by Scott, Rae
Slowly the events in Darian’s bedroom came trickling back into her brain forming a bizarre movie of twisted events. She remembered being with him, then Darian’s changing into… What the hell had he changed into? Barricading herself in the bathroom, and then… What happened after she had gotten the clothes on? She vaguely remembered opening the window but nothing else. What was going on with her brain lately? Why was she having bouts of amnesia? Resolving that she had to get to a doctor, she climbed out of the bed.
She was halfway through her first cup of coffee and checking email when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the caller ID and since it was her home line she didn’t answer. Only her cell was listed for the business so whoever was calling it wasn’t business related and she already knew Tony’s number. An hour later it rang again. Again she ignored it. Once it had stopped ringing she picked up the receiver and called her doctor to make an appointment. She got lucky and was able to get in that day. Checking the time she had just enough time to get there.
She was mourning the loss of her favorite pair of flat ballerina slip-ons as she opened her closet door to get shoes. She stopped startled to find the shoes in their place. How had they gotten there? Hadn’t she left them at Darian’s the night before? She didn’t remember having them on after they had hit the bed, then again she didn’t even remember everything from the night before either. Hurriedly she slipped them on and headed out. Whatever was wrong with her she wanted it found out and fixed fast. Losing her mind is NOT something she wanted to live with for years.
A few hours later Aryana was leaving the doctor’s office. Everything was fine and she was perfectly healthy according to her physician. He had suggested that her prolonged stress and depressed state had been the cause of her forgetfulness. Not fully satisfied but relieved that nothing was wrong Aryana did her grocery shopping and returned home. She had just finished putting the groceries away when her phone rang again. Glancing at the ID she saw it was the same number from that morning. Wow. Whoever was calling obviously wanted to talk. To bad she didn’t. Unplugging the phone she made herself a light lunch and then got to work.
Six hours later she was just getting up to stretch when her cell phone went off. Seeing an unfamiliar number she answered it with her customary business greeting. “Eternal Image Enhancement, this is Aryana how can I help you?”
“Ms. Barstin. You do not know me but I am Darian’s father. I have been trying to contact you all day. I need to speak with you about my son.”
Aryana frowned into the phone. “Mr. Night. I am sorry but I have NOTHING to say to you or your son. In fact I would appreciate it if you both left me alone. Call this number again and I will file a harassment report.”
“Ms. Barstin I can understand you being reluctant to talk me. But Darian is in a peculiar predicament and we need to know…”
“MR. Night. I neither know nor care what happened to Darian. He is not someone I want in my life nor do I wish discussing him with you or anyone else. His problems are HIS and I refuse to be drawn into them. DO NOT contact me again or I WILL call the police.” With that she clicked off and set the phone to silent. She buried her head in her hands feeling like the worst type of human being.
She cared, dammit. She REALLY cared about Darian but last night had just been too much. She didn’t know what had happened but she sure as HELL wasn’t going to discuss what they had been up to when he had suddenly changed. Ok so she more than just cared about him but whatever was going on she couldn’t be part of it. She just couldn’t. What if he couldn’t be cured? What if it happened again? She could not take loving someone only to lose them again. She just couldnt.
Turning her attention back to her work her eyes landed on the screen. She was working on Stephens project and she froze as she stared at the next picture. A handsome young man lay one the ground. He was laying naked in bed curled up with his dog. It was a touching picture of the bond between man and his best friend but for some reason it just reminded her of Darian.
Shutting down the computer she sighed. It was impossible. No matter how much she tried she couldn’t get her mind off Darian and the night before. Making her way to the kitchen she decided a nice big mug of tea and her book on the sofa was just what she needed.
The sun had just set when Darian met his father and the Supreme Alpha at the heavy gated door that lead down to the Vault. He watched silently as the Supreme Alpha lit one of the torches he carried. He handed it to Samuel and then lit the other one. He used his considerable strength to open the large heavy door and they proceeded down into the darkness.
