Ch. 81..85: The Werewolf's Vampire Mate Chapter 81-85

Chapter 81: The only one that came looking.

Jabi.

’’You could be very useful,’’ the vampire I just met grabs me by my hair. It hurts but the only thing I can do is cry in silence from the pain of his hard grip. Slowly, Rex disappears from my vision. I never even get the chance to get my things.

How am I supposed to be with Darrien now?

This man is obviously going to kill me.

’’What do you want from me?’’ I ask, my voice shaking.

He smiles this kind of evil smile, the one that makes you sick to your stomach. He has no intentions of bringing me with him, he is doing this for fun.

’’You know from all the stories I’ve heard from your kind. You don’t live up to the expectations. Here you are shrivelled beneath me, afraid. Unable to fight for your safety.’’

He grabs me by my hair and I feel is immense pain and he is right, there is nothing I can do. I am the weakest of our kind and if he wants to kill me right now, he could. I fall to the ground even though he meant to grab me to my feet.

’’Please let me go,’’ I beg. I just want to see his face again. That smile that I have come to love.

I am not ready to give up.

He laughs. The kind of laugh a heartless person would in this kind of situation. ’’There is no letting you go. You are mine now,’’ he exclaims almost a little too proud of himself.

I have no idea what he is talking about. We are in the woods, a little too close to the community. I don’t think he even knows what he is doing. I don’t know if Darrien is back. I don’t know if beau is safe. They were going to get him, I was supposed to be safe with Darrien. He said he was going to protect me, that I didn’t have to be scared anymore.

Now I might die in the hands of this vampire.

He drags me as he continues his quest. I have no idea what use I could be to him. from all the blood on the gates, I would like to think he wasn’t the only one which means there were more vampires in our territory, and there is the chance that more of our kind was killed.

I don’t know what this war is for but I don’t even want to be in it. I don’t want to have anything to do with it. I wish I had left the day I said I was going to. Suddenly there are more important things in my life and I want a fighting chance.

It doesn’t seem like this man intends to give me a fighting chance.

He drags me until we get to a cave, the night sky looming over us. He wants to rest, so close to my home. There is still a chance of being found. He tosses me so hard into the cave that my back hits the wall hard, I flinch from the pain as I try to sit up. I still think about it, he took me, when it was me and Rex. Why did he have to take me?

’’We wait the night here and then continue tomorrow.’’ He explains to me like I have a choice in this.

I stay on my knees on the cold ground even though the stone on the ground prickles at my skin. This is pain, at least feeling pain means I am still alive and as long as I am alive, there is a chance to still see him. to feel his presence. That is all I want, to see him again.

I don’t want the last time to be the last time.

I look at my captor for the first time and there is something peculiar about him, something confusing. It doesn’t seem like he wants to kill me, he would’ve done it already if he wanted to.

’’Staring at me won’t get you out of here.’’ He chuckles and I watch him sit at the edge of the other side of the wall. He is closer to the exit of the cave, there is no way I can pass without him knowing.

There is nothing stealth about me.

’’Why are you doing this? there is a contention. You shouldn’t be hurting my kind.’’

He laughs again.

’’You can let me go; you don’t have to be the monster they are making you out to be. Just let me go and I won’t tell anyone about this. please.’’

This is the sound of desperation, I will do anything to get another chance. There is a sad expression on his face. This man is genuinely sad like there are demons he is battling and if I can get to the bottom of those demons, then maybe I can manipulate him into an escape.

’’We are not all monsters. Some of us need to survive.’’

Those words get to me.

I have been trying to survive all my life. everyday has always been a struggle. Each morning I wake up, I thank the gods for letting me see another sunrise before I go to bed, I am glad I could watch the sunset. I know what it feels like to survive. Barely living, but hopeful that a better tomorrow would come.

’’I know how that feels.’’

His eyes shoot up, straight to mine, probably from the shock of my admittance. He didn’t expect me to be so honest... maybe.

’’You have no idea. Taking you back with me might earn me some points that will get her back to me.’’

