Episode 8 — The Wolves Beneath Blackpine
1542 Words
The howling continued until sunrise.
One voice came from the northern mountain.
Another answered from the forest.
Then another.
And another.
Soon, the entire valley seemed to be filled with wolves.
But Silas knew something was wrong.
There were too many.
He stood outside the abandoned shed with Clara and Mara, staring toward the mountains.
“What does it mean?” Clara asked.
Mara didn't answer.
Silas looked at her.
“Mara.”
She swallowed.
“The last time the wolves howled like this, people died.”
“How many?”
“Twenty-three.”
Clara's face tightened.
“When?”
“The night your family disappeared.”
Silas looked toward the forest.
“So this has happened before.”
Mara nodded.
“And it ended when the fire reached the mountain.”
Silas frowned.
“What fire?”
Mara hesitated.
“The fire that everyone in Blackpine remembers.”
Silas's expression hardened.
“That wasn't an accident.”
“No.”
“Then what was it?”
Mara looked directly at him.
“A ritual.”
Silas felt a cold sensation run through his body.
“Whose ritual?”
“The council.”
By noon, Blackpine was preparing for something.
Doors were locked.
Windows were covered.
The church bell rang every hour.
Nobody went near the northern road.
Silas walked through the square carrying his bottle.
The villagers watched him.
But nobody laughed anymore.
The murders had changed them.
So had the howling.
Thomas Reed stood outside The Howling Wolf.
When he saw Silas, he quickly approached.
“You need to leave.”
Silas raised his bottle.
“Good afternoon to you too.”
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
Thomas lowered his voice.
“Viktor is looking for you.”
“Let him.”
“He knows who you are.”
Silas stopped.
“How?”
Thomas glanced around.
“He has men everywhere.”
Silas smiled.
“Then they should be easier to find.”
Thomas grabbed his arm.
“Listen to me. You don't understand what Viktor is planning.”
Silas looked at him.
“Then tell me.”
Thomas hesitated.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I'll end up like Garrick.”
Silas released his arm.
“Then you're afraid.”
Thomas looked down.
“Yes.”
Silas nodded.
“Good.”
Thomas stared at him.
“Good?”
“Fear keeps people alive.”
Silas walked away.
Thomas watched him disappear.
Then he whispered:
“Not this time.”
Clara found Silas inside the old church.
He stood beneath the northern bell.
She closed the door behind her.
“You shouldn't be here.”
Silas looked up.
“Neither should you.”
“I found something.”
She handed him an old book.
Silas opened it.
The pages were filled with faded writing.
“What is this?”
“My father's medical records.”
She pointed to a passage.
“Read.”
Silas scanned the words.
“Subject exhibits elevated temperature... unusual reflexes... sensitivity to sound…”
He looked at her.
“This was about me.”
Clara nodded.
“Your father brought you to my father the night before the fire.”
Silas's expression changed.
“What happened?”
“My father wrote that your father believed you were becoming sick.”
Silas continued reading.
Then he found a final entry.
“Patient's blood appears to react abnormally to silver.”
Silas touched the silver pendant beneath his shirt.
Clara whispered:
“My father was trying to understand what was happening to you.”
Silas closed the book.
“Did he know about the wolf?”
“I don't know.”
“Then we find out.”
Clara looked at him.
“How?”
Silas smiled.
“My mother's house.”
Clara frowned.
“It burned down twenty years ago.”
“Not completely.”
They reached the ruins shortly before sunset.
The Vane house stood at the edge of Blackpine, surrounded by dead trees.
Only part of the foundation remained.
Silas walked slowly through the ruins.
Every stone seemed familiar.
A broken fireplace.
A collapsed staircase.
A rusted iron hook.
His memories began returning.
His mother screaming.
His father dragging him toward the cellar.
Viktor outside.
Men carrying torches.
And the wolf.
Silas stopped.
Clara noticed.
“What is it?”
“I remember.”
“What?”
“The cellar.”
They moved toward the remains of the house.
Silas pushed aside several broken boards.
Beneath them was a stone staircase.
Clara stared.
“This wasn't on any village map.”
“It was hidden.”
