Chapter 6

"You can't!"

Hector's eyes glowed and his fangs grew while looking at Leo fiercely.

"And why can't I? I'm the leader now Hector. Know your place." Leo coldly responded.

His voice carry a commanding tone. Even my knees feel like they are about to give out when I heard him. I know that it was not directed at me but the pressure he gives off greatly affects me.

"Are you sure about it?" Eleonor inquired.

Leo nodded at his mother. Eleonor gave her signal and then suddenly the two figures who were standing beside her faded in my vision. In a blink of an eye they were standing beside me grabbing me by the hand.

"Ouch! Ah, wait! You're pressing on my injury!"

They are so careless!

My shoulder haven't healed yet and they are grabbing me so tightly. I tear up in pain.

"Careful!" Leo commanded and the girl immediately let go of my right arm.

They took me in front of everyone where their leaders are. I feel a bit conscious because of the way they look at me.

"Dad..."

I look at my step dad who's now held by two bulky men. They are preventing him to get closer to their leader.

"El, she's my daughter! You can't just give her to your son!" Hector was shouting at Eleonor but she look conflicted.

Leo scoffed.

"Your daughter? She's a human and not our kind!" His voice trailed off and turned to look at me with his piercing eyes.

"Choose... you can keep our secrets to your grave or enter our pack and serve me for the rest of your life." He warned.

Are those even valid options?

Bastard!

How can I choose any of those? It's either an instant death or live in his mercy! I don't even know what he will do to me.

"Let her go, Leo! I will challenge you!"

"Brother!" Eleonor panic when she heard what Hector said. It's not what I think it is, right?

"I will defeat you and free my daughter!" Hector growled.

"Defeat me? You're not as strong as you were before, Uncle." Leo flashed an evil grin.

"I already have the ancestor's ring. Even without it, I can still defeat you. You haven't fully recovered from your previous fight with grandfather." He stopped and stared at Hector coldly. "If you insist on going against me, I will have no choice but to kill you."

"No! Please dad don't do it..."

"You're the only family I have... Please don't do it." I begged. I kneeled on the cold ground while tears are falling off my cheeks.

"How can I possibly live if I lose even you!"

"Please take back what you said about the challenge..." I looked at Eleonor. "Aunt, please..."

"The challenge has been said... it's up to the leader if he accepts it."

She look as if she was about to cry too but she just look away. Meaning she can't do anything about it.

I turned to look at the big black wolf in front of me.

I pinned my head on the ground while kneeling.

"Please don't hurt him. I... I don't have anything to do with him." I heard my voice crack in the middle of my words. But I had to say it.

"L-like you said I'm... I'm not his real... daughter. He can't wage anything related to me." I closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling but it didn't help. They still found a way down.

"I will agree to whatever you want. Please... let him go. Please..."

I feel horrible. I could hear Hector's voice protesting against my decision. But I'm just going to be in someone's place. At least we will still see other. We will, right?

The thought of losing someone precious to me again is something I can never live with. It's better this way.

I saw Leo's feet walk towards me. He move his wolf head close to my ears and whispered.

"Really? Whatever I want?" I can feel him grinning even if I don't raise my head and look at his side.

I closed my eyes tighter and held my breath before giving him the word he wanted to hear.

"Anything."

He commanded the two men who held Hector to let go of him. After that Eleonor conclude the ritual. She ask the unrelated people to disperse and go back to their homes since the ritual is complete.

I'm still kneeling down on the ground when Hector hugged me.

I let out the heavy weight inside my heart and started crying like a child.

"Dad, I'm sorry! I'm such an ungrateful daughter for telling those things!"

I regret it. I regret everything I said even if I didn't mean any of it. Just hearing it coming from my mouth is unbearable and unacceptable.

"Hush! Stop crying, sweetheart." Hector pat my back like a father comforting his child.

"I know you didn't mean any of those. It was I who needs to apologize." He pulled away. He held my arms carefully and looked at me.

"I failed to protect you, Ayesha. I promise your Alicia that I will do everything for you to be happy and safe. But I'm such a failure! How can I look at your mother in the eye when we see each other?"

My heart sank when I saw him cry. I always caught him crying while secretly looking at my mom's portrait but this is the first time he cried in front of me. He loves my mom so much.

"You can't leave me, dad! My mom will never forgive you if you left me behind. So, please don't do anything reckless. I can't lose you too, dad..."

I grabbed on his shirt and cried harder.

"I promise. I need to find a great man first that will take care of you and personally send you off on the aisle before I can proudly meet your mom."

I punch him softly because of saying silly things but before it landed I instantly winced in pain. I'm a right-handed person and I forgot about my injury.

Hector held me up and supported me to stand up. But because I was kneeling for a long time my legs grew numb.

He was about to carry me when Leo spoke not far from us.

So, he's still here... He witnessed how pitiful I am. I bet he's laughing and ridiculing me inside. It was all because I unintentionally harm him before.

"I will take her with me." It was not a request but an order. He glance at his back as if telling me to ride on him.

Is he for real?

Before Hector and I could protest I heard a lovely voice full of sarcasm.

"Just because you're in your animal form doesn't mean you should think like one."

"What did you say?" Leo growled at her.

"Leona, don't talk that way to your brother." Eleonor also came near us and scolded her daughter.

"What? He wants a shivering and injured girl to ride on his back in the middle of the night and run through the forest. There's just no humanity in him, mother!" She exclaimed.

Exactly the words I want to say, Leona! I mentally cheered her.

Leo stared dangerously at her so she hid behind her mother. I know it's not time for this but she's so adorable. I can't help but like her!

"Leona is right. At least let Ayesha rest" Bailey in his human form seconded while walking beside his two brothers who are still in their wolf form.

Leo growled at him but he remained unfazed. The other two responded which made me surprised since I will see them play along with all of Leo's wilful acts.

"You've gone too far, brother." Russel warned. He looked serious like an older brother scolding his younger brother. "The human girl is already yours. Give her some slack."

Leo stared at him colder but he didn't do anything.

"Let her ride on your truck, uncle. We will just run and follow after you" Flynn said not waiting for his brother's approval.

Hector nodded and carried me towards his truck. He opened the passenger seat and put me down.

"Where do you think you're going?" Flynn throw Bailey a warning look. The guy was following us to the truck and was about to climb on the back seat when Flynn stopped him.

"You will run with us." He ordered. How can I forget that these two are always at odds with each other.

"Shut up! I'm too tired to run around. If you are jealous then try to transform into your human form."

I know that Bailey is trying to provoke him like always. But he can't do anything about it because he can't transform yet to his human form.

"Bastard! Get down here! Let's see if I don't tear you into pieces!" Flynn growled and tried to enter the truck. But he was to big for the door and his limbs couldn't reach Bailey who's teasing him and sitting comfortably at the opposite end.

I felt dizzy and nauseous because the truck is shaking violently because of Flynn. So I reach out my left hand and grabbed whatever I can reach on his body to make him stop. I saw his bushy tail and grip on them tightly.

"What the hell!" He started cursing under his breath and words I could tell.

"Ayesha!" Hector called out my name when he saw what I did.

At the same moment the others reach us. Eleonor was in utter shock and Leona look away when she saw what I did.

"Put.His.Tail.Down!" Leo growled and I swear I can see the storm brewing on his face.

I looked at Russel to ask but he also had the same dark expression.

They were all giving me weird looks.

What did I do wrong?!