"Aylin, what are you doing? Get back in the car." Max protested. When I didn't respond he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out as well.
The figure was a man from what I could tell by the headlights that illuminated his body. He stood so oddly it looked like it was uncomfortable for him to be upright.
"Are you okay?" I yelled. The man looked at me. I sniffed the air. A chill ran down my spine as I realized the scent coming from the man was a wolf-like us. Not just any wolf though, a wolf from River Pack. I looked to Max who didn't seem to have any idea who the guy was any more than I did. I stood up taller to show my authority.
"Who are you?" I demanded.
"Are you Allen's daughter?" The man asked ignoring my question. I hesitated before nodding. He stepped closer making me tense.
"You're trespassing on our territory," I growled. The man looked taken aback a little but held his ground.
"I'm well aware, princess. I came here to speak with Allen." He hissed through a grimace. I cringed at his demeaning nickname and tone. I opened my mouth to reply but Max stepped forward.
"Anything you have to tell Allen can be given to Aylin to pass on. You shouldn't be this far into our territory." He said sternly.
"I thought River Pack doesn't want anything to do with alliances. They have no business having a meeting with us." I explained. I was confused why they suddenly were interested in our affairs. No Alpha from River ever met with any other Alphas from the other packs especially not my father.
"I was sent here by my Alpha to give yours a message." He said. I took a step closer. Something wasn't right about him. His scent was River Pack but it was mixed with the scent of blood.
"Turn around," I commanded. He paused for a second. He winced as he turned until his back faced us. I stifled a gasp as Max grabbed my hand. His back had 8 streaks down his back that were red glittering streams of blood. My other hand shot to my mouth. Who would do this??
"Who did this to you!?" I exclaimed. He turned around slowly facing us again. He sucked in air through his teeth in pain. The council of elders doesn't interfere with the Alpha's treatment of their pack unless it reveals us to humans or breaks some law that would be complicated to cover up. But this was something I was pretty sure the council could control. This was downright abuse.
"I don't know how well you have it here, princess, but it's different where I'm from." He looked like he was gonna pass out. "My Alpha is merciless. But that makes him strong." He spoke so sincerely that I knew he actually believed that. I shuddered.
"No, that makes him an idiot who abuses his wolves who are his only protection." Max pointed out. I nodded. A low growl rose from the man.
"What's your name?" I asked him to change the subject.
"Landon." He breathed. I looked at him quizzically now. He had short black hair. He had to be around twenty years old. Other than the long marks down his back he looked taken after. He was just skinnier than any of the wolves in our pack.
"Aylin, step back!" I was yanked out of the way by Max as my father and four other wolves burst into the road. My father's wolf was a scary sight to see. His dark blackish-brown fur hid no muscle and his wolf in general was incredibly large. I looked around. We were in the middle of a street in town.
"We need to get somewhere hidden!" I screamed at him. My father whipped his head around looking at me down his muzzle his icy blue gaze sent shivers down my spine. He nodded an agreement and the other four wolves who were Julie, Jeremy, Daniel, and Cole, who had been on the patrol, started to box in Landon as my father lead them into the woods that lined the road. I looked at the houses making sure they were still dark and no human had seen the giant wolves in the middle of the road.
"Landon needs help." I breathed getting back into the SUV not bothering to get buckled.
"Help? Are you nuts? He's dangerous." Max growled turning the car around toward home. I rubbed my arms which had acquired a chill.
"Any wolf whose Alpha does that to them would want to escape." I reasoned. Max shook his head.
"Or any Alpha who does that to a wolf thinks the wolf deserved it." I couldn't disagree with him.
We pulled into the drive and I jumped out of the car. I shifted without a second thought and sniffed for my father. They would bring him to the southern edge of our territory by the border with River Pack and interrogate him. I had to get there fast.
"Aylin, wait!" Max yelled shifting himself. He came up next to me. His dark brown wolf was big too but not as big as my father's. I felt protected next to him. I looked into his eyes pleadingly. He didn't agree with me but he kind of had no choice to. I felt a shiver at the memory of Landon's back. I would never do that to my pack. Max nodded giving in.
"Come on," I commanded sprinting towards the edge of the border. Max followed close behind before pulling in the lead. I followed him till we heard the voice of my father.
"-he has no right telling me what to do." My father growled. Landon had shifted to his wolf now cowering in submission to my father. His wolf was an ashy black like his hair. I tried not to look at his back which was matted with fur and blood.
"He says to call off the alliance or he will start a war," Landon whined. I whipped my head to my father who didn't acknowledge my arrival. I felt Max tense next to me. Julie snarled while Cole stepped in front of her.
