Hunter and hunted

Retirement Part 1

~ flashback ~

Unknown P.O.V

I drive down the road one hundred and fifty miles, finding a small village, it was a slow drive, I could feel the sadness spreading more and more within Lori Ann , the radio on some random station being she isn't talking. "This is as far as we go." Parking just outside of a small dinner "this is new Jima, this is a normal village, no one here is magical, no wolves, vampires, wizards, or anything of the sort. Only I and the council will know where you are." She nods and gets out grabbing her bag from the back seat. Holding her bag in a hug she whispers "see you later." I jump out of the car, and wrap her in a hug, "I am so sorry this has happened to you Lori Ann." Lori Ann starts balling, "how about we get you some food and then check into the inn." She nods and turns, we walk inside, it's a cute little dinner, it looks to be an old fifties style spot and the only place in town to get food. A little old lady shouts to us "y'all can sit here at the front, unless y'all want a booth." We walk over to the counter and sit. "Well darlins, what'll is be?" We hadn't been given any menus so I ask "you do Burgers?

She smiles and nods, turning to the cook she puts our orders in and puts us two cups of coffee. "Y'all need anything just let me know." She walks away. Lori Ann sits there with her head resting on a fist. I turn to her " I know the answer but are you ok?" She starts balling again and I wrap her in a hug. Our food gets here and we eat in silence, we finish and I go to pay, I gather Lori Ann and we head out to this small inn, I get her situated in her room, "I don't know how things will turn out, but I will check up on you as much as I can, if you need anything mind link me." I cut both of our palms and press them together, the bond connects us immediately, I step out of the room leaving my keys on the dresser, I shift into a small bat and fly away.

~Six ours later~

I finally get back to the council chamber and see one of the members going through some paperwork, "is she settled?" He asked without looking up "she is, she is also torn up after this whole ordeal, she looks at it as if we have turned out backs on her." I know we didn't but I've got to get this out into the open, "your little friends are causing trouble again." He said it as if the twins are mine alone "they've served us for quite a while you know." He sighs "yes and that is what's troubling, they know all of our secrets, our weakness, do you think getting rid of them is smart?" I think for a moment "no but it needs to be done, its part of the prophecy, we cannot stop it." He bows his head and shakes it letting out a deep sigh, "fine, we will do it after the new council member is brought in tomorrow."

I leave to my office, entering I grab the large, old book that has all of the prophecies going all the way back to the start of the council, before my grandfather. Opening the book to the last page I had been reading I read to myself.

"When day becomes night,

And the old become new,

They will forget, and then become few.

The balance between good and evil

Will go to the dark

Until the time, they become marked.

"What the hell does this mean? I've figured out the rest of the prophecies, why is this one giving me such trouble and such a headache?" I throw the book back onto the table and head to bed, it is a long restless night, waking up multiple times, not being able to sleep for long. I finally get up and go to the kitchen, the council lives in an old castle that was abandoned after the last Alpha King's Luna had died, I guess he was so distraught over her death and so many people were trying to kill him he just didn't care about this place anymore and went into hiding. I hate waking up this early, in my baby bat pajamas I grab some coffee and some breakfast, sit and eat. As my last act as a councilor I made sure she was safe, but because of the prophecy I will have to go into hiding myself, not for my safety but for Lori Ann's, they will torture me, bring me back, and then do it all again until I talk. The future may look bleak for now but after those two become one entity the future will be bright.

I finish my food and coffee, and then talk to Jerry and Terry, the magi we have working for us, they are pretty much part of the council but technically have no authority but usually people don't question them. Few hours later the new council member has arrived, a beautiful young woman blond hair white eyes as she is blind, but can sense things as if she could see, she walks with her giant wolfhound, the size of a dire wolf from what the old legends say his back reaches around five feet high, as tall as most humans, black and white fur, silver eyes, and long fang like teeth. She seems sweet and level headed, I am really hoping she is up for the challenge. She passed all of the council tests so she should be but only time will tell. Jerry and Terry have finished the preparations for the ceremony, we've invited all of the previous council members, all of the Alphas and Betas along with their mates, sadly the only one who was not invited we couldn't, she is off on her first days in her new home. Sadness comes over me, " council woman Alexi?" I hear behind me, I turn and see our soon to be council woman. "Yes council woman?" I respond. "Are you ok? Are you regretting your decision about leaving?"

"No, not at all, I think I've done all that I could with my time here, after two hundred and fifty years it's about time to retire." Alexi smiles "well I am glad for this opportunity to show what I can do, and I know I have big shoes to fill" I smile back at her, "I think you'll do well, just remember, yes your title gives you authority but just don't mix your feelings with power, I did and now I must go." She looks at me quizzically " what do you mean council woman?" I had forgotten that she hadn't heard what happened "I got to close to fast with someone and I let my emotions get in the way."

I take her to the main hall to see the decor for the ceremony, as we walk in under a golden arch her wolfhound follows close behind her, the walls covered in each of the packs banners, the colors are vibrant, including our oldest pack, the sun moon pack, people have said how sun moon is a silly name but beings it's a pack with both wolves and humans we really appreciate the name combining both species, they could have changed it to the eclipse pack but with them being older than even the council, we really have no room to argue with their decision. We practice the ceremony for an hour or so, we take a break and go eat. For me it will be weird not being part of the council anymore, retirement practically means you are now a rouge, but with the ability to become a member of another pack, I have been trying to come to grips with this but I am sure I will become a hermit until the time is right.