So what are me, Montego, Alistair, and Yvette doing?” Chelia asked, walking over to Medusa.

“I want you to figure out why Julius and Irvam want my research.” Medusa ordered, earning a nod from the quad in question.

She glanced at Montego and Alistair. “Alistair, make sure you keep Montego in check.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Montego muttered, scoffing slightly.

“Barron told me how much you don't like dragons. Your mission is to investigate,” Medusa placed her fingers on his chest, leaning in as she pushed on his chest, “not kill. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Luna.” Montego nodded, earning a smile from Medusa.

“Thank you,” she whispered, “and Medusa is fine. You’re my friend. You don’t need to call me Luna.”

Medusa stroked Montego’s cheek. “I know what they did… Barron told me,” she turned towards Chelia as she chatted up Giselle over the video call, “does she know?”

“Most… not all of it…” Montego whimpered.

“She needs to know all of it. She’s your mate for god's sakes.” Medusa chuckled, punching Montego playfully.

Chelia turned towards her wolf, smiling as she sent him a little wave. Walking over to him, she kissed his cheek, “so did Medusa tell you the plan?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna be super spies again!” Montego formed his fingers into mini guns. “Pew! Pew! Pew!”

Chelia laughed, forming her fingers into small guns as her and Malakai began to shoot at each other from across the room. “Pew! Pew! Pew!” Chelia snorted in laughter.

Medusa chuckled at the Delta and his mate. “To be forever innocent…”

She turned towards Vanessa, Malakai, Lawrence, Ayame, Rufus, and Kalypso. “I want you six to go around the Dragon Islands and start getting us some allies.”

“I doubt anyone wants to ally with a bunch of wolves.” Lawrence sighed, shaking his head.

“There might be some who want to help.” Rufus rebutted. “I know of some willing to help.” 

“Thank you, Rufus.” Medusa patted his shoulder before turning towards Kirkland, Piper, Orion, and Celaneo. “I need you four to help find out more about these symbols in my notebooks while Barron, Dewei, and Amelia, and I prepare for war.”

“Woah, woah, woah, war?!” Celaneo’s eyes went wide.

“Celaneo, I know Julius… and now that he’s with Irvam, he won’t back down so easily. If we don't give up the research and the packs we’ll have no choice but to go to war.”

Celaneo gulped, but ultimately nodded. “We'll help in any way possible, Medusa.”

“Thank you.” Medusa whispered, smiling at the wolves. “Now that everyone has their assignments, get going. We have a lot of work to do.”

“She’s really getting the hand of being Luna, huh?” Endar observed with a laugh.

“Yeah,” Barron turned to face Medusa, a soft smile forming across his lips, “she really is a great Luna.”

◥✥◤

Later that day, Montego, Chelia, Alistair, and Yvette peeked their heads through the bushes of the castle gardens. “So how are we supposed to get in?” Yvette whispered, turning towards her partners.

“Amelia said there’s tons of tunnels under the castle. She even said she found some in the walls.” Chelia pulled out a pair of binoculars, aiming them at the guards that circled the castle.

“We’re trying to get up into that rose trellis.” Alistair pointed towards the white trellis against the castle wall that had roses growing on it. “Amelia said that's an entrance to one of the tunnels.”

“A trellis?” Montego questioned. 

Alistair nodded. “That’s what she said.”

“And Medusa wants us to find out what they’re planning on using Barron’s parents and Medusa’s research for?” Yvette asked, gaining a nod from Chelia.

“I got a bad feeling they’re not just using it for learning.” Chelia muttered, turning her attention towards Montego. His eyes were glistening with excitement. Chelia sighed. “You want to take out the guards, don't you?”

“Yes, please.” Montego smiled widely.

“You are to knock them out, not kill them. Got it?” Chelia glared at the delta.

“I got it, I got it.” Montego replied nonchalantly before morphing into his wolf form. The golden tawny wolf slowly crawled towards the guards, hiding in the tall grass the garden yielded.

A flash of yellow skimmed through his hazel eyes as he pounced on the guards back, knocking him to the ground. Once down, Montego covered the guards mouth and nose with his paw, preventing the guard from screaming and soon making his pass out.

Noticing the second guard had turned around, Montego quickly leaped at the man. Tossing him to the side, Montego made quick work of him by slamming his head into the ground, rendering the guard unconscious.

Glaring at the guard under his paw, Montego could tell he was of dragon descent by his scent. He growled slightly, vivid images of that horrid day playing in his mind.

He could still smell the fumes that coated the air that awful day. While he slept, he could hear the screams of his family as they rushed to escape. He could feel the blood drenched grass under his paws as his young wolf pup form struggled to keep up with his parents.

