Lightning flashed above, illuminating her face for a brief second as she looked through the window, wishing to be anywhere else but the meeting hall of the Grey moon pack. Her hot breath against the rattling cold glass clouded her view of a low concrete line of pack building outside, brown doors in a tidy row.
She wiped the condensation with her hands to clearly see the deck chairs out in front of each curtained window. A dim light was on the wall, just above and to the left of each chair. Behind the building were tall stands of pine trees whose wet leaves flapped around in panic as strong winds blew. A storm was coming.
"The Emril have arrived." Someone announced.
She released the curtains and stepped away from the window, joining a circle of twenty-six werewolves who'd been anticipating the arrival of the council of elders. She wasn't an official member of this pack, yet she had been invited for such an official meeting. She was a lone wolf. A rogue, if you may. The only woman among the men in the room.
The council, which consisted of fourteen past Alphas, were known within their sphere as 'The Emril'. They were higher-order werewolves--with special gifts--who were only summoned for advice in the stickiest situations. Tonight though, they had been the ones who convened everyone in the room.
They strolled in with somber expressions on their faces, forming a circle of their own in the circle already formed by the invited pack members. Alpha Delano came in last, the same expression on his face as he stood beside the last Emril.
Kyla rolled her eyes and turned away from him. It had only been a few hours since he barraged her at the party, and she was still quite upset. To make matters worse, exactly two hours after that incident, Albert declined her offer to help through text.
The fact that he didn't have the gall to do it in person after they'd danced to three of his favorite songs, was what irked her the most. Now that she thought about it, she concluded that they were foolish songs as she huffed and cast an irritated glance at the other men in the room.
"I bring greetings from the Emril to the pack warriors." Delano's voice boomed as he started. "The Emril gathered you all with some disturbing news. We've chosen to share this because every single person in this room is the elite few--the strongest warriors in the pack."
"Through the help of our hired trackers," He cast a disapproving glance at Kyla as he continued. "We've uncovered a wicked conspiracy. And although we lack more information at this time, we're certain that the markings on the victims of the Glasgow murders came from an unorthodox mutational ritual."
"In plain words," He paused so his next words could sink in. "Something sinister is coming to Glasgow Creeks--that's if it isn't already here, hiding somewhere in a lair, waiting for its maturation date. The Emirl believe that it's something never seen in the history of mankind and werewolves combined. Something stowed away in the forbidden books of the metaphysical."
A frigid breeze blew the curtain of an opened window slightly--someone had left it open. The winds had settled, but there was a fog rolling in. Kyla noticed from where she stood. It grew thicker and thicker, coloring the night smoky gray. Something about it, how it crept in slowly, the color, made her anxious. Her chest felt heavy and there was a throb in the back of her head.
"We're at war." She turned back to Delano as heart rates picked up in the room. "We're at war with an unknown enemy and against my better judgment, the Emril has made you," He moved to stand before Kyla, locking her in his hard glare. "Miss Odin, the head tracker in this investigation."
They both stared for what seemed like an eternity, encapsulated in mere seconds. Her eyes, blue as the sea, widened into his in surprise. She'd been working underground on this case, but only as one of the trackers hired by the Emirl. She hadn't foreseen any promotion. The throb at the back of her head intensified as she thought of Albert again.
"I expect a detailed report of your progress every four days. Half the men in this room, are under your command. They'll be patrolling the area with you or, however, you decide. The other half," He moved away from her, addressing others in the circle. "Would study alongside the Emril and I--necromancy, witches, vampires, dragons, monsters. This would be our area of focus till we know exactly what we're up against. Any questions?"
Silence. The lightest breeze crept in through the open window, whispering in the air, but nothing else. Delano took it as a No and returned to his position beside the last Emril.
An elderly member of the Emril broke out from their circle and moved towards her. "The Alpha made light of your office in this investigation, Kyla." His voice was thick and powerful as he spoke. "The moon goddess has favored you, and tonight, we do the same. Welcome to our midst General Odin, of the Grey moon pack trackers."
Her jaw fell low as he presented an emblem of power to be hung around her neck. It was a symbol of authority in her new office as general. Every single werewolf in her circle bowed their heads and bent a knee.
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"You don't deserve it."
"Why? Because your ego is a little bursted?"
The meeting ended an hour ago, dismissing other werewolves except Kyla. The Emril had a lot to communicate with her concerning their fears and the task she'd been entrusted with. They'd just concluded with her and vacated the meeting hall, leaving her alone with Alpha Delano.
He growled, blocking her path to the exit. "You'll watch your tone when you address me, Kyla."
It was an order. She hated it. She hated the way her wolf struggled as it was starting to get affected by the authority he yielded as the Alpha. Her new position obviously came with its disadvantages. She was a part of them now--one of the Grey moon park members who must answer to the Alpha. This was regardless of how little she thought of him or how much she wanted to throttle him.
"Noted, Alpha." She replied with a tiny hint of sarcasm and shuffled past him before asking. "May I be excused?"
"Wait!" He commanded.
She stopped by the door, rolling her eyes. "Yes?"
"Be at the pack house by 8 am tomorrow. You'll be formally introduced to your team and other pack members."
The door was suddenly pushed open from the other end, colliding with her side as someone shuffled through the gap.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know someone was behind the--" The person found himself apologizing for the contact till he recognized her and the words caught in his throat. "What are you.....?" His eyes darted back and forth between a smirking Delano and a surprised Kyla.
"Y-You're one of them." He stuttered, unable to believe it himself as his eyes landed on the emblem on her neck. "You're a werewolf."
Her heart sank. It was useless denying it now. She'd been caught.
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