’’I am nobody.’’

He laughs almost disbelievingly ’’I’ll find out when we get back. I am sorry about this but I have no choice.’’

He feels like he has no choice. So that means he is not doing this because he wants to. He is being forced to be this monster against his own will. There is still a chance to redeem himself.

’’Everyone has a choice.’’

’’Not when you can lose the most important person in your life. you might not understand yet because you are young but this is my only shot. I have no choice.’’ He spells it out slowly.

At this point, I don’t get any reception from him and slowly he turns around and faces the other direction, almost his way of saying the conversation is over. I take steady breaths as I look over him and to the exit that is so close but also so far away. I can’t do anything because I am not strong enough to escape. There is no part of me that even believes that I will be able to make it out of this cave on my own.

Even if I do, I am not fast enough to outrun him. I rest my back on the wall, ready to give up. In that slight moment, I feel him. it is like a chemical reaction. Some kind of invisible force that makes me feel this energy that radiates out of him. my eyes remain fixated on the exit of the cave. It takes a second, I mean just a split second to see those eyes I have come to love and with those eyes, I see a smile. The warmest smile I have ever seen. It looks like he has been crying, I mean how did he even find me in the first place.

No one has ever looked for me before.

So many times, in the pack, I would stay indoors for days and no one would ask, or worry but it has just been a couple of hours and here he is, to my rescue. My guardian angel—that is what he is.

He is behind a rock and I watch him as he places his index finger on his lips, still smiling, almost like a shush motion. I nod because being quiet is easy for me, all I have to do is hide my excitement from seeing him.

His movement is swift, but the vampire that took me, notices him. he stands up immediately, ready to attack, and I stay in the corner like the coward I am. Darrien doesn’t retreat, he wants this fight, there is anger in him and he wants to let it out.

’’Oh, looks like someone came to your rescue kid.’’ Bad vampire smirks evilly.

Suddenly all the good I thought was in him evaporates and he glances to give me this vile expression ’’Hey, eyes on me. leave the kid alone.’’ Darrien waves him back to him.

’’Who would’ve thought a vampire would run to the rescue of a mutt?’’ he chortles sarcastically.

Darrien shrugs ’’this vampire,’’ with those two words, he jumps forward and grabs him by his neck, going straight for a kill. I watch them, my heart basically in my throat. Darrien doesn’t retreat, he doesn’t falter, even with the blows he gets.

I love this man with all of me.

Chapter 82: I feel it.

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Darrien.

No one understands how I feel.

Maybe this is an overreaction but I will keep running until I can smell him; until I find him. I am not going to let things get to the stage they did with Beau. Beau is the Alpha of the pack, they had reasons to keep him alive, Jabi, not so much. He would be killed before I even find him.

Whoever took him can’t have gone that far, at least I am giving myself the hopes that they are still somewhere in the woods. I don’t know how long I run, I lose all sense of time. My only priority is finding him. the moment I feel his presence is a euphoric bliss. I see the cave and all my worries slowly dissipate. I haven’t even seen him yet, but I can feel him. his scent is strong. The blood running through his veins. The fact that he is still alive. I prayed and wished that he wasn’t hurt and now my prayers have been answered.

It takes me a second to get to the entrance, the little space that leads to the cave and I see him immediately. He is shivering from the cold. I want to wrap my arms around him and makes sure no one ever hurts him again. I want to be his solace, his happy place.

I should’ve never let him go in the first place. This is all my fault; I blame myself and no one can tell me otherwise. Jabi looks up and his eyes are wide, almost like he is surprised that I am here. He has been hurt so much in his life that he didn’t even expect me to show up for him today. I told him I was going to take care of him and I meant it. There is no going back from this, he is mine until the day I stop existing. He has nothing to worry about, I will do whatever it takes to protect him and that included killing this motherfucker that took him.

I shoot him a smile and he reciprocates it. Just seeing him smile at this moment, is everything to me. the fact that he can smile means he is okay; he is strong enough. The fact that he is right in front of me is comforting, the closer I am to him, the happier I am. I have come to the conclusion that he is my happiness.

