Chapter 97: Chapter 98: Inside the Mountain

I zoom past trees, skim over fallen logs and under overhanging debris, aware I'm slower once more

and I tire faster, but I fight on anyway. I need to see this through and be there to lead my people

home when victory is ours. I owe them so much and from what I can see as all remaining wolves

head hard towards the mountain in one wave, our numbers vast. We didn’t seem to lose many to

fighting our brothers. In fact, as I skim the faces around me, I can't feel the sense of loss that I did

earlier, and I wonder if it was merely their pain and not death.

Not one single wolf death. We did what we set out to do. Break the spell without any losses.

Carmen mind links me, seemingly understanding why I'm looking around as we run and I blanche,

my heart rising in delirious happiness because I truly thought there would be an aftermath of grief

and despair when the turned found out they killed some of our own. That our victory would also be

the start of mourning the losses. Instead, we just need to make sure it's the same outcome at the

mountain now.

It looms up over my head like a foreboding shadow, making me aware I have never ventured this

far, or come this close to this beast of a grey rock. The stench and vibrations of vampires

overpowers me as I get right to the overhang where we always suspected the entrance was. I can

feel them, in their droves. Moving, fighting, hissing in the depths of their caverns, and as my pack

start to single file into the narrow tunnel entrance which has been ripped open wide by wolves in

their fury to get inside, I push my way past and make a dash to get in ahead of the next wave.

Carmen's stuck to my side, as my personal bodyguard, my mind and focus on following my mate's

scent. Like a bright shining path in the dark, I can feel him close, smell where he’s been and tremble

with the force of his aggression exuding through the air as he fights for his pack within the

mountain. I can sense Cesar, the sub pack and Meadow too, all within these walls and doing what

they do best.

Seeing it's their Luna among them, some move and get out of my way, still unsure why I'm in

human form, but they don't ask. They follow at speed, flanking me like an army, knowing this is

where they're needed for sure.

The inner coven den is almost pitch black once I get away from the open entrance and my night

vision takes a moment to kick in. I can still smell Colton in the air, even though the stench of blood

and sweat and those rabid creatures overpowers my senses and use it as my guide as I feel my way

along damp cold walls. I stumble on badly scraped, and uneven, gritty floors, cursing under my

breath that my footing is useless as a human. Carmen slides beside me to offer support and I cling

onto her fur instead and use her as a walking aid.

It's been dug out carelessly, and makeshift, like they never really intended this to be more than a

temporary lair. There's no home comforts or hints of human living, just a damp and cold cave. Like

wild animals sheltering in the darkness and not creatures capable of civilization, like we are.

My eyes adjust, bringing the surrounding shapes into view and blood curling screams further up the

incline, coming down cut off tunnels on either side of me fill me with dread. It's one thing to fight

them out there in the open, see them coming, and have the space around you to anticipate their

attack, but another entirely to be in here, claustrophobic with poor vision and opportunity for every

tunnel to be a pounce point. This is a labyrinth of cold stone and damp. Even with night vision and

extreme senses, it's still a terrifying place to try and navigate and the noises echoing around confuse

the mind to where battles are ensuing.

I move fast and follow the screams that are loudest, ignoring my own pounding heartbeat and

shaking limbs. Sensing Colton, sensing Meadow in the air, and surprisingly I feel Sierra behind me

almost as soon as I step into a wider area of open rock that cuts off in front of me into an almost

cliff like drop.

Alora, I'm with you. I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you.

She's panting like she’s been running hard and I'm guessing after she got free of wherever she was

she came bounding back to find me and then got lost in the chaos of the broken spell. She

probably heard the help cry and knew I would come this way before picking up my scent again.

Stay close to me. I won't leave you again.

I nod, needing no explanations as I know she wouldn't have left me had she been able to control it. I

saw what the battlefield was like, how chaotic it was and how badly we were struggling against

them. How easy it was to separate us and lose one another. I'm hoping she sees it, feels that I'm

okay and now she’s here, I'm fine.

