Drastic measures
~
Accalia
~
Could a grave be dug any deeper?
For Cadence, Accalia believed it to be.
An endless and unbounded hole where someday Accalia would see her cousin throw herself into. In death, in life or survival.
Accalia looked over at Cadence again, she lost count on how many times she did this and every time, her cousin's face remained the same. A clenched jaw, a composed stature and a face of indifference.
Cadence didn't care for the life she took, no frail movements displayed such remorse and Accalia expected it.
At eighteen years old, Cadence had now killed three people. All men. All that rightfully deserved it.
"You killed his wolves?" Lycus's voice drilled through the room in a rumble.
Cadence ran a hand through her straggly hair and shrugged loosely. "I killed one, Alexene killed two."
A smile curved on Lycus's lips and it reeked of mockery. He leant his hands across the couch that Rexton sat silently on and demanded. "And why, Cadence, would you fucking do that?"
"To protect me."
Lycus looked down at his little brother and his face filled with amusement.
Cadence fumbled with her hands. "I wouldn't define it like that—"
"She protected him," Accalia confirmed and went on to explain how all of it came to be.
Lycus ignored his mate's gaze but paid solid attention to all she had to say. After leaving the Canus pack, returning home unscathed and ridden of their fake scents, Alexene had fled, but not before saying she will unearth who could be the potential vampire that had been in Cole's home.
Accalia didn't where that would lead Alexene. They didn't have much to go on, but a faint scent that had clung to Cole's cabin. Only he would have the answer, and the vampire that had to be accounted for.
It did leave one consideration.
"What if Cole had been compelled?" Rexton declared, scanning everyone with a look of nervousness of even raising the question. "That may be why Vaela can't access certain memories of his. What if the presence in the memories was a vampire?"
But why would Cole have anything to do with a vampire and why would it want to compel him?
"Compulsion can take years to master and continuously doing it to the same person, can warp their mind. On occasion, unhinge it. But it isn't completely out of the question. Unless, of course, Cole turns human when he sees the presence I cannot see. I only had access to the memories of what the claws had, I don't have anything with his human side." Vaela's serene voice drifted through the room.
The front door opened and slammed shut. Erisa and Frankie Jaeger scampered into the room, red in the face and skittish.
"Cole left the bar after he got a call," Erisa explained and immediately looked at Cadence. "What the hell happened?"
"And that's why we have Erisa," Cadence grinned and whirled around on her. "Got anything for us?"
"Just the song Dancing Queen playing in my head."
Everyone looked at her puzzled.
"May I?" Vaela requested gently.
Erisa shrugged loosely and sat down, eyes peeled wide.
Vaela rose from her chair and drifted over to Erisa, cupping her temples with the pads of her fingers and wasting no time invading her mind.
Minutes passed and Vaela shrank back, her hands finding her own temples as she sighed tiredly. "Cole has developed a profound interest in Erisa Jaeger."
"What do you mean?" Cadence pried, standing up to get close to Erisa and Frankie.
Vaela's dress pooled by her bare feet and followed her every move in a watery wave. "Cole's mate was human before she turned, was she not?"
Lycus nodded, brows creasing at the oracle. "She was. From what I remember, Cole turned her away and she purposefully got herself turned so she could be with him. She was insane as he was and it got her killed."
Vaela clucked her tongue thoughtfully and pointed a finger at Erisa. "He believes he has a connection with this one, it's blooming like a seed into a flower. We can use it to our advantage in this war, but it is whatever you decide, Erisa Jaeger."
The oracle fled, an intense and provoking stride in her bare feet as she left the manor.
Erisa fell into her seat, face torn and drained. Frankie Jaeger scooted over and cupped his niece's shoulders.
"We should leave, Bub, it's quite a trip back to the cabin," Frankie announced and Accalia didn't blame him.
He didn't want her a part of this, none of it and yet, he granted her the choice to decide.
"Wait," Erisa said fretfully and gestured to Cadence in question. "What happened at the pack?"