I have found my happiness.

I wanted to be stealth, attack the culprit without him knowing but I guess he beat me to it. The anger in me is making me lose my focus, I don’t get emotional when in battle, I think with my fucking fists but there is this part of me that is panicking. I have to be strong enough to get him out. I don’t want to fail him, just when I promised I would protect him. I feel the blow with a swing, it hurts but at this moment all my pain is being channelled to the rage I feel. Jabi stays on the ground, on his knees. I don’t want him to move an inch, he should relax and I will do this.

With super speed, the vampire pushes me till my back hits the wall. I am quick enough to push him and have the tables turned. I want to kill him, that is the only option. We go at this back and forth of hurting each other and as I feel my bones bend and break from his blows, muffled sounds come from Jabi. Giving him a quick glance through the fight, I see tears in his eyes. He is fucking crying. That is the last straw, I will not watch him cry because of me. There is no way in fucking hell.

With one last blow of all the energy within me, I watch him fly so far away from me that the hit causes damages to a fucking rock by a corner. The sand from the ground spreads all around and in that moment of blurriness, I run over to him and grab him by his chest. I feel my skin pierce into him as I prepare to pull out his heart. In the span of a couple of days, I have ripped out the hearts of two of my kind. This will make a third and there is no stopping me.

His eyeballs bulge as a drop of tear slips out of them.

’’Don’t,’’ I stop from the sound of his voice—his beautiful mesmerizing voice. I could fall asleep to the sound of his voice. Shit, that should be something on my bucket list.

Turning around with my fist still in him, I see him slowly walk over to us ’’Don’t kill him,’’ he cries, the tears still falling from his face. I want to let go of this bastard and hold him; I want to hold him so badly.

’’He wanted to kill you,’’ I remind him.

He shakes his head ’’He had no choice, please just let him go. I don’t think he deserves to die.’’

I look at him once again and his face is turning blue, his eyes are still open. I am close enough to get rid of his cold heart ’’Please don’t kill him.’’

I don’t know what to do. I want to kill this bastard so badly but I am weak for Jabi and his pleas. The look on his face is not helping matters. His big doe brown eyes, the tears on his cheeks.

’’Fuck.’’ I pull my fists out of his chest with that exclamation and in a split second, I wrap them around his neck until it is twisted, leaving him unconscious.

I hope I don’t regret this decision.

I get off my knees and to my feet. Jabi takes a step away from me with his eyes fixated on the man he just saved. ’’Is he...?’

’’Not dead, will be out for a couple of hours.’’

He nods with a faint smile; with slow strides I stop in front of him. his eyes look away from me instantly. ’’Are you okay?’’ that is the first thing I need to know. Everything else is secondary at this moment.

He nods, his eyes still away from me, I reach for his chin until his eyes are focused on me and nothing else ’’I was worried sick.’’

’’I am sorry.’’

Why is he apologising?

This is not his fault.

This is my fault.

’’You didn’t tell me your answer when you left.’’ From the look on his face, he knows what I am talking about. He was supposed to come back to my place but he never gave me an answer. There was no certainty when I watched him leave my house.

Now, all I need to know is if he will be coming with me to my house. That is the only place I want him. that is the only place I can protect him. he is not going back to his pack, especially when things are so fucking messy there.

’’I was going to get my things when it happened. I had already made up my mind the minute you asked me. there was no doubt at all,’’

In that instant, I can’t help myself as I pull him into my arms for a hug. This is the first time I have been this close to him. this is the first time in my life I have ever comforted someone. Intimacy has never been something I partook in. sex was just sex. A way to release steam, all the frustrations that I carried along with me but now at this moment, as slow sounds of crying come out of him, I want to pull him even tighter. It is not possible; we are as close as can possibly be. His chest is pressed against mine, I can feel the thumping in his chest that is his heartbeat. I feel one with him. almost like I have given him the part of me that no one was allowed to see. I will give him all of me and more, I would become someone else for him. Change my name, my face. Just to fucking please him.

