The Imperial Wolf Series Books 1-3
Chapter 66

Erick

POV

After Cassie comes out of surgery and I know she is okay, I go back to the house. The drive back to Kate is hard. I want to help her, but I do not know how to help my wife and this new form she has taken. How do I turn my back on the woman I love? How do I help

her return to herself? I have to get rid of that damn white wolf, but how?

I pull into the driveway. The older man and old woman are waiting for me outside. The two are sitting on the porch just as I instructed them. At least someone follows instructions around her. I get out of the truck. I am still covered in Cassie's blood as I walk up to talk to the two about the white wolf and how to help Kate.

"Alpha, how is the girl?" the old man asks me.

"I am sorry you had to wait so long. Thank you for staying. Cassie is okay. She should make a complete recovery. Thank you for asking," I say to the old man.

He looks at his wife then back to me. "We knew this was serious. I am glad she will be okay. No one ever survives an attack by the white wolf. She is very lucky. Trip kept us company in your absence. He is a fascinating young man," the old man says. "Yes, he is. Again, thank you for waiting for me," I say.

The older man extends his hand. "I am Abe, and this is my wife, Ida. We have been with the imperial pack since we were married. We know a lot about Kate, her family, and the white wolf. Ida knew Rainwater very well. Ida was an original member of the pack. I came along when I married her," Abe says.

"Yes, I was close to the family when everything happened, when she was murdered, and Kate was sent away. She should have stayed away. She should have never taken her hybrid form," Ida says.

I look at her. Is someone finally going to tell me what happened to Rainwater? Maybe we can get a grip on this mess. "Come in the house, and we can talk. It will be more comfortable in the house," I suggest.

"Is Kate still out? I do not want to risk my life with that wolf, and you should not either. I do not know how that girl survived that white wolf, but I am too old to fight the white wolf," Ida says.

"I will check before you come in, give me a moment. I have sedatives to keep her knocked out," I say. I go into the house. Trip and Meagan are inside, sitting diligently.

"Alpha, how is Cassie?" Meagan says, running toward me. I embrace her.

"She will be fine, we hope. The pack doctor was able to repair the damage. She will have to stay there at least tonight. She is not completely out of the woods, but I think she will be soon," I say. "Good, can I go see her? Is she having visitors?" Meagan asks.

"Yes, take my truck. I need Trip for a little while longer, but I will send him home by the time you are back from seeing Cassie," I say to Meagan.

"Thank you, Alpha," Meagan says. I hand her my keys, and she leaves. I hear her talking to Abe and Ida as she exits the house.

"She is nervous about the white wolf. She is afraid. We have a small child to think of and she does not want to get hurt. She loves Kate, too, but she is afraid of her," Trip says.

"I know, Trip. So am I. I think we all are afraid of the wolf and Kate," I say. The words sting as I say them. I am afraid of my wife. I am afraid of the woman I love. It is a bitter pill to swallow.

Trip motions for me to follow him upstairs to the bedroom. I go up the stairs to see how my wife is doing since she tried to kill Cassie with her protector. I peak into the bedroom to see Kate in the bed, sedated.

"Meagan sedated her with some sedative she had on hand. You will have to keep her this way until we figure out a way to get rid of the wolf," Trip says.

"I hope this works. The pack doctor gave me a sedative to give to Kate to keep her knocked out until we can figure out a way to help her," I ask. I hear footsteps coming up behind me. I turn to see Abe standing there.

"If you keep her in this state, the white wolf will remain in the spiritual realm for now, but not forever. That wolf is connecting to her and wants her," Abe says.

"I do not understand why this is happening. She is not herself. Kate would never hurt anyone. She is turning into something dark," I say.

Abe walks over to the bed and looks at Kate. "No, she is not herself at all, Alpha. It will help if you put her somewhere safe until we fix this. The best advice I can give you is to protect your child until your wife is your wife again. Chain her up, lock her up, but protect that baby girl at all costs, even if it means killing the woman you love. Reminds me of the fate Rainwater met so long ago," Abe says.

I watch Abe looking Kate over and checking her. He seems to be listening to her spirit. These imperials creep me out. "What are you doing?" I ask him.

Abe looks at me as if to say back off and then continues whatever he is going with Kate. "Where is the old woman?" Trip asks.

