the dark days (book one of the darkness saga)

Chapter 40 - Mother

Chapter 40 - Mother

Dameon POV

present time-

Its been three days since Alex and Xavier disappeared into a portal. I figured the best way to find answers was to go back to the town we all grew up in and talk to Mrs. Matthews.

I brought Max along to drive for me, Justin asked if he can take the next few days off. I said yes, of course. He and Austin needed some time together, newly-found mates often do. Austin was torn at first—his Alpha was missing after all, and his first duty as Beta was to be the acting Alpha. I reminded him that Xavier disappeared from our territory, and the first place he will try to go back to is the last place he got lost from. The logic made sense to Austin, so he phoned Crescent Moon's Delta and Gamma to take care of things back home, while he awaited for the return of their Alpha.

Austin also reported on their findings on their quest. I thought that the loss of their Alpha would be the more pressing matter, but to my surprise they were actually pleased to find out that their Alpha wasn't going mad—he was just being influenced by the Devil.

Austin made the call in my office, so I couldn't help it if I overheard. While Austin was retelling his story about the visions that the Elder Witch made them see, nobody sounded like they were shocked at what they were hearing on the other end of the line. It's as if Austin's story was just confirming something that they already knew.

Maybe it's because their Elders are really ancient compared to my pack's, maybe they had retained some of this knowledge that is lost to other werewolves? Anyway, what struck me was they had complete faith in their Alpha. Nobody questioned what he was on about and why he had a mortal Luna. In my pack, I'm respected because everybody was scared of me.

Maybe Justin and Lola had too much of a voice? They always seemed too free to contradict me.

Maybe I'm beginning to respect Xavier? —or at least I'm slowly empathizing with him. No, respect may be too strong a word. I still need to keep my guard up, he's still out there somewhere, alone with Lexie.

We have been driving for hours now, and we just drove past our hometown's welcome sign. It read: "Welcome to the town of Forkshire"

As we rolled down Main Avenue, images of a younger Lexie, Xavier and myself haunts my memories.

Flashes of us running away from the ice cream vendor, who Lexie stole from. Lexie, figuring out how to buy her feminine products at the drugstore while Xavier and I guarded the door, barring other kids from entering so that they don't find out and tease her.

Then the gas station store where we hid at the back, and I introduced Xavier to his first bottle of beer. We barely had a sip and here Lexie was, stomping in, grabbing our bottles and dumping them in the dumpster nearby. I never understood it then, why she hated it so much when we drink. I didn't know back then that drinking made her think of her father, and the last thing she needed to see was her two best friends do it.

I brush the hair off my forehead. Max must have noticed the change in my aura. He asks, "Are you ok Alpha?" as he turns into the more residential part of town. Lexie's mom still lived here, and from what I heard she's moved up—new car, new house, new husband. My skin still crawls just thinking of her. Perhaps Xavier's quest and mine don't differ so much, after all.

A few moments later, I was sitting in an oddly uncomfortable couch. It looked so white and so fancy, just looking at it makes you want to sit. Something you'd regret later on because it was just too soft, you felt like you're sinking in quicksand. The white leather irritatingly squeaked against your pants every time you adjusted positions to shift your weight.

I felt like everything about this place is meant to be a distraction, f*****g up our wolf senses. Max and I had our senses on edge since we walked in. The whole place just exuded discomfort and unwelcome.

Max mind-links me and states the obvious. Something is off alpha.

Yes, I sense it too. Be alert, and be ready for anything, I warn Max.

Instinctively, I channel my mind into establishing a mind-link with Justin. The gut feeling that things could go south anytime is there. I needed to at least let him know of our whereabouts. But I couldn't.

"Trying to mind-link to your pack?" The familiar voice of Mrs. Matthews comes from behind me.

How the hell was she able to creep up on me like that?

I turn around where I sat, surprised at what she just said. She had a wicked smile across her face and she was walking towards me and Max.

I slowly stand up and face her. She stops where she stands. “What do you mean?” I demanded.

