Genesis10: Dakota

He's lying there in the distance. They are too far to see me watching but I've watched them for almost an hour now. He's so special. Yaser. He's always been more feminine but I don't mine. I think it's cute. I think it's cute how he smiles. I think it's cute how he delicately touches everything as though it is made out of glass and it would break. He sometimes moves his long hair away from his eyes with the tips of his fingers lightly, exposing the prettiest face you've ever seen. He was a beautiful soul. But he was a beautiful soul that didn't belong to me.

He's stroking Walid's head. Walid lets him. Walid hasn't been himself since we came into Eden. Walid was ferocious when he thought he would finally get revenge against Genesis but by the time we fought through Eden Genesis had gone into hiding with King Nero, Prince Justice and the other witchdoctors in his coven.

"He's never going to love you. Not like he loves Walid..." a voice whispers.

I'm in wolf form when she comes from behind me. We are in the barn. You would think Armando would give us more than a barn. It's been a week since we came in Eden. We helped him subjugate the vampires loyal to Nero. We helped him cease power.

To repay us we got a barn and scraps of meat twice a day.

"Lady Naomi."

I had smelled her coming but I was so distracted. She watches as I transform back to human. I turn to see Naomi. She's a beautiful woman. She's always been that. She smiles at me when I bow my head to her.

"He's never going to love you like Walid."

"What makes you say that, Lady Naomi?"

"Because you do dumb shit like call me a lady," she responds shaking her head, "I'm not a goddam lady. I hunt wildlife and sleep in dirt. I'm a fucking beast. That's what I am. You're too polite Dakota. You're too...nice. Nice guys finish last."

The others are sleeping. I expect Naomi to have been sleeping as well. She usually finds a place where she can keep an eye on Walid.

"I have something Walid doesn't have. 9 inches more than Walid has actually..."

"You talking about the fact that Genesis cut off Walid's dick?"

"Just stating the obvious. Yas is going to notice sooner or later. Walid isn't the man he used to be. Look at him. He's a ghost in the shell."

Walid would never be the same. The cockiness was gone. Genesis had done something that I almost wanted to thank him for. He had taken away Walid's manhood and left him alive to bask in it. It was as dramatic as you thought it would be. He was defeated. He was weak. It was annoying to say the least but glorious to me. Sometimes I would change in front of him and walk around naked, right in front of him so he can see my big dick swinging like a club in front of him. I wonder how he felt seeing it.

"You're blessed. I'll say that," Naomi says looking at my package, "You been getting more muscular too. Don't think I haven't noticed. You trying to challenge Walid for Alpha?"

I think about it.

"No. I just want Yas to notice."

"He won't."

"Walid doesn't even have a dick!" I say.

I say it louder than I should. How can Walid please his Beta wolf if he didn't even have a dick. What was he going to do? Lick Yaser's fur until he orgasmed? Walid needed to step down. He needed to give up his Alpha title and he needed to give up his Beta wolf to a wolf who could handle the job. He needed to give it up to me.

"You don't get it," Naomi said, "I've had Walid before. I can tell you now. The memories will last a life time."

"What memories?"

"The best sex I ever had in my life. Yas has experienced it. Walid demanding you undress, grabbing you, throwing you down, choking you, slapping you and then fucking you until you beg for him to orgasm just for a moment of release. That is what makes Walid special. That is why we won't forget. That is why he'll never love you the way he loves Walid."

I look over at Yas. He is stroking the ghost that was once Walid. Walid doesn't even seem to realize Yas is there. The old Walid would never be catered to like that. He was too macho for something like that.

"I can give him rough sex," I state.

This is answered by laughter from Naomi, "I'm going to bed."

"I'm serious."

"Dakota you are the most well mannered wolf in the world. You say please and thank you. You fit in with these uptight vampires in Eden more than you do the werewolves. We are unruly animals. You are polished. You have suits hung up over the hay."

"I like suits. Just because I wear suits doesn't make me less than a man."

"No but you can't compete with Walid. Worse than that. You can't compete with the memory of what Walid meant to Yas."

I look over at Yas and Walid. I wonder if it is true love between them. If it is true love between them then why can't I ever get Yas out of my head?

Why can't I just move on?

