Draco cautiously unlocked the door and stepped into Serena and Kelly's home. The usual welcoming atmosphere was conspicuously absent. He searched through the house, but there was no sign of anyone. Just as he was contemplating checking the basement, he heard laughter echoing from below. Curiosity piqued, he descended the stairs, only to find Leroy there, seemingly unharmed and exchanging jokes with Serena.
The sight took Draco by surprise. Leroy, who was supposed to be missing, seemed perfectly fine and was making Serena laugh so hard that tears were streaming down her face. Struggling to keep his emotions in check, Draco cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the trio.
Leroy's expression shifted from amusement to relief at the sight of Draco. "Draco, quick, save me! They're vampires!" Leroy exclaimed, his voice laced with mock desperation.
Kelly let out a hearty laugh. "He's a funny one, this cousin of yours," she remarked to Serena, who was still giggling.
"Draco, you're here," Serena greeted, her laughter dying down.
"What's he doing here? How did he find out about our secret?" Draco inquired, his tone a mixture of surprise and skepticism.
Serena shrugged. "He kind of just walked in and saw the blood bags," she explained.
Draco's brows furrowed. "So you decided to kidnap him?" he asked, half-amused and half-exasperated.
Kelly grinned mischievously. "Well, it's not like we could just let him go after he found out."
Draco shook his head, chuckling at the absurdity of the situation. "You guys are unbelievable."
Leroy, still tied up, looked relieved beyond words. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you, Draco."
Serena untied Leroy. He thanked her and immediately after went to Draco's side.
"Draco you've got to tell your Dad that they're vampires", Leroy whispered, unaware that Serena and Kelly could still hear him.
Draco frowned as he considered Leroy's suggestion. "No," he said firmly.
Leroy's confusion was palpable. "What do you mean by 'no'?" he whispered back.
Draco sighed, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "No, as in no putting Serena and Kelly in danger," he clarified. "And Kelly too," he added, not wanting to leave her out.
Leroy's eyes widened. "Are you insane? You're an alpha, you can't be mingling with vampires," he hissed.
Draco's gaze hardened. "You won't understand," he said, his voice holding a note of finality.
Looking between his two friends, Draco turned to Serena and Kelly. "Can't you guys erase his memories or something?" he asked, his tone a mixture of desperation and frustration.
"We tried," Kelly replied, shaking her head. "But it didn't work."
Draco's confusion deepened. "But he's not a werewolf," he said, his brow furrowing in thought. Most werewolves aren't affected by vampires' mind-manipulation abilities
"But for some reason, it just didn't work on him."
Draco was taken aback by the revelation. "Are you sure he's not a hunter?" Kelly's question hung heavily in the air.
Serena, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "No, he's definitely a wolf," she said with a hint of assurance in her voice.
Draco's confusion deepened as he asked, "What do you mean?"
Leroy, equally puzzled, echoed the sentiment, "Yes, what do you mean?"
All eyes turned to Serena, waiting for her to provide an explanation. She took a deep breath before beginning to clarify. "I wasn't sure at first, but seeing him standing next to Draco, it's kinda obvious. Your cousin's an alpha," she said.
"What?" Kelly exclaimed, clearly surprised. Draco himself was struggling to make sense of the situation. Leroy, on the other hand, appeared completely taken aback by the revelation.
"A pack can only have one alpha," Draco interjected, his voice reflecting a mix of surprise and disbelief.
Serena nodded, explaining further. "Yes, now why is that?"
Leroy chimed in, "Because that's just how it is."
Serena elaborated with a smile, "No, it's because the most dominant one suppresses the others. It's similar to how a hive has only one queen."
Leroy's eyes widened as he absorbed the information. "So, I can shift?" he asked in a hopeful tone.
Serena's expression turned serious. "Not while you're in this pack, no. Titan will never let you."
Leroy's confusion deepened. "Who's Titan?" he asked, clearly trying to piece everything together.
Kelly jumped in to answer, "Draco's wolf."
Leroy went silent, seemingly processing the newfound knowledge. Then, Serena's voice rang out again, her words carrying a glimmer of possibility. "Unless..." she said, her eyes focusing on Leroy, "your inner wolf overcomes the fear it has for Titan."
Leroy's gaze locked onto Serena, a mixture of hope and determination gleaming in his eyes. It seemed like a new path had opened up before him, a path he might have never considered before.
~~~
Serena held the book in her hands, looking at it with curiosity. "Mommy, what book is that?" the 12-year-old Serena asked.
"That's Mommy's book on werewolves," her mother answered.
"But I thought we don't like wolves," Serena said, puzzled by the choice of reading material.
The 8-year-old boy with blonde hair and blue eyes chimed in, "Idiot, have you forgotten? Mommy said to always know thy enemy."
Their mother shot him a stern look, and he immediately looked down in fear. "Feifei is not an idiot," their mother said firmly. She then turned her attention back to Serena. "Feifei, you must always know your enemy. Remember, knowledge and strength make a God."
With that, she handed the book to Serena. As she turned to address the boy, Serena couldn't help but wonder about the deeper meaning behind her mother's words. The boy was questioned next. "Are you done with the book I gave you?" their mother asked.
"No," the boy answered.
"Then you leave first. I have something to do with Feifei," their mother stated, indicating that she needed to have a private conversation with Serena.
Serena's curiosity was piqued, and she looked at her mother with a mixture of uncertainty and anticipation. What was it that her mother needed to discuss? And why was knowing about werewolves so important? The words her mother had spoken stayed with her, planting a seed of wisdom that would grow as she embarked on her journey.