Wolf Dominion Volume 2

“We do nothing,” I sit back in Lux’s old apartment, where Vastian, Mila and Hades sit around a table to talk to me. Skye is in an induced coma, asleep and rapidly healing with Vastian’s medical know-how.

“That’s your plan?” Mila asks, twiddling her thumbs, while drinking spirits in the morning, “Do nothing.”

“I don’t care about the Dominion anymore,” I state, “I have my son back.”

“Raygar remains,” Vastian reminds me, “Raygar is family.”

“Raygar is a survivor, and an ex-Rouge Master, like Mila, he’ll be fine,” I shrug my shoulders, “I’m sure he’ll escape soon with Fyre, after finding out everyone else is gone from Cat Dominion. Meri will help.”

“You don’t have to do a thing, Ryder, we don’t need you,” Mila buds in, “I have my own vendetta, Opular is my kill – for murdering my unborn… so, don’t get in my way. Got it?”

“You’re welcome to do whatever you like, for now, as Luna, I’m taking a break and working out what to do next,” I state very calmly, because the fact is, after what I had been shown underground, I had different priorities now. I had to find out the truth in Cracklen – the rest of the planet didn’t really matter for the moment.

“Huh,” Vastian stares at his secret twin brother, estranged much, and totally different in every manner. Hades who lounges by any exit at any time, is now leaning on the front door, while Vastian glares at him.

“What?” Hades growls into his breakfast, eating buttered bread.

“She’s talking like you now,” Vastian states – and Hades almost chokes.

I slam my hand down on the table, “No I’m not.”

“Do nothing? Sounds too familiar to my ears,” Vastian takes a dig at Hades while talking to me, “Why don’t you explain your sudden change of heart. You went from enraged mother, Luna and betrayed – to a complacent beta overnight… ‘do nothing?’” Vastian knows something is up.

But I promised Hades I wouldn’t say anything and I wouldn’t. I’d have him as an ally for now, over them, any time.

“Explain? You never explained anything to me beyond sharing a scrap of sympathy here and there – I’ve made my decision. Cracklen is the home for wolves to roam freely – at least for now –” I hiss back, until I’m cut off.

“Opular is ID tagging to cull every species beyond Cat Dominion,” Vastian talks over me, “You’re just going to ignore that?”

“I didn’t know he was planning that,” I drop the bread from my hands and lay my hands in my lap, “He was more interested in fucking me –”

“Fuck you and then kill you, you are so naïve still, in some areas,” Vastian rolls his eyes, “Open your eyes, Ryder – you’re his number one enemy,” Vastian gets a hiss out of Mila, who vehemently disagrees.

“Yeah right,” Mila stabs her bread with her knife to make a point.

“I’ll work it out,” I reply vaguely, “I’m in a process of thinking and working shit out – I’ve been moving too fast anyway.”

“Moving fast meant we’re here right now… thank you for that, Ryder,” Vastian briefly gives me a compliment. Rare.

“Oh, I have no need for your thanks –”

“Where is your son?” Vastian asks slyly, catching me off guard.

“The nursery,” the breath almost leaves me, “I’ll go to him after I talk to Skye.”

“It seems to me like you’re avoiding the very son you bargained for…”

“How about you shut up and get the fuck out,” I talk over Vastian and my eyes zone in hard on his cruel eyes.

“This is my place now, you can’t kick me out,” Vastian murmurs anyway.

“Your place? And you’re my fucking property, being under my command as Luna who saved your ass from enslavement, so shut your mouth and move out, I want Skye to myself for a bit,” I’m clear and final, there is nothing to question.

Hades chuckles in the corner, choking on his food once more.

“She told you, fucker –”

“You two, as well, get the fuck out,” I point to Mila and Hades.

“I don’t mind this side of you,” Mila stands up, “I can respect it,” she smiles only for a second and storms out, Hades opens the door and kicks her ass on the way. As they bicker and argue like siblings, Vastian takes his sweet time standing and slowly pushing in the chair.

“Knowledge is power,” Vastian reminds me, “If you die, the knowledge dies, so you better tell me if you know something,” he hits right onto it, but I just smile as he leaves.

