Alpha's White Wolf

Vali

More blood ought to be present.

Why wasn't more blood present?

My heart was beating too quickly as I slammed the door behind me as I hurried into my house with my fingers still grasping the wound. I was able to focus through the adrenaline long enough to shut the door behind me as if it would matter. As though it could halt that beast.

Maybe I could maintain my pretense of ignorance if I continued to refer to it as a thing.

that I was unaware of what would transpire.

I was unable to stop the tears from welling up in my eyes and burning and stinging them. That burning was nothing compared to the excruciating pain in my shoulder, the torment I experienced with each muscle twitch. I just... In order to prevent infection, I must clean the wound.

I quickly opened the shower in the restroom. I dove in completely clothed, letting the water to scold me until the temperature of the water reached its maximum. My socks were soaking in bloody water and turning scarlet while my shoes were still on. I shouldn't have gone for a run, especially not in the woods at night.

I was aware of what was ahead and was aware that the rules put in place to safeguard mortals against them were of little concern to them. At the very least, not enough to matter. Knowing what was out there, I continued to...

I got myself out of the shower once I was certain that my body and the wound were both clean. I had to apply a bandage and possibly some sort of disinfectant on it.

However, I observed two things when I peered in the somewhat fogged mirror.

The wound was first and foremost healed. Where I had been bitten, just little marks remained. What was still in my system and what it was transforming me into were the sources of the misery.

My hair was the second, and certainly the most visible.

Why was it turning white, fuck?

I watched as the white descended inch by inch from my roots while I held a damp strand in my fingers.

"Great." Leaning against the tiled wall with my back to it, I mumbled. I slipped down to the floor as my garments dragged along my back like an uncomfortable second skin. I was not only going to turn into a werewolf, but also a White Wolf.

As I attempted to process all that was happening to me, I buried my face in my hands and closed my eyes. I finally understood why I was experiencing this.

However, as my eyes closed, stranger things started to happen.

I observed a thing.

an event. A ballroom crowded with well-dressed, fair-skinned folks. Ball dresses, suits, and possibly an era-old tradition of clothing. Cloaks, skirts, and masks were what I saw. Masked ball?

I woke up and found myself back in my bathroom.

When I closed my eyes, I was back at the party and had a sense of belonging to someone or something. The dinner was extravagant... but the drink was hurried, classical music. Blood was seen. What made me see vampires?

Then, those glimpses into another existence abruptly came to an end with the same force with which they had begun, but only after I changed into dry clothing and made the decision not to call anyone. There was nothing anyone could do for me at this time.

I also struggled to stay put long enough to sleep.

Instead, I was forced to choose between gazing at the ceiling of my bedroom and the image of wolves' teeth coming for me.

I was a resident of this world. I had made a commitment to myself about what I would do if this ever happened to me because I knew there was a risk it might.

Even as I sat back up and looked forward into the distance, the ache in my body was gradually fading.

I had vowed to myself that I wouldn't give up easily.

My now-pure white hair could be seen in my peripheral vision when I turned to face my window. That werewolf wouldn't have been able to bite me without my permission. When he did, he believed he would just produce another wolf, but I was aware of what the white hair indicated. was familiar with the White Wolf.

Their Alpha of all Alphas serves as their commander.

I grinned as I got out of bed. Everyone who had been bitten claimed in their tales that using their new power was simple. All you had to do was rely on your gut and have faith in yourself.

That wolf was unaware of what he had just accomplished, but I would let him know.

He may have bit me, but I would still be in charge of every breath he took after that.

They would all be under my authority.

Delete

Created with Sketch.

Vali

"Look, when I say that this is a horrible idea, I really fucking mean it," Marcy replied. Her emerald eyes fixed on mine. Jackson determined that this was the best time to actually add his opinion to the discussion, which was somewhat unpleasant given that this terrible idea was truly his and not mine as he had led everyone to believe. All I could do was watch as Jackson made this decision.

We're out of alternatives, he declared. It made Marcy turn her attention away from me and toward my third. To say that I was relieved that she was no longer looking at me would be an extreme understatement.

