Chapter 20 - Realizations

That Friday James, Rose, Rent, and even July were at Stevens house. The T.V. was on but no one was watching it. They were staring blankly at the screen. July was lining up crayons. “…It’s weird, being hear without him I mean.” Rose said.
“ Yeah.” Rent sighed. James was silent. “ Were else should we go though? I’m pretty sure that James’s father hates me and our house is two miles out of town.” Being werewolves gave them the advantage of speed but although they were sure he was faster, James was in no mood to run anywhere. He had spent the entire night staring at his bracelet and thinking of Steven.
At that moment his phone rang. He answered it and almost dropped it in shock. On the screen was a picture of Steven unconscious and chained to the wall with an I.V sticking out of his arm. His clothes were torn up, he was badly scratched, and the side of his face was a spectacular purple were someone must have tried to bash his head in. There was also a text.

“ We’re watching you James. You’re in a living room with your sister and two friends. Tell anyone of this and we’ll kill Steven. Attempt to break him out; we’ll kill him. You will turn yourself over to us. If you don’t we’ll kill him. And if we kill him we’ll have to re-place him with your sister. You have until Tuesday to find us. Mt.”

James was shaking. “James? What is it?” Rose asked She took the phone and gasped when she saw the picture. Rent read over her shoulder. “ We have to tell the pack.” He said.
“ No!” “James.” “You both read the text! They’ll kill him. They’re watching us right now and they’ll take my sister!” James’s breathing was rising and he was standing. July was watching with concern. “ We can’t tell anyone.”
“ What about the thorn?” Rose asked. The phone rang. They read the text.

“ Absolutely no thorn. Get any were near the compound and we wont hesitate.”

James threw the phone down and began to pace. July whimpered. “ W-well there has to be something we can do!” Rose said standing. James paused. “ …I have to turn myself in.”
“ No!” Rent said finally getting up again. “ You can’t let them win!” “What else am I supposed to do!?! They know where I live Rent! Even if I find a way to keep them from July they’ll just take my parents! Or worse, you…” July began to cry. “ But you don’t even know who they are! They might not even have Steven with them!” Rose shouted.
“ And you do!?!” There was a pause. Rent stared at the floor as sobs filled the room. “It’s the mountain pack.” He said. “ Take me to them!”
“I can’t. If we go now everyone will be looking for us, besides someone will have to protect your family. Lets face it; your sister is a wreck without you.” He said sternly. He gestured to July who was crying on the floor. They paused while James tried to reassure her. “ We’re okay now. I’m sorry” He phrased kneeling to her level. She sat up and stared at him.
She gave him a worried look. After all she had been around James long enough to be able to tell when he was lying. “I’ll stay behind.” Rose said. “ It’ll take your four days to get there on foot…Rent when you get near there you’ll have to turn around. If they get you too then we’ll be in over our heads.” She said. “ James… they might not let him go. Your understand that, right?” Rose walked over to him and gripped his shoulder.
“ I understand.” He said swallowing. James turned to July. “L-lets go home.” He choked. “ I’ll hide your phone and we’ll head out a midnight from your house tomorrow.” Rent said. July took her brothers hand and together they left.
Rent sat down on the couch and turned James’s phone off. He stared at the floor in thought. “ … We’re in deep shoot.” He said turning to Rose. Little did they know, Stevens father had been in his room, pretending to read. He had heard every word.


* * *
Saturday had been hell for James. He had only slept for twenty minutes and had a nightmare about Steven being tortured by the man who had been locked up at the thorn. He couldn’t stop the tears when he woke up. July who had woken up thirsty walked in his room and put an arm around him. The day had seemed to drag on and he spent most of it on the couch watching TV and planning.
His parents hadn’t noticed that his boots and coat were hidden under his be along with some of the food. It had been shoved in his backpack as well as a sheathed kitchen knife. A sharp one. That night after he finished counting his money he sat in bed staring at his bracelet ready to go.
He was also wearing a hat to hide his semi-long hair. Rent showed up at his window right on time. Which was a big feat for him as it was. “ We’ll run to the nearest city and sneak onto a bullet train headed near the mountains.
“Once we get close enough we can just jump off.” He explained. “ If we haven’t gotten caught.” “ We won’t get caught” it wasn’t a suggestion; it was a statement. James climbed out the window.
Rent tossed him his bag of things including his cloths and shifted forms. Together they ran into the night.