Cadence waved her off, not a stray of remorse in her eyes and said, "Rexton and Alexene found a vampire scent in Cole's house — tryna figure out what that's about. Alexene killed two werewolves, I killed one and we escaped without a scratch on us."
"What the fuck—"
"Language, Erisa," Frankie stated and scanned everyone around the room, landing those blue eyes on Rexton. "Was there a lot of blood in their scent, hybrid?"
Rexton sat up and acknowledged the hunter. "A lot of it. They consume it regularly, but their trail was faint, they haven't been there in days. Alexene and I won't be able to find anything else unless we were to take drastic measures."
Cadence's head lolled to the side. "Define drastic."
Rexton's gaze flickered to his brother and cleared his throat. "You must understand, when my brothers and I first discovered vampires — which was when I first met Alexene, there was an eminent difference in us as races. Lycans and werewolves are social creatures, they crave contact and the light of day. Vampires don't need or at times, desire any of that. I am of both and that is why smelling this vampire in Cole's cabin isn't natural. You must remember as well, Cole would have invited this vampire in."
Accalia's blood ran cold and she recoiled in her chair, not liking the words dripping out of Rexton's mouth.
"Cole is communicating with this vampire." Accalia claimed thickly.
Rexton nodded restlessly. "It would seem so. In what way that might be, we do not know. Vampires and lycans aren't fond of each other, my brothers and Alexene are living proof of that. We are not compatible creatures that would seek out companionship. Which is why we must take specific measures."
"I gave Cole Canus my phone number," Erisa announced to everyone and no one looked pleased by it. Frighted for her. Frightened about the outcome. "This war is going to come any day and time, we gotta close in on Cole as soon as we can."
Any day and time, hours were ticking by and soon the minutes would run out into seconds. They did not have a set time of when this war would play out, but with Zenith and Cole being the enemies, everyone knew they would want it as untimely as they could.
"Come on, Bub, it's getting late. Let's head home." Frankie said to his niece, urging her toward the front door.
Erisa rose to her feet and said, "I'll contact Cadence when Cole makes the first move."
The Jaegers left, Frankie's loud car barreling out of the pack and onto the highway.
"Dad wants to see you both."
Accalia's head snapped to Tristan, wondering if she heard that right and when that hard face of his didn't waver, her heart lodged in her throat.
"Why?" Accalia demanded, making sure her voice remained neutral despite the coincidence of the situation.
Tristan shrugged and stood up, scratching his messy hair. "I'm leaving now. Ask him if you go and see him."
Accalia's eyes slanted on Cadence and she was already looking at Accalia, face emotionless.
"Wanna expand on that, Tris? Why does he want to see us all of sudden?" Cadence demanded.
Tristan pulled his car keys out of his back pocket and strolled to the front door. "Things ... have been going on, hunter stuff and Dad wants to be the one to tell you." Tristan lowly whistled, not expanding further.
"Aw, don't tell me he misses us," Cadence joked and trod over to Tristan's side, shouldering him. "I can go if you want, Accalia. I'll be back in no time."
It had been a long time since Accalia last saw her father and it didn't end on the best of terms. It was gnarly and not what she expected, leaving a cut in her heart because of it. Would seeing him rub salt in the wound?
Accalia would have to see to find out and rose from her chair, back tingling. "I'm coming too."
A breath swept above her head so quickly that she nearly missed it and she whipped around, Lycus right next to her.
"The last time—" Lycus began and was silenced by Accalia, frustration building within her.
"The last time won't happen ever again." Accalia assured, not for him but herself.
Lycus released a ragged sigh, not liking this a tiny bit. But what could he do? He had no power over hunters and their ways. Just as the hunters had none with lycans.
Accalia was now a part of those two worlds, interconnecting with each other in more ways than just bloody battles. She had to find a middle ground that even Lycus won't agree with.
"Would you like to come?" Accalia asked nervously.
