Harper woke up with a start. For some weeks, it was the first time she had a dream. Quite the contrary to the peaceful night she had in the house. She sleeps before midnight now. Thankfully as the months add up, Hector’s behavior has improved. He’s not much of a hassle now. He’s behaved and only seldom cries. She had many peaceful nights and hopeful mornings. However, this morning’s different. She woke up in sweats. She woke up with her forehead drenched in a pool of sweat. Her hair damp and her neck wet. The small v-area of her chest also has the same appearance. Harper was panting when she crawled to the window at the other side of her bed and pulled the curtain open. It was too sunny outside. By the looks of it, it could be almost 9 in the morning. The city life was in full blast, radios sounding from the neighborhood, sounds from the nearby highway disrupting those who are still asleep. As if on cue, a knock was on her door. She paced towards it and saw that it was Damon who
Damon and his two minions rode the bus and chose the seats at the rear. It was a long-cushioned seat, enough for the three of them to occupy. It also left them enough room for their bags. Each only brought one backpack with their clothing. None else. Their sanity, yes, if that counts. While the bus was traveling, the only thing Damon could think about was this Marion Grey. Harper was right, the name hasn’t surfaced in the wolf world before. The letter was the first evidence of its or his existence. Even in the history books, they were devoid of any proof about the mentioned pack. If they’re knew, that would be understandable… but with the scarcity of wolf lives now, does new packs still evolve? For years, Damon was sure they were the only existent packs. The black and the white wolves of Red Blood Pack. Or maybe they were hidden all these years. That could be a reason. For fear or prosecution by humans. Or for any other reasons Damon does not know. His two colleagues were not bot
“Thank you for believing in me… or for not believing that I am made in the same mold as my father. I only have a few who feels and believe the same. “The words left a bitter taste at Damon’s tongue. If he could only take it back, he would. But he already said it. Marion has already sensed his vulnerability.“Oh no. I despise people or wolves with mindset like that. we all have distinct molds. It’s not hereditary at all.” – Marion said and lighted a cigar. He offered one to Damon who politely shook his head to refuse. “I hope every wolf I meet is like you. Every wolf at home sees me now as the second Alpha Draco. Even… even my mate. She sees me as a dangerous weapon.”What’s with the Virgo air that makes Damon speak these things?Or was it because Marion’s presence is like a warm furnace that he finds it easy to be transparent around him?“That’s sad to hear. However, it isn’t too late. You can still change her mind. May I know the name of this lucky mate?”“She’s Harper… Harper Redm
After attesting his affirmation to the Virgo’s alpha’s proposal, one of Marion’s men procured a scroll and a inked feather for Damon to sign. Because their pack is secluded and kept away from the noise of the city, modernity has been limited. The use of the traditional scroll and inked feather were only a few examples of how the Virgo preserves and encourage tradition. To Damon, this is admirable. “You will never regret this, Damon. With our forces joined together, we can definitely defeat the Great Alpha. You can bring your friends and Harper here. I can guarantee no one outside the pack knows where this place is.” – Marion said matter-of-factlyDamon nodded, not having a doubt. This game of escaping and running has started to become exhausting to Damon and he knows Harper also feels the same. Especially that it’s not good for Hector. “I think there’s something you’re not aware about me and my pack.”Marion crossed his arms on his chest.“I have a son. His name’s Hector. Harper an
Day 1 of the initiation rites was a simple one. It didn’t impose any difficulty on Damon and his two companions. What happened was that during nighttime, everyone was called to the roundhouse. It was the first time the three of them has seen everyone gathered in one place at the same time. Damon has seen all wolves of the Virgo. He couldn’t help but notice that most of them were women and kids. There are only a few men. Perhaps it was because of that fact that Marion needs an alliance. To gather more men. Men fight. Men defend the pack. Seeing all the Virgo now, he gets the need for alliance. What happened to the men of the pack anyway? Has it always been like this?But his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a drum and a harp. Damon turned, it came from outside. By the sounds of that, the wolves stood up and hummed. The humming continued for a time none of the men knew. However, their curiosity was answered when above the humming, a parade of men entered the door. Damon
Damon didn’t see what has happened with Asher and Norton. Among the three of them, he was the Virgo’s main target. When one or two wolves attack the two white wolves, he was battling at least three at the same time. Which is justified. He was their leader, the Lycan king, somehow those two words still amounts to something, even when it’s no longer applicable.“Damon, look out!”Before Damon could look behind him, one Virgo men fell on his feet. The moment he looked around, Asher was behind him with a bloody bat, panting. His face was dripping with sweat… and blood. “Thank you, Asher.”“Don’t mention it.” – Asher responded and went to the other side of the battle grounds.Panting, Damon looked at Marion. The latter was only observing the fight with a poker face. No reaction at all. Is this how they welcome their guests? Is this how the Virgo accepts new recruits? If it is, he has no problem with it. It just worries him that this is too dangerous. Marion gave him a nod and then Damon
