The Midnight Pard

Chapter 14

Anton

Chaos had been the only word he could think of to describe what their life had turned into, the council had moved into the separate house his parents had used on the Pard lands, The Northern and Southern Herds had condensed themselves into the old Pack house, and those who preferred to be loners or who no longer had a home thanks to rogues had moved into the main Pard house. For the most part, things had been going better than they expected. The biggest issue they were facing was everyone in such close proximity meant a lot of people were finding their mates. Bellamy had been complaining for the last hour about the stack of requests he had received for couples to stay with them or to leave with their mates.

Seth had mostly been handling both of their jobs while Anton worked with the council on how to face the threat around them. They needed to know why the rogues were systematically wiping them out. The rogues still smelled like rogues, so they hadn't formed some sort of group unit. It wasn't like rogues to work well with others, that was the thing that most commonly made them rogues.

Anton glanced over to the other two, "We are expecting a delegator from each of the four vales, and a delegator from the last coven. The council has said they have enough space with their magic in the house to room everyone comfortably. So that's mostly settled, aside from the coven and the vale's hating each other. Like I'm so sure that won't be any issue at all." Seth shot him a look, "Have you brought up your concerns to the council?" Anton rubbed his temples. "It won't be an issue so long as we are also here. At least that is what Emrys says." Lev growled softly, "It's like he wants a fight, this many different groups forced into such close proximity, I don't get it, it isn't safer if we all start fighting each other from the inside."

A tapping at their door kept the other two from responding. Bellamy answered it, turning back to the other two. "It's Desmond, he'd like to come in." They both nodded, Desmond walked into the room, taking a seat after Seth gestured to the edge of the bed. Bellamy went back to sitting against the wall, where he had been lying before.

Desmond was watching the three of them before looking away, staring at his shoes. "Anton, I came to talk to you. I think it is safest if you avoid being around Emrys during your delegations. At least alone, he's been off lately, and when a vampire is off it can mean a lot of trouble for anyone to close." Anton sat up straighter, "Do you mean how he thinks having the vale and coven delegates in the same building is a good idea?" Desmond bit his lip and looked away, "that and other things. The truth is, there are supplies missing. I think he's starting to have symptoms of the thirst. It isn't severe yet, but I think I'm the only member whose noticed it. Just be careful please." Seth sighed, "Is there anything we should be watching out for?" Desmond closed his eyes, tilting his head back, "He's going to be withdrawn, secretive, his decision making will be, well you've seen it. Just avoid being alone with him. We all experience the thirst, we have ways of dealing with it. I think he's pushing himself to be able to help us all. Unfortunately, I think doing that is what's going to cause us the largest problems." Bellamy sat forward, "Couldn't you talk to the others? The rest of the council at least should be made aware, right?" Desmond shook his head, "The last thing they need is to be trying to solve that problem while those rogues are still out there trying to kill everyone."

Anton sighed, "Thank you for the warning, are you okay? You've seemed like you were maybe not doing well, since you came in here." Desmond tensed, he took a deep breath before his body relaxed. "I'm sorry, you're right. It's just still hard for me, I see you two as the kids from that day, but I see the three of you together as what I could have had. Please don't misunderstand, I don't have any resentment. Just longing, and with my kind, it will be a very long-lived longing." Seth frowned, "I thought interest in a specific mate went away during the rejection process?" Lev whined at the visible pain in Desmond's eyes, "It would, but the council's rules say we couldn't have the bond. They never said we had to reject it, and I couldn't bear to cause Starla the pain of rejection." Anton felt a pit in his stomach, "You've been living with the heart ache of loving each other and not being able to be together for that long?" Desmond smiled softly, "we would stay apart for a millennia if it meant we might one day have a chance."

The next day, Anton was sitting in another meeting with the council, and all of the delegates from each group, including a few loners. He had been surprised to see the werefox that he had run into before. On his date with Bellamy and Seth, the fox's name was Leyton. Apparently, Leyton was a common go-between for the council and the other groups.

Anton felt entirely exhausted by the end of the day, his head was killing him as the meeting was adjourned. As he was leaving, Emrys stopped him, "Alpha Anton, could I speak with you a moment? Anton stiffened, Desmond's words from last night coming back to him. "I promised Bellamy I'd go over some requests with him." Emrys smiled, stepping closer, "it will only take a moment." "Hey, councillor Emrys, so glad I caught you. Councillor Starla is looking for you." Leyton's voice rang out as he approached. Emrys turned, "Thank you Layton," Emrys turned and walked off. Leyton walked up to Anton, "Hey, Alpha? You alright? You seem on edge." His voice was hushed, Anton was barely able to hear him. "I'm alright, thank you. You've been hanging around the main house a good bit, right? Is there a reason?" Leyton grinned, "Don't worry, it's not a mate thing, actually your mate's delta, Siobahn, she's an old friend. I used to hang with her back when we were dumb kids." Anton smiled, "Well, if you're headed back that way, we can walk together." Leyton smiled, "Or we could run. I am very curious who would be faster. Most Alpha's have a competitive streak right?" Lev purred in his mind at the idea. Anton chuckled, "Maybe another time. Besides, for a good run we need better distance." Leyton grinned, "all right. You're on Alpha. Just know Roe, my fox, he's also very competitive."

