Reign of Wolves

Chapter VII

Jake draws in a deep breath contemplating the question. "It seems best to start from the beginning, before the outbreak, seeing as you've lost your memory," he replies as he shifts a little in his seat. "You come from an Alpha bloodline. You are third in line after your brothers Gaige, and Koda. Your sister, Aria, is the Alpha female. Our pack is spread throughout the county, a plan that had been set in motion by your great-grandfather to keep from drawing too much attention to the pack."

"Packs should be together. It's foolish otherwise," Daryan states.

Jake chuckles, "Yes, a point you have argued your whole life. Your brothers over time have come to agree with you, although your sister needed no swaying. She thought the same as you, and she's just as stubborn as you are."

Chuck stands up from the table drawing a quick glance from Daryan and Jake as he walks over to the back door. He peaks through the boards that cover the window in the door, and then disappears into the other room.

"He's just keeping a look out," Jake says in answer to Daryan's look. "He's a good kid, just young, and... foolish sometimes."

A look of doubt plays on Daryan's face upon hearing those words. That 'good kid' had no reason to act as he did, and yet he tried to attack twice. He didn't offer an apology, an explanation, or show any regret for his actions. Then again, Jake hasn't offered a reason either. Something to look into later. There were too many questions floating in Daryan's mind, and most likely not enough time. Judging by the light coming through the cracks of the boarded window, it will be dark soon.

"Are those things more active at night, or need rest?"

"Not that I have seen. They seem to be in constant motion, needing no rest. An affect of the virus, amongst many others," Jake answers. He lets out a sigh as he runs a hand through his hair. "The virus was brought back to the States by an archaeologist student who was studying the remains of a lost city in Central America. The virus infects the brain, then slowly destroys the nervous system. The infected show signs of increased strength, loss of feeling, loss of memory, and a more primitive mentality." Jake begins to explain.

Remembering the man he encountered in the woods, the trio from the alleyway, and the one in the pizza shop, Daryan asks, "Their cognitive and reasoning abilities are also affected as well?"

"Yes. Although the severity of damage caused as the virus progresses may vary from one to another," Jake says with concern in his voice, "the end result is usually the same; discolored skin, loss of fine motor skills, loss of intelligence, diminished healing ability, savage behavior. For lack of a better term, they become zombies like you see in the movies."

This is not something he wanted to hear. If they are constantly moving around, have increased strength, and need no rest... Daryan shakes the thought from his mind. As if seeing the mental struggle in his mind, Jake calls for Chuck, and a moment later he appears in the kitchen doorway.

"I believe it best if you told Daryan what you know," Jake says to Chuck, Chuck's eyes widening a bit.

Daryan watches Chuck as his wide eyes move from Jake to himself. It gives Daryan a little pleasure seeing this fear play within him. He hadn't noticed until now that Chuck looked to be in his teens. But being young and stupid is no.

"Out with it now, Chuck," Jake says politely.

Chuck visibly swallows hard, and licks his lips, seemingly unsure of how to start.

"Just spit it out, kid," Daryan growls, trying to keep his patience in check.

"U-uh... Y-yes, sir," stammers Chuck, now visibly nervous as he shifts his feet and puts his hands in his pockets. "I saw your wife," he suddenly blurts out looking surprised as if he didn't know he could speak.

"Explain," Daryan starts, "slowly," he adds in, leaning on the table.

"Just breathe, Chuck," Jake adds in.

Chuck takes a deep breath and lets it out. He looks at Daryan, but doesn't make eye contact as he starts to talk.

"I saw your wife, I think, and your son," he says with a bit of nervousness in his voice.

"You think?" Daryan asks, glaring at Jake, "Does this kid have any useful information?"

"Yes," Jake replies calmly, "give him a chance."

Daryan clenches his fists, his patience starting to wear out. He is supposed to be of an Alpha bloodline, a powerful figure amongst werewolves, but he feels he is being treated as a common mutt. He makes a mental note to question Jake on this later. For now it seems Chuck has information about his wife and son. He turns his attention back to Chuck who is staring at the table.

"I was running from those things..." Chuck continues before being prompted, "I didn't get a good look at them, your family I mean." Chuck pulls his hands from his pockets, but keeps them against his sides for a moment before putting them back in his pockets. "They got into a car parked down the street from here," he waves a hand motioning in the direction, then promptly puts it back in his pocket. "Your wife seemed to know the driver was, then they drove off."

"As I did not witness this myself, I thought it better you heard it from Chuck," Jake says as he gives Chuck a nod.

Chuck quickly leaves the kitchen, Daryan's gaze following him the whole way.

"The man Chuck described, and the car he drove, I believe it is Peter," Jake drinks the last of his water."

"So they are safe?" Daryan asks turning his attention back to Jake.

"I don't know, but Peter is very capable. From what I gathered, he was here with you and your family when things went sideways," Jake answers. "When this outbreak started happening, the plan was for everyone to move to the pack house."

"Where we all should have been in the first place," Daryan retorts.

Jake sighs, "Yes."

"Is no one answering their phones?" Daryan asks with annoyance in his voice.

"Phone service was the first to go after the outbreak started. Some places still have running water and electricity, but the water is most likely tainted, and the grid is failing."

Daryan notices a hint of sadness in Jake's voice, and the change in his demeanor as well, looking almost defeated. There was more that Jake hasn't revealed yet, something that deeply bothered him it seems.

In just a few short days his entire life was destroyed. He woke up with no memory, people were turning into savages, his family is missing, and he has the strong feeling there is more bad news that Jake has yet to disclose. Daryan wonders if he would have been able to make a difference if he hadn't gone missing, but there's no telling. He remembers nothing of the past couple months, nothing of what happened that separated him from his family, and there's no way of communicating with the pack.

Daryan looks at Jake who is staring at the containers on the table, his mind apparently somewhere else.

"Come clean with it all, Jake. The sooner you tell me everything, the sooner we can move on," Daryan says trying to keep his tone level.

Looking into Daryan's eyes briefly, Jake is unable to hold his gaze, "Gaige is gone," he says barely keeping his voice even, "he didn't go without a fight," he adds as if it would soften the bad news. "A neighboring pack attacked us on our way to our pack house. They were intent on taking it from us since theirs has been over run. The commotion of our fight drew too much attention, and those things swarmed us from all directions."

A tear breaks free of Jake's eye, unable to hold it back any longer. Soon another runs down his cheek and another as he fights to control his breathing.

"When Gaige fell, Koda ordered me and two others to come and look for you. We had received word that things were a lot worse than initially reported, and had hoped you were able to make it out. I guess Koda didn't want to chance it at that moment."

Jake was silent for a minute, trying to compose himself before continuing. Daryan was feeling a pit inside of him growing bigger at the thought that he would never see his brother again. Trying to remember growing up with his brothers and sister was useless. All the moments in life that brought them close together lost, maybe never to be remembered again, but some feelings still remain. A connection to his family, a longing to be with them, an urge to find and protect them.