* * *

The next night as the sun went down; Melexa had been watching the news. His eyes were wide in shock.

“ Startling news strikes the area as new developments appear in a recent missing persons case. Steven, whose last name as well as others involved in this case will remain confidential, age sixteen, disappeared two weeks prior of today. Police have found no new evidence of the teen’s disappearance.” The local anchorwomen said. A picture of Steven appeared on the screen. “ Just last night Stevens close friends Rent (age fifteen) and James (age sixteen) were reported missing early this morning. They have yet to be found and no evidence of a struggle has been found. Cash and food has gone missing from both residences, making it appear that the two boys have planed this. The only lead on the two run always is Rose, age fourteen, Rents younger sister, however she insist that she knows nothing of their disappearance, despite having seen both boys before the disappearance.” The threes pictures had been added to the screen. “ Pleas, if anyone has any information leading to their whereabouts or there disappearances, call this number.”

Melexa immediately got up and went to the dining room of the rose sevens sector. The rest of the group was sitting around another stone table drinking coffee. “ James is missing.” All conversation stopped. “ It’s on the news, one of the local packs teenagers is gone as well.”
Venda froze. “ I’ll get it eventually.” The moment was ringing in her mind. “ He said it. We’ve been protecting the wrong person. They wanted James.” She said.
“ But James isn’t a member of the thorn.” Moon shadow argued. “ Yes but he appears to be.” Navy said. Melexa, Venda, and Leks cursed. Everyone immediately got up to inform the thorn leader. Melexa took out his cell and dialed.
Stevens’s pack was involved; they had a right to know. It would also improve the odds of finding them if they knew the other sides story.

* * *

“ I know. The Magicians have made a treasure of mine disappear during the magic show. I’m trying to get it back but… you know magicians. They always say they’re always watching you. I can’t be sure but you never know. I was planning to take the rest of my family to the next show but with what happened and my son missing… Yes I know. I’m pretty sure that magicians a thief too. He’s probably hiding it at his home. Some of my other stuff is gone too. …Yes, thank you.” Stevens father hung up the phone.
“ So we were gonna go to a magic show?” She echoed. She was busy with keeping an eye on James’s family, not stupid. Her uncles’ codes were always easy to read. Steven was kidnapped during the storm to erase all evidence; they were being watched so they couldn’t do much at the moment, he would alert the pack as soon as possible; Rent and James were going to try to get Steven, simple. “ Yeah.” Her uncle trailed off.
“ But now I just want to make sure the boys are all right.”

* * *

James woke up just as the sun was setting. He and Rent had sowed away in the cargo compartment of the bullet train. Rent was currently laying agenst to wall opposite of him. James was curled up in a ball agenst a crate. The room wasn’t heated so all of his joints were cramped and freezing.
His sleep had been a numb, dreamless sleep filled with an aching sadness and fear. He honestly just felt like crying but he wouldn’t. Now was a time for action, not tears. But he didn’t know what he would do once he finally got there.
James would be walking into the den of a small army of wolves. Big wolves. He would be alone and armed with a big kitchen knife. It was pathetic. He couldn’t get Steven back by force and even if he didn’t fight they wouldn’t let Steven go.
They would use him as a toll to control him. What was he thinking? He barely knew how to fight let alone fight like a vampire. He had almost no skill what so ever. How would he beat a pack of wolves?
It was making him more miserable and scared by the second. His hands were shaking at the thought of it. Or was that the cold? He hadn’t noticed but Rent had woken up and had been watching him. The more he watched the more he realized.
James was terrified. “ You can get him out, I know you can.” They both jumped at that. Rent hadn’t meant to say anything at all but he was probably right. “ Look, the sun is going down and according to the map this is as close the mountains that we can get from hear.”
James nodded as they got up, opened a ceiling hatch, and climbed onto the roof of the bullet train. The force of the wind almost knocked both boys over they were going so fast. There was no way James would come out of this unscathed. James stared at the ground as it went by. “ Yup…I’m gonna die” He thought.
He was trying to prepare himself but Rent grabbed him before he could. The two crashed into the gravel as a yelp echoed. Rent had already known about Vampire healing problems and had made sure that James landed on top of him before they rolled down the banking. Before he knew it James was yanked to his feet. “ Lets move” and they were off and running through the woods.
It was up hill and the snow slowed them down but for some reason Rents energy had rubbed of on James and he wasn’t tired anymore. They ran, jumping over rocks, dodging trees, and occasionally tripping. James’s face was bright red from the wind as they were running faster then cars. James’s energy surged from a determination he had never known before and Rent had to shift forms just to keep up. They ran into the pitch-black knight until dawn, their eyes reflecting what little light they had had.
Rent howled to get James to stop and they both collapsed. James had never felt so alive before but his lips had turned blue and if his legs weren’t numb he was sure that they would have ached. Rent shifted forms and quick pulled on his cloths. “ We should get a fire going. I might be an endless heat sore but your not” James nodded as a shiver ran up his spine.
The two quickly gathered as much dry wood they could find. The clearing they had settled in was baking in the sun. “ What’s with all the vegetables?” “ I have to keep my iron count up and meat would only make me crave.” Rent nodded in understanding.
“ But it’s so cold out hear is wouldn’t spoil.” “ It’d probably get freezer burn.” They both laughed. The fire crackled as they fell into silence. James fell back and stuffed his remaining food in his bag.
He wondered if Steven was all right but decided to sleep. Worry would only tier him out. They had a long way to go.

