Hunter

Chapter Twelve

The town is littered with shells, bodies and blood. Red, brown and gray are the new colours of what was once a small, trading town, which has now become the stage of a full-blown invasion. The air which would normally be filled with the scent of freshly baked bread and the sound of people is now glowing red with fire and thick with smoke, ash and embers, there's no coming back from this.

An army and a demon fight each other without knowing the true reason, but the victor is obvious. The wounded of the losing side are abundant and lay in heaps around the town and the faces of the fighters are grim with the certainty of death and fatigue, yet they fight on.

I stand over a heap of bodies watching the town burn. Looking at what I did. Xerxes is silent as he always is when this happens. For two weeks he has refused to shift and so instead my father taught me to use my demon form. Today we fought against Logan's army that was taking refuge in this small town. Father and son side by side raining down carnage upon our enemy. Helping save the world.

The toll on both nature and humanity is heavy. It'll likely take years before this town will have recovered. But at least its people are no longer forced to assist the mad man that is my uncle. It is clear bodies, gore and broken siege engines have taken the place of parks, buildings and monuments.

"We're one step closer to victory," Dardanos said from next to me. "Pretty soon we'll be able to stop Logan before he causes anymore harm."

"I wish I could do more." I tell him.

"We have an important job for you. Hopefully in a few months we can send you to Alexandria on a rescue mission."

"Why not now?"

"We still have a lot of bases to cover. We want Logan as powerless as we can get him before we retrieve my daughter. That way he won't be able to take her away."

"Of course," I say.

For two weeks I have been able to leave Rosemore without suspicion to go to Alistair's house. The training although brutal has helped. I'm more in tune with my senses than I was before. Hopefully in a month's time I'll be able to manipulate shadows again. For now my strength is all I'm relaying on.

When I get home later that night I find Esmeralda on the couch in the living room waiting for me. She watches me for a few seconds before gesturing for me to sit down. I reluctantly drop myself into the seat next to her.

"You've been leaving town a lot. Want to tell me where you're going?" She asks sitting back and watching me.

"Nowhere important. I didn't realise I wasn't allowed to leave."

"I didn't say you weren't. You've never wanted to step foot out of this town for two years. And suddenly while I'm gone something causes you to barely even be home. You left your brother to run your business and you only come home in the middle of the night and leave before the sun is up."

"I'm not doing anything dangerous if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm worried about you doing something stupid. It could be easy to manipulate you given your lack of memories. I don't want you accidentally meeting someone from your past and..."

"And what be taken away from you. I can leave if I want to. I'm not a prisoner here remember. And if I did meet someone from my past wouldn't that be a good thing?" I ask her.

"You never wanted to before." She sighs.

"Yeah well things change." I shrug. "Can I go to bed now? I'm tired."

"Loose the sass boy." She glared. "You're living under my roof and have been under my care since you stumbled into this town with no idea who you were. I will not have you disrespect me because of whatever happened while I was gone. Show some gratitude by being respectable."

"Stop being an ass. She doesn't deserve that." Xerxes sighed.

"I'm sorry." I say

"Good. Now tomorrow you aren't going anywhere. You'll spend it setting up a plan with your brother on how you'll manage the garage. You came here to start a new life. Don't abandon it like you did your old one." She tells me getting up.

I don't argue and watch her walk out of the room. I know I can easily leave this place. Move into Alistair's house. He needs my help. What we're doing is important? I can't afford any setbacks.

"Please don't do what you're thinking. Don't make me regret being your wolf anymore than I already do."

"You know Alistair needs our help." I say getting up and making my way upstairs.

"I also know leaving is stupid. You fought to stay in this town, to be a part of this family. Stick it out to the end and don't abandon them to go on some hero mission."

"But..."

"No. For once in your life use your brain Xander. Do you even want to leave?"

"No."

"Then don't. Stop doing what you don't want to please other people. Live for yourself. But if you ever make a selfish decision again like refusing to shift I will throw us off a cliff next chance I get."

"That won't kill me." I chuckle.

"Yes but it will hurt."

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I know it's short but I will be writing longer chapters soon. Just trying to tackle a bit of writers block. Please Vote and share.