The drive was a rough 4 hours. Apparently werewolves didn't take too kindly to cars as I was now rubbing Alexios' back as he puked his guts out. "It's okay, there's only 20 minutes left." I was worried being so close to the fight with Xios indisposed. If one of them stumble upon us now, I won't be able to stop them.
"I'll be fine, let's just go so this pain can be over."
"Actually, it's probably best if we walk. If we drive straight into battle, it would be like a spotlight is on us but with us on foot we have the element of surprise on our side." he seemed to think about it for a second before nodding.
"Yea, you're right. Let's walk." He also seemed very, very happy about the not driving part. So we kpulled our packs out of the truck and started walking into the forest beside the isolated road. Alexios hopped the fence but it was too tall for me. He chuckled slightly which made my face twist into a irritated expression. He halted his laughing to help pull me over and our long trek commenced.
"How do you even know where it is?" It was my way of making small talk because if it was a 20 minute drive then it must be an even longer walk.
"Mag, the vampire coven witch implanted it in my mind since I was staying back." Oh, yeah, I never said thanks.
"Thanks for that by the way, it would have sucked to find that out without someone there."
"Well, someone would have had to stay behind but the only ones who volunteered were Kane, Anastasia and some other guy." I grimaced at the idea of having to spend over 4 hours with Kane or Anastasia, speaking of which, why would Anastasia want to stay with me?
"Did Anastasia say why?"
"I suspect it's because they wanted to get rid of their competition."
"Well, extra thanks then."
"No problem."
We were deep into the forest by this point when I heard the snap of branches behind me. My body whipped back, eyes frantically searching for the offender. "Let's go." I grabbed Alexios' arm trying to run but he wouldn't move. "Move, please, I don't feel like dying today."
"It's more trouble to have him tell this captain that there are reinforcements." It was a solid argument, I didn't like it but I saw that it was necessary so we got to work. Alexios' using his super smell and my superhearing. He definitely didn't leave the area, I could hear his breathing, out of tune with mine and Alexios', Suddenly, there was the click of a gun, our eyes shot up to see shining green ones in the trees.
Alexios and I had jumped away just in time for the bullet to embed itself into the foliage rather than out throats. Alexios was faster than me and got to the tree, climbing up. I joined him, I was never a great climber but to be fair, I wasn't that great at a lot of the things that I've done since being thrown into this life.
The stranger couldn't shoot us like this. He shot one and would never get to shot another 'monster' again. Alexios was just about to reach him before the stranger jumped down from the tree. He was in the open and running away. Me and Alexios shared the look, if he got away, everyone dies. We jumped down from the tree and sprinted after him.
Track really was worth it, I thought as I was on the soldier's tail now, I jumped and knocked him to the ground. I rolled him over and–bad idea–because the soldier put his gun to my temple, poised to shoot my brains out if I dared.
I'm not usually one for crude language, but shit. A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead as the possibility of my impending caressed my thoughts. His finger was about to push down on the trigger before his head started bleeding out heavily and recognition faded from his eyes, gun loosening from his hands.
I looked up to see my father with a gun in his hands. Tears began to cloud my vision and I ran up to him to clutch him in the tightest hug I could. "Father!"
"It's okay, Valerie, your safe now."
I shook my head, "Not yet, the war hasn't ended yet, has it?"
"No, but these monsters aren't your people. We can go home now and live as we used to."
"We can't father. You can go but I need to help these people, it wouldn't be right after all they did to help me and my friends and," I looked back at Alexios. "My friend's family is still in there, I won't let him do that alone."
"You're friends with a werewolf? They are very temperamental and dangerous beings, Valerie." He looked apprehensive.
"Father, Xios is not temperamental and dangerous, the only times he acts that way is when the person deserves it."
"Sti-" I cit him off.
"Anyway, there are more important things going on than this debate right now. There's a jeep on the road past the forest, drive it to Auntie." I push my phone and the keys into his hands.
"I'm not leaving you, I can be an mess of a father at times but I'm not shameless enough to leave my daughter to fight my battles."
"Father, please."
"No, if your going, we are going together." After a moment, I conceded.
"We should get going, they must need help." Alexios said and I nodded. We walked through the forest until there was finally a clearing and it looked horrible. Dead bodies—supernatural and human were strewn everywhere—everyone was fighting and fire was ravaging the once abundant areas of nature.
"It's too dangerous to just walk in, I'll make us invisible." It was still weird to think about how father has magic.
"You can do that?"
"Yes, now come close to me." Me and Alexios stepped as close to father as we could and we were transparent. "No one else but us can see us."
We started walking around, trying to find the base of the commanders. Suddenly, bombs full of vervain started raining down. One landed right next to me before it exploded it a large puff of purple. I looked at it, confused on what it was until it reached my skin—my eyes started watering and my skin burned like I rolled in a pit of fire.
"Val! What's going on?" A voice asked but I couldn't make it out before I fainted.
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Soft, was my first thought. This softness was much better than the cold hard ground of before. "Val? Val! Wake up!" My eyes slowly opened to the fluorescent lights, I closed them groaning and rolling to avoid it before a burning pain shot up my spine.