"She is staying far away from Kate. She is afraid of her and that damn wolf," Abe says as he continues with Kate.

Abe finally finishes listening to Kate. He walks back down the stairs and waits for Trip and me in the kitchen. I look at my beautiful wife, sedated and so vicious. How did this happen, my love? I cannot have this happening to her, and I have to help her. Trip gives Kate another sedative that I got from the pack doctor, and I go down the stairs to talk to Abe. I sit down at the table with Abe. "I need to know how to help her," I say to Abe.

"Kill her and put her out of her misery. That is what they did to her mother. Everyone said Rainwater was killed because she fell in love with a vampire, no, that is not what happened. She was put down. Now you have to do the same thing, kill her, Alpha. She is suffering," Abe says. I am in shock by his words.

"I cannot kill her; I love her. She is my wife, the mother of my child," I say.

"Then you will have to kill the white wolf to free her from his grasp. That is not an easy task. Rainwater and that white wolf have your wife, and they are not going to let go of her easily," Abe says.

I shake my head. "I would walk through hell to save Kate," I say.

Abe shifts in his seat. "What about the baby? She should be your focus, not that woman upstairs?" Abe says.

"He is right, Alpha. Baby Belle is more important," Trip says as he comes down the stairs.

"Would you sacrifice Meagan if there was a way to save her?" I ask Trip.

Trip sits down at the table with Abe and me. That was not what he was expecting from me. "I love Meagan. I guess I would help her if there were a possibility, I could save her. But I would never let her harm my child," Trip says. "Baby Belle will be protected at all costs. Her life is the most important, but I have to try to save Kate. I could not live with myself if I did not help her," I say.

"Especially when you caused this. You say you would walk through hell for her, but will you, Alpha. Are you ready to fix the mess you caused? You cause all of this to happen, you and that whore," Abe says. His voice changes to something dark. I am in shock. "What the fuck do you mean? How did I cause this?" I growl at him.

"You are the one that put your pack before your wife and child. She felt she had to run, and then you stole her baby. Then to drive the knife further into Kate you fucked her best friend," Abe says. I look at Abe and notice his eyes are turning black. "What is going on with him?" Trip asks.

The front door opens, and the older woman comes into the house. "Get out of my husband, RAINWATER!" the old woman screams.

Trip and I jump to our feet, growling and ready to fight for our lives. A large black wolf appears in the kitchen. The older woman runs toward the wolf and begins to kill it with her bare hands as Trip and I stand in shock. She then turns her attention to her husband. She grabs the knife off of the table and stabs her husband. He falls to the floor as his eyes return to crystal blue.

Ida drops the knife on the floor and cradles her husband. "You have to get rid of that wolf. All of the imperial wolves will fall if you do not get rid of that white wolf. She is bringing all the spirits back from the realm, and she will possess us all," Ida says.

Trip and I stand in shock. I cannot move. I cannot believe what I just saw happen in front of us. "You will bury my husband, and burn the black wolf, Alpha. Do not come asking for my help again. I am done. I am leaving. Consider this my notice, I am leaving your pack and taking my family with me," she says. She starts walking out of the house.

"Wait, how do I kill the white wolf?" I ask her.

She stops, looks back at me. "Protect your child, Alpha, and find a way to bring your wife back to you. When the wolf is weak, kill it. I am done here," she says.

I look at Trip who is shaking. We have a dead old man and a dead spirit imperial wolf in the kitchen. What the f**k?

I go out of the house. I grab wood off of the porch and start a fire beside the porch. I watch the fire burn for a moment. My life is in shambles and getting worse by the second. I go inside and pick up the dead black wolf. I drag it out of the house and throw it onto the fire. I sit and watch it burn.

For a moment I thought it moved. I can see Kate burning. I can see her dying in this wolf. The old woman killed the black wolf, but her husband was still controlled by it. I watch the body burn a little longer. I need to check on Kate.

I have a decision to make about my pack and my wife, most importantly my child. I stay with the black wolf until it is completely gone. I do not need it teaming up with the white wolf and making my life even more hellish than it already is at the moment.

I walk down to the well and pull up a bucket of water. I carry the bucket up to the fire to put it out. When I pour the bucket over the fire there is nothing left of the black wolf. It is gone.