Sierra presses to my other side, so her and Carmen flank me fully, my hands skimming the fur and

feeling a sense of security, despite my vulnerable state as human. At least I have my gifts back, even

if they are powering on less than fifty percent of my abilities because of my babies. It's better than

nothing. And now I also have my femmes, and my small entourage of pack wolves going to meet

our most ruthless ahead of us. Nothing can happen to me this time. I know that I need to stay safe

and that now Colton is here, I won't be in the danger I was before. I can relinquish the reigns and let

my mate be everything I know he can be.

We shuffle along left, the narrow walkway away from the sheer drop and find the winding way down

where all hell seems to be breaking loose. This mountain is almost hollow right in the center and all

tunnels and walkways seem to wind into this one walking space which twists down to the depths

below. The echoes and cries I heard all over, they are concentrated inside this cavern and flowing

out in all directions.

The battle below is vicious and loud, and the flying fury of fur and pale creatures makes for an

almost stormy sea like movement across the depths. I can't see who is who, but my attention is

drawn up as something flies past me and crashes into the overhanging rocky ceiling above before

plummeting back down in speed. It's scares the shit out of me, my heart lurching to my throat and

the three of us jump back against those behind us and inhale swiftly in perfect sync. Freezing as we

stare at whatever that was and eyeing it warily.

“What the hell?” I recoil in horror as another makes a break for it and for the first time ever, I see,

some of the vampires have wings. Like huge, oversized leathery bat wings and my jaw drops open.

“Why the hell have we never seen this before, and what in the actual......" My mind turns blank and I

blink, trying to adjust to this sight and believe what I'm seeing.

They're trying to get out, escape, but the suns up..... They don't seem to care that getting out will be

death. They know they're losing and they're frantic to die any other way than by our claws.

It's a wolf coming up towards me, meting us on our path. A familiar voice of one of our experienced

sub pack sentinels, one of our warriors. One of the fog enchanted, as he follows up after another

flying creature and happened to come upon us gawping upwards. He bows to me, makes it clear

he's not staying, and then proceeds past me at speed to take off towards the ceiling to catch any

that go up. His smile and enjoyment at finally getting to rip these creatures apart gives me shivers,

but I know most of our warriors have been waiting for this day. Ever since we moved into the

shadow of these beings and had to watch our every move. Our fiercest have longed to invade this

place and eliminate the threat. Even Colton, but his need to see our people safe always overrode the

urge to scourge the mountain clean.

We should break through up there, let the light in. Change the game.

Carmen cuts into my shocked thoughts and grabs my hand gently with her mouth, hauling me back

instead of down to follow the sentinel. It takes me a second to catch up with what she said but it's a

smart idea and I follow at speed, not caring if she just once again decided for me. Turning on our

heel to trace out the steps moving skywards and Sierra and some of our pack follow me. The rest

head down to help with the fight.

"Up there.” I point to the way the narrow walkway cuts off at the other side, to one going up into

rock and gesture we should get as high as we can if we're going to break some kind of vent to let

the sun fry these freaks. From this angle, with all of them down below, we can kill so many with such

a simple act and help our fighters below. They may be winning, but this mountain is full of these

creatures and this may take hours yet to defeat them all. I know Colton, he's come into their lair and

he won't leave until every last one is dead. He's had too long staying away and keeping us safe, now

is his opportunity to rid this place for a while and he'll take it.

Carmen grabs two wolves on the passing, both strong sentinels from our pack, pushing them with

me. Seeing as they are heading up anyway in chase of more flapping creatures and they see me and

obey.

“Come with us.” I command, knowing they recognize me right away and get instant head bows as

they do. I lead the way at speed as we climb higher and look for weak points with thinner rock

formations around us. Look for ways to break to the outside... Thinner patches, crevices. Tiny cracks

or even tunnels formed by nature which are small. There has to be areas we can break through... I

mean strength is our gift and our claws were built for this. A wolf can rip through most terrain and

our ability to do it with ease and speed is incomparable to most in nature.