* * *
Steven was trying his hardest to keep conscious but the drug was sapping his energy so much that he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Everything hurt, he was sure that his ribs were broken and the drug slowed his healing tremendously. He was only fed enough to keep alive and his Stomach ached with hunger and bruising. Steven knew; he wouldn’t last long. He could feel his grip on his life slip but he held on.
He fought with everything he had. If only he could move. Then this agony would be over. “ They can kill me…but I will never brake.” He kept thinking.
The memory of James’s face kept him fighting. Steven was going to die, but he would never let them have him. One of his hands twitched.


* * *

That night they woke at sunset and continued on. Never stopping until sunrise. Rent told James everything he knew about the mountain pack. So it was Stevens father who saved him all those years ago. He also learned that the pack was living in and abandoned castle they had fixed up.
The top of the mountain was flat and hidden in trees. So only a werewolf or a lost hiker could find it. They were a poor pack but they somehow managed to conduct experiment. On there own as well as other races. They had used to be a proud and honorable pack but the last blood war did allot of damage that had yet to heal.
There were even farfetched rumors that some of them had turned rabid. James was now even more scared to enter alone. However the running and camping had shown him almost just how strong he really was. He still didn’t know his limits but was surprised by how far they had come. Maybe he could succeed.
Maybe he could…

They next knight was horrible. A storm had appeared in the day and the angry winds were going crazy. The snow was coming down in huge clump but this didn’t stop them. It was only a challenge to over come. They were forced to stop a few hours before sunrise.
James was completely numb but he still had his energy. James had become stubborn, eyes on the goal. “ I’m not gonna let a storm slow me down!” James shouted over the winds. Thick trees sheltered them but it was still loud. Rent growled in frustration.
Didn’t James realize he was going to get frostbite? Apparently not because he kept walking. Well that was it; Rent had had it. He honestly didn’t care if it would be awkward. Rent jumped and tackled James knocking him over.
“ Rent! Get off me!” James protested. “ Before I throw you off!” Rent growled and snapped his muzzled only a few inches away from James’s face. James sighed in agitation. Rent was right and he was sure that if Steven was hear he’d kick his @$$ for being so reckless and stupid.
When they woke the sun had barely started to set, the storm was over. The two immediately took care of themselves and set out again. They needed to make up on lost time. Steven was probably in agony now and they had no time to waist. The two were sprinting as fast as their legs would go, heading straight for their destination as the hills eventually turned into cliffs.
Neither cared. They just wanted to get Steven back. Ironically they had made better time then they had thought. The entrance was close. They could see the decrepit castle in the distance.
“ I don’t like it...” Rent said. “ But I’ll have to wait hear.” James turned. He was terrified. “ Okay well…Thanks and… goodby!” And James sprinted before he lost his nerve.
He jumped up and over cliffs. He knew that when the sun rose Rent would sprint for help. After all they had James, now they wouldn’t have to take July. He and Rose had to tell the rest of their pack what was going on if they hadn’t already figured it out. James’s sprint eventually turned into a slow walk when the mountain flattened out.
Fear slowed him down, but Steven kept him going.

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