I was running for what felt like a long time… and I know this wasn't the first time… and it won't be the last I went on this journey. I remembered falling asleep. The doctor had put me under to make sure I could sleep better. I had been up for hours while they worked to reset my bones so they could heal properly. Now, all I needed was time. A bright light glowed in the forest around me. Was it luna? I ran for her as fast as I could. I needed answers on why- why Alpha Fang... came back. His existence in the pack will upset the balance and chain of command. Alpha Brendon will shred him with his teeth.
The closer I moved to the light- the more it surrounded me until I was blinded by it. It was hard to see through it but when the light settled, I was in a clearing. I wasn't in a forest anymore. I had ran so far- my feet hurt. But around me I could smell some familiar scents. It was Innath and Cal, my two older brothers... the ones I sent after Cole. I decided to follow their scents. The trail lead me towards a village. What are they doing? 'Arwen?' I asked but I had a feeling I was... alone on this journey.
When she didn't reply, my fur stood up on my back. I was reminded I was taking this journey in my wolf form. My paws stepped into the old cobblestone walkway. Leading me further into the village. The village was gothic in architecture. I smelled blood the deeper I went and heard a crowd. The blood- sickened me to my core. I thought it might be my brothers. I followed the noise into a town square. Where I saw the horror. The scent of my brothers had been lost as I stood on the edge of a crowd.
Blood.
Death.
Rot.
Danger.
Evil.
It was everywhere. The smell made me sick. I wanted to hurl. If I had been here- in my other form... I would have fainted from the overwhelming scent. It was... monsters. Vile creatures. The ones that have been prettied up in fantasy romance novels.
Vampires.
They were everywhere. In dark cloaks protecting them from the light of day. There were a few who could walk openly out in the sun. They found their ways... I didn't know how. Vampires- all around me. But they didn't see me. I had a feeling I took this journey through an out- of- body experience. My wolf spirit.
It was hard to get through the crowd- avoiding feet. I was also scared... Scared because I knew what they were looking at. As I got through the crowd to get a better view of the center stage- I whinned. This was a vile show happening. A monster center stage devouring a human in broad day light. I had arrived late. But I could smell what was happening. The monster, cloaked for protection from the sunlight smelled female. It was hard to tell. Because she wasn't able to breed like I could. This was the only power she had over having children. Creating more devils- demons- monsters. Her white hair was the only feature I could see as it hung out of the coat freely. The more a vampire aged, the more likely their hair faded ino the same color, white. So she was an older vampire. This meant she was intelligent and powerful. She had been feading on a human. He fell to the ground and his face showed to me.
Emmett.
My heart pounded in my chest.
Did she just kill him?
The other human tied to a pole became clear to me- it wasn't human. He was a werewolf. My brother, Cole. I growled then for his life. WHY! WHY DID YOU FOLLOW HIM, COLE!? You're going to die. My brother had a face covering on and I could tell by his breathing he was somehow sedated. They drugged him. I felt like crying. I was scared for his life. Where's Innath and Cal? I looked around the crowd to try to see them but there was no hope. The female blood sucker bit down into her wrist and stood over Emmett. Suddenly, I watched as her blood dripped down into his mouth. What is that? What is she doing to him?
I sprinted to Cole's side and smelled him quickly. "Please wake up, you're in danger," I told him. Could he hear me? I watched as I was now closer to the vampire and Emmett. I watched as his faint breathing picked up. The crowd cheered. I stood on edge. I watched- as he looked up at the vampire. His eyes were red. He looked greatful. GREATFUL!? That wicked demon tainted your blood, Emmett and now... You are lost to their sins.
The crowd cheered and it was hard to hear him... but I could read his lips.
"Now, I'll tell you everything I know," he told her.
My tail tucked under my body as I felt those words loud and clear in my soul.
TRAITOR.
ENEMY.
How could I have ever been destined to be with him?
WHY! Did I let Cole run away to be with his horror?
This is all my fault.
This traitor will tell all our secrets.
I could hear what the crowd was shouting.
"All hale Queen Lamia and Her Fledgling Emmett."
Lamia!? THAT THING WAS QUEEN LAMIA!? A vampire queen... THE vampire that's been trying to get into our pack's territory? The one that has a taste for werewolf blood? Emmett, the traitor. He had went to her? Was this just barely coincidence?
Emmett collected all his strength to stand up. But, Once he did he walked straight towards Cole. He pulled the covering off my brother's head. He held his chin up as he kissed him passionately. The two interlocking as Cole was barely able to open his eyes for it. He couldn't fight this.... Did he want to? Cole weakly tilted his head to the side to expose his neck. I watched as Emmett sunk his new and improved k-9s into my brother's neck. Emmett had fangs now. He was like them! He is them.
I could smell them more now than ever.
Cole was Emmett's and Emmett was Cole's.
They have marked each other.
I could smell Emmett's venom as I sat by them. I was hopeless and weak. Watching as Emmett had enough strenth to pull away from my brother. He didn't bite him to kill him... he bit him to mark him. It was remarkable. I never saw a vampire have so much strength as a newborn. SO much control. Any other vampire in this situation would have killed any human around them for miles. My father use to tell us bedtime stories.
I knew then, there was something I missed before watching Emmett's turning. Did Emmett offer our secrets for a shot at immortality? Or, did they get kidnapped by Lamia and this was their only shot at surviving?
Oh... Luna, can you see this too?
I was getting sick of watching this. My eyes instead decided I had to make sure Innath and Cal were still safe. My feet carried me back into the crowd as I searched all of their faces until I found them. They were heavily cloaked like the rest. Hiding in vampire-blood soaked cloaks. They were musking their scents to try to fit in and hide in the crowd. So far, they were alive. That's all that mattered. "Please come home," I begged them. This task was too dangerous for just two. They looked at each other before turning around and slipping through the crowd to leave. I looked back at the stage to see my brother (now) bridal style in Emmett's arms as he followed Lamia up the hill and towards... a castle.