"Then we make new ones." As she spoke, I kept my arms crossed and watched even the smallest shifts in her nonverbal cues. She was hoping we could think of some fresh ways to perhaps fix our problem, but we three recognized this was the best we could do. She knew there were no other possibilities because of the way her arms were crossed over her chest and the way her fingers were pressing into her own skin. She was anxious about this one, too.

We can try to come up with some fresh ideas, I remarked, opening my arms to let my palms rest on the table I was sitting on. I leaned back a little. But we don't just have a limited number of options; we also have a limited amount of time. This is our best choice up to the blue moon, which is in a few months.

"I would rather us go through another Hunt than send you into a room filled with people we don't know and can't trust," Marcy replied. As she spoke, her emerald eyes blazed with a menacing gleam. She was my second for a reason-I didn't aggressively consider my safety like she did, which is why I had made her my second.

"I won't continue to sacrifice more of our people while doing nothing to stop it. I have to stop now. I said, "I can't let my people believe I'm not doing everything in my power to keep them safe. After dealing with me, she shook her head and gave up trying to converse. People often felt that way about me. That was kind of the result of my being both obstinate and arrogant.

"Vali, you have served as the White Wolf for six years. The Hunt has been going on for ages. Nobody anticipates you to have this resolved or even to make an effort. You can't compete with it, Jackson declared. I gave a headshake.

"Jackson, this was your idea. Are you saying you doubt it will be successful? He cocked his head to the side as I questioned.

"I never said that." His brown eyes briefly glanced in the direction of the entrance before returning to me as he spoke. Our other pack members could be heard trying to hear more of our chat as they walked past the door, pausing just a fraction too long each time.

"What are you saying, then?" I questioned as another wolf walked past the closed door and he took a leisurely, deep breath.

"What I'm trying to convey is that no one believes you aren't doing something about this, and no one will believe it if you don't carry out this plan, either. In just a few short years, you've accomplished more than any prior White Wolf has ever bothered to. We need you to continue the transformation because there's no way to know that whoever comes after you will have the same determination, therefore your safety is of the utmost importance," he stated. For once, I refrained from instantly disagreeing and instead let what had been stated sink in before responding. Although he was correct, I remained obstinate.

As soon as I stated, "I can't sit here and do nothing, not when I know what's going to happen if I do," the decision was made for me. There would no longer be any room for debate, they both understood. "I know you both care about my safety, so you're going to have to help me figure out how to do this and get out of it alive."

Marcy remarked, peering at me out of the corner of her eye, "You can't go alone.

"I didn't plan on going alone," I said. She nodded, but I could hear that she didn't think I was real because her heart was beating. That would be reasonable given that it was a falsehood. Walking into the Summit while being surrounded by the leaders of the other races would undoubtedly be perilous, and I hadn't wanted to endanger anyone else.

"You'll need a small unit of wolves with you, if for nothing else than to protect you from the vampires," Jackson stated.

Marcy remarked, finally turning to face me directly once more, "I'll lead them."

"I expected nothing less," I remarked.

Jackson clarified, "That's not going to be the difficult part. I looked in his direction and waited for him to finish. Protecting you is simple, particularly given that the peak falls on a new moon. There won't be any power for the vampires. The challenging aspect will be convincing them to take you seriously.

"Ah, that old chestnut." I said as I crossed my fingers on my lap.

"Yes. Since the White Wolf doesn't care about humans, there hasn't been any reason in sending them to a summit in almost two thousand years. We need them to pay attention to you if you're going to go. I rolled my neck to try to release some stress, he remarked. especially since I was aware of the direction he was taking the discussion.

"How do you propose we do that?" I probably should have asked the question myself, but I didn't because I already knew the answer and didn't want to hear it. Marcy instead did.

"What do the vampires, faeries, even the demons, idolise more than anything else?" He queried.

"Power." Even though I was aware that my response wasn't what he was seeking, I nevertheless responded. All I needed from him was a sigh, yet I still received a verbal reaction.

"Fine, what are the two things that they idolise more than anything else?" He changed the way he asked the question so I wouldn't have to respond incorrectly again.

"Power and beauty," replied Marcy. Michael nodded.

"Then, what are your plans? Put on a nice outfit and hide me?"

