I had been stupid and I had been caught. I knew the rules and willingly I broke them. There was no excuse, there was no exception for what I had done.
The rules were simple: stay away from Moon Alley. I could go anywhere else in the city. I could stay in Blood Alley and socialize with the other Chosen. I could spend all day at the markets, gawking at the slaves. I could have tea in the Tower with the Queen. I could even take a trip across the Planes.
Moon Alley was dangerous. Moon Alley was off-limits. Moon Alley was wolf territory. Stupidly, I didn’t listen.
I only had myself to blame but it didn’t make the situation any easier. They had me caged as if I was some animal. The cage was six feet tall, so I could at least stand, and about six feet wide. The bars were thick and were spaced only a few inches apart. I was slender and could fit my arm between them but that was about it.
The mutts didn’t even have the decency to leave me a blanket. The cage was stinky, there were old blood stains on the cold stone floor, and a nasty bucket in the back corner. There was no telling how many others had been in here, or if they had ever bothered to clean it.
I had been left in the cage for several hours. I was cold, thirsty, hungry, and I really had to pee. I couldn’t bring myself to use the bucket and give up the last shreds of my dignity.
I feared at first that they didn’t realize I was human. That they had left me here, thinking I had vampire abilities and needed only blood to sustain me. As the hours dragged on, I started to suspect they knew I was human, knew I had needs, and they were just purposely being cruel.
Radu was not making the situation any easier. At first it had been comforting to have my connection with him, to not be alone.
“Where are you? Are you alright?” Radu asked, his voice filling my head through our blood connection.
Through our connection I assured him I was physically sound but unfortunately the wolves had caught me trespassing. He was beyond furious. After a while his lectures became tedious. He went on and on about how many treaties I had broken. How difficult it would be to negotiate with the wolves because they lacked reason, that the wolves were simple-minded animals. Lectured me about how yet again I had put myself in a dangerous situation. Went on and on about how I only had one rule and I had broken it.
If I focused really hard, I could block him out but it took a lot of energy, and I was running out of energy. I was also preoccupied by the growing need to relieve myself.
For the past couple of hours I had blocked him but now, in desperation, I reached out to him.
“Radu?”
“Yes, Ella?” He responded immediately, “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I was just wondering if you have managed to negotiate my release yet?”
There was a long pause that didn’t bode well.
“No,” was all that he responded with.
“Why not?” I asked.
There was another long pause. The situation was going beyond tedious and was becoming down right torturous. It was past time it ended.
“The wolves are proving to be more difficult to negotiate with than usual.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that you must have really pissed them off because even the threat of war with our Alley has not persuaded them to release you.”
Shit. I had really gone and done it this time. I knew exactly what I had done to get them pissed. I just thought by now they’d be over it.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been sneaking into Moon Alley. I don’t know why I thought I could get away with it. I should have known that eventually I would be caught.
It started as an accident. I was out, exploring Helanna, and wandered into Moon Alley without even realizing it. It was lunch time, my stomach was grumbling, so I slipped into a diner. The diner had the best steakburger, and no one paid me any attention. No one seemed to care I was there. You’d think there would be a big sign somewhere to let people know that a bunch of werewolves lived there. Like a “beware of man-dog sign” or something. There was nothing to indicate that I had entered werewolf territory.
I sat at a table in the back, eating my lunch and people watched. It wasn’t until a group of four gruff looking men entered the diner that the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Just by looking at them I could tell they were mutts. Every mutt I had ever seen wore the same outfit with slight variations. Torn blue jeans, black t-shirts, and black boots.
The group of them greeted the waitress and took a table up front, next to the door. They hadn’t noticed me, or if they had, they didn’t realize what I was. There was no way I could get out of the diner without drawing their attention. I did my best to act cool and not be obvious I was watching them. I was almost done with my burger but I had a plate full of fries to help me look busy.
Two of the mutts had dark hair and it was near impossible to tell them apart. They both looked as if they could have used a good shave last week, and shared the same pissed off expression. At least the other two were more distinguishable, one blonde and one brunette. The mutts were built, to me it was their only saving grace, the only thing that kept me from throwing up when I looked at them.
I had yet to catch sight of a scrawny mutt. Their thick, bulging biceps must have been a dominant genetic trait, they all seemed to have them. They all had broad backs, wide shoulders, and hard chests. Their jeans strained against their muscled thighs, and if the bulge in their pants were any indication of what could be found beneath, they were thick and hard in that area as well. Put a paper bag over their heads and if I couldn’t smell them, I might be tempted.
“Hey, boys, how’s the patrol going?” the waitress asked as she pulled a pad of paper from her apron.
She was an older woman, had at least fifteen years on me. She wore her unremarkable brown hair in a simple ponytail. Her smile had been polite towards me but she outright beamed at the mutts when she walked over to them.
“Nothing to report. It’s been quiet,” one of the dark haired ones said and the table nodded in agreement.
“Been boring as fuck,” the blonde said and he flexed his hand, “Could use a good fight.”
