The Imperial Wolf Series Books 1-3
Chapter 70

Alpha Erick POV

Isabella and I drive to Cassie's house. This is crazy, all of this is crazy. I am beginning to loathe the imperial wolf pack and all of their ridiculous ways. I drive as fast as I can to get to baby Belle. Isabelle seems ready for anything. I want the imperials gone from here. They need to relocate and go somewhere else.

I look over at her. She is not the same. Becoming a vampire has not been easy on her. I thought vampires were young and strong, but Isabella is old and weak. "I have to ask one thing," I say to her.

"You want to know where I went when I left, I already know what you are going to ask. I understand you wanting to know. You need to know that my intentions are pure and that I am really here to help," Isabella responds.

"Yes, you said you wanted to die. So where did you go for death? You obviously did not replace death. You came back to help Kate. It is important for me to know where you went. Where did you go?" I ask her.

Isabella takes a deep breath. "I started running as fast as I could. I was angry. I tried to stake myself, but I could not go through with it. So, I went to the one person I knew would do it for me," Isabella begins. "Who? Who would harm you?" I ask her.

"Macon, of course. I thought he would want to kill me. But he did not want to kill an old woman. Angie would not do it either. Instead, they tortured me, and then when I escaped, they chased me. They enjoyed my suffering. Macon and Angie are both twisted individuals," Isabella says.

"You went to Macon to die. That is crazy but understandable," I say to Isabella.

"Yes, it was a failure, so then I wandered everywhere until I heard Kate calling out for help. I heard her crying out for someone to come to her and help her. She is distressed and hurting. The wolf is torturing her mind, Alpha. She is fighting to stay in her mind. The wolf is pushing her. He is telling her things to make her trust only him," Isabelle says.

"I believe that. I know she is hurting. I can see it in her eyes," I say.

"Instead of being an arrogant asshole, and knocking your wife down to an omega, you should have helped her. Did you try to understand why she ran?" Isabelle asks me.

"No, I was furious she left. I was wrong. Is that what you want to hear. I was wrong," I say to her.

"You made it easy for the wolf to tell her things. He convinced her you no longer love her. He convinced her that you were trying to steal her baby and that you were having an affair," Isabella says.

"I know I was wrong. I cannot say it enough. I f****d up," I say.

"Now, it is time to fix it all, Alpha. I will help you fix it on one condition," Isabelle says.

"What is that?" I ask her.

Isabelle looks at me for a moment. Tears roll down her face and her lip quivers. "I want to die. You have to promise to stake me after Kate is safe. Promise me you will put me out of my misery, and I will promise you to save Kate and your child," She says. I shake my head. "I do not want to hurt you, but I know living like this is not what you want. I promise when baby Belle and Kate are safe, I will stake you. If that is what you want," I say to her.

I do not want to kill her. I have no reason to take her life. Vampire or not, she is still a member of my pack, but I will help her cross over out of this world if that is what she truly wants. Maybe she will change her mind. No, she will not. Why would anyone want to live like this? I have to give her this.

"That is what I want. I want to go be with my husband. I do not want this life. I do not want to kill to live. Some day you will have to make that choice for Kate and someday someone will have to make that choice for Belle." Isabella says.

I have never thought about that. Someday Kate will die as a wolf and only be a vampire. Then what will happen to her? The same for baby Belle. What a horrible thought to have to stake my wife and child so they can die in peace. At least, I will not be the one to make the choice for baby Belle. I will be long gone when that choice has to be made.

"Do not let the future overshadow the present, Alpha. I know what you are thinking. That is not where your mind needs to be right now," Isabelle says.

"I cannot help but think about it. It is a horrible thought. I do not want to be left with the decision if my wife lives as a vampire or a wolf. Wait if we kill Kate as a wolf and she turns into a vampire, will that stop the wolf?" I ask Isabella.

"No, I wish it was that simple. The wolf will still be with her, no matter her form. I told you, she is special. We either kill the wolf freeing both her and Bell or she dies and passes the wolf to Belle," Isabella says.

Isabelle touches my arm as we pull into Cassie's house. Austin is sitting on the porch with his Nanny. His face beams when he sees me. I get out and walk toward him. Isabella comes behind me slowly.

"Why is she here?" Desire says as she comes out of the house. Desire looks at Isabella with so much hate. Damn does she hate everyone now.

I look back to Isabella. "She is here to kill Alexander and she wants your help. If you still want his head," I say to Desire.

