Blood Lust and Love
Chapter 30

DarkBeauty357

The sounds of sirens filled the air and the adrenaline of all wolves in the compound spiked. Crow scanned the area of his land erupting into complete chaos and disarray. Crow's eyes widened as he wasn't expecting his location to be found. Crow forced all of the slaves, as he called them, to transform and fight.

They meant nothing to him as they were just extra bodies that were forced to fight. Many of Crow's slaves were young males and females. You could tell them apart from the actual members in his pack because the slaves were just skin and bones. They were barely strong enough to run five miles without fainting because they were so malnourished. Yet, Crow had leverage on all of them- whether it was their children or their mates that he held captive and threatened. Every single one of them was too afraid to stand up to him by themselves in fear of being tortured or killed because physically they never stood a chance, and they never had anyone to stand up and fight for them.

It was the same as before when Crow held Alec captive. Always having others do his dirty work.

As soon as Alec stepped foot on his lands, the witches, on Crow's side, could sense it and that's when the sirens were set off. The first wolves that Alec noticed were small, weak, and timid. Alec corned them in between two boulders snarling at them.

He took in their state.

It was cold and wet outside, which made the two female wolves huddle together as their muscles shivered violently trying to keep warm. They were terrified and Alec didn't even have to smell it, he just watched them as his snarls stopped. They had the same traumatized looks as he did years ago. Alec would never forget what the look of a survivor was. Every time he closed his eyes or looked in the mirror he saw the same teenage boy. The same broken scared teenager who lost everything.

These young wolves weren't the monsters in the situation. So as the two young female wolves finally closed their eyes and hoped to be killed so they didn't have to suffer anymore, Alec's eyes widened in remembrance as small memories came to him and the screams filled his head. Bits and pieces of the trauma he endured invaded his mind. Little specs of gold appeared in his red eyes again, and he shook his head getting rid of the memories that were starting to slip through. Luckily, the memories stopped and his red eyes remained. He was almost reminded of all the trauma he endured.

Alec noticed the shock collar around both of their necks and he realized that is how you could pick them apart from Crow's pack.

The two females awaited their death as the power that rolled off Alec almost made them gasp for air. It truly felt like their throats were closing. It seemed like an eternity before the power lessened and they opened their eyes. Alec was gone and they were still alive.

The females watched as the herd of wolves ran past them and not a single one dared to attack them thanks to the command of Alec. The two wolves almost fainted as their adrenaline finally decreased and they looked at each other. Their expressions mirrored their exact thoughts. Were they going to be saved?

Alec had commanded the others to not attack any wolf that had a shock collar around their neck, but to defend them instead. He wished he could save every one of them and he was planning to do just that.

Leah walked up to the two female wolves and kneeled to see them. They tried backing away from Leah as she stretched out her hand to them. They couldn't go anywhere because they were pressed up against the rocks. Leah's face flashed with pity, "Stay here. We will come back for you." She spoke.

They watched as Leah disappeared and so did the warmth that she provided until a sweet scent captivated one of the females.

The sweet scent of a mate. As the huge herd of wolves passed through charging into battle, one of them stopped. A medium-sized light grey wolf halted in his tracks as he was entranced by the small dark grey female. In a time like this, the panic was the first thing that filled his mind for he had found his mate, and he could lose her in the same day too. He knew what he had to do. He ran up to her in excitement, but she flinched even though she knew he was her mate. Sadness filled through him and he approached her more cautiously. He stayed to guard them.

In a time of war, replaceing a mate was a scary thought but it was a reality that was true for some of the unmated. It was a battle of keeping your loved ones safe and it was a battle of losing them too. No one was ready for the pain, trauma, and guilt that followed.

Not being able to protect your mate even when she was so close yet so far away. Hearing the sounds of bones cracking and flesh being torn off your body was something that would hunt these wolves on the battlefield forever if they were lucky to make it out alive. Children getting caught in the crossfires. Babies were used as shields by the cowards that called themselves men. Hearing the howls of pain that echoed in the hearts of the wolves that survived their mates. The screaming and the crying danced along with the growling and snarling.