“Any time, any place, man,” the other dark haired wolf said.
The blonde took that invitation as an immediate opportunity and leaned forward as he started to growl. The brunette slammed his fist down on the table. I jumped, startled. I dropped the french fry that had been poised at my lips. My movement and maybe my squeak earned me their full attention.
My heart hammered in my chest as they stared at me. Four pairs of dark predatory eyes assessed me, and I feared if I moved an inch, they would pounce. I felt as if I was the rabbit and they were the hungry wolves.
“Human?” dark haired number one asked.
I hoped he wasn’t asking me because I didn’t have the breath to answer. I looked to the door. It was the only exit and if they started moving towards me, I may have a slim chance to make it.
I swear the group of them sniffed the air and then the brunette answered, “Yes.”
They all seemed to relax a bit. I passed the secret test. I was still ready to bail.
“Now boys,” the waitress said, drawing their attention back to her. “I know y’all are on patrol but I can’t have ya scaring my paying customers. Business is bad enough as it is.”
The group had the decency to look chastised.
“Sorry, Maven,” they said in unison.
If I wasn’t poised in fight or flight, I may have laughed at the absurdity of the four brawny men reduced to apologizing as if they were naughty boys who got caught in the act.
Maven nodded, “Good, thank you. You should apologize to her too.”
I know Maven meant well but I really wished she hadn’t. I was a customer today by mistake. The last thing I needed was the group’s attention. All it would take is one whiff of vampire on me and I was in deep shit.
“Sorry, miss,” dark hair number two said and the others echoed, “Sorry.”
They stared at me expectantly, waiting for me to accept their apology. If only they knew who I was. I mustered up a smile and gave a nod of my head.
“It’s alright,” I said softly and as meekly as I could manage.
I made a show of turning my attention back to my plate and picked up a fry.
“So boys, what will ya have?”
The pack turned their attention back to Maven.
I couldn’t leave yet. Maven had yet to give me my check and after the huge order the mutts placed, it was probably going to be awhile. My fries were almost done and my appetite had fled. I kept munching, trying not to look suspicious, and biding my time until I could make a clean break for it. For now I contented myself with eavesdropping.
Establishing me as a human, something nonthreatening to them, seemingly gave the group the comfort to discuss their business more openly.
“Darren has been pretty fucking loony lately. Been wandering around the Alley, sniffing up the skirts as if he was some wild dog. I’ve heard talk that the Luna has him. From the shit I’ve seen, it makes sense,” said the brunette. During my eavesdropping I learned his name was Garrette.
Maven returned with their drinks, four beers.
“The Elders have not confirmed it,” the blonde commented. I learned he went by Vin.
“They’ll announce it tonight, I’d bet my left nut on it,” Garette said.
There was a pause of silence, then the other dark haired wolf, Trick, spoke up, “Man, I don’t pity him a bit. If going through the Luna is anything like going a couple of days without getting it in, I couldn’t handle it. Shit is good for the Alley, though, makes us all stronger. We’ll kick more ass.”
This was all really good information. I had no idea what it meant but I bet Radu would. If only I could tell him. I’d doubt he’d thank me for the information, even if he could use it to further our Alley’s interest. He’d more than likely just punish me mercilessly for disobeying him.
Radu cared for me, probably more than anyone else. I was his Prodigy, his Chosen. One day, when he deemed I was ready, I would become his Childe.
From the beginning, our relationship has been paternal. Though we were drawn to each other through our natural connection, there was never any physical attraction between us. In some Vampire and Prodigy relationships there is a strong, instant physical chemistry that is only strengthened through the bond created when sharing blood. Radu and I never experienced that.
From the beginning Radu has been more of a mentor, more of an authority figure in my life. He has always viewed me as the unruly child who must be under constant watch and supervision. In the recent days, his behavior towards me had gotten to where I felt he was treating me like a child in the human sense.
Ever since he crossed the Planes and our connection was broken, he’s been more protective of me. Our connection was reestablished when he returned to Helanna, but something must have happened during the time he couldn’t reach me, something that made him worry about me.
“Here ya go, dearie!” Maven said as she set my check down.
I had gotten so caught up in my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed her approach. I also hadn’t noticed I had finished off my fries and no doubt looked silly staring off into the distance.
Hastily I pushed my chair back and dug some bills out of my pocket before Maven could walk off again. I needed to be gone like ten minutes ago.
“Thanks, best burger I’ve had in the city,” I said as I handed her the bills that included enough to cover my check and provide a good tip.
Maven smiled at me as she tucked the bills into her apron without counting them, “I’ll be sure to let the cook know. Come back again, dearie. You brighten up the place.”
She briskly walked back to the kitchen before I could respond to the compliment. I know I was blushing as I got to my feet. I had a hard time handling compliments, they always made me suddenly shy and gave me a funny feeling in my stomach.
The table of mutts were watching me while badly pretending they weren’t. I could feel their eyes follow me all the way out the door. Their lack of subtly is probably what kept them treated as muscle and not brains.