Hunters and werewolves surrounded Derek; his father, Xenon, stood before the group. Father and son looked at one another. Xenon was beyond horrified at what his son had done. He never would've imagined that he was capable of doing monstrous acts. The patriarch looked at the dead body; his son took a human life. Hunters are used to killing werewolves, who put the family and humans in danger. However, hunters had a strict law regarding taking a human's life. They could kill if they didn't harm the hunters and their territory. The penalty was death if the law was broken without good reason and permission.
"X-Xenon!?"
The older man then looked at the prison cell and saw Iris. "Iris, I am so sorry that you had to go through all this, and that my family and I didn't tell you of what we were." Xenon then glared at his son. "Derek, what the hell have you done!? Have you gone insane!?"
Derek's expression was emotionless. "Dad, I'm doing this for the woman I love. Her sister ruined everything and she had to pay." He shrugged his shoulders. "I tried giving that dog a chance to have his revenge but he didn't take it."
Xenon and everyone noticed the other hunters who stood by Derek's side; they had explosive collars. They were being forced to follow Derek's commands; one wrong move, and they were dead on the spot. "Son, please let the women and children go; you are surrounded."
"You think that you have the advantage? I expected I wouldn't be coming out of this alive, but I planned for the worst-case scenario. I have explosives in parts of the cave." Everyone became cautious, and Maverick growled in anger. "Shut it, mutt. I will come out victorious." Derek then walked to the prison cell where the women were; Laura growled and looked as if she was about to attack. "Don't you dare, bitch. If you do anything, I won't hesitate to kill Iris. Understand?"
"Y-You crazy bastard! You've gone insane!" yelled Jessica.
Derek used his free hand and unlocked the cell door; the women wanted to stop him, but since Derek was willing to kill Iris, they didn't take the risk. "At least I'm aware of my insanity, Jessica." He then looked at Iris. "Get up." Maverick growled in his werewolf form and had the urge to attack. Xenon stopped him as he shook his head. While his son was distracted, he gave his other hunters a nod to begin the plan's first phase. The hunters quietly went to their brethren, who had the explosive collars. They got keys and undid them before Derek could see. The ten hunters sighed in relief that they were freed. They immediately went to the group, where they were hugged.
Iris still knelt as Derek pointed the gun at her. "N-No!"
"Don't make me angry, Iris, or there will be consequences. Do you want us all to die?"
The young woman then remembered the explosives in the cave; the thought of Waylen and Asher came to mind. She reluctantly stood, and Derek grabbed her by the neck and wrapped his arm around her, making Iris yelp in pain.
Maverick growled louder, as did the other werewolves. Suddenly, Maverick felt that someone wanted to communicate with him through a mind-link, which he let through. "Maverick, Rickon and I found the boys! They were in the farthest part of the cave!" said Matthias.
Relief overwhelmed the Beta, but he knew it was too early to celebrate. "Matthias, you and the rest need to get out of the cave! The maniac put explosives in the cave!"
"Damn it! I will have Rickon watch the kids! Is Laura and Jessica okay!?"
"Yes, they are, but Derek is now holding Iris captive! I can't do anything right now! He's willing to kill us all, including himself!"
"Damn it, he's probably going to try to take her outside! Just remember the plan and do what Xenon said!"
The mind-link ended, and Maverick saw Derek walking out of the prison cell with Iris in his arms. His finger was on the trigger, and he was willing to fire the gun. "No one is allowed out. If any of you do, then I will kill her and then myself. Do I make myself clear?" When no one answered, Derek forced Iris to leave the cave slowly. Everyone else was left behind. When Derek and Iris were no longer seen, Laura and Jessica were motioned to get out of the cell, and they did so.
"W-We need to find the children! They-!"
Xenon walked forward. "Don't worry; your husband and his brother should have gotten to them by now. I know this cave by heart and had a hunch where my son would have them." He then looked at everyone. Alright, everyone, we have to get out through the secret passage before my son blows this place up!" Everyone immediately began to run toward the secret passageway, but Maverick beat them to get to Derek and Iris. Maverick hoped that he wouldn't be too late.
Meanwhile, Derek and Iris finally made it outside the cave; Derek still had the gun pointed at Iris. The young woman struggled to escape his grip, but Derek tightened it. "Y-YOU MURDERER! YOU KILLED ALL THOSE WEREWOLVES! MY SISTER!"
Derek stopped but still kept his gun pointed at her. "You still don't see it, do you? Werewolves and humans were never meant to be. Hunters hunt werewolves, it has always been. My dad and family have gone too soft; it made me sick. As for your sister, she was nothing but a waste of air. She made you, your family, me, and other people suffer. Deep down, I know you are happy with what I did."
