Chapter 24 （Nathan）Dark Forest Pack
Chapter 24 (Nathan )
Dark Forest Pack
T he night was uneventful. I knew I was close to the werewolf pack. I had discussed it with Simeon numerous times at the United Race Committee. I was eager to learn more about my wolf. I should have done so years ago, but now was better than never. Once I’d control my wolf, I’d be in a better position to rescue Emerald. I couldn’t risk him getting rogue.
Caroline had offered that I drink her blood in the morning, but I declined. I wanted her to have strength for her journey ahead, and anyway, I didn’t need to feed now. I showed her the way to St-Selena, and then headed northwest alone toward the Dark Forest Pack.
I walked for hours, not knowing exactly when I’d cross into the pack’s territory since there was no fence or wall. You only had to cross a few trees to enter, but the werewolves knew precisely where their territory began. The sun filtered through the green of the leaves, giving the impression that the forest was bathed in living energy. I stopped to see if I could see fairies flying between the ferns. In the distance, the sound of woodpeckers could be heard. The calm that came over me made me dream of a time when my worries would be settled and I could bask in the forest with my beloved Emerald.
It was already afternoon when I heard the first wolves stalking me. I continued walking in the same direction. Their presence meant that I was now in their territory or close by. A dozen wolves quickly approached at once, revealing themselves from the dense forestry. They surrounded me, snarling and baring their teeth menacingly. A man approached. He wasn’t that tall and had graying hair and stubble.
“What is your kind doing here?” he asked warily.
“Please,” I said, raising my palms forward to show I wasn’t holding any weapons. “I mean you no harm. I’ve come to seek the help of your pack. I want to speak to the Alpha.”
The wolves stopped and studied me, and so did the man.
He narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”
I stared at the man. I knew he wasn’t the Alpha. Simeon had spoken of him on many occasions. The man was likely a Beta, in charge of protecting the pack, maybe even the one in charge of the protection group since the wolves accompanying him were waiting for his order, but he didn’t have the strength, size, and aura of the Alpha.
“I told you. I want to speak to the Alpha,” I responded .
“What makes you think you’re not talking to him?” he asked with a glimmer in his eye.
“You know very well that you aren’t,” I said. “And between you and me, I think your Alpha would be pretty pissed off to know you’re impersonating him.”
The man held my gaze, his brown eyes fixed on mine, but his clenched fists and tense jaw hinted that I’d hit a nerve. Finally, he wrinkled his nose in displeasure.
“I don’t bring just anyone to see the Alpha.”
“And I’m not just anyone,” I added.
He scoffed. “I know who you are, ex-Cursed King.”
“Then you should know I’m half-werewolf.”
The man frowned. “I can smell a wolf in you, but you’re also half-vampire. I don’t trust your kind.”
I was annoyed that despite my parents’ efforts to bring werewolves and vampires closer together, the tensions persisted. It was only one generation for vampires, but it was several for werewolves, whose life expectancy was shorter. My parents’ efforts were probably forgotten. I’d need to work on this when I’d reclaim my title.
I retorted, “Maybe, but I’ve never waged war on werewolves.”
The man looked at me momentarily, lost in thought, then nodded. “True.” He motioned to the wolves and added, “Follow me.”
I followed the man through the forest, the wolves staying close. We passed through a part of the forest full of fir trees, where the dense branches completely hid the sun, making the forest very dark. Then we crossed a small wooden bridge over a crystalline river.
The sun was setting when we reached the werewolf pack. The path was made of earth, flattened by the frequent passage of people. Small log houses appeared. They were decorated with plants, rocks, or branches. One had fir branches around every window and door. Another had a large porch where a child’s wooden sled and snowshoes still hung, even though winter had long since ended. A few other houses had pots of wildflowers or even a flowering garden at their entrance.
At the center of the pack was a large barrel for collecting rainwater. Under watchful eyes, the children enjoyed watering the communal vegetable gardens.
They lived in harmony with nature, minimizing their footprint on the environment, and I thought we should follow their example.
We finally arrived in front of a huge house. This was undoubtedly the pack’s main house and where the Alpha stayed with his Luna. It was bigger than all the other houses and stood on two floors. The bottom-story walls were made of stone, while the second-story walls were made of wood, with large windows overlooking every room and a large wooden balcony running the full length of the house. The roof had several pointed levels, was made of darker wood, and had a stone chimney that stood out in the center. A large, double-glazed door led into the house.
Dozens of pack members followed us back to the house, curious to see what a vampire was doing in their pack. Among them were Simeon and Raphael. I was relieved to see their friendly faces. Not that I felt particularly threatened by werewolves, but I was sorely lacking allies.
A tall man stood in the pack house, his back to the door. He was wearing a gray hoodie and dark pants. From behind, I saw his light brown hair styled in a bun.
“Alpha,” said the man I was following.
The Alpha turned around, revealing his blue eyes, small mustache, and beard. I was surprised at how young he looked. I’d assumed the leader of the pack was older than that.
“Yes, Jake?”
