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Chapter 29

            Pacing the floor, he mumbled curses under his breath. First year as a principle of a school with problems as giant unnatural sized wolves attacking students. Students who change into the very creature! On top of it, they bring him to some house, lock him inside a room with no means of leaving.

            By his schooling and legends, these creatures were werewolves. Werewolves don’t exist until today. He was told that the wolf, werewolf who attacked him bit deep enough to transfer his salvia. Which is a changing bite. By the next full moon he’ll become one of these creatures. Shifting his feet, he groaned in pain. The bite wasn’t something to over look, it was quite painful actually. The so called doctor gave him something for the pain, yet it did nothing.

            “Principle Wade,” Langdon appeared inside the room.

            “Stay away from me!” Principle Wade jumped around a chair, pointing his finger. “Stay away from me, you monster!”

            Langdon frowned at him, “We’re not monsters.”

            “Then what are you, dogs?”

            “We are not dogs. Do not insult us like that. Alpha Blackwood’s pack saved your life.”

            ‘Ungrateful human,’ growled his beast.

            “You wouldn’t listen to him.” Langdon added.

            Principle Wade’s mouth dropped open, “Students were leaving the school!”

            “You should have listened!” Langdon shouted back.

            “Langdon,” Zero slipped inside the room, tucked his arm around his weakened mate. “What’s going on?”

            “Oh, him! being difficult.”

            “Me! You are the ones who morphed into dogs!”

            “Do not,” Zero growled, “call us dogs. We are werewolves.”

            “That’s so much better,” sarcasm  dripping from the principle’s voice.

            “My father could have left you to die!”

            “Why were those other d” Zero growled, making him pause. “wolves attack the school then? From my point of view it’s because of you. You are the cause.”

            “Enough!” Alpha Blackwood entered the room. “You will not disrespect my son or his mate. You will remain silent.” 

            Principle Wade popped his mouth open then thought better of it. The man before him was a tank. The expression he was carrying dared him to speak against him. The demanding look in his eyes, caused him to back up.

            “You are free to go whenever you choose. Just know that you will become one of us. Leaving the safety of the pack you will put your life at risk along with your family’s.”

            “What am I suppose to do?” Principle Wade was losing the fight within him. With the events that has taken place, he was just plain tired.

            “Call your family. I will explain to your wife.”

            Allowing the weight of the day drag him to the nearest chair. Principle Wade was silent. Look of defeat fell upon his features. How would his life be when his wife finds this out? The divorce wasn’t going so well. She was already wanting everything. This would give her a major leg up.

            “Do we have to tell her?” Wiping his face, “Shewe are getting a divorce. Married young, had a child. Apparently she’s over it.”

            Nathanial seen the pain in the man’s eyes. She didn’t love him, he loved her very much.

            “Children?”

            “Two daughters. Fifteen and thirteen.”

            “We don’t have to tell her or your children. However your children could become a part of the pack. I have humans.” Nathanial motioned for the boys to leave. This was something he needed to do. Man to man, father to father.

            Humans didn’t hold a clue into what a Alpha actually does. When a werewolf pack moves into a town, the Alpha over sees all protection. This included the humans as well. If a rogue would go to attack a human, the community would step in. An Alpha and his Beta or Beta’s, makes sure that the humans are well protected. No wolf is to harm a human, other than life. No one can protect you from life.

            Blackwood’s have vowed themselves are keeping this pack with the community. Any wolf who enters his territory knows that one human harm means a pack full of trouble. There only had been one time he called upon the whole pack to teach a wolf a lesson. That wolf now lived under his rules and within his pack.

            Below the Jace was explaining everything to Jalin, Dalson and Tatom of what the Damned one had told him. Savage told him that if he took out Zero, he had a witch who could help him. His friend warned him not too, however he’s been a wolf so long he just wanted to human again.

            The reason his eyes are red is simple, it’s part of the curse. The witch who cursed him made sure that no one would get close nor wanted him to be close. He actually never killed a human before. For the most part, he’s lived in the forest or woods. Traveled around to different places to keep himself hidden.

            Tatom felt bad for the guy. Mated to a witch, she bared his children. Only to have her family curse him for being a werewolf. He wondered if this was the betrayal. The Damned one chuckled upon him asking, and shook his mighty head no. He too knew of the story Tatom was speaking, however it was not of him. That story took place for his time. His only sin was his son was a witch not a full wolf.

            “That can happen?” Jalin asked.

            “Rare, but yes. It only happens when one parent is of true magical background.” Tatom answered. “His son probably is still alive. When a Halfling happens, they live as long as a wolf or vampire can. Depending on the strength of the creature blood.” Tatom looked over towards the wolf, “Is your son still alive?”

            Jace quickly shifted to receive the answer, once spoken he shifted back to speak.

            “No, his son felt it was time for him to pass. However his bloodline is still around. He’s watched over them in his years as a wolf.”

            “Noble,” Dalson laid a hand upon the old War wolf. “Honorable.”

            The Damned one sighed, it was nice to have someone who understood around him. Dart had been the only one for a time. Now he has more.

