A Vampires Alpha [BOOK FIVE]

14.

**Leif**

I wasn't exactly sure what was going on.
I just know that dad came home upset before he had Ziggy and Rocky calling their friends and family to come here.
The house was full and there was a knot in my stomach from nerves trying to take over.
What happened and why did everyone seem so worried?
Even the alphas that were present seemed concerned.

I looked to my siblings in hope of closure.
But Jinx's eyes were black and the others kept staring hard at our parents bedroom.
Where was papa in all of this?
It was odd he wasn't here trying to pry.

I sucked in some air when the bedroom door finally came open and uncle Joshua and Stetson walked out first, they looked stunned with both of their eyes solid black.
Like they were in some stage of shock.

"Uncle Josh?" Quin called out to the vampire who paused, he turned to Quin and there was this sadness in his eyes, but there was also denial.

"Someone wanna tell us what's going on or why we were called here, when neither my brother or brother in law are even present?" Aunt Zoe questioned with her pregnant mate standing next to her, concern but frustration in both of their eyes.

Uncle Joshua turned to aunt Zoe frowning.
"Moxie will be out here in a moment, just give him a few minutes Zoe." He ran a hand through his hair before scratching at his neck, trying not to draw blood.

"Whoa whoa whoa, you never stress, what's happened?" Jackie demanded now with furrowed brows, his eyes on our uncle who looked at him, he only shook his head at the other who looked taken back by the others actions, before his jaw clenched and he looked away, frustrated.

Everyone stood there in an intense silence, before the bedroom door pulled back open and out walked uncle Monty.
With our dad who looked absolutely devastated about something.
I felt sick.
Was it one of the twins? Were they sick?

In seconds, everyone was gathering around our dad with worry.

"Moxie, what's going on?" Our grandmother Sage questioned with concern in her voice, she looked at the omega who took one look at her and more tears slipped down his cheeks.
He looked to uncle Monty as his body trembled.

"I..I can't tell them." He told the other.
Uncle Monty frowned with a nod, he placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder and with a shaky breath he let out a heavy sigh, looking at everyone.

"Today my brother, Ziggy and Rocky were encountered by an old enemy who we never thought we'd cross paths with-"
"Who?" Aunt Zoe glared at uncle Monty who frowned at her.
"Church Rhodes was here, he's out of prison and I have no doubt in my mind that so is Ace Ellison." He said and everyone but the children looked alarmed.

"Why is he back here?" Jensen growled.
"Because he has a son here." Ziggy told the other with knitted brows.
"He didn't share the kids name, but he only came to talk to us because he was stalling." He explained.

Jensen blinked with a confused look.
"Stalling? Stalling for what?" He questioned.

Uncle Monty frowned deeply.
"Magna was killed this afternoon." He announced and the whole room fell silent.

"What..?"
My eyes fell on Iggy and the others, their eyes were all wide in shock looking at our uncle whose brows were knitted together.
"A vampire known as Kagen killed him." He told everyone.

I felt sick as my stomach twisted in a painful knot.
So this was my fault.
I was the reason dad-- no, I don't deserve to even call him that.
I was the reason Moxie's mate was killed.

I took a step back with tears in my eyes.

"That's not possible, Magna isn't the type to get himself killed so easily!" Jackie hissed bitterly with rage in his eyes.
"He's right." Jensen agreed glaring at Monty who frowned at him.
"I want to agree with you, I do, but Kagen delivered Magna's wedding ring and images.. whoever these guys are? They're dead serious about getting back whatever it is that they've lost, I think.. this is our biggest threat we've come across yet, especially if they're able to take out someone like Magna." He said.