They descended.
The air became colder.
At the bottom was a narrow chamber.
On the wall was the same wolf symbol.
Seven circles surrounded it.
Silas touched the stone.
A hidden mechanism clicked.
A section of the wall opened.
Inside was a small wooden box.
Silas removed it.
His hands shook.
Clara stood beside him.
“What is it?”
Silas opened the box.
Inside was a letter.
The paper was old.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
His father's.
Silas unfolded it.
The first line made his heart stop.
“My son, if you are reading this, then I failed to keep the wolf asleep.”
Silas continued.
“The council believes the creature can grant immortality. They are wrong. It does not grant life. It takes life and gives its strength to the bloodline.”
Clara moved closer.
“What does that mean?”
Silas read the next paragraph.
“The Black Wolf cannot be controlled. It chooses its vessel.”
His eyes moved down the page.
“And it has chosen you.”
Silas stopped reading.
Clara looked at him.
“Keep going.”
He did.
“If Viktor discovers this, he will attempt to awaken the wolf completely. Do not let him. Once awakened, the wolf will seek the blood of every member of the council.”
Silas's breathing became heavy.
“The only way to stop it is to destroy the original blood seal beneath Blackpine.”
Clara frowned.
“Where is the seal?”
Silas turned the page.
The final words had been written in hurried handwriting.
“The entrance lies beneath the church.”
Silas looked at Clara.
“The church.”
Suddenly, footsteps echoed above them.
Both froze.
Someone was inside the ruins.
Silas extinguished the lantern.
They stood in darkness.
Voices drifted down the staircase.
“Search the cellar.”
Silas recognized the voice.
Viktor.
Clara whispered:
“He followed us.”
Silas placed a finger against his lips.
The footsteps came closer.
One guard descended the stairs.
Silas waited.
When the man reached the bottom, Silas struck him.
The guard collapsed silently.
Clara stared.
“You could have killed him.”
“I didn't.”
Another guard appeared.
Silas moved again.
The man fell.
Then Viktor's voice echoed from above.
“Elias!”
Silas looked up.
Viktor stood at the top of the stairs.
He held a pistol.
“You always were difficult to find.”
Silas stepped forward.
“Where is my father?”
Viktor smiled.
“Still asking the wrong question.”
Silas's eyes hardened.
“What question should I ask?”
Viktor raised the pistol.
“Why did your father choose you?”
Silas froze.
Viktor continued.
“Because he knew you were stronger than him.”
Clara stepped forward.
“Put the gun down.”
Viktor laughed.
“You have no idea what you've involved yourself in, Doctor.”
Silas moved closer.
“You want the wolf.”
“Yes.”
“You've wanted it for twenty years.”
“Yes.”
“And you think you can control it.”
Viktor smiled.
“I don't need to control it.”
He looked directly at Silas.
“I only need to control you.”
A loud growl echoed beneath the floor.
Everyone froze.
The ground trembled.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Viktor's smile disappeared.
Silas looked down.
Something was moving beneath them.
Then a deep crack split the stone floor.
Black smoke rose through it.
Clara grabbed Silas's arm.
“What is happening?”
Silas stared into the darkness.
“I think we found the entrance.”
Another growl shook the chamber.
Viktor stepped backward.
For the first time, genuine fear appeared on his face.
A pair of silver eyes opened beneath the broken floor.
Silas felt the wolf inside him awaken.
His vision blurred.
His heartbeat became deafening.
The creature below whispered inside his mind.
Come home.
Silas gritted his teeth.
“No.”
The eyes disappeared.
The floor stopped shaking.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Viktor slowly smiled again.
“You heard it.”
Silas looked at him.
“Heard what?”
Viktor's eyes gleamed.
“The wolf called you by blood.”
He turned toward the stairs.
“Now you finally know where you belong.”
Viktor disappeared into the darkness.
Silas stared after him.
Clara looked at the broken floor.
“Mara said there was only one Black Wolf.”
Silas slowly shook his head.
“She was wrong.”
He looked beneath the church ruins.
“There isn't one wolf beneath Blackpine.”
A deep growl answered from underground.
“There are many.”
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