Nothing about this situation was good. Only pain and suffering. So much bloodshed just to stop the wicked so the victims could live. It only became more of a bloodbath as time progressed.

Damon was in the process of fighting three wolves the same size as him when he felt something change in the air. He popped his head up in the air and inhaled. The metallic-like smell of blood that was once overwhelming was replaced by the smell of chocolate and whip cream. It was something so strange and bizarre he had forgotten everything around him. All he could think about was tracing the scent to the owner, to replace his mate.

The first wolf took this as an opportunity and lunged at Damon's neck. A second wolf followed and they both latched onto Damon's scruff together. Then the third wolf pounced on his back in an attempt to take him down.

All Damon was focused on was replaceing his mate and he had no time to waste. Before he had the chance to do anything, unexpectedly the three wolves fell to the ground yelping in pain as they tried nipping at themselves. The first wolf tore into her skin not understanding why she was feeling this imaginable pain. Damon noticed Velvezhi stepping out with a murderous look on her face. The power of a witch. Damon wasted no time in leaving the three wolves, whose blood was boiling from the inside.

Damon ran like his tail was on fire but with every step he took, it just seemed like time was moving slower to him. He managed to replace a little red wolf, his mate, being cornered by three wolves.

Three wolves with matted unruly fur. They looked feral and unkempt. The little red wolf, with a shock collar around her neck, was terrified as she whimpered with her tail tucked in between her legs. She was trembling with fear and at this point, she knew that death was waiting. It was ten long years of captivity and she was exhausted from fighting. Little Red collapsed into the ground and curled into a ball waiting for the end of what felt like a miserable existence. She didn't want to fight anyway. She felt like she had no fight left, so when Crow's men caught her hiding she just gave up when they turned on her.

Damon pushed himself to go faster than he has ever run before. It was a race against time and he was slowly losing.

Brief images ran wild in Damon's mind of what his future would look like with her by his side, and what she must look like. Damon could only imagine the sound of her voice when she spoke. He could only imagine her smile and laughter. He could only imagine what it would be like to have her in his arms. What it would be like to raise a family together and make sure that she was never hurt ever again.

He could only imagine what it would be like if he had made it on time.

He was only fifty feet away when all three of the male wolves pounced on Little Red and took Damon's future away from him. It was the sounds that were made when they tore into her that rang through Damon's ears like gunshots.

Damon tackled one of the wolves by surprise and ended his life instantly. His rage fueled his strength as he turned and killed the other one without resistance. The third wolf ran and Damon wanted to chase after him, but he heard the sound of bones shifting. His mate had shifted back into her human form. Damon's main focus was on his mate as everything seemed to fade around them.

Blood coated her cold shivering body as she curled up and waited to die. Little Red knew she wasn't going to make it through this time. The wounds were too large and she was losing blood too quickly. If she was healthier then she would have healed easily, but her body had given up on her.

Her vision was quickly fading in and out and it finally felt like peace was settling on her. She didn't even know that her mate was nearby because her senses weren't working that well. All she could smell was blood.

Damon shifted back and fell on his hands and knees. He moved closer to her and placed a warm hand on her cold shoulder. The sparks that he had waited so long to feel were everything he had imagined and more.

Little Red got scared at the sudden contact but then relaxed into this stranger's touch. She thought, could it be that her mate had finally arrived? She only wished that she had more time to spare.

"Hey! Hey!" Damon panicked. He didn't know what to say to his mate that was hyperventilating with massive wounds. Panic and dread filled him like a jelly donut. All this time he had always imagined what his first words would be to his mate, and now he was at a loss for words. "You're going to be okay! You're going to be okay!" He just kept repeating over and over again like he was trying to convince himself. Damon sat down on the ground and pulled her closer to him.

Damon held her close and slowly her breathing regulated. Little Red felt the sparks that worked through her body combating the pain. "My mate.... I've waited so long." Little Red stuttered as she tried to focus her blurry vision to see Damon's face. She couldn't see anything at all because it was so blurry, but perhaps she could at least touch him before it was too late. Weakly, she slowly raised her trembling hand but the weight felt too heavy and she felt so weak. Before her hand collapsed to the ground, Damon caught it and raised it to his cheek. He leaned into her touch and hoped that it would last forever.