The Vault held the most treasured artifacts of the Lycans. Among the most prized possessions were two ancient books. Both extremely powerful. One held the entire history of the Lycan people. Through it was the ability to call upon the spirits of the Alphas of the past. The other book held the prophecies of the Lycans as well as the genealogy of the Supreme Alpha. Each book had the ability to write itself and to add to it through the use of magic. Only the Supreme Alpha had access to the books. Access to them was strictly controlled through Pack Law. If the matter was found to be selfish or not in the packs best interest accessing the books meant death.
They followed the dark stone corridor down steps that were worn smooth from age. Once they reached the bottom they started down the stone hallway that led to the large silver door and gate. Darian had never been down here since it was off limits so he watched with awe as the Supreme Alpha touched his torch to a small bowl carved out into the wall. A small flame flickered and sped along a channel past the door. Next the Supreme Alpha removed his signet ring and inserted it into the carved out recess in the gate. He depressed it and there was a click, soon the intricate gate moved and revealed the silver door behind it clearly.
Looking back at his Beta Reanult pulled a sliver key from the chain around his neck. Pulling the chain over his head he inserted it into the lock and turned it. Pushing open the heavy doors he, his Beta and Darian became the first Wolves to enter the Vault in almost five centuries..
Darian and his father watched eyes widening as they doors swung open. Following his father and the Supreme Alpha into the Vault Darian couldn’t help but look around. He had thought the space would be dark and closed in but it was the opposite. The ceilings were vaulted about twelve feet high and the walls were lined with shelves and artworks. On the shelves were jeweled boxes containing various treasures of the Pack, most of them one of a kind jewelry pieces and documents with other races. One artwork struck him as familiar but how he couldn’t place it. It was of a wolf couple under the full moon in a woodland clearing. The painting next to it was of a girl in the same clearing with a wolf by her side. Next was a piece with a girl in the middle of a challenge arena. Light was pouring from her around her lay wolves and off to the side stood a man. They were odd piece to belong to the Pack. Shrugging it off Darian hurried to catch up with his father and the Supreme Alpha.
They came to the end of the grand room and the Reanult opened another door, this one led to a small circular chamber in the chamber stood three stands. Each contained a book, only two were able to be read. The third lay closed. Sealed by the most primal of magic, it was said only the prophesied heir could open and read from it. Darian shouldered his way through the door and into the space. He watched silently as his father and Reanult approached the book containing the History of his people.
“Lluna said this has not happened for over a millennia right?” Reanult asked looking at Samuel. Seeing the man nod he continued “I am a millennia old and I have not seen this happen. If it has it was before my time and I am thinking my father’s time as well. I am sure if it had happened during my grandfather’s time he would have told my father about it. Which mean we have to go farther back.” Turning back to the book he leafed through it, he came to the section where all the races had come to agreements to end hostilities.
Reanult quickly scanned through the section, he turned back a bit more towards the front of the book and r
ead some more. Finally he found what he was looking for. He stilled his face becoming more set as he reread several times the passage. Nodding his head he turned away from the book and looked at the two people waiting for him. “We have to summon the Alpha.”
Two Pair of green eyes widened at this announcement. Summoning an Alpha was NOT something one did lightly. If one Summoned an Alpha and pissed it off the consequences would be horrific. Father and son stood silently and stared at the man before them. Finally Samuel broke the silence. “Are you sure we have to do that?” Fear and caution laced his voice.
Reanult frowned at his Beta. Usually the wolf knew his place and knew not to question his decisions. “Do you want your son back or not?”
“Well yes but…”
“Then we summon the Alpha. Stop whimpering.” Renault turned back towards the door. He stepped up and looked Darian in the eye, as if trying to get a read on him. Apparently he found what he was looking for because he turned away. Stepping back up to the book he removed a silver dagger from a recess in the stand. On one side of the hilt was a wolfs head the other the moon. He sliced the edge of the blade across the open pages of the book.