“I found a vampire in our territory.”
The Alpha’s eyes turned to me as people gathered behind us. He approached, and I politely bowed my head. “Pleased to meet you,” I said.
The Alpha replied, “You can call me Etienne, Nathan. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
He gestured to the back, and I saw Simeon nod. A smile played on my lips. I hoped Simeon’s words would work in my favor. “I’ve come to ask for your help.”
Etienne looked surprised. “How can I be of assistance?” he asked.
I took a deep breath, not sure where to begin. “As you know, I’m a hybrid.”
“So they say,” commented the Alpha.
“But you see, I’ve never been able to transform into my wolf or communicate with him.”
The man raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’ve got a wolf, then? Most werewolves transform at puberty, and having a werewolf parent doesn’t guarantee you’ll have one. ”
I nodded. “Yes, I’m certain of it. Recently, my vassal disappeared. With her disappearance, I discovered she was my mate. Since then, my wolf has become relentless. Manifesting itself more and more and becoming difficult to contain.”
Etienne’s eyes darkened. “Are you serious? You lost your fated mate?”
I swallowed my saliva, the words weighing heavily as I told them. “Yes. A few days ago, my wolf took control, and I shifted for the first time.”
Murmurs rose in the room at these words.
“That’s problematic,” he mumbled, staring at the floor as he paced. Looking back, he added, “Your wolf could turn rogue. And you’ve only recently discovered she was your fated mate?”
I nodded, and he thought for a moment. “With a vampire side as strong as they say you are, that’s not surprising. I’m guessing your werewolf was completely oppressed by it.”
I clarified, “Not completely. The two forces clash, and I can only drink blood.”
The Alpha nodded. “Right. But with your fated mate gone, your wolf will go mad if he stays apart too long.”
People whispered in the room. I was shocked by his words. It was the first time I heard of this. “What will happen if he goes mad?”
“Your wolf will turn rogue until the animalistic part of you totally takes control. He’ll be driven by madness. The only times it happened, it never ended well . . . for you and anyone around you.”
I understood the gravity of his words. It was the same for the vampiric bloodlust. I’d go on a rampage and kill anyone in the way. I swallowed my saliva.
The Alpha began, “As you said, he took control once. There’s no time to lose. You must find her.”
“Yes, but I need your help,” I reiterated.
“What do you expect of me and my pack? We can’t find her for you.”
I shook my head. “Please, help me learn to control my wolf. I can’t risk him going on a rampage.”
He stared hardly into my eyes. “This is no easy feat. A wolf that’s lost his fated mate is hard to control for one born fully werewolf. It will be even harder for you. Right now, your wolf is contained by your vampire powers. Before you learn to control it, you need to awaken it. It is a dangerous step.”
“Won’t that make him stronger?” I asked, confused.
The Alpha nodded. “Yes, but it’s necessary before you can learn to control it. Right now, he’s repressed so much that I can’t teach you. Otherwise, you would have been able to shift long ago.”
I nodded. The air was heavy. Someone said, “We can’t risk the pack.”
“It’s never been done,” said a woman.
“That’s too dangerous,” said another. “What if he kills the pack?”
“We should help him,” said a man in the back. I turned, recognizing Simeon’s calm, deep voice. “He’s always been fair to the committee. I’ll vouch for him.”
I was happy to see Simeon speak up. His tall, muscled frame contrasted with Raphael’s shorter, apple-shaped one. I was surprised to see the human in the pack, but from how the men were close, I guessed they had stronger bonds than friendship.
“Fair trade doesn’t mean we owe him anything. What he’s asking for is dangerous, and we could lose lives if it goes wrong,” said the Alpha.
“Then do it for my mother,” I said firmly.
“Your mother?” asked Etienne.
It was a long shot. They knew my mother was a werewolf, but they didn’t know she was once the Alpha’s daughter of this pack. For them, it was generations ago. Still, it was the only other argument I had.
“My mother, Kate, came from this pack. Over three hundred years ago, she was the daughter of the Alpha. This pack was once my family. Will you help one of yours?”
The Alpha turned his back to me and walked. I didn’t know if he would believe me. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned back. “There was this old legend passed down in my family. I never believed it. The story goes that generations ago, one of us was given the same longevity as a vampire—a gift from the Moon Goddess.”
I nodded. “That’s exactly what my mother told me.”
“Considering the longevity of vampires . . .” He was thinking out loud. “It was said that my great-great-great-grandmother, Bianca, gifted your mother with this longevity.”
Gasps rose from the people. I opened my eyes in astonishment. “Are you a descendant of Steven and Bianca? My mother’s sister and her fated mate? ”
The Alpha nodded, leaving me speechless. “I knew your mother was a werewolf,” he said. “But I never imagined she was from this pack or that the story my father told me was true. I always believed it was a legend, nothing more.”
I was astounded at this revelation. I had never considered it was possible to have family still alive. What did this make him to me? My great-great-great-cousin? It was weird yet comforting.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Jake.
