15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Aidan
A melia stood frozen, pale with shock, staring at the portrait as if it might come to life. Finn held her close, tense and protective. My pulse quickened as realization struck me like a hammer.
"Finn, this man... your father... his name was Lancelot Solan," I took a step closer, my voice coming out lower than I intended.
Finn’s body went rigid, his jaw tightening. His fingers curled against Amelia’s arm, as if grounding himself.
"Yes," he admitted, his voice clipped. "That was his name."
I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. The weight of the past crashed into me like a tidal wave, memories of old partnerships and bitter betrayals clawing their way to the surface.
"Lancelot was my business associate. Years ago. But we had a falling out. A nasty one. We never spoke again."
"You knew his father?" Amelia’s grip on Finn tightened, her eyes darting between the two of us, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded slowly, my thoughts spinning, trying to piece together the impossible puzzle before me. "I did. But what I don’t understand is why you have the last name Harper instead of Solan."
Finn’s expression darkened for a moment before he finally answered.
"I took my grandfather’s name. Harper Solan. It felt more fitting."
I studied him, searching for any sign of deception. His voice was steady, his eyes unwavering, but something about this revelation gnawed at me. My mind raced.
If Lancelot is appearing in Amelia’s dreams, trying to strangle her, there has to be a connection. Could it be connected to Alma, but what does Lancelot have to do with Alma? I thought.
Amelia clung to Finn, and jealousy flared, but I buried it and steadied my voice.
"There was a time when Alma told me she didn’t like Lancelot being around her. She said he made her uncomfortable…the way he looked at her, the way he acted. She never trusted him."
"I feel like there were things that happened in the past, things that only Alma would have the answers to. But she’s gone." Finn’s face darkened.
A heavy silence settled over us. Amelia was still trembling, her brows furrowed in thought. Then she lifted her gaze to me, her eyes burning with determination.
"What if… what if we could summon her?"
"Summon her?" My entire body stiffened.
"Yes," Amelia said, nodding earnestly. "What if there was a way for me to communicate with her? Maybe through a dream, or something… spiritual?"
The thought sent a chill down my spine.
"That might be risky," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "Although… I do know of someone. A powerful seer. But I haven’t heard from her in years. I don’t even know if she’s still alive."
"Who is she?" Finn asked, his voice carrying a note of skepticism.
I pulled out my phone and turned away slightly, dialing Fergus’s number, the line rang twice before he answered.
"Aidan? What’s up?"
"Fergus, I need your help."
"Is it finally time to kill Orson?"
"The time for that will come. I need to find the seer," I said, lowering my voice. "The one we used to visit. Do you know if she’s still alive?"
Fergus let out a low whistle.
"Damn, Aidan. That’s not an easy ask. She disappeared off the grid years ago. But I’ll see what I can do."
"Do it fast," I urged. "It’s important."
"Understood," he said before hanging up.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and turned back to Finn and Amelia.
"Fergus will try to locate her."
"And if he doesn’t?" Finn crossed his arms.
I hesitated, my gaze flickering to Amelia, who still looked shaken.
"We’ll find another way."
Finn’s lips pressed into a thin line before he nodded.
Then, after a brief silence, he asked, "Why did you come here, Aidan?"
I met his gaze evenly.
"I wanted to make sure Amelia was okay."
"You didn’t need to. “I’m here," Finn tensed, his shoulders squaring.
“And who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” I snarled.
“This isn’t the time for this the both of you!” Amelia snapped.
Amelia’s sharp tone sliced through the tension, her voice firm despite the fear in her eyes. Finn and I froze, our heated glares breaking as we stepped back.
“This isn’t the time for this!” she repeated, her voice trembling but firm. “We have bigger problems to deal with than whatever… whatever this is between you two!”
I clenched my fists, but Finn stepped closer, eyes burning with defiance.
“You don’t get to waltz in here and act like you’re the only one who cares about her,” he growled. “I’ve been here. I’ve been protecting her.”
My jaw tightened, and I took a step closer to him, my voice equally sharp.
“Don’t push it, Finn!”
Amelia stepped between us; her hands raised as if to physically separate us. Her face was pale, but her eyes burned with determination.
“Stop it!” she snapped, her voice cutting through the room like a whip. “Both of you! This isn’t helping. If we’re going to figure this out, we need to work together. Not tear each other apart!”
I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to take a step back. Finn did the same, though his jaw remained clenched, his fists were still tight at his sides.
