Payment To the Alpha

Avery's POV

Alena and I were sitting on her porch after she told me that her son was my father, making her my grandmother, I was stunned, and I didn't speak or react for fifteen minutes. Alena had brought me a coffee with milk and sugar and put it on the table, I took a sip and opened my mouth but closed it up again, and this same procedure went on for another five minutes before I found my voice again.

"How?" That was all I asked.

"Love, that's how. Love is the most powerful feeling there ever was, it is from the love that hate is born, and it is with love that we can truly live. However losing love, means losing a part of yourself, and for some people, it means losing all of yourself, a pain that not many can handle." I nodded my head as I took another sip of my coffee, then I licked my lips and looked at Alena.

"Why?" I asked,

"That's the real question, isn't it? Because for a child to grow up without love, they choose to hang on to anything they can. In my son's case, it was hate and revenge, it has consumed him, and unfortunately, only death can save him." I looked at her, baffled. She just said that her own son has to die.

"It's not easy Avery, he is my son, but I also know what threat he poses to so many people. An entire species will die by his hand if he doesn't die first."

"And mine." I said. Alena had told me how he would use my witch genes and manipulate the werewolf gene, tying me to every werewolf in the country. He has worked on this plan for the last eighty years and perfected every part. They would all die by his hand but also by mine.

"Yes, but you can stop him. Only you can kill him, Avery." I bit my lip, letting everything sink in.

"Why do you look so familiar?" I asked her. She giggled, and then a bright smile lit up her face.

"I actually have two grandchildren, my dear." That smile, I have seen that smile before, but where.

"Who is your other grandchild?"

"Natasha." She answered.

"WHAT!?" And suddenly everything fell into place

Natasha's father, her mate, died, she ran. Ever since the beginning, she has been nothing but kind and helpful towards me and nothing like what they all said that she would be like.

Because she was my sister. Natasha and I shared the same father.

"Holy shit." I said in an exhale.

"Language, dear." I coughed and cleared my throat, realizing my mistake.

"Sorry." I said with a small smile. She smiled back at me.

"You seem to give me every answer I ask for. Why is that?"

"So that you're not too surprised when he does." She replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows. If I keep furrowing my eyebrows this much, I'm gonna have a wrinkled face before I turn twenty.

"Once it begins and you come face to face with him, you will already have all the answers, so nothing he says will break your focus. He will use the information that he doesn't know you have in order to make you lose control, to make you vulnerable, to make you weak."

I understand where she's coming from, but how am I meant to carry on knowing all of this?

"It's okay if I talk about this with the others, right?" Alena looked down at her hands before answering my question.

"They already know, James has known for a while, and the others found out just a while ago. But Avery, no sweetheart, you can't speak of this to anyone. Everything has to be an element of surprise with my son, and the lesser that they know, the better." Alena looked through the window to her house, where a clock was hanging.

"It's almost time for you to leave," She spoke as her eyes faltered. "It has been a pleasure meeting you, Avery, and I can assure you that this is not the last time we will see each other. Remember to keep all of this a secret, soon you'll make a choice, and I know that you will choose right. Just believe in yourself and believe in the people around you. Natasha made James promise not to tell you anything, for the same reason that you can't tell anybody. This is a secret that is best kept hidden, for your safety above all." I don't want to leave her. She's my grandmother. I just met her, and already she's sad over me leaving, my parents couldn't wait to get rid of me, and my father only created me to be his killing machine. It's nice to have a family member who actually cares about you.

"Thank you for everything, Alena. It was a pleasure meeting you too." We both stood up and embraced each other in a big warm hug that ended way too soon. I wiped away the tears that were falling and looked at her, memorizing her facial features.

"Goodbye, Alena." I said as I was about to turn around and leave. Alena shook her head and grabbed my hands in hers.

"Until next time, Avery." I smiled and walked away. As I stepped off the porch, Alena called from behind me.

"And Avery, please, stay safe." She said with fear in her eyes.

"I will do my best." I couldn't tell her that I promised because that would be a lie. All I could say to comfort her were those words, that I will do my best, and I will, I have too much to lose in dying, and too many to lose by losing.

James' POV

I had mind-linked all the ranked members and told them to meet us in my office. After they were briefed on everything that had been said, they all sat like collies and stared blankly.

This is a lot of information for anyone to take, but I want everyone to get over it so that I can go to my mate.

"Are there any questions?" Lisa looked at me, she and everyone else were mad and sad all at once, and that's a dangerous combination for a werewolf.

"Will Avery be able to face Crow without harming herself?" She asked me.

"She must. There is no other way for this to go down, and trust me, I would know, I have searched for any other way to beat him or to at least replace Avery's part in all of this, but it is like it's written in stone, there is no way around it.