No masks, please. They revere the union of strength and beauty because it is the equivalent of seduction and control. People are more likely to listen to you if you are both powerful and beautiful, and if they are not, you still have the option of coercing them into doing what you want. He clarified. "We don't need to disguise you, because you have both factors."

"Are you calling me pretty, Jackson?" I inquired, hoping to derail his entire strategy.

"Look, I don't find you attractive, but that's only because you're a woman," she said. However, I can tell that you are attractive, and if we use that and make it more apparent, we might be able to persuade people to listen to you without your having to force them. We will gain the further benefit of their trust if we are able to refrain from utilizing your special abilities to influence them. That is absolutely necessary," he stated. Oh, dear. My scheme fell flat.

"You have an outfit picked out for me, don't you?" I enquired because I knew it was the only explanation for why he was pushing this part of the plan so aggressively.

"Obviously," he said. Jackson was knowledgeable about politics and psychology, whereas Marcy assisted command the logistics of combat, fighting, and the physical aspect of war. Marcy, a werewolf who was born and raised to be the pack's alpha, gave me a security detail and ceded control of her power. After being bitten, Jackson, who was raised in a political household, wanted to utilize his knowledge to help his alpha gain power instead of seeing that the White Wolf would benefit more from his abilities. He had so far been really useful.

"I'll think about it." He nodded as I said. "We'll meet again tomorrow, see if anyone comes up with any new ideas."

"Do we ask the others?" When Marcy questioned, I shrugged.

"I'm sure they all overheard most of the chat because they were all slipping past the door. Without a doubt, they will come and ask them any questions they may have. She nodded as I spoke.

"How do we prevent anymore wolves being taken in the mean time?" I shook my head and then buried my face in my palms in response to her next question. "Keep following the curfew and traveling in at least three-person groups,' I told them, wondering how I was going to keep them all alive for the next Hunt. Make sure everyone is aware that they may contact me with fresh ideas. Tell them that I won't hesitate to cast anyone who proposes that as their "new idea" out to fend for themselves since I don't want to start a war if I don't have to.

Mircea

Most evenings, she appeared to me in my nightmares. Just a woman's silhouette, with her hair down to her waist, her figure curved, and her strength apparent. I didn't require a glimpse of her face to identify who or what it belonged to.

I was at the final ball my mother hosted before she passed away six years ago, and much like I was now, I was surrounded by familiar and unfamiliar vampires. I suddenly realized that I was sitting on the floor of a bathroom, my head in my hands. I was once again at the party when I opened my eyes.

I had to take a seat to the side as it went on, and then the flashes abruptly ceased as quickly as they had begun. When I told my mother that she had just smiled at me, she looked me in the eyes and explained what it meant, the agony in her expression obvious.

"Dear Mircea, there's just one thing that that signifies. Your partner has gained control over them.

I had questioned why she appeared so dejected because I didn't see how that could be a bad thing. Knowing I was one of the fortunate ones to be in a relationship...

"You are a Prince, and your father..."

I was unsure of the cause of her silence at the time, or what had caused her to pause mid-sentence. I was aware at this point, but there was nothing I could do.

At least not yet.

But last night, that woman-my mate-came to me once more. Even though it was merely her silhouette once more, I experienced a different emotion. Her feelings, her rage. She had also gotten closer. Her distance from me usually prevented me from recognizing any features, but last night she was close enough for me to catch a glimpse of her eyes.

The golden eyes that belonged to her otherworldly half, not her mortal eyes.

Her wolf to.

I was currently gazing off into space while my eyes were fixed on my mother's portrait that was hanging on the wall just across from my bed. Even if it was simply oil on canvas, I could still feel the depth of her motherly disappointment-inspired disappointment in her eyes as they bore into me. The first thing I had done once I woke up from seeing my mate again was to ask what I had done to deserve such a horrific fate, therefore it was because I was angry. I almost heard her reprimanding me.

"You are fortunate to have a partner; stop wondering what she is. This is what fate picked for you. Decide what you're going to do with it now that you know it has meaning and will have an impact. Accepting or rejecting them is your decision. Are you going to support the current system or try to change the world?

