Page 21

Draco Holmes

The white church in the heart of the city district was in the most historical building in all of the Underground. Elevated from ground level with black steps walking up to it like a pyramid, it was protected by the strongest form of magic there is. It’s where the very idea of this place, this sanctuary, was created for us. It’s meant to represent a safe haven for all black mythical and magical beings alike. Today, they held a public funeral service and they decided to go all out. The public part being the vigil held in honor of Tyee. Professor at Drew Collins. His flag with his face hovered over the major intersection as students, and other public servants were allowed to come pay their respects with candles, signs, and flowers.

The actual service was strictly for werewolves only, and they spared no expense. Alphas from the major packs were escorted in black trucks as they stepped out fully dressed in their formal winter attire with their curls cloaked over their shoulders. Some had the head of a wolf with the thick tail sticking out of the pants, others walked on all fours as they gritted their teeth with a growl. Seth stood at the very top of the painted steps greeting everyone. His charcoal gray suit with a slab of dark fur cloaked around his shoulders. The thick curly hair was pulled back in a tight conservative braided bun against the back of his neck. His sharp yellow gaze assuring, kissed hands, and did what a future alpha should be doing. He did exactly what he said he was going to do. Seth was next in line to take over the pack and it was only a matter of time before they made it official. He was playing his cards right by shaking hands, tending to the weak, and putting on a face that said courage, strength, and dominance. Whether Tyee committed suicide or Seth had a hand in his killing, we would never know. Nor was it relevant at this point.

“Let’s go! Keep it moving! No parking! All media this way!” Someone whistled. I took the hand of my anxious wife and we began to walk up along the sidewalk towards the little white house with the black painted doors. No doubt the smallest building here, squished in between two high rise lofts and a restaurant down below. It stood out like a white house on top of a pyramid of black steps, in the middle of a modern day city.

“There’s an unusual amount of police here,” Carmilla noted as she looked around with a frown. Carmilla and Wesley Holmes walked together, keeping close to Maze while I looked around for Bellamy. Of course he was a no show which meant Lovely wasn’t too far behind him…unless she was caught up making her porn videos again. “Do you not see it?” Carmilla pressed. I adjusted my tie and looked around at the armed security lining the st reets. “They even have vans ready like they plan on arresting people…What for exactly?”

I looked at Milly, wondering what was making her so anxious before feeling Maze squeeze my hand. Her breath quickened and nostrils flared when she saw a few of the men from her pack up ahead. Standing by the black cement steps leading up to the elevated home, they greeted one another while a row of cameras and media filmed.

“We’re supposed to wait here for the rest to arrive.” Wesley said as we stood at the end of the street, waiting to cross the block intersection to get to the side of the church. The cameras were already flicking and recording with lights flashing every other second in our direction. We were the First Family after all, Maze included. Naturally, we kept a circle around her as she fixed her face, and made sure her eyes were dry while I gently smoothed the wrinkles out of her beautiful black winter gown. The pearl headband on her short curls, the earrings, and black gloves that went up her arms, she looked like a vampire’s wife. The very idea of her being a wolf was laughable at this point to most of my family but to me, it was still the very thing that made me attracted to her.

“You look absolutely beautiful babe.” I told her with a sharp pointed nail gently teasing the soft skin underneath her chin .

“Thank you love,” she cooed. I leaned down to kiss her on the lips. “After this, can we please go to my favorite steak house above ground? I can’t stomach being in the Underground longer than I have to.”

“Of course,” I said, adjusting her pearl headband. Music to my ears. If I could just be with her without anyone, I would prefer it over this.

“Ahhh look how beautiful my nieces and nephews look!”

We turned around to see Wilhelmina walking up with… So it’s true… She had a woman beside her dressed in red with a wide strip of white bone straight hair. Beautiful butter like complexion, a full face and lips the shape of a heart. Her white marking was twice the size of mine but didn’t even come close to Maggie. A stunning carbon copy no less, and her smile…even I could see a small hint of blood between her teeth where she most likely just fed before arriving. The tall dark skinned man with white locs pulled back, dressed in red, had model features. A tight jawline, sharp dark eyes with a small ring of white at the bottom like a crescent moon sitting low. Had I not caught him staring my wife down, and eyeing her body in the dress, I would have been cool.