It was the hardest night for sleeping. Hardwood floor, bamboo-made beds and a single pillow. It was this moment that Asher realized their host wasn’t the friendliest. It’s like a formula for disaster. They were given beds, yes, but the beds aren’t as accommodating and comfortable. Asher’s also creaked each time he moved. That’s why he preferred to lay down a blanket on the floor and chose it to lay down. It was more comfortable than the bed, he thought. And then, he opened the window… even now, he was still thinking of his little sister Alora. It was brother love, he knew… thinking of her welfare and whether she was treated right by the Great Alpha. There were only a few stars on the sky tonight, making the surroundings gloomy and dark. It was eerie even, Asher wasn’t a great believer of the moon goddess but he doesn’t deny her existence as well. If they were right, then she may be lonely tonight. No stars to give illumination. However, Asher couldn’t help but think that this is l
Damon and the men took the whole day come morning for physical training. Whatever the night brings, they have to be physically prepared for it. Last night was a test, to start the initiation with a blast, as what Marion said during their breakfast. However, there’s no assurance that the second one would be better than the last.There’s no sure thing about being a neophyte. To a pack no one knows about. Until now. Marion let them use the Virgo’s training grounds, which is a plus. However, unlike in the white wolves’ camp, the Virgo only have limited weapons to train with. Most of them were made with wood and rusty metals. Being this far from the city, no wonder they have no suitable things for training. “Even their arrows are too old. Look at this. If you hit someone with this, it wouldn’t be the impact that would kill him, it would be the infection. Looks like they just washed this after using it. Guess on how many people this single arrow has killed?” – Ashed mentioned, waving the
“Alpha Draco requests your presence, sir.”The messenger talked in a slow fashion, careful that the Virgo Alpha would hear it properly. Marion just finished settling on an old room inside the common room. It looked like it belonged to a royal she-wolf, based on the expensive paintings on the wall and the hand-sewn dresses inside the closet. “Tell him I’ll be there shortly.”“He said it’s urgent, sir.”Marion nodded. There’s no excuses with the Great Alpha. Besides, he’s not in his territory. He’s at the Red Blood’s, the first time he got out of the roundhouse and housed in a different setting actually. The messenger left the door open. Marion put down the third pillow case he packed with him and followed the former to the main room of the common room. Inside, Alpha Draco was waiting. He’s sipping jasmine tea from a small teacup. A lady in waiting was at his side, holding the kettle by its handle. With a plain breakable plate placed under it.“You called for me, Great Alpha?”He lo
“I… I don’t understand. What do you mean, officer?”Harper was biting the edges of her nails in anxious anticipation. Surely, there’s nothing good that will come out from the end of this conversation. To mention the word “victim” mid-sentence doesn’t constitute good news. “You have no idea, do you?”Harper shook her head… then realized that the person she’s talking to is on the other end of the line. So, her nodding of head is not counted as a response.“I have no idea of what this is about. Please, just-“Harper couldn’t finish her sentence. She’s not even sure if she wants to. what has been unfolded before her eyes the entire day are facts - quickly given facts that either surprise her or catch her in the moment. And these facts aren’t even good news at all. “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t think you are clueless about what happened in this house. It’s all over the news this past week.”What is?, she thought. But then, it’s Mrs. Keevah’s house. There’s no one else in the house that cou
In front of them were the men, the woman and the little baby that they all hated: the ones they denominated as “rebels”. They were on the front of Marion and Alpha Draco.“We meet again…” – said Damon.Harper and the rest of the group stood behind their alpha. The men were carrying their own choice of weapons, their own poison against the enemy. They stood gleaming at the site of fresh dead bodies on the floor. Proudly. The look on Alpha Draco’s face says it all. He wanted the war to be over. He wanted the war to begin as soon as it can. Right in this moment. Right in this spot. “Finally… I’m tired of chasing after your tail, Damon. You and Brayden can come here and let’s finish this once and for all. I’m tired of chasing and of canceling this to another schedule.”Damon licked his chapped lips. He has the same ideas. He didn’t come here to visit his father. He didn’t come here for peace. None of them believes in peace anymore. “I cannot agree more. Later, then. Once and for all.