I finally got out of bed and walked over to the photo, shaking my head.

"If she is a wolf, what does that mean?" Knowing that I wouldn't get a response, I questioned. "It seems cruel." I said, concluding that rather than talking to my deceased mother any longer, I should probably start packing.

This year's Summit was held in France, but that wasn't the most intriguing aspect. For some decades, there had been persistent rumors that the new White Wolf was a woman. That would make her the first White Wolf in history, and other recent rumors suggested that she might attend the Summit.

Or, more appropriately, taking over the Summit.

If they were a she as the rumors suggested, there was no way she would have been invited. Werewolves had been rejected because the Summit's edict believed them to be too animalistic and unruly.

And if she did storm the Summit, I was fully aware of her target. The Hunters. The only factor keeping their population under check. Her rage and whatever she would say would be ineffective. Even though the very thought of the Hunts made my stomach hurt, they were necessary. Both the vampires and everyone else were aware of this.

"Mircea." I opened my door to find my name being called.

"Enter." I had little trouble identifying my father's voice and decided it would be best to leave him alone. He entered through the open door, leaving it unlocked behind him.

"I see you are starting to pack." I responded by nodding as I focused entirely on him in response to what he said. I should have known better than to look away or even to consider anything else while we were talking.

"Thought it best, we leave tomorrow." I responded simply and without emotion.

He said, "Yes, I suppose we do." My attention was totally on him, but he had his eyes fixed on the picture of my mother. The only picture of her still up on the castle walls was this one, and if he dared order me to take it down, I wouldn't think twice about putting my fangs through his throat.

"One day, I hope you understand what I had to do." He spoke quietly and emotionlessly, just like I had. Not because I didn't want to, but because I knew that anything I said would condemn me to share her destiny, I was unable to answer. As Marioara's Queen Dracula. My uncle's body was already on the floor when I entered the room where my father had just killed the woman. Her screams had first drew me in, but by the time I got to her, it was too late.

"I suppose you have heard the rumours." Finally turning to look at me, he said. They had a bland brown color that was comparable to but different from mine.

"The White Wolf may be coming." He nodded as I said.

"If he does-" "Reportedly, it's a she.I had interrupted him. Fuck. I maintained a calm demeanor, kept my heart rate down, and avoided showing any signs of terror while I continued to look him in the eyes.

"I firmly believe that. I'll presume it's a man, as I usually have, unless I hear otherwise. He continued, seemingly unconcerned that I had interrupted him. I wasn't sure if that gave me cause for comfort or concern. "We need a strategy in case he does show up. I need you to think of one, do you understand? I agreed when he asked. "Good, now keep in mind that we will be there for a few days before to the Summit in order to interact with other leaders and build or restore ties. Making ensuring we have control of the space before the event even begins should be the first phase of the plan.

I said, nodding once more, "Of course."

"King Traian." The open doorway was peered through by a messenger. "A message from Mun Kang-Dae just arrived." said the young vampire.

My father told the messenger who again scurried off, "Meet me in my study." "This strategy must be successful. Although it appears that we have a firm grasp on the supernatural world, we don't. It loses strength every day. Before he went, he didn't give me a chance to respond or ask for further details.

And if I had more confidence in myself, I may even infer that he went away with a hint of panic in his eyes. However, there shouldn't be any cause for concern over the Mun family, thus he was actually concerned about the White Wolf.

What was he supposed to be scared of?

Delete

Created with Sketch.

Mircea

It took another four days before the Summit got under way in earnest. Up until that point, we had set aside time for the leaders of the races to gather and ensure that every nuance of crucial information was communicated to the appointed ruler. Because there was just one voice used for each race, the meetings were shorter as a result.

Of course, King Traian, my father, was the vampires' preferred leader. But I suppose the word we chose wasn't really the best one. Our family has owned the title of King of Vampires ever since one of our ancestors attained it. Power was valued above all else, and the Draculas always possessed it.

We might have always had too much.

"We meet again, Prince Mircea." I focused on the female vampire who was sitting next to me. She had the same long black hair and almond-shaped black eyes that I had known since I was a young child.

"Mun Nari, it's lovely to see you." I said. She replied by slapping a blood-red smile across her lips.