Iris screamed. "YOU'RE IN DENIAL, DEREK! I WANTED HER TO FACE JUSTICE! TO SPEND THE REST OF HER LIFE BEHIND BARS! YOU KILLED THOSE INNOCENT WEREWOLVES FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER BE!" She struggled even more. "YOU WERE NOTHING BUT A LIE! YOU SHOWED ME WHO YOU TRULY WERE! NO MATTER WHAT, I WILL NEVER BE WITH YOU!" She then used the back of her head and headbutted Derek in the face.
This shocked him, and he lost his grip on her. Iris took the opportunity to get away from him. Derek eventually got out of the pain and shock. 'IRIS, STOP, OR I WILL SHOOT!" He was livid when she didn't stop and went toward the cave. Iris was willing to go back to Maverick, and it was something the hunter refused to allow. Then, he got out a small controller and pushed a red button. A loud explosion came from the entirety of the cave. Rocks and stones flew due to the explosion; Iris was hit by a couple of stones across the face, making her fall to the ground. She had a couple of cuts and bruises, and drips of her blood were apparent.
Iris watched in horror at the cave's devastation. "MAVERICK! EVERYONE! NO!" she cried as she knelt before the destroyed cave. Derek's laughs echoed all around. Without warning, Iris glared at Derek and then stood and charged toward him. Derek saw this, but he opened his arms, welcoming her. Iris jumped on him and began to punch and scratch him, but Derek didn't care; he felt that his rival and everyone were dead.
The hunter believed he had won.
"I AM VICTORIOUS! HA! HA! HA!"
Unknown to them, Maverick and the others left the cave from an underground passage just before the explosion began. However, the rubble hit some of them, but no one was critically injured. Once outside, everyone saw Matthias, Rickon, and the boys in their arms. They made it out before them and were horrified at the scene, but they sighed in relief when they saw that everyone had made it out.
Matthias and Laura saw one another; they ran to each other with Waylen in the Alpha's arms. Laura jumped on Matthias, who caught her with his free arm. "Laura! I'm so glad that you're safe! I thought I would lose you and Waylen!"
Laura looked at her husband and passionately kissed him; he did the same all the while Waylen watched. "Eeww!" The couple stopped and looked at Waylen, who looked in disarray.
"Oh, my baby boy! You're safe! You're okay!" cried Laura. She then held her son in her arms, hugging and kissing him tightly. Waylen groaned in annoyance but couldn't deny that he missed his parents.
Rickon and Jessica looked at one another. Rickon still carried a frightened Asher, but he was sure to be gentle. He was scared for his mate's safety and was urged to go to her and hug her with all his might. "J-Jessica, I-!" He couldn't finish his sentence since Jessica ran to him and jumped on him. Rickon was able to catch her as Jessica put her arms around him. Neither said a thing, but Jessica began to cry. Rickon also had the urge to cry but was overwhelmed with happiness and relief. He hugged him tightly. The pack was also happy to see their leaders and mates safe.
Meanwhile, Maverick went on to find Iris; her scent was close, and it seemed she was running away. "Damn it! She's not far, but I have to get to her! I can't lose her!" The Beta ignored the others who called out to him; his mate was on his mind. He kept running around the long cave, which was unexpected. Yet, Maverick felt that he was getting closer.
Then, a gunshot was heard.
Maverick finally arrived at his destination; he stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened in shock and horror when he saw Iris, his mate, his beloved, on the ground, bleeding in her pool of blood. Her back was facing upward with a single bullet wound. Derek's laughs were heard; he looked insane. Eventually, everyone caught up and, like Maverick, stopped when they saw the scene. Jessica struggled to breathe when she saw her best friend. "IRIS! OH MY GOD!!!"
Xenon and his hunters were horrified at the sight. "DEREK WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? MY SON! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"
Derek still kept on laughing, and he had a crazed look. He watched as Maverick changed back to his human form, nude. The Beta went to his mate as he held her in his arms. "IRIS! IRIS! MY LOVE!" Derek pointed his gun at Maverick and thought about shooting. He then saw his father and the hunters going after him. Derek remembered the amounts of bullets he had put before everything that had happened. Now he had one left; he wouldn't kill as many people as he wanted.
The hunter then pointed the gun on his head and smirked. "He can't have her either. She and I will be together." He pulled the trigger on his head, and the bullet went through his head. Derek fell onto the ground; there was no movement.
Derek was dead.
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