Michael 1988
"You don't have to do this," Angie grabs my arm, panic in her eyes.
"I have to," I was trying to make her understand how critical this is. Not only for my sister but for all of us. "It'll save Grace."
"We can find a different way," she pleads, turning to my father, his eyes focused on me. "Ray, talk to him, please!"
"You can't do this," he mutters so quietly I can barely hear him. "You're selling your soul."
Yusef told me to wait on signing the contract until I saw a sample of what working with them could mean for me.
That meant telling my father why a specialist had come in with his team to examine Gracie.
They were still in there, discussing her condition with the doctors treating her here.
"Michael," My father says my name when I don't answer, and all I can do is stare back at him. "Why?"
The word seems simple, but it's the hardest thing we've ever had to discuss. That was saying something.
Why, wasn't a one-sentence sort of answer. It was an explanation I wasn't sure I knew how to give, or even if I should.
"Because it's what I have to do," I straighten, walking over to him, so we're standing face to face. Maybe he'd hate me all over again, and for the first time, I was alright with it.
"You're binding your life to this," he warns me. "You can't go back."
"I know that," I nod. "I've considered everything and know what I'm doing."
"If you feel obligated because of what happened...," My father begins, but I put my hands on his shoulders, the same way he used to when I was a kid.
"It's not," I assure him. "I'm doing this because of Elena."
For a second, my dad looks confused, but when he realizes what I'm talking about, that scowl returns.
"You can't be serious," He shakes his head, his tone sounds angry, but I think it's fear. "You're doing this because of that storm?"
"It sounds nuts. I know that, but do you know what would have happened if I'd married Lana? If I'd taken over as the Alpha?" I ask him pointedly. "I'd be dead, and so would Grace. So whoever did this was after us."
"No," Dad backs away from me, racking his fingers through his hair. "I can't let you do this!"
"It's not your choice," I remind him. "It's mine."
"Michael," Angie puts her hands on my arm. "You're not responsible for this."
"But I need to find who it is," I tell her gently. "Mom, someone targeted our family, and I have to find them."
"You'll get yourself killed," she sobs. "I can't lose you again. I can't lose two of my children!"
"You won't lose either of us," I hugged her tightly. "The royals will give her a fighting chance, round-the-clock care at home, a treatment that works. That's just what I can do for Gracie. That means the pack will be safe too. You won't have to rely on other packs anymore."
"You don't have to take care of us!" My father slams his hand against the nearest wall. "You're not even part of the pack anymore."
"That's why I'm the only one who can do this," I mutter, trying not to feel hurt by his words. "The royals need a rogue with a good reputation among packs. I have that, so yes, I might not be part of the pack anymore, but it means I'm the only one who can protect it."
"You're acting like all of this was part of some plan," my dad barks.
"What if it was?" I ask him honestly. "What if this is what I'm supposed to do?"
"You sound like your mother," Dad accuses, looking away from me.
"What's wrong with that?" I demand. "Dad, it's a job, that's all."
"No, it's never that with them," he growls. "If they gave a shit about our kind, they would have helped us years ago, but they don't."
"You're right," I cross my arms. "But I'm helping us now. That's all I care about, making sure Gracie is healthy and the pack doesn't have to worry about going under."
My brother stands, he'd been quiet through all of this, but he looks at me seriously before he speaks.
"I'm going to be Alpha of the pack," He declares sternly, sounding older than his age. "It's my job to protect it."
"And it's mine to make sure you can do that," I counter him. "I'm not trying to challenge your right. I've known you were Alpha for a long time."
"Tell me this isn't just for Gracie and the pack," Matt's eyes darken. "Look me in the eyes and tell me this is because of Elena."
Matt was there with me that day. He felt what I did. The sense of understanding who you were in its entirety, the good and bad of our souls. If anyone could see if I was lying, it was him.
"I swear on our mother's soul and the moon goddess. It's not to sacrifice myself for what I rejected before," I tell him honestly. "Will this help our family? Yes, but it's not the only reason I'm doing it. Matt, I felt the same way I did that day when I held that contract. Whatever I'm supposed to be, this is the path I need to take."
Matt doesn't speak again for a while, but his words stay with me when he does.
"Then you should sign the contract," He encourages. "The moon goddess has a different destiny for you, and mom must be watching out for you. It's not a coincidence that all of this is happening the way it is."
"Matt," Angie cries, but my little brother turns to face her.
"Michael's taken care of us all this time," he reminds her. "Even though he had no reason to do it. I believe he can do some good. There's no one to speak for our kind in the royal court. Now, we have someone we can trust who will always put the werewolf kind first. That's something I can support."
"At the cost of your brother's freedom?" My dad demands.
"Michael's already free, dad. You made sure of that," It was like Mathew threw acid on my father's face. "I have faith in my brother. Maybe you should too."
"Sorry to interrupt," Yusef walks into the waiting room, unphased by what he heard. "But the doctors are ready to talk to you."
That put the animosity between us on hold, and we raced to Gracie's room.
They were inserting tubes into Gracie's arm. She was crying but biting back the urge to cry out.
"What's happening?" My father demands, trying to get into the room.
The head doctor glanced at his team before walking out of the room, allowing Angie to run in and be at Gracie's side.
"Your daughter's kidneys are failing," he explains quietly. "We need to start dialysis as soon as possible."
"What does that mean?" I ask, not understanding the term. "What do you mean her kidneys are failing?"
"Grace's kidneys are ceasing to function," He doesn't sound superior. Instead, there's a sadness in his tone I didn't expect from a royal doctor. "It means her condition is much worse than we initially thought."
"But you can help her," I argue. "You're the best, right?"
"I will do everything I possibly can," He assures. "But we need to transport Grace to a different facility."
"Fine, do it," I shake my head. Why hadn't they done that already?
The doctor looked over at Yusef, who was looking at me.
This was as far as my sample went. After that, the doctor couldn't do anything else unless I decided, even though I could see he wanted to.
"Where's the pen?" I growl at Yusef. "I'll sign now."
"Let's not do this out here," Yusef glanced at both ends of the hall. "We can go back to the doctor's office and-"
"Give me the pen," I snarl, feeling Luthando rising. "Now."
Yusef raises an eyebrow, surprised by my aggression. But, then, he pulled something out of his jacket, a thin box, and my name was on it.
"Here," he hands it to me. "Consider it your first piece of office supply."
I had no clue what that meant, but I didn't care. Opening the box, I see a fountain pen, like any I've seen before, but there's a transparent section on the side.
Taking the cap off, I unfold the contract I was still carrying and scan where I need to sign.
"Michael, don't," My father pleads again, but he can't stop me.
When the pen tip touches the paper, I feel a sudden sharp pain in my fingers. When I looked down, the translucent portion of the pen was dark red.
Blood.
For a second, I hesitate, thinking of what dad said. Was I selling my soul?
Did it matter?
My hand moves of its own accord, and my signatures stare back at me on the paper. I'd read through every page, so I knew what I was getting myself into.
It took me less than a minute to sign everything I needed to, and when it was done, I felt somehow drained, as if it was more than my blood I'd given.
"Welcome to the royal courts, Sir Michael Branker," Yusef smiles at me. "Now, you can give the doctor your orders."