Mixed Blood

Chapter 1

5:45 in the evening. Home, at last, was all Nicole could think about. It has been a busy week and it had finally come to an end. Nothing she craved for right now more than a hot shower and an early date with her bed. But nothing could have ever prepared her for the uninvited guest she was about to meet.

Freddie pulled up in her driveway and got out fast to open the door for her, then he reached for Nicole's shopping bags. Nicole looked towards the house and frowned.

"Someone is inside, Freddie. Wait."

Freddie acted as if he did not hear her because he knew who was inside the house. Hands loaded with her bags, he moved towards the house leaving her in the car. Nicole tried to look within her to see who it was. "I can't see whoever it is." Realization hits her. "Mom." Freddie opened the door and disappeared inside. She slammed the car door and stormed towards the house, ready for a fight.

Freddie is kneeling before Alex who is in her early fifties by appearance but has seen many wars from the time of Jesus till date.

There is an air of majesty around her and a striking resemblance to Nicole.

"Mom! you have to stop coming to my house unannounced. So, Freddie, you knew she was around? That is why you were no bothered."

"Yes, I knew she was coming. I told her to come Nicole."

"You mean uninvited. You need a mate, that is when you can use your inner eye to see me and your father. And the telepathic communication?" Alex asked.

"At least that still works and I can see my enemies just fine, except you and dad. And I know you are not planning to kill your only child. I guess I am fine. I don't need a mate."

"Nicole, I didn't come here to fight you. I came because Freddie raised an important concern about you. I can't be worried about your father's whereabouts and you too. Why did stop feeding?"

"I feed. Freddie mind your business. Mom, what do you mean about dad's whereabouts? He was in the office a week ago, and he said something about going to Puerto Rico with you."

"Your father and I have not seen or spoken to over two months, his life is in danger. The elder Gamma has written a petition against him, thanks to your uncle. What did he take from the office?"

"I don't know. I left immediately, I had a meeting. Why didn't he tell me he was getting threats?"

"He is trying to protect us. you. Nicole, I need you to feed, there is a war coming, he will die if you don't fight beside him, you know he is getting older and we need you to complete your alpha bond to take his place, your and your mate."

"Can't you locate him with your eyes or communicate with him? We need to find him before they do."

"I can't, he keeps blocking me out, if you have mated with Nato, you alone can find him, we can't block you out even if we want to, only a mate can."

"There has to be another way. Nato is not strong enough to be my mate and you know I am not just a Beta, I am two in one. I have to get my true alpha. I can't link with a weak person, they will be my weakness. My uncle is an Omega, what right does he have to raise a quarrel against my father?"

"He might be an Omega but he doesn't see himself like that, now that he controls your father's Epsilon. He thinks he is supposed to be the Alpha of the pack."

"He can't ascend that throne, not when I'm alive or dad is alive.'

"True. That's why I need you to feed. So tell me why haven't you been feeding?

"The blood is not right, I can't get blood zero anymore and the rest makes me sick and drowsy."

Alex turned to Freddie. "Do something about that fast."

"Yes, my Queen."

"You have the most beautiful gold eyes but now it looks weak. You are haven't fed for a long time. I love you. Feed."

"I love you, mom."

Nicole hugs her mother, after a while, there is a space where her mother was.

"I think she has gone." Whispered Freddie.

"Shhh. I know." She still stands there still hugging the air.

Freddie quietly walks out, and gets into the car, and drives away.

***

Michael has been hiding in the caves close to his pack for months but they couldn't smell him. Those were the advantages of being an Alpha. You could attack your enemy without them seeing you. The Afgan pack stays around the river banks at the extreme edge of the lower river forest where they prey mostly on animals, killing humans was prohibited but Thoros killed them anyway. Afgan pack fancied themselves as being the true wolf breed, although red wolves were royal wolves and only them could ascend the throne. Therefore, most firstborn males from a royal family were Red wolves. But here he was, a second-born child and an Alpha of his pack. White wolves were the Luna gods themselves and were never born by wolves. But here he was with a crossbreed child who was not just a white wolf but was a red wolf too. Firstborn females from any wolf family were mostly Beta who mated with Alpha's but Luna was not a Beta. She was half Alpha and half Beta. Black wolves were the Epsilon, the Alpha's royal army. Most royal Alphas lived longer than their pack, they live for a very long time not up to vampires but an Alpha could live up to 2000 years, to 3000 years with which he and the mate could produce an heir. The Oldest Alpha has been his grandfather at 5000 years old, even his son Michael's dad died before him. No matter what color or species, the Afgan pack forbade cross-breeding like the Korean people. The Afgan pack is made up of mostly gold, black, and grey wolves. He was worried about his daughter, she had two species in her, the Alpha Luna and her Beta. And by the time her mate came, which was any moment from now, he could feel it. She would take over the pack, it won't be easy but she was capable. Vampires were hated in his pack more than humans and thanks to him and her mother, she was the very thing they hated. She was at war with her pack, her wolves, and her vampire demonic desires, the need to always kill was beneath her control and he needed to protect her against herself. If he had not mated with a vampire, he would have thought that he was given a child by Thoros to raise instead, they had the same instinct for killing.

