Foggy weather and tall trees surround the slippery road. Subtle drops of rain on Rion's windows. He breathes lightly as he feels the weather gets colder and colder. He brought an old journal of Rufus which has the location of the Crimson Mansion. He tried to find his phone in his pocket but he realized that he left it in his room. He groaned and tapped the stirring wheel due to irritation. He looked at the journal and saw that he was halfway to where he was heading. He still feels the pain of what happened but he has no other choice but to accept it. All he wants for now is to save Diana. He still has no idea that Diana have escaped already.
Diana got passed the Hillford gate and slowly drove to the Barrington House. She parked the car and quickly ran inside the house. Her arrival brought a surprise to everyone.
"Diana?" El asked as she drops the things she was holding.
Everyone looked at the door and saw her alive and breathing.
"Thank heavens, you're alive," Rona said as she hugs Diana in relief.
Diana smiled as she saw everyone but she was looking for Rion around the house but he was not there.
"Where is he?" She asked Rona.
"He's getting some air—
"Diana? You're here... Oh, no... Rion." Atticus said with surprise as he walks into the house.
"Why? What happened?" Diana asked.
The whole Barrington Family and Rion's pack listened as they heard something about Rion.
"He told me that he will fix all of this, by saving you. He claims that if he surrenders himself, the Crimsons will give you back in return."
Rona looked deeply at Amara in shock, "What is he thinking? He can't take the Crimsons all by himself... We need to stop him right away. It's impossible for us to take them down in their own territory."
"We need to call him."
"We can't... He left his phone," Ivan said while holding Rion's phone.
"We need to go now. Prepare your things, yourself, everything. We need to get to the Crimsons before he does." Rufus demanded.
All of them rushed to their own rooms to prepare their things. Rion's pack looked at each other and nodded as they left to prepare their stuff. Rufus and Amara went to their room and swiftly opened their drawers to get what they need. Amara panics as she intensely grabs all the things to save Rion from the Crimsons. Rufus stared at her and held her hand tightly, "We'll save him." he said giving her some assurance. Amara looked back and nodded. Ivan threw his weapons on the back of the car as Sebastian jumped his way onto the driver's seat and placed his things in the backseat. Ivan closed the trunk and Rufus placed their things inside the car Rona went in while calling John but he isn't answering his phone. As Amara walks into the garage she saw Rion's pack getting ready to go. She confronted them, "Are you all sure you wanted to come? We can handle this on our own, this is our fight. We can't risk your lives again..." She said to Rion's pack.
"Every fight of Rion is our fight also." Cheryl implied.
"If we have to risk our lives then so be it, they already took away one of us... We won't let that happen again," Sheila said.
Diana was confused by what Sheila meant. She still doesn't know that Delvin was killed.
"For Rion... And for Delvin," El stated.
"For our pack," Atticus said leaving Amara speechless.
Amara agreed and went inside their car. Rion's pack hopped in the other car as Atticus starts the engine. Diana was left confused because she can't see Delvin anywhere, "Where's Delvin, I thought he would be driving?" she asked. They all looked at each other with their heads down. Atticus looked at the rear mirror, "He was killed... By one of the Crimson werewolves. No one could save him." he said.
Diana closed her mouth with her hands in shock. She was left in fright by the news as she realized that the Crimsons had already gone over the line.
The garage door opened slowly as the three cars drive out of the house. Rufus led the way and they all followed him on the way to the Crimsons.
Rion's pack discussed their plan on the road.
"So this ring... If we removed it from her hand, she's gone for good like cold corpse?" Cheryl asked.
"If we can remove it from her hand, yes," Sheila replied.
"What if we can't?" El added.
"Then we all die, that ring still contains Professor Higgin's magic if she managed to harness that power she will be unstoppable," Sheila said.
The pack was left silent as they process what Sheila said.
John and Logan arrived at Rochdale. John was about to go out of the car but he saw Rona's messages. John was alarmed by what Rona said. Logan saw the panic on his face.
"Why, what's up?"
"It's about Rion... He went to the Crimsons all on his own. This is bad."
"You need to go to him right now. I can manage on my own."
"I'm so sorry man. Let's talk again sometime."
"It's all right... It's really good to see you again." Logan implied as he leaves the car.
John raised his hands to Logan as he drove away from the street. He headed back to Hillford quickly while calling Rona. She answered the phone call and talked to him.
"Where are you? Where did you go?" She asked with frustration.
"I went to Rochdale and dropped off Logan. Have you talked to Rion already?"
"No, he left his phone that's why we need to go there before he does."
"Send me the location I'll go there now."
"We can manage, Laura is still at Hillford. Go to her first and take care of her."
"You left the kid alone? What were you thinking?... You know that it's still dangerous with all the situation going on."
"She's 13 with a thousand layers of spell guarding her inside the house. Plus, what do you want me to do? Bring her to the battle that's much more dangerous for her. And also, don't underestimate our daughter she was born a werewolf already without the need to kill someone and she's a half-witch. They can mess with all of us but not her."
"Okay then, I'll go to her. Update me as soon as you get there."
"All right."
John dropped the call and quickly went to his daughter, Laura Ashford. When he got back to Hillford, he quickly hopped off his car and went inside the house.
"Laura! Dad's home," He shouted.
Laura ran to the door and opened it. She hugged his dad as soon as she saw him.
"Mom said that Rion is in danger... I wanted to go with her but she wouldn't let me. We need to help him."
"I want to go there too sweetie but I need to keep you safe also. Your mother will keep your brother safe, all right?"