Dorian and Celeste were their names. He seemed a bit more of a wild card than her reserved, collected demeanor. They were both escorting a joyous Wilhelmina Holmes .

“My beautiful growing family.” Wilhelmina sighed. She gently patted the side of my face, but ignored Maze with a forced smile when she turned back to fuss at her brother Marvin about the time.

“So…we finally get to meet our newest members of the family.” Wesley said with a stretch of his round belly stuffed in the pants. Before anyone could say anything, we watched three black trucks pull up to the blocked street before a couple of men stepped out of each. Everyone was dressed in suits and ties with one standing watch, on guard with his locs pulled up.

“It’s Solomon!” Maze gasped in amazement. “Oh…He’s really coming back.”

“Sirens,” Carmilla hissed with annoyance. “So everyone is really coming for this piece of shit of a man.”

“It appears so.” I muttered, watching the armed police walk up to Solo, whispering something in his ear before casually walking by. Something was taking place, I just wasn’t sure what. I glanced at my wife who had senses just as sharp, if not sharper than mine and could see her eyes scanning, reading and clocking every movement like the alpha wolf I know her to be.

“Alright.” Marvin said as he adjusted his tie. “We will walk up as a family…Smile…no questions. We are the First Family…that is all they need to know and see from us. We are the most important people here.”

“Where is Maggie?” Wesley asked. “Or Bellamy? ”

Wilhelmina sucked her teeth in annoyance.

“They are not needed. They never wanted to be a part of this family so leave them be. She’s too busy chasing behind that wolf anyway.”

I felt Maze’s hand squeeze mine as I squeezed it back. We began to walk, crossing the street together as we came up behind another family of wolves. The reporter on the side announced our arrival as Marvin stood with a firm nod in acknowledgement at the cameras.

“This way please…You all will be seated at the very front with the immediate family,” one of the helpers said. Maze and I began to take the stairs as she whispered close to my chest.

“I should have told Namir about the service…”

The guilt in her tone was apparent but I brought her hand to my lips for a quick kiss of assurance. Just at the entrance of the small church where Seth stood. His bright yellow eyes glowing with excitement and anticipation at the family before us until they settled on Marvin Holmes who was the first to walk up.

“I look forward to doing proper business with you and yours and continuing to expand our relations further. ”

Seth had an unreadable expression when he put on a fronting smile.

“Sure, sure. Of course,” was all he said.

Marvin clasped Seth’s hand with a firm grip, but Seth’s eyes landed on us, in particular, Maze. She said nothing, barely acknowledged him. To see him in place of her brother didn’t sit right with her and he knew it. I doubt he cared, but he knew this had to be difficult for her. However, when his eyes landed on the woman in red, he froze. Celeste… His nostrils flared as he watched her walk up past him. Did he recognize her? What was that about ? Did he think she was the same as Maggie because she certainly wasn’t. Far from it actually. I glanced back at Seth who kept his eyes on Celeste walking beside Wilhelmina.

Interesting…

We were escorted inside through the open black doors, greeted with the large arched ceiling made of gold white and black painted wood, the main level was divided into two sections. Just above on the second, third, and fourth floors of the church were seated balconies as wolves, and weres piled in up top.

“First Family, please come this way,” a woman said, motioning for us to follow. Except for us. This was our church. We would forever have a seat at the front of the very thing we’ve created. Every pack member was seated in the long wooden benches that stretched the walls and just up ahead was the ivory white casket adorned with flowers, a few pictures and candles. I could hear the low threatening growls as I walked by with Maze, particularly from the pack belonging to the girl I drained and killed…and possibly assaulted for my own pleasure. I hoped they smelt that bitch beneath my nails.

I rubbed my chin with a devious smile, thinking back to hearing her whimper and holler like a dog as we came to a stopping point in the middle of the aisle. All major packs were present, each different in complexion, and size. The rest were meant to wait outside behind the blockades and hope to catch a glimpse of something they’ll never be. High ranking members of the major packs were seated in the front rows on the left. The First Family was always going to be seated to the right in the first row no matter the district or place. I let the rest walk in first before taking the very end so I could be closest to the aisle. Marvin spoke with a few alphas of other packs before excusing himself to deal with the press. It was probably to show face for his precious little Drew Collins.

