Faeries' Grace

As the quote goes ... "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". 

However, if one were to take this concept one step further, with that 'woman' being a mother and the 'scorned' being an unjust violation against her child; one could only imagine that that fury could easily become ten-fold ... as Alpha Julian and the others will soon find out.

After four years of essentially being sequestered within the Rainier Pack compound ... a price Teresa willingly paid in order for her brother to agree to allow her to adopt the deceased Shadow Hunter Pack Luna's daughter, given the name of Sasha, and the two dampyrs; Katarina, the grandniece of Countess Esmeralda, and Irena, the twelve-year-old dampyr who the Matriarch of the Clan of the Old Order chose to care for the two infants along their journey, and then later assist in raising the matriarch's grandniece in the vampire ways ... Teresa was sent to Sacramento for a few days on a business trip in lieu of Delta Colin.

Teresa was completely shocked by the phone call she received from Jaclyn, her six-year-old niece, informing her that there were individuals coming to see her father, Alpha Julian; claiming that they were emissaries from the Clan of the Old Order who came there under orders of Countess Ardelean to take Katarina back to Transylvania. 

When the witches from the Raven Coven brought the three 'refugees' to the Rainier Pack territory nearly four years ago, one of the things discussed was that someday in the future Countess Ardelean may send for Katarina to return back home once the dire circumstances forcing them to send her away settled down. And, if things turned out as the countess hoped, it would be before her sixteenth birthday. 

At that time, because of the political strife within the eastern European vampire clans overseen by the Clan of the Old Order ... along with a personal conflict between the countess and Princess Analiese Vodrak; one of the highest-ranking members of the Council of the Immortal Ones ... Katarina had become a probable target for physical attacks, and possibly even assassination attempts. But once things were sorted out, and Katarina's safety was no longer threatened, the countess planned on bringing her grandniece back.

Knowing this, Teresa had made it a point to keep as up to date as she possibly could regarding the turmoil occurring back in Katarina's homeland. As far as Teresa knew, the Clan of the Old Order was still having problems with the splintering factions formed within the clans; and that the Night Crawlers of Death ... dissident vampires similar in nature to that of the militant rogue wolves that oppose and fight the legitimate wolf packs ... have been encroaching upon the Clan of the Old Order's territory; entrenching themselves within caves located within the Danube mountains. So, the threat to Katarina's safety is far from over.

Also, Teresa hadn't received any word from Countess Ardelean herself about her sending for Katarina to return back to Transylvania. Which was why as she rushed to board the Rainier Pack's private jet to return back to Washington, Teresa made several frantic calls to get in contact with the countess and find out exactly what was going on. 

**************

A few hours after the bloody massacre...

The private jet lands at a small, undisclosed airfield in the Rainier Pack territory, about three miles east of the main compound.

During the flight, amidst all those calls made in hopes of figuring out what was happening, Teresa was trying to decide whether she should go check on Sasha first or go directly to the mansion to confront everyone there. In the end ... in truth, there was never really a contest ... Teresa decided that she would check on Sasha. 

One would think that this was a stroke of good fortune for Alpha Julian and the others; seeing how they would receive a longer grace period of not having to deal with an agitated Teresa. But, on the contrary, this wound up being a true case of misfortune for them. Because, after seeing the deplorable conditions that her daughter was being confined under, and the obvious mistreatment that she must have suffered from, Teresa was infuriated to the point that she had been thrown into a seething rage.

Teresa abruptly bursts into the alpha's private study, aggressively kicking both doors open with one powerful kick, wildly screaming at the top of her lungs...

"What the fuck, Julian!! ... I want you to release my daughter, now!!"

With the exception of her heaving chest from that overly deep, exasperated anger breathing, Teresa's body is rigidly tense, with her fists tightly clenched and pressed into the sides of her thighs. Her teeth and jaw are as tightly clenched as her fists, as well; while she fiercely glares with piercing eyes that seem as if she were throwing daggers out from.

Besides the prior attendees at the meeting earlier, they were joined by two members of the Rainier Pack's Tribunal of Elders: Elder Elliot Chandler and Elder Victor Strong. Elder Elliot, who was a longtime and close friend of their deceased father, former Alpha Walter Thurgood, is the first to speak up, as he foolheartedly blurts out...

"There she goes again, Julian; thinking that it's always about what she wants." He makes a bigger blunder as he directly looks Teresa in the eyes. "I'll tell you what, missy; it was because your brother caved in to your whim and gave you what you wanted that we're in this mess now. So, I suggest you just keep your mouth shut; because no one here wants to hear what you want right now."

It took every fiber in her body to restrain herself long enough to allow Elder Elliot to finish saying what he said. But the very moment that the elder stops speaking ... before anyone realizes what was about to happen; or could even react to it ... Teresa instantly lunges at Elder Elliot, then wrenchingly grasps hold of his shirt collar with a vise-like grip and pulls him within inches of her face. 

With those fiercely piercing 'dagger-throwing' eyes she intensely glares at the trembling elder; repeatedly 'stabbing' him with her eyes as she growls through her gritted teeth... 

"If I want to hear your opinion, I'll beat it out of you. I'm talking with my brother, now; so, you stay out of it and keep your fucking mouth shut."

The alpha barks out in his most authoritatively commanding tone...

"That's enough, Teresa! Let go of him, this instant! ... Elder Elliot's not only a member of the Tribunal of Elders, but he was also a dear friend of father's; so, show some respect."

Teresa pulls the elder in even closer, and glares at him while uttering out one last growl; then shoves him away.

"Well, he's no friend of mine; so, you better keep your dog on a leash, Julian, or I'll kick him again."

Again, using his most authoritatively commanding tone, the alpha tells her...

"I said that will be enough, Teresa. Mind your place and give Elder Elliot the respect he deserves."

Teresa just scoffs, conveying utter disdain for the elder. Elder Elliot hastily fiddles with his collar to straighten it out; then snidely comments while muttering under his breath...

"Well, I guess we know now where Sasha gets her violent tendencies from. What's it they say ... the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Teresa immediately steps back in towards Elder Elliot, but luckily this time Gamma Ray is able to respond in time, managing to quickly position himself between Teresa and the elder and firmly, yet not too forcibly, guides her back, separating the two with more distance.

Alpha Julian looks to Gamma Ray and gives him a nod of approval; then turns to the oblivious elder, who apparently is currently suffering from a severe case of 'diarrhea of the mouth', and warns him...

"With all due respect, Elliot, might I suggest that you refrain from speaking up any more ... or, at the very least, mind your words and be sure not to say anything that could set Teresa off. I'm afraid that if you do, we may not be able to hold her back again."

While biting his tongue, Elder Elliot mutters in a griping tone, "Understood, my Alpha. I will take it under advisement and do as you say."

"Good ... I believe that would be best for everyone." Alpha Julian turns and looks to Teresa. "Now, where were we?"

Teresa stares directly into her brother's eyes; and while still conveying those fiercely piercing 'dagger-throwing' eyes of hers, speaks in a low monotonic, yet menacing, tone...

"You were about to release my daughter ... now."