"June..." She whispered her name softly to him. Her voice was just as Damon imagined. Soft and angelic, but so full of pain and despair. It had a touch of innocence to it. The kind of innocence that tells you she was awaiting the moment to see her mate.

"Damon."

Little droplets of rain fell from the sky. It poured over all of them as the tears of the moon goddess touched all of the wolves. Within seconds, the rain slammed down on all of them as the tears flowed from the checks of all wolves who were losing their mates. Even the ones that never got a chance to confess their love.

"I l-l-love...." June stuttered heavily and it made Damon's heart swell with pain. Tears formed in the corner of Damon's eyes. His eyebrows raised in horror as he watched the life drain from her face and leave her body. Damon's hands flew to embrace her as he buried his face into her neck and wept.

June's hand fell to the ground as lightning brightened the skies followed by thunder. Damon's hand traveled to the back of her head, holding her close to him wishing they would be molded together. His other arm wrapped around her and he stayed in that embrace. "I just found you! You can't leave. Please don't go." Damon begged upon deaf ears.

He started cardiopulmonary resuscitation hoping for a miracle. Even though he looked directly at the physical damages already done to her fragile body. The logical side of him would have known that it wouldn't work, but his logic was shattered like his heart and mind. With every compression, more blood would seep into the ground, and he heard her ribs break. With every crack, his rationality broke with it.

Due to the deep wounds on her stomach, you could see her bare intestines. He literally broke as he just kept repeating to himself utter nonsense. Some of June's intestine pushed out of the deep laceration because of the compressions and laid beside her.

Damon's mind was so scattered that he tried putting her intestine back in so he could fix it, but it was like putting the head back on a decapitated person. "I fix will not blood. Rain. To blood. Much. Time still there. June?" Damon sputtered out in complete denial shaking his head. "Baby?" He called out.

Damon's hand shook widely as he looked at her blood on it. It was like he suddenly forgot where he was and who he was. All that made sense to him was that he ended up killing his mate with his bare hands. Otherwise, he couldn't explain why her blood was on his hands. He couldn't even remember that he had just tried to put her intestine back in her stomach just seconds ago. This was an accident, he thought wildly to himself. He didn't mean to do this!

"So sorry. Killed. Mate." Damon began hyperventilating and the pain he felt was unlike anything he had imagined. He wanted the ground to open and swallow him whole. He felt like a monster because he truly thought he had killed her. "Red. Three. No." His mental breakdown was getting worse as he suddenly forget his name. He just stared at her body feeling lifeless. He kept mumbling random words to himself and tugging at his hair. Damon couldn't stop the tears from falling from his red face. He pulled at his hair wanting the voices of his wolf to go away. Her blood mixed into Damon's hair and smeared over his face as he was processing what he had thought he had done, but he was just drawing blanks. "Sorry, I am. I not bad mate. Good me." He sputtered out in confusion. His brain didn't even know what to think at the moment, let alone how to form actual sentences that made sense.

Damon bawled like a baby as it felt like every single part of him shattered and dispersed into the deepest depths of his mind.

Damon was torn apart that he didn't even hear the sound of the third wolf running toward his back, ready to tear into Damon's neck. Ready to end his misery.

Even if Damon would have heard it, he would have let it happen. Damon raised his head looking straight forward as a single tear rolled down his wet bloody cheek.

The thundering paws of the wolf vanished when he leaped into the air heading straight for Damon's neck for the kill.

Before the wolf even had a chance to touch Damon, horns pierced through the body of the wolf killing him instantly. The huge strong buck stood in front of Damon, protecting him and daring any evil wolf to try and take someone so dear to Leah away. The buck shook his head to get rid of the useless carcass, and he stood proudly as his hooves raked the muddy ground and he bucked his head wildly at the group of wolves that were starting to approach Damon.

Dash stood proudly in all his glory and he was angry because he had grown to love the wolves, just like every animal naturally loved witches. And if the wolves of Alec's pack loved Leah, then Dash loved the wolves of Alec's pack. The wolves chuckled amongst themselves as they circled in on dash.

