Woven Fates

In The Beginning…. In the beginning there was only land. It was vast and untouched and beautiful. From the land the Mother of All Nature brought forward a race of beings known as the Faeries or Fae. They were a beautiful race, ethereal and graceful, intelligent and thoughtful, shackled by pride and mischievous. Because of this, their creator decided a special gift was in order. The Fae would always tell the truth and never lie to any other. They would live long lives and be prosperous, surrounded by the beauty of the forests. The Elven God Freyr watched what had been created with great interest. She set about to create a race that would worship her. They would be strong, hunters and healers. They would be inventive and creative, and they would live amongst the trees and draw strength from the land. Along with the Faeries they would grow delicious fruits and vegetables to be shared with others who inhabited their world. Moradin watched on as the Elves and the Faeries began to build their worlds amongst the forest. He looked to the mountains and to the treasures they held. He would make a race of workers, those who would unveil the treasures hidden below the mountains. They would be strong and smart and savage fighters, able to defend what they find. They would create tools to protect all that was theirs as they worshipped their God of the forge. The Moon Goddess looked down over all that had been created. She smiled at the beauty and the promise that each race held but she also saw the flaws. She thought on this as she watched for many nights. She decided to create a race that would be fierce warriors. They would be mighty beings with the power of a wolf and the ability to transform. They would be strong as individuals but invincible when mated. Each wolf would be given space in their heart for their true love so that when they found each other they could become one. The Moon Goddess saw that her creations were jealous in nature so she gave them a mark to place upon their mates body to proclaim them a couple. No wolf would ever be whole without their mate. All the Creators came together and looked over their world. It was beautiful and peaceful. They whispered into the ears of the first beings they created and told them to rise up and lead. The first of each race would govern over their people. They would become kings and queens and their bloodline would rule for all time. Before long another world was created to exist alongside their world. Humans walked this world freely, taking over the land for farming and houses. The Creators gave their people means to move between the 2 worlds called portals. These races watched the humans as they built towns and then cities. They enjoyed playing practical jokes on the humans and their lore became known to all. But amongst the humans evil lurked, a sickness that had first befallen one man. A lust for blood and death. Born of evil the sickness infested his mind until he was led to drink the blood of other humans. The sickness would infest all those bitten too and before long a 6th race emerged. The humans became enraged by those they had named Vampire and began to hunt them. They formed packs and confronted them with holy relics and fire, beheading them and turning their bodies to ash. Religion had prospered and its leaders demanded these demons be purged from their world. One night one of the sick stumbled upon a portal used by the folk of the magical realm to move between the worlds. They travelled through into the world of the Supernatural. They immediately felt the power that enveloped this world and they became hungry for it. They returned to the world of the humans to sleep as daylight was approaching. By night they assembled those afflicted by this curse and they moved into the supernatural realm. The Creators saw what had happened and were troubled. This evil had the power to destroy all that they had created. They cursed them to walk the night and live in the shadows but they could not remove their sickness or their lust for blood. They determined that none of the sick should feed on their creations and that they might only survive on the blood of humans. The Faeries, the Elves, The Dwarves and the Werewolves came together to divide their world into kingdoms. They separated the land into kingdoms for each to rule over. The leader of the Vampires came forward and demanded land for his people. The Kings and Queens knew no good would come from refusal and so they cast them out to the far reaches of the world to live aside from all others. The Vampires were angry but they knew their time would come and so they waited…. King Aldrich was the 4th heir to lead the Realm of the Werewolves. He was a good and strong leader, fair to all. It was King Aldrich’s Grandsire who had recognised the leaders amongst his kind, the Alphas and granted them their own packs to live under their leadership and his rule. King Aldrich had watched over his kind as they had begun to claim land and live in packs, some choosing the human world to settle in. Over the generations since creation there had been a change. Werewolves who had remained unmated and lived without their true love who would complete them, had begun to move outside of their realm and look to others. King Aldrich had been hosted by each of the other realms but was still unable to find his True Mate. The supernatural beings still moved between their world and that of the humans. The human world had remarkable animals they enjoyed hunting and the kings would often come together to compete for the best trophy. They cloaked themselves to appear human so they could move freely amongst the humans. From their people some had emerged to have special powers. They controlled the portals, told the future and could do all manner of tasks easily. They were much sought after by the royal families. They used the beautiful horses that had been gifted to them from the Gods to chase these animals and often, after they had hunted, they would eat and drink in a local tavern while their horses were seen to by the humans. It was in one of these Taverns that King Aldrichs future would change forever…… As King Aldrich, King Robert of the Fae, King Ailwyn of the Elves and King Jaime of the Dwarves entered the Tavern they stopped