"Yes, well, I wish it was during a more joyful party than this." She spoke as she watched the vampires in the room perform choreographed dances to monotonous music.

"I have no idea what you mean." I spoke in a sarcastic manner.

"I also wish it was under better circumstances..." She said as she gave me her entire attention.

"What do you mean?" The Summit presented favorable conditions because it was the only time each year when we had to coerce other races into making peace with us. If for no other reason than having access to fae wine, it was often pleasant.

"Well..." She stumbled and raised an eyebrow as she turned to face me. "Has your father been acting strangely?"

"You are going to have to be more specific than that." She laughed as she understood what I stated when I said that. Since he killed my mother, Traian has been stranger every day, especially when it comes to me.

"My father has been acting really distant from me recently, like he's trying to keep something from me. I was curious to find out if Traian was doing similarly despite my suspicions. She spoke. Since Nari and I were both born around the same time and had grown up in the vampire courts together, she was the closest thing I had ever had to a friend. We made a promise as kids to always be honest with one another and to watch out for one another. We had both up to this point maintained our word.

"I guess he has been more withdrawn than normal, but I don't know if I would call that strange." She bit her lip with her canine as I replied. "What are your suspicions?" I enquired because I knew she wouldn't tell me if I didn't.

We are the only two powerful vampires of our generation, after all. I think we're set up to be married without either of us knowing it, and I think we'll be informed of it while we're here and then forced into getting engaged.

"Nari-"

"If you think it's not possible, tell me now and I will take it all back." She continued, and we both remained silent as I took another look around the room to digest what she had just said. It might explain why there are traditional dances and music at this boring gathering. Typically, formalities would take place over drinks and blood after dinner. Never had anything this big happen. "Mircea-" "What do you think of the odds it's happening tonight?" As I shifted my focus back to hers, I questioned her. She glanced at me with disbelief in her eyes as she thought about what I had said. Then, much like I had done, she appeared to put the customary elements of tonight together using her idea.

"Shit." She spoke in a hushed tone while seeming terrified at me.

"Am I really that horrible?" I jokingly questioned, but the panic in her eyes only grew. It's not that I'm bad, but rather that I made a joke about it.

"No, you're not it's just..." Before taking my hand in hers, she sighed. I've never been able to love you, and it has nothing to do with you. I-"

"I know you like women, Nari, I'm not a moron." I replied.

"Oh..."

"Yeah, you don't really try to hide it." I remarked, and she gave a slow nod. "It did take me a while to notice though, if that helps."

"What gave me away?" She enquired as anxiety took the place of the fright.

Nothing your parents or anyone else would find out about. Just the accumulation of little things like my own gaze lingering on women. After I finished speaking, she grinned, and the worry left her eyes.

"Goes without saying, they cannot know." She spoke as she released my hand, her smile momentarily waning.

"I deduced that. You'd think that after all this time, we'd have lost interest in that garbage. I sputtered.

She said, "Maybe you can change it, when you're King." I hadn't really considered that before. Yes, I was aware that I would become king, but my thoughts were mostly focused on the burden of the throne and the obligations I would have to fulfill. And certainly, it had crossed my mind that I might be able to affect change-just not on so grand a scale.

"Well, if your hypothesis is correct, you would rule as Queen. Together, we might make things different. I stumbled, my mind racing with concepts and unsettling ideas that had always bothered me. The things that I could improve-not just for our people, but for everyone on earth.

As my father entered the room and stood in front of the string quartet that had been playing music, the place abruptly fell silent. Like everyone else in the room, they had put their instruments down and were now completely still.

"We appreciate having you with us on this historic evening. I hope the celebrations are fun for you. Even though his tone of boredom didn't match the words' intended excitement, he said. "I am sure that some of you are wondering why we have enacted such traditional methods tonight, and that is because of an announcement I would like to make." My gaze briefly turned to Nari, who was already focusing on me. Along with Seo-Yun, Mun Kang-Dae moved toward the front of the room as well.

