Wolf pack

Past lives and Puzzzle pieces

Jynx and Lokan went off to prank. Anu was teaching Cleo how to adjust to her new form. Nimera sat with crossed legs to meditate. Melody and Nate were off for a walk.
That left Fay and Anya to talk on the park bench.
"You seem familiar." Anya looked at Fay suspiciously.
"Good familiar or bad familiar?"
"Not necessarily bad, just familiar. Like I know you or you've been here all along."
Fay shrugged. "Not surprising. I know I was supposed to be here. Maybe I complete the picture?"
Anya slowly nodded. "You do. We have seven phase wolves now."
"Seven is the number of completion!"
"Even if you add in Cleo, you still have only seven different types."
Fay looked out and squinted. "You mean eight?"
"Lokan and Nate are twins. I put them together."
"Okie Dokie."
Anya closed her eyes, thinking again. "There is something more though. Where do I recognize you from?"
Fay closed one eye, going through her memories. There were a lot of things she had blocked out. She really had to dig to remember. A few things started to click in her mind. She shivered as a few forbidden memories slipped past. She was so young she would have forgotten it, if it wasn't so horrible.

Fay found herself back on the chain, tiny paws straining to keep up as the dark figure started to drag her forward.
Shadows in the halls frightened her as she was led out to a pack of rouge werewolves.
A large black werewolf chuckled as he saw her come near. "Hello Lucky."
She shivered as a hand picked her up at the back of her neck. "The wait is over. Luck is forever in our favor!"
The air filled with howls of excitement.
That was when Fay felt the sharpness of the dagger tight against her back. The voice behind her was anything but kind. "Ok lucky, you know what to do."
The golden pup did not hesitate, her eyes growing wide as she focused her luck over the entire rogue pack. She could see it spread as her pupils dilated. Even though the actual blessing only took a few moments she did not stop until she felt the blade retract.
Panting, she was dropped back to the ground.
As the rouge back left, the black wolf came near again, looking at the figure who had abused her. "My loyalties to you Valia. I will not fail."
It was then Valia grinned, pulling the chain tight against her neck. "You won't. Now go, Strider."

Fay was brought back as she felt an arm around her and a hand on her forehead. Her eyes turned to see Anya sitting there with concern in her eyes.
"Fay, are you alright?"
The golden girl sunk her head. "It was me."
"What?"
"I am the reason you are here." She looked out over the assortment of wolves at the park. "Why all of you are here."

The pack stood around and listened, not saying a word as Fay spoke.
"Valia had a program, she made me part of it. I didn't want to be, but I had no choice. I was a pup when she took control of me, and she used my abilities to increase her chances for success. Because of me she was able to successfully upbreed all the other creatures she wanted." Fay lowered her head. "Including phase wolves."
Nate's expression changed as he listened, recognizing her words.
Melody swallowed hard. She had heard that term before: upbreed. Though it had never been defined, the tightness in her gut and Nate's expression gave her a good idea of what it meant.
"I was in the program from my infancy to when I was a juvenile." Fay continued. "It would have been my whole life, but I finally was able to escape. I used my luck against her and I ran away the moment her back was turned on me. She tried to pursue, but luck was on my side. I had cursed her, which is why all the phase wolves -why all of you- were able to escape too from her grip. Valia has created all kinds of rotten organizations, in her realm and in civilization in order to further her plans. We are free now, but she will never stop until we become her property."
"In civilization?" Anu stiffened.
"Yes. Scientists hired to find any who have tried to escape her, and to continue on her experiments in her absence."
Nimera's eyes widened and she grew pale. Even paler than she already was.
Anu's eyes darkened and he had to step back. He felt his fists and jaw clench. The scientists. They had been her fault. Valia was one of them. He felt his blood start to heat and he excused himself from the group. "I have to go."
Cleo looked at him in concern.
"I will be back." Not able to contain Rage any longer he ran off quickly from the pack to find somewhere he could explode.
Anya rested her hand on Fay's shoulder as they watched Anu run off. "You had no choice, we cannot blame you for what was done."
The golden girl closed her eyes as the calmness swept through her. "I know. It was not my fault, but I did have a role to play in this."
Nate gently knelt down, looking her in the eyes. "You are not the only one to blame for misdeeds. I cannot hide my involvement in these things either. I admire your courage for telling us and coming forward."
"Your involvement?" Jynx raised his eyebrows at Nate suspiciously.
Nate stood again, looking right back at him with the same intensity. "Yes. I have many stories to tell. The one regarding Valia, I regret to say, is prominent among them. If you really want to know, ask me."
Nimera stepped back. "You?"
Resting his hand on his black dagger, Nate gave a nod. "Never underestimate, the things I have done, or what I can do."
Melody looked at him in surprise. Of all the people who could have been on Valia's side, Nate never crossed her mind.
He was always full of surprises.

Anu returned with arms folded tightly and eyes staring intensely as Nate explained his part of the story.
They sat on the outskirts of the park, on the edge with trees. Any who overheard would assume it was simply gossip.
"I met Valia on a hunt. At the time I had only a three other werewolves in my pack. She was beautiful, and continued to meet with me on my hunts. We would purposefully cross paths and oftentimes I would separate myself from the pack and let them follow my Beta in my place. Before I knew it, I was spending more time with her than with my pack. As we got closer, she showed me her projects. These seemed tame at first, simple experiments she had done, potions she had created and new things she had discovered."
Nate sighed and leaned against the tree. "As with everything, I got in too deep. Her experiments grew frightening. Valia was trying to resurrect the Era of Upbreeding. She had not only succeeded in creating monsters, she had taken over all the caverns in her area. All the demons, goblins and other dark creatures were fully in her power and she was actively authorizing raids to bring new creatures in. As I was admittedly infatuated with her I did not stand up against her. She took my silence as approval. I discovered myself helping Valia, and as I helped she taught me. I learned how to Splice-"
"You WHAT?" Lokan jerked his head to face him.
Nate swallowed and continued, "-I learned to splice and even started building my pack. Rather than looking for other werewolves, I starting splicing them. I would take young boys I had found who had run off. I thought at the time it was merciful, not killing them as a monster would. My pack grew from three to seven members. As me and Valia got ever closer I felt that pit in my stomach growing heavier and heavier. My fears became realized as she wanted to be intimate. It was then I discovered she only wanted to be with me so I could upbreed with her."
There were many winces from around the pack.
"Valia noticed my distaste and captured my pack. She reasoned my pack belonged to her as she taught me how to splice them. We got into a bad argument and she then tried to force me. It was then I broke everything off with her. She sent her monsters after me, and I stole a shrinking spell as I ran out. I traveled alone a while to get out of my grip. As the full moon was starting to rise, I used the spell to disguise myself as a Dog and headed to civilization. It was then I met Melody."
Melody slowly nodded her head. That was why he had known so much, that was why he was so bitter against Valia.
The wolfpack grew silent and looked around at each other. Everything was piecing together. You could even say it was fate.
Fay knew, that was exactly what it was.