The Art Of Sneezing

Chapter 52

Riley's POV

The metal feels cold against my skin. In a second, Taylor moves behind me, wrapping one arm around my waist and pressing the knife to my throat.

        "Taylor, I swear if you don't let her go," Alexander grinds the next part through his teeth. "My threat from earlier will be your reality!"

        He laughs loudly. "You deserve this! You barely know Riley and you already love her." I flinch as he presses tighter around my waist. "You never loved me!" Taylor suddenly yells. "I'm your brother and you're threatening to kill me!"

        Alexander looks shocked. "What are you talking about, Taylor?" He questions softly. "I loved you unitl you went crazy. All those times we played together as kids . . . do you not remember? Has your wolf taken that much from you?"

        "We never played together."

        "Yes, we did." Alexander insists. "Every Friday, we would walk to the ice cream store and then sit on the swings. Dad was so angry the first time because he couldn't find us. We got grounded for weeks, but we still walked to get ice cream." Taylor shuffles behind me and tenses.

        "No."

        "The first Alpha meeting we went to, Dad told us to sit in the living room; but we climed through the vents into the meeting room. He was so mad."

        I can see the truth in my mate's eyes. He truely loved Taylor, but if Taylor's wolf took those memories, then he wouldn't know.

        "When you got your first girlfriend, I ran into your room and threw water balloons at both of you. You laughed and chased me all the way into the lake."

        "That didn't happen."

        "We caught our first bear together."

        "No."

        "Yes. We did, Taylor. Your wolf took these memories from you. He wants you to be angry and upset, but he's sick. He's making you sick."

        "Shut up. Just, shut up!" Taylor pressess the knife deeper and I gasp.

        Alexander sets his jaw. "You don't want to do this."

        "Oh, but I do, brother. I want you to suffer the same way I suffered when you took my pack! You took my title as Alpha!"

        I watch the brothers go at it. Alex obviously wants to be done with Taylor, but at the same time, they're brothers. With Taylor's crazy wolf, there's no getting through to him. I can't help but wonder if this will happen to me someday. Will I go crazy? Will I cause this much death and heartache?

        Time will tell, but I feel time shortening.

        With Alexander in chains, I can't think of any way out of here alive. There are wolves fighting above us and I have no idea what's happening.

        I call out to Zach with my mind. 'Where are you.'

        He replies. 'The Rogues are dead, but no one can find you, Alexander, or Taylor.

        'We've . . . reached a stalemate. Don't worry about us. Focus on getting wounded wolves to pack doctors. Can you go around the Rogues and look for Sabrina and Cameron?'

        I can feel his reluctance. 'Why? You won't them to join the pack?'

        'If they want. Please, Zach.'

        'I said not to worry about us! Are Tom and Daniel okay?'

        There's a pause  before he replies. 'Yes, they're helping the wounded.'

        Reassured, I cut of the link.

        The boy's are just glaring at each other now.

        "Here's the deal," Taylor begins. "Riley's going to reject you and you both live, or I kill both of you."

        Alexander growls. "No way. Can you imagine the pain that she would feel if she rejected me? We both would feel like we're dying!"

        "Good! Would you rather her actually die?"

        Alexander looks at me with pain filled eyes. 'I'd rather you live without me then die with me.'

        'I'm not going to reject you, Alexander.'

        'I'm not giving you a choice. You're going to reject me and you're going to do it ALIVE. I won't let you die.'

        A tear falls at the thought of losing him.

        'I can't live without you.'

        'It's going to be really painful It will make you feel like you're on fire.'

        'I won't do it -'

        'Listen!  It will probably hurt for a really long time, but you'l be okay eventually.'

        I sniff as tears continue to fall. 'And you?'

        He works his jaw, not meeting my eyes. 'Some Alpha's die from the rejection.'

        I shake my head visiously and speak out loud. "I won't do it."

        Alexander uses his Alpha tone and even Taylor shifts his weight uncomfortably. "Do it!"

        The knife presses harder and my head is full of 'but's' and 'what if's'. I think logically, glancing around the room looking for a loop hole.

        The I realize what I have to do.

        The thought hits me like a ton of bricks and I almost break character. But I stay still.

        I take a deep breath, playing with my ring as I give Alexander the most purposeful look in the entire world.

        "I, Riley Rivers reject you, Alexander Crescent, as my mate."