Thoros his brother, firstborn child of his parents and current acting leader of his pack came out of his trailer and stretched his large body. His roar sounded like a mighty Joe young. His human frame was is as large as an elephant, he was bigger than the rest of the pack both in wolf and human size but even with that size, Thoros still couldn't defeat him in a fight except if he cheated. That was while the Gamma crowned him Omega, a name befitting for his shameless acts. Although he is among the oldest of the pack, he was not The Chosen, he is a gold wolf, which is bad. Gold wolves are stronger next to the Alpha. But Thoros felt betrayed that the moon wolf his outright and gave to his younger brother. For centuries his has been looking for a way and finally, there is something he can use against Michael, and dethrone him. His marriage to a Vampire.

Two spies returned from an errand for Thoros and the whole pack gathered around to receive their message not because they wanted to but because they were scared of Thoros. Michael could hear them perfectly with his Alpha hearing, even their thoughts.

"How did it go?" Thoros asked them.

"They received our message with an open heart, as we speak, Nicole is as good as dead." Replied one of the spies called Edgar

"Good, Good work Edgar and Laika. Michael can remain in hiding for all he wants, his daughter will not ascend that throne."

"Hail! Hail!!" Came the chorus response.

"Make arrangement, time is not on our sides. Laika, see to it that Kan wolves succeed, I can't directly involve myself."

"Okay, Thoros."

Laika and the pack go back into their trailers, leaving Thoros with Edgar to discuss.

Michael transformed into his wolf and runs into the thick forest. Even his wolf has been quiet, he misses his mate. Michael felt sorry for him.

***

"Thank you so much for this, I had so much fun making all those dishes." Lina dapped her mouth with a napkin.

"Which part did you enjoy the most?"

Lina crossed her legs and looked around her surrounding. They were sitting in an open garden, from a distance horses drink from the stream and nibble on the soft grass beside the stream. The air is fresh and the environment is peaceful. Behind Nicole, is a complete cooking appliance set up in front of the ranch house and a grill that still has some leftovers beef on it.

Lina sighs and sips her wine, taking in the scent. "All of it. From you coming to pick me up in school, going to buy groceries, then this! You are insane! You did all this for me to cook."

"It was worth it. I enjoyed everything you made, although I can't still pronounce some of the names." Nicole stood up to her feet with a box and walked over to Lina, she brought out a Diamond cross necklace and hooked it around Lina's neck. Lina looked up at her in shock. "Happy Birthday, Lina."

"My God this is so beautiful and too expensive! I can't take it." Lina tries to remove it.

"Keep it, it means a lot to me that you accept it, please."

Lina still admiring the Necklace. "Thank you. You didn't have to."

"I did promise you a birthday gift, remember?"

They sat in silence, except for the birds chirping and the hooves of the horses.

"It's getting late, I have to take you back to school."

"Oh yeah, school. What are we going to do about this mess?"

"Don't worry about that, Freddie is more than happy to clean up."

"I wish this day didn't have to end."

Nicole laughed. "But it has to. Don't worry, we will do this again, maybe when you are on break."

"Promise?"

"Don't make me say that, please."

"Why?"

"Nothing. Here, we can take this to the car." Hands over some wine bottles to Lina. "It's nonalcoholic so you can take it to your room."

"All the wines?"

"Not all, that one with red rebel is alcoholic, leave it for Freddie. Are you good or I should help you with some of those?"

"I'm good, thank you."

"Okay, let's go then."

Nicole hurried to the car and opened the back passenger door for her to keep the bottles then opened the front door for her to get in.

"I could get used to this." Lina smiled.

The ride back is a quiet one. Nicole is lost in her thoughts until Lina speaks up, bringing Nicole back to reality.

"You are passing my dorm."

Nicole mistakenly stepped on the breaks too hard and Lina's head almost made contact with the dashboard, she had forgotten to strap on her seat belt. She always forgets.

Nicole a little bit concerned and worried leaned towards her. "Let me see. Did you hit your head? Where does it hurt?"

Lina watched her intently as she looked all over her face trying to find a bump.

"I did not hit my head, Nicole, I'm fine."

