23. Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Three
Finn
" H ow is this possible?" Aidan asked, his voice quiet, filled with disbelief. "Vera…she’s a vampire. Vampires can’t reproduce." His gaze flicked to me, as though hoping I had the answer.
I shook my head, trying to process it all. I didn’t know. I had no answers. My father had kept so much hidden, and this was just the latest revelation.
“This birth certificate... it’s proof. “There was a child," I said as I showed them the documents.
Aidan looked at me, still trying to make sense of it all.
“But I’m still confused. How was Vera able to give birth in the first place? Did she do black magic?"
I rubbed my temples as the frustration mounted.
"I don’t know, Aidan. I don’t understand any of it. How did my father get involved with her? How was she able to have a child?"
We were all quiet for a moment, lost in our own thoughts
“What do we do next?” I muttered to myself, more than anyone else.
“Finn is there someone who was close to your father? Maybe is close friend or something,” Sienna asked.
“Wait,” I said, my mind racing. "There’s someone who might know more. My father was very close to Damon’s father. They were involved in some... dangerous dealings in the past. He could have some answers about this cursed child."
Aidan’s eyes lit up with recognition, and Amelia nodded as though she understood immediately.
“That’s it,” Aidan said. “We need to find Damon’s father. He could know something about the cursed one."
I didn’t hesitate. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed Damon’s number. It rang for a moment before he picked up.
“Finn! You’re calling again? What, do you want to marry me or something? This is the second time in less than 48 hours,” Damon joked, the lightheartedness in his tone betraying his usual cocky demeanor.
I sighed, my frustration boiling over.
"I need to talk to your father, Damon," I said, cutting to the chase. "There’s something important I need to know about the cursed child. I know you two don’t get along, but I need to find him."
Damon was quiet for a moment, and I could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
“I don’t know where he is, Finn. Probably gallivanting around the world, chasing after women’s asses, he’s been doing that for as long as I can remember.
I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my cool.
“Damon, this is serious. I need to find him. This isn’t just about us anymore.”
“I’ll try to get in touch with him,” Damon replied, sounding a bit more serious now. “But in the meantime, you need to come to the werewolf camp. Some of the guys are starting to doubt your authority. They say as Alpha; you shouldn’t be mingling with vampires like this.”
I took a deep breath, knowing Damon was right. As Alpha, I had to maintain their respect. I couldn’t afford to lose their trust.
“I’ll come there and sort things out,” I said, already reaching for my jacket. “But we need to talk about this cursed child once I’m done. We need answers.”
“Alright,” Damon said. “I’ll try to contact my father.”
The call ended, and I stood there, still feeling the weight of everything that had just been revealed. Aidan looked at me, his face unreadable.
“It would be best if you go to talk to your people,” Aidan said, his voice calm, but I could hear the underlying tension in his words. “Tell them what’s going on.”
“You’re right. I can’t ignore this. I need to handle things with my pack first.”
I turned to Amelia, the emotions swirling in me. I pulled her close and kissed her deeply, a passion in the kiss that matched the urgency of everything happening around us.
“I’ll be back soon,” I whispered against her lips. “Stay safe.”
She nodded; her eyes filled with concern. “Be careful, Finn.”
I gave her one last glance before walking out, my mind racing with everything that lay ahead.
I won’t let anyone doubt my authority, I thought.
As I made my way to the werewolf camp, the weight of the prophecy, the cursed child, and everything else pressing down on me, I knew that a storm was coming.
As I arrived at the werewolf camp, the tension in the air was palpable. The camp, normally a place of strong unity, was now divided, and I could feel it in every glance cast my way.
“You made it,” Damon said, his voice casual, but his eyes betrayed his concern.
“Any luck with reaching your father?” I asked.
He shook his head, frustration creeping in.
“No, I haven’t heard from him yet. I’ll keep trying, but right now we need to focus on something else. The Pack,” he said.
“I’m counting on you to back me up,” I replied, taking a deep breath. “Let’s call for a meeting.”
The pack gathered, faces full of uncertainty. Damon stood by my side; arms folded in silent support.
“Everyone, listen up,” I called, my voice steady, but I could feel the tension buzzing in the air. “We need to talk about the concerns you have. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I’ve heard whispers, and now it’s time to address everything. If we’re going to move forward as a pack, we need to do it together.”
A murmur spread through the crowd, and I could feel the weight of their eyes on me.
“Finn,” said Mace, a tall, broad-shouldered werewolf who had been in the pack for years. “You’ve been spending too much time with vampires. I don’t care what the reasons are; it’s dangerous. We’re wolves, Finn. Not vampires. If you keep mixing with them, it’s going to tear us apart.”
“It’s not just about vampires, Finn. It’s about leadership. You’ve been distracted, missing training sessions, missing meetings. You’re supposed to be our Alpha, but you’ve let personal things get in the way of your duties,” Another werewolf, Callan, a younger member of the pack, stepped forward, shaking his head.
The accusations continued, each one more pointed than the last.
