Protected by the Last Kitsune

Something isn’t right.

I got in his car, started the engine and peeled out of the driveway as I voiced a command for Alexa to give directions to my location. I can’t help but feel something very bad is happening or is about to. Following the directions called out by Alexa, I soon came to a gate. I hope they open it because I am not stopping. The gate opens as I get closer to my speed, never slowing till I get in front of the house. The first thing I noticed was that no one was around. I jumped out of the car, I ran up the steps, bursting through the front door. Still no one was there, but I could hear screams coming from the dining room. Running in, I looked at the scene, everyone was on the floor screaming in pain, throwing up. Some aren’t moving at all. I sniff the air, Silver, Wolfsbane and something I am not sure what it is, I pull out my phone. Calling Collen.

“Get her here now Collen!” I shouted into my phone with urgency, then hung up.

As soon as I hang up, a woman appears beside me, mouth agape as she brings her hands to her mouth.”Diamond not now, heal them fast,” she puts her hands up. As she chants, she closes her eyes, a gold and silver light flows out of her fingers wrapping around everyone. It got close too soon. The whole room was glowing with light. I heard Harley and Mika enter the room as they did. I put up my hands,all the windows, shutters, and doors slammed shut. Putting my hands down, I turned to them, their faces full of shock and worry. As they take in what is going on. Mika sees Diamond and charges her. I stepped in front, blocking his way, “No! She is healing, let her be if you want them to live.” he stops falling to the floor, tears streaking his face as Harley walks up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulders as they sit back and watched hoping and praying to the moon goddess. As Diamond does her job, I take this time to look around. The food is tainted with various poisons. I walked to the kitchen. There were 5 people trying like hell to get out. As I enter, closing the door behind me, I look at them as they whip around.

“Since you are in such a hurry to leave, I assume this is your doing? Don’t bother trying to mind-link for help, I cut the connection." At this point, the men and women finally realize I am alone and decide that they can take me. Making a ring around me. They take turns attacking. As one approached, I kicked one across the room, punching another in the throat.. Then the face, knocking her out, someone grabs me from behind. I lifted up my leg, connected my foot to his face.. Breaking his nose, as he let go. I spin around lifting my foot in a roundhouse. That connected my foot to his temple... Killing him, another woman grabs a knife, spinning it around, showing she has knife skills, but I have skills of my own. In a blink, the lights were out, making the room black like a void. I rushed towards her, taking the knife from her as I punched her in the face, jabbing the knife into her throat, leaving it there. I turned to the other 2 as I could see perfectly in the dark like it was a bright sunny day. I allow the darkness to fade just as smoke-like tentacles wrapped around them, turning into sharp solid masses slicing them into puppy bits. I grab ahold of the one passed out, I blink to the boiler room of the apartment building, I let my claws elongate into long needle like tips driving them into the base of neck severing the spinal cords that allow her to move. Then I wrap my hand around her throat, heat radiating from the palm of my hand melting her vocal cords, making it so she can't make a sound, not even a whimper. I cover her body so no one can see her if they enter the room, though I doubt anyone will come down here.

I blinked again and returned to the palace kitchen, then walked back into the dining room. I informed Mika that there were four cooks trying to escape, so it was an Isolated rebellion, but they were all dead now. He nodded, Diamonds healing coming to an end. Almost everyone survived except for 4 small children and 3 elderly people who had passed away, but the loss was still enough to bring everyone in the room to their knees as cries and screams filled the room, followed by. The mournful howls were enough to bring tears to my eyes. Mothers and fathers held their dead children screaming, crying and begging for them to wake up, some pleading to the moon goddess to take them and bring their babies back. Normally, the Queen would calm everyone but she was screaming in pain, blood pooling at her feet, the King by her side, broken and lost, the pack had been ripped down in meir seconds. “Diamond! Take the Queen and King quickly, help them as much as you can. The doctor was one of the now deceased.” she nodded as she walked to them, speaking softly and comforting to the couple, the king picked up his queen carrying her to the hospital wing. Teala and Jax follow them. Mika is stepping up to gather and calm everyone.

“Your loss is our loss, it's a pain we will feel in our hearts forever. We can only help each other to lessen the pain and carry on. Together it will get easier to live on but never forget. Anything within my power to do will be done, please don't hesitate to ask. Our loved ones will be treated with the utmost love, respect, and care. Even our children will have a funeral fit for a king himself. Let us pray to the moon Goddess to take our loved ones in her arms and guide them to the forest of the moon.

After that, everyone lowered their heads, held hands with each other and prayed. Soon after, Teala and Jax returned with gold silken sheets, the siblings each taking a sheet and taking them to wrap the deceased. I did my best to help calm the parents and the wolves within them. After each was wrapped, the pack moved out back and set the carefully wrapped bodies on wooden tables, each shaped like a crescent moon. As soon as they were placed, everyone left to gather things to burn with them that they could have in the afterlife.

