The Alpha's Jewel

The Main Course

I always wondered if pigs thought us to be stupid. It was the dumb bored face they gave us when passing by, their snouts up in the air as if they thought themselves to be the apex predator. Of course, the pig at the center of the table could not possibly be having those thoughts at the moment, especially with those around him grabbing cooked pieces of his flex off his corpse.

A true tragedy. Pigs were not apex predators.

The estate was not so far from the nearest city. London was about two hours out, but there were many nearby areas to order a whole cut stack of cow, lamb, pig, dear, and all other sorts of meat you could get delivered to your door.

Judging by the well-looking seasoned ribeye stake sitting in front of me, Evander put a lot of effort into impressing the Turans. He, of course, did not bother to cook all this food. Instead, he hired a whole staff of professional chefs to cook and plan the meals and the desserts.

If the Lycans found the food delicious, then they made no show of it. I did, however, notice the looks they were giving the little girl across from me. She sat next to her father, minding her own and munching away on some turkey's leg. The large chair made seam even ten times smaller than before. We were seated at the center of the Master's table, made for him and the highest-ranking members of the clan. This table was placed at the center of the dining hall, while the other long rectangular tables separated around us. The further you are from the Master, the less you are to the clan. Meaning you were expendable.

Evander, to not offend the Alpha, had assigned Silas to sit across from him, while I sat to his right. The vampires who normally sat there were brooding at another table nearby. There was not much conversation going on in the room with everyone being so tense.

I glanced around the room, aware of some of the vampires' stairs on the little girl named Sandra. I recognized those looks as hunger, even though they had a bowl of fresh blood soup at their fingertips. A few did not bother with the bowl, while others drank and stared. I noticed one of the newer vamps, Allan, was staring and dipping his finger in the bowl of blood. Lifting his finger and tapped the surface at the rhythm of Sandra's heart.

He was losing control, many of them were. Being new and near a fresh body of blood could be testing it. The Lycans weren't so tempting to the vampires, their blood was too bitter and tainted for them. But I rather liked the taste of the wolf once in a while, sometimes more so than humans. Maybe it was because of how often I killed one, the thrill of the hunt.

But Sandra was not Lycan.

I understood the state some of the clan must feel about her being in the room, but I was not so certain as to why a couple of pack members were giving their alpha's daughter a nasty and hateful look. Or was that resentment? Either way, there was something there.

A weakness in the pack, perhaps?

This information was crucial if there was. Perhaps this meant there was disagreement in the pack?

Or, it could simply mean that the little girl was instead, a little b***h. In that case, I would ignore her.

It was a while gauss to assume that the Turans had the jewel at their position. But when you have been on a wild goose chase for over a millennium, you tend to just look in the most far-fetched places. In fact, a few months back, I thought of visiting my dear old witch in New Orleans, Louisiana. With it being so far from home, I thought a proper welcome was granted, but alas, Beatrix did not seem so happy to see me. In fact, with how old and fragile she was, I was afraid she would have died of a heart attack before I was able to ask my questions.

Fortunately for me, she gave me a lead on the jewel's whereabouts. Though I have very high doubts about this one. I have been to ancient Italy, the deserts of Egypt, and even beautiful Dubai searching for this gem but it has come to no end. And now someone wants to explain to me that the gem itself, after years of searching in the most ridiculous corners of the world, might just be a drive away from my home? In the hands of the nearest Lycan pack? Now that was just cruel.

Normally, I would have walked into pack territory uninvited, searching and questioning those around me. But, with me being a vampire and my trespassing unannounced, that tends to make Lycans just a little mad.

Only a little.

That gem was important to me, and if I had to kill others to retrieve it, then so be it. One way or another, the gem will be restored.

Unfortunately for me, ever since the Council and the Alpha King have made a treaty of peace for all clans and packs, I had to put an end to killing our foe. At least for the time being.

Therefore, instead of eating my way through the pack, I instead insisted with Evander that we eat with them. How ironic.

Evander broke the silence, "I hope you find the pig to your liking, Mr. Black."

Silas wiped the ends of his mouth with the napkin on his lap, "One of the best I've had so far. I did not expect vampires could cook so well."

"We didn't," he chuckled, "I have many talents, but cooking was never one of mine." He leaned back in his chair, "I hired a staff for the time being to cook for us. They will be rewarded by the end of tonight for their efforts."

The Alpha frowned, "You brought humans here?"

Evander grinned with a knowing smile, "Why, Mr. Black, I would never invite others into my home if it was such a danger to even bring them."

"Do they know the risks?"

I glanced at the Alpha. "If I did not know any better, it seems you are accusing us of foul play."

His face showed no expression. "I'm simply asking for the matter of the vampires being exposed to humans."

Evander's chin rose with confidence, " No worries needed. An Alpha like yourself, should not concern themselves with matters of 'exposure' to vampires."

