The Beginning of The End

He searched for his brother in the Main Hall first, entering like a madman, panting, sweat dripping from his snow-white hair as he shouted. 

"Where is he?" He asked the people working there. His voice echoed, for the first time drawing everyone's attention, eyes looking at him with fear rather than disdain. No one dared to answer. "I asked you where is my brother!" he repeated. 

"What is this? Why are you screaming?" He heard Edwin's familiar voice from the top of the central stairs. He was looking down at him, staring as he walked slowly towards the enraged Astor. 

"Where is Zeth?" he asked again, feeling himself get more and more impatient. 

"You should be resting, Ren requested that…"

"I do not care, why don't you get it? I want to see Zeth right now." he told him, stepping forward with a newfound courage, just a step away from the humongous man. He used to be scared of him, the way his eyes always judged his every step but now, something in him had changed after he found out what happened. He had been sold, given to another pack as if he was some kind of item for trade all because of his brother's greed and arrogance. He had put up with a lot, all these years he had only known how to bow his head but this, this was not something he could just ignore. Who did he think he is to deal with his life, his future as if he owned it?

Edwin locked eyes with him, probably examining how serious he was about meeting Zeth. He sighed, believing this would only cause more trouble but he did tell him. His brother was upstairs in his "office". Astor couldn't help but laugh, this whole thing was ridiculous, him being the Alpha, the way he acted all of it but he didn't stop to explain to Edwin the cause. He rushed upstairs, bypassing everyone in sight, this time him not caring about them as he banged open the door of Zeth's office. His younger brother was lying on the couch of his office, a little resting place with dark green color and velvet cover, playing with his phone. He was in his office, Astor recalled, doing something extremely important. 

"Why the hell didn't you knock?" Zeth's initial reaction was to yell at him as usual. In a second though he had grasped the situation, seeing his older brother in the state he was in. "What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to…"

"Tell me it's not true." Astor told him, stepping inside and closing the door loudly behind him. The whole room tremoured, reminding the scenery of a small earthquake and Zeth stood up, a grin on his face. 

"What exactly? I don't know what you're talking about." he mocked him, leisurely placing his hands in his pockets. 

"Don't play dumb and don't make me even more mad than I already am." Astor said, taking a few steps closer. His brother did not seem moved by his anger, he was simply there, looking at him, deep down believing that no matter how he hurt him Astor would never do anything to him, he had promised his dear mother after all that he would always take care of him. 

"What are you gonna do about it?" he rudely asked and the white-haired werewolf dashed forward, grabbing his brother by the collar of his shirt, and raising him from the floor. Zeth's eyes widened, shock engraved in his usual cocky face as he wiggled his feet, clenching his brother's arm so he would let him go. Was he always this strong? He wondered, feeling him drag him and pin him violently to one of the walls. Zeth coughed, feeling a sharp pain in his back from the impact. "Fine…fine! Let's talk." he agreed but Astor did not let go of him. "Let me down you fucker!" 

"Tell me." His older brother growled. "Did you sell me to them? As if I am nothing? As if I am not your own brother? Tell me!" he banged him again against the wall. 

"Yes! What about it? It's time you proved yourself useful. You have always been nothing more than a pest. Look at you. Your hair, your eyes, everything about you was wrong from the start. Mum is dead, there is no one else around here who wishes you well or wants you around. Astor, you should thank me, I am giving you your freedom. See how great I am?" 

"You must be out of your mind. My freedom? Don't try to play nice!" he said, finally letting go of him, pushing him to the couch where he was resting just a while ago. "You are nothing but trash. You can't even do your job properly. Everyone knows it but they do not dare to say anything because of this archaic law! You are just a brat, a spoiled idiot who only knows to cover up his mistakes by hurting others. I am not going to them, I will not go!" 

"Listen here…" Zeth said, the cocky expression long gone by now. "You will go. You have to go, I order you to go do you know why? Because you promised our mother that you would help me and protect me. Being their little plaything to get me out of trouble is the only use you could have. Keep your fucking promise, will ya?" 

"You are sending me away with a bunch of criminals!" Astor shouted. His freedom as Zeth had said. He wanted it, he yearned for it, he dreamed about it but this, this wouldn't be freedom, far from it he would find himself being a slave once again but now he didn't know what to expect, what would happen to him. "Let's just find another way."

"There is no other way. I wanted you gone anyway and this is the perfect opportunity. Now leave and never bother me or this pack with your bad luck." 

He could feel his blood boil, burning hot underneath his pale skin, traveling into the blueish veins of his. He could feel the sweat dripping from his temples and the frantic beat of his angered heart. He could feel his muscles tense, everything around him, his senses heightened. 

When he grabbed Zeth though, his sharp claws out, his fingers curling on his brother's neck, he didn't feel anything. When he pushed him down, his body over his as he began to strangle him he still didn't feel anything his face turned red, while he struggled to escape. 

He didn't feel like how he was supposed to. Astor heard the door open, his nose catching Edwin's smell and he turned his head, his hand still on his brother's neck. 

"Do not come closer or I'll kill you too." he threatened him.

The tall man stood still, looking like someone had placed a spell on him, making him freeze. 

"Please…" his brother groaned, trying to grasp for dear life. All these times Astor couldn't breathe from the pain, all these times he couldn't keep his eyes open from the bruises. Zeth was not his Alpha anymore, he didn't have to obey him and he certainly could kill him, right here and now. Suddenly his brother was so weak, so small, he couldn't help but laugh. Zeth fainted, just a bit more and he would actually take his life. 

"Don't touch me!" Astor said when he felt a palm land on his shoulder. It wasn't Edwin, he realized as he turned his head to face Nash. He was staring at him, a perplexed expression on his face before he wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him away, making them land on the floor. "Let go of me!" he requested rather loudly. "Let me kill him. That's what he deserves." he cried out when a figure hid the view of his unconscious brother. While Nash kept him restrained, Ren looked down on him. 

"Don't go creating trouble now, okay? You're with us from now on." he told him as he got closer, his lips resting close to his ear. "You want him dead?" he whispered to Astor. "I will do it for you but not now. All you have to do is come with me." he told him. 

The white-haired werewolf did not know if the man before him was lying. But something had changed in him. This numbness Astor always felt, this apathy to all of his troubles faded away like the ending of a mist, and a storm of anger was suddenly set free, releasing all the hate he had for Zeth, for everyone in his pack. Yes, he wanted to leave this place but behind him he didn't want to see his brother happy, his people moving on with their lives, he wanted to leave ashes behind him, hear their pleads, of those who hurt him, of the one who sold him as if he was not a person but an object. 

Astor looked at Ren, these golden eyes were locked on his, their faces so close he could feel his breath land on his lips. 

"Come with us little wolf" he said, a grin appearing on his handsome face. "But note this. We are not nice people."

"If I come…"

"You will get it…your revenge." he whispered again.