I screamed in pain, eyes opening to alexios holding me down. "It hurts." I cried.
"I know, calm down so I can get you some medicine." To spare myself the pain, I complied and Alexios returned with a jar of white cream. He sat down and started cutting at my clothes. It would have made me really sad but the pain I was experiencing was too much to feel all that bad. He pulled the covers to cover my nudity and started rubbing the cream into my burns.
"What happened?" I croaked.
"We were trying to find the commanders but then vervain bombs started raining down and you got burned. Luckily there was some nearby medical staff that could help." I wouldn't have pushed but his face seemed like he was hiding something.
"What are you hiding?"
"Nothing. Really, I wouldn't lie to you." At that moment, an old man and a girl came in to the hospital room. After being around supernaturals for a long time, I could tell and supernatural from a human. I shot Alexios a betrayed look and he responded in anger.
"I'm sorry for lying but I wasn't goong to let you die there Valerie. If that makes you hate me, then loathe me."
"Are we inturrupting a lover's quarrel?" The girl, blond with brown eyes, joked.
I plastered on my fake smile, "Not at all, anyway, we should get going."
"Not yet," The old man said. My body stiffened and I could see Alexios' did too. "You are not ready to fight out there. If the humans loitering outside see you and catch on, they'll be able to kill you easily."
"She has me." Alexios said.
"She does but you have no guns and no weapons other than your body, they can kill you before you even get close enough to use your powers." I hated that he was right.
"I have a question. I'm human, but the vervain still affected me." He started hooking me up to his machines and, although I didn't trust them, I'd lose more by not listening to them.
"That's probably because of your vampire blood," He must have noticed my suspicions because then he said, "I knew because of how much you look like Rosalie and the Hunters do their research."
"So why are you helping me if you're with the hunters?"
This time, the girl spoke. "Because we believe that the hunters are wrong but to be fair, your group is too. The hunters hurt you, so you guys hurt the people associated with the hunters? And the vampires are always enslaving humans."
"I agree, in this case, everyone is wrong." I look at Alexios, silently asking for permission and he nods. "Alesxios was one of the werewolves enslaved by the vampires but I want to stop that. My goal is that when I become queen, the vampires, werewolves and humans stop hurting eachother."
"That's too idealistic, princess Valerie. They will never stop."
"Well then it would be illegal, it doesn't matter how it stops but I know it's possible, I'd die to prove this."
At that moment, father comes in, I can't believe I forgot to ask about him. "Thank you for your help." Father gives an amicable smile that covers up his nervousness to everyone but me, and I can tell that I got my abilities from him.
"It's no trouble, we're just people trying to do the right thing." He finally pulled out my IVs and turned off the machine. "You're done and ready to go back." The doctor smiled.
"Thank you fo the help." I got up of the bed and stretched out my aching limbs. We were about to leave before the girl called out.
"Wait! If your thankful, then don't reveal this location to your coven, there are many workers here who are just trying to get by and have no hate in their hearts."
"I won't, promise." I said before closing the door.
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Luckily it wasn't too hard to find the base. It was a small cottage property deeper into pack lands with soldiers guarding every inch of it. We held out arms up and the guards poised their guns until they realised who it was and put them down. "Princess, the elders are looking for you. I will direct you to them." I nodded and followed the soldier.
After entering the cottage, I realised how it kept so many safe, there was a deep and spacious basement. We walked down several levels until we got to one of the lowest and opened it to see 10 elders. "Only the princess can enter, the rest, you must come back up with me."
My father did not look pleased, but complied. "The leader's son may stay, this is important for him as well." A surprised look crossed Alexiios' face.
We entered the room to another long round table that nearly matched the one back at the castle.- "You asked for us?" I said.
"Yes, please take a seat." It was the older, curly-black haired woman named Adora said. I recognized her from my meeting with the elders in the castle. We do as she says, taking the two seats closest to the door.
A man that I've never met before, likely an elder of the black moon pack began to speak. "We called you here because as the future leaders, it is imperative that you learn how to lead. This will be one of those experiences."
"You will work with the us and commanders by giving your insight on strategies. Valerie, we were very impressed with your plans in the past and we believe that you can also help us." Elder Adora added.
"I'm not sure if I can be of the most help, but I will do my best." I promised.
"I haven't had much time to develop leadership skills, but I know that I have other skills that you will find useful for this project." Alexios said.
After that, wr started discussing things and I picked up most of the names. There were 5 elders from th evampire and lycan side. On the vampire side there was Adora, Max; the deceptively young looked blond boy. Reece; a black haired asain woman, and Liam; a man with graying hair.
The lycans elders were: A surly man named Albus, A tall woman named Melanie, a very energetic Trey, and –.
The elders genuinely seemed happy to have us there but the commanders not so much. The lycan commanders accepted Alexios but were wary around me. It makes me sad, but I get it, I look and am related to the woman who stole their heir and killed many of their people. Maybe I would feel better if I was accepted all the vampires but I got quite a bit of push back, specifically because of Finley. As the General, he had a lot of push and therefore, could taint people's impressions of me without must extra effort.
Luckily, majority of the commanders warmed up to me. I even learned that most don't like Finley but deal with him.
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