“You really don’t think i didn’t know what you are? Or why you're here?—and I must say, you have grown up quite well.” the last part she says seductively, while she eyes me from head to foot.

The f**k? She checking me out?

“Um... Mrs. Matthews? Is everything alright?" I quickly think: This might not be Lexie's mom. Or—she is, and she's just like her daughter.

"Oh boy, stop being coy with me." She walks forward, slowly.

Oh what the heck. I won’t beat around the bush anymore then.

"Then what do you know? Where is Lexie? You say you know what we are. If that is true then you should know that you can hide no lies from us. Do anything suspicious and I'll rip you to shreds before you can even leave the room." I assert my strength to see if she would back down or press ahead, so we'll know what exactly we're dealing with.

I have no love for this woman. She idly stood aside as her husband took it out on Lexie. All she cared about was herself, and her status in society. Lexie didn't deserve to be daughter to this monster. My anger was seething visibly.

"Oh, Dameon. You have always been my favorite. You were always the more hot headed one. And I just love that in a man," She laughs seductively.

What the f**k?

I was disgusted with her for even thinking of me in that light. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I take a step forward, but some invisible force throws Max and myself across the living room and we hit the opposite wall.

What the f**k, Alpha? Max mind-links with me. You didn't tell me her mom was not human!? he continued.

I didn't know Max! I mind-link back. But what ever you do, don't kill her. Not until she gives us some answers.

“Sorry about that little Apha. I just needed to make sure you understand who you're dealing with. I don't want you to get any ideas.

Besides, if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have lifted the curse I placed on the front door.

I eye her and she continues, “Yes, I have no problem killing younglings.”

“Explains why you didn't care that Lexie was getting beaten by your husband. You sick f**k, she was your daughter!” I spat.

She tilts her head, “Is she? I'm a little disappointed. Here I was thinking you were going to ask me something more interesting.” She stifles a yawn. “—but then again, you weren't ever that bright. “ She frowns and pouts her lips.

My temper gets the best of me. I make a mad dash for her. At just an arms reach away, I freeze, unable to move.

She lifts an index finger and wags it in front of my face. “I’ve made it easier for you by revealing myself. We no longer need to go around in circles. So why the temper?"

With a wave of her hand, Max and I are seated back on the fancy, white, uncomfortable couch. She paces back and forth in front of us.

"Let me guess, you're upset because everything that Xavier told you that he learned from the Elder Witch is true; and you didn’t have the balls to believe him.

"And now that I’ve revealed myself, you're upset that he beat you to the truth. Like he beat you with her.” She stops pacing and looks into me with her cold eyes. “Thats why you're here isn’t it? Or are you here for a fight?”

Finally some answers. She doesn’t seem to know that Lexie and Xavier are missing. It means she's involved but she doesn't see whats happening. I could still use this to my advantage. She only knows we know because the Elder Witch brought Xavier and Austin to my town.

“So, you're a witch too? And working with the Elder Witch. How do I know what she told Xavier and what you will tell me is true?”

“You don’t.” she sneers.

“Why bother tell us anything then?”

“Because we do as we're told.”

“By the Fallen One?”

“Dear child, call the Lord by his name, Lucifer.” Her eyes turn into red embers.

“I don’t reckon you'll tell me what the plan is?”

She crouches down, her face inches from mine and stares at me blankly.

Had to try it. It usually works in the movies.

I eye her carefully. There was no point in asking her anything else that Austin has already told us. She just confirmed everything. So I go ask her the only question left that was begging to be answered. "Why?"

“Why?" She sneers. "You werewolves, you're so used to being around humans you act like them.” She says with disgust.

“If she is who you say she is then why go through all the trouble of making her life miserable first?” There. I asked it.

“Why break her?” She looks at me, amused. “Like I already said. Just like humans, you’ve stopped listening to those who have come before you. You've all forgotten the ancient books. So, you come crawling to your enemy expecting us to spoon feed you with answers. I'll indulge you."