Hades goes a bit more quiet as his brother approaches, and they clearly don’t get on. I’ve never seen twins quite so opposite in all my short life.

“I’ll stand guard,” Hades speaks to Vastian and me, “She won’t die on my watch,” Hades adds directly as a jab at Vastian as he is shutting the door on their way out.

As they both bicker outside, I know Hades will stand guard.

He’s keeping close to me now, closer than ever.

I know it’s either secret returned love or his indecisiveness on whether to kill me, lest I do give up his secrets, but I knew overtime his decision would be made known to me. I had a feeling Hades wouldn’t kill me, at least, I hoped.

I just couldn’t predict his next move.

Which was a problem.

I sip some fresh brewed tea that’s gone a bit cold, as I see Skye in his induced coma.

I stand up from the table and I approach, promptly deciding to do something maybe cruel – but necessary.

I rip out all the instruments keeping him stable and I wait for him to wake up as I stand over him.

Skye gasps awake, thin and fragile – but not that fragile.

He was still a giant, and his asshole personality was still there. I knew it.

I couldn’t be kind to him.

I knew what his death drawl was like, where it came from – and I couldn’t show weakness, or he might overthrow me if I’m not careful.

“You’re safe,” I talk over his head, “You’re welcome. You can thank Hades. You can thank me. I’m saving this Dominion. I’m leading everything–”

“Hades,” Skye’s eyes glaze, his anger on the rise as he slowly sits up, seemingly unable to hear past anything beyond that name.

We can still hear the bicker of the brothers on the outside.

Vastian and Hades.

“Sit down,” I try to use my tone and I try to put my hand on Skye’s shoulder, as he turns to stand, but his eyes are too focused on that door with murder on his mind.

“This isn’t about you right now,” Skye stands and shoves me aside, making his way to the door.

I try to follow but he’s too quick, even weakened.

I just have to stand back to witness it as he opens the door.

Hades is surprised at the sight of him, as Skye turns into his front and grabs his throat and shoves him back into the rock wall, while Vastian looks on, glaring in at me for waking Skye up.

“Traitor,” Skye spits his fury, while Hades just puts up both hands in a mock surrender, “The Cats decimated us because of your free agency.”

“I don’t deny it,” Hades speaks calmly.

“Why did you sentence us to die?” Skye stays close, wanting to hear every word.

“I wasn’t sure if that would be a direct consequence – and you are alive –”

“Why?” Skye uses his death drawl, and his eyes blaze with tears of passion building.

“Calm it. I’m trying to crack the code,” Hades actually lets on to the secret, even shocking me, “I’m trying to break the system on Genesis.”

Skye unhands him, confused as he stands back to take him in.

“…what system?”

“The Dominions, I’m trying to break it all down,” Hades admits, shrugging, and I’m somewhat offended because even he hasn’t told me this yet.

I stalk closer and lean on the door frame, arms crossed as I listen intently with Vastian.

“For more Shades,” Skye guesses.

“No, for complete and utter anarchy,” Hades interjects, “For a purpose… which is a bit hard to explain, which is why I told Ryder everything last night… so I finally have a credible source to back me up when I tell the truth.”

“…the truth…” Skye tries not to laugh, “You’ve never told the truth – even growing up around you, you always sneak, like a snake. You should have been born to the Hydra.”

“I somewhat agree,” Hades holds up a finger and wiggles it, “But… for the rest you may have to sit down and listen… to her. I won’t say it, but listen to our Luna.”

Hades really is making me some kind of worker.

I wonder if that’s all it is.

I’m his spokesperson now.

Skye looks at me, and his expression is guarded. Vastian is keen to know. Mila is gone, which is probably a good thing. Hades motions to the door one down.

“Come on,” Hades murmurs, “My place is more secure,” he leads the way, while I shove past both Skye and Vastian’s condescending stares, and I follow into Hade’s apartment.

Great.

It wasn’t going to be a fucking secret for much longer.

Now I had to tell these assholes we were all cloned – on a planet beyond our first origins, and Hades and I both had no idea why it was happening. This was going to be so much fun.

If they didn’t call me insane at the end of it, I’d consider it a victory.