Blood Secrets

Leverage of Iron

The whole pack was devastated.

A few hours ago, they saw the vampire they have captured dead on the floor. According to Joana, its heart had been crushed from the inside. A witch's doing, no doubt. Hindi siya makapaniwalang ganoon lang kadaling patayin ng mga ito ang kasamahan nila. It would make a lot more sense if it was a vampire's doing because they're cruel in nature. But for a witch? The creatures that are responsible for balancing the supernatural world? He couldn't fathom just how deep their hatred is towards the Sylvaines that they were willing to do what they shouldn't be doing.

"You're going, aren't you?" tanong ni Joana na nakatayo sa kanyang pintuan. Napatingin naman siya sa babae.

"I have to, Jo. They have the young ones. The other wolves are anxious. Hindi rin naman ako papayag na kung anong gawin nila sa mga lobo natin."

Saglit na natahimik si Joana bago ito nagsalita ulit. "I'm not going to tell you not to go." She walked inside the cabin and sat on his bed beside him. Hinawakan rin nito ang balikat niya. She had been on his side even before he became the Alpha. And whenever he feels down, Joana was there. Even now.

Nilingon niya naman si Joana. "What are you going to tell me?" he asked.

"I was going to ask you when are you going because I'm coming with you."

"Absolutely not, Jo."

"Why not? Wala naman silang sinabi na ikaw lang mag-isa dapat ang pumunta doon. Hindi natin alam kung sino itong kakaharapin natin, Aedion. You will need us with you."

"Us? You mean you, Phil, Tanner, and Henry?"

Masiglang tumango ang babae and he chuckled in disbelief.

"We've been together since we were young. Us five. Hindi ka namin hahayaang pumunta doon nang mag-isa. Isama mo kami." Nakita naman niyang biglang sumeryoso ang mukha nito. "Nakita mo naman ang kaya nilang gawin. They're rogue vampires and witches. Witches could literally make themselves and others invisible. Malalakas sila kaya hindi ka pupunta doon nang mag-isa."

Aedion let out a sigh. "Fine," he said. "You four are coming with me."

Narinig niyang napatawa nang mahina si Joana. Bigla na naman niyang naalala ang mukha ng bampirang lalaki kanina. Hindi niya alam kung anong pakay ng mga kalaban nila sa kanila kaya iyon ang aalamin niya.

They heard someone coming at nakita nilang si Henry iyon. Kagagaling lang nito sa syudad para makibalita sa kung anong nangyayari. Ngayon ay nagbalik na ito.

"What did you find?" he asked as he stood.

"Nothing much. Vampires in the city are in hiding. Not all witches are siding with them, though," sagot naman ni Henry. "Totoo ang sinabi ng bampira kanina. The vampires are retaliating against the Sylvaines."

Natahimik naman siya.

For ao many years, he had strived to keep their pack away from the chaos of the city. With the vampires and witches, alam niyang hindi magiging payapa ang pamumuhay nila kung makikipaghalubilo sila sa mga ito. Lalong-lalo na sa mga bampira. Wolves are basically designed to kill vampires.

Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ng nagawa niya para mapanatili ang kapayapaan, nadadawit pa rin sila sa gulo ng mga bampira. Just thinking about it makes his temper rise. Nararamdaman pa niya ang galit sa loob niya. His wolf form is intensifying it.

Despite the fact that one bite from them could kill a vampire, they decided not to kill them. Dahil ayaw nila ng gulo. But now, the rogues are doing what they shouldn't have done.

In that quiet room, he swore to himself that he is going to get the young wolves back. Even if he has to kill vampires or witches, he doesn't care.

"They have declared war on our pack," he said before he looked at his friends. "Now, let's give it to them."

***

The city of St. Angeli never sleeps. In normal occassions, the city is still bustling. Ngunit ngayon, dahil sa isang selebrasyon, dinagsa ang kanilang syudad ng mga turista.

The Alpha and his subordinates walked down the road. They did not bother to conceal their presence. If the rogues are watching, then he plans to let them watch.

The abandoned townhouse is located quite fat from the central city. And since it was abandoned, not a lot of people go there. Maliban diyan ay napapalibutan na ito ng mga punong-kahoy.

The forest was dark but they did not let it bother them. They're used to the dark.

