9 - REVELATIONS

STEPHAN

"I told you, I am fine!" I snapped at the pack physician.

He jumped back in fright, "Lord Stephan please let me have a look, your father..."

"My father is worrying too much, I am perfectly okay!" I cut him off.

I didn't have time to sit still and be poked and prodded like I was a guinea pig, I had things to do... people to find.

"Lord please, just let your poor servant do his job so I can have a good report for your father."

I looked at Dr Purcell, he had been our family physician as well as the pack physician for as long as I could remember, "Fine, make it snappy."

His face brightened up and he dabbed his forehead to clean the bead of sweat that had started to form there. "Thank you Lord, please take off your shirt."

I grunted in frustration but I obliged him.

"Remarkable, not even the trace of a scar!" His voice was high pitched and excited.

I looked at him with some curiosity, "You are making it sound like such a big deal, we high borns heal fast and completely, it is nothing new."

"No my lord, it isn't but your case is different and special."

I narrowed my eyes, "How so?"

"Lord, you were poisoned with wolfsbane. That thing is deadly to all wolves, high born or not. It was the grace of the goddess that we were able to find someone with the same rare blood type as you to do a total blood transfusion."

"Wait!" my eyes widened, "Did you just say total blood transfusion?"

Dr Purcell nodded emphatically.

"That would be me that..."

"Yes, your blood donor was supposed to die."

I stroked my jaw with my left hand, this was getting interesting.

"Given that that was what it was, it was supposed to leave a scar mi Lord, one hell of a scar... but there is nothing, it is remarkable!"

All the while I was thinking that it was no big deal, the fact I wasn't scared made me underestimate how close I came to dying or being disfigured for the rest of my life.

So it was this much of a big deal, "Rebekka Kent!" I muttered.

"Yes mi Lord, she saved your life, I could not be prouder!" Dr Purcell said with an air of smugness.

I gave him a sharp look as my eyes widened in surprise, "You know of her?"

"Know of her?" he chuckled, "Mi Lord, I raised that mutt since she was a pup!"

Okay now, things were getting more and more interesting. So the girl that saved my life was Dr Purcell's step daughter?

"So she is like a daughter to you?" I asked.

Dr Purcell smiled sheepishly, "When my Lord puts it like that, I cannot disagree."

Apparently, she had survived something that was meant to kill her and knowing that she could die she still chose to save my life. I was speechless, I was now starting to see her in a different light.

"How is she doing?" I asked.

"Mi Lord, we are thankful to the goddess for seeing it fit to keep her life. Two miracles happened yesterday and we are grateful for it."

"Indeed, indeed, doctor." I nodded agreeing with him.

I needed to know more about Rebekka but I was not going to press the good doctor.

The door opened and Claude came in and flopped on the couch, "Hey doc, how's the birthday boy?"

"In perfect health, sir Claude, we are thankful to the goddess!"

"Damn! It really didn't leave a scar, though I was hallucinating yesterday," Claude was peering at me.

I frowned at him and drew down my shirt, "Are we done here?"

"Yes, mi Lord."

"Good, now run along to my dad and tell him not to bother me with more tests, I am fine!"

Dr Purcell bowed and then left the room.

I leaned forward in my seat staring at Claude, "Anything?"

He made a face and leaned back on the couch, "You are not even going to offer me a drink? No, thank you Claude for getting back so quickly, here, have a drink?"

I sighed, "Fine, pour yourself a cup!"

He leaned forward with a smile to get the bottle.

"... After you are done telling me what you found out!"

The smile froze on his face and he paused with the bottle inches away from his grasp, then he plopped back on the couch, "You are no fun sometimes!"

"Just get on with it," I snapped impatiently.

"Do you realize how crazy I sounded asking all of my dad's informants if they knew anybody with blue eyes? Next time if you want information, you should at least do better than... blue eyes!"

I sighed, this dude was frustrating me but then again, he always did, "Yeah, yeah now, on with it!"

"His name is Damon Chase and he is a member of the Elite Guards!"

My eyes widened and I leaned forward in my chair, "The Elite Guards?"

"Mm-hmm," Claude nodded and then reached for the bottle.

I gnashed my teeth, the elite guards were the best of the pack warriors that answered directly to the alpha, my father.

Was that why he was able to hurt me with a sucker punch?

No, that didn't track, although they may be more skilled than me, I was supposed to be stronger.

Claude was watching me like a thief, "What did this Chase guy do to warrant your attention?"

I got up quickly, breathing heavily as I remembered the incident from yesterday. "I have to go see him!"

Claude laughed nervously, "I don't know what is going on but I don't think that is a good idea!"

I snapped at him, "You don't understand, someone like him has no business being anywhere close to someone like her!"

