Chapter Three

Diego's POV

I felt dejected after driving off and leaving Malia, it was as if I was leaving a part of me behind and it was no new feeling. I always felt that way each time we departed from each other and although the feeling wasn't new, the pain was always more fresh than the last.

I went to bed that night surrounded and engulfed in her sweet scent. Werewolves had always smelt filthy, more filthy than poop, but her case was different, she smelled of lilies and strawberries - the only wolf to smell as such to me, except for a little female werewolf whom I killed about fifteen years ago, together with her parents who still smelt like the other werewolves.

I woke up to the next morning to the sound of rustling noise in the kitchen; my father was back. I washed my face and went downstairs to find him making a bowl of cereal. It was normal cereal but the milk was fermented human blood mixed with honey, sugar and cream, giving it a sticky and milky appearance. It was produced at our pride's blood farm and was actually as sweet as pure human blood.

"Good morning", I greeted and he responded without looking up to me, still steering the cereal.

" You reek of poop, where were you last night?"

It occurred to me that I had not taken a shower, " I .........um.... I.....went to see a movie with Patricia, yes".

" And why do you reek of werewolf?" still steering the cereal.

" Well....I encountered a werewolf on my way back and....I fought it off".

He nodded with a blank expression, leaving me unsure if he actually believed the story or not. He pushed the bowl of cereal to me and got the cereal from the cupboard to make himself another bowl.

" And what about you? you left four days ago without a word and I couldn't even reach you via your phone " , I scooped a spoonful into my mouth, trying not to sound inquisitive.

" Maester called the elders of the pride for an urgent business. He wanted to attack the Westlake pack ".

" Why? why all of a sudden?".

" The last war of vampires and werewolves took his wife's life, and ever since then he has been waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back. He had instructed the monster makers to birth humans into vampires and with that large army of fresh, new and strong vampires ready to kill, he decided to attack; the best defense is a good offense like the saying goes ".

" But....... can't all these struggles end?".

" What struggle?" scooping a spoonful into his mouth.

" The power struggle between us and the werewolves, can't we just end it?".

" Oh son, you don't get to say that after killing hundreds of werewolves yourself ", I rolled my eyes and dropped my spoon, leaning on the kitchen counter. I knew he was right, I had indeed killed a lot.

" They are a threat to our very existence and no sane person leaves a ticking time bomb around them, that is why we have to fight ", taking another spoonful and pausing for about fifteen seconds.

" Although personally..", he continued " I do not totally agree with his strategy, but what other choice do we have? We just have to take the upper hand in the struggle and wiping out the Westlake pack was the perfect way to secure that upper hand ".

I was zoned out, dwelling in both guilt and empathy for the werewolves. I knew I wasn't always that soft hearted, but meeting Malia had left it's mark and character in me, making me someone I had never imagined I'll become, and I just wasn't ready to lose myself yet again, not to talk of loosing her.

" So what's the next plan? would you guys attack the Northcave pack?" I asked, picking up my spoon and spooking the cereal, as if it was the one who attacked the Westlake pack - I was just plainly irritated.

"p No we won't, although that is still up for debate, but it is likely that we will let them come to us and then we strike", I felt more irritated. He said strike, and striking them also meant striking Malia.

" You will have to join in the meeting tomorrow night, we need all hands on deck if we are to come out victorious".

" But father, I don't think I want to"

" Come on boy, you don't have much of a choice. You are a Chimera and certainly one of the best true born vampires we have, you're our strongest sword so get yourself ready to partake in the meeting with the elders tomorrow ", he dropped his empty cereal bowl into the sink and headed upstairs - end of discussion.

The council of the pride's elders sat around a long table with pairing chairs facing each other. Even though I was present with them there, I was practically in my own world where I thought about nothing else but Malia's safety.

" Trust me, the Northcave pack will not attack by the month's end. They will definitely call for backup and assistance from the East Hill pack or any other pack they can reach, and these packs are not even within the state ", Valkyrie said in his always ' I am very sure' demeanor, looking like Aro, the leader of the volturi in the Twilight series with his pale face, except that his hair wasn't grown out.

" So what are you insinuating?" Valeria asked in an intricately annoying manner. The two never ceased to make it too obvious that they were in a cat and dog relationship.

" I say we attack first, we should raid the Northcave pack and attack just like we did with the Westlake pack", an overpowering aura was building up in him.

" And have you forgotten that the Northcave pack sealed off their territory with ash-wood trees?" Valeria bantered back.

" well, how bad can the trees be to us?"

" Very dangerous. You are supposingly talking that way because you have not lost a child to that poisonous plant, but I bet that if you continue with your intellectual absurdity, you'll loose a child to it".

" Tread carefully there, you're not the only person who has lost a loved one in this fight".

" Watch your tongue and at least give us the benefit of grief".

" Enough!" the Maester commanded, his eyes turning red, subduing everyone in the room.

" I called this meeting to decide on our next line of action, not to throw words at one another ", he glared at Valkyrie and Valeria, and even i could feel the hotness of his glare from where I sat faraway from him, left alone those who sat close to him.

" So Donaerys, what do you suggest we do?" he asked my father.

He cleared his throat and began, " well, our best option is to keep our fingers crossed in hope that they will attack, we can't launch the attack or invade their territory otherwise it will be a suicide mission ".

" So you're saying we should rely on hope, and not to take action?" the Maester asked.

" The only direct action we can take will be detrimental to us, but on a second thought, we can always devise the means to lure them out of their territory".

The Maester thought for a while before he went on, " Okay, let us meet again next tomorrow to strategize how to lure them out. Donaerys, meet me in my chamber", he stood up and left, with my father following after him.

I stayed back for a while, saying hi to Patricia and Derek who were also invited to the council meeting like I was.

" Honestly, it was one thing to be invited to the meeting, but it was a slap to the face to have to sit there without saying or doing anything like a statue", Patricia complained, she was always the vibrant one, the attention seeker, the " you must notice me" type who would want to draw attention to herself anywhere she found herself.

" I had expected such to happen. They probably just invited us to cement the fact that we will be their successors in our mind, or rather to send us on errands", I couldn't agree more with Derek.

" Nevertheless, I look forward to the day I make history as the first woman to become part of the council of elders", she was indeed jolly.

" Dreams do come true, don't they?" I said to amuse her.

But all in all, I thought about Malia. My father and the Maester had gone to plot on how to lure out the werewolves and kill them and I won't just sit back and watch Malia killed. I was determined to save her even if it meant betraying the pride.

I patiently waited for our meeting day, and I didn't waste time in driving myself to our spot.