"Okay, bless all the little Angels."

"Nicole?"

Nicole turned and looked at Lina who leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Lina tried to open the door and leave but the doors are locked.

"I do" Nicole replied.

"You do?" Luna asked.

Ignoring Luna, Nicole pulled Lina back and kissed her deeply, then it happened. A flash shot through Nicole to Lina and Nicole pulled away immediately.

"Did I do something wrong?" Lina asked, fear in her eyes.

"Poor child," Luna said quietly.

"Shut up and let me think! Not you Lina but you have to go. You have to go now."

"You are scaring me, Nicole."

"Lina. Please. Go!"

She unlocked the doors and Lina hurriedly jumps down from the car and ran inside, tears in her eyes. Behind closed doors, she falls to the floor and cried.

A knock comes on her door and she hurriedly cleans her eyes and opened the door. Nicole is standing on the other side with the bottles of wine. Lina opened the wide for her to come in, Nicole takes the first step and something blocks her from entering.

"That's strange. Will you tell her? She needs to invite you in." Luna whispers.

"Nobody has had to invite me in their house, not even Nato who is half my mate," Nicole replied Luna.

Lina watches Nicole strangely, wondering why she is hesitating.

"If you don't want to come in, just say so."

"I don't have to, here. You forgot them in the car." She hands over the drinks and hurried out of the building.

Nicole starts the car and drives away.

* * *

Nicole had remained inside her car for close to an hour without the zeal to go inside her house. With the chair relaxed backward, she closed her eyes and thought about Lina only to be woken up by movement outside her car. With her eyes still closed, she sees five men heading to her house. She got up and climbs out of her car.

"Hey! Who are you and what do you want?"

"We want you dead." The one who seemed to be their leader speaks up.

"Why? What did I ever do to you?'

"Not you, but what your father did to our people. The Kan Pack. You are just the revenge."

"Who is feeding you all these lies. My father was not the one who attacked your tribe?"

"Liar!!

"How about we just kill this b***h and get out of here."

They transform almost immediately from their human forms into black wolves. Nicole looks at them and laughs.

"Pathetic."

A wolf she didn't know was around attacked her from the back but she turned just in time to grab it by the neck and tear its throat, a man figure transformed on the floor and the body burns to ashes. The rest rushed at her but they are no match to her. One after the other, they all fall to the ground and their bodies burn except one who is on the ground, crawling away.

"I am a wolf and a vampire, I might not be a true breed but I am from the Alpha breed."

"Please don't kill me."

"That I can't promise."

She grabbed him by the head and sucked him dry. A car drove in and packed beside hers. Freddie comes out and looked at her.

"Freddie, you just missed the party. He was a zero, oh I should have sucked the rest, they might be zeros too. Too late."

"More supply then, I was able to get blood zero for you."

"Thank you, Freddie.

"I will just keep it in the machine then."

Nicole follows him inside, wiping her hands beside her dress.

***

Nicole is buried in her laptop when she hears footsteps approaching her desk as Belinda shouts behind it. "You can't go in there, you don't have an appointment. Nicole takes her eyes off her laptop to look at the intruder.

"Lina! Leave us, Belinda."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure. What will she do, assassinate me?"

"She looks like she wants to."

"Belinda. Please go I'm fine. Lina, what a pleasant surprise."

"You don't look surprised to me. Nicole, what did I do wrong, why are you torturing me? You don't pick my calls or reply to my text."

"You want the truth? Because you won't like it."

"That is why I came here, to find out the truth."

"Okay, I was just using you to get to your mother, but I can't anymore, you are just a distraction and I have important adult things to do."

"You don't mean that. I am not a child Nicole and I know you felt something for me."

"Something like what? I have no feelings for you and I have no time for childishness, I have a company to run. You can see yourself out."

"I hate you. Honestly, I do."

"I know."

Lina got up and walked out of the office almost running. Nicole sighed and continued her work. Belinda comes back inside.

"Not now Belinda."

"Did you mean what you said, about using her to get to April?"

"That was the plan."

"What changed? Oh. oh! You like her. Oh my gosh! You are falling for her."

"Not falling. I am deep inside but I can't have her."

"Why not? She is crazy about you!"

"When are you ever giving birth to this child? This pregnancy is affecting you. you like love matters too much."

"I'm due in three months but you won't get rid of me that easily."

"I know. Please go and sit down before the baby comes out."

"I am going but this is not over."

"It is."

Nicole watched as Belinda pushed herself out of her office, she shakes her head and buried herself in her laptop.

* * *

"You are late." Alex dragged Nicole into the office.

"I don't even know why you agreed to this partnership with these people."