for a moment as they adjusted to a more modern environment than they were accustomed to. Their world had not seen need to modernise, they felt that it stole from the earth more than it gave back. They did not often foray into the human world, but they have to admit, they brew a fantastic beer! They sat at a table attempting to blend in. In appearance they looked like any other person there, thanks to the cloaking spells the magical folk put on them, but other aspects needed some work – like jumping every time a phone rang. They also seemed to enjoy playing music dreadfully loud and this was not to the kings liking. A group of women entered the tavern and Aldrich’s nose immediately picked up the scent. His eyes widened as he stood up so quickly, he almost knocked the table over. “Oh no”, King Robert muttered quietly. “Is it?” King Jaime asked, looking over to where Aldrich was walking toward a group of women. “Id say so”, replied King Ailwyn. “Well, this ought to be interesting.” “As long as he doesn’t go all Alpha you mean”, King Robert muttered draining his glass. “Drink up lads, we may need to get out of here quickly”. Aldrich made his way to the women, ignoring the giggles and comments. He was easily the largest man in the room at 6’5 and was muscular his shirt gripping his body snugly. The object of his attention, a beautiful blonde woman, could not take her eyes off of him. He moved towards her, inhaling her scent discreetly. A low rumble echoed in his chest as he held out his hand to her, she took it, lost in his hazel eyes. Aldrich’s friends were still at the table, watching closely for any signs of trouble. “Aldrich”, he murmured with a smile. “Ingrid”, the woman giggled. He led her out to the small dance floor and brought her body in to his. They danced slowly, lost in each other’s eyes. Hours felt like minutes and long before they were ready the bar called for last drinks. They had not spoken, they had just held on to each other on the dance floor, moving mindlessly to the music. She felt it too, he knew that. As they finished their drinks, her friends called out for her to leave with them. “Bring your friends”, they called out as they headed for the door. They were waiting outside as Jaime dragged the couple out and giggled to see the two of them still held each other as they walked out. “Come home with us for a drink?” The women asked as the men piled out into the street. The men had spent enough time in the human world to know what that meant and they knew it would lead to an unhappy wife for Robert when they returned to their world. “Actually, we must be getting home, right Aldrich?”, Ailwyn called out. All 3 men walked toward Aldrich. “When can I see you again?” Aldrich murmured into Ingrid’s ear. “How about here, dinner tomorrow night?” she asked softly in his ear. “Tomorrow night”, he smiled as her friends dragged her away with them. “Mate”. “Time to return my friend”, Robert said quietly putting a hand on Aldrich’s chest. Aldrich looked at him, anger flashing in his eyes. “The Moon Goddess must have a plan Aldrich, but you have to handle this differently. She is human, this is not a situation known to us. Perhaps it would be wise to call for council from the earth dwelling wolves?” “Indeed”, Aldrich replied, walking towards the place they had left their horses outside of the town. A farmer allowed them to graze in his paddocks and checked and reshod them when needed. They paid him handsomely for his care. They returned for their horses and rode them towards the portal, their guards who had kept a discreet distance while they were at the tavern flanking them. As he reached the portal, Aldrich turned, wondering where his love was now. “What was that?” Ingrid’s friend asked as they walked down the street. “I don’t know, but its like I had been waiting for him my whole life”, Ingrid replied with a dreamy smile. “Oh pleeease”, her friend made a vomiting gesture as she opened the door to their apartment. “They all had weird names”, Ingrid’s friend began “But my goodness it was like the original all male review. Did you see the bodies on them? Even the short one was stacked!” “Jules please, lets not make this crude. It was actually really beautiful”, Ingrid sighed. “Now I am going to vomit”, Jules answered pouring herself a wine. “I’m heading to bed”, Ingrid said as she walked towards her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and began to undress. The moon shone brightly through her bedroom window as she got into bed. She didn’t see the stranger outside who had seen her leave the tavern with Aldrich. The stranger who recognised something she hadn’t. She was Aldrich’s mate. The stranger had become fascinated with her and Aldrich’s attraction to her. The curtains blew in the breeze as the stranger floated to the second story window to watch Ingrid as she slept. The Vampire, Hadley. Aldrich returned the next day to meet with the Alpha of the nearest pack beyond the portal into the human world. He had many questions about the humans. The Alpha met him just beyond the portal with his guards. Aldrich had chosen a small group of guards to accompany him. The Alphas name was George. He had chosen to move to the human world as curiosity about their lifestyle grew. While many were content to remain living in the lands the Gods had created for them, some did crave the advances the humans took for granted. “My King”, George bowed discreetly “Call me Aldrich”, he answered with a smile. George looked at him smiling. “With all due respect your highness”, he began. “Respect is doing as I ask”, Aldrich replied with a wink. They got into Georges car and drove towards his pack lands. Aldrich had never really gotten used to the speed or the feel of a car. It was not his first time in one, but they always turned his stomach a little. He was extremely grateful for the short drive. They arrived at the pack lands to see young children running around. Some were kicking a ball, some were riding bikes. He had seen those before also and much preferred them to a car. George called out to a boy who ran over and stood beside his father. “Sir, allow me to introduce my son, Jordan. He is my eldest child and heir to my pack”. The king smiled at the young boy. “Do you know who I am?” he asked. “I do your majesty”, Jordan