Lycus looked down at her and his face brewed with fury. "And meet your father?"
Accalia swallowed, alarmed by his tone and what was going on in that head of his. This meeting wasn't going to begin and end in violence, especially by Lycus's hand or William's.
"If you promise to behave..." Accalia trailed off once that crooked smile filled her mate's lips.
It almost made her feel the slightest hint of joy over the many days that made her feel discouraged over his avoidance of her.
"Don't worry," Lycus's mouth dipped by her ear and he whispered, "I'll play nice."
Accalia's face flushed in embarrassment and she lightly shoved him. "Whatever you say, Alpha. Let's go, it's nighttime and we have no idea what Cole has discovered yet. Could we be compromised for the deaths in his pack?"
Cadence shrugged carelessly, no ounce of regard for what could lay beyond her actions.
"Well, they won't pick up on any of our real scents, but they'll someone to blame." Tristan responded.
And the blame could be pitted on anyone.
Accalia wouldn't put it past Cole to wreak havoc toward everyone, hunters and lycans just for the sake of it.
"You coming Rexton?" Lycus asked his brother.
Rexton's face lit up, lips lifting in recognition and he ambled up from the couch.
"Can I?" Rexton clarified lightly, innocently. It went far and beyond, his brother acknowledging him and allowing him little snippets of freedom.
Lycus confirmed his answer with a nod and gestured to Cadence. "You have little huntress over there to protect you."
——
Tristan took a sharp left, taking off into a deserted road and Lycus turned, following his pattern.
They were halfway to Accalia's old home, she could remember the windy roads and nature that hadn't changed in the recent months.
Tristan's jeep ahead illuminated a car in front of the two vehicles and air left Accalia's lungs, her throat closing up.
A hand settled on her thigh and Lycus peered over with a concerned look that sent her heart soaring.
As soon as Tristan parked his jeep, Lycus did the same and settled both Rexton and Accalia a sharp look.
"You ready?" Lycus asked gently.
Accalia shakily nodded and rubbed her clammy hands along her jeans. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"Your heartbeat has accelerated and your breathing levels have changed," Rexton observed, peeking his head through the two seats and sending Accalia a look.
Lycus sent his brother a harsh glare, smacking him lightly on the head. "Don't freak her out further. They didn't end things on the best of terms."
Rexton frowned, smoothing down his messy hair and asked, "How so?"
Lycus and Accalia mirrored each other's expressions and stepped out of the car, urging Rexton to follow along without an explanation.
Cadence was sitting on the hood of Tristan's car, legs wide spread and leaning her chin on her hands as she sent a scowling glare at the man ahead of her.
They never got along, William and his niece. They were always at each other throats, even as Cadence took orders and commands from him, but she never received affection from him in the ways of family.
From the last heartbeat of her family, William treated Cadence as the black sheep and the orphan who had to hunt.
"You think he'll slap you in the face if you keep looking at him like that?" Accalia strolled up to Cadence and leaned against the car, watching as Tristan and William spoke to each other a distance away.
Cadence cackled, a dark sound travelling through her words as she said, "He can try, but he can't forget."
"Forget what?" Accalia asked cautiously.
Cadence's black eyes found Accalia's, a dead and feral sight in them. "That I was raised by his sister first."
The Fenris brothers subtly came up to the girls and Accalia felt Lycus thread his fingers through hers, emitting heat through his touch she didn't know she needed.
Rexton slid to the hood of Tristan's car, following Cadence's actions and continuously eyed her with every chance he could.
It wasn't returned and Accalia expected as much as Cadence's attention was directed to the two men strolling up to them, a force in their strides.
"My car isn't a playground, you know?" Tristan sneered at both Cadence and Rexton.
Cadence ignored Tristan and angled her head at her uncle.
William was wasting away. Brown skin and eyes that didn't have the same glow as Tristan and Accalia, a fading light with wrinkles and withering skin. He still withheld that fighting stance, clenched fists and always at the ready. Many things would leave William Larren, but not his hate.