He tugs at the hems of my shirt, his grip faint. He is weak in the knees, this whole lot must be taking a toll on him.

Slowly, I pull apart from him but he clings unto me even tighter. He is not ready to let go of me; I am never letting go of him again. He will be stuck to me like glue for as long as my heart is still in my chest.

’’Is Beau okay?’’ he breathes still in my arms.

’’Yes, he is. Let’s get you home.’’

He pulls away from me and his eyes bore into mine. The feelings in me dance around from the excitement of this new exploration. Alanis said I would know when I feel it.

I’ve felt it since the moment I met him at the community.

I need to get him home.

To our home.

Chapter 83: Nervousness.

Jabi.

He carries me in his arms and he doesn’t stop running until we are out of the woods and on the streets. Darrien doesn’t let go of me; I am worried about the people in my pack. Darrien doesn’t seem to want to go back. I don’t know what transpired before he found me but I need to know.

"Are you okay?’’ he asks me almost like he can read my mind.

I manage a nod as he grips my waist tighter. My eyes stay on his face "Is everyone okay? Did you get to Beau safely?"

"A lot of people got hurt, I don’t know them so I can’t tell you who survived but Beau is fine. He is handling everything.’’ He pauses and I see the confliction in his eyes "Do you want to go back?’’

This man is amazing.

"I want to be with you," I answer him honestly.

Being with makes me feel safe. I am tired of the feeling of uncertainty. Deciding to live means I can’t be thinking about others but myself—at least until I get stronger.

We keep going until we are in front of a building, my head is pressed to against his chest. The feelings from just being in his arms are everything. I lose myself in him completely until we are inside a house. My eyes were closed the whole time, but once he puts me down on a couch, I open them to him watching me with this intent stare. I feel shivers down my spine as he reaches for me and brushes a strand of hair from my eyes. Everything about this situation is overwhelming. Having someone that cares about me so much. I never thought I would have that and this man in front of me is looking at me like he would do anything for me.

’’How do you feel?’’ he asks calmly.

I try to sit up but he shakes his head, I stay on my back in submission. He is worried about me.

’’I feel okay. He didn’t hurt me.’’ that is the truth. The vampire that took me didn’t know what he was doing. If anything he felt like taking me was the only solution. I don’t know his story or why he did what he did but I also don’t think he is a bad person.

’’What can I do to make you feel better? I am losing my mind right now. I need to do something for you.’’ His voice sounds pained.

’’You’ve done everything.’’

There is nothing he needs to do again. I am here with him, safe from the outside world. That is more than enough but he doesn’t seem to think he has done enough.

’’Do you want to have a bath, are you hungry?’’ he rambles still watching me on the edge of the bed. I look around the room for the first time. This is not his house; this place is different. it must be the apartment he was talking about. The walls are a light grey. The room is quite small, apart from the bed and a tv on the wall there is no other furniture. The place doesn’t even look lived in but it is also very modern and extravagant.

’’I don’t mind a shower.’’

I feel sticky and dirty. A shower sounds really nice right now. He stands up from next to me and tries to carry me in his arms ’’I can walk,’’ I try to tell him but the look on his face has me cowering. I don’t want to disappoint him right now. There is something about the way he is acting. He wants to take care of me and I can’t refuse him that right now.

The butterflies in my stomach attack me at once as his hands touch my bare skin. I have never felt anything like this from a touch.

What?

He carries me into a door and I look at the tiled walls. Unlike the room, this place looks like heaven. The bathroom is very bright, there is a shower, the biggest tub I have ever seen, a sink and the toilet. It is very spacious. I could stay in this tub all night.

He places me on the edge of the tub and I sit down as I watch him open the tap and prep everything for a bath. I don’t know what is happening but this seems like he intends to help me. even though I am completely fine and can do this on my own. I have never had anyone be this concerned about me.

Never.