replied. “Then do you know your father is doing me a favour?” he smiled at the boy. “I did not sir”, he answered honestly. “Then you must know this, I owe your father a debt you may call upon anytime young Jordan”, the king told him. The child’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Run along Jordan”, his father said, ruffling his hair. He gestured towards the house and followed Aldrich inside. “I believe you have questions about the humans your highness?” George asked. They spent the next 3 hours discussing the humans and their world. George used his phone to show Aldrich videos which fascinated Aldrich. “Our ways feel somewhat easier”, Aldrich commented when they had finished speaking. “Indeed they are sir” “Have many of your pack mated with humans?” “Only 2 sir”, George replied “But we are seeing more young ones searching for their mates amongst the humans as well. Many are seeking jobs or study in the human world and are interacting with them more.” “Is the mating painful for them?” Aldrich asked quietly. “My understanding is they still feel the lust and the urge to mate and when caught up they do not notice the marking”, George replied. Aldrich stood up from the table they sat at. He held his hand out to George and George shook it. “Thankyou my friend”, Aldrich said with a smile. “Now if you don’t mind, I need a ride to my date”. Aldrich arrived at the tavern and went inside. He walked to the bar and ordered himself a drink. He could feel the lingering gazes of many women from the small room but he had no desire to speak to them. He caught her scent before she even entered the tavern. It was his Ingrid. The door opened, the sky beyond it dark as Ingrid walked inside. Her face lit up with a smile as she walked over to sit beside him at the bar. Something was wrong with her scent tonight and it had his mind reeling. “Ingrid, has a man touched you tonight?” he asked quietly. “What are you asking me Aldrich?” she whispered. “Ingrid, I must know. Has a man approached you tonight?” “No, I don’t understand”. Ingrid knew these were the kinds of red flags that should send her running but she couldn’t stay away from this man. “Check the perimeter, I smell vampire”, Aldrich mind linked his guard. “Immediately Your Highness”, one of the guards responded. “I’m sorry Ingrid, there is just a man, he is…… dangerous”, Aldrich began. “Its ok”, she smiled. Why did she feels so drawn to this man? She couldn’t help but touch him, she just couldn’t help it. They sat at a booth and Aldrich immediately moved as close as he could. To his surprise she moved in to his side and he put his arm around her. A server came to take a meal order from them. Aldrich had to remind himself to order a human serve. He could eat his fill later. He leaned down and nuzzled her neck gently, inhaling her scent. He knew beyond a doubt she was his but why did she smell of vampire? They sat in silence, enjoying the closeness of their bodies. His wolf was begging him not to take it slow, to take her outside, take her home, take her anywhere but George had warned him he had to tread lightly here so as not to scare her away. They ate their meal quickly, the mere proximity almost to much for them to bear. Aldrich paid for their meal quickly and held out his hand to her as she stood up. “Your place or mine?” she whispered, gazing adoringly into his eyes. “Yours”, he replied, the low rumble in his chest echoing through her body. She shivered. She turned and walked toward her apartment which was nearby. She knew that walking alone at night was dangerous but surely this Hulk of a man could keep her safe? She had never felt safer. As they neared her apartment Aldrich lifted his nose and smelled the air. “Quickly inside”, he muttered as he linked the guard. “Where is he?” he hissed. “He’s inside Sire”, they said as the two of them walked through the door. Aldrichs eyes opened wide as he realised he had trapped them inside with Hadley. It was at that moment he heard a mans voice. “Oh trust me, you’ll love it”, the voice said. He heard a giggle and then the soft whimper. “Get inside NOW!” Aldrich demanded through the link as he took a step away from Ingrid and shifted into his wolf. There was no time to explain this to Ingrid, he had to deal with Hadley. He ran toward the bedroom door, knocking it down as he made his way through. He heard a scream behind him but he would have to deal with that after. He stopped suddenly as he saw Hadley, his wrist to Ingrids friends mouth, encouraging her to drink. Blood ran from a wound on her neck. She drank hungrily from Hadley as he smirked over at Aldrich. “Guess who’s next wolf,” he sneered standing up from the bed. Aldrich lunged towards him but Hadley was an old vampire which made him powerful and quick. He had broken the window and disappeared before Aldrich had time to respond. Ingrid had followed Aldrich into the bedroom to find her friend with a wound from her neck and blood dripping from her teeth. She looked at Aldrich, screamed and fainted. The guard had come running into the apartment as Ingrid had followed Aldrich into the room. One looked at his king cautiously. “Shall I pick her up Sire?” he asked. “NO!” Aldrich roared, scooping her up into his arms. “Get her friend, we must return”, he added quickly. “George is waiting outside Sire, we called him when you smelled vampire”, one of the guards called out. “Good, good”, he replied carrying Ingrid out the door. He saw George in his car waiting by the curb at the front of the apartment. He quickly put Ingrid in the back and got in beside her. “The portal George”, he said quietly. This is not how Aldrich had planned to convince Ingrid to be with him but he had to keep her safe. They drove in silence to the portal. Once they arrived Aldrich scooped Ingrid up and ran for the portal, George following behind. Once they reached the other side Aldrich shifted into his wolf. George helped him place Ingrid over his back and he ran towards the castle as George quickly shifted and followed. Just as they reached the castle Aldrich heard a maniacal laugh from behind them. He continued to run, he knew he couldn’t stop. As he ran through the gate the guard had opened for him he heard Hadley call out…. “You cant keep her from me wolf. She is my Beloved.”