Just when the silence stretched between Harper and Brayden, Damon got up from his sleep and pulled Harper closer from the waist.Brayden’s eyes followed where Damon’s hands were and gulped. In a moment, he turned to the other side and tried to forget what he has seen. He managed to turn and keep his eyes and body that way.“You’re up early…” – muttered Damon with a raspy voice.“Yeah… my body clock’s messed up these days.” – replied HarperThat was a lie. Her body clock has nothing to do with it. It’s always her thoughts that keep on saying something to her. It feeds her negative ones instead of empowering her to think of solutions. And of course, the place and the ambience did help with the thoughts. It even made the way for it. It even made her feel worse.“Is that because of the war?”“No, something else.”Harper looked at the ring that’s still on her finger. If Anthony didn’t cause a distraction, would that scary man really cut off her finger? For the sake of proving a point?Are
“Elias! You wouldn’t believe it!”Elias was cleaning the Great Alpha’s office when one of the guards from the office went to approach him. The guard was panting, his sweat rolling down his temples down to his neck and chest area. These droplets of sweat blurs his vision as they get past his eyes. “Do you have some news?” – Elias already has some expectations in his head. Hopefully, this is going to be good news. And hopefully, this is about the Great Alpha too. “Yes. you should go outside to see what’s up.”Elias nodded and then he got up to check if there’s really someone inside waiting for him. As it turned out, there’s a small crowd gathered outside over something. The question is, what’s the cause? Who is there that everyone seemed to be alarmed?“Is that…”The rest of the sentence got drowned in the air. the guard who brought Elias the news did not even let him finish. Whether it was excitement or worry, none of them can tell. However, it’s clear from the circumstances that the
“…and here we are!”Everyone of them looked around, expecting a tavern or a cabin in the woods. None of those things were present. They were only surrounded by different trees and the dark moon above them. “Here?” – Anthony repeated, confused“Yes. Over there.”Brayden pointed on the cavern behind him. The boys walked closer to see what he’s pointing to. Then, Harper followed. She already knows what it is, she only got closer so the others won’t speculate. They cannot know she’s been here before. “This is where your safe place is?” – Asher asked with a huge question mark on his face.“Yes. This is what I meant by that.”They all didn’t look impressed. But then again, they’re hiding from Marion and their men. Anything safe that they can use will do. Just not to be caught. Anything. Just not that. They cannot be captured. Not this time. With Brayden leading them, they approached the mouth of the cave and got inside one by one. Among them, only Hector seemed to be enjoying the show.“H
“Goddamn it, you have a knife! I don’t care if you cut her finger!”Harper’s eyes widened when the huge man on her right got a knife from his back pockets. It’s a new one and surely sharpened just before they went to the roundhouse. The slight shin of the knife reflected the fear in her eyes. Damon’s hip still hurt with the hitting. He was held by four men, struggling as he throws all sort of cure words upon Marion.The man with the knife neared Harper and she stepped back, pulling the two men with her. They can’t be serious. They surely cannot just cut off her finger when Marion tells them to. Or she could be wrong. It’s also possible that these men are Marion’s puppets and would do anything he tells them to. No matter howbrutal or illogical that can be. “Damon, just go… “ – Harper’s vision blurred as the tears welled on the corner of her eyesDamon shook his head. No, he’s never going to leave her. Not this time. Not ever. The man pulled her hand as one man from the side brought
Damon kept on looking behind him. He hasn’t seen Harper yet, the entire time that they were inside. The last time he did was when they were sitting on the benches. Back when nothing seemed strange yet.Aside from that, he hasn’t seen her yet. The thickness of the crowd barred him from doing so. However, he’s sure she’s still inside. The slight gap on the door cannot hold a person going out yet. Whoever attempts may be squeezed. “Harper? Harper, where are you?!” – the question roared in the air. They were stuck in the main room with lots of the Virgo aiming at them. Not to mention that the great number of its members were clawing their throats to make their way out. Aside from that, there are two Virgo men who’s at his back as he shouted. They were trying to catch him and bind him with a thick rope. The rope was too thick and Damon noticed that if that will be used against him, he cannot break it with his fists. He cannot set himself free from those.“Harper!”And then, like a mira
Hearts flutter in a negative manner. This isn’t good. It couldn’t be good.Harper sensed Damon’s tenseness. She looked at his brother and it’s clear that he’s also in his fight-or-flight mode. Any minute now, something is about to happen. She’s positive about that.“I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling there’s something odd here, right?” – Asher voiced out and Damon shushed himAsher nodded slowly. He has confirmed his statement. “… and it is the duty of the alpha to put his pack’s safety first. Even at the middle of the war, the safety of the pack shall not be compromised nor put aside. The safety of the pack has to be the paramount consideration. It is because of that that any threat, no matter how small or insignificant, needs to be gotten rid of.”- Marion ended his speech with a dangerous stare at the Red Blood pack’s direction. “This is not good. Come on. We have to get going.”“What’s going on?” – Norton saidHarper and Damon looked at each other’s eyes. They already understo