The Darkness

Chapter 47

I crouched behind a cluster of trees as several wolves fought. I frantically search for Colin's enormous, brown wolf, he was not among the wolves fighting in front of me. I spotted a brown and black wolf fighting away from the main battle. The brown wolf was bigger than the other wolves but the black wolf he was fighting was just as big as him. It had to be Todd. I made my way towards them staying on the outskirts of the fighting.

I had to get their attention, this was probably not the smartest idea I've come up with but it was all I had.

"Todd stop! Colin didn't kill your mate! Ridley did!" I emerged from the trees yelling to be heard. Thank god for their super hearing. Todd and Colin was the first to cease fighting as they both turned in my direction. Todd's black wolf made a step towards me, but Colin was quick to snap at him. The other wolves had stopped fighting too and separated from each other. Todd was the first to change into his human form with Colin following suit.

"Don't take another step towards her!" Colin commanded.

"Celeste, Colin killed my mate!" Todd fisted his hands as if he was going to lunge for Colin.

"No, Ridley did. He told me everything. Please stop this." I had to get him to believe me.

"Stop? You can't prevent me from seeking justice! He has to pay for what he has done!" Todd's eyes flamed yellow growling at Colin.

"Killing Colin is not justice. It's murder of someone innocent!" I wasn't getting through to him.

"Enough with your lies!" Todd snapped at me.

"Sarah, was innocent! Ridley killed her!" The sound of her name triggered something in Todd. In an instance he had close the gap and his hand was wrapped around my throat.

"Don't you ever say her name again!" Todd's raspy voice growled in my ear.

"Get your fucking hands off my mate!" Colin had his hands wrapped around Todd's neck. The three of us stood linked together, each of the men staring at the person in their grasp; leaving me to flick between Colin and Todd.

"Ask yourself, how would I know her name? Please you have to believe me. It wasn't Colin." Todd's fingers loosened around my neck and his eyes searched my face for the truth.

Todd dropped his hand and Colin pulled me behind him. Todd turned and took a few paces away from us. "I don't know what to think." Colin had moved us further away from Todd towards his men.

"Ridley told me everything, he wanted to take over your position, and she found out and was going to warn you. He killed her before she got a chance. It's the truth!" I pleaded with him.

Todd ran his hand through his hair as tiny hairs pops out of his skin covering his backside. He swung around eyes glowing and his teeth had elongated into razor sharp canines.

"Alpha, she's lying, she is trying to deceive you." Ridley came tearing from the woods his naked form covered in claw and bites mark. The self inflicted knife wound still evident across his chest. He held a gun in his hands aiming it me, but Colin had jumped in front as a shield. This left me expose to Todd who was now behind me. Colin's men were still in wolf form and creeping towards Ridley.

"No one moves, or I start shooting at your alpha and then at your luna!" Ridley screamed at Colin's men/wolves.

"Did you kill my Sarah?" Todd had move to the side of us walking towards Ridley.

"No, I told you it was Colin. Remember you found her clothes in his truck."

"Come on? Are you telling me, that's the evidence you got against me? Think, Todd. Why would I ride around my truck with her clothes for how long has it been?" Colin tried reasoning with him.

"A year." Todd whispered back slowly looking between Colin and Ridley. He finally rested on Ridley as Colin's word penetrated his crazed thoughts. "Ridley?"

"Don't let them mess with your head; they are trying to poison you against me! I told you we should've killed him when we had the chance!" Ridley pulled the trigger sending several bullets our way.

Colin twisted throwing us to the ground his body covering mine. Hands grabbed at me pulling me from Colin and I screamed until I realized it was his men pulling me into a circle of safety. I panicked and tried pushing he men aside to see if Colin was hurt trying to save me. "Colin!" The men stood steadfast not allowing me to break out of their protective bubble. I dropped to the ground to look between their legs. Relief flooded me with the absence of Colin. He wasn't laid out on the ground, which meant he was ok! My gaze was drawn to what was transpiring between Todd and Ridley. I moved around trying to get a better view of what was happening. I didn't see Colin anywhere.

Todd pounces at Ridley changing into his black wolf in mid-air. Ridley got off a few more shots before Todd was able to reach him. Todd clawed at Ridley and he fell back throwing the empty gun at the black wolf. Todd jaws clamped around Ridley's leg preventing him from transforming into a wolf, Ridley repeatedly kicked Todd in the face to try to escape his wrath.

I cringed when I heard the bone crunch in Todd's powerful jaw. Ridley let out an agonizing scream which caused a reaction among Todd's men. At first they seemed confused and stood off to the side not sure what to do. When Ridley screamed some of Todd's men galloped towards Todd. The wolves attacked Todd making him release Ridley and turn his attention onto the traitorous men. Todd's loyal men joined in the fight to help defend their alpha.

A pair of hands pulled me off the ground and my circle of protection moved me further away from the fight. I turned trying to see if I could spot Colin, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Colin?"

"We have to get you to safety." The man that was holding onto my arm and pulling me off into the directions of the trees responded. Three of the men from my security detail broke off returning to the fight changing into their wolves. Their disappearance left a gap so that I could view the battle that was raging behind us. More wolves had joined the fight and I could no longer tell who was who. I could spot Todd's black wolf as he fought off three wolves and I searched for any other familiar wolves. The white wolf that saved me from Ridley, was slightly larger than most wolves but not as big as Colin, had careened from the trees. It ran straight into the thick of the snarling wolves easily tearing wolves apart.

My eyes landed on Ridley who was still in human form stalking towards Todd. A glint of metal drew my attention to the knife that he had used on himself earlier. He dragged his leg and made his way towards Todd raising the knife to stab him in the back. A hand burst through Ridley's chest and his mouth widen and the knife clamored to the ground. Ridley stared down at the bloody hand protruding from his chest before he fell to the ground. My eyes traveled from the bloody hand that was holding Ridley's heart, up the arm stopping at the disgusted sneer of the man I love.

Colin turned his hand over letting Ridley's crushed heart flutter down to his lifeless body. Colin turned facing the warring wolves and let out a guttural roar freezing everyone on the spot. Immediately wolves crouched low to the ground, which I assume were in Colin's pack, because the men around me immediately fell to one knee with their heads bowed. Todd's wolves whimpered as they backed away from Colin's wolves.

"SHIFT!" Colin's one word command set off a chain reaction as wolves bodies twisted and popped back into humans. The only wolf that didn't shift was, Todd. He had collapsed to the ground and lay motionless. Colin went to Todd kneeling next to him running his hand over his fur. Colin looked up locking eyes with me shaking his head. Todd was dead.

(((((( A/N ))))))

Finally, man I hope you like the battle. Poor delusional Todd, grief stricken he was easily manipulated by Ridley! Tell me what you thought about the chapter. Loved or hate it.

Don't forget to vote/comment! Next update will most likely be Sunday or Monday. Have to work on Royal War!

Nicci