"Who? Who are we talking about here? Who is getting you all worked up?"

"I can't let this happen," I said, ignoring Claude and storming towards the door.

10 - CONFRONTATION

DAMON

"You know, the people really think that shit was some sort of hunting accident," Tyrell, the chief of the Elite Guards was talking.

I yawned in boredom, couldn't wait for the old man to get this over with so I can go about my business.

"To the general public, our beloved heir, Lord Stephan was unlucky during a hunting expedition and got severely injured but thank the goddess, he was saved. The truth however is more sinister than that..." Tyrell continued.

"Under our very noses, our heir was attacked by warlocks!"

My eyes widened with surprise, this was the first time I was hearing of this. I too, like the general public, thought that Stephan's misfortune stemmed from a hunting expedition gone wrong.

It sounded silly, the supposed heir to the throne almost dying after embarking on a hunting expedition, it just made Stephan look impotent in my eyes.

Now this? This was a surprise.

"With all due respect chief, what happens to the heir to the alpha is not any concern of ours," Vane replied.

He was considered as the left hand of the chief, one of the two people likely to become the leader once the chief retired, I was the second person.

"Preposterous!" Tyrell exclaimed, "How can you say something like that?"

"Our job is solely to worry about the alpha himself!" Vane fired back, maintaining his stance.

"And you don't think his son almost dying worried the alpha? What worries the alpha worries us. It is our job to make sure he has no worries!" Tyrell shot back too.

I yawned, it was back to being boring again, I didn't care about what bothered the alpha or didn't bother the alpha, I just wanted to leave and take a bite.

"Damon, you are awfully quiet about something of such great importance," Tyrell said suddenly, catching my attention.

Damn the old man, he just wanted to get me involved by all means, I sighed, "If the alpha says we jump, we jump. If he says we hunt the bastards who hurt his beloved son, we'll do that. We answer to him and him alone so we should wait for his command!"

"Seconded!" Vane screamed loudly and patted me heavily on my shoulder, "Spoken like a true Elite Guard."

"So you want to wait until another attempt is made on the heir's life before we act?" Tyrell raised his voice, staring at me intently.

My blue eyes matched his gaze and then I sneered, "Acting without the alpha's word is treason... is that what you are suggesting, chief?"

Tyrell swallowed and jerked back as if he was hit in the face, his eyes darted from side to side and he seemed unsure of himself again.

A smirk escaped my lips, that's right old man... stay quiet.

He cleared his throat loudly, "This meeting is adjourned but stay available, the alpha may call on us at any time!"

I left the hall yawning more widely than before, this time around from hunger as I made a left turn outside the gate, I came to a complete stop.

Standing a few feet in front of me was none other than Stephan.

His hands were crossed in front of his chest and he was leaning on a bleach tree staring right at me.

A small smile spread across my lips as I regained my composure, "Look who is here!"

I began to walk towards him as calmly as possible. "You back for round two?"

Stephan pushed away from the tree and stood straight, his legs spread out in front of him. "Damon Chase, right hand of the chief of the Elite Guards."

My smile got wider, "Daddy's boy knows how to do research!" I kept closing the distance in a way that looked nonchalant but I was cautious.

"I know exactly what type of a person you are!" Stephan continued holding his ground.

"Yeah? What type of a person are you?" I was up in his face now. "The type that runs to daddy when he is in trouble?" I suddenly gave him a powerful shove.

Stephen was ready this time around, he screeched backwards only a few inches, his eyes were smoldering like heated coal, "I didn't come to fight you," he said tightly.

I closed the distance between us again, "Yeah, what did you come to do then? Go on, let's hear it."

I could see him gnashing his teeth as he stared me in the face, "Stay away from Rebekka! She doesn't need your likes in her life!" he growled.

I scoffed in his face, "You mean the same Rebekka you rejected? The one that tried to kill herself for a scumbag like you... that Rebekka?"

Stephan's resolve seemed to break for a split when he heard that but he regained his composure and his anger far too quickly.

"Listen to me–"

"No, you listen to me, Rebekka is with a real man now, okay?" I scoffed, "So you," I stuck out a finger and poked his chest, "Can run back to daddy now!"

Stephen's reaction was unexpected, he grabbed me by my shirt suddenly and shoved me into the trunk of the bleach tree.

There was a loud thud as my back slammed into it forcibly.

He held me there, his right fist was balled up and he was holding it above his head, ready to throw a punch.

I grinned widely and spread out my hands, "Go on then, boy, have at it... I will even let you have the first hit for free."

His eyes were staring me down but I refused to back down.

"Stay away from her," he growled much more slowly in a deep guttural voice and then as suddenly as he had reacted, he let go of me and brought down his hand.

