Breaking the Bond

The Jade Moon Pack

“Oh”. Lexi averted her eyes looking at the man’s bare feet. That would explain a lot, why didn’t she think of that in the first place. The rapid healing, the mere mass of the man screamed werewolf and the fact he looked like an Adonis. She looked at the chains, they must be silver, hence the severe reaction on his skin.

“Oh?” She guessed that this was not the reaction he was expecting. The vast majority of humans did not interact with the supernatural world, living in human only villages protected by hunters, she was aware of peaceful relations between some species. Baal City was actually run by the Werewolves but she had heard that humans had settled amongst them and moved freely. The majority of humans keeping their heads down and even sought permission to stay on certain territories. This was primarily due to the fact that each species had very little interaction beyond business relationships and no wanted an uninvited guest on their lands. Keeping to their own kind ever since the Forgotten War.

Lexi's mind wondered to the old books she once read, two thousand years ago, a Great War tore apart the world. Each species trying to rise to be the dominate apex species to control and conquer the others. War rained down on the world lead by greedy, powerful beings where thousands of innocents had been slaughtered for power. A Treaty was eventually signed and sealed by magic. To say the Treaty brought World peace would be grossly incorrect. Over the centuries, the Treaty became lost in translation, small disputes between packs of werewolves, covens of witches and clans of vampires, erupted and the fear of breaking the Treaty seemed to vanish. Lexi didn’t understand how peace was maintained, in her old town she had to fight to survive amongst her own kind, history lessons were lost on her. Everything else fell away. The Forgotten War only teaching the new generation to keep to their own kind. This was her greatest problem she would face when trying to settle down in Baal City. She needed to vanish but she was afraid that settling down on the werewolves territory would bring unwanted attention. Her first task after her big meeting was to find a small pack Alpha and seek his permission to hide out on their land. She had the speech all prepared, even a change of name. She didn't want the pack to get in to trouble if her past caught up with her.

It hadn’t been lost on Lexi that the werewolf had yet to promise that he would not kill her. She had managed to get herself in this sticky situation. Although she did not regret saving the poor wolf, she was aware of the danger she was in. She couldn’t quite understand why she did not feel overwhelming fear. If anything she felt drawn to the wolf. A heavy sigh broke from her lips.

When she looked to the wolf it was clear he was waiting for an explanation as to why she did not back way, scared when he mentioned the fact that he was a werewolf or at least lower her eyes in submission, that would have been the appropriate way for the human to act. Truth was she had no idea why she felt so comfortable and unafraid of the wolf, maybe she feared her own kind more. She would never admit that though. May be explaining her immersed life in the supernatural world would be a sufficient reason for her unusual behaviour.

“My town borders that of a clan of pure blood vampires. My family donate blood and my dad is, was, super intelligent, he was chosen to be their lawyer so I was always playing in the Manor.” Lexi fiddled with her hands. “They have a young vampire prince who became my friend, he thought I may be the one, you know, THE ONE, but when I turned 18, it was clear, that we were just friends. He just loved having me around, so he used to let me read their history books, while he fed.” She sighed, leaving out all the darkness from her story made it sound quite cute, losing herself in her thoughts, the werewolf opposite did not speak, he just continued to observe the interesting little human.

“The Vampire King grew fond of my father and trusted him. They became close friends and my father a trusted employee.” Her words were neither lies nor full of truths. Half-truths laced with hidden memories. She grimaced, reminiscing the time she spent in the Manor and only smiling when a fond memory burst into her mind of the scolding her friend had when his father, the vampire king, found out that he let her in their library. It was mainly due to her friends face. He did not take his father too seriously. She knew it was an unwritten rule that no species should carry any literature on the other, yet they had books on every species. If anyone found out, then this could be an act of war. Each species kept their own history, their own truths and they preferred to co-exist being ignorant of the other species.

“You lived with vampires and you let them touch you”. Lexi shivered at his disdain. She knew all to well the stigma that came from being a blood sack for the vampires; even in her own community most humans shunned families that helped the vampires. Live prey was always preferable compared to the blood bank and she only let her friend feed from her, no one else, well apart from that one time. She quickly shock her head wanting to bury that specific memory. Lexi had never seen the issue with her friend feeding fro her; he had always sought permission. No permission, no blood. Did she just place her only friend in danger? He had helped her with the escape plan after all. Then she remembered that her friend had manipulated her, willing her to forget the town name, the clan’s identity and their names. Even if the werewolf wanted to know who they were, she couldn’t tell him. The only way she could get to her home town was when her friend stated a specific word or came to collect her. This was all part of the plan and why she had traveled separate from her co- worker, if she was caught then she could simply claim amnesia. She had once begged her friend to erase all the bad memories, they had tried but the memories were too painful. Even if the mind did not remember the body did. Lexi would feel waves of unexplained pain. Confusion and fear would render her unconscious. At least with her memories intact she could bury them deep in her mind. When they had been blocked she feared everything and everyone, even her one friend. Keeping down food and water became an issue. Her friend had no option but to let her memories invade her once again, to be locked away in darkest realm of her conscious.