The soft howls and cries from their mother could be heard and seen as she leaned into another woman who held her. Maze was fighting back tears as she stared at the casket before us .

“Do you want to go sit with your mother?” I whispered towards my wife, seeing she was struggling. When she nodded, I stood up and took her hand, letting everyone who was a part of the pack, see the small intimate gesture before allowing her to go to the other side. Only, no one made any room for her to sit with her mother and for the first time, her mother didn’t budge. She was busy grieving her oldest son to notice Maze standing there wanting to be comforted by those like her. One day she was going to learn she couldn’t have it both ways and I got tired of telling her.

“Go sit back there with them,” one of the ladies growled. Her voice echoed throughout the church like a speaker. Maze stood embarrassed before anxiously looking at me. Carmilla, who had become just as protective over my wife, walked over to grab her, bringing her back to where she had no choice but to belong. I propped my foot up against my knee and stared at the rest of them on the left. Scouring the heads and faces of the men who glowered, growled, and silently showed teeth towards me.

Maybe Namir had it right not to come. It would be too easy to pluck the eyes and hairs off each bastard that thought they could try my wife. I would have the ones I would go for like the uncles and some of the sisters belonging to that Aria bitch…the rest would be a mere afterthought type of killing. The loud bang of the doors su ddenly echoed as I looked back to see they were closing it up.

Interestingly enough, I saw armed police standing by the doors and blending in against the walls like they were waiting for something to happen. I started to look away when I caught two of the guards whispering to one another. That’s when I saw it! The scales teasing their complexion against the jawline. Sirens for security? All of them, every last one of them were sirens. How odd? They weren’t known for being particularly violent or aggressive, but sexual deviants that couldn’t stop having children.

I glanced at Carmilla, seeing the puzzled expression before she nervously muttered to Wilhelmina. She simply patted her niece’s knee to settle her, unbothered by the armed presence. The padded footsteps of thick boots started walking. I watched Maze’s father, Roy and his brothers walk down the aisle with their backs covered in a cloak of fur. Just over their suits, and working boots for the winter, Roy was the first to step up to the podium while Seth remained in the aisle, to talk to another member of the pack. They loved him. You could see the grief in everyone’s eyes but the anticipation of having an alpha like him to replace Tyee was exciting, and assuring.

“Thank you,” clearing his throat. Roy’s raspy voice filled with emotions as he looked towards his wife in the front row. “My wife and I thank you all for attending the services of my son Tyee, one of three children…My daughter Maze and my oldest son who is next to take the highest seat in the pack, Seth.”

Ohh… Namir wasn’t even a thought…

I could see a few become uncomfortable with the statement as they became unsettled in their seats. Maze grabbed my hand but said nothing.

“My son Tyee believed in traditions…family…sacred values…as a leader, he was fair and reliable. Whatever you need from him, he would make sure it gets done and as a former alpha of my pack, that is what it’s about. It’s about sacrifice…What are you willing to do…how far are you willing to go to protect those you love? Tyee made unspeakable sacrifices for the sake of his family and you may feel how you want to feel about my decision to name him as the alpha, but he would have gone down in history as the greatest leader of all time. If you only knew what he gave up so everyone could be sitting here today…”

It was slight, but his eyes and a twitch of the right corner of his mouth tweaked to our side of the church. His body language was pointing in our direction but he hid it so well…like a seasoned wolf, it most likely went undetected by most.

Seth was standing by his father’s side with his arms crossed over his waist, waiting patiently but he was distracted. His gaze fixated, obsessively on the woman in red sitting beside Wilhelmina. Celeste Taylor. She was busy reading the program before looking up as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Seth’s jaw twitched as he chewed on his tongue, silencing whatever he wanted to say out loud while his father spoke. Even Wilhelmina began to look uncomfortable as she protectively kept Celeste close by her side, her newest play thing.

“Look around…” Roy continued as his eyes welled with tears once more. “Take a look around and see who is here for my son and who isn’t…That should tell you everything you need to know.”

Roy gave a firm nod, concluding his speech before stepping down. Sitting up straight against the bench, I adjusted my suit as I carefully scanned the church just purely out of habit. Maze suddenly gripped my arm tight just as Seth took to the podium.

