Rose

Chapter 5. The Judgement

My father swallows, takes a deep juddering breath. He slowly walks towards Sy, I feel a small, cold hand slip into mine, Rose is standing beside me, her tears are little garnet drops on her face. “I’m sorry for your loss” she whispers. I know my brother will die for this, for the rebellion alone but the pups? I do not think there is a worse thing he could have done. I don’t know if James knows who did these things to the pups in his care. The vampire with him may not know the relationship. James will be worse than Ma when he finds out.

Pop walks towards Sy. Wayland beside him.  I know I need to stand with my father on this, how is it possible? But I’m still standing here like a lemon, holding Rose’s hand. No way I can move now. Rose no longer smells of burning acid, she smells of peaches and cream, lilac flowers, and fresh coconut. The wolf inside me sniffs appreciatively.  I’m supposed to be the next Alpha to this pack. I’ve trained to do this all my life. Gruelling physical workouts until I am the strongest, fastest, in both bodies. My education has been heavy, right up to a degree in management and politics from the top university in America. I’m standing here, 6 foot 3. Built like a line-backer with a serious work out ethic. I’m glued to the spot. I’m frightened of what I will have to see and do. I look down at Rose. She squeezes my hand. I take a deep breath, square my shoulders and stride across the empty space between where we had all stood just moments ago and where my father and Wayland have now almost reached Sy. The vampires have moved to the edges of the ground, standing between the pack and what is happening in the middle by the truck. I realise they are trying to hold the ground open, preventing the pack from moving. They are acting like police at a parade. I pass them, see Edward out of the corner of my eye, I give him a faint nod of thanks. I’m not sure what I’m exactly thanking him for but he accepts the nod with a dip of his chin.

The blow Pops delivers to Sy’s stomach lifts him off his feet, if he hadn’t been held by the guards he would have sailed backwards over the truck. Sy ooophs as the air leaves his lungs. Gasping to suck the air back in he glowers at Pop.

“Why? I saw you! Why?” Pops is shouting now, he’s really shouting. Sy head down but eyes up, scowling, glares at Pop.

“Because that is what I want! I want my own pack to do with as I wish! Not some happy families utopia. MY packs with MY friends! Doing the things WE enjoy!”

I think of those 2 little pups. Werewolf men are not built small in any part of our anatomy. Those 2 little mites have endured hell at his hands, and other parts. I do not know if they can ever be healed from this.

I walk forwards, stand thinking for a moment, Pops always says I spend to long thinking but I usually think of something. I re play all of the conversations, Rose and the other vampires stink because they are starving, out in sunlight weakening themselves further. The original deal was to give them the pack blood as rewards, it would make them almost invincible especially if they drank rather than transfused like Rose did. I look at Sy, the silver chains holding him in shape, preventing him calling for help, preventing him telling his new friends we have him, that we know.

I turn back to Edward, he’s the closest vampire to me now, “How much do you need?” I ask “how much wolf blood to make… to make you……” I don’t know what I’m really asking to make them powerful? Make them not hungry? Make them ready to fight?

Edward looks at me, his head on one side. Thinking. Eventually he sighs “Less than you think. Maybe a cup each. Especially if it’s……. Strong”

Strong. Pops told me to give Rose my blood because I was strong. Sy is my almost exact copy. A strong powerful male. I nod.

I put my hand on Pop’s arm. He can’t do this. He cannot sentence his son to death. But I can. I don’t want to, my chest aches. But I open my mouth.

“The vampires have come to warn us, to offer to help protect our pups and young ones. They have asked for nothing from us. Yet they have deliberately weakened themselves to come here. They have asked for no deal, no alliance, no assurances that after this we will not hunt them as before. They have made no demands upon us or our pack. They have humbled themselves before us. They were offered our blood and the blood of our pups by the rogues. They rejected this and came to warn us.” I feel Edward and Ptolemy twitch. I know they were happy to accept the original deal, fight us for our blood. It was the pups part that revulsed them but I’m happy to twist this slightly. After all they did come to us. “It is due to the vampires that we have rescued 2 pups, being held in the most appalling way and abused in manors that I cannot even bring myself to think of!”

“Ptolemy, I know you said that each vampire is an individual, you are not a pack or a clan, you do not lead these people. But will you speak for them as you did previously?”

Ptolemy makes eye contact with all the vampires one by one. And one by one they incline their heads in acceptance. He doesn’t ask Rose I notice and Rebekka is still in the Den with Ma, the nurse vampire is in the infirmary with James. Eventually he nods. “I am the oldest vampire here. Although most of these are not my turn I will speak for them, they will honour what I say, at this time.” The vampires nod slowly, some just slow blink their eyes in agreement.

“I will give you wolf blood!” I hear gasps around me. I will offer you the strength that will come from it. You said to have a wolf’s blood will tie you to the wolf until it dies.” He nods “I offer you my brother. A strong powerful wolf. Feed upon him until you are all equally …..” I don’t know the word “refreshed?  Edward said it will not take much so it will be possible to support you all. If more is required, we can offer the donor bags from the infirmary, but I do not know how that can affect a link! Once he is drained, he will die. You will not be tied to us further.”