“Montego.” Chelia communicated telepathically, an ability werewolves mates obtained after the mating.

The delta in question snapped out of his thoughts. He smiled at the fairy as her, Alistair, and Yvette came out from behind the bushes.

“You good?” Chelia asked as Montego shifted out of his wolf form.

“Yeah,” Montego sighed, those horrid thoughts leaving his head at one look of Chelia’s smiling face, “I’m good.”

“Great, let’s go.” Chelia said, walking towards the tressils and pushing them open to reveal the entrance into the tunnels.

Once entering, Chelia turned towards Montego, Yvette, and Alistair to see their eyes were all glowing. Montego’s were yellow, Yvette’s were pink, and Alistair’s were orange.

“Why are your eyes glowing? There’s no need really.” Chelia questioned.

“It helps us see in the dark.” Montego replied, placing his arm out in front of Chelia, noticing she was about to hit a spike that was protruding from the walls. “Watch out!” He yelled, pulling her close.

“Thanks.” Chelia chuckled, going around the spike. She intertwined her fingers with Montego’s. Since she was a fairy, she was able to feel people's deepest emotions and feels with a single touch.

There are brief moments of times when she could touch Montego, and all she could feel was anger, grief, confusion, and guilt. She would ask him what was wrong, and he’d always respond with; ‘it’s just something in my past that keeps bugging me… nothing for you to worry about’. 

However, that only made the fairy worry more. She couldn’t help but wonder what Montego wasn’t telling her. Every time she’d ask about his past, Montego would only tell her about the happy times between his family, not whatever it was that made Montego so angry and conflicted.

Even though Montego was happy-go-lucky 99% of the time, there were moments where he’d sink into some sort of trance, reflecting back on horrible memories from his past. Chelia didn’t know what he was thinking about, but she knew she’d always be there for him... to hold him even when he’d repeatedly tell her he didn’t want to be held. To whisper tender words in the wolf’s ear, watching as they calmed him down. To be the one that’d stayed… forever.

She shivered slightly as the feelings of fear and anger passed through her body at Montego’s touch. She glanced up at the wolf. “What’s wrong?” She whispered.

“Something doesn’t feel right.” Montego muttered a reply.

Chelia stopped Montego in his tracks, glancing back at Alistair and Yvette to make sure they were still going on up ahead. “What are you not telling me?” She demanded an answer.

“What are you talking about?” Montego questioned.

“When we touch, there’s time I can feel that you're angry, conflicted, full of grief and sorrow. It’s not like you.” She rubbed his tricep. “I wanna help… just tell me what’s wrong.”

Montego sighed, stroked her cheek. He gazed into her black eyes, thinking back on Medusa’s words. “When I think back to what happened… I just get so angry and pissed off.” Montego scrunched up his fist, soon un-scrunching them at Chelia’s touch.

“What happened?” She whispered softly.

“Going into it now would take forever. I’ll tell you once we get back to the house.” Montego smiled at the fairy.

“Promise?” Chelia muttered, her voice laced with worry. “This just isn’t like you, Montego, and these moments of anger are happening a lot more now since we got to the Dragon Islands. Does this have to do with why you hate dragons?”

“Yes, and I promise everything will make sense after we get out of here.” Montego kissed the top of her forehead. “I love you.” She muttered against her soft, pale, skin.

“I love you, too.” Chelia replied, taking his carmel toned hand in his as they caught up to Yvette and Alistair.

Yvette had her ear against the wall of the tunnel. “I hear something.” She whispered, listening closer into the conversation.

“What do you mean you can’t read it?” Ivram’s frustrated voice groaned, slightly muffled through the tunnel walls.

“I don't know… her notes are in some weird code!” Julius flung his arms into the arm. “It isn’t my fault the weird researcher made some stupid made up lanaguge.”

“It probably isn't even that.” Irvam walked over to Julius, swiping through the pictures that he took of Medusa’s notes. “How did you only manage to get one page of notes?”

“She’s really stingy with that notebook! You’re lucky I got one.” Julius scoffed, folding his arms over his chest. “A thank you would be nice.”

“I’ll thank you when you get my Memory Pool up and running.” Irvam shot back.

“Memory Pool?” Alistair whispered, continuing to listen in.

“I’m trying to, but it’s not my fault this chick hasn’t got any good info on wolves on that one page.” Julius rolled his eyes. “It’s hard enough to get one page, let alone the entire book.”

“Well, without it we can’t enact the Memory Pool. The snake chick and her book are an important part of that pool, and we need that book to do it!” Irvam pushed on Julius’ chest. “Find a way to get that book before I find another wolf to do my bidding.”

Irvam turned towards the beakers filled with a multiple of potions. “Any luck on remaking the potion I told you about?”

