Chapter 4

• Alex’s POV
• The sound of gunshots kept coming from across the town, but surprisingly, they never got closer to us. The SPD was probably blocking the roads leading to our house.
• I was pacing back and forth in utter rage, waiting for the rest of the family to join us in the living room before hearing what my maniac brother had done.
• I was barely holding myself from shoving him into a corner and beating the shit out of him.
• I was never as angry as I was right this moment.
• As Lucas, uncle Stefan, David, and Erik, stood in the room looking between me and Jacob in confusion, I said in a scathing tone “Explain to us why you went rogue and all fucking John Wick on us to kill Patrick Walker on your own, Jacob!”
• “Wait, what? You killed him?” Uncle Stefan asks in bewilderment.
• Jacob; who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed like he didn’t just ignite the slow match to war, said in a calm voice “Yes, I sneaked into his house, walked in on him in his office, and shot him twice in the chest and once in the head. And no, I don’t regret it in the slightest because that way, no one, not from you and not from them had to die unnecessarily just to kill one bastard”
• I couldn’t control myself any longer after that, as I shoved him harshly against the wall and yanked him from his leather jacket.
• I bellowed angrily “And what the hell do you think is going to happen now genius? We’re going to make up and shake hands in peace? Are you deaf? Can’t you hear those gunshots that haven’t stopped since you walked in here? You just declared war in the whole fucking town!”
• He tries to shove me back but I don’t move a muscle as he roars “And your plan wasn’t going to declare war? It was all coming to the same result, except my way saved a lot more bullets and a lot more men”
• He was either too blind, too stupid, or too stubborn to realize my whole fucking point “Your way was fucking wrong! You sneaked into his house like a thief, and killed him with a silencer as if you’re scared of getting caught killing him. I was going to drag his ass in front of the whole town, make them witness and listen to his crimes, make them believe that he was not one of them, that he was nothing but a traitor who deserved to be killed, I might have even won some of his people on my side or all of them without risking a bloody war! But what did you do? You made him look like a fucking martyr now! In front of all his clan! We had every right to kill that bastard and the town people were going to give us that right, but you blew the whole damn thing to smithereens!”
• “It wouldn’t have made a difference Alex! What makes you think they were going to listen to you now, when they didn’t listen three days ago when you drove there to kill him and found his own men guarding him? I did the right thing”
• My grip on myself slipped as I raised my fist to punch the heck out of him.
• “Alex!”
• My fist stopped in midair as the voice I haven’t heard since my father died, spoke up for the first time, my mother’s voice.
• I lowered my hand and turned around to look at her, while still holding into Jacob.
• She said in a tight firm tone that conveyed authority “Control yourself! He is still your brother despite everything. My children do not punch and hurt each other. Not while I’m still breathing. Jacob, your actions were wrong. It wasn’t the right move to do. Your brother is right. What’s the point of having a leader if you are going to go behind his back and do what ever the hell you want? This is the first and last time you or any one of you goes behind his back again”
• She turns to me as she says “Let your brother go, Alex. What’s done is done. We need to stop arguing and think about the next move now”
• I take a deep breath, trying to calm the fire brewing inside me, eating me alive. My anger at my brother was so not out of my system yet, but I let him go and backed away from him just for the sake of our mother.
• “How did you sneak into their house anyway?” Lucas asked curiously.
• I gave him a cold look as I said in a tired voice “Really Lucas? That’s your main concern right now?”
• He shrugged and murmured “Just curious, that’s all”
• I turned to Jacob and asked him “Did anyone see you? Do they know it was you”
• “His daughter saw me when I was leaving his office, after I shot him. She was walking out of her room at that second”
• My heart skipped a beat as I tried to ask him dreadfully “Please tell me you didn’t…”
• “Of course not! I would never kill an innocent girl Alex come on!” he looked offended that I even doubted him.
• “What happened then?” I asked tightly.
• “Nothing, she was terrified when she saw me, she couldn’t move or make a sound. I sneaked back the way I came from and left the house. I didn’t hear any warning or see someone coming after me all the way here”
• She was probably traumatized by my brother’s appearance with those little blood splashes on his face and clothes; in addition to a silencer in his hand, she couldn’t open her mouth for a long time to let out a warning, I bet.
• “Do you know her?” I turned to my sister April as I directed my question to her.
• “Yes, her name is Jennifer. She’s 18. I never spoke with her before though, I don’t know anything else about her” she said in a small voice.
• Her face was pale, she was holding herself tightly with her arms wrapped around herself. She was terrified of the whole situation, my heart ached at the sight of her like this. She was too young to be exposed to such tragedies and cruelty.
• I turned to Jacob and said confidently “If she couldn’t open her mouth then either out of shock or fear, you can be sure as hell she opened it now. She’s not about to cover for her father’s murderer that’s for damn sure. Congrats, the whole Walker clan are gunning for you now, brother”
• He looked like he was on the verge of saying something, but thought better of it and kept it to himself, thankfully.
• “You have to leave town, right away” I said to him.
• “I’m not going to run away from this! I’m taking the responsibility of my own actions, Alex. I’m not a little kid that you need to keep out of trouble”
• I answer him firmly, putting every ounce of authority and power from my new title in my voice, trying to contain my anger from slipping again “I’m the leader of this clan, and of this family from now on! Whatever I decide will be followed to the dot. No arguments, no objections. You will leave this town right now, you won’t return until it’s safe for you to come back”
• When I don’t hear any disagreement from him, I turn to my uncle “Uncle Stefan, I need you to take Jacob with you back to Canada. I’m sorry, I know you wanted to stay with us and help us, but I can’t trust him with anyone else but you”
• Uncle Stefan nods right away “You got it Alex. I’ll keep him safe don’t worry. But I would like for David to stay behind and help you out, if it’s okay with you of course”
• I look at David who looked rather surprised by this.
• “I don’t know uncle, it’s a pretty dangerous town to be living in these days, none of us know if we’re going to see the light of a new day, if something happens to him on my watch…”
• Uncle Stefan cuts me off “That’s why I want him to stay behind. He will have your back Alex. If anything were to happen to him, it won’t be on you, I won’t hold you accountable. He’s old enough to take care of himself”
• I couldn’t argue more with him on that matter, partly because I didn’t have any time to waste on arguing anymore.
• “There is a secret road across the border, through the mountains, that only the people in this room know about. It’s not watched by anyone because we made sure it looks like a dead end that no one can use to cross over. Jacob will lead the way for you uncle. You need to leave immediately”
• “I’ll take my suitcase from upstairs, meet you in the car, Jacob. David come with me for a minute”
• Mom walks over to Jacob, and puts her hands on his face.
• She says emotionally “Trust your brother Jacob, please. He’s doing what’s best for everyone. It’s not goodbye, but see you soon. You’re coming back honey, before you know it, you’ll be walking through the front door again”
• They hug each other silently, Jacob doesn’t say anything to her in response.
• Her words cut me deep.
• Am I doing what’s best for everyone? Cause it looks to me like I have no fucking idea what I’m doing right now, or how the hell I’m going to stop a bunch of bloodthirsty people from killing each other in vein.