"Both Lord Mun and myself would like to call our children to the front of the room, please." Traian continued, "I took another glance at Nari before deciding to go along with whatever the plan was. We both wore soft smiles of phony excitement as we proceeded to the front of the room holding hands and holding Nari's hand. My father wanted me to be confused because he wanted me to feel guilty and embarrassed. I could see from the sour expression on his face that my decision to grin and lean into the plan had confused him. Perhaps I could improve?

"Everyone, I would like to officially announce my engagement to Mun Nari with much pride and delight. I would want to draw attention to the fact that there isn't a ring yet, but it was rather unexpected. I would have brought my mother's engagement ring with me if I had known I would be doing this, but Nari caught me off guard. I said, taking charge of the circumstance and once more staring down at Nari. She smiled at me with a smile that was nearly sincere. She was able to discern my actions and their significance.

It has been several months since we last saw each other, and it appears that throughout this time, we have come to understand what we actually mean to one another. I've agreed to the proposal and the ring-waiting process. Nari finished her sentence with a slight laugh. the front.

"Sorry, father, I know you wanted to announce it but I... I felt that I had to do it myself." I remarked, turning to face my father, who had a veiled expression but obvious fury in his eyes.

He replied with a pretended comprehension, "Of course." In two months, on the blue moon and right before the Hunt, there will be a wedding. What more fitting way to rejoice than by gushing all the blood we can?" When my father questioned, the audience respectfully applauded in response to convey their excitement.

Then, depending on their marital status, the individuals in the room started to queue up and congratulate us on our engagement one or two at a time. My mind was occupied with attempting to understand what this all meant and why my father would do this the entire time, and my eyes kept going back to him.

Knowing my father, I knew it wasn't good and that I needed to find out why quickly because I wouldn't be in control for very long.

Vali

"How long?" Jackson escorted me through the house while I questioned, my voice laced with fear.

"Two hours." He spoke.

What happened to the other two? We have to go in-"

"Vali, they took the three of them." As he spoke, my body became cold. I was unable to cry. That would make me appear weak, which is something I could never be. Even though I had done everything in my power to ensure their safety, three of my wolves went missing as a result of the identical circumstances.

"Two hours since they last checked in?" I enquired in order to confirm that I was speaking the truth.

"Yes, we've had wolves tracking the trails left since then but they just..."

"I need to-"

"Vali, if they are taking three wolves at once then you can't go anywhere." I turned to stare at him like he had burned me, Jackson remarked. In essence, he had. "You need to stay safe, and-"

"Jackson, I have to keep my people safe. And I'm doing horribly at that. I interrupted him by pointing to the woodland that encircled the manor that had become our home. "Don't advise me to sit still; not when three more of my people have been abducted. In spite of all that, in full daylight. I vowed.

"There's nothing you could have done to stop this, you know that." Jackson remarked.

"Don't. Simply said, don't. I have to go look for them now. He spoke again as I was about to shift.

"Vali, we sent our best trackers out there. There is nothing more to say.

"Bullshit. Jackson: "They can't simply vanish from the face of the earth." I was certain it wasn't a lie. that no trail existed to follow. The fact that there was never a smell to find contributed to the fact that so many wolves went missing every single year. As there was no natural explanation for why the fragrances would continue to drift off the earth as they always have, we had to be missing something. "They have to leave something behind, it's impossible to not to." I said after calming myself down with a few breaths.

"Vali, the vampires have been carrying out this activity for millennia rather than simply centuries. They have mastered it. They never leave anything behind and never let any of our people live. Making everyone go in groups of three initially worked, saving too many wolves to even attempt to count, but now that the vampires are aware of it, they are preparing for it. As a result, we must alter our current course. When Jackson spoke something, the slight calmness I had experienced after breathing was lost.

"What else can we fucking do?" Without giving him a chance to react, I again requested and shifted. We both realized that there was no longer anything we could do to keep our people safe.

My skin covered in white fur as my bones transformed and popped, and my wolf emerged from my body as we stood on all fours. I didn't care that the clothing I was wearing were now useless because they were torn all over the ground. There was a threat to my people.

Jackson was still in human shape, so I just sat there and stared at him.

He was either going to accompany me or he wasn't, and I was waiting to find out which.

"Fine." He spoke after taking a moment to remove his garments. He stood in front of me and just gazed after he had finished shifting, his dark brown eyes standing out against his light grey fur.