Bellamy

The dining hall was packed when the sirens first started going off. Immediately, Bellamy was on his feet, Emily and Mellissa were by his side. "Emily, get everyone to the shelter, start in here, I'm going to go through the living quarters, Mellissa, I need you to go through the entertainment wings." They both took off as Grace ran towards him, "Forgive me if I'm impeding, but I could go through the living quarters, if you wanted to do a sweep outside, I know it isn't my place, but" Bellamy interrupted, "I appreciate all the help I can get in a situation, thank you." He raced out of the hall, hitting the grounds and helping people get inside.

He almost had the ground cleared when he saw Starla headed towards him. "Bellamy! why aren't you in the shelter yet?" He spun towards her voice, "I'm not going, I just need to get everyone to safety, then I'm going to help my mates protect our family." She winced before nodding, "I'll help you with them, then we can go together. Us council members do learn to fight."

After they cleared everyone from the grounds, Starla grabbed his hand, "This way, I can hear them." Bellamy followed her, the two of them running up to a blood bath. Starla snarled, pulling Bellamy along as she walked through the c*****e to where Anton, Seth, Desmond, and Emrys were. Desmond had a hold on Emrys, "Confess, that rogue said someone on the council did this. We know you've been dealing with the thirst." Emrys looked genuinely terrified. "It isn't me, I thought it was you Desmond. Alpha Anton, I was going to talk to you today, please. I didn't do this, I wouldn't!" Desmond hesitated, "It wasn't me, so if it's not you then?" Bellamy felt Starla grab him, her hand constricting around his throat, "One wrong move and I'll shove the magic I'm holding straight through you. You'll be dead before you can blink." She whispered, raising her voice to get the others' attention. "Oh boys, I believe he was talking about me." All four of them turned to stare at her in clear confusion. Seth and Anton froze where they stood. Starla sighed, "It was supposed to go so nicely, don't you see Desmond, with these three out of the way, we don't need to stay with the council anymore. We can finally be together, it's what we both want, that's why we never rejected each other." Bellamy saw the red in Desmond's eyes, "You're right." Anton and Seth turned to stare at him. Jax snarled, "Let me out now." "I can't. She will kill us before we can even start shifting." He looked out at Anton and Seth, he could see both Lev and Cedar also fighting to come out. Emrys held out his hands, "Starla, we can find a way to release you and Desmond, nobody else has to die." Starla snarled her grip becoming bruisingly painful on his neck. "No, Tyr is gone, it's this brat's fault! So I can fix this." Bellamy flinched, she sounded out of her mind. Realization hit him. "Killing me won't bring him back." Bellamy didn't know when he had started crying, only that his vision was blurred by the time he had finished speaking. Desmond took a step towards them, "Don't kill him, let me." Bellamy felt the heat disappear, "You? You would kill him?" Desmond took another step, his eyes only on hers. "I want to know both of my mates. I've loved you for years, I want that chance to love him that way as well." Bellamy felt her hand loosening as Desmond finally reached them. He was shoved into Damond's hands, Desmond held his throat tightly. "Why?" Bellamy managed to gasp out. Desmond growled lowly, "I'm sure you'll remember our talk earlier. I can't help the resentment I feel." Confusion was written all over Seth and Anton's faces. Bellamy tried to think back. Desmond had said he didn't have any resentment. Desmond's voice interrupted his thoughts, "Starla, I reject you as my fated mate." Desmond released Bellamy, Jax immediately shifting, Lev and Cedar behind him. Starla fell to the ground, tears in her eyes clutching her chest. Her breath was coming in gasping pants. Desmond fell to his knees, "I'm sorry, I can't do anything else." Emrys stepped forward, "Allow me." Jax watched as Emrys walked up to her kneeling, "I truly am sorry starshine." His claws extended as he slashed through her throat. Cedar and Lev moved to either side of Jax. Emrys went to Desmond, kneeling in front of him. Emrys helped him stand, the two going up to Bellamy. Emrys spoke first. "May we wait on any other decision making until the morning? We all have dead to take care of, and your people will have families needing comfort." Lev approached him, inclining his head. the five of them slowly made their way back towards the main house.