I point out a patch where the rocks indent away from us, and slight cracks of faint light seem to

permeate on areas almost undetectable if you were not looking for them, and know we found it. A

weak point where the hollow is close to the outer edge and with some effort, we can dig through. It

would cast light across the center of the hollow catching all the creatures flying upwards, and

hopefully flood below with enough light to help.

Even though I can't use any of my wolf gifts, Carmen takes the lead and starts digging, scraping and

hauling rubble out of a nearby crack as she turns and gets to work. Other wolves piling in see what

we are doing and immediately understanding the plan, so help.

It's not unlike the forest, being up here. The sounds travelling and making my skin goosebump, my

inner angst grow. When we were in throws of violence, eerie screams, and chaotic noises. Thuds,

thumps, cries... ripping, screeching, smashing. The scent of blood filling the air of both Lychan and

Vampire, but I know both species have healing abilities, and this isn't going to be as quick as taking

down a small patrol out there in the woods. There are dozens of them in here. Maybe even

hundreds.

“Alora... Move.” The familiar voice of the witch comes at me from far behind, shocking me into a

moment of disbelief and I spin to see her striding this way. A bright white light in her hand as her

mode of seeing where she’s going once again, and she smiles at our attempts at clawing through

solid stone.

“If you want it done right... you do it yourself. When will you wolves learn, the witch is always a

better option.” She smiles, that arrogant demeanor on show but I can't fault her for it. Afterall, she

broke the spell and my respect for her abilities have grown by a thousand-fold. My wolves look to

me and with a nod I make them clear the way and they all turn back and flank me instead.

She throws me a smug twitch of her lips and tosses her light at the wall in front of us with a simple

flick of her wrist. Absolutely no effort and for a moment, I wonder what a small glow of nothing can

really do for a huge expanse of mountain wall. I expected something a bit more dramatic and with a

lot more vavoom. For someone so powerful, this was like tossing a match into the sea.

It's a boom of light, like a large lightbulb shorting out and we are hit with pitch darkness once more,

without very much of an explosion at all. I stand looking rather deflated as my eyes adjust and

wonder what that even was, expecting more.

The air that whips around me catches my breath so suddenly, I'm startled for a moment. An after

effect, like a storm in a teacup brewing and there's a pause of inhale. Almost like a silent stillness for

a second, and I realize as something grows in the air around us, I should never doubt this witch. A

growing groan, an uneasy sense of atmosphere tingling around us as if I'm suddenly feeling gravity

changing direction and it stirs up my instincts to be afraid.

A weird noise of shifting earth, the mountain shudders and groans again and then the full side rips

out away from us with the release, like a silent blast as though a giant person grabbed a handful of

rock and ripped it out. The full front before me crumbles outwards and collapses down the outside

with a crescendo of noise that can be heard for miles around and echoes back on us. Birds in the

distance from our newly acquired view scatter from trees for miles of endless forest canopy and

animals scurry in panic. The rubble bounces down until it meets forest and rips down trees in it's

wake.

Daylight floods the space around us so that we blink to adjust, filling the cracks and the crevices and

gleaming bright, illuminating all below.

"You couldn't have done that already and saved half a battle?” Carmen asks drily, cocking an

eyebrow at the witch as two equally cold and sassy women lock eyes. A tingle of energy zapping

through the air.

“I was a wee bit busy, killing witches, my pet. Do you want to add a wolf to the death toll?” Leyanne

snaps right back with a salacious smile, and I wave my hands at them in a “shhh’ motion to calm the

brewing hostility. My eyes now locked on the fruits of her labor.