“Thank you for allowing me to speak…and learn…and…listen…” Seth’s eyes slowly fell on Celeste who stared back. She didn’t recognize him but he knew her. He more than knew her. “I won’t take up much of your time today but I will say,” Seth continued on. “I admire the love and loyalty my brother Tyee received from everyone. Even to those who disagree with his leadership, they still stood behind him as the alpha and I could on ly hope to receive an ounce of that when I…step in his place permanently. Roy has shown me so much about family…expectations…traditions…”

Roy and Seth stared at one another like it was a contest to see who would break first. It didn’t look like a typical father and son relationship. There was tension there and for good reason…Ty was the favorite. Namir was the popular one. Seth was the forgotten one.

“Many of you may not know but my mother and two younger sisters were tragically killed above ground.”

“Hmmm,” Wilhelmina hummed with a frowning smirk but Seth heard it. His eyes slipped over towards her before nodding with a hard heavy sigh. Almost as if he was putting on an act. What is really going on?

“With the help of my beautiful sister, Maze and a few uncles who graciously accepted me into their family… I was able to rebuild my relationship with my father, Roy. I look up to this man…” His eyes began to rest easily on Celeste. “My mother, although human, was a spiritual soul…She believed in meditating, energies, and signs. Nothing was ever a coincidence… I was always blessed with the gift of sight thanks to her and…although most won’t believe me… I was given a message from a beautiful woman in my dreams carrying the soul of an oracle within her.”

Seth was still looking at Celeste, not once blinking but now his body was turned to her as if to say she’s the one he’s speaking about. I wondered if this is what Lovely briefly mentioned in passing about an oracle lingering around Maggie… They were at the school together after all, no? I leaned down to look at Celeste but it was Wilhelmina who looked drained of her melanin. Sickly with eyes growing with fear, she clung to Celeste’s hands, keeping her close.

“I took what she said to heart about the three brothers and made sure to carry that with me wherever I go. Thank you for allowing me to have a second chance at a family, and thank you Roy for giving me the opportunity to step in Tyee’s shoes.”

“Do you know him, dear?” Wilhelmina whispered towards Celeste. She gently shook her head.

“No. I’ve never seen him before until today…”

“If anyone here wants to pay their respects to my brother…the professor, advisor, alpha, friend or other…please…You have the floor to do so…Uninterrupted.”

“ Mazaeh ,” I hissed with a suck of my teeth. Wincing at the claws digging into my suit and piercing my skin, I looked down at my crazed wife. Her nostrils flared, and her body slowly expanded. She was fighting the urge not to shift.

“ He’s here …Namir and Maggie are here.” She let out in a breathy tone before looking back with panic setting in her eyes .

The doors flew open where you could see the snow falling outside in the city. Namir was the first to walk in with his black layered suit and a cloak of dark fur draped down his back and shoulders. He wasted no time stepping into the aisle with his hands shoved in his pockets to look around. Roy stood up first. His mother shot up a second later beside him. Her wide tearful eyes staring crazily at Namir only for her face to fall flat at the sight of Maggie stepping in behind him. She wore all white from the turtleneck sweater and pants, to the white boots with a matching cloak of dark gray fur. Her hair fell in loose waves as the two stepped inside the church aisle. Namir looked at Maggie who gave him a small nod.

He in turn, began to walk with Maggie a few feet behind him. The tension building at the sight of the moon walking in a room full of mourning wolves, wasn’t the problem. It’s what Maggie now realized she had the ability to do. She scooped her hair back from her face as she continued to follow behind Namir, protectively having his back. Maze grabbed my arm as the veins began to trail her skin around her neck. Her glossy eyes were darkening and teeth lengthening but she couldn’t quite do it.

“Pleaseee…” she strained through gritted teeth. “Something isn’t right… ”

“NAH-MIR?!” Roy barked, his raspy voice echoed throughout the church. “YOU CANNOT BE HERE––––”

“Let him be!” Seth shouted. He stood up to look around at the stressed members of the packs. “Aye!? Everyone be quiet! Shut the fuck up!”