’’I can do this myself Dar,’’ I call his name. he looks at me and I can’t help but stare back at him. the fact that we are here acting like everything is right with the world, even though there are vampires out to get me and my kind makes this even more terrifying.

’’I want to help you, please let me help you,’’ the sound of his voice tugs at my heartstrings. He sounds so vulnerable; I never imagined a vulnerability this strong coming from him.

"Okay,’’ he reaches for my shirt and I let him take it off. There is nothing sexual about what is going on. My heart is racing against my chest, this is a first for me. Someone wanting to take care of me. I do my shorts without his help and watch him as he pours shower gel into the water.

"You a hot water kinda guy or just lukewarm?’’ he raises a brow in question.

"Hot water."

He opens the hot water tap and closes the cold, testing the water with his fingers. I sit there in just my underwear watching him with so much love and admiration.

"The water is perfect now.’’

I stand on my feet and he turns away as I take off my boxers and climb into the tub. The water is actually perfect. ’’I will be right outside,’’ he says and I nod nervously.

He walks out of the bathroom and I close my eyes as I try to enjoy this. I have never been in a tub before. This is freaking relaxing. Is this how my new life is going to be? Can I get used to this? To Darrien taking care of me? what happens if he doesn’t want me anymore. I don’t know if I can go through the pain of losing everything that I have come to love so much.

I hear the door open and he walks in again. There is a look in his eyes that I haven’t seen before. I don’t know what it is "Can I join you in there?’’ he asks with a hint of nervousness.

Am I making him nervous?

"You mean in the bathtub?’’ you can’t fault me for asking him. I don’t know what he wants with me. there is this line that has been drawn between us and I can’t tell if he wants to cross it. I really don’t know what is going on in his head.

"Yes, I won’t do anything. I just want to be with you.’’

My heart is dancing against the confinements of my rib cage. It feels ecstatic like I am in heaven from just those words. He wants to be close to me. Darrien, this beautiful perfect man wants to be close to me and I want all that he wants and more. I want him to hold me. I want him to kiss me, I will take a lot more than just being close to me.

My breathing becomes heavy as I manage a nod. He smiles from my response and my heart melts from that beautiful smile.

He takes off his clothes and unlike him I don’t turn away. I want to see him in all his glory. I knew he was perfect even before I saw him naked but now, I can confirm that he is. My eyes stay fixated to him as he walks into the tub naked and perfect. This tub is big enough for the both of us, we wouldn’t even have to squeeze together but Darrien shifts close to me that our bodies press together.

"Relax,’’ he breathes into my ear.

I didn’t even realise my hands are shaking until he grabs unto them to calm me down "Do I make you uncomfortable?’’

I shake my head immediately.

He sighs "You make me nervous.’’ He confesses and my heart jolts in excitement. The fact that I have some effect on him is everything to me. I want him to want me as much as I want him. "You’re just a kid, I shouldn’t feel this way.’’

I don’t know what to say about those words. I could argue with him and tell him that I am sixteen. That I am not a kid but he is right. I am a kid. Supposed to be innocent but the thoughts I have right now are not so innocent with him in this bathtub naked.

Shoot.

Chapter 84: I feel the same

Darrien.

There is this voice in my head that is controlling all my actions. That same voice pulled me back into the bathroom and told me to get into the tub. That voice is shouting so loud in my head, begging me to make a fucking move and kiss him.

The reasonable part of me won’t do that.

The sensible part of my brain that knows this is so wrong. I am way older than him. I died when I was eighteen. I have lived for a hundred and fifty years. So that makes me one hundred and sixty-eight years old. I don’t know how this works. Am I being a paedophile for wanting this sixteen-year-old boy the way I do?

Shit.

The age thing has been my major concern. I don’t feel good about it because I know it is not right but this pull is out of my control. There is a force that is making me weak and I don’t know what to do about it.

"What are you feeling?’’ he asks still looking at me with those eyes that will only make me weaker.

"About you?’’

We are still in the bathtub. I think water is making him feel better. That is all I want to do. Make him feel better.

