Rose

Chapter 4. The truth

Before the vehicle has actually halted the doors are opening. 2 of his men get out. They are carrying little bundles wrapped in jackets and shirts. 2 little pups, girls, their little faces streaked with tears and dirt. They can't be older than 6 or 8. The men carrying them look like thunder. James leaps to his feet. "This way!" he commands, heading towards the pack infirmary. A female vampire from the middle of the group unfurls herself and glides towards James

"Let me help, I've been a nurse since The Crimea" she says. James looks at her, nods and starts almost running after Wayland's guys, both already striding to the building James runs faster to get there before them. The vampire glides beside him showing no effort in keeping up.

The Crimea? I struggle, European battles were never my strong point. Wait. Crimea was... was.... Florence Nightingale, 1850.... 1850...something. That girl has been a nurse since nurses first started? She's probably the best help James could have.

I turn back to Wayland. He's assessing the new threat. Vampires, many of them. But no fighting. Mom is now sobbing deeply after the sight of those 2 little pups, she is leaning into Rebekka, the vampire has an unsure look on her face but is making hush noises and rubbing circles onto mom's back. Just as you do to calm a pup. Rebekka is shooting side looks at her mate.

My father stands, he holds out his hand to Ptolemy, "stand with me," he says "we stand together now" the vampires all slowly rise. The wolves rise, the pack stands in shock. "Your information was correct" my father says sadly. The bald vampire nods. He doesn't look happy by this.

"Report Wayland!" my father commands. Wayland doesn't move. He's looking up at the sky, blinking and holding his bottom lip between his teeth. He takes a deep breath but doesn't meet my father's gaze.

"It was as you said, we got to the house, he didn't want to let us in, originally, but we broke the door down. The pups were upstairs." he stops. His voice is low, deep and breaking. I glance around. Many of the vampires have blood tears running down their faces. Ruby drops and streaks. Even the English Edward has them. I thought the English were reserved, didn’t show emotion?

"Continue!" my father barks. I jump at his tone.

Wayland says nothing. "We need to hear! The Pack needs to hear!"

Wayland glances at my father, his face very unsure. Eventually he says, a low quiet voice, but, in the still air everyone can hear him. The vampires don’t even seem to breathe.

"They were chained to beds, face down, naked. There was blood!" he says no more. The wolves of the pack are shocked. Snarling towards the truck.

My father swallowed, a queezy look on his face.

"Did you bring him?" Wayland nods, signalling to the 2 remaining men to get the body lying in the trunk bed of the truck out.

It's Sy.

My younger brother. He's chained in silver. His eyes defiant, staring at us all.

My mother howls. And then I hear it, the c***k and pop of her change, in a split second she is racing at Sy. She's rabid, her mouth foaming. Everyone is frozen. Pop, Wayland, me, the guards holding Sy. Suddenly Rebekka is ahead of Ma, as Ma leaps to rip Sy's throat out Rebekka catches her, as easy as catching a pup off a trampoline. Turns her around and holds her.

I can't hear what Rebekka says to Ma. Ma is whimpering, her head in Rebekka's lap. I just hear her last words "You will never forgive yourself if you do this!”

Ma slowly stands up, she is trembling her ruff of fur is standing fully up, we are not standard sized wolves, as werewolves we are bigger than even a wild male. Rebekka doesn’t look more than maybe 5 foot 4. Possibly a size 6 on a bad day. How she caught and controlled Ma’s wolf at her size I do not know. I also don’t know how Rebekka got ahead of Ma. I never saw her move, one second she was here kneeling in shock and the next catching Ma as the jumped at Sy. Rebekka gathers a little bundle of something from the ground and allows Ma’s wolf to walk though the groups to the den. Ma’s head is low but somehow Rebekka makes it seem as though she is following a great leader, a slave or servant to a strong master. The bundle she is carrying are Ma’s shredded clothes. So not only did Rebekka beat Ma to Sy, she had time to gather and neatly fold Ma’s clothes and even gather her jewellery? Ma walks into the den and Rebekka follows, carefully shutting the door. There is utter silence in the pack.