As the droplets fell onto the open pages he intoned “Svetlok, Supreme Alpha in a troubled time. Your people need you once more. The blood of your descendent Reanult last of the Supreme Alpha line commands you to appear.”
The drops absorbed into the pages and disappeared. Soon the book started to glow. A mist filled the floor at their feet to the right of the book silver and blue dust started to form. It shimmered and glowed as more and more of it appeared it took on the shape of a man. Soon the spirit of the ancient Supreme Alpha was fully formed and the golden light of the book washed over him turning him from monochromatic blue to real life Technicolor.
Darian and his father watched in awe at the events. Never had any other living wolf seen anything like it. As the fully formed and very REAL ancient Supreme Alpha stepped into the room his father bowed his head and dropped to one knee as was custom for showing the Alpha superiority. Darian, unable to follow his father example due to his twisted form, could only bow his head.
Svetlok was larger than Reanult in size and build but his eyes were no less intense of a blue. The elder Alpha looked at Reanult then at the two men behind him. His deep baritone voice rang clear and strong as he spoke. “I see why you have called me from my rest. Am I right in saying you have never encountered this before?” he strode over to Samuel and Darian and began inspecting them.
“You would be correct. Nothing like this has happened in the time I or my father or grandfather were Supreme Alpha. We need to cure him if it is possible or to find a way to keep it from spreading and destroying the rest of the pack.” Renaults voice was flat and straightforward. It gave away none of the worry he felt internally.
Svetlok made a prolonged study of Darian. “do you know what has happened to him? Any clue as to why this has happened?”
Reanult narrowed his eyes at the other Alpha. He was getting annoyed with the delay. He had a pack to protect and no time to waste in doing so. Breaking his stance he walked over to join the others as he spoke. “If I knew I wouldn’t have bothered to summon you.”
Svetlok turned his head enough to look at the younger alpha his eyes held an amused glint in them. “I see patience and calm was not passed down to my heirs. Pity.” He turned and walked out of the room and into the grand hall that made up the majority of the Vault. “Ah! My favorite chair. I have missed it” He quickly crossed over to an antique throne like chair, heavy with carving and furs. Jewels adorned the carvings in strategic places. He observed the three men as they followed trailing behind trying to figure out what to do.
Svetlok waggled his fingers and 2 chairs and what looked like a bed on stilts moved over in front of him. “Sit and I shall explain what you are dealing with. Then I shall tell you how to fix it.” He waited till Samuel and Reanult had taken the chairs and Darian was settled on the bed. “What has happened to the young pup is that he has reached a full primal state. This only happens when a wolf has found his Pure Mate.”
“Pure Mate?! That cannot be! She is HUMAN, it is against pack law!” Samuel sputtered jumping up he began to pace back and forth. “He is heir to the Supreme Alpha, he cannot have a human mate. His mate MUST be pack! It is the only way the change in leadership will be accepted. The pack will never accept a human mate to a non-bloodline heir, NEVER!” Three pairs of eyes watched his pacing for a few more moments.
“SIT DOWN!” came the thunderous voice of Svetlok. It filled the chamber with its power and authority. “He has found his Pure Mate, human or no. When a Lycans wolf is pushed beyond the brink the wolf and man become one entire being. The only way this can happen is if he has found his Pure Mate. It will only happen once and after that he will be as he was before. We were a small pack once and finding Pure Mates became an issue. We had Lycans getting caught in the half transformed state left and right. It really was the MOST annoying thing and I was tempted to put down most of the Pack just from sheer frustration.”
