A Werewolf's Lost Howl, A Zombie's Lost Heart

Chapter 11: *11

"Are we too late?" Zaria wonders as she and her brother enter the apartment where Zed and Wyatt stayed.

"I hope not. The building has already been evacuated by Z-Patrol and many people are being ushered to the hospital due to the blast Cassius's troops caused." Victor said, examining the living room for clues.

"I'm going to look in the bedroom," Zaria told her brother before walking into the bedroom. She looked around and spotted something.

"Who's blood is this?" Zaria spots blood splattered on the wall. "Vic, I found something!"

Victor saunters into the room, "What did you find?"

"A blood splatter on the wall. It's not Wyatt's or Zed's blood, is it?" Zaria frowned.

Victor tapped his chin before taking out a vial and a swab, "I'm going to take a blood sample and figure out whose blood this is, and then we're going to look around the apartment for more clues to where they are."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"How is Zed now, Wyatt?" Wynter asks Wyatt. The wolves were venturing through Forbidden Forest to the place Willa mentioned. Before they entered the forest, Wyatt fed Zed some of his blood to help his fever cool down as it was starting to worsen.

"He's fine. It seems his fever went down a bit." Wyatt gazes down at Zed, who is sleeping in his arms with his head on his shoulder.

Wynter looks at Zed with sad eyes, "Zed is going to be okay, Wyatt. You know that, right?"

Wyatt sighs deeply, "I know. It's just that... I feel like I didn't protect him enough."

"Wyatt, you did the best you could." Wynter tries to assure him.

Wyatt shakes his head, "I didn't, Wynter, and now my mate is suffering because of it."

"It's not your fault, Wyatt," Wynter told him softly. Wyatt became silent for the rest of their walk through the forest, deep into his thoughts.

"Are we there yet, Willa?" Wynter asks the Alpha, who is walking ahead of them.

Willa didn't answer her question until she stopped walking, "We're here."

Wyatt and Wynter stopped walking also and looked up at what was in front of them. "Why are we at a mansion?" Wyatt questions, holding Zed close in his arms.

"You'll see," Willa said as the gates to the mansion opened by themselves.

"Creepy," Wynter whispered. Wyatt hummed in agreement as he and Wynter followed his sister through the open gates. Once they made it to the front door, Willa knocked on it. Two minutes later, a woman opens the door.

Willa clears her throat, "Hi, you probably don't remember m-"

"Willa Lykensen. Granddaughter of Alpine Lykensen. My old friend." The woman smiles softly.

Willa blushed awkwardly, "I'm surprised you remember me."

The woman chuckles, "How could I forget you? I haven't seen you since you were a pup. Or your brother and your friend."

Wyatt's eyes lit up in realization, "You're Esmeralda Tempest. Grandma used to bring you to the wolf den when we were pups all the time."

Esmeralda nods. "I'm glad you remember me but... what are you three doing here this late? It's almost one in the morning."

"We're sorry for waking you but we need help and somewhere to hide." Willa tells her.

Esmeralda was now alarmed, "Of course, come in." She steps away from the door so she can let them in. As the werewolves walk into the door, Esmeralda notices Zed sleeping in Wyatt's arms, "Zed?"

The wolves' expressions form into confusion. "You know Zed?" Wyatt asks her.

"He's my grandson," Esmeralda touches Zed's forehead, "What happened to him? He's got a high fever."

"He was bitten and turned by a vampire," Willa informs her.

Esmeralda glowered, "When did his fangs grow in?" She questions, worrying that it might be too late for her grandson.

"An hour ago. I fed him some of my blood when his fever got worse." Wyatt looks down at Zed in his arms.

Esmeralda looks at them with sad eyes before straightening up her posture, "Follow me. I know how I can help him." The werewolves quickly glanced at each other before following her upstairs.

"How exactly can you help him?" Wyatt questions as Esmeralda led them to a room.

"I can make a potion for him. Here, lay him on the bed." Esmeralda gestures towards the bed. Wyatt did as she said and gently lay Zed on the bed. He made sure to prop the pillows under his boyfriend's head.

"A potion? Oh, you're a witch." Wynter realized.

Esmeralda nods, "Indeed, I am. Now, let me hurry and make the potion before it's too late." She leaves the room. Wyatt held Zed's hand in his own.

"You're gonna be okay, Zed, just hang on a little more." Willa puts her hand on her brother's shoulder.

"He's going to be fine, Wyatt," Willa assures her brother.

Wyatt nods and sighed. "What if I lose him again?" He admitted with sad eyes.

"You won't lose him, brother. I promise."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"It seems you have failed to bring me Eleazar." Cassius growled as he stood from his throne.

"What will you do now, your Majesty?" Jessica stood also, holding her injured arm that Wyatt's claws left severe scars on.

Cassius thought for a moment before grinning, "Bring me Valencia. I'm sure she will get the job done faster by tracking down her son, who believed she was dead since he was a child."

Jessica bows before leaving, "Yes, your Majesty."

"Oh and Jessica?" Cassius calls out her name. Jessica turned around, "Make sure to tell the maids to prepare Eleazar's ceremonial outfit for the ritual. Once the Blood Moon rises in ten days, I will combine my blood with Eleazar's and we'll be together. Forever."

"Of course, your Majesty," Jessica said. She left the throne room and headed towards the dungeons, where they held Zed's mother, Valencia, captive. Once she made it there, the guards let her pass. Jessica saunters to her cell and spoke, "Valencia Alkazar or Necrodopolis should I say?"

As soon as she said her name, a woman with light brown skin and jet-black hair stepped from the shadows of the cell. "What do you want, Jessica?" Valencia seethed.

Jessica smirks, "You and your son really do resemble each other a lot." She took notice of Valencia's tiny freckles on her nose and her deep brown eyes, which are similar to Zed's features.

"I told you before to leave my son out of this. Now, what do you want?" Valencia demanded.

Jessica growls, "Cassius has a job for you."

Valencia glares at her, "Make sure to tell him I'm not taking another job and that he should fuck off."

Jessica felt angry at her stubbornness, "If you don't take the job, Cassius will kill you."

Valencia then barks out a laugh, "Don't act like you care about me. After all, you were the one who betrayed my family all those years ago."

"I did what I had to do. Cassius would've killed you and if not your family that you had with that zombie if I have never done what I did."

"But he did kill my father, did he not?" Valencia whispered.

Jessica sighs, "I'm still very sorry that happened to him."

"You don't deserve to apologize. Now leave me alone." Valencia tells her, stepping back into the shadows of her cell.

"I'll be back," Jessica tells her before leaving the dungeons. 'I will make it up to you. I promise, Valencia.'