"Yes.’’

I think about his question because I am yet to understand my feelings. A lot has happened in such a short amount of time. Things I can’t even comprehend. He wants to know how I feel about him.

I want to know how I feel about the kid.

I look at Jabi and I see so much more than he sees in himself. He is greater than everyone has made him out to be. They say he is weak, that omegas are weak and they need an alpha but this kid is not weak. No one saw how amazing he was that day in the woods. He haunted on his own with so much strength and agility. I have never seen anything stronger than that. Jabi is beautiful, both inside and on the outside.

When he smiles my insides melt.

When he cries my heart shatters.

When he is in pain, I want to take it all away from him. I would swap all my energy to make sure that he is strong enough. I will do my all for him. there is nothing in this world that I wouldn’t do to always put a smile on his face. He wants to know how I feel about him.

How do I answer that question to the gravity of it?

"I feel everything. happiness, sadness, fear, pure and unfiltered joy. You have slowly crept into my life and have become my everything.’’ I answer him in the words I can muster.

"I feel the same way,’’ he breathes out. His breath is hot as it travels down to my spine, giving me chills. The fact that he somehow feels what I am feeling makes me happy. I wouldn’t have been able to handle all these emotions if it was one-sided. I can’t act on them because I still need to respect the fact that he is still young. A child and he might just be confused about his feelings. He has been alone most of his life, which has been a short life but I want to watch him grow to the man I know he will become. I am a vampire, I could have a long as life with him but I just have to wait, patience is the only way I will feel good about this.

He moves closer to me and his arms outstretch. It is an invitation to pull him closer and I don’t fight it. This is not wrong, as long as I don’t make it sexual, we are fine. We will be fine.

My arms wrap around his waist as I pull him even closer with my legs in between his body. He rests his head on my chest, with slow breaths. There is something calming with being in his arms. All my worries dissipate, I just live in this moment with no fears.

He turns his head until he is looking at me, his eyes are dark, so fucking tempting "Would it be wrong if I say I want to kiss you so badly?’’ he breathes those words out and my heart aches from them.

I want to kiss you so badly.

I cannot say those words out loud because the moment I do, things are going to go south. I will lose all my self-control and ruin the most beautiful thing in my life. this is very hard for me because I want to so badly, I want to kiss him and so much more.

I close my eyes to try and stop thinking about it. I don’t want to think about how his lips will feel against mine. What he will taste like. I hate that I have these thoughts in my head. I don’t know if he is still watching me, I don’t even want to look into his beautiful brown eyes.

"Can I kiss you?’’ his voice breaks out.

I don’t know why he is pushing this and I also don’t want to refuse him. I never want to refuse him of anything. From this moment till the day I no longer exist, I want to live for him. he brings his hand forward and brushes his fingers on my face. I feel the chills from his touch, all the feelings I am trying to deny.

"I am not a kid; you don’t have to worry. This is not wrong.’’

Now he is at the point of trying to convince me. I guess this is all my fault. I am the one that came in here. I shouldn’t have done that but the voice in my head pulled me into this tub and there is no going back.

"You know we can’t do this.’’

I open my eyes and he is watching me now, with this intent stare that is skin-crawling. "Why not?’’

"I need to be sure your feelings are sincere and this is not just about you wanting this because I want it.’’

"I’ve felt this way since the first time I saw you.’’

He is being very confident right now. Maybe it has something to do with almost dying today. Near-death experiences tend to do this to people. I know how it feels to die. I mean I became who I am because I died.

"Let’s take this one day at a time,’’ I tell him because that is the sensible thing to do. I will wait for him to come of age. We don’t have to rush into this. he will grow up to be the man I know he will become and I will be right here. There is no going back from Jabi.

He looks away from me and I feel like I have upset him. I don’t want to upset him. The water is warm now, already getting cold. I need to get him out and dried up, I don’t want him catching a cold.

"You trust me, right?’’