~

It's the next morning when we hear ruckus. I wake up. I'm sleep in wolf form. It's just easier. My white wolf is a lot more comfortable sleeping in a barn then I am in human form. I guess Naomi had a point. I am a little polished. I wake up to the sound of Amina wrestling Naomi butt naked in mud. Timus and Fang are watching them drinking alcohol. Mind you it's first thing in the goddam morning. Eden's morning looked like the rest of the days in Eden. There was an everlasting red sky. I wanted to say that wasn't the case but this pack was ridiculous. Ever since I came around they'd been like that. Drinking last into the night, waking up early to drink. Fighting at strange times. Fucking at even stranger times. They were uncouth to say the least.

I didn't get why Yas wanted to be in this pack so badly but if Yas felt like he belonged in the pack then I felt like I belonged here as well. I belonged wherever he belonged. Period.

"You up Dakota?" Yas asks me, "I saved you some meat."

He walks over to me and pets me gently. His hands rub through my white fur. The wolf excites next to Yas even in his human form. I lick at his hands. Yas giggles when I do this. I love to see him smile. He has the most amazing smile. He places the food down and raises his head clearly distracted by something.

He isn't the only one either.

"Yas....sit here," Walid says.

Walid has been watching us from the corner of his eye. There is an awkwardness when Yas listens to the Alpha leaving me and walking over to Walid instead.

Yas quickly changes the subject, "I went for a run this morning. It seems like the vampires had a parade. They are celebrating in the streets."

"It's because Armando is King now. I did some investigation. It seems like the vampires weren't big fans of Nero.," Timus answers.

I don't know much about Timus, the brown wolf except that he is a professor and really smart. He also seems to drink like a fucking pirate. The guy speaks a lot of truth but it's hard to even understand him through his slurring words. Even now I can tell he's drunk, tripping over himself in trying to explain things. None-the-less the rest of the pack listens to this guy like he is the wolf version of Albert Einstein.

That's why I'm even more surprised when Walid shuts Timus up.

"That's none of our business who the vampire king is. They are all the same," Walid says.

Walid has been so negative. He shuts down the little gossip that Timus and Yas are having. It's almost like he wants to suck out anything interesting from the room. He wants everyone to be just as down and depressed as he is. He wants everyone to be just as upset.

"When are we leaving?" Amina asks.

Amina is Fang's lover. She's pretty in her own way. She has pale skin and has always looked pretty strong. I wonder if Eden has had an effect on her because she's been sick lately. I wonder if she's sick of this place. Amina asks the same question that all of us have been wondering. Yas owed Armando for saving his life. Now that debt was paid. It was time the Vanderbilt wolf pack moved on. It was time we went back to our woods. Maybe in Canada. Maybe even in Europe. We could find a new home. We could start over.

There is silence. Something is wrong. I look back over at Walid. He has this real nasty look on his face. It's so goddam nasty.

Fang speaks for Walid, "I had a discussion with our Alpha. He doesn't want to leave."

I'm panicking. What the fuck?

"With all due respect...this war is getting out of control. The witches are killing babies," Timus states, "It's going to get worse. This is not our fight..."

"We stay," Walid says.

Walid is speaking as the Alpha. He's being a dick about it too. I look at Fang. I wonder if he agrees with this. He seems reluctant. I don't think this is his choice. It's such a stupid choice. What did the wolves have to gain from being in Eden?

"There's something else," Naomi says.

She's still covered in dirt when she walks over.

"Naomi no," Amina says.

"Tell them," Naomi responds.

There is silence at that moment. We all look at Amina.

"I'm pregnant," Amina says.

Fang's mouth drops open. This is news for him. I can tell. The others gather around her immediately. There is happiness. The pack was a pretty young pack compared to others that I've known. Usually when a female werewolf announced her pregnancy there was a big celebration. It was probably as big of a celebration as the vampires celebrating their new king. They begin congratulating Fang. I've never really seen the guy smile. He was always so goddam serious. I guess you had to be serious when your older brother was Walid. Right now it wasn't about Walid though. It was all about Fang and Amina. Or at least it should have been. This should have been a time of joy and happiness.

All of that is shut down yet again.

"You going to keep it?" Walid asks.

It was a weird question. It was uncalled for. It was completely out of fucking line. We all look at Walid.

"Why the hell would you ask her that?" Fang asks his brother.

