Monsters Beyond the Gate

Chapter Nine: The Den

I woke again to find my mother's deep green eyes peering over me. Immediately I registered that I hurt everywhere. I was stripped down to my bra and underwear. Bandages covered my shoulder. I blinked up at my mother and she blinked back. A look of relief stole her features. 

"Good evening, Adeline."

I didn't even have the strength to be angry with her at that moment. 

"Hi," I replied. 

She leaned back and I looked around. We were back in the room I'd first woken up in. I assumed it was hers. The king sized canopy bed was lavish and covered in a blanket made of soft furs. The walls were painted a deep, aggressive red and adorned with beautiful paintings of wolves. Instead of lamps, the room was lit by candles which gave off a soft glow. The only two windows in the room were covered with dark black curtains. 

"A bold move picking a fight with three Dark Wolves before you've even made your first change," my mother said, taking a seat in the leather black chair against the corner. Her voice sounded both amused and impressed. 

I glared up at the ceiling, "I wasn't trying to be bold, Alphena, I was trying to find my little brother." 

"Ah, yes, your brother," she paused, "How old is he?" 

"He's four."

Her face was unreadable. She cleared her throat, "So...your father remarried then?"

"Yes."

"What do you think of his new wife?" 

I sighed loudly. I didn't want to talk about my stepmother, nor did I intend to. 

"Why does it matter? How is that going to help me find my brother?" I demanded. 

She looked slightly stunned. Again, I doubted many people spoke to her so rudely. I wondered how long it would be before her patience with me ran out. 

She drew in a deep breath, collecting herself, and then spoke, "My sources in the north have confirmed that the Northern Pack is harboring a young boy."

I gasped, sitting up. "You know where he is?" 

My mother nodded slowly. "We know he is in Dark Wolf territory and that he appears to be alive and unharmed." 

My heart leapt in my chest. They knew where Fisher was and the idea of rescuing him started to look more and more realistic. 

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get him," I gasped. 

My mother pursed her lips. She looked like she was choosing her next words very carefully. 

"This information was obtained by Brior, the packs best scout. He specializes in moving undetected. It's a dangerous job, but once a month he is sent to spy on the Dark Wolves and see what they're up to. If he were to be caught they would torture and kill him. It's a large risk, but the job is necessary." She stopped talking to rise from her chair and go to the window where she pulled back the curtains and stared out. 

"The Northern pack, or Dark Wolves, are known to be the most vicious pack in existence. They rarely change to their human forms, for they resent humans and view that side of themselves as filthy and weak. For the most party they truly live like animals. They have little warmth or compassion and they've bred their numbers high. Much higher than our own. They live for destruction and kill for the fun of it."  She turned to me, her expression ghostly, "If I were to send in a rescue party to retrieve your brother and my wolves were caught, it would be seen as an open act of war."

There was a long stretching silence between us. I shivered. 

"So, that's it then? I'm just supposed to let them do whatever they want to with Fisher?"