They could take on a buck easily, they smirked internally.

One advantage that Dash had was his spiked collar to ward off predators.

The second advantage that he had was that he didn't come alone. A group of bucks around the same size as Dash came through the clearing standing together.

The third advantage they had was that Dash had met a friend along the way.

The group of bucks was smart as they backed away from the wolves. The wolves took that as a good sign until they heard the sound of metal clanking off a rock then a little ball-sized metal inject rolling toward them, away from the bucks and Damon

The group of unkempt disgusting wolves looked down below at the small homemade bomb in horror. They didn't even have time to be afraid as the bomb went off seconds later.

Isaac smiled still hidden in the bushes, he focused on Damon who hadn't even moved a muscle. He was just frozen there in a vulnerable state. Isaac didn't spend much time with Damon before but he knew Peyton looked up to him as an uncle and that was enough for him.

The bucks off to join the wolves in battle. Much to all of their shock, the deer weren't the only ones joining in. Over the course of nearly twenty years, Leah had made plenty of friends with the wildlife who were tired of Crow destroying their natural home.

Isaac rushed up to Damon and slid on his knees, "Damon. Get up! We have to move!" Isaac nudged him trying to shake him out of his trance, but he wasn't budging. Damon was a sitting duck at this point and if Isaac left him he would surely be killed. For the best defense, Isaac shifted into his wolf and tried his best to look out for Damon.

Luckily, the attention was taken off them momentarily. That was ephemeral, as Isaac heard a familiar growl that hunted him in his dreams and made a shiver run down his spine.

Isaac's blood went cold and his heart felt like it would explode at any moment. He never thought he would have to face his father again. Ever.

Isaac's father was way bigger than him in appearance and a part of him still was terrified of him. As his father approached with hate and anger in his eyes, Isaac was surprised he didn't attack right away. Instead, his father wanted him to be fearful first. Isaac's father wanted him to submit before ultimately deciding to tear his own son apart, limb by limb.

Isaac's father raised his head high, approached Isaac with a growl that only got louder with every step. Isaac wasn't officially severed from his father's pack so his father used that to his advantage.

Isaac's head hunkered down to the ground unwillingly, and he tried to fight it. It was a fight between an alpha and his son. It was like a battle for the title to his father, but for Isaac, it was like a battle of losing his father officially. Isaac still cared for his father even after the years that he so boldly mishandled him. Isaac's father was now in front of him growling right above his head, forcing him into submission. Isaac was trying to fight it but he was slowly losing as the whimpers escaped his throat.

Isaac had to do something quickly before he ended up losing his life because he knew his father would surely kill him next. After all, Isaac's father did collaborate with Crow after he was humiliated by Alec. He wanted revenge on his son and Alec.

Isaac thought back to Peyton. His mate that didn't want him, and he thought about how he never got the chance to say that he loved him. Isaac wanted to so bad but Peyton wasn't ready. Isaac knew that he would never get the chance to tell him that now. Not if he didn't try to at least fight back. Not if he didn't try fighting for his life. If he didn't fight for his life now then he wouldn't be able to fight for Peyton later. He would never be able to be with his mate.

Isaac knew there was no saving his father now. He had already chosen his side. The side of evil and there was nothing Isaac could do about that.

The rage of every single memory ever given to him by the hands of his father built up in his head. His behavior was ultimately caused by his abusive parent. If his mom was alive, then perhaps he would have been raised differently. Kinder and more gentle. Then maybe Peyton would love him if he never bullied Kai and made his life miserable. Just maybe. Maybe if his father was dead then he would finally be able to be a different person.

Isaac snapped. It was like a flip being switched in his mind. Maybe if his father didn't make enemies, then his mother would still be alive!

Isaac stopped whimpering and snarled at him, lunging up to latch onto his neck but his father was too quick and counteracted it. Isaac's father had Isaac pinned to the ground, tearing into his flesh causing him to yelp in pain. Isaac managed to escape out from under him since he was smaller and got a lucky opening for his hind legs.