“The one to help start up the Memory Pool? Somewhat…” Julius walked towards the viewing area showing a small room with white padding on the walls. In the middle sat a broken down woman with warm brown sugar toned skin and disheveled blonde hair.

“What do you mean by ‘somewhat’?” Irvam questioned, facing the girl in the room.

“Well, I have the potion down, it’s just… when she’s injected with it, she goes berserk for a few minutes and passes out. The potion will still play a constant loop of horrible memories, but it isn’t permanent. I have to keep injecting her every five minutes. Not to mention I have to listen to her annoying ass keep muttering ‘Montego… just run… run little pup’. Ugh! It’s driving me nuts!”

The group turned towards Montego. “Do you know that woman they’re talking about?” Yvette whispered.

“I might…” Montego felt hope swelling in his chest at the thought of it being who it might be. But with that hope came anger at the thought of what they’ve been doing to her all this time.

“Just find a way to make it permanent!” Irvam snarled at the wolf. “I don’t care how many times you gotta stick Tatiana with needles, make it permanent!” Irvam scolded before leaving the room.

“Make it permanent.” Julius mocked, walking towards Tatiana with another needle in hand.

The wolf frantically tried to escape, but the chains that bound her to the floor said otherwise. “No… no… no!” Tatiana rapidly shook her head, attempting to squirm out of Julius’ hard grasp on her arm.

“Shh…” Julius pressed his finger on her lips, “it’ll be easier for both of us if you just shut up.” With that, Julius injected Tatiana with the potion, sending the Greek wolf falling to the floor.

Julius scoffed, kicking her body to the side as he exited the laboratory. Montego scrunched up his fist, frantically looking for a door inside the laboratory. “Montego, hey,” Chelia rested her hand on his bicep, shuddering at the rush of anger that flooded through her. “Please, just calm down.”

Montego didn’t listen and continued searching for an exit. Once he finally found one, he rushed towards the room holding his sister. Ramming his body into the door, it came crashing down.

Montego’s eyes went wide at the sight of his sister in front of him. Tatiana shook in the corner, clenching the sides of her head. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Montego, just run! Get away from here!”

“Tatiana?” Montego whispered, inching towards his sibling. The wolf in question shot up at the sound of her brother’s voice, her eyes fully black. She scanned around for Montego, but all she could see were horrid memories she wished she could forget.

“M-Montego?” She stood on wobbly legs, feeling around for him. Feeling her legs soon give in on her, she began to fall forward, falling into strong arms.

She wrapped her arms around Montego’s frame. “You’re here!!” She sobbed into his chest. “I was so worried that you, mom, and dad didn’t escape that day…”

Montego stood there speechless, wrapping his arms around Tatiana, taking in her chamomile scent. He buried his face into her shoulder, clenching the back of her shirt. “Never leave me Tatiana… I can’t do this without my big sis…”

Tatiana sniffled, lifting his head. She couldn’t see him but she could feel him. She giggled, feeling around his face. “You have mom’s nose, and dad’s chin.” Tatiana kissed the top of his head. “I missed you, little pup…”

“Awe, how touching. The two little Greek wolves are back together.”

Montego darted his head towards the doorway to see Callihan standing there. “What are you doing here?!” Montego snarled, his eyes flashing a bright yellow.

“Real question is, what are you doing here?” Viktor shot back, earning a growl from both Alistair and Yvette.

“Nice to see you again, good girl.” Viktor winked, blowing a kiss at Yvette.

“So, it looks like you found your little prize.” Callihan patted Montego’s head, patronizing the wolf. “She kept screaming out for you, ya know.”

“You’re the ones who made her scream in the first place!” Montego clenched the dragon’s fist, pinning him to the wall. “You already got me pissed off when you came near my mate, now you wanna come for my family? No way!”

Callihan smirked, chuckling at the wolf.

“What the fuck is so funny?” Montego slammed his head against the wall.

Before Montego could dodge, a stream of fire was spit into his face, sending him across the room.

“Do it!” Callihan yelled, turning towards his brother as Viktor began to breathe fire, shooting it across the room towards Montego. It created a divide which kept Yvette, Montego, and Tatiana on one side, with the brothers, Alistair, and Chelia on the other.

“You’re big sister was just bait to get you in here!” Callihan cackled from the other side of the fire, holding Chelia and Alistair against their will. “Don't worry, Montego, your little fairy will only have a little sliver of self worth and purity left in her by the time I’m done with her.”

With that, the floor on Montego’s side fell through. The last thing Montego could see was the horror that filled the eyes of his mate as they pleaded out for him.

As he reached his hand out for her, she did the same. “Don't worry, Chelia! I swear to the gods and goddesses I’ll be back for you!!”