The Vampire's Harvest

4

Taking a few tentative steps forward, you draw closer to the tree line. You spot two shadowed figures arguing in the gloomy fog that hangs close to the ground around the edge of the woods. One is the lithe figure of your dear sister, while the other is a towering, burly man that could snap Gianette in two.

"I cannot abide by this, Gia," he growls, his large hands balling into fists. "I will not allow it."

"I will fight and I will earn my place," she hisses, not so much as a tremble in her adamant voice.

"You think it wise to argue with your future alpha."

"When I am one with the pack, you will be my master in everything I am and everything I do. But, when we are alone—when it is just you and I—I speak to you as an equal. I will not be a plaything again."

"You are not my toy," he replies, his stance loosening as his hand rises up to brush her cheek. "That's why I can't let you go through with this. We can get around tradition if you swear to be my mate. Mates are accepted without question by a pack and you..."

"I will not be brought in as a companion." Gianette bites back an emotion that threatens the corners of her eyes. "I will not have the others see me as a simple lover; as a queen given a throne purely for the heirs she may bare and not the wars she can win. One day I will be your mate, Colin. But I want to be respected by the pack first. I can't serve them as I should if I'm not." She then takes a deep breath, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth. Then with renewed resolve and a steady hand, she looks up at him and makes her last appeal. "I will not circumvent the rules just because you love me too much to hurt me. The pack deserves better."

"You do this and I will not hold back. They'll know, Gia."

"I expect nothing less," she answers.

"Fine," he sighs, running a hand through his mane of thick brown hair. "Then we must hurry to the mill and get this over with if we are to get to the battlefield in time. Before then though..." He pauses and turns to look at the bush you cower behind. "Perhaps your sibling will come out now that we are done."

"How did you...?"

"Werewolves, even in human form have a supernatural sense of smell," answers Gia through clenched teeth. "What are you doing her, Micah?"

"You asked me to come," you answer as Colin heads for the mill.

"But why are you just standing there listening?" She groans before walking over to join you. As she escapes the shade of the trees, you notice the embarrassed blush coating her cheeks. "Don't speak of this to the other wolves," she commands, grabbing your arm and tugging you up to the mill. "Colin has worked hard to create a loyal pack, but vampires aren't the only ones who struggle with in-fighting. An ambitious wolf may take his devotion as weakness."

"When did you...?" You struggle to form the question. "How did you come to this?"

"The road back to town was a long one. I met many along the way. Colin was one of them." She doesn't seem interested in sharing more than that and as you draw closer to the pack, you realize there are more pressing issues to address.

"What is it that you are trying to avoid? He mentioned a battlefield. What are you about to do?"

"First, I have to prove my worth in the pack by battling the alpha. If I put up a valiant effort, then I will be made a wolf. After that, we will strike the vampires and I will prove myself further by luring the bloodsuckers out into the street where the pack will have the advantage."

"You... You're planning to kill the vamps? You didn't mention that before."

Gianette, however, doesn't respond. Instead she gets into the middle of a ring formed by the bodies of the pack. They hoot and howl, eager to see blood drawn and a new member earn their teeth. The alpha begins to bring order to the wolves, but you notice that there is one wolf who stands outside the ring, watching with a nervous bite to his finger.

"Everyone quiet down," orders Colin with an authoritative timbre. "Gianette Dupree will perform the rite of initiation and, when she succeeds, our pack will be that much stronger for the battle ahead!"

A hardy hoorah follows Colin's declaration, except from the wolf quaking outside the ring. Instead, he raises his hand to call the alpha's attention.

"My alpha, I must voice a concern," he says, the volume of his voice rising as he finds more confidence with each successive word. "This battle will be the greatest our pack has seen and the initiation will delay our plans and potentially endanger our victory. Please, let me go ahead to begin our battle so that we suffer no such delay. By the time our new sister is welcomed, I can have the battlefield ready."

"I do understand your concern, Velt. It is one that I too share." He casts a sideways glance towards Gianette, who grows red with shame. "I did, however, want Gianette to take this role as it is one that is both valuable and lacks the need to take a direct part in battle. It is a good first task for her as an initiate wolf."

A rumble of conversation begins to bubble over the pack and Gianette pinches her lips to keep herself from demanding her chance. You, however, aren't tied to any wolf politics. You could speak up for her, defend her honor, and rally the wolves in support of the alpha's original intentions. Or, you can do even better and offer yourself to do this role that Gianette was supposed to play. If it is one that shouldn't see combat then it should be something you could manage without taking away any of the wolves from the battlefield.

Of course, it's clear Gianette wants to prove herself on her own. If you insert yourself into this, it may damage her pride or her chances of being accepted by the pack. Perhaps it's best to remain a bystander and let the pack decide what is best for themselves.

- Support Gianette: ch 169

- Volunteer your Help: ch 170

- Stay Silent: ch 171