It's with this new light I look down to see the clear way to go and realize how high we are and how

narrow those walkways are. In the dark it was not so terrifyingly steep, because we couldn't see how

far a fall it would be. In light it's a deep and crazy long hollow that stretches beyond the

imagination, yet the dazzle still makes it all the way down from this impressive hole that is still

crumbling wider from the witch's magic and tearing down the side to let more in.

The screams and burning smell of flesh, catching fire, soon fill the air with clogging thick smoke that

makes us choke, and gasp, and pull back, as winged creatures crash from wall to wall in a bid to

escape. Their panic is their demise, writhing in burning agony with scolding light, they fly right up

into the fullest part of it and combust like a puff of dust right before our eyes. It becomes chaos and

confusion, and we all pin ourselves back against the walls as the hollow fills with frantic wings and

shield our faces form explosive dust particles.

I've never seen them die this way and the howls below as many perish instantly send the ones

shaded or shrouded in shadow reeling into tunnels to escape. Only more wolves await them, in

every nook, due to our sheer numbers present as the entire pack have filtered in now, and their

death is imminent.

I spy Colton when I look down into the drop off, standing proud in the center, light shining on his

black fur as the throws his head back and howls a successful call. The shadows around him are eerie

but only make it look like he's standing in a spotlight.

That long blood curling message to our pack, that we have overthrown an enemy's leader, and even

if it confuses me, I still focus on what he’s got. Holding up high, a dead vampire corpse in his claws

before he tosses it aside and I don't hesitate in making my way down to where he is. Confused that

this is a leader when I know the source should be Varro. I don't doubt his call, I just don't

understand.

He isn't my gentle loving Colton at this moment. Standing huge and formidable on hind legs,

towering over all around him. A sight to behold as an enraged black Lycanthrope, his eyes glowing

so bright they look like flames. A battle cry in his throat and his fur caked in the blood of our

enemies which just adds to his sheer warrior like power.

He's Alpha of the Santo pack, a once feared and unrivalled pack who began crumbling under Juan's

reign, but has hope in a new leader. I get goosebumps staring at the king who will make our people

great again and know when he’s in control, there will be no stopping our people from taking back

what's rightfully ours. Losing him made me realize how capable and invincible he can be, and I

won't let anything take him from us again. I am wowed by his presence, pulled to him by my need

to be with him once more and not at all swayed by his filthy furred body, or the pile of carcasses

around his feet, that build him higher on a podium made from death.

Wolves take off after the escaping few, but I can already tell that compared to what we have seen in

the forests, this mountain has way less than I anticipated and wonder where the hell they all are. The

stench in here reeks of thousands of crammed vile souls, but all I see is a mere hundreds in terms of

bodies scattered all around. Not even high in that count either.

“Where are they all?” I turn to Leyanne feeling her on my heel as we carefully descend and keep

scanning where I'm stepping so I don't fall as her light once again shines the way. Carmen pushes in

front of me to watch my step, while Sierra stays on our rear, both femmes close and forming a

shield. Sierra seems quiet, lost in thought and I wonder if this brings back unwanted memories of

battles of old.

“It seems this mountain only held a small amount in recent days... I'm guessing Lord Varro has

pulled them where he needs them, and it wasn't here. It was half empty when we got in and made

finding the witches way easier. Your Meadow, is quite the soldier.” Leyanne seems impressed by that

and not at all phased by her first statements. Although I spin on her in alarm.

"And the witches, they are where?” I blink, reeling thoughts splaying out, remembering that she had

to take them on alone to break the spell and as of yet I've only seen vampires. If they are a threat in

here, I want to know about it. Will they now be something else to have a showdown with?

“Dead... They weren't much of a challenge. Took all seven of them to make that spell, but faced with

me, and panicking, they didn't achieve much before I disintegrated them. Such pointless wee beasts

they were. Quite disappointing really.” She sounds almost guilty for a second, or maybe truly

deflated, and I flash a look her way, catching an odd moment of somber I wasn't expecting and then

it's gone. It also confirms that despite not seeing much evidence of it, she is obviously as powerful

as Sierra told me. Seven witches who managed to hold so many of our pack hostage for a week, and

yet she blows in and takes them out without messing up her outfit or her hair.