Itinaas niya ang kanyang isang kamao dahilan para mapatigil ang iba sa paglalakad. He started talking to them inside his head and they all listened.

May narinig siya kanina kaya naman agad siyang napatigil. He told the others to listen too but the sound was gone. All they could hear now is the noise of the bustling streets. Nagkatinginan silang lima at sigurado siya sa kanyang narinig kanina.

"I heard wolves," he said. Joana winced.

"How do they sound, exactly?" tanong ni Joana sa kanya.

He doesn't want it to be real but he was certain he heard the wolves. Probably the wolves that were taken from them.

"They sound like they're suffering," he said. Kahit ayaw man niyang sabihin iyon sa mga kasamahan niya, may karapatan pa rin ang mga ito na malaman kung anonng narinig niya.

"These blood suckers are going to pay for what they had done," said Phil. Kitang-kita niya ang galit sa mukha ng mga kasamahan niya. Maski siya ay hindi maintindihan ang matinding galit na nararamdaman. He wanted to wreck havoc in the city and make all the vampires come out. Ngunit alam niyang hindi nila maaaring gawin iyon. It will only add fuel to the fire.

The rogues have left them a message to meet them. If they're going to bargain, wala silang magagawa kundi sundin ang gusto ng mga ito. If he still wants the young wolves back, he will have no choice. Some witches and vampires are teaming up together. While the wolves may be able to take the vampires out of the equation, the witches will be a pain in the ass.

"What do you think will they be asking from us?" tanong ni Henry. They walked deeper into the forest until they reached the spot where the abandoned townhouse is.

"I don't know," said Joana. "But we will have no choice but to do it."

Napatigil sila sa paglalakad nang makita na nila ang lugar kung saan sila magkikita ng mga bampira. He listened carefully, trying to hear the sound he heard earlier. Ganoon din ang ginawa ng mga kasamahan niya. Ngunit maliban sa mga kaluskos ng dahon ay wala na siyang narinig na iba pang mga tunog. He wished he was just hallucinating earlier and that the young wolves were not made to suffer.

They looked around, looking for any signs of trouble. He turned to the side and then he felt it. The slight movement of the air and the presence of people in front of them. Hinarap niya ang mga ito.

There were about ten vampires in front of them. Hindi na siya nagtaka kung paano nagagawa ng mga ito ang biglang pagsulpot sa harap nila. It's one of their abilities--to move with lightning speed.

He could feel his companions' temper rising and before one of them could do something, he started to talk.

"I am Aedion Lestrade. Alpha of the Bloodbrook pack. I came here to take my wolves back," he said. Naramdaman niyang kumalma ang mga kasamahan niya. The vampires don't look threatened. Perhaps they knew the wolves are not here to cause trouble. Kahit ano pang galit niya, he just wants to take his wolves back. But if everything goes south, he will not hesitate to tear all their heads off. Even though there are ten of them against five.

One of the vampires stepped forward. Hula niya ay ito ang namumuno sa mga bampirang nagrebelde sa syudad.

"My name is Fidel. I lead these vampires. I'm sure you already know why you were called here?"

"We're assuming not to slaughter us because that would be stupid," Joana said and then tilted her head. "You wouldn't stand a chance."

Nag-iba ang ekspresyon sa mukha ng mga bampira. Some of them even got riled up enough that their eyes changed. Ganoon din ang mga kasamahan niya. The wolves' eyes turned bright yellow in the night sky.

Before everything gets heated up, he raised his arm and looked at his companions. "Calm down," he said. Agad namang kumalma ang mga kasamahan niya.

Then he faced the vampires again. "I want my wolves back."

Narinig naman niyang tumawa nang mahina si Fidel. "You will get them back. But we ask have something in return."

And that was what he was expecting.

"Sigurado naman ako na alam niyo na ang plano naming gawin, hindi ba? After all, you had one of the vampires captured and you made him talk."

"We did. Is that also the reason why you killed your own comrade?" he said.

"Oh yes. A fallen comrade. If we are successful, his sacrifice will be remembered."

"I want to see the wolves," he said. "Before I make a bargain, I want to see they are safe."

Ngumiti sa gawi niya si Fidel at saka itinaas ang kamay nito. And then out of the blue, the wolves started to appear in front of them. Witches stood around them as though they were doing a spell so they won't be seen.