“You’re not showing the pack the respect we deserve!” growled Rhea, one of the older and fiercer wolves. “You’re too focused on your feelings for Amelia. We need an Alpha who leads, not one who gets lost in his emotions.”
“We’ve always respected you, Finn,” said Ty, his voice low. “But you’re losing your focus. We need someone who will think with their head, not their heart.”
The complaints stung, and my heart pounded. They were right; I’d been distant, but I wasn’t the same Alpha I once was.
“I’ve been trying to balance everything, but I can’t do it alone,” I said, my voice steady despite the weight of the words. “I’m not perfect. But I’m still your Alpha. I still care about every one of you. And I will do what I need to make sure we get through this together.”
Mace stepped forward again.
“Then you need to show us that you’re still the Alpha, Finn. We need leadership, not excuses.”
I met the werewolves’ eyes, knowing being Alpha was about strength, emotion, and making tough decisions without letting them down.
“I hear you,” I said, swallowing hard. “And I promise you, I’ll step up. I will put this pack first. But I need you to trust me, and I need you to understand that we are facing things none of us expected. We can’t ignore the truth. There are threats out there, and I need you all with me.”
The silence that followed was thick, but then Ty stepped forward.
“You’re right. We can’t just stand by and let things fall apart. We’ll give you one more chance, Finn. But you need to make it count. No more distractions.”
I nodded, grateful for the chance to prove myself again.
“Thank you,” I said quietly. “I won’t let you down.”
“Now that everyone got a chance to voice their concerns, I think it’s best for us to know what has been going on,” Damon said.
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment settle on my shoulders. The murmurs of the pack quieted, and all eyes were on me, waiting for what I had to say.
“My father,” I started, my voice steady despite the storm inside me, “committed an atrocity. He had an affair with a vampire, Vera, to be specific. And they had a child. This child... this child is the one mentioned in the prophecy. The cursed one. The one whose blood carries both vampire and werewolf lineage.”
I let those words hang in the air for a moment, watching the disbelief spread across their faces. I could feel the tension building.
“We’re in danger,” I continued, my voice low but firm. “This prophecy isn’t some distant tale. It’s a warning, and it’s real. If we don’t act now, the conflict between our kind and the vampires will escalate beyond our control.
The pack shifted uncomfortably. Some exchanged worried glances, others stayed still, absorbing my words. I wasn’t sure how they would react, but they needed to know the truth.
“This is why I’ve been distracted,” I added, my gaze sweeping across them. “I’ve been struggling with the truth, with the knowledge of my father’s actions, but we can’t ignore it anymore. We have to fight for our survival, for the future of this pack. It’s not just about me anymore; it’s about all of us.”
“We will fight with you Alpha! We will destroy the cursed one!” Ty said.
The whole pack started growling and chanting war songs.
As the chant of my pack grew louder, a surge of energy filled the air, a feeling of unity sweeping through the werewolves.
“The pack got your back, Alpha,” Damon said with a huge smile.
I stood at the front, watching the faces of those who had been doubtful just moments before, now all standing behind me, ready to fight.
Just as the last chant echoed into the night, the sudden crackle of fire reached my ears.
“Is that fire?” I asked Damon.
A few werewolves near the perimeter of the camp stopped their heads snapping in the direction of the sound.
“What the hell is that?” Mace growled, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
I tensed, instinctively shifting into my Alpha stance.
But then, the screams came, sudden, sharp, and filled with panic.
"Vampires!" someone shouted from the left flank.
My heart raced as cloaked figures with glowing red eyes stormed in, setting everything on fire.
“Shit!” Damon cursed, his fists clenching. “They’re trying to burn us out!”
The flames spread fast, engulfing tents and posts. The smoke stung my eyes, and panic spread among the wolves, unprepared for such a deadly fire.
"Get to the perimeter! Protect the camp!” I ordered, my voice cutting through the rising chaos. “Don’t let them escape!”
I shifted into my werewolf form, feeling my muscles stretch and swell as the transformation took over. My wolf was blonde furred with golden eyes. Damon and I locked eyes, both knowing what had to be done.
“Stay with me,” I barked at Damon, my voice guttural as the shift completed. “We need to take them down.”
I charged toward the vampires, claws extending, teeth bared, and my mind focused on the task at hand. The vampires were fast—quicker than I expected—but we had the advantage of sheer strength and numbers.
One vampire lunged at me, but I was ready.
“Finn! Watch out!” Damon shouted.
I dodged to the side, swiping at its back with my claws, sending it sprawling to the ground. But there were too many. More were coming from every direction, and the flames were starting to corner us.
“Get the fires out! Protect the pack!” I yelled.
A female figure suddenly emerged from the shadows and beside her was a very huge man with fangs of a werewolf and the speed of a vampire.
“What the…” I muttered as I watched as he sped within a blink and killed members of the pack.
“You must be Finn, you look just like your father,” she said.
That was when it clicked.
“Vera?”
“Oh, you know me, I see you’ve been doing your research.” she said.
The man beside her sped to where I was and knocked me out with his elbow and I fell to my knees and lost consciousness.