“I'm sorry you had to kill your own kind.” I try to console, feeling I should, but she shrugs with one

shoulder. That cool demeanor back in place and that care no less expression firmly on that attractive

face. She still reminds me of Carmen in a way, only brunette, with dark eyes.

“You have to weed out the bad to benefit the many sometimes. They were practicing things they

have no place to mess with. They were no sisters of mine; they were something the world could do

without and the high council will agree when I present them with my findings on why I rid them of

an entire coven.”

She seems to want to end the conversation and moves past me fast to flash bomb a creature in the

face as it stuck out its stupid head into where we are moving. So fast Carmen didn't have time to

react even though it was right at her side. It's semi shadowy here, it obviously didn’t expect a

blinding light to expand its face all over the wall in a dramatic and disgusting fashion.

I recoil in “ewww’ and dodge the flopping body before I make the last speed dash down to the final

floor below, skipping over and seeing even Carmen grimace with the up-close body showering she

just got from its blood.

“Thanks for that!” Carmen mutters sarcastically, back at the witch and shakes herself to try and

remove the worst of it. I jump back so her spray doesn't get to me then realize it's pretty futile. I am

covered in my own blood and god knows what else, I can't even imagine how I truly look from all

angles.

"You're welcome. It's not like you could smell any worse.” Leyanne bites right back and I eyeroll at

the constant power struggle of personalities. Sighing at Carmen's snarling growl and push her

onwards to stop them.

When we get lower, Colton is already gone and heading down tunnels in hot pursuit of what's left

of the enemy. When we get to the ground floor fully, I gag on the smell down here. It's thick, vile

dust, overwhelming stench, that coats every surface. The ashy remains of fried vampire and I notice

the throne, crude, and carved without skill, as it sits in one corner and seems to be the one form of

seating in this place. I gesture towards it and Leyanne narrows in on it too, Carmen walking over in

wolf form to sniff at it and recoils as though the scent is painful.

"Covens have lords. This one was no different, but he was another halfling and your mate already

took care of him. I think he was newly promoted.” Leyanne points at the unbreathing evidence and I

turn to the lifeless body slumped in the corner that Colton discarded. Still intact due to not being in

direct light but it has no head. One sure fire way to end a vampire is to take its head clean off its

shoulders and I know from experience it's Colton's preferred method. He's strong enough to do it

with just a little flick of the wrists. It's also why he’s covered in blood as it's probably the messiest

way to kill one.

I also note how most of these vile creatures are naked and nothing like the ones we encountered in

the woods who were more human than these. They are nothing compared to Darrius in any way and

I wonder how many sub species these things have. I thought from what he said, there was them,

and these. Yet, this is something entirely different. We have never seen them fly at all.

“These are different, and some have wings.” I point out, in a questioning tone, leaning down to peer

at the so-called leader, then straighten up to push it over with my foot and have a proper look. It

has remnants of clothes that look like they were shredded from its body a long while ago, and all

ribs and protruding bones all over as though it was malnourished. The ones we have fought were

dressed and not like this, I'm sure. Well maybe, but we never saw them naked. From memory they

definitely didn't seme this skinny and almost alienlike.

Long nails, yellow and brittle looking, but fiercely sharp. Waxy white skin, covered in a soft down of

ugly hairs, on arms and legs and weirdly oversized rib cages that are not in proportion to their

bodies in any way. They're uglier than I thought like this. Bony, no connections to the human

qualities of Darrius.

"Various degrees of DNA dilution. These are mongrels. Or as Darrius would call them, Gutter rats.”

Leyanne points out as Carmen and Sierra turn to human to join us. “Wings are common in pure, just

not so much in rats.”