Ptolemy, his eyes wide, looks at Sy, Sy’s eyes open wide in fear. Yup I think. You planned this for us. You get it first.

“I ask only that you do not warn those remaining of our fore knowledge. I cannot ask you to fight on our behalf. But I beg you to stay, help protect the pups. The adults can fight for themselves but knowing our pups are protected by strong allies will help prevent distractions. I offer my brother’s blood as payment for services so far and offer you the deal they made. All enemy wolf blood post battle is yours. That is all. But later if you need a pack to assist you across our territory, you let me know! I cannot promise more.” I bow my head.

Ptolemy considers my speech. He thinks hard, looking into the eyes of each vampire in turn. Eventually he agrees.

“We are grateful for your offer of your brother’s blood; a vampire bite brings a soothing peace – he will not suffer. I will personally ensure he does not remain after this. My friends will fight with you, the women will defend the pups, please gather them from lunch time tomorrow in a secure place. We will not need to…” he hesitates “feed again for months after such a… meal, your clan er pack will be safe from us.”

There is a deep howl behind us, James comes tearing from the infirmary at full speed, shifting as he comes, behind him is the nurse vampire, just as James fully shifts she grabs his arm, James’s shift pauses, he seems frozen. The nurse turns towards him, whispers something, James slowly returns to human form, he advances on his brother. James is now fully naked, his ripped clothing a trail from the hospital doors to this spot. He doesn’t care his strong body is fully ashy with anger. The nurse vampire is clinging to him, whispering, being towed along by his powerful body. He halts before Sy, still chained and held by Wayland’s men.

“Is this true?” James waves a hand towards the infirmary “did you do this? Ma says you did!” his twin lifts his head, Sy makes eye contact with James but says nothing, eventually his head drops. James goes even greyer in colour.

“You disgust me! You are no part of me! I hope they kill you slowly, painfully, and burn your body on the May moon fire! I reject you and everything you have ever been!” James’s voice breaks. His last words are a sob “You are no brother of mine!” he turns and walks back towards the infirmary. The vampire nurse slowly gathering his torn clothes as they pass them. Following like a little wisp of smoke in my brothers wake. I wonder if James has worked out she is 182 years old?

Everyone watches James leave. The silence is all around us, my ears humm from it. I hear Ptolemy take a deep breath.

“Is there a secure, secluded place? One we can take him” he gestures towards Sy “to without anyone overlooking us?”

My father speaks up I think for a second he will disagree with what I have said, but he doesn’t “The training ground. It’s an enclosed place a couple of football pitches long, its away from the pack. The May fire is in the middle at the moment. Place his body within it when you are done.” My father turns and walks away back towards the den and Ma.

Rose has joined us, she speaks quietly, her voice soft like velvet, a voice you could fall asleep to. A voice I don’t think I will ever tire of hearing. “I do not need this, I will go and relieve Letty from the hospital, I’ll let Bek know as well.” She turns and starts to walk towards the infirmary building. Edward looks at me, “You had better go with her, check on your brother” he says “We will deal with this.”

In the hospital ward the two little pups are resting on one bed, both have drips in their arms, they are still dirty and ragged, clinging to each other has offered them some comfort, they do not understand what is happening, after all James looks like Sy, no matter what we do they must still worry we are helping him.

Rose, quietly lets the nurse, Letty, know the plan, Rebekka is also there, still hovering beside Ma. My mother is in tears, she wants approach the pups but they flinch if anyone walks towards them. The other vampires quietly leave, it’s Ma, James and me along with Rose. Rose moves to the side of the bed, she checks the saline drips, each pup has fluid and vitamin drips. The tubes leading down and under the bandaged skin of the pups makes me feel sick.

James is writing notes and filling in records on the computer, Rose is slowly humming a dreamy tune, as I watch, the pups start watching her, they seem almost hypnotised by her tune. I have to admit is soothing. Ma has stopped sniffing and is listening as well; the soothing sound slowly fills the ward room.

Slowly Rose drifts around the room, she gathers a large bowl and fills it with water, carrying it to the bed she starts to wash the pups, bathing each one’s skin gently, softly washing the tear streaked dirt from their faces. As she washes them, she asks Ma to come over and look at an unusual mark she has identified on both of them.

Rose is concerned – is this a deliberate branding of the pups by Sy? Was this something else she should worry about?

Each Pack has its own mark. All pups will carry the mark – its like a birth mark. Ours is the shape of a leaf for we are the Wild pack. The two pups have a mark the shape of a spiral. They belong to the Shore Pack. A distant pack that lives by the coast. We do not have much dealings with them, they are not aligned to our pack boundary and while we may occasionally meet their Alpha and pack leaders at a big conference or ceremony, we do not have much reason to be in close contact. As such we had not heard if they had had 2 pups go missing. I call up the pack contacts on James’s computer. In Pop’s absence I call their number.