He nods even with the sad expression on his face, I pull him to me again and he doesn’t push me or fight to getaway. That means he is not upset with me, which is a good thing. I grab his chin and pull him till he is looking at me again.

Slowly I lean forward until my lips are on his forehead and press them softly going for an innocent peck. He lets out a breath of relief and I close my eyes from the feel of his skin on my lips. This is innocent, it shouldn’t feel this way. Just a kiss on his forehead and I feel like I am on top of the fucking world. I might have had doubts before but I am so sure now.

Jabi is my link.

He is the one.

I hear my phone ring from the room and this makes me pull away from him. he jolts away even though we haven’t done anything yet. You see why I say he is still too innocent. His cheeks are red and he is avoiding my eyes. I get out of the tub and he stays in almost like he wants me to leave first. I grab a towel from a rack "Come on,’’ I urge him out.

He obeys me immediately and I look away from his body. I don’t want to be tempted. I need to stay strong even though he is pulling me in.

I watch him cover his body with the towel and I ruffle his hair playfully "Come out when you are dry.’’ I tell him as I grab another towel and walk out of the bathroom.

I grab my phone and see a missed call from Eligio. I dial his number back and he answers on the first ring.

"Did you get to him?’’ he asks immediately.

"Yes, he is with me.’’

"Good, we need you back here." With that, he ends the call. I don’t know what is going on but he sounded serious.

Whatever it is must be important.

I don’t want to leave Jabi right now.

Shit.

Chapter 85: Jules Briggs

Beau

The past.

"Jules Briggs,’’ he introduces himself with his hand stretched out towards me. I look at his hand completely unsure what to do with it.

My father laughs from my ignorance "Pay no mind to him, Jules, he is just a kid."

I roll my eyes because I am not a kid. I am already eleven. I grab his hand in mine for the handshake he initiated "Nice to finally meet you, son," he speaks up still holding unto my hand.

I don’t know who this man is but I have to stay here and entertain him because my father insisted. He lets go of my hand and I watch them walk away to the couch. I follow them and sit down on the couch opposite them. Father has a smile on his face "It has been so long, I thought you would never come for a visit."

All I know about this man is that he saved my dad once. Jules Briggs is a lone wolf. He doesn’t do packs. Never been in one and somehow doesn’t need a pack to survive. He is supposedly very strong and skilled.

"I had to come and see this son of yours that you keep bragging about," he laughs. I watch them because this is awkward enough for me. The man is freaking huge with biceps for days. His hair is long and packed in a man bun. He is dressed in a pair of bootleg jeans and a tight-fitting black shirt with black shoes. I have never seen anyone as huge as this man before, even my father doesn’t compare to him.

They both look at me and I furrow my brows unsure of what to say "Your father tells me you have mastered your form fully."

Dad looks very proud. No kid my age in the pack has gotten their full form yet. So, this is like an accomplishment that he hasn’t been able to stop bragging about.

"Yes sir."

He waves his hand in the air "Call me uncle Jules please."

I nod "Yes uncle Jules."

"You know he has already started his Alpha training. He will lead a hunt very soon," father tells Jules proudly, who just smiles in return.

"Wow isn’t that something," he stands up and walks over to me. slowly he gets on one knee and smiles "Your father and I are like brothers. I will do anything for him, just so you know."

I nod because I don’t know what he wants me to say to that. he reaches for my face "That makes you like a son to me."

I nod again as he brushes the hair from my face. This is the weirdest thing I have ever witnessed. I mean, I don’t know this man and he is slowly caressing me right now "Anything you need, anything at all, do not hesitate to call me." he mutters so serious that I believe him instantly.

He ruffles my hair before standing up and walking back to my dad who smiles warmly at him. they continue talking while I watch them, even though I don’t know this man, I believe him completely.

He is to be trusted.

***************

"What is going on? You don’t sound so good," Jules can sense from the sound of my voice.

I am not good, I am in way over my head. thinking I have an inkling on what to do. I couldn’t even protect my mate on my own. How do I want to help the pack—or rather what is left of the pack. People died today, they didn’t give up. They fought hard but in the end, they lost their lives for the pack. So I need to do something, anything to get rid of the enemy.