Set the example.

I nodded as I mentally replayed his words before letting my paws take me across the trees. sprinting in the direction of the aroma of fear, anxiety, and dread wafting through the trees. When we finally arrived in the clearing where the wolves had been captured, I immediately began my investigation.

The vampires' method of wolf kidnapping was still too little understood for anyone to know what to look for. I was also annoyed by that. Even though our bites were toxic to vampires, they were still able to overcome us and hold us captive. Even our blood couldn't be drunk by them.

How did they get three of us in one shot? without any spilling of blood?

The fact that there wasn't a single drop of blood anywhere on the forest floor was among the first things I had observed. Then there was the complete lack of vampire odor. In case vampires returned, the other wolves that were around in animal shape caught my attention.

What do the trackers seek to find? Jackson, who had come to stand next to me and was pointing his nose west, was questioned.

One of them briefly smelled Kira, one of the missing wolves. Thought something could be there, but it wasn't. As the distance from the clearing grows, there are these flashes of fragrance, but they get more apart. I nodded as he continued, then I took a second glance around, taking a deep breath to detect anything that smelled peculiar and might be of assistance to us.

I sat down, encircling my paws with my tail.

The Wolf's Bane. He nodded after I spoke to him. Is it just me, or can you smell it?

Now that you bring it up...

I observed as he approached another wolf, possibly the one in charge of the missing person's investigation. Normally Marcy would handle this, but it's likely that she was out tracking. or an effort to.

Although Liam claims that they had noticed the Wolf's Bane, there is just scent evidence to support this claim. I nodded at Liam and then returned my focus to Jackson when he ordered me to wait until he got back.

Then, how in the world do they manage it? How are they able to kidnap us, attack us, and leave no other evidence but the odor of Wolf's Bane? I questioned as I stood up once again to explore the clearing and make an educated guess. My nose was constantly bothered by the fear of my people, but it did nothing but increase my rage and desire to understand everything. to halt it.

Well, unless they had a technique to mask their scent, they wouldn't be able to sneak up on us. They could only take us by surprise, especially with a large bunch like they did here. I continued walking the clearing while Jackson spoke, and I nodded.

How could they conceal their fragrance since there isn't a natural way to accomplish that? He groaned and cocked his head to the side as I questioned.

Magic. I cocked my head to the side as he spoke.

Why would the witches assist the vampires in their pursuit for humanity when they have been openly opposed to them for centuries? Knowing that Jackson was most adept in hypothetical circumstances, I asked the next question.

None of them would... Jackson spoke with confidence. They had magic to mask their scent, but the magic was recent, so I paced a couple more times.

Could it be similar to their moonstones? He gently blinked at me when I asked. The vampires may now walk in the sun because to the charmed moonstones that witches created thousands of years ago. What if the witches had created something for them back then, something they would only use when they came after us and could be passed down through the centuries to disguise their scent. Perhaps even during the Hunt itself to give them an advantage.

It might be... To find out if we can confirm it, I'll need to speak with my contact. I nodded as Jackson said.

Do it. The final straw is this. I'm fucking going to the Summit.

Delete

Created with Sketch.

Vali

I absolutely detest France. simply because there are so many people here all the time. We chose to stay in Paris tonight purely for the convenience of getting there, and we'll be heading to the manor tomorrow to disrupt the Summit's opening session. I was currently glaring at Jackson's ridiculous outfit and heels for the occasion. those awful heels.

I could only speculate as to what he had in store for my face in the morning.

"You are abnormally quiet." Jackson was pacing our room as I spoke, keeping an eye on him. Marcy had left to get some dinner, and she would soon be returning.

"Just reflecting. There isn't a strong strategy in place yet for tomorrow, therefore we need one. I sigh, he said.

"I thought me going in was the plan." I made a joke as I stood up and placed my hands on his shoulders.

"Please, don't joke with me about this." He spoke.

"I'm sorry, but you need to calm down." So I told him.

