**A/N: Above is what I imagine the silver sun to look like. :) **
"Why did it say Witches are what Rogues are to us?" Trigg whispers once Abram finishes reading the three entries.
Abram shuts the journal and places it back onto the shelf where it belongs. All the shelves are organized by date and Abram does not feel like messing the organization up.
"Rogues are Werewolves that go bad. The wolf takes over and the human side can no longer come out. That is the same for a Witch," Jonah informs.
"Wizards and Warlocks are two separate species," Abram continues for Jonah who gives him a look to ask him to continue. "A Wizard has to deal more with spiritual magic, while a Warlock deals more with earthly magic. Both species can do the typical levitating and telekinetic jazz, but they prefer to specialize in one or the other. When either species delves into dark magic the magic consumes them and they become a Witch. A Witch happens to be the term for both species though since they both specialize in magic to begin with,"
"So what about them basically being human if they can't use magic?" Rigg questions next.
"Wizards and Warlocks are basically human, just like we are," Jonah informs this time. "Everyone is human to some extent, until our other sides become more dominant to make a species. We are not human because we have the ability to shift into wolves, Wizards and Warlocks cannot shift. But, magic comes more naturally to a Wizard and Warlock, that is what makes them a species,"
"How do you know if someone is a Wizard or Warlock?" Winter whispers.
"Just like us they have a particular scent. I hate to say it, but all werewolves smell more doglike, werecats smell more like a cat, merpeople smell sort of fishy, and so on. Only a supernatural knows when someone is not human, humans are just not as advanced as the supernatural to pick up on it. A Wizard and Warlock smells sort of sweet, earthy, and they all have an aura I can only explain as magical. Although, you cannot tell they are a Wizard or Warlock unless they have used magic recently because then that aura sort of vanishes. Which magic has been illegal since 1961 so I have only met one guy with that aura," Abram says.
"You met someone?" Trigg asks with wide eyes.
"Yes, I was at an Alpha meeting and one of the packs had a Warlock living amongst them. I did not turn them in because the man was almost like an Omega, he was low in the hierarchy and was a sweet guy. Actually, he was only eighteen and mated to one of the Warrior women. My wolf and I did not feel threatened by him so we did not feel the need to turn the Warlock in,"
"Cool," Trigg mutters. "Was Jonah there?" He asks as he looks over at Jonah.
"Yeah, I met him," Jonah says with a nod. Then he turns his attention to Abram. "So, this Elder guy was using magic to try and destroy packs for an unknown reason because the Elder's Council kept it hush hush. What makes you believe the Elders now are using magic?" He asks curiously.
Abram nods his head. "I told you yesterday that there was something important I couldn't remember and magic was what I couldn't remember. Someone asked the question of how would Elder Williams and Elder Stirling have a secret affair without August finding out. I believe at least Elder Williams was using magic to shield herself from August seeing or smelling what she was doing behind his back,"
"That bitch," Everyone blinks in surprise as they look at Winter who fumes. "I knew she was a snake, but to use illegal magic just to cheat on her mate? Who would commit such a horrible crime?"
"Elder Williams," Abram and Jonah say together.
"Elder Stirling could have been using magic as well since no one else seemed to know what was happening right under their noses. At least if they did they kept it to themselves. Maybe they only used the magic on mature wolves because I know magic takes a lot of energy, especially the type of magic being used and on what and for how long," Abram says.
"That makes sense," Jonah grumbles. "I could see both of them using magic to get their way,"
"Exactly," Abram says as he moves away from the group to a giant chest covered in dust. Abram hasn't opened this chest in three years, not since he first opened it and read the books inside. "Only, I have a bad feeling that not only Elder Williams and Elder Stirling might be using magic,"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jonah asks.
Then the group moves to crowd around Abram who squats as he uses his extended nail to pick the pad lock on the trunk. The lock clicks open so Abram pulls it off and opens the lid. Thick books of various sizes fill the trunk, along with candles of various colors, stones of various sizes, and vials of different things. Abram lifts a few books before one catches his eye. He doesn't know why it catches his eye but it does so he lifts it out and stands back to his feet.
