The Missing Wolf

“They are with the others now. It’s only a matter of minutes before they know,” a silky voice spoke in the darkness.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do now, Lucian,” another voice answered. The same silky note in his voice. Both barely a whisper. “What do you think Leo?”

A third voice spoke, rather bored. “We can take them when they are alone. Eventually they have to leave and the others won’t follow.”

“There is no way to know if they will go alone,” said Lucian.

“If what we have been told of her is true, then she won’t like to be followed.”

“This could be our only opportunity, Azencor” Lucian added.

“Yes, it may be.”

***
“So, you have met my blood family,” said Allan. “The leader and the second in command of the Miles Militis Lupus. Dad, brother, I think these are the ones we’ve looked for.”

Alex glance a puzzled look at Emmet as his brow wrinkled. “Why have you looked for my cousin and me?” He asked them.

“It is, a tale that, I’m afraid, will have to wait for the presence of the rest of the members,” answered Mavros. “But, you know who we are and we would like to know who you are.”

“My name is Emmet Radley.”

I’m Alexandra Radley. We’re both students of the Jones Academy,” Alex said.

“We were investigating the murders and tripped with Allan on the way,” Emmet said, scowling at the smirk in Allan’s face.

“And what have you found out?” questioned Hector. He had a deep, husky tone that came as a surprise from his calm, friendly face.

Alex inhaled, digesting carefully the smells around her, comparing the scents there with the ones in the crime scenes. Mavros had his eyes on her as if expecting her to speak, so she spoke. “You’re not the ones responsible; your scents are only in one victim, after it got killed. Our only option left is vampires, which would explain why you are here.”

“You are correct,” said Mavros.

“And they tricky to track. The little leeches are traveling in small groups,” said Adolf Hector.

“How small?” asked Emmet.
“We know of three,” answered Allan. His eyes swept to Alex but quickly turned away as she glared at him.

“Who are they? Why did they come here?” retorted Alex, too pissed at them for not telling why they had looked for her cousin and her.

“They come from an ancient coven from east Ukraine. Allan has told me that he recognizes two of them; young nobles, one is the prince.”

Emmet’s eyebrow shot up at the word ‘prince’. “They have royalty?”

“In a way… Prince would be the word to describe his rank in the vampire world. They don’t call him that though, but they do treat him like one.” Hector answered, with a face of distaste. Emmet agreed with him, but to Alex it made perfect sense that such ancient creatures still hold on to the old, noble ways. While werewolves liked to revolutionize, improve in whatever they could and blend in with society.

Mavros nodded and continued, “And the reason they are here is the same as ours; they are searching for you, though their intentions are quite different.”

“It would be nice to know who has the best intentions,” Alex said, more irritated than before but trying to control herself.

“You will find soon enough.” Mavros turned his head to his left, his eyes up in the tree’s branches. Everyone stood silent, waiting for whatever was coming. Suddenly, Alex could hear flapping; steady wings approaching them. The biggest raven she had ever seen flew over to them. It landed silently on a branch. Immediately, she identified the bird’s scent as unnatural. The raven spread its wings widely, its feathers’ began to shrink as its whole body stretched.

“Come down Kerda!” Mavros yelled.

The bird had transformed to a young woman, she couldn’t be older than twenty; shoulder-length black hair, small sharp eyes. Kerda stretched one of her long legs and dropped gracefully to the ground. She bowed her head slightly to everyone’s direction in greeting.

“I’ve heard the introductions, Argentum.” Her voice had just a tinge of attitude, but her lips showed a playful smile.

“The pair were just behind me,” Kerda said.