Into the Woods: The Wolves of Redwood Pack

Chapter 11: All the Alpha's Men

A/N: Hello dear readers! I'd like to inform you that my samsung tab is functional once again, and all my werewolf research, along with my plot outlines, are safe. I can keep on updating 2-3 times a week. :) On to Chapter 11!

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Sam never thought she would ever hate the smell of books and the crisp sound of pages turning, but she's ready to burn down the ancient library of the pack. It only had a few shelves loaded with books that never seemed to have seen daylight, but pouring through thick, dusty tomes for the past few days to no avail was exhausting for Sam.

As Daniel had requested, Sam has been trying to look into the ritual for vampire protection, but she didn't seem to have any success with the pack library. As much as Sam loves research, she's ready to give up her quest. She never really thought she'd find anything at all, as she's still quite dubious of the said ritual. She thought of researching plants that repel vampires instead, but nothing came up either. Apparently, garlic's effect on vampires was a myth. She never really cared to ask her parents about other supernatural creatures before, so she was starting to learn about vampires just now.

According to the few books on vampires that she found, there were two types of vampires - the ones born from pure vampire parents, and the ones turned into vampires.

Sam reviews a passage in one of the more recent books:

    ~ Pure vampires, born from pure vampire parents, start out human, albeit having the advantages of  immunity from human diseases, and fast healing rate. However, they have an unusual sensitivity to direct sunlight, and tend to burn their skin easily. Upon maturing they cease aging, and they develop superhuman strength, reflexes, and senses. They also develop an unhealthy craving for human blood, and immunity to sunlight's burn. It is believed that their diet of human blood allows them to live a very long life (forever is still a work in progress), which makes pure vampires prime target for other supernatural creatures. Since they have an unfair advantage, they are being hunted, their numbers whittled down to maintain a semblance of balance in a world dominated by ignorant humans. Most pure vampires are in hiding, or being in constant tabs of the Supernatural Committee, to keep their numbers in check. ~

It is for this reason that Sam believes that the vampires roaming near the pack boundaries were not pure vampires. She believes they are turned vampires, as this kind tends to be more agressive. Pure vampires would have avoided pack wolves entirely. Sam returns to the portion on turned vampires.

     ~ Turned vampires are created when vampires (pure or turned) infect a human, allowing them to develop some of the advantages of a pure vampire. Among these are heightened senses, strength, and reflexes. They also cease aging. The unhealthy craving for human blood is also passed down, however, turned vampires are not immune to sunlight, and they tend to burn upon contact to its rays. It is believed that due to the incompatibility of vampire and human DNAs, the body of a regular human could not fully cope with the invasive venom of a pure vampire. As such, a turned vampire could only live out his borrowed life for a century and a half, at most. ~

Sam is eager to have found out this information. It supports her theory that turned vampires are the ones causing mayhem, and they wouldn't be any match against a wolf warrior. Also, as they tend to hide during daytime, it would be very safe for her and Samuel to venture out to the city and facilitate their papers for enrollment. They might have to return to the pack by nighttime until the issue is fully resolved, but at least they could leave the pack community.

Which is exactly what she wants to convince Daniel of, so she could finally get back to the city. Pack life has been very boring for Sam. She misses the malls, movies, her favorite vanilla ice cream, and a cup of capuccino from her favorite coffee shop, to name a few. There aren't phone or internet connections, or even cell reception. For a while, Sam was glad that she could fully avoid Sarah and Vince, but the lack of contact from the outside world could be very frustrating. The humans could all be having a nuclear war and the pack would know nothing of it, unless they get news from Tony at the western front. Sam has almost finished going through her classic books collection, and she could use some reprieve from the tedium of rereading them over and over again. Pack life has been stifling.