"I didn't advise you to choose a quiet place in the woods, did I? I work in this field. Marcy deals with your protection, you deal with the safety of our people, and I deal with the entire political issue, which is unquestionably the hardest fucking job of all of us. Tomorrow is our only chance to get things right, and if we mess up, Jackson. His eyes finally focused on mine when I interrupted him. "I will execute your plan exactly as you have planned. You only need to tell me what to do since you know what's best. I released my hold on his shoulders after saying that the door opened and Marcy entered.

"Do I want to know?" Marcy enquired before shutting the door behind her and delivering the pizza to the cabin's single table.

"We have no set plan." Jackson recurs.

"Then we make one." I remarked, and he shrugged.

"The White Wolf will truly be present at the Summit for the first time ever. Since we have never participated before, we must ensure that we are establishing our legitimacy. Marcy replied, opening the pizza box as she nodded in agreement.

We have the right, but how? Specifics." Marcy said while grabbing a slice and munching on it.

"The Summit and the statutes governing it never stipulate that we cannot attend. In reality, they advise us to, but because of the vampires, we have never been welcomed due of the social structure there. Jackson remarked.

"Well, there's my rebuttal if anyone tries to tell me that I can't be there." I said, grabbing my own pizza piece.

And typically only one representative of each race serves as a voice. Therefore, it would be best if only Vali talked; if we have thoughts, we must express them to her in private or in writing.

"No, Jackson, that's not the plan. That is proper behavior. Jackson continued to pace as Marcy spoke, nodding.

The purpose of the initial meeting is to lay out all of the discussion points so that the groups can later discuss how to move forward or cast a vote. Even if we don't obtain a vote, bringing up the Hunts now will force a subsequent discussion about it. If it is brought up during the initial meeting, it will also be brought up when the prior year's minutes are read.

"So I have to bring up the topic of the Hunts-"

"More importantly, you need to bring stance and a proposal to resolve said issue."

"Easy, stance is strongly against the Hunts and proposal is to get it stopped." Jackson only shook his head when I stated that.

"Merely stating that you want them halted won't be sufficient; you must provide specific justifications. The data we gathered from the census you ordered to keep tabs on our population should be accurate.

"I have to bring up our rapidly declining numbers to prove the Hunts aren't being used as a control method anymore, and instead being used to wipe us off the planet." He nodded as I said. "All right, I'll mention it and be specific. Please don't tell me that this was your only concern.

"I'm worried that there is a counter plan." I rolled my eyes as he said. "Don't roll your eyes at me, I'm serious."

"How would they know that I'm even coming?" He paused before answering my question.

"Well... politics." He spoke. If it wasn't the most vague thing I had ever heard in my whole life... I straightened up in my chair and looked him square in the eyes.

"What the fuck do you mean 'politics'?" When I inquired, he inclined his head to the side in an effort to treat me like a puppy. The grown-up wolf could not use it. "Jackson."

Rumors are an effective tactic. I spread rumors about you with my witch contact in order to make them fear us and believe that we would be arriving. While the majority think it is only a rumor, they have a theory that you exist, are a woman, and may be planning to storm the Summit. Jackson said, and as I prepared to question him further about why he believed it would be a good idea, Marcy simply started growling.

It would be effective to make them terrified, but if they are very careful or overly paranoid, it might also serve as a warning. I understand that Traian is both of those. He clarified. I blinked.

"So, you wanted this to go well and got rid of our element of surprise?" When I inquired, he slowly nodded.

"Not completely. They aren't certain that you will arrive, and the others most likely believe you won't. They seriously doubt you would show up since, as I stated, you would be the first wolf to ever visit the Summit. Jackson remarked.

I took a deep breath and ate my second slice of pizza before getting to my feet to take another look at the garment.

"Do I really have to wear a dress?" I queried.

"Beauty and power." I allowed a small growl of annoyance escape my mouth, Jackson said simply.

"Okay, is there anything else we should worry about?" I questioned as I turned to face Marcy, who had already finished her third slice of pizza.

"All good on my front, unlike Jackson I don't leave things until the last minute." Jackson put his hand over his heart and simulated being offended by the statement, she continued with a smile.

"I do my best work under pressure, thank you very much." I shook my head and turned to face him as he continued.

"If by 'best work' you mean 'stressing me out completely', then yes, you do."