“Meaning?” Carmen asks with genuine curiosity as her and Sierra find their places by my side once

more and look down at the mess at our feet with pinched expressions. The smell is so bad in here

it's hard to breathe properly and we all shield our faces with palms to cut out the worst of it. Not

that it helps much but it's better than inhaling ashes of remains.

“Built for one purpose alone... mass making an army. Lord Varro didn't care about the purity of their

breed, or even fixing out the flaws. He wanted numbers and feral instincts. The perfect instant way

to fill your ranks and create killing machines.” Leyanne steps over and prods one with her foot as

though checking out if it's truly dead, or god knows what witches do with morbid things like this.

She's a weird one even on a good day and seems fascinated to be able to inspect so close.

"So, not all vampires are like this... some are like that Darrius? More human like... less. Ughh.”

Carmen didn't get a good look at Darrius that day on the road, but I guess she saw enough to see

he was more like a strong human with toned skin and normal lines of a muscular body. She didn't

see his red eyes, and I doubt she saw that his fangs were more in keeping with a Hollywood

heartthrob vampire than these grotesque “Hills have eyes’ freaks. These have fangs which far extend

their mouths, much like the ones in the orphanage that day. While Darrius had tiny pointers that

slightly showed between his lips. I wonder if his can extend then shake it out of my head.

“These are not vampires... they're halflings. Don't confuse the two, especially not within hearing of

an actual Vampire. It's the worst of insults. I doubt you have battled a real one in your entire

existence.” Leyanne wanders around, stepping over them and surveys the damage around her with

literally no expression or care in the world. She's definitely not squeamish and the smell seems to

have no effect on her, given I guess our sense of smell is way more fine tuned than hers. “The pure

bloods haven't lifted a finger to aid these wars in over five thousand years. Lord Varro has only ever

used these rejects... that were once human. As diluted and flawed as you can get and nothing at all

like what I know the vampires to be.” Leyanne leans down and touches the naked foot of the dead

master near her and then rubs her fingers together like she’s testing something. I grimace at the

fact she touched it and has no way of washing her hands. “He's damp and cold and feels like pig

skin. I'm guessing it's a sixth or seventh dilution of genuine vampire DNA. They get worse the more

they create from one another. It's no wonder they are no match for wolves. They're probably closer

to human in terms of abilities, besides wings.” She sighs, seemingly irritated by this fact.

“You're saying true bloods are....? Stronger? Faster?” Sierra asks but doesn't finish as her words tail

off. I frown, looking from her, to it, and back again. No longer doubting what Darrius said in the car

and trying to remember what he told me.

“Put it this way. If the true bloods were the ones to stand up and take on the war... your species for

the second time in history would almost be extinct. These don't have their gifts... where do you

think yours comes from, Luna. Your strength, your power.... Did you never wonder why it in itself

was stronger than these creatures you fought for months.” Leyanne walks over the mess and comes

back to my side, making me aware of the complete lack of wolves in this space as we hear the faint

noises moving away. They are spreading out around the tunnels to catch the last of them and I can

still sense my mate within these rocks. Somewhere fighting to end this battle. Being his capable self,

while I stand here suddenly secure and no longer worried at all about our victory. Colton has always

been invincible.

“I just thought my wolf DNA made it so.” I shrug, only half invested while I link him to feel his

presence, but then leave him be in case he’s busy. Just feeling him is enough and his return second

of connection tells me he felt me too. We do this sometimes, connect but don't talk, just to touch

base and say “I'm okay’ and “I feel you". I smile, instantly warmed by the knowledge he's really truly

with me again. One word and he would appear, like he always does. I leave him alone, my silence

telling him to do what he’s doing, and I'll be fine wherever I am. No doubt his senses tell him exactly

where I am, and he will have had someone link him my whereabouts. I know Meadow and the sub

pack are with him, they won't be far from his side. He's with the most competent and is as safe as I

am.