"Hello, Dad." Accalia stepped forward, taking Lycus with her and tried to stare through the eyes of a man that showed nothing.
William nodded at her. "Accalia, you look stronger."
Accalia looked down at herself, not seeing a change besides the concealed scarred back and a whirlwind of pain that reaped with Alphas, murders and war.
"I don't," Accalia began to say but lost her words in the night.
William laughed faintly and pointed directly at her eyes. "Something there, girl. Something."
Accalia said nothing in return and leaned against Lycus for support.
"And what about me, uncle?" Cadence hollered tauntingly and pointed at herself with a sneer in her smile.
William's lip curled and looked away from her. "Fractured."
Cadence gave him a thumbs up.
"She is not fractured." Rexton's voice peeled throughout the deserted road and there was only protectiveness in his words. "You will not speak of her in that way again."
William narrowed his eyes at Rexton, picking him apart and sniggered, "Lycus's backup, I take it?"
Lycus growled and Accalia coiled her arm through his, hoping he wouldn't strike down at William.
"Dad, this is Rexton Fenris," Accalia explained, knowing there would be a chunk of information needing to be sewn together to understand the slightest bit of anything.
"Don't tell me this is the lycan's son, Accalia."
"His younger brother actually," Cadence corrected before anyone else could and sent a fierce glare at William like he was dirt beneath her boot. "Lycus and Gabriel had to lock him away ... because he's a hybrid."
Not all the reasons, supposedly, Accalia recalled.
"A hybrid?" William mused, scrutinising Rexton with a cautious leer and if he was a creature worth putting down. "Lycan and—"
"Vampire," Lycus answered for him.
William inclined his head, wickedness wrote across his face and he finally pitted Lycus a look of acknowledgement. "The myths are real, of course, they'd walk this earth amongst your kind. Who would have thought your bloodline couldn't be any filthier, Fenris."
"Dad!" Accalia snapped with malice and swallowed that emptiness drying her throat. Why did she even bother?
"It's fine, Accalia," Lycus cooed and his fingers tightened in hers. "That's why we have mates, William, something to purify the ugliness. Like your daughter, for example."
Accalia hoped the united front they showed to everyone around them embedded deeper. She was tired of going against Lycus, spent of the disagreements and issues that dug deeper and deeper like a welcoming grave.
She didn't want to lie in it, she wanted to be by his side.
"Why'd you want to see us?" Accalia demanded of her father.
"Your brother has informed me of recent matters taking place in your ... pack. Alpha wars and frequent attacks." William's stare stayed on Accalia and her stitches flamed with rage from the gaze of her father.
Tristan told him. Accalia was almost curious how he would have reacted. Did he laugh at his daughter's pain, or did his heart bleed with revenge, the way hers does?
"There's been frequent werewolf bites spreading across towns, a lot of humans being turned. Kids even. Some are taking the turn, others are dying from it and most have to get put down because of our code. By the location and types of werewolves, we know it's the Thrax pack." William said to Accalia, signalling his information to the Alpha next to her and the huntress behind them.
Kill the bitten before they bite you. A hunter code. A Larren law.
This was exactly what Accalia didn't want. As the war was on the horizon, bidding their time and challenging their every action, frequent bites were the exact chess move Cole and Zenith would make.
Cole's pack was lycan populated, topped off with cannibalistic and unmated creatures of the moon that would only turn others for kicks. Zenith, a werewolf-populated pack hellbent on greed and power, his only option would be to turn to others, to strengthen his numbers.
Once humans were on the line, unassuming and innocent humans, that was where a hunter must be involved. It was their duty at the end of the day.
"You're going after the Thrax pack," Accalia concluded with an understanding nod.
"You know our ways, daughter. We have no intention of going after other packs — unless they fall out of line as Zenith has. I'll leave Cole Canus to you." William met Lycus on his word.