“Anyway, I know a little about your kind. So what I really need to know is your name and how to get you home”. Well she knew the basics and even if he wanted her to fear him, she had battled far more gruesome monsters before, he looked like a puppy compared to that monster. "Then I’ll be on my way", she smirked at herself. He was a lone wolf and she couldn’t really feel his aura so from her book she assumed that he was maybe a low rank wolf. Still she knew that he could do her damage but at least she wouldn’t have to deal with a dominant wolf that could use his aura to make her submit to him.

“Ryan”.

“hhmm?”

“That's my name”.

“Ok. Ryan. I...ummm guess...oh... we need to get you back to your hom.... pack. Bet your A....Alpha will be pleased. Plus we can tell him of their hide away”. Her lips formed a straight line on her face, an attempt to smile as she gestured toward the other cabin.

Lexi glanced through the window across to the empty cabin that she had locked back up. Before she had left she smashed the window at the back of the cabin to make it look like their prisoner escaped. She needed to get him to safety, then she wanted to get back to her escape plan, she needed to get lost in the population, undetected and vanish from her world. They also needed to move, this is the first place that those hunters would look. They were already wasting time. Even though it felt like ages, only 10 minutes had passed since they left the creepy cabin.

“I am the Alpha”. His words dripped with power.

Lexis eyes widened and her breath stuck in the back of her throat. “What?!”

“My name is Alpha Ryan of the Jade Moon pack”.

A burst of energy hit her like a hard slap in the face, he had been hiding his aura, how? This wasn't in any of the books she read. Confused, she just stared at the werewolf. Fear crept into her bones, like vines wrapped round old stone houses. She had heard stories of the Alphas. They demanded respect and discipline. They were ruthless and cunning. Killed without any fear or conscience. Strong Alphas challenged the weak and killed them, taking their pack and riches. They were the biggest wolf, strongest fighter and had the command of the pack. If that didn’t terrify you, Lexi was fully aware of the south west Jade Moon packs reputation. They were blood thirsty, cruel and fierce. Jade Moon was one of the largest packs in Baal City and one of the two that she was going to avoid if possible. Lexi was fully aware that 12 packs settled within the large city. Each pack offering its own culture and treasures. She had hoped to explore all they had to offer but she knew to steer clear south west pack or the far north pack, that would bring her to much attention. She was completely lost in her thoughts, forgetting that the man in front of her was one of the tyrant leaders of the city.

Guess she had something to fear right now.

“You are telling me those hunters managed to track and capture an Alpha?! Are you serious...” the last words barely whispered, she had underestimated the hunters abilities. She was freaking out, hunters despised any humans that freely interacted with other species, well that's what she heard. The Alpha was the power cell of the pack. His wolves would protect him but he would be strong enough to take down a town of humans. Yet it only took 6 hunters. “What...I mean how?!” She rapidly blinked at him open mouthed.

“I was set up. I wanted to look into the eye of the one who betrayed me before I killed them all”. A growl shock the cabin. An angry Alpha sat opposite her. Now she wanted to hide. Still confused she eyed the Alpha, according to the books, even though she was a human, she should still be able to feel his aura in abundance but it barely tickled her.

“y…yo…You mean….you mean by another...wolf... werewolf”. She could only stutter.

“Yes. Hunters are stronger than your average human. I could have killed them but I decided to let them take me to their leader”. The wolf stared at the shocked human.

“Oh… and I…I umm… I mes....messed up your plan”. A low menacing growl was the initial answer.

“Stop stuttering. No. They used something against me. I thought it was wolfsbane but it felt different. All my heightened senses were taken away. My wolf confused”. His brow knitted together, as if trying to solve a great mystery.

“Wolfsbane…that…ummm… only burns you, right. Puts you in a drunk like state”. He nodded, his moss green eyes boring into hers. “I assume that's what was…is…ummm on your shirt”. She didn’t wait for his answer. “Never heard of a drug for werewolves”. And why would she, she was a human, a weak insignificant one at that who didn't even know the true extent to the werewolf's abilities. Lexi just couldn’t help herself. She wanted to help this terrifying Alpha, there was no logic to her behaviour. She should be getting out, running away.

“No. Me neither and it was injected. It also took away my pain threshold. I can bath in wolfsbane for hours without it affecting me but that drug...”. Ryan looked lost and concerned before resuming to his dark terrifying face. This was definitely a big problem for the werewolf community.

This was a mystery that needed to be solved another day. Not in the cabin opposite the Hunters hide out. “Ok. Well Ryan w...”

“Alpha Ryan”. His chest rose and puckered, his wolf proud.

Lexi c****d her eyebrow up at the werewolf.

“Now you know my true identity. You should call me by my true name”.

“Seriously?”

“Deadly”.

The clang of chains brought Lexi back from her inner turmoil of how to deal with the supposedly terrifying, arrogant wolf. The mighty Alpha had regained his sense and strength easily breaking the silver chains. Lexi watched in amazement as his red raw wrists started to heal right in front of her eyes.

“Amazing”. Her murmur did not go unnoticed to the Alpha who had his own issues but Lexi became acutely aware she was now in a room with an unchain tyrant Alpha.