“You’re right,” I said finally, my voice tight but controlled. “We need to focus on what’s happening. But Finn—” I turned to him, my eyes narrowing. “You need to understand something. Amelia isn’t just yours to protect. She’s important to me too.”
Finn’s expression darkened, but before he could respond, Amelia stepped in again, her voice calm but insistent.
“Aidan’s right,” she said, looking at Finn.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, glancing at the screen. It was Fergus.
“Fergus,” I answered, my voice sharp. “What do you have?”
“I’ve got a lead,” he said, his tone serious. “The seer. She’s alive. But she’s not easy to reach. It’s going to take some time.”
“How much time?” I asked, my grip tightening on the phone.
“A day, maybe two,” Fergus said. “But I’ll keep you updated.”
“Do that,” I said before ending the call.
I turned back to Finn and Amelia, who were watching me intently.
“Fergus has a lead on the seer,” I said. “But it’s going to take time. In the meantime, we need to stay alert. Julian is yet to find Orson’s location.”
“Agreed,” Finn nodded, his expression grim.
“What do we do now?” Amelia’s voice was soft but steady.
I met her gaze, my chest tightening at the fear and determination in her eyes.
“Now,” I said, “we wait. And we prepare.”
“That reminds me, what kind of business did you have with my father? He was a werewolf, and you are vampire. Our creatures don’t see eye to eye…” Finn asked his eyes narrowing.
“While your father was the Alpha, werewolves were becoming rebellious and unnecessarily attacked vampires because they could pick our scent easily. Knowing how greedy your father was, I decided to make him an offer which was to give him one of my seaports in exchange for his cooperation in taming the rebellious werewolves. He accepted the offer.”
“Why make him an offer if you could just kill the werewolves?” Finn interrupted.
“I didn’t want the bloodshed, and I had a dream of all the creatures living together in harmony, the vampires, werewolves, witches and of course humans.”
“You made mention of you guys falling out, what happened?” Amelia asked.
“Lancelot wanted more, and I couldn’t give him that. Like I said Finn’s father was very greedy.”
“Did you have anything to do with the death of my father?” Finn asked.
“No, I didn’t.”
“How did your father die?” Amelia asked as she turned to Finn.
Finn’s jaw tightened, his eyes dark with grief and buried anger.
“He was murdered,” Finn said finally, his voice rough. “Torn apart in his own home. The pack found his body at dawn, his throat ripped out. There was no sign of a struggle, no scent to track.”
“Who did it?” I asked, my voice even.
Finn exhaled sharply, shaking his head.
“We never found out. Some suspected rogue vampires, but there was never any proof.”
“How old were you when your father died?” I asked.
“I was eleven years and uh… I was sent to Australia to stay with my aunt.”
“Wait a minute… If Alma died over a century ago, how come your dad knows her? I thought werewolves age like humans?” Amelia asked.
“Uhm … we don’t actually, I stopped aging when I turned twenty-seven and I have been on earth for over a century.”
“Oh my God… and you Aidan how long have you been on earth?”
“For over four centuries” I replied.
“What did I get myself into? I can’t believe this…” Amelia said as she paced around.
“I know this is a lot to take in …so you can ask whatever you want to ask,” Finn said.
“What makes you different from a vampire… I mean in terms of aging.”
“Vampires can live longer than werewolves. So, werewolves stop aging, but we don’t stop phasing. And once we stop phasing, we start aging like humans.”
“Phasing? What do you mean?”
“Like when I transform into my werewolf form. Once I am unable to transform into my Alpha, it simply means that I have stopped phasing and slowly becoming mortal and then I will start aging.”
“Wow!”
Amelia stopped pacing and turned to me; her brows furrowed in thought.
"So, if werewolves eventually start aging like humans once they stop phasing, what about vampires? Do you ever age?"
I shook my head.
"No. Vampires don’t age. Once we’re turned, we remain frozen in time, physically unchanged from that moment onward. That’s one of the reasons we are feared and envied. While humans and even werewolves experience time, we are eternal. But eternity comes with its own burdens."
Amelia studied me for a moment.
"What do you mean by burdens?"
I exhaled, my mind flickering back to centuries of existence, of watching civilizations rise and fall, of losing people I cared about.
"Living forever means watching everything and everyone around you change while you remain the same. Humans you once knew grow old and die. Even some supernatural creatures fade away. The weight of memories becomes unbearable after a while. Many vampires lose themselves to the passage of time, becoming more like shadows of who they once were. That’s why some choose to go into eternal slumber."
"That’s… terrifying," she shuddered.
