the dark days (book one of the darkness saga)

Chapter 38 - Vanish

Chapter 38 - vanish

Dameon POV

present time -

It's been a long day. I spent the morning consoling Lola's parents, trying to explain how she died in service to our kind. Then off to the sheriff and mayor. The fact that Lola died in the exact same spot where past murders happened raised a lot of concerns, but I had to convince them that they could still count on our community's help in finding the perpetrator. Justin has been a big help in handling the funeral arrangements.

In the pack, the warriors were the most affected. She was their captain, after all. The best in their ranks. So it doesn't come as a surprise that they want to take action. Not in a human courtroom way, but werewolf justice. I reassure them that we are doing our best, and I am handling things personally. I'm just glad that despite their anger, werewolves are wired to still honor their Alpha first.

Between Justin, Max, Logan and I, we all agreed to keep what's happening under wraps. It will serve us no good to let them know that the killer is the Fallen One's greatest weapon, created specifically to destroy our kind. It would discredit me as an Alpha as well. If they found out Lexie was the killer, because of my involvement with her, that could lead to my downfall. And if we're going to be facing against demons, having no leader will surely kill us all. We have to play our cards right.

All in all, the fact that the latest victim was a werewolf doesn't sit well with the pack. They all want blood. If Austin's stories are to be believed, they just might have their chance at demon blood soon.

- later, 3am -

"How many times do you need to hear the story?" Austin asked.

"As many times it takes you to remember something that would explain where they went." I say. "Or give up whatever it is you're holding back."

I've been holding Austin for interrogation the whole night. It was almost morning.

Austin was visibly flustered, but he wanted to find them too. "Okay, okay. I'll start again from the beginning.

"We were powerless against the Elder Witch. She knew we were arriving, she was expecting us. When we got there we had no choice but to see what she wanted us to see.

"She showed us how the Fallen One was an Angel. When he fell he tore off his wings in defiance. Werewolves sprung from the blood of that defiance. We were supposed to be part of his dark army, to go against the forces of Light.

"But the Angels, seeing that we as a race had so much potential, employed our ancestors to turn on their master in exchange of being able to live free. With the uprising thwarted, they were repurposed: they were charged with protecting humankind.

"The Fallen One did not take the betrayal lightly. Through the centuries he has been plotting his revenge on the werewolves, and his greatest plan was creating the perfect weapon that will destroy our race.

"That weapon is Lexie. It's unmistakable, it was her face that rose from the ashes in the fire.

"Then Xavier was taken by the smoke. He shared to me later that the Witch showed him how inexplicable events in the past were actually moments when Lexie unwittingly used her powers."

I butted in. "How can he have been so sure?" It's the same question I ask when he comes to this point.

Austin rolls his eyes but answers anyway. "Because the explanation fits. Xavier told me what the Witch revealed to him. Whenever he and Alex would get into a fight, she turns into a different person. Their fights turn really violent, and more often she's able to defeat him. While in this state, his wolf struggles to come out, but somehow she's able to bind the wolf and he's left in human form but with the wolf's rage.

"Being werewolf, he heals faster than her. So to everyone else—to first hand observers like me; it would appear like he was the abuser."

"Okay, that's enough." I hated hearing every bit of the story. I hated that in Lexie's eyes this will absolve him of all the pain he has inflicted on her.

I don't know how to feel about all this. I needed to find answers on my own. Despite it being the only logical explanation, I still couldn't just take Austin’s word. 

But there's one more thing that he should be able to answer. “So where the f**k are they, Austin?”

"I told you already, I don't know." Austin replies. "The only person who knows where portals open to is the person who cast it."

"You seem to know a lot about portals." I grill him.

"I only knew that they were getting sucked into a portal because Xavier and I got here via portal. So I kinda know what it looks like and feels." he quips.

“Then give me a reason to believe that it wasn't Xavier who planned it so he can take Lexie away from me?” The frustration was getting to me.

Justin walks into the room. “ Dameon, he's not lying you know.”