"Finally, someone with some damn sense around here," Desire says.

I go into the house and leaving Desire and Isabelle to talk. Cassie is lying in bed and baby Belle is asleep. I check on baby Belle first. I pat her on the back. Daddy is here little one. Soon you can be with your mother again. Soon everything will back to normal again. I sit down beside the bed and take Cassie's hand.

"I have been worried about you," I say softly. Cassie shakes her head.

"I am fine. I think. I remember everything that happened. I cannot believe that Kate would want to hurt me," Cassie says.

Cassie cries at the thought of her friend trying to kill her. There is little I can say to comfort her. I hold her hand and sit with her. We sit like this for a long time.

Baby Belle begins making noise from her crib. I release Cassie's hand and go to my daughter. I pick her up and hold her.

"She is taking formula, but there is a problem," Cassie says.

I pull baby Belle into me closer. "What happened?" I ask.

"She keeps taking her wolf form. It is too much for her. She is so small. It scares me to see her in pain. I am afraid for her and what she will become," Cassie says.

"I am too. I am worried about her. I have never known of a baby taking their wolf form. I am afraid that she will hurt someone," I say.

"I can handle her, Alpha. I am not afraid of her hurting me or anyone. I am only scared that she will become.... I am afraid she will turn into Kate," Cassie says.

"I want to take her home, Cassie. She should be with me and Kate," I say.

Cassie sits up in the bed. "Are you fucking crazy, Alpha Erick! You cannot take that baby around Kate! Erick, you have lost your f*****g mind!" Cassie screams at me.

Cassie screaming brings Desire running into the house with Isabella running behind her. "What is wrong? What happened?" Desire asks. Desire goes straight to Cassie to comfort her.

"He is taking baby Belle. He is taking her back to her mother," Cassie cries. Desire tries to soothe Cassie.

"He is, but first we are going to get rid of the wolf. We have a plan," Desire says.

"You cannot keep this up. The baby has to be protected. No one gives a shit about Kate. Fuck Kate! Look what she did to me! She could hurt the baby! Doesnt anyone care about the baby. Kate Kate Kate! I do not give a f**k about Kate!" Cassie cries and screams. Desire looks back at me. The anguish in her face. Her love for Cassie is the most important thing to her. When this is over, I have a feeling they both will leave the pack.

"Cassie, listen to me. We are going to leave baby Belle here with you and Austin while we take care of something. Then I will come back to get baby Belle. Alpha Erick and Isabella will not be coming back here to upset you, I promise," Desire says to her. Desire kisses her and holds her hand soothing her. Cassie shakes her head in agreement. "Fine, but I will not be going back to that house, ever. If you do not come back to me, I will get out of this bed and kill her myself," Cassie says.

"I understand," I say. I hold my daughter. I bounce her and kiss her head. Cassie and Desire are right about one thing. My priorities are in the wrong place. I want to help Kate, but my daughter is where my concern should be. I want to try to help Kate one more time, then if I cannot help her, I will put her down.

Baby Belle begins to fuss. "She is hungry. Give her to me and I will feed her," Cassie says.

"I will get her a bottle," Desire says. Desire leaves the room to get baby Belle a bottle.

"Bring her to me," Cassie says. I take baby Belle to her and put her in her arms.

"I will be back for my daughter. You are not keeping my daughter, Cassie. She will be going home to be with Kate and me," I say.

"You better get that omega in your house under control, Alpha. I will fight for baby Belle until I am dead. Even if I have to go through you," Cassie says.

Desire comes back and hands Cassie a bottle for baby Belle. "Come on," Desire says to me. I look at Cassie feeding my daughter. She loves her and cares for her. This should be Kate, not Cassie.

"Alpha Erick," Cassie says to me as I exit the room.

"What is it?" I ask her.

"I am leaving the pack. Desire and I are leaving here as soon as I am better. I want to take Austin with me. He deserves a life where he is the center of the house. Desire and I will love him as if he is our child," Cassie says.

"I know you will. I will not fight you on that. I will let you take Austin and leave. I do understand why. I am sorry it had to be this way. I am sorry you got hurt. I am sorry for everything," I say to Cassie.

"Do not be sorry. Just do not give me any trouble when I leave with him. I will take him, one way or another. I love him," Cassie says/

Isabella and Desire leave with me to go back to the house. We have to kill Alexander and then the white wolf.