"Tripp and I had a discussion last night and I've been suspicious ever since," Abram mumbles as he opens the old book. The book smells old even, sort of a musty smell.
"You guys talked? When?" Rigg asks.
"I don't know," Trigg answers. "When you were sleeping,"
"You guys didn't do anything, did you?" Rigg asks suspiciously.
"Gosh, Rigg," Trigg scoffs. "Even if we did it wouldn't be any of your concern. I'm nineteen and with my mate,"
Abram hides his smiles as he flips the pages. That is until his eyes land on a silver sun. Abram holds his breath as he reads the page. This is definitely what Abram saw six years ago. This is bad. This is very bad.
"Is this what you saw?" Abram asks as he shoves the thick book in Trigg's face.
Trigg flinches from being startled but he focuses on the book anyway. Abram watches as his eyes widen. His head quickly nods and he looks up at Abram.
"That's exactly what I saw. You?"
"Yeah, six years ago," Abram agrees as he slams the book shut.
"What does it mean?" Trigg asks, the worry clear in his voice.
Abram shakes his head. "It's a slavery spell,"
"A what?" Trigg asks as his jaw drops.
"What are you two talking about?" Jonah asks, frustrated that he's not in the loop.
Abram chews his bottom lip as he tosses the book back into the chest and locks the pad lock again. Then he starts to pace as he explains.
"Six years ago I watched both my parents and Beta get murdered by Rogues,"
Everyone but Winter flinches at the news. Jonah has a direct link to those Rogues since his father was murdered by them. Trigg and Rigg's pack was just attacked and their mother murdered by Rogues so of course they would be sensitive to the news.
"At the time I didn't think much of it because of all the shit happening. But after talking with Trigg last night I decided that it was worth looking into. The Rogues that killed my parents and the Beta had on necklaces with a silver sun. Then Trigg mentioned how the Rogues that attacked his pack had silver suns as well. I believe someone is using magic to enslave Rogues, and I have a bad feeling it is an Elder,"
"Why would an Elder want to enslave Rogues?" Winter whispers.
"I have no idea," Abram admits. "But every fiber in my body is telling me to look at the Elders for this,"
"Would an Elder get into magic even when they know it's illegal though?" Rigg asks.
"The Elders are bastards and they would get into magic. If magic helps them achieve something they want then I have no doubt they would get into it,"
"Wait," Jonah says suddenly. "When we had that last meeting with them, Elder Williams said you couldn't adopt a pup because you would abuse your own powers. If she is afraid of that power being abused, then why would she use magic? She seemed pretty freaked out when you mentioned it,"
Abram looks from each person slowly until he gets back to Jonah. "This is a power that only Alphas and Betas can use. Elder Williams is afraid that once others learn of the power they will abuse it by trying to make the strongest wolf their own heir. What she doesn't understand though is that I only need one pup to continue the line,"
"Yeah, that or she just can't handle the fact that you didn't choose Lulu as your mate," Jonah replies with a snort.
Abram scrunches up his face. "Anyway," He says as he notices Trigg frown. "Something is telling me that one of the Elders are using magic to enslave Rogues. I do not know what for though,"
"Maybe they are trying to keep the population down," Winter offers in her natural soft voice.
Abram frowns as he shakes his head. "No, there is no need to enslave them like that. It is too dangerous to keep them around, that is why we kill Rogues. They have to be using them for... something..." Abram trails off as he thinks.
No one speaks as Abram thinks. Why would someone want to enslave a Rogue? What would they do with an enslaved Rogue? Would they use them as a slave? Make them do all their dirty work? How would one get ahold of a Rogue to enslave it? They would have to be strong enough to get ahold of one.