"Actually, it does." said Silas, "With the discovery of vampires, who is to say that even the term 'werewolf' won't be thrown around the melting pot? In that case, it does concern me, Mr. Galanis."

I snickered.

Evander glared at me.

The Lycan from earlier, who had growled at me, spoke up. "Is it true that vampires sleep in the daytime? Or at all for that matter?" he said, changing the subject. "Excuse me if I am not so familiar with the knowledge of vampires. Sandra and I were having a debate earlier."

"David," Sandra muttered quietly, as if it was an insult to ask.

I grinned, "What do you think?" I asked her.

She looked at me with big eyes, not sure if she could answer or not.

Silas rested his hand over hers. "It's alright Sandy, she means no harm," That comment was for her ears, but in the way he looked at me as he said it, I was sure it was also meant for me.

I rolled my eyes, and for the sake of the girl's poor rapped beating heart, I gave him a silly face.

She saw the face I gave her father and smiled shyly.

David spoke for her, "She thinks that you guys don't sleep at all," he said, as if the thought was obviously ridiculous.

"No I didn't," she said accusingly to him. "That was your idea!"

"Was not," he said mockingly to her, though I can see he was messing with her.

"Was so," she frowned.

"Even if we are dead, we still need our rest, maybe not as much as the rest of the world, but we can do without a few days of sleep if we had to," Evander stated. Truly, he could not have been more excited.

"What he means to say is that I must not go without my beauty sleep. I would not be so madly gorgeous if it were not for my timely beauty sleep," I joked. "Evander, however, could use some work," I grinned at Evander, but he seemed not to like my joke.

A little giggle slipped out from the girl. I saw her true smile just then. It was oddly adorable.

Her father smiled at hearing his daughter's giggle. "Sandra had also asked me earlier if vampires had mates, just like we do."

She blushed at the mention of the question.

Evander sighed, seeming to get annoyed, "If by mate you mean spouse, then not entirely. A rare few choose to attach themselves to another for eternity with a blood oath, most choose not to. Masters of their clans are always recommended to require a 'mate' if you so please, but alas, many do not."

Sandra looked at me and asked, "Are you his mate?"

I stiffened. There were many ways I could answer that question. All of them being dangerous.

I felt the eyes of the clan and the Alpha on me, waiting for my response.

I cleared my throat. "No. But I am sure whoever he chooses would be greatly honored." If I was to ever be attached to that man, I would have to listen to everything he told me to do. Not because he was my spouse, but because that would mean he was my Master. Not many knew for certain, but I was not entirely attached to this clan. If I were, then I would have had a problem walking in late. The council had placed me under his responsibility as a means of control. But to be under the will of the Master, you must be a vampire. And I was not entirely so.

There must be some vampires that know, but to speak of it in front of Evander was trouble. He very much did not like to be reminded of it.

If Evander approved of my response, he made no show of it. Which could mean anything. It could mean he did not care, or that he felt the need to hit me. "I plan to choose someone soon but there are better matters to discuss." He nodded his head in signal to Silas.

The Alpha nodded in return, understanding his choice of words. "Yes, in fact, that is in part why we are here." He stood up from his chair as Evander did.

"There is a place in my office where we can discuss politics privately."

"That would be best."

Sandra went to stand with her father and as she jumped off the large chair, her necklace jumped out from under her collar.

I froze.

Seeing his daughter move towards him, Silas waved at Sandra. "I'm sorry Sandy, but you cannot come with me. Stay here with David and the others, they will take care of you." He glanced at me, "Along with Ms. Mila."

"Actually, she will be heading to her room for the rest of the night," Evander said, strictly.

I was slowly coming from my shock, but it must have taken too long because Evander said, "Mila, go to your room."

I looked at him, now awake from the shock. "Oh! Uh--but I'm sure that little Sandra would like a tour of the estate." I gave my brightest smile.

He shook his head. "No, not tonight. Maybe another time."

"Oh but Evander, I really don't mind--"

"I was not asking you, Mila, and I won't repeat it again!" he yelled the last part. His face revealed signs of impatience and something else. Something more deadly.

I stayed silent. I was in too much of a daze to argue. Everyone watched me as I quietly got up and out of my chair. Silas must have noticed my odd behavior because he narrowed his eyes at me.

I stiffly walked away from the table, my eyes trained ahead.

I had almost made it out the door of the dining hall when I heard Evander say, "I will retrieve you when I finish with Mr. Black."

My footsteps never wavered as the door slowly shut behind me. My legs must have had a mind of their own because I did not realize how soon I had made it to the stairs of my attic.

My footsteps stopped. The attic. Where my father would be waiting for news. News about the jewel. The jewel that had been hanging on a gold chain of the Alpha's daughter's necklace.