"This is a tough world," Walid explains at that moment, "There are monsters...everywhere. All around us. We are monsters. If Amina were smart she would get rid of it. See babies don't have teeth. How will it bite? In this world of ours, no one lasts long without having teeth. Your baby is going to die a horrible, horrible death. Ask the vampires. They are experiencing it now. So Amina I would put that baby out of its misery before it was even born."

It's at that moment I realize just how sick Walid is now. Walid has always been...direct. He'd always been a little too aggressive. Now that Walid doesn't have his dick it seems almost like he has this woe is me mentality. Everything is sad and gloomy. Everything is depressing.

Amina is usually tough. I hadn't seen her crack. Werewolf women were the toughest women they were. They could wrestle with men twice their size with no problem. Nothing bothered a werewolf woman, but for some reason Walid bothered Amina. Walid got under her skin.

And she broke. She started tearing up at that moment. Fang seems confused. Should he challenge his Alpha to defend her pride? Should he just console her? He chose the latter. He puts his arm around Amina and silently strokes her not saying a damn thing to Walid.

There is silence for a while. No one talks. Walid doesn't care that he just literally told a pregnant woman that her baby was going to die.

The silence lasts until Timus interrupts it.

"You guys smell that?" Timus asks.

Fang is the one who gets up. Ever since Walid has been out of commission Fang has been in charge. Honestly I don't mind it. Fang is a smaller version of Walid. He's almost as strong but he's not as reckless as Walid was. He's nowhere near as cocky. Fang has a strong silent strength about him that I honestly enjoy. None-the-less he was still a member of the Vanderbilt pack so calling him the most mature of the pack wasn't really saying much.

"Vampires are coming," Fang says.

I sniff the air.

He was right. Vampires were coming. You can always smell them from far away. They smell different from humans. They smell...stale. It's not that they stink. That's not quite it. The only thing I could ever compare a vampire to was the smell of old car leather that hasn't been used in quite a long time. I can smell the vampires coming closer and closer.

The others change as well. Timus becomes his brown wolf. The girl starts at the front of the pack relatively quickly. Yaser, Fang and Walid remain human. I can't help but find myself standing a few inches in front of Yas. I want to be able to protect him. No matter what. I want to make sure that Yas will always be good.

The doors open. Instead of hostiles I notice that it is Armando that walks in.

"Good day wolves."

I don't know too much about this Armando guy. He made Yas into what Yas was now. A hybrid. Then he released Yas into the world. Now Yas was something else. Something I didn't quite understand. Something that was different from what the rest of us were.

"It's not a good day," Yas states, "Armando why are we still in the barns. You said a week ago that rooms were being prepared for us."

"That's King Armando to you. Dog," one of Armando's people say.

I recognize the guy. His name is Aiden. He's high level with the Vampires. You can always tell a high level vampire by how handsome they look and how stuck up they act. Calling them stuck up means a lot too coming from a guy like me who worse suits all the time. Aiden seemed like he had constant resting bitch face. The guy never smiled. He always looked like he smelled something awful.

"So you've been coroneted?" Fang asks.

"Not that it is any of your business, but yes. With King Nero on the run I have been declared King of Eden," he says.

"Congratulations," Yas says, "Isn't that what you want?"

"No. It isn't. I want my grandson."

"He still missing. Are those the screams we here?"

"Yes...my son Santos is...struggling with this."

There have been screams in Eden. Screams from the castle. I've never heard something so loud and terrifying in my life. I wonder if it's just the sensitivity of the wolf hearing but I would think even a human would be troubled by the sounds that Santos made. For hours he would just scream, "My promise, my promise, my promise, my promise." It was the most devastating sound in the world. I couldn't imagine how it would feel to lose a son.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Yas states.

There it was. Yas was so considerate. He always had been.

"What does that have to do with us?" Fang asks.

"You are wolves aren't you. You are good at tracking," King Armando says, "I want you to sniff out the baby."

"It doesn't work that easily," Fang argues.

"For Yas it does."

"What?"

Yas nods, "I might be able to do it. Being a hybrid my sense of smell is...a lot keener...even more distinct than other wolves. I may be able to track the baby if I really tried. Miles away. Countries away. Even into other planes of existence."