"How can he start a war when he harms his own?" My father growled. Landon pawed at the ground.
"He only did this to me because I refused to leave my territory to tell you. Leaving our territory meant death by any other pack. I believed you would kill me. I refused him so he punished me." Landon explained his tail slinking further between his legs. My father isn't that cruel but Landon didn't seem so sure.
"How pathetic." My father snarled. "Why does my daughter's marriage alliance with Red Pine concern Henry." My eyes widened in surprise. River Pack didn't want me to get married to Noah? Of course, they didn't. If we were to unite as packs we would be an unstoppable force against the other two packs. This might be my way out of the marriage though.
"The council approved the decision. Henry just doesn't want us to be more powerful than his pack, right?" I asked Landon. Landon looked at me now nodding.
"We already are stronger than his pack." My father growled. Landon sank to the ground even lower.
"No, your daughter is half right. It doesn't matter if you are already more powerful as a pack to Henry. He's concerned about you becoming more powerful but more importantly, he's concerned about your bloodline." Landon spoke slowly and quietly but I could feel the wave of confusion pass from all of us at the mention of bloodlines. "Henry knows your daughter's mother was a human." Landon flicked his gaze to me. I froze my veins morphing to ice. What?
"Allen, should we chase him off," Julie growled. I barely heard my father's response I was still lost in thought at the mention of bloodlines.
"No." My father replied. I turned to him my whole body was numb.
"Tell me he's lying," I demanded glaring at my father's blank expression. I didn't need to hear his response though my mental gears were already turning.
Historically, werewolves have existed for centuries. When a wolf infected with the were-virus bit a human the human began a transformation into a limbo stage between human and wolf. It's very hard to control at first and if a human survives the transformation they will be able to learn to control the shift at will. Only during special lunar cycles does a shift become uncontrollable where a werewolf has no choice but to dwell as a wolf until the end of the cycle. That was an old fashion practice though. It was against the law set by the council to turn any more humans into wolves. My mother could shift though. I remember. Or did I? Did I see her shift or just imagine it?
I couldn't remember what my mother's wolf looked like no matter how hard I racked my brain for answers.
"Your daughters figured it out." Landon snickered. I jolted from within my trance. Max was looking at me with a concerned expression.
"It's true isn't it?" I growled. My father ignored me. I felt my anger pulsing under my fur. "She left because she was human." The world started spinning and a headache sprung to life. It wasn't till I felt the flank of someone bump mine that I realized I was sitting down staring at the ground.
"Are you okay?" Max's voice asked. I nodded slowly.
"Why would Henry be concerned with the bloodline?" I asked. I needed more information. Landon opened his mouth to reply when the sound of a twig snapping from behind him cut him off. My father and the other wolves began growling. I was now behind Max. I crouched down to look between his legs to see who had appeared in the clearing. A menacing white wolf appeared from behind Landon.
"Good evening, Allen. I see you've found my Omega." I looked at Landon again. That would explain his thinness but Omega?? If he was their Omega what did his Beta look like?
"I hope you've just come to retrieve him and not try to sway my decision on my personal affairs, Henry." My father snarled. I got up and pushed myself between Max and Jeremy. Henry was indeed old. I realized now his wolf used to be a dark gray but due to old age, his face and most of his body were now white.
"Ah, Aylin. I haven't seen you since you were only a pup." He looked at me now his gaze cold and calculating. I narrowed my eyes. He ignored me turning to my father.
"Take your Omega and go back to your territory." My father ordered his voice dripping with hatred. It was the first time he spoke since the Omega had told me more about myself in a mere two minutes than my father had my whole life.
"Did you hear what he had to say?" Henry asked glaring at Landon who was now on the ground with his tail tucked between his legs in submission.
"Yes, and I won't be further acknowledging it. The arrangement between Red Pine Pack and mine does not concern you." My father was snarling now his large canines bared and his hackles raised. I wanted to cower just looking at how much bigger he looked.
"It concerns me. Just wait till I bring up this issue to the council." Henry growled. He turned abruptly not wanting to continue the conversation. My father growled his hackles still raised. Henry gestured with a flick of his tail for Landon to follow him and disappeared into their territory.
"Julie, let the council know I must speak with them. I'm going to have to come clean about Cecelia's background." My father turned to Julie who nodded. "Max," my father addressed him. Max stood up taller.
"Sir?" He asked when my father stared at him puzzled for a moment.
"Keep an eye on Aylin for the next few weeks. I don't want her out of your sight." He ordered. Max nodded.