When everyone was gone and I was no longer being watched, I took this as my time to pay tribute to the dead. I walked over to the center of all the bodies, raising my hands to the moon, I slowly brought them down palms flat facing down. As my hands slowly came down, on each body a beautiful wreath of Moon lilies and calla lilies formed as my hands reached my hips. The last touch was added. Each wreath was adorned with a gem of the moon goddess that started to glow brightly as the moon’s light entered them. I only place these onto the bodies of those not meant to die by evil touch. It is my way to ensure the moon goddesses' attention.

I made my way back to the front of the palace to Harley's car. The pack needed time to mend and heal and after tonight I had vowed to end this sooner rather than later. Now was the time to talk to Harley to see if I could not only count on him, but if I could fully trust him, he was the only one I would tell everything to. I just hope it goes well and I was right to trust him.

Harley brought me home. As we both got to my door, Harley kept walking. I grab hold of his arm, “Harley we need to talk,” he shakes his arm free as he says with a coldness I haven’t heard since the first day I met him."Don't f*****g touch me!" “Trust me, you will want to hear what I have to say it's important.” he huffs out a breath as he turns and walks into my apartment dropping down on the couch.

I stand in front of him trying to catch his eyes, but he is looking everywhere but at me, I need to get his attention so I start off in a way I know will work but it will be dangerous for me. “What Happened tonight isn’t your fault. It may have nothing to do with the contract.” Harley's eyes found mine fast, his eyes black with anger, the features of his face morphing to match his rage . Soon I am on the floor, his hands around my neck, “What do you know about their contract Lita?” he spits out his eyes, never leaving mine. I put my hands on his chest, releasing a slight sonic force, just enough to knock him off but not hurt him. He sat on the floor, stunned and confused, “First off, I am not human as you think I am. Second, I am also here for a job, so that day you come to my apartment, I had seen your file.” he cut me off by charging me again I blinked and ended up behind him knocking him back onto the couch. I straddle him, holding his arms down so he cannot move. His breathing picked up for some reason.

“If you keep attacking me, it will take longer to explain, so behave and listen. If you are a good boy, I will get off you. If not, I am sorry. I think I will stay where I can control you. What will it be?” He didn’t answer, just sat there breathing heavily, so I assumed he was going to behave, so I started to get up, but he grabbed ahold of me. The moment his skin touched mine, a bright flash of what I assumed to be static electricity entered my body, flowing through every inch of me. I jumped up fast. The shock wasn’t painful as it usually was, more like a pleasant blanket of warmth wrapped around me, it made me feel safe yet panicked. He didn’t move, just sat there watching my stunned face. As soon as I realized he was staring at me intently, I composed myself and started talking again, ignoring the strange feeling.

“Where was I?” I asked, more to myself than him, but he answered anyway. “Opening my mail,” he hissed out, “ah yes, OK, so as I was saying, I am also here for a job, I was waiting for my mark as well. I had no idea I was in the same building as another for this kind of work. Anyway, when I opened it I was pissed. It is not the job I take, so I called my handler, he had informed me he hadn’t sent me my mark yet. That is when I decided to protect the family instead of forgetting it and taking my mark. That is when you come into the picture, Harley Dunn, Son of Alpha Markas Jason Dunn and Heather Lynn Dunn, who was murdered by a self-appointed Rouge king who hired hunters to take out your pack. Which you didn’t know about, I am sure. By the look on your face.” he looked at me with pure rage, his k-9’s extending piercing his lips, “How did you know about that?” he bit out, that day after you left I listened in to your conversation, I heard you decline the offer even though you were broke and starving, there was something in the way you said your king that made me think maybe you could help me save them. I told my handler to look into it and sent him your photo. It wasn’t long before I got the information I needed. I stayed close, seeing if I could trust you enough to ask for your help, as well as telling you my secret that no one alive knows, not even my handler.

He looked me deep in the eyes, his breathing slowing back to normal as his eyes changed back, “and what have you decided?” he asked out of curiosity now. I smirk at him as I answer with “well you're here with me having this conversation, so what do you think?” he sits there for a moment with a look of realization before he says “wait, what picture?” I laugh as that is the only thing he asks as I raise a brow “in our line of work you mean to say you don’t have a perimeter set up? I. pointed to my door. “There in the peephole is a camera. It sends a live feed to my laptop where it is recorded. “So that means you have an image of the person who dropped off that file?” he asks, with a little bit of shame in his voice, “Yes, I do, I am just waiting for information on him, but I don’t think he has anything to do with. tonight.” he looks at me grief written all over his face that is quickly replaced with anger, “well since you killed them all there is no way of knowing, now is there.” I put my hands on my hips snd look at him with annoyance than I tell him “ I will let that side since you don’t know who I am, I am not reckless, I only said that to give the pack peace even if only for a day or two. I have one of them in the broiler room now as we speak and she is very much alive”. I paused for a moment. “Well, for now anyway. And don’t worry, I also cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. There is no need for the pack to relive that night by cleaning up my mess. You're welcome, by the way.”