The other wolves look at each other. Was that even possible to smell that far? We all wonder the same thing. We all wonder what exactly Yas had become and what that actually meant. Half wolf. Half vampire. It was a scary combination.

"Wait," Fang says, "Why would we agree to help him? What are we gaining from this?"

"Are you even the Alpha?" Armando asks.

"No. But I speak for the Alpha."

Walid is sitting down still. He has a huge fur coat engulfing him. He doesn't even seem to be in the conversation even though he's staring on. He just allows Fang to talk to him. He seems so defeated.

"What does your pack want?"

It's Yas who answers, "Rumor has it Nero offered the witches sanctuary in Eden. We want sanctuary for wolves. A part of the garden...not even in the city but in the actual garden itself. It wouldn't affect your city. It would even help protect the actual city of Eden if we were in the outskirts. We want it to be the domain of the wolves. We can invite other packs and they all gather around one Alpha. We'll bring all the other wolf packs to Eden and they all gather into one pack."

This was their plan? This was the plan that Walid had shared with Yas and Fang? Living in Eden. I sigh at the thought. This wasn't a good plan.

"Why couldn't you do this in the normal world?" Armando asks, "Why Eden?"

"The humans ask too many questions. They have wolf hunters just like they have vampire hunters. If we combined all the packs into one pack it would be too suspicious. In Eden we'd be free. It's our dream. All wolves following one Alpha. The Alpha of Alphas."

"And who is the Alpha of Alphas? Him?" Armando asks pointing at Walid.

Just then he starts laughing. His people start laughing as well, including Aiden. The old Walid would have killed someone for that. This Walid just seems lost in the sauce. He clears his throat a little embarrassed but doesn't argue the point with them.

"You won't laugh at Walid," Yas states clearly getting pissed off.

"Listen. I don't mean to offend but what if you encounter Genesis or another witchdoctor. You think this wimp is up to the task?"

All of a sudden Walid comes to life. His eyes get wide.

"Genesis. Genesis is going to be there?"

His muscles tighten. Walid domes over everyone else in the room when he stands up. He just has this presence about him. For the moment at the mere mention of Genesis I can tell that he is back to life. At the mere mention of Genesis, he seems to be reanimated.

"So the idea of revenge brings the werewolf back to life?" Armando asks.

"We'll find Genesis."

"I don't want Genesis. I want my grandson," Armando states, "But if you happen to find Genesis. Kill him. And if you return with proof of my grandson then you have yourself a deal. The werewolves will be given sanctuary on the outskirts of the city of Eden...in the garden."

~

The clouds are getting thick. A fog covers the city of Harlem. The fog is so thick that you can't see an inch in front of you.

It isn't natural fog. It is magic.

"Be careful," Fang says, "The weather witch is close..."

Days have passed. Our search has taken us out of Eden but we finally have tracked down the Weather Witch. According to Yas, the Weather Witch was in the possession of a witchdoctor named Innocent. Innocent has the smell of the baby on him. We'd been tracking them down for the past week.

"Shouldn't Walid be out here?" I ask.

All the other wolves are out here. Walid is in a nearby hotel. Yas is the only one in wolf form. A storm is over the city. It scares the humans out of the streets so they aren't around to see the huge wolf that Yas is. Even if they were in the streets it wouldn't matter. This fog is so thick. We wouldn't be able to see two feet in front of us if it weren't for Yas. He is truly amazing. I carry a fur coat for him as he sniffs through the streets.

"He isn't his best," Naomi states.

"He hasn't been out here all week," I state, "When is he going to stop feeling sorry for himself and be the Alpha in this pack?"

I had a point. I knew I had a point because the rest of them aren't so quick to defend him. Walid is pathetic. It's not physical strength he lacks now. It's mental strength. Genesis has completely defeated him. As soon as Walid found out that Genesis was nowhere around he could care less about finding the lost baby.

"Is that the kind of Alpha you all want?" I ask, "Someone who hides in his room while the rest of us hunt? Walid doesn't even have a dick."

"He'll get back to himself," Amina responds.

"Jesus Christ. You people all defend him. The pack is only as strong as his leader. Maybe it's time for a new leader. Fang..."

There is silence at that moment. Fang looks at me. I wonder if he is thinking the same thing that I am. Fang is so much stronger mentally and emotionally.

