MARK
I cut through the werewolves I came across like a hot knife through butter. I encountered opposition from the minute I walked through the gates. Gates I walked in and out of for decades while I lived here. I grew up here, we both did, Vincent and I. Neither of us are the same people we used to be in those simpler days. My brother and I were at each other’s throats, the one constant that haunted my father. He always hoped that someday we would stand together, me and Vincent, shoulder to shoulder as one against the storms of life. But that time never came in his lifetime. And now he has no reason to think it would come to pass in his death. I should know. After all, I had died already,Once.My mind traveled of its own accord to the time I lay on the floor in my father’s office, mortally wounded and left for dead by my brother. I wouldn’t be here if Jeff Pope hadn’t saved me. He came and took me away as Vincent’s wolves cleaned up the building after my last confrontation wCHLOEI stirred awake and heard what I could only describe as death throes and hard falls of bodies on the even harder ground. No sooner did they fall than a strong force tried to break down the iron door. At the second blast, the door visibly contorted in an irregular shape. Fear coursed through my very veins at this new force. Could Vincent have decided it was time for him to take my powers and was done waiting for whatever he was waiting for? In a moment the door was blown almost completely off its hinges and I saw the ‘strong force’. “Chloe, I’m here now. I’m here my Love.” Mark said he picked me up and held me close in his arms. I cried and felt him to see if he was real. He was. “Mark, are you here?” I questioned him with sobs of relief.“I’m here Chloe. I’m here. It’s alright now. Everything is going to be alright my love.” Mark comforted me the way only he could. By being there for me. “I’m sorry, Mark. I’m so sorry. You warned me not to and I didn’t l
ANDER’s MOONVINCENTI attacked my brother ferociously with all the strength I could muster, which was a fair lot. I was not prepared for Mark to match my speed and strength, we traded blows for blows and I could hear Mark tell Chloe to get out of there and go find Mackenzie. Little did they know…Mark swept a fast claw in an uppercut motion and as I leaned back to avoid the slash he made to speedily sweep my feet from under me. I jumped and landed a hard kick on his face that got deflected by his ever-ready hands. He took a step back from me and I saw him truly for the first time. It would seem I wasn’t the only one who had an upgrade in powers and looks. “You performed the bonding ritual, brother?” I asked him. He thought he could take my place, my birthright.“I started it too. And just like you, if I don’t finish the ritual tonight. I die.” Mark said without the least bit of fear in his eyes.“Ritual or not, brother. You die tonight.” I said as I lunged
ANDER’S MOONCHLOEMark had urged me to leave the courtyard where he did battle with his brother. I was rooted to the spot for a moment as I observed the deadly battle as they visibly danced to bloodthirsty tunes only they could hear. I left the courtyard and made my way outside to find sheer chaos about me. Werewolves fought and maimed each other everywhere around me but no signs of my daughter in the ensuing violent mess of things. I looked for her with all I had. The more time went by, the more I started to doubt whether I’d see her, but the more frantic I searched too. The pain of losing Mackenzie yet again was physical at this point. I settled on the ground with my right hand pounding my aching chest. My heart hurt and as I sat there in all the helplessness, I heard all the werewolves outside howl loudly at the moon. Their collective howling made me look. Only then did I observe the moon for the first time? Ander’s moon lurked in the night sky. Like a regular full moon but it had
MARKI drove home to the recently renovated Pope mansion as thoughts of the recent past rumbled in my mind. I buried my brother side by side with his mother. Members of the Pack not seen in Drewsy for decades returned to Drewsy after the funeral, they stayed away from the Dennison family because of Jacinta and Pascal’s purge. Many of them knew my parents and we’re quite sorry to hear that Jane passed. She had lived with some of them while she was on the run and she had grown up with some of them. News had reached them that Jane Vandersen was alive after she made her appearance at Grown Man’s Valley. It was a new age for the Pack and peace reigned for the first time in a long time, for the bonding ritual was finally completed with me as Pack alpha from the Pope family. My family would rule for the next 150 years and hand over Pack leadership to the Porters. For they were next in line for the Drewsy Pack leadership. Upon my ascension as alpha, I made the Ascension public knowledge, now
MARKLife was different and a lot better with my brother gone. In the very least having no one wanting to kill you at any given time was a relief.But then I had more; A family.All my life I had never really had that. Growing up with the Dennisons was not very heartwarming. I was an outcast, Jacinta hated me and Vincent only ever saw me as competition. But now I had a real family, that I’d love and would love me back.These thoughts washed through my mind as I watched Chloe sleep. It was barely day, with the sun peeping out the horizon to the sound of the early bird.I got out of bed soon though to prepare for work. After Vincent’s and Jacinta’s death, I was in charge of the Dennison family company as well as being pack Alpha. I had not wanted any of the positions but it was vacant and it was my duty both as Vincent’s brother and as my father’s son, a Pope, to step up.With the pack, it was easier. There was a hierarchy for dominance and most of the wer
MARK“The pack Elders have summoned you…to a congress of some sort.”I stared at Pascal with a bit of hesitation. For all my time as a Dennison, I’ve never heard the pack elders call Vincent to a meeting during his time as alpha. I couldn’t help but be skeptical about it.“…and you’re their errand boy, uncle?” “Oh, no …Heavens no.” He chuckled. “They’re not very fond of me. They are going to leave you a message pretty soon.”I thought that raised a couple of questions. “Firstly, How do you know this?” Pascal leaned back on the hood of my car before he answered. I moved closer to him, now more engaged than I had been.“I’m old, Mark, very old”, he started. “I can assure you that you don’t understand how much yet. Anyway, you don’t get to be this old without picking up a few things.” He finished, gesturing with both hands to himself in a rather gratuitous manner. I wasn’t satisfied with his reply, but I had something more important in mind
MARKThe Cleveland estate was huge. Even though it looked like it had been standing for a thousand years, it still managed to look regal.Pascal trailed behind me as we climbed up the stairs to the main entrance to the courtyard. He seemed a little hesitant about being here. Still, he remained mostly expressionless as he always was.He probably was not on good terms with most of the pack elders due to his former involvement with Jacinta. The only reason why I think he wasn’t being hunted down was due to how powerful he was. Any werewolf in their right mind wouldn’t want to go against Pascal Dennison. That fact still did not keep his emotions in check all the time. He still seemed wary. I could see why he stayed away from pack activities All this time.In the Courtyard was a large round Marble table with twelve intricately carved chairs around it. In it sat the nine elders, heads of their respective families. The empty seats probably belonged to Chloe’s family. I wond
CHLOE“Wolves are social creatures, they move in families called Packs. And when the moon is full, they howl at the moon.”I could hear Mackenzie’s voice over the sound of the radio as she told her little brother stories about animals. She seemed to have a new obsession with wolves, I’d like to think that was a coincidence. The Drewsy Pack usually kept all information about their true nature from their children till the children turned 10 years of age. The change could be too much for the young wolf to bear. It usually ended up in a catastrophe, traumatizing the child and even causing self-alienation from the Pack.“Mummy, can we please get some Ice cream, please? You promised.”I'd been waiting for her to say that Mackenzie could forget her backpack in the house and settle into the car all ready for school, but she never forgot an ice cream promise.“Of course, baby girl.”I said with laughter in my voice at the pleading look on Mackenzie’s face. She started