"There are two lycans in particular," Lycus began, sending an ashamed look to Accalia. "Zenith and Melina Thrax. They have it out for Accalia and Cadence, if we go after the Canus pack and hunters the Thrax pack, we'll resolve our issues in no time."
William shook his head, arrogance spreading through his stance. "This ain't an alliance, lycan. My people will deal with Zenith's pack because they are attacking humans, you can deal with Cole Canus because he's attacking your people."
Lycus smiled wildly, liking that plan immensely and Accalia rolled her eyes as to why.
There was no doubt in sight, Lycus wanted to kill Melina and Zenith with his claw, but if someone does it for him, painfully as a hunter would, that would please him just as much.
One war would break into two battles.
Alphas against Alphas.
Hunters opposing lycans and werewolves.
"Done." Lycus declared and took a wide step to William and Tristan. If Accalia's family were intimidated, they showed no sign of it. "Anything else?"
William looked over Lycus's shoulder to Accalia and then to his niece.
"With silver and sword," William avowed.
"With blood and silver." Accalia and Cadence said in union, falling to the ways of codes and law.
William nodded, gave them his back and stalked to his car.
Tristan was left standing with an unreadable look on him, but two strides later, he locked his arms around Accalia in a tight embrace.
"Not gonna lie," Tristan breathed into Accalia's thick mane of hair with a crackle in his tone, "I don't know when I'll see you or Cadence next, but I'll keep in contact. Let you know the moves we make and you do the same, yeah?"
Accalia nodded. "I will. Dad didn't act too bad, could have gone worse."
"I told him to watch it, he hasn't been drinking as much, his new addiction is killing the Thrax pack," Tristan explained and released her, gripping her shoulders in a final goodbye.
Cadence came up to them and punched Tristan in the arm, a smile tickling her lips.
Tristan ruffled Cadence's hair and kissed her faintly on top of the head. "You better keep out of trouble, Cadence."
"I'll try."
Tristan left in his Jeep, trailing behind William and leaving their hunter's mark in the dirt of the deserted road as they sped off through the night.
Accalia turned to Lycus, valuing that stare he gave her like they were more than just hunter and lycan.
"Let's go home." Accalia murmured warmly.
Lycus smiled down at her and passed her the car keys. "I'll meet you there, I want to speak to Rexton."
Cold shivers swept up and down on Accalia. What was he playing at?
"You can't—" Accalia's fear clogged in her throat and she stopped herself from even uttering it.
"I'm not, Accalia." Lycus declared, reassuring her fear and spinning it into relief. "I want to talk to him."
"Okay," Accalia said, nodding and fumbling with the keys. "I'll meet you at home."
Lycus kissed her on the cheek and waved Rexton over. The brothers didn't stick around, Rexton following after Lycus and they vanished into the entrance of the dark woods.
"What's that about?" Cadence asked, her eyes glued to the woods where Rexton and Lycus disappeared into.
Many reasons drifted to Accalia's mind, some good, most filled with ill-intent. But the encouragement of her mate refuelled her with certainty.
"Making amends," Accalia answered clearly.
The Larren cousins got in the car, the engine roaring to life and drove back onto the main road, the trees drifting by but the moon ahead hung high in the sky like a guiding light.
"Cadence," Accalia called to her cousin and saw in her peripheral vision, Cadence snap her head to her like danger was near.
"What?"
Accalia's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. "Why didn't you go with dad and Tristan? To fight with them? You could be with them, on the side of hunters and with our people. Why didn't you?"
As soon as William gave them the reason for the meeting, Accalia expected Cadence's steps to abandon her the way her father and brother did. Walking out of her life with no reason to return.
But Cadence remained, tough as nails and had nothing to sway her to go with her family. She had every reason to leave and yet, she stayed despite it all.
"Because I made a vow to you after Cole scratched you," Cadence recalled, kicking her boots onto Lycus's dashboard and turned the music back up. "I would avenge you, and I have every intention of doing it."