"Dakota you make a good point..." Fang says.

"Fang don't listen to him," Amina responds.

"Let me finish," Fang says, "Dakota you make a good point but until Walid proves that he is unable to lead us at all then we need to respect him. I understand you're new to this pack but that's just...how it is."

Excuses. I don't get it. The pack isn't seeing things clearly.

Timus looks over at Yaser, "Yaser has picked up the scent of the weather witch."

Yaser takes off at that moment. The others change quickly into wolves and take off after Yas. The only one that stays behind is Timus. Timus stays behind with me and crosses his arms. I can tell he is thinking the same thing that I've been thinking.

When Timus and I are alone he crosses his arms.

"Give them time," Timus says.

For the first time in a long time I notice Timus isn't a drunk old man.

"Walid will lead this pack to ruin if they keep following him," I explain.

"I know."

I'm shocked when Timus agrees with me so easily.

"So why aren't the others seeing it. We are in a war we have nothing to do with. Let the witches and vampires fight this shit out. It's only going to get worse. We should leave Eden to them."

"The others won't listen."

"Why not? If you and me convince them that we need a new Alpha why wouldn't they listen. What the fuck is holding them back?" I ask Timus.

"Fang agrees as well. He's only hesitant because Walid is his older brother. Yas and Naomi are in love with Walid. You should know that. Then there is Amina."

"Amina has no loyalty. She can convince Fang if she wanted."

"You have no idea do you?"

"No idea about what?"

"Fang might be in denial but open your eyes. Amina broke down when Walid told her to get rid of her pregnancy. You ever wonder why? You think a guy like Walid would let a girl like Amina walk around without hitting that. Walid is greedy. Everything belongs to him."

"What are you saying?"

Timus shakes his head, "I'm saying she's in love with Walid too. I'm saying Walid is most likely the father of her baby."

My mouth drops open. Timus transforms into the brown wolf. He runs off. I can tell he doesn't believe in Walid. He has no reason to. He sticks with him for the same petty reasons everyone else stuck with him. Walid has a hold on this pack. He has a hold that I need to break. Now I understand how Walid has taken complete control of this pack for so long.

Everything belongs to him. He's left nothing for anyone else to have pride about. He fucks Yas and the girls like they are property. He takes his brother's lover as his own.

Everything belongs to Walid.

~

Lightning cascades down through the shutters of an old abandoned church. Stained windows bust open. A cold air tramples into the room freezing my fur and slowing me down. I bare my teeth. All this is happening because of one woman standing at the front of the room.

I growl.

The fight with the weather witch has been going on for three hours. The bald witch is definitely not giving up. She's fighting against six wolves and she is holding her fucking own. I have nothing but respect at that moment.

"Flank her down. To the left. To the right!" Fang is stating.

Fang is directing us in ways that Walid never could. Fang is a true Alpha and right now it feels like we are in the wild. We have isolated our prey. We finally have her cornered in this church and she is making her last stand. Her eyes get white. She is cornered, sweating and barely standing. Bite marks are all over her body but she isn't giving up.

Naomi and Amina come at the weather witch from both directions. They have teeth out ready to bite. The weather witch casts a spell.

There is a cold rush of wind!

She slides across the room as if her feet were made of ice. I haven't seen anything like it. She slides easily out of the grasp of the two wolves. Icicles rain down from the ceiling. They crash all around us. One of them even smashes right into Naomi causing her to almost lose consciousness. Timus is the next one up. He manages to get a hold of her legs biting in. The witchdoctor summons more electricity to get him off. Timus stays strapped on her.

"Give up," Fang warns the witchdoctor.

It doesn't work. Timus is being electrocuted but still not giving in. I have to join into the fight. I attack from the back biting down on her spine. I have no choice. If I don't attack her she will kill Timus.

It's Yas that strikes the last blow.

His wolf comes out of nowhere and rips the Weather Witch's head off. I haven't seen strength like that before. It scares me.

We all collapse and change back into humans once the weather witch is dead. We can hardly even stand. Except Yas. Yas stands tall.

"I smell the baby..." Yas states, "Through that door."

"We'll wait," Fang says.

"For what?"

"For Walid."

I should have known. The Alpha is the one who takes the rewards. The door that the baby is behind is at the back of the church. Fang howls letting Walid know that we've found the child. Now at this point it is just a waiting game.