"Your issue is with April, this partnership is with her father and his company. They have the Wilsons in their palms, and you know that little stunt you pulled down the river, many are scared to work with you but with Lyon's, you can learn to work with humans, this is a win for us more than it is for April and she knows it. We own the biggest construction firm, don't forget that."

"Okay, okay. Whatever you think is best. Have you heard from dad?"

"I did, telepathically. We will talk about this after the meeting, our lawyers are drafting the agreement, let's go."

Alex and Nicole stepped into the conference room and Nicole almost laughed out loud because of the snare on April's face. She took her seat and looked across the table and there she was. Lina. Wait, that was Lina sitting across from her and talking to a lawyer who seemed to be pleased by whatever Lina was telling her. Nicole Frowned.

Jordan Lyon, CEO of Lyon construction cleared his throat to speak.

"Thank you Nicole for joining us. I and your mother sincerely apologize for pulling you out of whatever it is you were doing for an impromptu meeting. I and your mother have been discussing the abandoned project at the Lower River and want to build the place back."

"That is the right thing to do seeing that it is your daughter and your company that made them homeless in the first place."

"Lina!"

"What, mother? I didn't want to be here, you forced me."

"Lina you are here because of me, I wanted you to be here. I know how much those people mean to you. I have been following up on your progress, you have been taking supplies to them every Thursday. I'm aware, that is why I decided to increase your allowances but that's beside the point. I want you to head the project as the head of Rural Development for both construction companies if that is okay with Nicole?"

"This is temporarily Nicole, I know you have your hands full and your dad is busy at the moment." Alex tried to explain.

"Then why don't you do it instead? Why her? She is not experienced."

"I am happy to head the team in Lyon but not at Blair, I don't want to be where I am been used."

Lina got up and walked out, Nicole followed her immediately.

"Wait up." Nicole stops her at the reception. "Lina? Lina stop. Stop. I'm sorry "

"For what exactly Nicole? Is it for kissing me or for saying you were using me to get to my mother?

They don't see Alex and April staring at them then back at each other, shocked. April walked up to Nicole and gave her a dirty slap.

"How dare you lay a finger on my daughter." Alex charges.

"Mom let her be. This won't be the first time she has slapped me."

"I'm sorry Nicole but don't ever come close to my daughter again. Lina, I don't care if you are into girls or boys, not Nicole."

"You have nothing to worry about mother, she is dead to me."

April led her daughter back into the conference room. Alex stayed with Nicole for a while then they walk back inside, holding each other.

Lina watched as Nicole took her seat. Nicole looked up at her and smiled. Her gold eyes reflected and Lina gasped.

***

"How did this happen?"

They were back at Nicole's house. Nicole poured a drink and sat down beside her mother.

"Mother if you are here to advise me please I don't need it."

"You can't be with her, she is human. She can get hurt!"

"You think I don't know that? Why do you think she hates me? I told her I don't like her."

"I have never seen you like this before, you just don't like her. You love her."

"Too bad. I am going to bed. Good night mother."

"Alex, you need to protect her. Gamma Kan will come for her once they see that you care about her."

"I know."

***

Lina felt uncomfortable coming back from the class on this particular night which was strange to her. She had always taken this path back to her dorm after her night reading but she had never felt much unease on the other days like she felt today. Someone, something was following her from the shadows. She could feel and hear it moving towards her faster, she began to run. She slowed down when she saw a figure standing at her dormitory entrance. Nicole turned around and smiled.

"What are you doing out here? It's not safe, something is after me."

"I am so sorry, they are after you because of me."

"What do you mean? Oh no, what is that?"

Two creatures approach them.

"She is mine." Nicole snared.

"She is not. You are unsure. We can tell you haven't mated her."

"I'm sure you know the reason for that. She is human."

"Not our problem, she has your scent all over her, we must take her."

"No. Lina inside now."

Nicole brought out her fangs and attacked. Lina watched for a while in shock and then runs inside. Nicole takes both creatures down, killing one. The one she left alive but wounded, she a message to her to take back.

"Tell Gamma Kan that the girl is off-limit. Don't come for her again."

The creature ran and disappeared into the bushes. Nicole looked at the dormitory then walked away.

Lina is lying on her bed, unsure of her to feel. She was excited about her discovery and shocked at her bones at the same time. Her phone beeped and it's a message from Nicole saying; "Now you know what I am, I am sorry. I will understand if you don't want to talk to me again. It's for the best, they won't come after you again. You are safe. I'm sorry.' She throws the phone to the floor and screams.

"How can I stay away? I love you, dummy! Awww!!."

*** The End.

Thank you for staying with me through this first chapter. See you in Chapter 3. Cheers.