Isaac knew one of his weaknesses, a permanent injury with his hind legs that he used to his advantage. Isaac target his legs until he finally got that lucky strike. The crunching of bones and the cry that came from his dad sounded foreign to him because usually, he was the one making those sounds.

It sent a surge of power through him to finally return the favor after years of torment. After years of abuse, hearing his father's two legs being crushed was exhilarating. Although, his work wasn't completely cut out for him because even with his father's limp- he was still more experienced in fighting than Isaac.

Their fight had progressed until Isaac started seeing black spots while he was quickly going in and out of consciousness because Isaac had lost so much blood. The only major injuries his father had were two broken legs while Isaac had blood seeping out of him from the large chunks of missing meat from his body. Isaac was trying his best to stay awake but his legs were starting to wobble and that's when Isaac knew he had to do something.

Isaac made his legs wobble and shake and he purposely held his head low so he would appear more tired than he was. Then he purposely let his legs give out underneath him. Just as expected, his father solicited his weaknesses and attacked him.

Since Isaac quickly rolled to the left and mud mixed with his bloody coat. Isaac's father missed and Isaac took that opportunity and secured his mouth around his father's jugular.

Isaac's father whipped him from side to side trying to sling him off, but Isaac had a death grip. With every movement, it only helped Isaac sink his teeth further into his father's neck. The warm crimson liquid invaded Isaac's mouth and he would never forget the taste. It was something he wasn't used to since he only ever choked on his blood.

Isaac's memories were starting to creep up on him and when his grip slackened, Isaac's father used that as the opportunity to get loose.

Isaac's body smacked hard against the tree and with all the blood loss he momentarily went unconscious.

His father approached him slowly wanting to enjoy this moment. His father bit down on Isaac's neck hard until he awakened due to the pain.

Instinctively, Isaac curled his lower body up and kicked out his father's front legs to escape from the pain. The pain seared up his father's lower body since the pressure fell on his broken hind legs.

Isaac lunged at his father's neck again and hung on tighter this time.

His father had considerable damages too. He had lost almost the same amount of blood as Isaac, but the only difference was that his father's body was conditioned to take more damage.

Isaac was surprised that he was still standing, and so was his father. His father underestimated him and always assumed him as weak. Then again, his father always made sure his physical state was weakened too so he wouldn't put up a fight.

His father grew mad at the thought of Alec poisoning his mind that he could actually be someone. He wanted to shout at his own son and belittle him to the point where he would think twice before challenging him.

Isaac heard his father's voice drifting through his head, "You're nothing! Weak! Disgraceful child!" His father yelled through their mind link. "I should have killed you a long time ago!" His father yelled as he tore Isaac off of him.

Isaac flew back and tumbled into the mud. His fur was now completely caked in it.

Still, Isaac steady his paws and rose to see his father's face. He was going to give up. He had to keep fighting, he would repeat to himself.

Damon still was on his knees staring emotionlessly at his dead mate's body completely oblivious to everything around him. He couldn't hear anything around him even if he had tried.

Isaac and his father circled each other both growling. While their long battle continued with each other without interference, his father was missing an ear and his left eye was swollen shut. Both of them had deep laceration wounds all over their body and their organs were so dangerously close to spilling out of their stomachs. Both were on the verge of passing out.

Isaac's father was surprised he was still standing. Maybe Isaac wasn't as weak as his father had assumed. If anything it trigger him of how his son turned out even in a short time of being around true alphas.

Isaac charged at his father's neck but then at the last minute, he ducked underneath his father's body. Then he turned on his back and attacked his father's underbelly. It was like a thin string that was finally cut and the next thing Isaac knew was that his father's intestine spilled out on him, and the fight between himself was finally over.

Isaac's father stumbled and staggered forward as his inside was falling out. Uncontrollably, he shifted back into his human form and tried to catch his organs. He sputtered out nonsense before he hit the muddy ground and his heart slowly stopped beating.

Isaac looked at his father in pity because he didn't want it to end like this. He slowly walked to his father and stared down at his lifeless body with deep sadness in his heart. He was mourning for his father how had died a long time ago to him.