The other wolves are licking their wounds. Naomi and Timus are the most injured. Yas doesn't have a scratch on him. He's sitting naked in one of the church pews. As I walk over to him he smiles. Yas is so perfect. He isn't skinny but not fat either. He is this perfect range of thick and sexy. As I approach him he does that delicate thing with his fingers moving his hair away.

I sit next to him not realizing how awkward it is that we are both naked.

"Why didn't she give up?" I ask him.

"Probably following orders. Who knows?" Yas asks, "Does it matter?"

"It does. What is behind that door? Is it enough to die for?" I ask.

I look at the door. The witches never made sense to me. They were sneaky and they didn't have any real moral pride to speak of. The fact that they had stolen a baby was below anything I could think of. I shouldn't feel bad for them. I shouldn't have mercy. They were monsters. Still. Thinking about how Yas ripped her head off sends shivers down my spine.

"She did what she had to do. We did what we had to do," Yas states.

I smile weakly, "Yas. You know I've always...felt love for you right."

"Dakota..."

He seems annoyed. I raise my finger and put it to his lips.

"I'm in love with you Yas," I explain, "I know you don't want to hear it. I know it makes you uncomfortable because of Walid, but do you know what we are getting involved in. Stolen babies. Ripping people's heads off. Dismembered man parts. This shit is crazy."

"You don't get it. Walid is weak right now. I have to be strong for him," Yas explains.

Yas is right. I don't get it.

"You are more powerful now than Walid could ever be. You are a hybrid. You don't need Walid to protect you anymore. You don't need anyone to protect you. It's not too late to get away from all this. I have a feeling whatever is behind that door isn't what we assume it is. Something is wrong here. I can sense it. I think you know too."

Yas gets quiet. He looks at the corpse of the Weather Witch. She was willing to die for whatever was behind that door.

"Dakota. I love you too. I always have."

"Prove it."

That was when Yas does it. He leans into me. He kisses me. I almost lose it. My tongue is down his throat. My hands scratch his back. I hold him, grasping him close to me. I want to make love to him right here and right now. I want to show him what a real man is capable of. I want to fuck him in a way that Walid never could again.

I sit Yas on top of me on the pew. He straddles me. My dick hardens. I notice the other wolves looking on to see if I'm really going to do it.

I start forcing him down. Fang and Amina stand up. They look concerned. I know why. I was crossing a line. I was crossing a line with Walid's beta.

"Wait...Dakota," he says.

"No."

He wanted it rough. I was going to give it to him rough. I lick at Yas's chest with my rough tongue. Timus uncomfortably looks away. I position Yas over my dick. Naomi opens her mouth as though ready to gasp. I spread his cheeks roughly using my hands. My dick is so hard I am pre-cumming. I want to fuck him. I want to fuck him right here in front of all these other wolves. I want to prove a point to everyone.

Not everything belongs to Walid.

I wanted Yas just for me.

Dakota please.

"I'm going to fuck you," I warn Yas, "I'm going to deep dick you. I'm going to slam your ass so deep on my dick you won't be able to walk for a week. You won't have anywhere to run. And if you scream I'm going to gag you and pull your hair. I won't stop fucking you until I breed you. Twice. And even when my nut is inside of you, you won't move. You hear me?"

I don't wait.

I start pummeling into Yas. My dick thrusts into him. Thump. Thump. Thump. I feel Yas's small little body curdle up as I begin to fuck him. He's so tight. There is no lube. I can feel him shivering in pain as I continue to dominate him. The other wolves have gotten up. They have gathered around. They are curious. All of them. They wonder if I'm going to really end up doing everything I say I am.

They watch me fucking Yas. They watch as I pick him up, balance him in the air and continuously drop him on my dick over and over.

Yas is beginning to cry.

"It hurts..." Yas whimpers.

Tears.

That's when I realize it. I love this boy. I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to...dominate him. I don't want to make him cry. Hearing him whimper hurts me. It hurts me to my core that I am hurting Yas. I never would want to do hurt Yas. Ever.

I let Yas go.

"I'm sorry..."

That's when I smell him. Walid. He's entered the church.

"See the difference between you and me is that I wouldn't have stopped fucking him," Walid calmly explains to me, "Even if he was in pain."

