Chapter 29

Eric's POV

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"You're playing with fire. This is extremely dangerous what you are proposing. I know you want the boy, but summoning the Umbre is foolish. That coven was banished for centuries and went into hiding for good reason. Their magic is evil Eric, and it comes with consequences." Omar has served our family for a very long time on the royal council, and he has connections into the larger packs of the north. Connections that will be valuable when I expand my takeover, otherwise I would have done away with him by now.

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"This won't be my first time working with the Umbre, you worry too much." I reply and Omar pauses for a moment and then looks like a lightbulb goes off in his head.

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"You used them to kill Augusta, didn't you? That's the only way you could have ever defeated him. You were a foolish boy and you are a foolish man. We will pay dearly for the favors you take from them. All of us will!"

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"Foolish indeed." A velvet like voice fills the room and I can't stop the smile that creases my lips.

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"Ah, Yurina, you have great timing. We were just talking about you." When she walks into the room Omar backs away from her as if she's poison.

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"You have no business being here," Omar says with venom in his voice but she doesn't give a shit what he says.

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"I was summoned, that makes it my business." She glares at him, and as much as I'd like to see her rip him apart, we have other business to deal with.

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"We've been watching for the boy, and as of yet he has not been alone outside the pack grounds, but as soon as he is I will make sure to snatch him up," she says and grips her hand in the air as if she's caught a fly.

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Roman's POV

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"You're home!" Anna smiles and pecks me on the cheek as I take my coat off.

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"Long day, I don't know what the hell Eric thinks he's doing, but he's creating serious problems with the humans. You know they think it is some kind of cult or militia that's attacking the small cities in the south. They're talking about military force to go in and try and take charge, but they don't even know what they are looking for. It's going to escalate quickly, and it's going to be messy if something isn't done." I say slumping down into a chair at the table.

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"Can you blame them? Their children are going missing." She says and then sits down beside me. "I hate to ask, but did you see the news? They've reported that Leo's friend, Angie, was found murdered. Thank the Goddess he hasn't seen it."

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"Shit," I shake my head and feel awful for the girl, for her family, and for Leo. "What happened? What did they report?"

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"She was found in the woods somewhere. Torn apart. Her ID was in her pocket. It was pretty gruesome the way they described it."

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"Where's Leo? He needs to know, and I don't want him finding out from the TV. She was close to him."

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Anna and I both jump when there is pounding at the door. I get up to open it and Lucas nearly falls into the entry way.

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"Did you see? About the girl? I need to find Leo," he says and I nod my head sadly.

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"Anna just told me, I was about to go find him and let him know." I say but Lucas shakes his head.

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"No, I'll tell him," he says and I agree to it. I know that Lucas has a special place in his heart for Leo and Leo feels the same towards him. "Let me ask Elise if they are together." I mindlink her and she let's me know that he was restless and was going to find a good book to read.

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"The library." I say and Lucas heads out the door.

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"I'll let Elise know." I say and Anna and I head to her room.

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Lucas' POV

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I make my way to the library and Leo is tucked into a chair, a blanket wrapped around him, and he's so into his book that he doesn't see me enter, so I knock gently on a nearby table.

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"Hey," he looks up at me and smiles as he puts his book down. I'm thankful he's a bookworm and isn't a TV zombie like so many of the other kids. He hasn't seen the news yet.

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"What are ya reading?" I ask and he pats the cover of the book.

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"Guillaume de Palerne" he says and I chuckle.

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"Not an easy read by any means, you know french?" I say and he nods.

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"I do, but I've definitely needed the English translation to help." he says and he shifts in his chair as I sit down in the chair across from him.

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"Leo, I'm afraid that I have some difficult news," I look at him and I don't know where to begin. He has lost so much, and I feel sick having to tell him. "I don't want you finding out from somewhere else."

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"What's is it? What's wrong?" He asks and he tosses the blanket to the ground and sits on the edge of the chair.

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"It's Angie. I'm sorry Leo, but they found her body a day or two ago. The news just reported it. I know she was such a good friend to you and I can't imagine how painful this must be."

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He swallows hard and shakes his head in denial.

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"No, no she can't be. I - I'm going to go get her. You said we just need to train harder, so I'll train harder than before and then I can bring her back!" he says and tears start to pool in his eyes.

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"I'm sorry Leo," I say and he quickly dashes a tear away that slips down his cheek.

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"She's gone? He killed her?" He asks, nearly holding his breath.

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"I'm afraid so, the news reported that it was violent. I hate having to tell you that, but I don't want you to hear it from anyone else." My stomach flips when I see the complete devastation on his face.

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"I've lost her too." He says and he breaks down and starts to cry. I quickly move to him and grab him in my arms.

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"I should have gone to get her, I should never have stayed here when I found out. I was watching movies and eating pizza and she was suffering and getting murdered! I could have saved her!" He sobs and I hold on to him tighter.

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"Leo, there was nothing you could have done. Your uncle would have killed you both." I say and he pulls away from me and stands up, violently wiping tears away from his face that just keep being replaced by new ones

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"At least I would have been killed doing something! At least I would have tried! Now I've lost her," he's quiet for a moment and then looks into my eyes. "I lost her Lucas... how do I live with myself knowing I could have gone to her?" he says and he sinks down to the ground and I follow.

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I quickly mindlink Roman and within a few minutes he, Anna and Elise are in the room with us and Elise grabs ahold of him and he loses himself in her arms.

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"He's been through so much," Anna says, she too is crying and Roman gestures for me to join him in the hallway.

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"He will join the ceremony with Jonathan. We will make him a member of our pack on the same night. He needs the support of the pack behind him, now more than ever."

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"I'll make sure the arrangements are made." I say. "What time is it?"

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"Nine thirty, why?" he asks and we both go back into the room.

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"I'm going to have Sammi get the kids together. I think their support will help Leo get through this." Roman agrees and it doesn't take long for Jack to come barreling down the hallway and skidding to a stop at the door of the library.

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"Where is he?" he asks and I gesture into the room.

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He doesn't hesitate and he drops down beside Elise and Leo and wraps his arms around them both. "I'm here for you," he says, "whatever you need, I'm here". Within moments Echo and Tai come rushing in with Sammi and Leia. All of them huddled around Leo, whispering words of support to him. They sit that way until Leo finally pulls himself up and the rest of the kids do the same.

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"We're going to kill your uncle, that son of a bitch," Echo says and Jack and Tai agree. "We'll have revenge Leo, he's going to pay for what he's done."

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Leo looks at them all, and he gets a steel look in his eyes.

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"No, I'm going to fucking kill him myself. I vow that I'm going to make him suffer for all he has taken from me if I have to do it breathing my last breath." Leo says, and it is a chilling statement.