But why would Rogues attack my parents and Beta? Abram thinks. And Trigg's pack was attacked by the same Rogues, or at least enslaved Rogues. Would they be wanting to destroy packs? Abram's head snaps up at the last thought.
"Destroying packs," He mutters out loud. "They could want to destroy packs, just like Elder Calvert was trying to do in 1961. Only this time whoever is doing it is using enslaved Rogues. A way to destroy packs without people getting too suspicious,"
"Why would someone want to destroy packs? And they didn't exactly destroy our pack six years ago," Jonah grumbles.
"No, but they tore it apart by killing the Alpha, Beta, and the Luna. They would have probably killed me too if those Warrior wolves didn't drag me away," Jonah and Trigg both flinch at Abram's words.
"But there was nothing special about my pack though, we were a tiny pack," Trigg says.
"What pack?" Abram asks. There has to have been something they wanted from his pack.
"The Standing-Crow pack," Trigg says. "We were a branch off from the Standing-Rock and Crow-Creek packs, so we weren't very big,"
"Standing-Crow," Abram mutters.
"Hey, that's the pack that has-," Jonah cuts himself off as he and Abram stare at each other knowingly.
"Has what?" Trigg asks annoyed and confused. When neither answer his question, he takes a step forward and tugs on Abram's arm. "The pack has what, Abram?"
Abram glances down at Trigg who is just up to his chin. He glances back at Jonah who chews on his bottom lip. Then Abram sighs and looks back at Trigg who looks up at him expectantly.
"The Standing-Crow pack is sitting atop a river of oil," Abram informs. "People tried to go in and drill for the oil but they got ruled out since they are technically living on a National Park. People keep trying to make offers to buy the Pack House because even though they are on a National Park if they lived on the property they could mine. Even the Elders have tried to buy the house and relocate the pack,"
"Why did I never know this?" Trigg asks with a frown. "I've lived there for like five years and never heard a thing,"
"Did strange people ever show up? People in suits?" Abram asks with his own frown.
Trigg bites his bottom lip, that's when Abram notices the boy still has a hold on his arm, he doesn't dare move or mention it in fear of Trigg letting go.
"I guess so," Trigg mumbles. "They would tell us humans were visiting and not to shift, and then men in suits would come. I never met any of them though because mom would keep Rigg and I in one of our bedrooms until the Alpha said it was okay to shift again,"
"They were most likely prospectors trying to buy the property. The Alpha always refuses any offers made, and he refuses to drill. Maybe whoever is enslaving the Rogues was trying to run your pack off the lands so they could claim all the profits the oil made,"
"What about our pack then? What would they gain from us?" Jonah wonders.
Abram sighs loudly. "We're a strong pack, Jonah, and a large pack. Besides the Black-Shadow and the Wind-Pine packs we are the strongest in the entire state. Maybe they are trying to eliminate the bigger and stronger packs,"
"Then why haven't they gone after the Black-Shadow and Wind-Pine yet?" Trigg asks suddenly.
Abram stares at Trigg for a moment. "That's a good question, Trigg," He says then bites his entire top lip.
"We should probably warn Black-Shadow and Wind-Pine of what we suspect just in case, Alpha," Jonah says in his Beta mode.
"Right, yeah, we need to do that," Abram mutters in agreement. "Perhaps a meeting in person would be better than on the phone,"
"How are we going to prove what we suspect?" Jonah questions, still in Beta mode.
"I will have to tell them about the silver sun," Abram mutters, he is not looking forward to this meeting. Why does an Alpha have so many meetings? All Abram wants to do is sit down and have a nice day with his mate. Is that too much to ask for?
"You are going to tell them you suspect an Elder of using magic when it's illegal?" Jonah asks with an eyebrow raised.
"It's the only proof I have, Jonah, and I'd rather sound crazy and have them know then not say anything at all and watch their packs be destroyed,"
"Right," Jonah says as he nods his head in understanding.
"Now, how about some lunch since we skipped breakfast?" Abram asks with a grin that doesn't quite reach his eyes.