I am breathing heavy. My dick is still hard. I'm embarrassed. I'm not sure why. I'm not sure if it is because I started what I started. I wasn't sure if it was because I couldn't finish. I'm not sure if it's because right now Yas leaves off of my side and scurries over to Walid's side.

I'm surprised when Fang puts his arm on my shoulder and nods, "It's OK."

The guy is trying to comfort me like I'm some sort of fucking pup. I hate it. I fucking hate it. Walid doesn't even seem to care that I was just fucking Yas. He seems so far removed from this entire situation.

"Can we open the door?" he asks, crossing his arms, "Get this over with."

~

"I thought you said we were looking for a baby. That isn't a baby," Timus states.

We walk in a room. Sure enough the witchdoctor Innocent is sitting in the middle of a floor. He is surrounded by women in white. More witchdoctors. The women stare at us but they don't seem to be a threat. They don't attack like the weather witch. The nine women just sit there surrounding Innocent. It's strange because there are markings surrounding Innocent. He is sitting in this chair. It's even weirder because he doesn't seem to be aware of his surroundings. He is almost in some catatonic state.

The marks aren't the weirdest thing though.

The state of Innocent isn't the weirdest thing.

What's weird is what Innocent has in his hands. It's not a baby....

"It's a toddler," Naomi whispers.

She's right. There is a toddler in Innocent's hands. Maybe 2 years old.

"He has the same smell. That is Promise. I don't know how he's aged like that," Yas states.

"Who cares?" Walid says, "We'll take him and leave."

"No wait!"

One of the 9 witches in white finally speaks. I recognize her. Vivienne. She is one of the Divine 9 that works with Genesis. We all watch as she clearly doesn't want Innocent touched.

"We need to return the child to his parent," Yas states, "We promised the Vampire King."

Vivienne is panicking.

"Please don't..."

"She can see the future," I tell the werewolves, "We should listen to what she has to say."

I was looking for Yas for a long time. I'd encountered Vivienne and her kind before. I was always evaded by Genesis because Vivienne somehow saw me coming. I wasn't sure how it worked. I didn't understand magic. I just knew Vivienne always knew I was there before I got there.... somehow. The fact that she was warning us now is not good.

"Don't break the circle," Vivienne says, "It's there for a reason."

"Circle?"

"The markings on the floor."

She points. Sure enough there are those elaborate markings on the floor again. It's a triangle with a circle around it.

"That is the devil's symbol," Timus states, "I've read about it. That triangle. I've seen it in history..."

The devil's symbol? I watch as Innocent sits right in the middle of that symbol. He is rocking back and forth in this chair with this quiet toddler in his hands. It's the freakiest shit I've ever seen in my life. Something is wrong in this room. Something is very wrong.

"It's a Thaumaturgy Triangle," Vivienne explains, "We found them here. They were just sitting here in that triangle."

"What about the circle? How'd the circle get there?" I ask.

"We drew the circle around the triangle. It was the only thing we could do. See... the triangle is a door; the circle is a boundary of power. Please don't break the circle."

I'm confused.

Innocent just stares out. This isn't normal. He just sits in that triangle with that child.

"Enough of this mumbo jumbo bullshit," Walid says, "Break the circle. Bring the child. And Innocent as well. We'll take them back to Eden. I'm sure that will bring Genesis out of hiding."

"Are you fucking serious?" I ask, "Who gives a fuck what brings Genesis out of hiding? Do you see this shit right now? This isn't fucking normal."

What part of don't break the circle doesn't Walid get?

"Let's sleep on it," Fang suggests, "It's getting late. We can deal with this in the morning."

The normal Walid wouldn't be second guessed. This new Walid doesn't have the energy to put up much of a fight. He shrugs not caring.

"Fine."

~

We are in the church. The others are all resting. We've tied up the witches so they don't get clever but honestly I know they are completely harmless. I look over at Walid and Yas. They are cuddled up. Asleep. It's painful to see.

It's the middle of the night when I walk over to Vivienne and the other witches.

"What is happening here?" I whisper, "I need to know."

I speak low. The other wolves might all be loyal to Walid and take his word as law but I wasn't. There was something strange going on. I had to figure it out. Walid had one concern. He wanted revenge against Genesis. He knew that Genesis had an interest in whatever was going on here. That would be enough to make him do anything.