"This is all your fault." I flinched turning to Jinx who was glaring harshly at me, it hurt as he stood there with this look in his eyes that almost screamed hatred.
"I-I-"

"Jinx, don't." Moxie hissed with hurt in his voice.
"Don't what dad? Be fucking honest? I get you adopt the broken and lost kids, it's admirable of you, but there comes a time when you know that you've fucked up. Leif is the fuck up you brought into this home, we were FINE before he came here, there was no more DRAMA and papa would still be HERE!" Jinx screamed before he shoved me as tears greeted my eyes.

"I-I'm sorry-"
"You're sorry?! YOU'RE SORRY?! Sorry doesn't bring our papa back! If you had just went with that psycho the first night he came looking for you, this would NOT be happening right now! Papa didn't even save you, dad did." Jinx hissed bitterly at me with tears finally appearing in his eyes.

"Papa rescued me, Quin and Omega. He changed how I saw things despite how I was raised by my monster of a brother, but even so. I never would have been this fucking selfish to stay in this house, KNOWING there was a possible chance that someone important to me would get hurt, our papa is DEAD because of you!" Jinx screamed at me.

"Jinx, Jinx, that's enough." Jackie pulled the younger vampire away from me before pulling him into an embrace.
"Let me go, Jackie, LET GO!" He screamed as wails escaped the other before the two dropped to the floor.

I stepped back from the two and somehow made my way look in Moxie's direction, Monty was comforting the other as was everyone else in the house.
I did this.
It was hard to breathe as I took another step back as tears slipped.

"Leif?"
I turned to Amber who looked like she wanted to reach for me but more tears slipped.
"Tell everyone, I'm sorry." I cried running away from her as her eyes grew wide.
"LEIF WAIT!" She yelled as I ran down the hall and outside of the house, and kept running.
--------
I wasn't sure how far away I was from everyone.
The rain was pouring and I was soaked and cold.
I wouldn't go to Felix because I refused to drag him into this.
I knew what I had to do.
I didn't want to.
But I knew if there was any chance at forgiveness.
It would be turning myself over to those monsters.

I would no longer be a problem.
I would no longer be a burden or this guilt trip.
The rain came down harder as the thunder roared above and all around me.

"Well, well, well."
I stopped walking and turned to that familiar voice.
I was too numb to even react to seeing that kid from before standing there, an umbrella over his head.

"I guess killing that vampire really did the trick, look, you're all alone-"
"If you're here to take me to them, I won't resist." I cut the blond off who blinked, shocked for only a second before he smirked softly.
"Smart boy, I really didn't feel like fighting someone with the same ability as me tonight anyway." He walked ahead of me now.

"Oh and if this is some sort of trick? Whoever you have with you-"
"No one is with me, I have no one now." I frowned looking away as my eyes burned fiercely with tears.
The blond stared before shrugging.
"Welcome to the real world, but at least you know how to act smart, not dumb." He responded as I followed behind the other.
My brows were furrowed.

"I know my fate is sealed, but can you at least tell me your name and your motives?" I asked the other.
The blond paused, he turned to me with an arched brow.

"It's Cloven Rhodes, as for my motives?" He smirked.
"I like money, and bringing you in will get me paid handsomely, so then I can finally escape this hell." He shrugged.
I frowned.
"Escape what hell?"
Cloven studied me.
"Not that it'll matter once you're dropped off, but I have no interest in being anyone's puppet. You and I? We're rare, we are only meant to be used, next to those Eve's we're a special breed." Cloven thought for a minute.
"And the moment I was created and claimed by this Church fella, my whole life was already laid out on how I would live and how I would die." He said as we continued to walk down the street.

"Doesn't that scare you?" I frowned.
Cloven rolled his eyes.
"I have no attachments to this world, there was literally no reason for me to be brought into it, but here I am. Being used as some bounty hunter, to capture my own kind and to leave them at the hands of whoever paid me to do so." He shoved his free hand into his pocket.

"You don't have to be this type of person, Cloven, you could run--"
"Run? Like some coward? No thanks." Cloven looked over his shoulder with a bitter smile.
"The idea of being hunted down like someones prey is not my scene, it may have been yours and all of those other rejects in that house you lived in, but playing house isn't something I dream about." He told me.

