My Brother’s Mate
Chapter 101

A day earlier

Arthur's POV

The journey back was unpleasant, having to see my brother in that magical trance brought back some unpleasant memories that I'd rather forget. When we finally arrived back at headquarters I need to get to my room and rest. "What do we do with them?" Gesenia looks out at the originals. Their dark fur and large mass make them look more bear than wolf.

"Could they escape?"

"Not a chance. It would take some pretty powerful magic." She answers.

"Then leave them outside. We have more important things to worry about."

"Such as?"

"Where the hell is the Tribrid and what havoc is she causing?" I snap. Gesenia gives me a look.

"If Luther still has her, we should try and replace his location."

"But what if he's already drank her blood?" Gavin the pessimist has to chime in.

"Are you saying that you believe that ridiculous interpretation of the prophecy?" I laugh at the absurdity. Of course Gavin would betray us, I always knew he has never been a true believer. "Are you saying you don't?" His voice is challenging.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." I glare at him, daring him to push back. But as predicted, he sinks back down and doesn't say anything.

"Boys, settle down. We have a true army again, we can rest for today and make a plan tomorrow. I'm sure we are all tired from our journey." Gesenia says trying to de-escalate our confrontation.

"Oh don't mother us Gesenia. We don't need it." I storm off to my room. Why am I so on edge? I go back to my chambers and try to get some rest. The night is full of tossing and turning. My mind wonders to my brother, and memories of my past that seem like a lifetime ago.

Dream

"I challenge you Arthur to the death." My brother says full of hate and rage.

"Daniel, no. He's your brother." My mother is sobbing and throws herself at my brother's feet. I know he doesn't care about her tears. His eyes are locked on mine, and nothing is going to change his mind. I can feel the eyes of all the pack on my, waiting for my response. I know my brother is stronger than me, there is no way I can win.

"What is your answer?" Daniel growls.

"No, no I don't accept." I say.

"You are aware what that means." He snarls.

"Yes." I say quickly looking down.

"Daniel please." My mother continues to sob. "Don't do this." Her sobs continues.

"Enough!" Daniel roars. My mother winces and whimpers.

"I Daniel Langston, banish you Arthur Langston from this pack. I strip you of your titles and you family name. You are now a rogue. Get out of my pack!" He growls.

I look to my father. His eyes say it all. Im banished from my own pack, my own home, and there is nothing he could do about it. The Alpha has spoken. I look at my friends, and the rest of my pack. They all aver my gaze and look away from me in shame. Fine, I'll leave. I turn and walk through the crowd, out of the city through the desert and towards the mountains. I do not turn around. I do not look back.

I wake up restless and annoyed. Seeing Daniel again really kicked up a lot of memories. And he's different. He's docile now and weak. I could probably take him in a fight. I wonder how he feels seeing me and seeing all that I've accomplished. I really should thank him. If he hadn't vanished me I'd never be where I am today. I think of my mother and father. My mind begins to drift to a place of pity and "what if" scenarios. Ugh, Enough with these emotions! I need to focus on the task at hand: replaceing the tribrid and obliterating her body and her cause. I get out of bed and get dressed. I rush out of my room and make my way to the meeting room. It's empty, I expect more from my colleagues. Apparently I'm the only one who cares about replaceing the tribrid. Am I the only one who wants this. Where is everyone?

"Gesenia! Gavin!" I shout.

"Stop yelling. It's too early for that." Gesenia walks in.

"We have waited long enough. We need to replace the Tribrid now before it's too late. Does no one but me care about the fate of the world?" These people are unbelievable.

"Don't think you want to save our people more than anyone else. You are not the savior of the world, Arthur." Gavin says, then a smug smile falls on his face.

"What's so funny Gavin." I say through clenched teeth.

"You're no savior Arthur. In fact you're quite the opposite. Who else here has combed the lands of their kind and enslaved them for the cause?" Gavin says with that same smirk. "WHAT?" How dear he speak to me.

"It's true. Your own brother." I quickly shove Gavin against the wall, growling and snapping.

"Go ahead. There's only what, 10 people left in this world anyways. I would rather die than be grateful to you." I grab Gavin's shirt and slam him harder against the wall. "GENTLEMEN PLEASE!" Gesenia shouts. I stare at Gavin.

"Arthur, come on. We need to focus on the Tribrid. Then you can kill each other for all I care." I release Gavin.

"Good, now how are we going to replace Luther?" Gesenia asks.

"I have no idea." Gavin says. We both look at Gesenia.

"What?" She says.

"Can't you do some witchy thing?"

"I'm so sick of being the only one who does anything. I can try to do a tracking spell again, but you both know how powerful Luther is." Gesenia leaves the room and comes back quickly with a large book. "Some one bring me a map." She shouts, snapping her fingers while combing through the pages of the ancient book.

"Ahh." She says to herself. One of her coven members, Gesenia's inferior, brings her some candles and shows them to Gesenia. She nods her head in approval and the inferior begins placing them around the room. Gesenia rubs her hands together and flings her arms out, lighting all of the candles at once. I roll my eyes, witches love to show off.

"This looks different from before." I say to her. Noticing the unfamiliar symbol that Gesenia is drawing on the wooden table. "That's because it is." She says curtly.

A servant comes in with a map and hands it to Gesenia's inferior, who then lays it flat on top of the symbol Gesenia drew.

The inferior holds out her hand in front of Gesenia, who pulls out a knife and slices the girl's palm. They both utter some spell I don't understand while the girl's blood falls onto the page. I turn my attention to the map. The blood begins to move around the page, crawling and creeping it's way towards a spot on the map. But then it stops. I look at Gavin confused. The blood turns away and starts slowly moving in the direction of the headquarters, where we are now.

"Looks like he's heading this way." Gavin says panicky.

"Looks like it." Gesenia says with a smirk.

The door to the room bursts open.

"Sir. We have company." Harold says.