"Vivienne...are you up?"

"Yes."

"You said that the triangle is a door? A door to what?"

"It's a door to here. the question you want to be asking yourself is what is on the other side of that door," Vivienne explains.

I look around. The others are still asleep. Vivienne is sweating. She is scared. She hasn't gotten any sleep. The weather witch had killed herself to protect what was in that door. Something was happening and the only people that really probably had any clue was Genesis. Even talking to Vivienne she seems almost clueless to what was really going on with these marks.

"Why Innocent? Why Promise?"

"Blood. Innocent has pure witch blood. Promise has pure vampire blood. There is a third...that's needed. A triangle..."

"A third?"

"A child with pure wolf blood..." Vivienne states, "I think I might have an idea who that is. That girl is pregnant isn't she?"

I turn at that moment.

Amina is walking to the door.

"Amina..." I call out.

Amina doesn't answer me.

"Stop her," Vivienne says, "Stop her with your life!"

Vivienne is panicking.

"AMINA!"

I scream so loud the other wolves wake up as well. Amina opens the door. She starts walking in the room. I run after her. Others do the same. They are running as fast as me to get to the door. I grab Amina at that moment.

"What are you doing to her?" Fang asks.

"She's trying to break the circle," I warn him.

"Let her," Walid says.

I'm shocked. Walid is dead serious. I don't get it. Fang looks confused. The others look confused as well. Amina is scratching at me attempting to get to the circle. I look at her eyes. They are staring out as though she is being controlled by something. It's almost like something has possessed Amina.

"It's the baby. It's the baby in her stomach," I state.

"Amina, stop ok," Fang says at that moment, "Let's go back to bed."

"Let her go," Walid commands, "We need to bring them back to Eden anyway."

Fang backs up. I don't let Amina go though. I keep holding her tight. That's when I feel someone trying to pull me off of Amina. I expect it to be Naomi or maybe even Fang. I'm wrong. It's Yas.

"Let. Her. Go," Yas says.

"Yas you don't understand."

Yas pulls me hard. He pulls me harder than I've ever been pulled. Before I know it we are wrestling. I'm shocked Yas is taking Walid's side. I'm shocked he would ATTACK me because of Walid. I don't stand a chance when Yas uses his power.

The whole time he is doing it I watch as Amina runs to the circle and she breaks it, clearing it away until there is only a triangle left.

Yas tosses me off of him!

It's a power only a hybrid could have. I land right in the middle of the triangle!

"Yas what the fuck!"

Just at that moment I feel something breathing down my neck. I turn.

Innocent is still sitting there. He hasn't moved. The toddler is no longer on top of Innocent though. The toddler has his little hands straddled behind my neck. He breathes slowly on my neck. Promise has stubby little fingers. At firsts I'm confused wondering how he moved from Innocent to me so fast without me noticing. His small body hangs on my shoulders. I'm calm. Why wouldn't I be? I don't even really care when I notice his little beady eyes stare at the veins in my throat.

"Don't move..." Yas says.

He threw me in here! He THREW me in this circle with god knows what because of Walid and now he was offering me advice.

"What is this thing?"

"Relax," Timus says, "I read that vampires don't turn their children until they mature. The baby is still human...the baby is...oh...shit!"

"Oh shit? Why did you say oh shit?"

"MOVE!" Yas screams, "MOVE!"

I am so confused. I turn behind me. That's when I realize why they are screaming at me.

The baby bites into my throat.

"DAKOTA!"

There are screams everywhere. Promise is biting me. I realize it. The last thing I see is Yas crying. He's crying for me. I guess that is a good feeling. I guess he really did love me. If only he could have realized that sooner. If only we had more time together. Just a little bit more time. I wasn't a brute like Walid. I didn't have to be. I was the guy who opened doors for Yas. I was the guy who would buy him roses. I wouldn't fuck him. I would make love to him.

Not everything belonged to Walid. Yas could have belonged to me. He could have loved me.

I hear a snap. I feel an artery being ripped out of my throat. Promises fangs dig deeper and deeper. He is gnawing out my throat.

"Dakota!" Yas screams.

It's too late. I give him a smile. Yas was mine. He'd always be mine.

That was the last thought in my head when I die.

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