He looked at the state of the wolves. They were still in their wolf form. He's guessing the witches are responsible for them not switching back to human form.

"What have you done," rinig niyang sabi ni Joana na nakatayo sa gilid niya. Alam niyang galit na galit na ito kaya naman hinawakan niya ang kamay ng babae, just to assure her that it's going to be alright. That they're getting all of their wolves back.

Fidel looked at the witches. The witches stepped aside as they dropped their hands. And the wolves started to whine.

"Aedion, please," rinig niyang sabi ni Joana. Binitiwan niya ang kamay ng babae at dahan-dahan itong naglakad sa harapan. She kneeled to the ground and her eyes changed. She communicated with the young wolves, telling them to come to her. Nakita naman niyang dahan-dahang tumayo ang mga ito kahit nanghihina at naglalakad papunta kay Joana. Feet wobbling, as though they had just learned how to walk.

"Why aren't they changing back to their human forms?" tanong ni Henry sa mga bampira.

"Well, my witch friends made sure to spell them not to go back to their human form. But of course, it's not permanent. Kapag nagawa niyo na ang nais naming ipagawa sa inyo, then we will remove the spell."

Nakita niyang nakalapit na ang mga lobo sa gawi ni Joana and she started hugging them one by one. He could hear the wolves whining and it pained him. He couldn't start to imagine how Joana was feeling.

"What do you want us to do?" he asked the moment he made sure all the young wolves are safe.

"Simple lang naman," Fidel said. "We want the Bloodbrook pack to side with us. If we're going to take down the Sylvaines, having the wolves on our side guarantees absolute victory."

"Nakakalimutan mong sa magkakakapatid na Sylvaine, may isa sa kanila na may lahing lobo," sabi ni Henry.

"Lorcan Sylvaine, yes. The hybrid. But he is only strong because his brother and his sister are beside him. Take the brother and the sister, and he is just an outnumbered hybrid who's going to die soon."

"What will you get from doing all these? You have taken our wolves. We lived in the mountains for years, not minding your vampire and witch business. What do you wish to achieve?" tanong ni Joana.

Nakita naman niyang nag-iba ang ekspresyon sa mukha ng mga bampira. Then Fidel said, "For centuries, we live in fear. The Sylvaine family were the ones who made us vampires. Kahit gustong-gusto na namin silang patayin, hindi namin magawa dahil sa bagay na iyan. If we kill them, we die with them. And then we found out the witches have the same sentiment. We found out that some of them hate the Sylvaines just as much. Kaya nagdesisyon kaming patayin ang buong pamilya Sylvaine."

"How do you wish to do that?" tanong naman niya.

It was then that a witch stepped forward. "We have taken wolf venoms. Together with his blood and with witch power, we will break the sire link. Kapag namatay si Lorcan, none of the vampires he sired will die with him."

"And what else do you want to achieve?" He tilted his head as he looked at them.

Ngumisi naman si Fidel sa gawi niya. "You are indeed sharp. Well, with the use of the wolf venom and the blood of the hybrid, we wish to make a brand new creature that will surpass the power of the hybrid."

Nagkatinginan silang lima. "You're going to make someone stronger than a hybrid?" tanong ni Henry.

"If there is someone stronger than a hybrid, it would be easier for us to get rid of Sebastian and Eleanor Sylvaine. Of course, we will have to break their sire link first."

The first thought that came to mind was that these vampires are crazy. The Sylvaines are known to be a powerful family and now the rogues are asking them to get the Sylvaines.

"So you want the wolves to get Sebastian and Eleanor out of the picture so you can get Lorcan," he said. Fidel nodded in his direction.

"That's right. And if you succeed, then your young wolves will go back to being human. Or if not, then they will remain wolves if it's not a full moon and only turn human when it is the full moon. It's your choice, Alpha."

Before he could even say another word, the vampires disappeared pati na rin ang mga kasamahan nito.

He looked at his companions. Alam niya kung anong iniisip ng mga ito.

As much as they don't want to get involved, trouble seems to find a way toward them. And now they are left with no choice but to go to where the Sylvaines are and do what the rogues want them to do.

Napatingin siya sa mga lobong nakapalibot kay Joana. He crouched in front of them and look them each in the eye before he said, "I will get you all back. I promise."

And instead of a whine, the wolves let out a howl.