"How? It's too late... He's already in danger. He's almost close to the Crimsons."
"How did you know?" He asked his daughter confusedly.
Laura reached through her clothes and grab the sunstone necklace Rion gave to her. It's glowing vividly in gold bloom. The brightness of the glow reflected in their eyes. "I can feel him... We need to save him now or else something bad will happen. Dad, you need to trust me on this." She said.
John hesitated but the determination in her daughter's eyes changed his mind, "Pack your stuff and meet me in the car." Laura ran to her room to prepare while John went to his stuff and unlocked his drawer. He grabbed his silver dagger and placed it on his back.
He started the car and Laura walked out of the house with her things. She went inside the car and looked at her father, she nodded then John drove away from the house. "Your mother is going to kill me." He said while swaying his head sideways.
The Crimsons are already prepared for Rion's retaliation. All of the werewolf guards are settled at the front gate. Fala waits while looking at the large window from above the mansion. Theo arrives at the great hall of the Crimson mansion with werewolf guards beside him. "Is there something you need from me?" He asked Fala.
Fala looked at him and placed her wine glass down the table, "There you are... I've called because I have something for you..." She showed a box with their family crest engraved on it.
"What's this?" He asked while trying to reach for the box.
"Before you have this you must prove yourself worthy of this token. The Crimson Zeta medal has a great symbol to our pack. Becoming a Zeta is both an honor and a duty. You have to lead the pack to pride and honor in every fight we encounter. Remember that there is a difference between being an Alpha of an highschool pack and a Zeta of a real one. In order for you to become a Zeta, you have to do something for me..."
"Just tell me and I'll do it."
"Take Atticus Bhram's flair and make it your own. I recruited him into the academy for this exact moment. His flair is unique and exquisite and having his flair on our pack will be a great advancement for us. Do that and you will be one of the Crimson Zetas."
Theo realized that what Fala wants him to do is to kill Atticus and steal his flair from him, "You want me to kill someone?... That's your thing, not mine. I just want to avenge my grandfather's death and Atticus isn't the one who killed him."
"What do you think of Delvin Cage, Theo? Did he kill your grandpa? No, right?... But he died anyways and he's with the person who did. Everyone who sides with Rion Ashford and the Barringtons are considered as our enemy. They're just collaterals Theo and we are the one who pulls the strings and thanks to this ring our options are inevitable. So man up and do what I told you to do." She said while leaving the great hall with the box.
Theo was left in the hall and sighed deeply. Jane suddenly arrived and approached him. "What's with the wall stare? What happened?" She asked.
"I see that your face isn't healed yet..."
"And you didn't answer my question... What happened?"
"Fala wanted me to kill Atticus Bhram."
"And what's the matter with that?"
Theo looked at her with a confused look, "He's not there when Arthur died why would I kill him. Plus, I don't intend to kill anyone I just follow her rules. Aren't you shocked by all of this? It seems like it's fine for you to kill someone with no hesitation."
"It's not that it's fine for me, it's just that... We're on a war, Theo... Deaths and killings are supposed to happen. There's no wars without casualties. Someone has to die and someone has to live. One will rise and the other will fall."
"I'm not a murderer, Jane. I just want the right justice for my grandfather's death."
Theo looked at her with a soft gaze. He walked to the window and glance over the window pane. Jane followed him and rested her face on his shoulder, "The right justice is to kill Rion, you know that very well. If you kill him, I am very sure that Fala will make you a Zeta. Think about it... All of your pain and suffering is caused by him. If there's anyone worth killing it's him. The choice is yours." She said while massaging his hands with her gentle touch.
Rion saw that he was near the Crimson Mansion. The place is very humid and surrounded by hills and trees. He parked the car and went outside. As soon as he steps into the place he felt chills and anxiety about the setting of the place. He felt like someone is always looking at him in each of his steps. He heard subtle footsteps and twigs breaking but when he looked around no one is there. He continued walking and saw a paved pathway in the middle of the woods. He followed the path and felt that werewolves are already following him. He didn't panic because he didn't came there to fight but rather to talk. He sensed turmoil and rage amongst the wolves following him behind the trees. As he was walking he saw the end of the pathway, he was shaken by what he saw and didn't expect that the Crimson Mansion was that big.
It revealed a tall dark gate and fortress encircling it. Inside is a large mansion that is almost like a palace with a large field upfront. The place was guarded by werewolves from every corner. One of the guards saw Rion and knew exactly who he was. They opened the gates and let him enter the place. Rion froze for a second as he observes the area with his eyes. He looked at all the werewolves around and they look stronger than the ones he fought before. They all look different and much more experienced. As you look closely near the mansion, more werewolves guard the place and are prepared for whatever may come.
Theo saw Rion enter the field through the windows and quickly ran to the stairs. As Fala was gazing at her own painting he felt the presence of Rion inside. She calmly walked to the door and saw Theo going down the stairs in rush. She told Theo to calm down and that she had everything under control. She walked to the main door and opened it.
Rion saw Fala open the door causing him to stop walking in the middle of the field. Fala approached him slowly alone without the other werewolves. He sensed nothing but darkness in Fala as she walked toward him.
Logan has turned his old flat upside down but he didn't saw anything worth looking for. He still has no idea what Delvin meant in his message that he'll find his answers in that place. He was about to give up until he saw a book in the center of the table. He grabbed it and blew away the dust. He saw the title of the book, "The World of Witch-Vampire Hybrids." He softly said making him curious and bewildered at the same time.