The Hybrid

1: Willow

For as long as anyone could remember Vampires and werewolves have been at each other's throats. No one knows why or when it started but it has been an almost nonstop source of death, pain, and despair. Though the fighting has calmed down a significant amount in recent years because of a silent agreement made between leaders, the hate between the two species has not subsided and I don't think it ever will.

"It's just a little farther up," Sophie, the Alpha's daughter, calls as we make our way up a very steep and muddy hill.

All of my friends are laughing, skipping, running, and jumping up the hill while I'm practically dragging my feet. I don't want to be here. I don't wanna do this. I always thought my mother was just being a stick in the mud when she talked about the "challenges of peer pressure" as she would say. 

Who knew? She was actually telling the truth.

We had all been racing around our territory in human form as we do often when Sophie and her mate, Noah suggested we go "raise some hell for those blood-sucking fiends".

Their words, not mine.

I immediately shut the idea down by telling them that doing that would be a bad idea but they insisted. Now all because I didn't want to look like a loser, I'm on my way to one of the largest and most powerful vampire kingdoms in the world to "fuck some shit up" as they said. 

"How do you guys even know where their kingdom is, for sure?" I ask, warily, "I heard that it's hidden."

"Well," Sophie says, glancing back at me, "Noah and I were out for a run a couple of weeks ago when we came across a group of vampires that were headed back home."

"We ended up following them to a place we presume is near their territory." Noah says, chuckling "They never even noticed we were following them. I guess they're not as cunning and intelligent as they want everyone to believe."

It's moments like this when I don't know whether I should be offended or if I should hate vampires as much as normal werewolves. I was raised as a werewolf and by a werewolf, but I am not a full werewolf.

I was born a hybrid, half-werewolf, and half-vampire. A creature with the same animalistic qualities and instincts as a wolf, but cursed with the thirst for blood. Before myself hybrids were said to only be myths in the supernatural world and as far as I or anyone else knows there are no others like me. I don't even know how I came about. I think my mom knows how I became what I am, but she refuses to tell me. Whenever I would ask when I was younger she would simply tell me not to ask questions like that. She said knowing information like that could put me in danger.

As if my just existing didn't already put me in a world of danger.

After a while I just stopped asking altogether, knowing that her answer would be the same each time.

Being a hybrid as always left me in a confusing place. The two are supposed to hate each other and I have constantly felt split between the two of them even though I've never really belonged with either. Every pack up until our current one has turned my mother and I away after they found out what I am and I'm sure if I was to ever be discovered by vampires they wouldn't want me. I'm nothing but a mutt to them and a bloodsucker to wolves.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have officially made it to Cromwell Kingdom," Sophie says as we come to a stop in front of a large tree.

Lexi, Sophie's best friend, laughs "Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure, this is not the kingdom. What the hell are we doing out here?"

I look around to see that we are surrounded by miles of forest. This is definitely not the all-powerful and great Cromwell Kingdom I've heard of. Despite it being the youngest of them all the Cromwell Kingdom is said to be the home of the most lethal and vicious vampires, making them the most powerful of them all. There are 7 Vampire kingdoms in the world, one for each Continent. The Cromwell Kingdom represents the vampires of North America. I suppose, Wolves and Vampires are similar in that way. Wolves travel and move in packs and Vampires have their kingdoms.

"We aren't talking about the tree, you idiot. The kingdom is inside the tree, see?" Noah says and moves his hand towards the tree.

My eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when his hand went through the tree instead of falling flat against it as I had originally expected it to.

"What the...," I whisper in confusion.

This must be the work of a witch or warlock. Witches and warlocks are like a common ground for all supernatural beings. They have no hate or ongoing wars with any other group in our world and they help anyone who seeks their help sometimes at a price and sometimes not. They have always had a very close business relationship with vampires, though. Most kingdoms have their own appointed witch and/or warlock that lives among them and grants the royal families all their magical desires. This very clever way of hiding their kingdom must have been one of those magical desires.

"So, who's going to go first?" Angela, Lexi's sister, asks after a few seconds of silence.

A few more seconds of silence pass before Jackson speaks up, "I'll go."

"Guys, I really don't think this is a good idea," I say in one last effort to try and persuade them not to.

"Why are you so against this, Willow?" Jackson questions, glowering at me, "Are you scared of getting caught or are you just trying to protect your real people?"

I look away from his withering gaze and try to ignore the growing shame in my chest.

All my life packs have always turned my mother and me away because of what I am but when we came across the crescent moon pack they welcomed us with open arms. Though it's a pretty small pack it was the first time in my life that people actually wanted to be my friend and I felt welcomed by everyone, everyone except Jackson. Jackson has hated me since he met me. He simply tolerates me because his friends are my friends. I've never done anything bad to him, but I don't blame him for hating me. Vampires killed his parents and I can't imagine how terrible it is to see me every day knowing that I'm half of what killed his family.

"Give her a break, Jackson," Noah says, pushing him a little.

Jackson glares at me one last time before turning and walking through the tree without another word. I quickly follow behind him before I can talk myself out of it. Even though I'm sure this isn't the reason for them bringing me out here, I can't help but feel like this is some sort of a test, like a chance to prove my loyalty to the pack. This feeling, the insatiable need to prove myself, to fit in is something that's followed me my entire life. It usually leads to me doing dumb things like this, but if it's what I have to do to prove to them that I'm on their side then I'll do it. I'll do almost anything to feel like I actually belong somewhere.

The others quickly follow suit. In no time, we're all sneaking into the Cromwell Kingdom.