“You’re going to let him disrespect my son?! He shouldn’t be here! She shouldn’t be here!” Roy argued, his eyes were glued to Maggie. Gritting his teeth, he gripped the back of the bench and growled at her but she maintained still in her stance. She stood a few feet behind Namir as he stepped up to the casket. Looking back, I could see Bellamy leaning against the doorway with a cigarette propped in his mouth. A blood red fur draped around his shoulders like a long scarf, fitting to the formal wear of werewolves. Lovely was on the other side picking at her nails, waiting…wearing nothing of the sort to go with the theme. Just a long thick knitted purple cardigan sweater that swept the ground, and matching purple lounge wear. She was currently infatuated with the color and alway found a way to show it off.

“What is going on? Where is Marvin?” Wilhelmina asked in a panic. Carmilla stood up and looked around for the guards that were no longer in the church. Every single one of them disappeared. Now I wasn’t the best with counting, but even I noticed a significant amount of wolves were missing. Were they also removed or escorted out ?

Namir rolled his neck with a shake of his head, grunting as he looked up at the ceiling with gritting teeth. He let out the lowest…hum of a howl that came from deep within his chest…his soul, sending vibrations throughout the church. Maze lowered her head as did the others out of pure natural respect. Even though their mother attempted to touch Namir’s shoulder to show sudden support, he shrugged her hand away. Nobody told him about the first funeral, the private just the immediate family and no one said anything to him about this one. I could only assume he was pissed.

“He is allowed to pay respects to his brother,” Seth said. “Everyone settle down… This isn’t the time or place to disrespect one another.”

Roy remained standing, watching Namir with tears in his eyes before looking at Maggie with hate. Something about seeing Maggie and the casket of his son was causing him to seeth.

“You have no right to stand there with her behind you!” Roy growled. “NO RIGHT! YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE! LAY WITH IT!”

Then it happened. The straw that broke the wolf’s back. The very thing to set it off. The sound of a zipper being undone could be heard, interrupting the mutterings and whispers between pack members. Namir stood before the casket, knees buckling as he reached to pull himself out. Maggie slowly turned to face the church but her eyes were on Bellamy. He continued to pull from his cigarette, releasing the thick smoke into the air when we heard the faint sound of something trickling to the ground.

Namir cracked his neck from side to side as a stream of urine shot down on his brother’s casket, causing every male to slowly rise from their seats. Seth’s lips curled, silently growling in anticipation until the pee came to a slow trickling drip. Maggie awkwardly cleared her throat as the threatening gaze fell on her. Not Namir, but her.

“I probably shouldn’t say anything but…” Namir’s head turned his head, not expecting her to speak but settled as he continued to aim for the flowers and pictures. “I feel there’s a bit of misinformation about me that I want to clear up. Since you all forced him out for choosing to be with me, I feel an explanation is owed.”

Namir zipped himself up and turned around as his body grew. Expanding in the suit as he silently shifted into one of the largest werewolves I’ve seen. His thick arms hung by his side with claws as long as his fingers. His eyes were blacked out and the teeth, razor sharp with saliva dripping. If you closed your eyes, you wouldn’t even know he transformed into his natural state, that’s how deadly silent his shift had become. He stood behind Maggie with a heaving chest, suit still fitting to his new form and held his position behind her. He was completely gone. No longer present but the amount of strength it took to remain still wasn’t missed on the wolves. They knew power when they saw it, including Roy who looked as if he’d never seen a werewolf before.

“I am from Georgia…born to two amazing parents… I have three sisters here in the Underground who I begged not to come here because they will show their ass for me.” She said with a shaky voice. Her eyes began to swell with pink tears from the blood starting to form. “I am the granddaughter of Marvin T. Holmes…I love this man behind me…despite what you all think… And although I’m still figuring out what I am…”

She turned her attention to Wilhelmina who was trembling in her dress, eyes wide with fear of the unknown.

“I am exactly who you wish you could be, and will become the very thing you’d fear I would be,” leaning her head back to look at the ceiling of the church. Her eyes began to drain blood and her hands rose in the air, trembling uncontrollably. You could see the fangs growing and her eyes closing as she screamed. “ I am what happens when a wolf loves the moon !”

Every single light went out, the roof of the church, completely gone. The original white church showed its true foundation with holes in the roof, busted windows, and nothing but scattered trees around. Remnants of the old neighborhood were originally placed in where it all started. Maggie somehow broke the thin veil between the Underground and above and now the night sky fell onto us like a blanket that concealed our violent nature.