Leyanne laughs, breaking into my thoughts as though I'm the most amusing thing she has never

known. Pulling my brain back into our conversation and I sense Carmen bristle with hostility that

this bitch dared to mock her Luna. I pat Carmen's hand and pull her arm into mine to make her calm

down. Sensing her softening but she stays put, and her glare stays stuck on Leyanne's face.

“No. Your gifts come from the source and trust me, as strong as you seem, you are way down the

ranks of what a true blood can do. Darrius for example... he’s a Shadow Knight, actually the high

commander of the Shadow Knights. One of the most ruthless hunting machines in existence by any

species standards. Him alone, could take down maybe twenty of yours by himself, without breaking

a sweat or wrinkling his impressively tailored wardrobe. Even if your alpha was one of them. So, it's a

good thing, he doesn't waste his time chasing wolves.” Leyanne chuckles, a slight sense of

admiration for that creature. “Probably also one of the most indifferent and cold bastards you will

ever meet, who has no time for other people's drama. I sort of admire him.”

The silence from the three of us as this sinks in makes it clear she has shocked us, and she pats me

on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. I swallow with a loud gulp, a little torn with this insight into

what half my bloodline is. Or why she even likes him.

I knew Darrius gave off weird vibes, but I didn't think he was this impressive. We have little

suggestions of Shadow Knights in the grimoire library, but the facts are so few and far between.

Hard to really say if they were myth or real, or just scaremongering from witches who wanted us to

avoid all vampires. What we did read had made them seem like Devils on earth and untouchable by

any species. If this is true, and they do in fact exist, that means Vampires still sit on top of the food

chain among all of us. Wolves always thought themselves to hold that title, but then our history

books aren't really honest.

“The lords and the coven dwellers with pure blood.... they stay away from any kind of people. They

like their existence quiet, and calm, and as long as their needs are met, they don't care what goes on

in the outside world. Their a species who have been around since time began. There's a reason

wolves’ dwell in the human world, never far from them, even if you try to avoid them in life. It's the

only way your kind felt safe to repopulate after the pure bloods left only a handful of you alive. That

long lost hatred of the species, they avenged what they wanted to avenge. Everything since has

been halflings created for personal vendettas by rogue lords like Varro.”

We all stare at her for a long moment in silence as it sinks in, what she said, and it makes sense. All

our lives, despite avoidance with humans, wolves populate near them, and interact when we have

to. We always find packs not far from human civilizations, yet no one has ever questioned it or

looked into the past to find out why. There are plenty places in the world where we could live away

from them, yet we choose not to. It gives truth to what she says.

“That's why you said I can end it. Because the high lord, he can recall Varro and pull him to heel.

Finally put this to bed.” I add in, pulling the conversation to something more productive as we stand

in this echoey place. It sends shivers down my spine being here, but I feel for now, it's the safest

place. While our pack scourge the rest of the mountain and catch their last drops of these mongrel’s

blood. They can't go out, so they're cornered and being wiped out.

"Yes. Of course, until the next lord finds reason to hate you. I'm sure with your species popularity

skills, it'll happen eventually. But Varro is next in line to rule, so maybe you might have peace for a

couple of thousands of years once he puts his own vendetta to bed.” Leyanne shrugs and dusts off

her dress, fixing her long black cloak and seems unfazed about any of this. I guess living for three

thousand years means, there's nothing she hasn't seen before.

“That would be nice. Maybe we might have a chance at something normal for a while.” Carmen

chips in and nudges me when returning figures draw our attention. We sense them, tingle with their

presence and a wide smile moves across my face as my mate's aura looms back in on me.

Wolves are pacing back in, smeared in blood and remains and I know without asking, because I can

feel it, that all the vampires are dead. All my senses, my connections to these creatures, they can

already tell me not one single heartbeat remains.

It's over... Really over, for us, here right now.

We won and our mountain is now clear of the enemy at last.

oo