“Like I said. I thought it was only a legend. Besides, it doesn’t change anything for the pack.” Then he turned to me. “Why have you never visited sooner?”
“I got caught up in the occupations that come with running a kingdom. Besides, my mother used to take me to visit back when her sister was still alive. But that was a long time ago. I didn’t know if anyone would believe me.”
“Well, if it weren’t for that old legend my father taught me as a child,” answered the Alpha, “then no one would have known what happened generations ago. I’m not sure anyone would have believed you.”
I nodded and added, “With the disappearance of Emerald . . . I had no choice but to come.”
“Okay, we’ll help you,” said the Alpha.
I breathed a sigh of relief. He continued, “The first step is to awaken your wolf. To do this, you need to drink werewolf blood. He’s clearly not strong enough to manifest itself.”
“Will it kill my vampire side?” I asked, suddenly worried. I’d only have my vampiric powers for hundreds of years. My vampire side represented me and who I was. The idea that the wolf in me could potentially destroy it and change me forever frightened me .
Etienne shook his head. “That would be very surprising. Your vampire side is very strong. This will only allow your wolf to awaken. Then you’ll have to learn to transform and master this side of you, but I’ll help you.”
I nodded. “Do I have to drink from you?”
The man shook his head. “As Alpha of the pack, my powers are far too strong and would risk causing a shock. It could be fatal for you. You must drink from another member of the pack.”
He signaled to the people gathered behind us. I turned, waiting to see a volunteer.
Simeon was hesitant. “It’s that . . . There’s the risk of unwanted bonding.”
I repeated, “The risk of unwanted bonding? I don’t understand.”
Simeon replied, “Although it’s not the intention, it’s possible that the person whose blood you’ll be drinking will be bonded to you, thus preventing both of you from bonding with your fated mate.”
“But I found my fated mate. That’s who I want to bond with,” I replied.
The man nodded. “That’s right. That’s what everyone here wants.”
The Alpha added, “There’s also the risk the vampire’s curse spreads to the werewolf through the wound and attacks him. And many undocumented potential side effects, like memory loss or frenzy.”
“But that never happens when I drink blood from a human,” I retorted.
Etienne nodded. “That’s because humans are your natural prey. Werewolves aren’t.”
“What about my parents?” I insisted.
The man shook his head. “They were fated mates. The Moon Goddess’s powers are stronger than these potential side effects.”
This complicated things. “I don’t want to be bonded with a vampire!” shouted one man.
“I don’t want my wolf to get killed by the vampire’s curse,” said another.
The risk of unwanted bonding was too dangerous to my liking. I retorted, “There must be another way. There’s a woman I love, the one I want in my life.”
Etienne shook his head. “Being of Alpha blood, I’m the only one powerful enough to counter potential side effects. But in your current state, it will kill you. Drinking the blood of another is the only way.”
His tone was devoid of emotion, contrasting the tempest raging within me. I clenched my fists. Nothing would prevent me from being with Emerald, and I didn’t want to be bound to another. A warm fire filled me as my wolf growled angrily at this thought. I could feel an animalistic rage rise, and I feared losing control. The air was too hot, and I struggled to breathe. My vision blurred, and I suddenly became aware of the beating heart of everyone in the room, muffling every other sound.
Simeon said something, but I couldn’t hear him anymore. All I could hear were the beating hearts, so loud, so obsessive, and that suffocating sensation. The air was so heavy. I couldn’t breathe. My wolf growled again and clawed. He was getting more pushy, and I could feel him fight with the vampire in me. With every passing second, I was losing control. Unable to withstand it anymore, I rushed outside, exiting into the dead of the night. There had to be a way. I let out a long growl and hit the ground.
“I’ll do it,” said a woman’s voice. I was startled, thinking I was alone. There stood a short woman with piercing blue eyes and long purple hair.
“Forget it,” I answered coldly. “I’m not risking being bound to anyone other than my fated mate.”
The woman smiled enigmatically and replied just as I was about to turn and walk away. “I know a way to ensure this doesn’t happen.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “I’m listening.”
“Beatrix,” she answered. “Come with me to my house, and I’ll show you.”
I challenged, “Why should I trust you? I can sense the magic in you. You’re clearly a witch.”
She nodded, her smile not wavering. “I’m also a werewolf, and your only option.”
“Why would you be willing to help?”
“Because I’m not risking to bond with you.”
“This doesn’t seem enough of a reason to me,” I scoffed.
“Does everyone always need to assume I’m mean because I’m a witch?” she asked, exasperated. “If you don’t want my help, I’ll leave.”
She turned and started to walk away. As I watched the woman leave, I questioned my choice. She was the only one willing to help me and knew how to keep from bonding while awakening my wolf. I needed her help, witch or not.
“Wait,” I called, and she turned around.
“Yes?” She waited for me to speak.
“You’re sure that you know a way that we won’t bond, and I can drink your blood?”
The woman nodded. This was all I needed to make up my mind. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”
“Follow me, vampire,” she indicated as she walked away from the main house.