“And how the hell do you know this? Where the hell have you been? And why the hell are you on his side?”

Justin enumerates his answers. "A. Werewolf senses can tell whether somebody's lying. A skipped heartbeat, a hidden mannerism, the smell of their breath. Austin is not. He has no reason to. He's lost his Alpha too. B. I took care of funeral arrangements like you asked. Too many questions at the funeral how she died. If I had a podium and microphone I would have looked like I was giving a press briefing. But I had to make sure the story is tight. We don't want anybody with heightened senses snooping around. C. Because Austin is my boyfriend."

"What did you just—he," I point at Austin, "is your what now?"

Austin clears his throat. “Justin and I are mates, Alpha.” Justin smiles and reaches for Austin's hand.

Dumbfounded, I stare incredulously at both of them. "Mates? How? When?"

“As soon as I met him that night in the hospital. But since same-s*x mates are not common for our kind, the pull is something we didn't recognize at first. Then that night something made him go back to the hotel. He thought he was following something for his Alpha, pure instinct led him there. But when he saw it led to me, well, let's just say we figured things out privately.

"I’ve always known I was gay. I never had the time to entertain such thoughts because being your Beta is my life. Mate selection was never in my radar. But I guess I was wrong, gender preference does not exclude you from it.

"Austin here, well he was in the same situation I'm in. Being Xavier's Beta is his life. He never thought about it I guess I charmed him right out of the closet." Justin giggles, and Austin blushes.

“You're gay? Both of you?” I scratch my head.

“Is there a problem?” He arches his eye brow.

“No—I mean, I'm happy you found your mate. What surprised me is that you had to keep it from me. I love you like a brother. You're always there for me. I couldn't be the Alpha that I am if not for you. I just thought we knew everything about each other, that's all. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like you couldn't tell me." I walk towards them and hold out my hand to Justin to shake.

“First of all, I wasn’t keeping it from you. Everyone in the pack either knows already or is too shy to ask me out right. Heck, even Lexie knew. Its just that your too thick for your own good sometimes. Which brings me to my second point. I kinda had a thing for you all those years. I was pretty sure you wouldn't reciprocate, so I didn't even bother. Heck, that’s the reason why Lola and I butted heads.“

Justin stands up, grabs my hand, and pulls to me to a hug. "But I'm so happy you know now, and to hear that you accept me for who I am.”

Austin stands up from tthe other chair, growling a bit. His possessiveness was hitting him. Okay, so now I know for sure it's real.

I throw my hands up in surrender and back away. “I'm happy you found each other.” I put my hand out and carefully approach Austin. He shakes my hand a little too tight and with a frown on his face.

As happy as I am that Justin has found his mate, it struck me that I just lost mine. Again. I just had her back, I finally had her. And now she was gone. Gone and back to Xavier’s arms.

I take a step back and sit on the edge of the desk, feeling overwhelmed with my emotions.

“Dameon, are you ok?” Justin takes a step forward and places his hand on my shoulder.

“I'm happy you found your mate, I really am. It's just that, after all these years. I finally had my mate, and now she’s gone.” I close my eyes and shake my head, telling the tears to stay. “ And with Xavier no less.”

“Dameon, you have Xavier figured out all wrong. When I called you and you took Lexie—yes, he went after you—but that was his other self doing the actions. When he went back home he confessed to me that should Alex choose you over him, he would not stop her.

"He really means well. We went and did our quest so that whoever she chooses—she's doing so because it's all of her own volition and not affected by anything mystical or whatnot.” Austin tries to reassure me.

“That's what scares me. I'm not sure where her heart stands. Especially if Xavier is back, to 'meaning well'." I say.

"I'm sorry. Its not that I don’t trust you Austin, but I need to find my own answers.”

“You mean you're also going out and finding an Elder Witch?” Justin retorts.

“No, nothing of the sort. I want to ask my questions to people closer to home. I need to talk to her mom. I need to hear all of this from her. She must know something.”