But I have absolute faith that she will be able to handle it, and if she doesn't, we will all be here." So I said, not sounding the least bit convincing. I'm scared to death about Avery fighting Crow, not because I don't think that she can handle it, but because of what could happen if she doesn't. I could lose her, and I will never let that happen.

"Natasha, before we end this, is there anything else you need to tell us?" All eyes went to Natasha. If there were anything left to say, now would be the time to say it.

"Yes, Avery can't know that I'm her sister."

"How the hell are we supposed to keep that from her?!" Jackson shouted.

"You're going to have to find a way. She mustn't know, not yet. That's all I know. Besides that, I have said everything." Natasha exclaimed.

"Very well then, I'm gonna go see my mate, Amber. Let me know if there is any update from your friend and Jackson. Make sure that the warriors are practicing the tactics for the witch hunt."

"Yes, Alpha." They both said before heading out.

"Lisa, in an hour, I have a phone call to make with Alpha Ines from the Blue Moon Pack. I need you to be with Avery during that time." Lisa was about to answer before Natasha spoke.

"Actually, I would like to spend some time with Avery. If you don't mind, I could keep her company in the meantime." She said. I thought about it for a moment, whether it was a good idea considering everything, but Avery is her sister, and she would never harm her.

"Okay then, Natasha, I will have someone get you when I have to leave."

"Thank you, Alpha." She responded with a slight head bow before exiting my office.

"You guys know what you have to do."

"Yes, Alpha." They all said in unison and left. I had told Alvin and Trish to keep an eye on the pack members to see if anyone acted odd. Something didn't feel right. It felt like there were eyes inside the pack that shouldn't be here.

"So, brother, how are you?" Alex asked me as he took a seat in front of me.

**

Amber's POV

I was walking down the stairs on my way to the kitchen to fix up some snacks before dinner when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Amber, it's me. How is everything?"

"The same way it's been the past few days, except...Do you know who Natasha is, too, Avery?"

There was a silence that followed my question.

"Yes, I've known for a while, I couldn't tell anyone, that's why I haven't visited, I couldn't be around Avery and keep this secret, not again."

"Well, now that it's out, can't you come here and visit her? I think that's what she needs, and there's a room you can live in while you're here." I said as I opened the fridge to pull out some orange juice.

"Yes, I can, and I will. Let me just pack up some things, and I'll be on my way."

"Great." With that, we hung up, and I turned to the cabinet to pull out a granola bar.

"You should know that sneaking up on a werewolf is pointless and stupid." I said as I turned around and faced Jackson." I wasn't sneaking up on you. Who was that on the phone?" He asked me as he pulled out a glass and placed it next to mine. "It was Lydia." I answered him.

"We've been talking ever since they were here, and everything started, she hasn't wanted to visit because she said she couldn't face Avery, and now I know why." Jackson looked at me befuddled, and I poured some orange juice into his glass. "Why?"

"Because she knew that Natasha and Avery were sisters, and she didn't want to be around Avery knowing she couldn't tell her." Jackson bobbed his head as he drank from his glass.

"That's respectful." He said.

"It is. So, how is the training going?" I asked him as I sat down at one of the tables, and Jackson sat beside me.

"It's good. They're learning fast. I just hope that it's fast enough." We don't know when Crow will show himself, we don't know what he has planned, and there is no other way for us to prepare than what we are already doing.

I walked out on the training field with Jackson to see how the younger warriors were doing. As we got out there, I noticed how some of the female warriors weren't actually practicing, but they were standing around talking and snickering. I overheard some of their conversations.

"Well, perhaps now that the Alpha has seen what a worthless human he brought home, he might actually reconsider his choice and choose a new Luna." One of the girls, named Myra, said, and I felt Stella clawing her way up.

"Hey, shut up. Avery isn't worthless. None of us know what's going on."

"You're just saying that because you have a crush on her, Chase, but hey, if someone else gets chosen by the Alpha, she will be free for you to grab, your loss though."

"WHAT IS THIS! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PRACTICING, BUT YOU'RE STANDING AROUND TALKING SHIT ABOUT YOUR FUTURE, LUNA!?" The authority clear in my voice made all the young wolves turn their heads towards me with a horrified look in their eyes.

"Gamma." Chase, the only one that didn't look horrified but submissive, said as he bowed his head the rest soon followed.

"If I hear one more fucking word come out of your mouths regarding Avery, there will be hell to pay. Understood?!"

"UNDERSTOOD!?" I asked again as I didn't get an answer.

"Yes, Gamma." They all said, one after the other. "Well, then, get back to practice. Maybe these skills will be the only thing protecting your sorry asses one day." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest and kept eyeing them. They carefully lifted their heads, meeting my gaze, and hurriedly got back to practicing.

Jackson and I decided to go for a run and check the borders and the border guards. But, something didn't add up. I felt like we were being watched.