Chapter 3- Ari

Zane whispers words in a language I don’t understand. Suddenly, black smoke with a life of its own wraps around us. Chills run up and down my spine as goosebumps show on my arms. It’s cold, and I realize it’s not smoke. It’s a fucking shadow with glowing amber eyes. What the fuck kind of warlock is Zane? The one thing I didn’t ask him was what his coven practiced. 

The shadows envelop us, and the cold is now accompanied by an extreme suction feeling as if I’m surrounded by tons of industrial fans. It’s intense, and I find nausea creeping up my throat. One minute we are in the cell; the next, we are standing on the grounds of a vast dark gray and black manor. The manor is unusual. It almost seems never-ending. I look to the overcast sky that almost appears to have an oily sheen. The stone pathways are lined with statues of black crows. The crow's eyes glow much like the shadow's eyes did. The grass is dark green, like the darkest green grass I've ever seen. We aren’t in Kansas anymore, I jokingly think to myself. 

“Where are we, Zane?” I ask as a thick mist coats the land. Even the woods around us look strange and dark. 

“We are at my coven. Welcome to the Coven of the Crow and Shadows. This is my home and your home now as well. You are safe here.” 

“I gathered we are at your coven, but this isn’t the human realm.” 

Zane chuckles. “We are indeed in another realm. My coven practices dark and black magic. It’s safer for us to be in another realm. I’ll give you a tour, explain my coven to you, give you the rules, and then I have someone I need you to meet with before we do the binding ceremony.” 

“Okay, but I have some questions.” 

“We will get to them. Come on, let's walk the grounds. We have training grounds outside with obstacle courses, a track, and other things to help us train. You and I will be training together. As my familiar, I will require your assistance in battle.” Zane informs me. Well, this just keeps getting better, I think sarcastically to myself. 

“Planning on going to war?” I ask as we start heading down the stone stairs that level out to an extensive training field. It’s the size of a football field. Holy shit. There’s a track in the middle: various obstacle courses and some things I don’t recognize. 

“No, but my coven's job is dangerous. Most covens have a job for society. My coven serves one of the Five as we are descendants of Death. Most of our magic and power lies in necromancy and shadow magic. We are tasked with gathering souls for Death. We guide souls to the underworld and drop them off with the fairy man who takes them to Death. He decides what happens to their souls. I also help train some of the newer members.” Zane tells me like all of this is entirely normal. Maybe it’s normal to him, but I really should have asked more questions before I decided to come with Zane. Decedents of Death and what they practiced were crucial things I would have liked to have known before I agreed.  

“So why do you need a werewolf as a familiar? I know some like the powers that shifters offer. What’s your reason?” I inquire. I have to know what I’m getting myself into. 

“Not all members of my coven have familiars. Only the powerful and high-ranking members are allowed familiars. I’ve reached the point where I’ve been granted the privilege. I wanted a werewolf because they have abilities that come in handy when haunting souls. Their heightened senses alone are worth it. Not to mention the ability to self-heal while on the job is helpful. However, I wanted a werewolf from a special bloodline. Do you know why your parents betrayed the pack because I do?” 

“Then tell me why did they do it?” I am curious, and if he has answers, I want them. Strangely, I trust that he’s telling me the truth. 

“They did it because they know they come from a powerful bloodline, more powerful than an alpha bloodline. You come from the dire wolf bloodline or what it’s better known as the original Lycan bloodline. Lycans have dire wolves. Dire wolves were cursed to be the wolf counterpart of the original lycans. You’re not a werewolf, Ari. You are a Lycan. Lycans eventually realized they could have children with humans, which created the werewolf bloodline. Most lycans died out. Dire wolves became a myth. Decades ago, it was discovered that some lycans are still around and live secretly among packs,” He pauses as if he isn’t sure he should keep going. “Your wolf is different from most, isn’t she?” 

“Yes, she is. I always hide when I transformed so no one would see me.” My wolf’s fur is a dark steely gray. It’s a unique color that no one has. Gray wolves are never this dark. Being a lycan and having a dire wolf would explain my unique fur color, along with my parents and the others like us. 

“To fully answer your question. You’re a lycan; that’s why I wanted you. You are more powerful than you know. Only ancient shifters like lycans can handle being a familiar in my coven. Only they are strong enough. I tracked the lycan bloodline to Liam's pack. Fate was on my side as he tends to like me. When I arrived to ask him if I could take you from the pack your parents were attacking.” 

“How do you know I’m a lycan besides my weird wolf color?” That can’t be the only way he knew. I guess I’m curious if he did some voodoo or whatever it is he practices to find me. 

“My research said the surname of the lycan bloodline was Blackwell. When Sage stormed in asking why her best friend, Ari Blackwell, was arrested, I knew I had found you. Fate wanted you to be mine because your parents delivered you to me with a pretty bow. Here I'd thought I’d have to fight to get you to come with me, but instead, you had no choice, which made my job easier.” Zane confesses. I’m not sure whether I’m a fan or not that he’s being so honest and upfront with me. It should be a good sign, but Zane is a warlock. I don't trust him. 

“So glad my parents fuck up worked out for you,” I state sarcastically. 

At least someone benefits from this. Zane is right about one thing I wouldn’t have gone willingly with him. I would have told him to fuck off. I might be an omega, but I’m feisty. Well, I guess I’m not an omega after all. Thanks, mom and dad, for the heads up. There's nothing like finding out you’re unique from a man I’m about to give my soul to. It’s a little unnerving having to place so much faith in someone I know nothing about. 

“I’m sure their betrayal is hard to process.” It’s almost as if he pities me or is sympathetic to the pain I feel in my heart. 

“I was never really close with my parents. I spent most of my time at Sage's. I’d be more heartbroken if I lost her.” I state honestly. He’s being honest. It can't hurt to be honest back, right?

“Well, lucky that you haven’t. I promise you’ll get to see Sage and talk to her. We will do the bonding ceremony tonight.” He informs me as we head towards the oddball mansion. 

“Don’t want to risk me running away, huh?” I say as I nudged his arm. 

He chuckles. “Something like that. Come on; I want you to meet my brother, Cade, and his familiar, Blair.”