I scoffed, "That's what I thought." I straightened the fabric of my shirt and looked at him.

"There will be consequences if you defy me!" he growled.

11 – SCENT

STEPHAN

I could not understand what was going on.

The Elite Guards answered only to my father, that was a fact but that didn't mean they went around disrespecting me either, that Damon guy must just be a bad seed in the midst of them trying to give them a bad name.

How did someone like that even get tangled up with Rebekka in the first place? I was right to be worried, Damon was nothing but bad news and I needed to get her away from the influence of a piece of shit like him.

Claude was still in my room when I returned. When the door slammed, he looked up from the bottle.

"You back?" his voice slurred.

I frowned and stared at him, "For crying out loud, it is the early hours of the morning and you are already at the bottom of the bottle!"

"As if you are one to talk..." he replied airily, "What happened, did you meet him?"

I returned to my seat, I was still racking my brain on what to do next, "I don't want to talk about it."

Claude sighed, "You never want to talk about anything, that is your problem. If you talked to me more, you would not be so stuck up all the time."

I flashed him a quick look, the fire in me was starting to rekindle but then I thought better of it.

Claude was definitely on my side, there was no use getting mad at him.

"I think I am going to go," he got to his feet and staggered to the side uneasily.

"Yeah, you do that," I said without looking at him.

"Call me when you need me to find another pair of eyes or whatever, wonder what they would be this time... maybe green nostrils," he sniggered to himself as he walked uneasily to the door.

I heard the door open then I sighed in relief, finally, I could be left alone with my thoughts.

"Hey Vannie, what are you doing here?" I heard Claude at the door.

I stiffened, what was Vanessa doing here? I didn't send for her.

"Is he in?" she asked as she pushed past Claude.

"Fine, go ahead and ignore me too," Claude pouted as he left.

Vanessa closed the door behind her, "Baby?"

I closed my eyes and tilted my head back then took a deep breath, then I turned to look at her, "What?"

She pouted, "Are you not happy to see me?" She walked over and gave me a hug.

She tried to kiss me on the lips but I averted my face. "Why are you here? Is something wrong?"

Vanessa stood up straight and then frowned, "Does something need to be wrong for me to come see you?"

I got up too, "Listen Vannie, I got somewhere to be now, let's do this some other time, okay?"

"So you got somewhere to be that's more important than me? Stephan?"

I sighed, I didn't have time.

"Clara was right to be worried, since your accident, you have been acting strangely."

"Clara is an idiot, I have told you to do something about your friendship group, they will turn you dumb and petty just like them!"

Vanessa scoffed, "You are one to talk, what about the company you keep, Claude? All he knows is drinking and–"

My eyes flashed red all of a sudden and I growled at her.

Vanessa took a step back and stiffened, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, baby. I shouldn't have brought him up. My bad, I'm sorry."

I looked down at her, my eyes still flashing red, "I've got to go," I walked past her brushing her slightly.

The smell of her perfume and scent filled my nose, a smell that once used to drive me crazy and set my skin on fire but now, I felt nothing.

I knew that I needed to leave but I had nowhere in mind, I just walked, letting my legs lead me to wherever my subconscious had in mind.

When I finally looked up, I scoffed to myself, "You have to be kidding me," I muttered.

I was standing in front of Dr. Purcell's clinic.

Why the fuck was I here? I knew the answer to that, I just didn't want to admit it yet.

I pushed open the doors and stepped in.

The first thing that hit my nose was her scent, it was overpowering the whole place.

My eyes widened as I filled my nostrils with it, yes, this was it. A low growl escaped my throat as my eyes searched the hall.

The place was scanty except for one old couple that was huddled together at the far right side.

Rebekka was nowhere in sight but that didn't matter, I walked in and started heading towards a brown door with the caption, Cleaning Supplies.

I pushed open the door slowly, the scent was thickest here, no doubt, she was inside.

Rebekka was sitting, her back facing me, there was a headphone over her head and she was snacking on a sandwich.

She was bobbing her head to the music and muttering along, the food in her mouth didn't let her speak well.

I scoffed and smiled, this was easily the most charming thing I had ever seen, I caught myself smiling like an idiot then I frowned and cleared my throat.

Rebekka cast a quick look back, darted her head forward and then slowly looked back again. The piece of sandwich in her hand fell listlessly to the ground as her mouth hung open.

Her eyes were wide open, first there was a look of abject shock in them and then slowly but surely, it turned into horror.

I could see her hands and her lips trembling as if she was suffering from a cold.

I leaned back slightly, resting my back against the door and then I thrust my hands deep into my pocket.

"L-, L-, L," the words refused to come out of her trembling lips.

"Hello Rebekka!"