I frowned deeply.
"No one in that house was a reject, except-"
"You?" Cloven smirked at me and my expression hardened looking away.
"Yeah, exactly.. I caused more harm than good, and now look? Someone's mate is dead because of me." I looked down as the tears burned my eyes.

Cloven looked over his shoulder to me before looking forward.
The rest of the walk was quiet.
And I felt like that was probably for the best.
The more I talked to this guy.
The more upset I became.

I guess part of me had wished someone in that house would have fought for me to stay.
But everyone was upset about papa.. I mean, Magna.
That I'm sure no one even noticed I left, except for Amber.

I knew Jinx was probably relieved he got rid of me.
I've never seen him that upset before.
So I knew I messed things up.
I knew I could never go back there.
That wasn't my home anymore.
It was nice while it lasted.
It was beginning to feel real.
I was beginning to feel like I belonged.
But instead of that dream.
It turned into a nightmare.
-------
"We're here." Cloven walked up to a large metal building, there were trees surrounding it and that knot from before was greeting me as Cloven looked around, his eyes were black before he pushed open the heavy door with a soft grunt.

"Better not have came back empty handed, if that's you Cloven."
I felt chills walking behind the vampire who frowned softly.
"Not at all." He said walking into this big open room.

There were vampires scattered, as well as cages that held what looked like different mixed breeds.
I couldn't tell what any of them were, but they all seemed broken and frightened.
It was hard for me to swallow.

"Ohoho? Looks like you succeeded." A voice spoke up before my eyes lifted and fear struck me seeing him.
The man who tried killing my mom multiple times.
The man who beat me to the brink of death for defying him.
The man who gave me nightmares to the point I'd wake up screaming.

Nikolai Clarke.

Cloven looked to me before shoving me to the front as I stumbled.

"Look at you." Nikolai smirked walking up to me as my brows furrowed.
"You were quite the pain to find Leif, after all of these years, I thought for sure you were dead somewhere." He said as I frowned deeply at him.
"You don't sound disappointed." I replied.
Nikolai smiled but it wasn't meeting his eyes.
"My greatest creation thinks I wouldn't be disappointed if he died? Look at how heartless you've became these years that you've been missing." Nikolai fake sobbed.

I frowned at him.
"You had someone important to me killed." I told him.
Nikolai blinked.
"Your mother? Pft, Leif, grow up. I had her killed days after-"

"Not her, I don't care about her, I'm talking about Magna Grimes." I cut the other off.
Nikolai stared before smirking softly.
"That's cruel you don't care about your own mother being killed by me-"
"I don't claim her as my mother, just like I don't claim you as my father, that family you just ripped from me? They were more real than you ever will be, Magna was a better MAN than you could ever DREAM of being!" I yelled at the other before screaming the moment his hand connected hard to my face, sending me to the ground.

I cradled my cheek as Nikolai walked up to me, kneeling down as I tried scooting back, but he grabbed my ankle ripping me towards him.

"I don't know where these balls of yours suddenly came from, but I can happily have them removed since you want to act like a little bitch." He spat at me as anger clouded my vision.
Nikolai studied me before letting out a low growl.

"Look em up." He ordered getting to his feet as my eyes grew wide.
"What?" I asked.
Nikolai paused, looking at Cloven.

"Lock both of them up." He instructed.

"No fucking way." Cloven growled as the thunder vibrated and shook the building.
Lightning was striking at random outside.

"We had a deal you piece of shit! I bring you the boy, you pay me and I be on my way!" Cloven screamed.
Nikolai looked at him.
"And that right there is your problem, trusting strangers far too easily for some cash. Like a slut." He spat.

Before either of us could try to make a run for it.
This sharp pain greeted both of us, shooting up and down our bodies as our screams echoed inside of the building.

And just like that.

It was lights out.