Two: Vampires and werewolves

Delia’s POV

The first thing I saw when my eyes opened was my mom’s worried face. I recalled what had happened immediately, fear catching at my throat until I realized I was no longer in the woods; I was back at home, tucked safely into my bedroom.

I didn’t understand how I had survived that, but I was grateful. Surprisingly, it didn’t at all hurt when I tried to sit up. I felt good as new, as if I had just woken up from a power nap and I smiled at my mother in relief to show her she didn’t need to worry anymore.

She didn’t smile back.

“Mom? It’s okay. I’m fine.” I said, looking over my unbroken skin and intact limbs in shock. Maybe it had been a bad dream? Because I remember a large wolf sinking its teeth into me, but here I was, arm as good as new.

My mother sighed, her soft brown eyes filling with sadness “No it’s not Delia. I’m so sorry. I did everything I could to keep you with us. Remember that okay?”

She said tearfully and I got a little confused. “What? I don’t understand.”

The words were barely out of my mouth when the door to my bedroom opened, a tall grim-faced man stalking in suddenly with my father hot on his heels.

“I swear to God, you’re not taking her!” Dad shouted, his voice shaking with anger. I had never seen my father so furious, nor my mother so sad. The fear I’d just let go of crept back, curling around my heart. “Mom, what’s going on? Who is he?” My eyes drifted to the stranger, my pulse quickening for reasons I didn’t care to explore just then. He was undeniably handsome—with dark brown hair smoothed back over his head and a jawline that looked cut from marble. His full lips were set in a hard line and I held back a shudder as those stormy, grey eyes trailed all over me. There was a cold authority in the way he carried himself, so calm and self assured, as if he commanded the very air around him.

“Mom?” I pressed, growing more anxious. My mother sighed again, her movements slow and heavy, as if speaking was a burden.

“This is Graeme Buchanan,” she said softly. “Alpha of the Rosewood Pack, King of the Wolf Alliance.”

The words didn’t make sense at first. “Werewolf?” I whispered, the pieces clicking into place. “Is that what attacked me?” My pulse raced as I tried to comprehend what she was saying. Mom shook her head, as if unable to bear confirming it out loud. The man— Graeme —stepped forward, his eyes locked on mine.

“Yes. You were attacked by a werewolf,” he said in a calm, almost detached tone. “Considering how quickly you’ve healed, it’s likely you’ve been infected.”

My jaw dropped. “W—What?” My voice trembled. This was insane.

“Don’t listen to him, sweetie,” Dad said, coming to my side, his hand protectively on my shoulder. “You weren’t hurt that bad. You’ve always been a fast healer, remember? Don’t let this... this lunatic fill your head with nonsense. I’ve called the police, and they’ll get him out of here soon.”

Graeme’s expression didn’t change. He stood there, calm and unbothered by Dad’s words.

“I understand your difficulty with the situation Mr. Mathers,” he said, his voice steady but urgent. “Your daughter was bitten by a werewolf and there’s a very real chance she’s been turned. Life as your happy family once knew it, is over and I’m the guy who broke that news to you. Believe me, you have my respects for protecting your family but—” He turned to me, a somber look on his face “we don’t have time to waste. There’s a full moon tonight, and if Delia shifts, she could hurt people. Just like the werewolf that did you.

“Shift?” The word felt foreign on my tongue, and panic bubbled in my chest. “You mean... I could become a werewolf?”

Graeme nodded, his eyes softening just a fraction. “Yes. And you need to be out of human territory before the moon rises. It’s for your safety—and for theirs.”

“I won’t let him take you, Delia,” Dad said, his voice firm. “No one is taking my daughter anywhere.”

“Eddie, please,” Mom sobbed, her voice breaking. “We don’t have a choice. The Mayor’s men—if we don’t let her go, they’ll...” She crumpled, unable to finish her sentence, and I rushed to her side, gathering her into my arms.

“They’ll what?” I asked, my voice tight with fear, directing my question to Graeme.

“They’ll kill you,” He said softly and I gasped.

