Wolves and Lycans: We Were Wolves

Chapter Three

I am the last to arrive at the cliff.

Alicia is there. She is in only pyjamas trousers and a pink bra. The only explanation is that she was changing for bed when Dean's summonings began.

Even Olligrander is here. And last I saw him was two or three years ago. He looks unchanged. He is also dressed only in shorts, but he has always loved to flaunt his pecs. He is close friends with Dean but not a member of our pack. He...visits. The best term for Olligrander is lone wolf. Or rogue.

My attention slides from him to members of the pack. I am searching for two people in particular.

Dean is fully dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. He looks attired for a casual date, and Vanessa, limp in his arms, is in a pretty gown and black jacket. Dean is cradling her to his chest while on his knees, weeping. He throws his head back and howls. My heart constricts like a serpent.

It takes me a forward step to see Vanessa White clearly. She has always been pale-complexioned; her body can't keep a tan for more than a couple of days and her hair is a very light shade of blonde too; that I understand why her last name is White.

But tonight, she looks whiter than ever. And her veins are stark black on her skin.

‘Poison?’ I blurt out.

Some people shake their heads.

Vanessa is alive but barely.

‘She's sick,’ Olligrander explains. ‘We don't know what it is. Best not to get too close.’

I stare at Dean. He is too close. His body and Vanessa's are touching in almost every place. I realize that he doesn't care. He loves her too much to lose her.

I try to approach them but Alicia grabs my hand. She shakes her head. Her face is sodden with tears.

‘Olligrander, is she going to pull through?’ I croak.

His misty eyes meet my weepy own. ‘This is how all the members of her pack died.’

I stare at Vanessa's unmoving body in the light of that information.

Vanessa White was alpha of her own pack once. This was before Dean was even born, maybe before even Olligrander was. And Dean witnessed the Industrial revolution whilst Olligrander once saw Marco Polo before the adventurer travelled to Asia.

How old is Vanessa White?

We don't know that answer, but we know she was once a respected alpha. One by one, members of her pack had died inexplicably, till only she was left. But she didn't truly lose all her alpha powers after that. Many years later, she met Dean. They fell in love and somehow became mates. Vanessa loved Dean enough to submit her residual authority to him and make him her alpha.

The scope of Vanessa's life suddenly seems like an exceptionally long one, and the love she shares with Dean a powerful one.

Vanessa touches a weak hand to Dean's cheek. The gesture is meant to be comforting.

Abruptly, Dean gets to his feet, carrying his mate. He looks straight at Olligrander. His eyes are burning embers. The look is determined, challenging and incautious.

‘Stop him,’ Olligrander hisses but Dean has already disappeared over the edge of the cliff.

‘What is he going to do?’ Someone questions Olligrander.

‘Something reckless. Something we'll all regret.’

Olligrander launches himself after Dean. It is clear he is trying to stop Dean from doing whatever he plans.

For a few seconds, we stare after them in shocked silence. Then we all burst into movement. We launch ourselves over the cliff after the first three.

Dean, carrying Vanessa, and Olligrander seem to have vanished. But I quickly detect their heat signatures. Being the best with infrared vision, I also end up leading the pack. But we never really catch up to them. We cross three different states that morning: it becomes well past midnight.

When we eventually catch up with the trio, Olligrander is alone, watching a concealed, reinforced steel entrance from a safe distance. Dean is at that entrance, talking to a person in a lab coat. He is covered from every angle by security who try not to look like a threat.

Even I can't hear what is being said. But maybe Olligrander can. Dean may have turned me but Olligrander is the origin of my sharp senses. I was injected by Dean with a mixture of his werewolf venom and some of Olligrander's.

The irresponsible Olligrander isn't as strong as Dean, but his senses are ten times keener.

‘What is he doing?’ Alicia growls behind me.

‘It's too late,’ Olligrander says.

The heavily armed security part to let Dean and the scientist walk into the research facility. It isn't too hard to guess what this place is.

As Dean moves with Vanessa in his arms, she raises her head to whisper in his ear. She doesn't look happy with what he is doing. Then she looks back at us. No, she is looking beyond us.

Olligrander appears shocked by whatever she said and glances behind.

‘What did she say?’ I hiss.

‘The only thing she said was “Mason.” ’

I am confused as I glance back. Mason? Who is Ma—

In the cold, frigid air, behind us, a person's form is as bright as a bonfire to my infrared vision. It seems Mason really did follow me after all. He would have seen everything. How could I have been so distracted not to notice we had a tail?—no pun intended.

Werewolves may not be public knowledge besides our popularity in myths, books and movies, but the government knows about us. And they run tests and experiments in secret facilities like this when they get the chance.

The Imperials, an invincible group of lycans who are like kings and queens of werewolves all over the world, have decreed that under no circumstance should a werewolf have dealings with any scientist in any country. Ultimately, those scientists will take what is best in us and wipe us out.

But that is Dean's transgression now: liaison with scientists. If the Imperials get wind of this, he will be incarcerated forever. This fate also hangs on all of us.

I must get to Mason. I have to explain everything to him.

But Mason is gone. I can track him but I can't catch him.

‘He will tell the Imperials for sure. He is their pet. They raised him up,’ Olligrander informs me sadly.

I turn slowly to him. My world has caved in in many ways. The only question that comes out of my mouth is, ‘How did Vanessa know he was there when we didn't?’ Our senses—Olligrander's and mine—should surpass hers in theory and practice.

‘There are many types of werewolves in the world, Claire. And Vanessa is the last of her kind, the last White. They don't have to rely appreciably on their senses when they are the most telepathic wolves in existence,’ he says.

‘She is telepathic outside her wolf form?’ One of the other wolves says with awe.

I find it incredible too, but I can't get my mind to stop imagining Mason running through the forests like a lightning streak, heading straight for the Imperials. And why shouldn't he report us? He was sent to spy on Dean from the beginning anyway.