"Terrifying? Try being hunted for centuries by creatures that see you as nothing more than prey," Finn scoffed, crossing his arms.
"That’s something I don’t get. Why exactly do werewolves and vampires hate each other so much?" Amelia frowned.
I glanced at Finn, and he gave a reluctant nod, allowing me to answer.
"It’s an ancient war," I said. "The origins are unclear, but some say it started when the first vampire was created. Werewolves were the natural protectors of the world, guarding against dark creatures. When vampires emerged, they were seen as an unnatural threat…immortal beings who fed on the life force of others. Werewolves saw it as their duty to wipe them out. But vampires, being stronger and more cunning, fought back. Blood was spilled, and over time, hatred was passed down through generations."
Amelia’s lips parted slightly, as if piecing something together.
"So… it’s more about instinct than actual logic? A cycle of hatred?"
"It’s more than instinct. Vampires used to see us as little more than animals. They hunted us, enslaved us…" Finn snorted.
I held up a hand.
"And werewolves slaughtered entire covens, burned our homes, and ripped us apart without mercy. The hatred goes both ways, Finn."
Finn clenched his jaw but said nothing.
"But things are different now, right? I mean, you two are standing in the same room without killing each other," Amelia looked between us.
I chuckled dryly.
"That’s because we have a common goal. But don’t mistake this truce for peace. The war still rages in the shadows. There are still werewolves who believe in wiping out all vampires, and there are still vampires who see werewolves as lesser creatures."
Amelia sighed, rubbing her temples.
"This is insane. So, tell me, what’s the difference between werewolf and vampire abilities? Who’s stronger?"
"Werewolves, obviously," Finn smirked.
"You wish," I scoffed.
"I’ll take that as a ‘both of you think you’re stronger.’ But seriously, what’s the real difference?" Amelia raised a brow.
I leaned against the wall, folding my arms.
"Vampires are stronger in terms of raw power and speed. We can move faster than the eye can see, have enhanced senses, and can regenerate almost instantly. We’re also more resistant to damage. A vampire can take multiple bullets and keep going like nothing happened. And we don’t need to breathe, which means drowning, suffocation, or poison won’t kill us."
"That’s cute. But werewolves have their own strengths. We heal faster than humans, and under the full moon, our strength increases exponentially. An Alpha werewolf like me, is almost unstoppable in wolf form. Our bites are also one of the few things that can kill a vampire permanently," Finn smirked.
"Wait… a werewolf bite can kill a vampire?" Amelia’s eyes widened.
I nodded.
"Yes. Our bodies reject werewolf venom like a deadly poison. A single bite can paralyze a vampire, and if not treated in time, it’s fatal. That’s why vampires avoid fighting werewolves directly. It’s too risky."
"And that’s why vampires rely on deception. You prefer mind games and manipulation over direct combat," Finn grinned.
"We prefer strategy, Finn. There’s a difference," I smirked.
"Alright, alright, I get it. Both of you think your kind is superior. But it sounds to me like werewolves and vampires balance each other out. One isn’t necessarily better than the other…it just depends on the situation."
Finn and I exchanged a look before I nodded.
"You’re not wrong. That’s why neither side has been able to fully eliminate the other. We’re two opposing forces that keep each other in check."
Amelia exhaled slowly, absorbing everything.
"This is a lot to process… but one more thing. If vampires and werewolves have been enemies for centuries, how do mixed bloodlines work? Have there ever been werewolf-vampire hybrids?"
Finn and I stiffened.
"It’s rare," I admitted. "Extremely rare. The blood of both species is… incompatible. In most cases, the offspring doesn’t survive. But the few that do… they’re dangerous. Unpredictable. The combination of vampire immortality and werewolf strength creates something that even our kind fears," I answered.
Finn’s expression darkened.
"Hybrids are abominations. No pack would ever accept one."
"That’s harsh. If hybrids exist, don’t they deserve a chance?" Amelia frowned.
Finn’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t respond.
"It’s complicated, Amelia. Our world isn’t as simple as good and evil. There are centuries of blood, betrayal, and power struggles woven into it," I sighed.
She nodded slowly; her gaze thoughtful.
"Then maybe… it’s time for things to change. Maybe this war doesn’t have to last forever."
"That’s wishful thinking," Finn scoffed.
I studied Amelia for a long moment.
"Maybe. But sometimes, wishful thinking is what changes the world," she said.
While we were still talking, Amelia got a call and then she answered her face turned pale….
“What!” she screamed as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Amelia… what’s wrong?” I rushed to her.