"Your dear Alexandra, being the blood of Lord Lucifer, is an Eternal. She needs to be broken in. Broken, damaged, scared, and miserable. Just like her father. Her father's power comes from hate. Hate brings out the darkness. Have you ever had those Tootsie Roll lollipops? You need to suck on the top, and when the candy coating is thin enough, you bite down and break it; to get to the the juicy, gummy core. Same thing." She snickers as she licks her lips.

“You're disgusting.” I growl.

“Either that, or we were just being sadistic?" She actually chuckles. "Not a problem, because we got the result we wanted.” She slowly stands, “Now leave. I've told you all you needed to know because whatever you'll do after is inconsequential. We just love seeing you try and fail. Next time you cross paths with us, you can die."

“One last thing—she Lord Lucy's daughter, I get that. So what, exactly is Lexie?"

She gives me a queer look. "Here I thought you would have figure that out by now. She's Nephthys incarnate. Now leave!” she flutters her hands.

When we open our eyes again we're back in the car, and Max is driving through Main Avenue. In the opposite lane.

"What the f**k!!" Max exclaims, before slamming a foot on the brakes. The vehicle's anti-locking brake system kick in, and he's able to steer us to the side, barely avoiding the oncoming traffic. The other drivers shout obscenities at us as they pass us by.

”What the f**k just happened?“ Max was still breathing heavily.

“We have to go back.”

“Are you serious, Alpha?” His eyes were popping out.

"I'm dead serious, Max."

later that day -

Max and I have been driving in circles trying to find her house. But it's somehow vanished. Every street we turn looks the same, and every time we come to the block where the house was supposed to be there, another structure is in it's place. I even took over driving duties in case Max can see something I might have missed on the passenger side.

Fucking magic.

“Nephthys is the goddess of death. She is the mother of Anubis, the god of Death. Egyptian mythology, although the names are probably different for every culture. All the old gods, Alpha. They're true.” Max breaks the silence as I was driving us out of town.

I arched an eyebrow, “I beg your pardon?”

“Nephthys. That lady back there, the one who you used to think was Alexandra’s mom but turns out she isnt. She said, you know, that Alexandra was Nephthys.” Max rambles.

“Yes, I was there. I heard the same thing. I'm surprised you know anything about the ancient Gods let alone the Egyptian ones.”

“Not me. Google.” He smiles as he turns his phone to face me.

I keep my eyes on the road but I shake my head. Max has a good head on him. He may be a flirt with the ladies but he's quick on his feet when it counts. “What else does it say?”

“Just the usual stuff. Which god is who and what.” He looks up and sees me taking the north exit of the town rather than the south one that leads back to ours. “Where are we going, Alpha?”

“To my next lead. Xavier’s territory is just north of here, a few hours drive. His pack protects Forkshire. I was thinking, where else can I start looking for Xavier and Lexie but there?”

“How sure are you she isn’t here in this town? This is where she grew up.”

“This is where all of us grew up. But Mrs. Matthews—or who ever she was, gave it away. The fact that she thinks Xavier told me about the Elder Witch—not Austin—means she doesn't see what's beyond this town.

"That’s why when she cast that spell to make us leave, she sent us to where she first sensed us enter the town. Which means, Lexie isn't here. If Lexie were here she would have sensed her, and we probably wouldn't even have had that conversation with Mrs. Matthews."

“What makes you think it's Lexie who controls where they went?”

“I really can't be sure, but between Lexie and Xavier she is the one who possesses powers. Xavier is still just a werewolf. Where else would she take the two of them but to the place they shared together?"

"But Alpha, you really think it would be back at Xavier's? Wouldn't we have heard from their pack through Austin if so? It's a little too obvious. They're running away before demons start gunning for her. Where else would she go first if she's scared?"

I press on the brakes so hard that Max jerks forward with enough force that he had to catch himself with his hands on the dashboard, and my chest hits the steering wheel. f*****g hell, why didn’t I think of that earlier?

"Goddamnit, Max, you're a genius!"

I quickly change gears, reverse the car and make a quick u-turn. I slam on the gas and at the first intersection I turn a quick right.

“Alpha, whats happening?"

"There's one place Lexie goes to when she's scared. And only she, I, and Xavier know about it. Dive Rock.