The three men in front of him inhaled sharply at the news. It had never been recorded that Svetlok had nearly put down the Pack. “Lucky for me there was a cure and I could stop chasing around after half transformed werewolves all the damn time. It was a bloody nuisance I tell you, mainly because I was soon to be mated, and during a full moon no less… back to the point in hand. There is an easy cure. You need moonlit water, Moon tear flowers, and sun essence. Combine the first two in the special bottle over there on that shelf” He pointed to a glass and silver bottle that was on a shelf behind them. “Set that in the morning rays of the sun. At noon the young pup must drink it. Not a minute before or after. It will set the animal and man back into balance. Unfortunately the transformation will leave his wolf side weakened for a while. Given the extent of him I would say for at least a fortnight plus seven days his wolf will be compromised. He will not have the strength or stamina he usually would, he will be as if he was human for the first few days to two weeks.”
Svetlok nodded that both Darian and his father could go as it was apparent they wanted to get the cure made right away. Both Alphas watched the two men hurry out of the vault. Svetlok was still watching after them when he spoke again. “Why did you lie when you summoned me?”
Reanult snapped his head towards the other Alpha startled. ” I did not lie. I am the last Supreme Alpha of our bloodline.”
Svetlok slowly turned his head and gazed at the younger Alpha. His eyes made it clear he would not tolerate deceit. “You have a child. There is an heir of our bloodline. Why do you deny it?”
Reanult looked down in shame. Tears clouded his eyes. “I do not speak of my child. I broke pack law in taking a human wife, in breeding with her. The child was not meant to inherit the Supreme Alpha ship. The signs did not come upon his birth. I had my duty to my pack so I left them behind when I returned. To bring them, to speak of them to anyone was a death sentence for them and for myself.”
Svetlok looked at him. Sympathy and understand shone from his eyes. “You produced a child, that child is now dead. So is your mate. But the child you produced also produced a child. The signs missing at your son’s birth came back three fold at that child’s birth. Your son was never meant to inherit from you. His pup was. Darian is not the next Supreme Alpha. Your grandchild is. I suggest you get looking because time is running out. And given your grandchild has two supernatural parentage on both sides of the family and has already experienced death and rebirth I think you will find that heir is going to be stronger than any of us have ever been before.”
Reanult looked at the older Alpha, hope starting to glimmer in his eyes. ”My beloved son had a son that will inherit from me? Will the Pack allow it though? The human involvement could still spell death.”
“The pack does not have a choice, your grandchild is the one able to open and read the third book. From you comes the prophesied one the Pack has waited for.”
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nbsp; Reanult sat there in stunned silence. It wasn’t until Svetlok as in the circular room and getting ready to return to his afterlife that he came out of his stupor. “WAIT! How will I find my grandson? How will I know him when I find him?”
Svetlok smiled and replied as he placed his hand on the book ready to return to his afterlife. “You will know your grandchild on sight. The face will be as familiar to you as your own.”
Reanult sat there staring off into space. He had a grandchild that would inherit. His heart did flips, while it also mourned the passing of his wife and son. Oh if only he could have been there and watched his son grow! To have kissed his wife one more time was a dream he had had every day since he had left. To have been a true father and husband, to have his every waking and sleeping dream from the past seven decades…..but now, now he had a grandson. One that would be a strapping young wolf. Handsome and charismatic, one the female pack members would swoon over. He smiled to himself. Yes his grandson would be a fine replacement for him. And maybe he could get the chance to be the family wolf he had so long denied himself with his grandson and his mate and their pups.
Chapter 17, Time apart
Two days later Aryana still couldn’t get Darian out of her mind. She hoped he was ok and had managed to get back to his old self. She had no idea what had happened to him but she knew it had terrified her. The puncture wounds on the back of her legs had mostly healed. If nothing else they were reminders that he was dangerous..
At least she hadn’t sat around and done nothing in that time she mused. She had managed to finish all three projects ahead of schedule. She had sent off two of them and had just finished delivering Stephen's to him.
She actually was beginning to like Stephen. He was pleasant and talking to him was easy. He seemed like he was interested in her as more then friends but wasn’t pushing, which was fine with her after her last attempt. Tony was out of town on assignment again so talking to him about Stephen and Darian was out. She would catch him up when he got back next week.