“Kill me?” I mumbled, feeling faint “Why? I haven’t done anything wrong! I was attacked!” I insisted unable to believe any of this was real.

“I know, but the law is pretty clear about the need for werewolves to stay away from humans. So we can avoid accidents like the one that hurt you. The first shift is usually the most traumatic of them all. They can’t risk you turning here Delia. It’s too dangerous for others and for yourself.” Perhaps it was just my imagination, but his voice had gentled considerably since he started speaking and I found myself craving more of the comfort.

“I’m sorry about this incident, I will do my very best to get to the bottom of it. If you don’t shift tonight, we’ll keep you for a full month and then if everything is fine, we’ll bring you right back to your parents. But until then… we have to go.”

A lump formed in my throat. My world was crumbling around me. Kacey’s face flashed in my mind, and I remembered that she’d been with me—had she survived?

“Mom... Kacey...?” I asked, my voice cracking. Mom’s eyes filled with fresh tears as she shook her head. “She... didn’t make it, honey.”

My chest tightened, grief crashing over me like a tidal wave. Kacey was gone. My best friend—dead. Everything was unraveling, and I was powerless to stop it. My breath came in short gasps as the numbness set in. No one said anything else for a long time while I sat there and wept silently.

“Delia.” Graeme called softly and I knew what he meant. Was I really going to do it? Just get up and leave my parents and my town. And Zack? Oh my god, what would he think coming back here and not seeing me? Would they let us be together if I turned out to be a werewolf after all? Would he still want to be with me?

An image of Kacey flashed in my mind’s eye and my chest constricted tightly. I couldn’t believe she was gone. Killed by that… thing. And if what this Graeme man was saying was true, I could very much be the next thing that killed an innocent girl like Kacey. Maybe in my case, I’d hurt my parents or even Zack.

Knowing what I had to do, I straightened my spine and looked over at him, wiping my eyes clean. “I’ll go.”

I said with as much calmness as I could muster. Both my parents gasped. “Honey you don’t need to—”

“It’s for the best dad. I can’t risk becoming that thing and hurting you like it hurt Kacey!” I argued tearfully “Please don’t make this harder for me than it is.”

My father’s eyes watered, his mouth trembling, and then he shut his eyes defeated, his acceptance all over his face.

I hugged my parents goodbye and packed a few things inside a duffle. My phone had been lost in the woods so there was no reaching Zack, so I wrote a quick note of how I loved him and made my mom promise she would give him.

Trying to not cry, I followed Graeme and his dangerous-looking men into their jeep and we pulled out of my parent’s driveway. I sat at the back with Graeme my mind numb with grief. Staring unseeingly out the window, I did my best to hold myself together as I watched my house disappear for what felt like the last time.

Barely five minutes latter, the driver slammed the brakes abruptly, making the car and everyone in it lurch violently forward.

“What the fuck?” He exclaimed and I raised up my head, heart beating wildly at the thought that the beast had returned to finish the job. Someone had appeared quite suddenly in front of us, his face obscured by the car's headlight. I gasped when I recognized the features; it was Zack and I had never seen him so furious.

“Wait!” I cried as Graeme climbed purposefully out of the car, murder in his eyes and I hurried after him.

I started to run past him but a hand grabbed me from behind, yanking me back in place and I struggled against it, eyes completely on Zack.

Zack wasn’t looking at me though. He had a death stare trained on Graeme and Graeme held it fearlessly. For a moment, the both of them simply stared at each other, tension rising rapidly between them.

“Give her to me.” Zack ordered in a voice I didn’t quite recognize. Graeme didn’t flinch. “Get out of our way before I make you.” He said, equally demanding, neither giving room for the other.

“Wait! Graeme, please don’t hurt him! He’s my boyfriend!” I said, desperate to undo whatever tension was building here. I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with Zack, talking to an adult like that, much less one that was a wolf king. I hoped his attitude wouldn’t cost him his life.

Graeme paused an half turned to glance at me out the corner of his eyes, still careful to face Zack. “Delia, did you know this boyfriend of yours is a Vampire?”