Jaguar Moon ; Redemption

The Jaded One

“Sister,” Nix growled as he sat up, causing Layla to fall flat on her ass onto the dungeon floor.”I knew you would be back, to “interrogate” me, I just wasn’t expecting it so soon. I thought you’d rather be at our mother’s side.”

“No,” she shook her head, “I came to see you first. I know she needs her rest, but you…”

“Ah, of course, “ he smiled, showing his impressive white canines. Even in a disheveled mess, her half-brother was still a handsome sight to behold ;one that not too long ago, she feared. In fact, the memory of her fleeing to the very dungeon they were now in to hide from him scoured her frazzled brain.

“Well,” he sighed, his green eyes dusky, “Ask away.”

Layla threw her head back, and let the goddess take over, morphing into her jaguar princess avatar.

Nix squinted his eyes as his baby sister turned into her glowing Aztec form, all five foot two of her in her golden skirt and bra, with her long hair snaking around her shoulders, a ridiculous crown of long red and blue feathers adorning her head.

“My magical sister,” he murmured, “You need not use your powers on me, I will tell you what you want to hear. I am done with the lies and deceit. Too long has it eaten away at the corners of my mind, whittling me into the pathetic excuse for a wolf you see lying on this bed.”

Layla crossed her arms as she stood over Nix, with Madden behind her, for extra security. Even if he could break through Layla’s defenses, there was no  escaping Madden’s powerful magic. That, and the both of them had saved him and his mother’s life.

“First of all,” Layla paced the floor, “Why didn’t you kill me when you attacked my mother and sister?”

“I don’t know,” Nix said, “I mean, at the time I had no idea that you were my baby sister, since your father hid you so well, but there was something about you….You were..innocent, and even though the Council had their hooks in me, I wasn’t about to kill an innocent teenage girl. Quite frankly, I found it disgusting that your “Mother”, he held his fingers up in quotations, “Would so willingly sell her own daughter for drug money, and your sister went along with it. “

“Ok,” Layla nodded, 

“I knew i had a baby sister, and I thought my mother had died giving birth to her, so, in essence, I blamed you, until Madden banished me and the Council threw our mother at my feet."

“And who is this Council?” Madden’s voice echoed off the dungeon walls, causing Nix to shiver slightly.

“I don’t know,” he muttered, looking around the room, as if to make sure no one from the council was actually there. “I never saw their faces, they always kept them covered by their hoods and robes. Their leader is a female, and there are twelve of them.”

“How did you come to be in their grasp?” Layla asked, her princess voice booming across the room.

“They came to me after our father died, convinced me that everything bad in my life was my brothers' and sister’s fault. If I were to guess, I’d think whoever sits at the head has a personal

vendetta against our family, especially Axel.”

“That’s fair enough,” Madden said, “But how did they convince you to betray your brother so easily?”

“It wasn’t hard,” Nix chuckled, “I was already jealous of him. My father had groomed him for the alpha position from the beginning, even though I am older. All they had to do was plant the seed into my evil little head.”

“No,” Layla shook her head, “I don’t believe you are truly evil, just misled, otherwise you would have let our mother die.”

“Ah yes, that. She always treated us well, didn’t make a difference between Roan and I, even though I hated the little bastard, still can’t say that I want to be best friends with him.”

“Nice,” Layla growled,

“Well, it’s the truth. Anyway, I had always liked Tonya, and it didn’t take much to convince Axel that she was his mate, especially with a little help from the council. It was easy to rip her away from him, just like taking candy from a baby. “ His eyes darkened at the memory, “Though I can’t say how much I regret holding her against her will, and all the things I did to her...Just to try and get to my powerful little sister.” He looked up at Layla with shame in his eyes.

‘Yes, the council found out about the little black haired girl who had been hunting me, even somehow figured out that you were my little sister. All it took was a little whispering in my ear, and I was after you...I wanted to both kill, and control you, to keep you hostage and make you pay for our mother’s death. It didn’t matter to me how special you really are, all I wanted was revenge, and like you, dear sister, it didn’t end well for me.”

“Revenge never does,” Madden added.

Layla paced the floor. She couldn’t say she was surprised by Nix’s truthfulness, but still yet, his candid answers shocked her. Just to hear him admit his hate for her and Axel…. Set something right with her heart, and she hadn’t expected the vindication that came with these truths. Somehow, it felt as if a burden was being lifted from her shoulders. 

She was no longer afraid of her big brother, no longer trembled at his nearness. Instead, a longing feeling of sadness filled her to her very core, and just for a moment, Layla thought she’d caught a glimpse of understanding in Nix’s eyes. Maybe he wasn’t the monster everyone thought he was...Maybe he deserved redemption, just like the rest of her family...But she wasn’t willing to just give in and trust him…

‘Nix,” she sighed, “I know you tell the truth, and I believe you would have even if you weren’t

compelled to be truthful in front of Madden and I, but It will take a lot more than words for any of us to trust you.”

“Of that, little sister, I am very aware. I am not asking for forgiveness, or anything of the kind. I only ask that you take care of our mother. She has been through so much, and been ripped away from the world she knew and loved. Do what you want with me, just make sure she is taken care of, and that she is well again. Do you know how she is?”

“She is stable,” one of the medics in the room answered, “Which is more than our prisoner is going to be if you don’t stop grilling him for answers.”

“Aye, right you are,” Madden smiled, slapping the medic on the back .”Nix, we will take our leave, so you can rest. I can assume you will be a good wolf, and not cause my good medics any trouble?”

“I am bound in silver and wolfsbane,” he held his shackled hands up, ”I don’t think, even in my weakened state, that I can put up much of a fight, nor do I want to. My whole existence as I’ve

known it has been shattered, my whole life based on lie after lie. What justification do I deserve? What penance would I have to pay to rectify myself? I am afraid there is no Hell dreadful enough for me after all the wrongs I’ve done.” 

Nix hung his head, staring at the floor .”I am the jaded one, the fractured soul with nowhere to call home.”

He jerked his head up when he felt a small, warm hand cover his own.”

“No, brother, not fractured,” Layla said, ”Deceived. I believe that somewhere deep within the wells of your soul, that good exists, and we will have our redemption, all of us.”

“Layla,” Nix sighed again, “Maybe that’s why I left you there that night. Somehow, I knew I couldn’t harm such a pure, untainted soul. If anyone could help me become a decent person, it would be you.”

“Sleep, brother,” she said, and turned to walk out of the cell, but Nix called after her.

“Layla, you were always Axel’s true mate. Be there for my little brother, for he will need you more than you can ever know.”

Layla arched a brow and stared at Nix for a moment, pondering on his words, before following Madden out of the dungeon.

The sun was now rising up over the mountains, and she missed her sexy alpha wolf. It was time to go to sleep. She would have a busy few days ahead.