“SETH?!” Someone shrieked as chaos broke out. I gripped the back of the bench as papers, paintings, fixtures of the church wall began to spin in a circle, causing everyone to duck out the way. Chairs, and tables began floating up and circling above wrapping around like the moon orbiting the earth, but just outside, it was beyond anything you could ever imagine. Night becoming day, day becoming night in mere seconds. The moon, the sun, and stars rising and falling as bodies began to shift, and spin at Maggie’s will. Wolves struggled to shift, others cried in mercy. The flashes of day and night showed Seth wrapping his arm around Roy’s neck as he brought him down to the floor, and screamed in ear.

“YOU THOUGHT I WOULDN’T FIND OUT, ROY?!”

Namir attacked anyone who attempted to come at Maggie. Bellamy relaxed against the doorway, struggling to light his second cigarette as chairs flew just against the wall, inches away from his head. Lovely held on to the wall as her braids stretched sideways and she hollered out with glee .

There has never been anything like this and Wilhelmina knew it when she tried to call Maggie’s name, screaming for her to stop. Maze dropped down to her true form and guarded Maggie before having her brothers back. They were going after their own kind without hesitation! I saw the others attempting to jump on Seth so I gripped the back of the benches, leaping over bodies to get to the one who’d been on my list for a while. The uncle was scurrying, trying to shift. Body contorting and snapping as he fought against the energy Maggie was causing. Blood was everywhere when I reached for Hawkin’s neck for a squeeze, wanting to feel the hard edges of his spine through the flesh, and between my fingers.

“Bellamy?!”

I heard Wilhelmina’s cries for her nephew, looking to be saved. Carmilla was struggling to unlock the doors while fighting off the wolves that tried to attack her. No help from Bellamy or Lovely. Bellamy continued to watch Maggie, bored of all this chaos while Namir slung the body of a wolf to the ground. The newest family, Dorian became wild with violence as he began fighting anything moving while making his way towards Maggie. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of her since she walked in. No one could but she stood in the center, red eyes struck towards the sky in another realm as the world turned around her .

Seth, out of nowhere ran between bodies and leaped towards Wilhelmina for a snapping bark, just to put fear into her but stopped when he saw…her. Celeste was in the corner with her newfound fangs drawn, tears in her eyes, and terrified of what was going on. Seth shot up into his human form, completely naked as he stood before her, and she began pleading for her life. Poor thing had no idea she could snap his snout in half if she wanted. I would have to take her under my wing should she make it out alive.

The rotation of the earth slowly rewinded back as the sun, moon and stars chased one another in the opposite direction. Maggie’s white hair was pulled in different directions as her red eyes clouded her vision. The church’s ceiling and roof slowly reversed into being restored except for the lights until everything became still, coming to a complete stop. Her body, weak and unable to sustain the ability for long, began to slowly drop when she passed out.

“BELLAMY?! GRAB HER!” Namir screamed with the voice of a thousand wolves and beasts echoing behind him. Bellamy darted towards his sister, and turned his body into hers before disappearing with black smoke drifting in the air as their only source of existence.

“Time to go!” Lovely shrieked with a clap before expanding her wings out as she disappeared into thin air .

Yeah, it was time to go. I smashed Hawkin’s head into the ground, shoving it through the hard floors for the final blow. No doubt cracking the bones that held up his face before calling on Maze who was fighting behind her brother Namir. I could see people piling at the doors trying to get out but out of nowhere, you could see them suddenly backing away in fear. Namir called out to Seth before disappearing. I gripped the back of Maze’s neck like a dog, picking her up off the ground just as the doors opened and police barged in.

“FREEZE! ATLANTA POLICE! HANDS IN THE AIR NOW!” They screamed with guns aimed. Carmilla froze, eyes terrified as the flashlights waved over the torn bodies and blood. Wilhelmina was looking around, calling out for Celeste and Dorian, pleading with anybody to get her out when they shouted for her to be quiet but they were gone. Wesley Holmes looked to be done with it as he continued to sit on the torn bench with his hands raised.

Did Maggie somehow move the church? Did she become a door herself?! I felt a shaking hand cling to my arm as I looked to see Maze’s petrified mother pleading with me to save her. Just before a flashlight could be aimed at me with the guns drawn, I took my wife and mother, turning into their bodies as I felt several shots of bullets pierce my backside before disappearing.