‘Let’s get back to business, Kadva. We agreed many years ago that we would keep you a secret from society so you could live your life free from being hunted down by humans. In return, you would owe us a favour if we ever needed it. That time is now,’ Alpha Bennet smirks, leaning back in his chair with calculated confidence.
Kadva, shrouded in his hood, gives a subtle nod, his posture emanating a mixture of intrigue and readiness. ‘I’m listening,’ he responds, his voice a low murmur that carries an air of mystery.
‘We all have mutual feelings toward the human race and find it unfair that we have to stay hidden from humans, century after century. We have even joked about wiping them out, but for thousands of werewolves to go up against billions of humans and their weapons of destruction. We know it would never be possible, and we would lose.’
Alpha Bennet’s smirk widens, revealing the satisfaction of introducing a long-awaited solution. ‘However, there is a pack we have disliked for some time now, Shadow Crest. They are responsible for killing Alpha Zenith many years ago and, more recently, his daughter Vanessa and grandson Moss. As you know, Alpha Zenith used to be a part of this council, and we were practically brothers.’
Kadva leans forward, his attention fully captured by the unfolding drama. The shadows cast by his hood deepen, concealing his facial expressions, leaving the other Alphas to wonder about his thoughts.
‘Now Alpha Magnus has taken over the pack, and it turns out his little mate is half witch,’ Alpha Bennet reveals as if unveiling a long-guarded secret.
‘What? That’s impossible,’ Kadva interjects, his disbelief unmistakable in the subtle shift in his posture. The unseen arch of his brow and the tightening of his grip on the armrests betray the intensity of his reaction. ‘There hasn’t been a record of a witch in hundreds of years,' he adds.
Alpha Bennet’s smile persists, relishing in the revelation. ‘There is no record of a mage either,’ he counters. ‘But yet, here you are. It gets even better from here. A coven of witches made themselves known to Shadow Crest.’
Kadva’s hooded gaze narrows a flicker of curiosity beneath the shadows. ‘There are more? What is the coven called?’ he asks, intrigued.
‘The Midnight Coven or something along those lines. They made Nina and her sister, who also wields magic, members of their coven, and then the coven were also welcomed into the Shadow Crest pack,’ Alpha Bennet explains.
Kadva leans back, his hooded features casting shadows that conceal the subtle shifts in his expression. However, his low chuckle betrays a sense of amusement, as if he's unravelling a captivating puzzle. ‘One big happy family,’ he comments with a sarcastic undertone. ‘But I can see how that would be a problem for you and all other packs. They would stand out, having witches and magic on their side, making them the most powerful pack to exist.’
Alpha Bennet nods, acknowledging the issue. ‘Yes, it is a problem, a big problem. We went to see them, and Yiselda, the coven leader, spoke about how they are needed to keep the beings sealed inside Pandora’s Box. That it holds creatures from your worst nightmares and would wipe all species from the earth, including us, if ever freed.’
Kadva's hooded gaze sharpens, his interest piqued by the mention of Pandora’s Box. The Alphas, though unable to see his face, sense the shift in energy as the mage becomes more engaged in the tale.
Alpha Bennet continues. ‘I asked to see this Pandora’s Box, and Yiselda refused. We gave the witches, including their precious Luna, a day to vanish from any pack territories and never return. Otherwise, we would hunt them down and kill them. We left, and further along the road, this smouldering blackbird gave me a note to return the next day, where I would be taken to Pandora’s Box.’
Kadva’s hooded head tilts, a gesture of curiosity, as he listens intently.
‘We returned the next day and entered a portal with the witches. It was their Covenstead, which they named Pandora’s Box. I entered the house to find items floating and moving around. We stepped through a large mirror and opened a door that led to darkness. Yiselda made a staircase magically appear using a book, and then we walked up the stairs until we reached a large, dark, heavy door covered in sigils. Inside was a dungeon,’ Alpha Bennet continues. ‘We entered, and the first hideous creatures I saw were what they call Grimghouls. Then there were the shadow reapers further up. They were all interesting creatures, but what got my attention was the lone Vampire King locked away in a small, dark cell.’
‘The vampire king?’ Kadva says in surprise as he drops his ball of magic onto the table. The orb shatters, transforming into a cascade of light blue, glimmering dust that dances across the table.
Kadva’s hooded gaze narrows, and he leans forward, fully immersed in the unfolding tale. ‘So not only do witches still exist, but grimghouls, shadow reapers, and vampires too? And not just any vampire, the vampire king?’ Kadva inquires with fascination and a hint of disbelief.
Alpha Bennet nods, acknowledging the magnitude of the information shared. ‘Yes, hundreds of years ago, humans killed his blood flame, who happened to be a witch. He summoned the grimghouls and shadow reapers to try and help save her. Afterwards, he sent them across the land to kill all humans. Werewolf packs teamed up and tried to stop him. He wiped out most of the packs until witches intervened and have kept him in the dungeon ever since.’
Kadva reclines back in his chair, absorbing the information. ‘This is all rather interesting to hear. After all these years, I thought werewolves and myself were the only supernatural creatures left?’ His hooded eyes gleam with curiosity.
‘Well, the story gets more interesting again,’ Alpha Bennet continues, leaning in as if sharing a confidential secret. ‘I’ve had Hank here wear that necklace you gave me years ago to cover scents and sent him to spy on Shadow Crest. He returned with rather intriguing news. It turns out Nina, the half-wolf and half-witch Luna, isn’t only mates with Magnus but also mates with the Vampire King.’
‘They have the vampire king on their side as well?’ Kadva's hooded eyes widen in astonishment, contemplating the implications of such an alliance.
‘Not quite,’ Alpha Bennet responds, a sly smile playing on his lips. ‘Nina wants to let him out, but the others are against it, especially Alpha Magnus.’
Kadva's curiosity deepens, and he shifts in his seat, the shadows of the room casting an enigmatic aura over his hooded features. ‘Well, I’m intrigued as to where I fit in all of this and still not sure where you are going with all this information?’
The Alpha's smile broadens. ‘I want the humans gone, wiped out, and non-existent, and we can now achieve that with the Vampire King’s help. We can take over the world and never have to hide. A human-free world full of werewolves!’ Alpha Bennet beams, his vision of a supernatural utopia gleaming in his eyes.
Kadva, caught off guard by the audacious proposal, awkwardly coughs.
Alpha Bennet rephrases his wording. ‘Oh, supernaturals, I guess I should say?’ he awkwardly corrects himself.
‘And how do you suppose we achieve that? We don’t know how to get to the vampire king, and we don't know if he will want to wipe out the human species,’ Kadva counters, injecting a note of scepticism into the conversation.