A female answers the call.

“I am Daryn son of Wild Pack Alpha Jacob, I think we have 2 pups here, bearing the Shore mark” the woman gasps

“The babies? You have them? How? Where? Are they OK? – Wait I’m transferring you to Alpha Carl now!”

The phone beeps a few times and then a gruff voice comes on the line.

“Daryn?  Carl! You have my pups?” I envisage Carl, he’s a strong Alpha, about 10 years older than me, a big solid strong Alpha, I have never seen him in anything but jeans and a button-down shirt. Not even at a wedding. I can tell from his voice he is sceptical that we have the pups.

“I believe so” I say “2 little girls, about 6 and 8?” Carl grunts. “Listen, Carl, something bad has happened to them. Really bad. They are alive but need their family. However, we believe we are about to be rogue attacked” – I decide not to mention the vampires for now. “We think it will come on the full moon tomorrow night. We were given the pups as a sign of good will from a family who changed sides.” This is getting harder to explain by the second. “Can you get here tonight? Bringing their family and yourself? I think we need to talk!”

The background noise around Carl’s end of the line changes, he is outside. I can hear shouting and a woman’s voice. I guess that news of the pup’s has got round already. Carl grunts into the phone. “We will bring the chopper. It’s quicker and if they do need medical help, we can get them home faster than driving – can they fly?”

I press hold and ask James. He says they can – they do not need to be sedated so a standard helicopter will be fine no need for a medivac. Carl says they will leave in the next hour and be with us in about 3 hours’ time over all.

I don’t hear her but Letty is suddenly standing beside the pup’s bed. She doesn’t have the acid smell any more, she didn’t really look as starved as some of the others before, I mean not like Rose did when she first arrived. But now Letty is looming, her cheeks flushed her eyes bright and he hair extra shiny. I wonder if all of them will look so much healthier. I quietly fill Letty in on the fact that the parents will be coming tonight. Letty offers to stay with James and the pups while Ma, Rose and I go back to the Den. We have to prepare for the arrival of the pup’s parents and Carl. This is going to take a lot of explaining, while we are gone, I wonder if Letty can sooth the pups the way Rose did but realise the pups are asleep. James looks perfectly happy not to be going outside. I know that he rejected Sy but it is still Sy’s blood making the vampires happy. Sy will now be dead, his body in the May Moon fire. Ready to be burnt. Ptolemy said it would be painless. I hope it wasn’t.

Ma, Rose and I walk back across to the Den, the big house has all of the doors and windows open and there is the noise of activity from upstairs. Apparently, Ma instructed that the vampires be offered the bedrooms, the females of the pack, along with some of the men, are busy preparing the rooms, junk is being moved, the bedding refreshed and rooms generally prepared. As we enter the house, I hear my father, Pop is speaking with someone I can’t see who, in his office. We turn across the main entrance. Pop’s office is a big room, Ma used to joke it was the Oval office, it has big drape windows with green curtains hanging from them, a big rug on the floor and Pop’s desk in not quite the middle of the room, the walls are line with book cases, the shelves hold not just the pack ledgers, the records of the births and marriages, but also huge scrolls of family trees, as is said before wolves usually have large families so it does take some keeping track of. Around the edges of the room have always been an assortment of chairs, settles, foot stools and such for when big meetings are held. Right now I can see most of the vampires are there, seated together around the rooms, a couple sitting on the floor, I don’t know if this is still a deference thing, a vampire hierarchy thing (although they did say before they have no structure as such) or if they just preferred the floor. There are certainly a few chairs empty. I draw one closer to Pop’s desk. Pop, Wayland and Ptolemy are talking quietly. They turn as we enter and wait while I draw up my chair. For some reason Rose folds down gracefully to sit at my feet. It’s an incredible boost to my ego, a beautiful girl sitting there like that. I try not to preen because that would get Pop into telling me off. But I do feel myself sitting a little straighter.

I tell Pop, Wayland and Ptolemy about the discovery of the pup’s clan marks, the conversation with Carl and that they will be here in around two and a half hours. I know the pups still need care but they can receive this at home with their mothers and to be honest if we are about to be attacked then 2 less to worry about protecting will help, along with freeing the bed up for any wounded we may have to care for later.

Pop agrees and they continue the plan for the battle to come. We say again the vampires do not need to fight and again they say the women will protect the pups, the rest will fight. However, they plan on holding off until they see who actually turns up. If no other vampires do then they will just protect the pups from the rogues. But if others of their kind arrive, then they will join the fight. I can’t argue with this logic. We will light the May moon fire and pretend that the feast will happen as usual, there will be no indication that we know the attack is coming. Piped music will be added to with the soundtrack of tonight’s dinner. The shrieks of children playing and the laughter of adults taken from pervious pack event recordings. But the pups will be hidden away, the adult’s acting as decoy and ready and we will see who and what turn up.