Chapter 99: Mother Theresa
The black truck is brimming with tension.
Dorian sits stiffly beside his father in the passenger seat as they speed through the canopy of tall trees, quickly speeding away from main Moon-Crest.
Moon-Crest is bigger than what meets the eyes, and is considered one of the strongest packs for a reason. It has several smaller packs scattered all around, who have chosen to live without modern technology.
No phones, no cars, no electricity.
Just wolves living the way their ancestors once did, relying entirely on their instincts and abilities to survive. They communicate with Alpha Darius by sending their clan head or strongest wolf to come down to Moon-Crest.
Caius stares through the window, his expression unreadable.
It’s the perfect place for something to hide. Or someone—especially a wolf with special abilities.
His fingers tighten around the steering wheel, adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He can already picture the look on his brother’s face when he finally overthrows him as the new Alpha.
Last night, the staff had finally handed over the address of the old werewolf warrior. Theresa. She was rumoured to be unusually strong, often taking on several male Alphas at once in the ring. People used to come from other territories just to watch her.
Then suddenly, she disappeared from the radar. She has no known family, currently living in one of the most isolated villages in Moon-Crest.
If the rumours are true, she could be the special wolf they’ve been searching for all this time.
Dorian glances at him. "Are you sure about this? What if we drove all this way for nothing?"
Caius doesn’t even look at his own son. "Don’t ask me stupid questions."
Dorian exhales loudly, fingers tapping absentmindedly on his lap. He could be in Adrian’s condo right now, enjoying the party. Instead, his father dragged him out here.
Eventually, after over an hour and a half on the road, the village comes into view.
"Papa, look!" one of the village children shouts with a bright smile, pointing at the approaching vehicle.
He has probably never seen something like this in his life before.
By the time they step out, several locals have gathered around the car, muttering in some native language. Dorian looks around. It’s like a whole new world here, and he can’t believe these people are also an extension of Moon-Crest. There’s not a single concrete house in sight, only huts and wooden houses.
Before long, a tall, buff-looking man who appears to be the clan head approaches with a polite smile.
"Welcome to our small clan. I’m Shane."
Caius instantly slips into character, putting on a charming smile. "Thank you."
As the man leads them in, Caius continues to lie through his teeth. "We’re from the main town. We brought some gifts for our elderly aunt who lives here. Our family has heard she’s been struggling."
The Alpha nods. "Of course. There are many elderly women here. What’s her name?"
"Theresa." Caius watches him closely. "Theresa Caleb."
The chief’s smile falls for a second, but he quickly plasters it back on. "Theresa? I don’t think any elderly woman by that name lives here."
Dorian raises a brow.
Just then, a very beautiful young woman steps forward, offering Dorian a beautiful smile. She’s dressed in an almost completely sheer sky-blue dress that hugs her body.
The chief’s daughter.
She grabs Dorian’s hand and leads him to where some other young maidens are dancing. They giggle when they see him, shaking their hips harder.
Dorian smiles awkwardly, especially because his father mouths at him to just play along.
Again, he could’ve been at that party right now.
Caius’ attention turns back to the chief. He can tell the man is lying, and he’s a very bad one at that.
"It’s a shame you came all the way here for nothing. Come, we brew the best wine," Shane offers, but Caius refuses.
"Thank you for your hospitality." He summons Dorian over, who seems very excited to get away from the group of maidens who are now arguing over who would braid his long blonde hair.
"But we’ll be on our way now. We have to leave so we can make it back before dark."
The man visibly relaxes, ordering his men to have the wine packaged in clay pots anyway.
Caius thanks him with a smile as they load the wine into the trunk. Then they slide back into the truck and speed away from the village.
They drive for about ten minutes, far, far enough from the village before he pulls off the road, hiding the truck between dense trees.
Dorian looks at him. "What are we doing?"
"We’re going back."
"Dad—"
"Stop asking questions, and shift. Now!"
Dorian sighs and steps back out of the truck. One moment, two tall men are standing by the truck; the next, two black and grey wolves are speeding back toward the village.
This time, they don’t go through the main entrance. They pass through the back. Just as he’d expected, he sees the clan head slipping out from an isolated hut, a worried look on his face.
"I knew that bastard was lying," Caius curses, sliding low until the Alpha is completely out of sight.
He stands to his full height again when the coast is completely clear. "Stay alert. If she really is the one we’re looking for, and she knows what she is, she could kill both of us."
Dorian swallows and nods, and they both slowly approach the hut and knock.
"Shift and come in. There is a change of clothes by the door."
Fuck, she’d been expecting them. Both wolves exchange knowing glances before shifting back and slipping into the clothes. They’re a little too tight, but they work.
Inside, they are both surprised to find several children sitting around a wooden table. An elderly woman stands near the fireplace, looking completely ordinary.
She smiles brightly at them, nothing about her screaming danger at all.
Caius introduces them using fake names. "I’m John, and this is my son, Grey. We are from the main territory."
"Shane told me." The woman smiles, probably referring to the clan head. "Visitors are rare here."
"Wine? They make the best here." She offers, explaining that she’s the only person in the village who received formal education from when she lived in Moon-Crest, so she occasionally teaches the children.
Dorian leans into his father again. "Are you sure it’s her?" He stares at the children who are looking at them with curiosity. She seems completely harmless.
Before Caius can snap at him again, the woman’s voice interrupts them. This time, it’s deep and completely different from the voice of the nice old woman who welcomed them minutes ago. The children have all completely disappeared too.
"So, what do you really want here?" Her eyes have changed, blazing red, and her smile has completely disappeared.
Caius grins wickedly in response. "There you are."