He looks away from me almost as if he is ashamed and yet there is, unless I am mistaken, since he looked away, but I thought I saw pride and adoration in his eyes. What is up with him?? I found myself asking “Anyway, as far as Shadow is concerned, you were right. There is no way she would take on this job. It's not her style. As for her coming after you, that is another big No. She turned it down the moment she heard about it.” He looks at me with a smile as he says “ you mean he? Everyone knows the Shadow is a Man.” I sat next to him on the couch. Those are only stories told, but I can assure you the Shadow is a woman.” He looks at me as he starts to laugh, how the hell would you know? You talk like you personally know this person, everyone knows it's all just a story to scare people.” I look at him with no humor on my face or in my voice as I tell him “I know because I am The Shadow, I am far more than what you see Harley. I am far more than what anyone would ever guess, as I am nothing but stories told at bedtime, or as a warning, everyone believes the Shadow to be a werewolf, witch, vampire, dragon and so on, each story made to fit the teller of the story. But I, Harley, am neither, I am more than that, more powerful than any and I am the last.” Just before Harley could answer, my phone rang, picking it up to answer it.

“Collen, what is it?”

“I got the information you were looking for about our pizza guy.”

“Now is not the time for jokes, Collen, what do you have for me?”

“I sent it to your email, and Shadow, there is more. This guy is your original target”. After that, Collen hung up. I walked over to my laptop and I told Harley to follow me “ I just got information on our mystery man looking for hired guns. Who turns out to be my original mark, so it looks like I will be killing two birds with one stone.” Harley is following me. I can tell he doesn’t believe a word I am saying. Only curiosity about what he is about to find out keeps him listening.

I opened my email. The first thing Harley sees is the name it's addressed to.

SHADOW.

Here is the information you were looking for.

Mark:

Name: Mathew Alexander Dunn

Age: 47

Rank: Self-appointed Rouge King

Pack: former member of the Twisted Torn Pack

Profession: Unknown

Other details of Mark:

Brother to one Alpha Markas Jason Dunn. Marcas kicked his brother out of the pack for the mistreatment of pack members, removing his title of Beta. After that, Mathew took a vow of vengeance against his brother, feeling Markas was never fit to be Alpha, that the Pack should have been his. After a few years, he got enough followers to form an unauthorized pack. A few years later, he was caught by hunters giving up the location of the Twisted Torn pack in return for his life, the Twisted Thorn pack being the second biggest and strongest only next to the Royal Pack. He also gave the hunters the location of the Royal pack but found they were no match, the Royal Guards killing every last hunter. This enraged Mathew, thinking he would not only get the remainder of his brothers' pack, but also the true title of King of all werewolves. Since then, he has been making a name for himself in the crime world.

Crimes

Bank robbery x17

Human s*x trade x 7

Werewolf s*x trade x 7

Children sweatshops x 4

Child pornography rings x 5

Drug Manufacturing 6

Drug distribution x 8

Murder x 1.5k

Assault x 769

Rape x 305

Kidnapping x 78

Prisoners held x 1.2k

Shadow, the Council wants this dealt with. Now they have brought up the reward from 397mil to 1 billion. Be very careful as this guy is more dangerous than he looks and his intelligence is scary. To help you secure the lives of the Royal family, I am also sending 5 of my top agents to help you. They will be there by noon tomorrow. Matthew is your Mark and yours alone. You are the only one matched enough to kill him. Get this done soon. Shadow. The lives and world depend on it.

Collen

P.S

Harley, I know you are with Shadow. The Council wanted me to tell you to stay away from your Uncle, as you are the only living heir to the Twisted Torn Pack. They will need you more than even when this is done. The Council has also set up a new territory closest to the royal pack. Good luck to you both.

I looked over to Harley to see he was crying, the hurt and betrayal clear not only on his face, but in his eyes. I am sure the memory of that fateful night was brought forward, forcing him to remember everything. The memories he is living are through the eyes of a child, watching the slaughter of not only his pack members but his parents, helpless and scared. He moves to the couch, plopping down, putting his head in his hand. His tears fell to the floor. I don’t know why my feet started to move on their own, bringing me to him falling to my knees in front of him. I am not sure why I put my arms around him feeling an uncontrollable need to comfort him, his arms snake around me. He placed his head in the crook of my neck, the feeling leaving small tremors through me. My hands moved on their own accord, running my fingers through his thick silky black strands as I whispered.

“ It’s OK, take this time to mourn over your loss and memories. Today we honor them and the others. He has taken. Tomorrow, when the others get here, we will take action and end the life of such evil. Never will he hurt another person. He will pay for his crimes in more ways than one, I vow to you, Harley, that I will get justice for your family in your name. In your family's name, vengeance and justice will both be dealt. Even if I die trying, I will take him with me even with my last breath.”