Isaac shifted and fell to his knees as he hung his head low. His hand trembled as he reached out to caress his father's face. Tears fell down Isaac's face and his lip quivered as he closed his father's eyes. "I hope you are able to replace mom again." He wished on his father.

Back then times were truly better. When his father was his hero. He remembered everything so clearly. The childlike giggling filled his mind and the tears started to flow so freely.

There was a time when he would run through the wheat fields in the summer. A time where his mother held a woven picnic basket in one hand and her mate's hand in the other. Laughing filled the air as his father would crack stupid jokes. Isaac looked back at his parents those days with big bright eyes and an innocent expression. His eyebrows raised to the skies and his smile stretched from east to west coast.

Now he was looking down at his dad with a painful expression. Dull, broken eyes, and a permanent frown. His eyebrows contorted in sadness. Isaac could feel the change of power leaving his father. He felt the change in command. He was now the alpha of his pack, and all the wolves that his father forced to fight immediately stopped.

Isaac's pack rejoiced now that they had a different leader, and he could feel the fear they held for his father change into the love that they held for Isaac. Isaac could feel the worry and rejoice at the return of him. They had missed him dearly when they found out he was taken away. Most of Isaac's pack knew about the abuse and many of them were abused by his father too. They felt helpless when they couldn't protect their future heir, but now they could.

After feeling the change in power, all the members of Isaac's pack snapped their heads up looking for their new alpha. Many of them didn't know how a kid could even be on the battlefield. All they knew was that they were going to protect him at all cost.

Isaac's father didn't bring all of his pack to fight only the ones that could. They retreated to replace Isaac above his father. There were at least one hundred members of his pack that found their way to Isaac. They encaged him in a circle to protect their hurt alpha.

Isaac could only look at his father and think about he never wanted this power. He would give it all away it just meant that he could get his parents back. Isaac only wanted his real dad back.

Isaac turned away and tried to stand up. He grimaced in pain and clutched his stomach. His vision was going in and out as he looked at the blood on his hands. He stumbled forward and would have hit the ground hard, but a wolf caught him and Isaac leaned on him for support. Then he slid to the ground because he was suddenly so tired and all he wanted to do was sleep.

Staring up at the sky as the rain was washing down on him brought him to a different place. A more peaceful place. It was the first night he had suffered a beating from his father and he ran away in the cold raining night. That night he lay in the road waiting for a car, but only the rain ever came.

He was almost about to give in to the light until he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Isaac!" An angel called out. His angel. Isaac could hear the voice of his angel but he couldn't make out what he had said.

Isaac's pack let Peyton pass through as they could tell he wasn't a threat.

The next thing Isaac saw was Peyton hovering above him. Peyton held Isaac against his chest and was telling him everything would be okay.

"Peyton?" Isaac gasped out weakly.

"Yes! I'm here! Just stay with me." Peyton spoke as he hovered his hands above Isaac's wounds trying to heal them. He wasn't the best at healing like Kai was, especially in the emotional state he was in.

"Peyton. I think..." Isaac turned his head into Peyton's warm chest as everything became colder to him. "I think it's too late," Isaac said.

Peyton shook his head in denial. "No." He denied. "Not when I have so much to say to you!" Peyton broke down crying.

"Love you," Isaac said just in case he would never get the chance.

"I love you too, Isaac." Peyton finally confessed. He had known it all along but never wanted to admit it. Peyton held both sides of his face and kissed him. Isaac kissed him back and wished it was longer.

Peyton focused on his wounds again and tried with all his might. The blood was starting to slow and his internal wounds healed but not completely. Isaac's vital signs started to get better but he still fell unconscious. Peyton managed to get him in a stable condition.

He would live, but not if he didn't receive medical care soon. Isaac's new beta, the beta that worked for Isaac's father, stepped forward in his human form. "We have doctors and our land isn't far from here." Isaac's beta shifted back into his wolf form and allowed Peyton on his huge back so he could carry Isaac with him. It was the best way to make sure Isaac's wounds would tear open while transporting him.

They rushed out to seek help and the rest of Isaac's pack stayed to help fight and guard Damon.

~🖤~

To Be Continued...