To get rid of Cassius.

"I haven’t been able to get through to your father. Is everything alright?"

I suddenly realise that Jules probably doesn’t know that he is gone. How could I have forgotten to mention? He deserved to know. They were friends. This is another thing I did wrong. I seem to be on a fucking roll with doing things wrong.

"About dad..." I can’t say the words. I can’t break it to him over the phone. That is so cruel.

"He is gone," he breathes out, not even in the form of a question. His statement is etched with so much pain. I can feel it even through the phone. "What happened?’’ he asks instantly.

I know how he is feeling. I mourned my dad so hard, fuck I am still mourning his death. I haven’t even been given the chance to mourn him fully. A lot of things just keep happening and I can’t fucking catch a break.

"It is a long story, that is why I called. You said if I ever needed help, I could reach out. Is now a good time?’’

He sighs into the phone, my heart stops for the time he remains silent. He is my only hope. If he doesn’t come through for me, I don’t know what I would do.

Fallon is still nowhere to be found. I don’t know what happened to him but I also know that it wouldn’t be that easy to get him. He won’t just be dead in the hands of the vampires. He wanted this pack so badly, so there is no way he would just give up. Alongside Cassius, he is another enemy.

"I will be there tomorrow."

My heart starts to beat again. This might not be the end but it is a start. Jules will be able to help me. I need someone that has the mental strength that Jules has. I cannot handle Cassius with all my anger. He is a strategic person. Always one step ahead of me and everything I do. I thought we were finally catching a break. I thought everything was going to be okay, now I have to do a mass burial.

He said he is going to make sure I watched every one that I love, die. Just the way he went through the same thing. He never intended to kill me. Almost like he knew Lanis would find me. He wanted me to be saved. I was never meant to die in his prison.

"Thank you." I end the call and look around at everything that has happened. The bodies are being carried away. There wouldn’t be a special burial for them. They died fighting. They are the definition of true heroes. Everyone is already scared and panicky. Once there is fear, there will be chaos. I need to handle this before it gets out of hand.

I feel Lanis’s presence before he gets to me. I let out a breath of relief as he places his hand on my shoulder comfortingly. Slowly I turn around and he is watching me with a gloomy expression on his face. He might not know these people but he knows me and he can feel my pain. "How are you holding up?’’ he asks.

The night sky is dark as the moon shines brightly overhead us. How am I really holding up? I feel numb right now, there is no single emotion in me. I have to block it all out or I will break down.

How do you handle losing the people that matter to you the most?

How do you handle failure?

That is all I am.

A fucking failure.

"Everything will be alright," he tries to assure me. at this point, I don’t know if everything will actually be alright. Will Cassius succeed in eliminating my whole kind. From all the rumours I have heard, he has gone through so many towns and he has never failed.

What makes my pack special?

"How sure are you? What if he comes back again tonight, how do I protect everyone here when I can’t even fucking protect you?’’

This is what I was trying to avoid, feeling things will make me show weakness. I can’t show weakness out in the open right now. Alanis beats me to it, he grabs me so fast that I am in his arms. I hide my face in his chest because that is all I can do.

Find solace in him.

"Guys," I hear Eligio as he walks over to us dragging someone with him. Lanis lets go of me and I turn around to see them clearly. Bells is still in her true form, her teeth tightly clamped to the vampire’s shirt. She unhooks him from her mouth and he falls to the ground hard. He is unconscious, they are both unconscious. I don’t know what transpired between all of them.

"These were the only two we could find," he explains.

"Why didn’t you kill them?’’ Lanis asks as we notice they are still breathing from the rise and fall of their chests.

"They could have some information that could be useful to us," El informs.

Bells runs away from us and a minute she comes back in a pair of shorts and a sports bra. Her eyes go back to the vampires on the ground. I don’t know what useful information these people could have but I plan on waiting till Jules gets here.

I don’t know what to do.