            “Could I feel your curse markings?” Tatom brought out a sketch pad, “I might be able to do some research and figure out if there is a way to break the curse. I know the legend states that only the bloodline can, however, magical has grown since your time.”

            The Damned one nodded his head and laid to his side. Tatom moved over and began to feel around the wolf’s fur.

            “I must warn you that it is a long shot. However I can have my mother search for the bloodline of the witches. A secret, no witch bloodline is truly gone. If you have heard that the bloodline died out, you have heard what they want heard. The witches community never allows a strong bloodline to actually die out. They shall find a way to keep the bloodline hidden or rename the family.”

            The Damned one rolled his eyes. Figures.

            About the fifth drawing of the curse markings they were hit with the smell of food being brought to them. Langdon came in first with a large tray of food. Luckily Jace had explained everything to the Alpha about the Damned one before things evolved to something else. 

            “I have bacon cheeseburges for everyone.” Langdon set down the tray. “You know, I don’t see how an Alpha can supply food for a whole pack like this.”

            “That’s why dad has a farm,” Zero came in behind his mate with a large bowl for the wolf. “Breed your own food helps keep cost down.” He kissed the top of Langdon’s head.

            “I don’t do cows, I eat them.” Langdon took a bite of his sandwich to the laughter around him.

            “No put I know who you can do.”

            “Zero,” Langdon rolled his eyes. “Horny wolf.”

            “Always,” Zero winked at his mate before setting down the bowl. “Here you go, I figured it’s been too long since you’ve had a good home cooked meal.” He patted the wolf on the shoulder. The Damned one brushed up against the young Alpha.

            “Do find out his name? I really don’t think calling him Damned one is appropriate.” Zero looked over at Jace.

            “It’s Cornelius.”

            “Wow that is a old name.” Langdon was stunned for a moment, “I was thinking an Alexander or Griffin.”

            Zero chuckled, his mate was caught between not knowing what to do and wanting to do something. He found out that he was able to use his channeling for something other than finding the past. Freaked him out a little bit than what they thought it would. Langdon just needed time to comprehend on what was actually going on.

            “We need to contact his friend Dart. Apparently Dart warn him not to do what Savage wanted him and has been there for him.”

            “Dart? I know Dart. Big biker who loves a good tat and a better fight.” Dalson smiled, “Hell, I’ll call him and let him know you’re alright.”

            Jalin shook his head, “You said call not go find and get a tat or a fight.”

            Dalson laughed, “Not my fault that we both enjoy good artwork and a release some stream. And if I remember you are the one who started the last fight.”

            Jalin’s laughter filled the room. Shrugging his shoulders he went back to eating.

            A day had passed since the events that had taken place. Langdon was in the office making sure the Principle Wade was handling the new smells around him. Alpha Blackwood said since the full moon was so close, the changing human would go through the change rather quickly. Finding the principle leaning over his desk with a broken phone receiver in his hand wasn’t a good sign.

            “I’m here to help.”

            “Make her stop,”

            “Who?”

            “My wife, she’s taking my girls and moving out of state.”

            “Speak with Alpha Blackwood, he has pretty good attorneys. They can help.”

            “It’s that simple?”

            “I believe so.”

            The principle raised up his head. There was something about Langdon that spoke of peace and harmony. He had been that way from the moment he met him and his mother.

            “What is pack life?”

            “To be honest I’m not really sure. I wasn’t bornmy life was different than Zero’s or the others. I’m learning myself.” Langdon looked back at the door. “Can I ask what happened to the other principle that was here at the beginning of the year?”

            “Heart attack, I’m new at a lot of things.” Principle Wade leaned back as he cleared the broken phone off of his desk.

            “Okay, I was just wondering.” Langdon thought about tapping into the channels. But he was still a little weak from pushing out the Wolf’s Bane in Darren. There was something that was bugging him about the principle. It almost seemed too easy for him to expect the fact that he was changing into a werewolf.

            “I’ll talk to Zero and see if he could talk to his father. Then maybe their attorneys can do something about your wife and children.”

            “That would be great,” his voice was off in a distance.

            “Remember if you need anything, I’m here.” Langdon thought about touching him. His beast stopped him. He too felt off about the situation.

            As he was leaving the office a crackle of electricity entered the air. Langdon paused. ‘What is that?’

            ‘I’m not sure,’ his beast was on alert. ‘Find Zero, we should not be alone.’

            Turning the corner, a young woman stood with her hair pulled back into a bun and glasses on. She gave a warming smile, “Excuse me are you Langdon Stark?”

            “Hmm?” His hair stood up on the back of his neck. His beast growled and snapped in his mind. Danger. “No but I know where he is.” Langdon moved back.

            The woman lunged at him, striking him in the arm with a long metal spike. He screamed out in pain. Something quickly moved through his system, paralyzing him. Falling to the ground, he noticed two men coming towards him. Both dressed in suits.

            “Good job Lorraine, Savage shall be pleased.”

            “I did not do this for Savage. The Empathy should not exist. His magic is way too strong. He carries too much of his mother inside of him.” Lorraine bent down, “It’s time to end the treachery young Halfling.”

            A blow came to the back of the head, Langdon could no longer see light or hear a sound. The two men picked him up and carried him to the side door. Behind them, Lorraine pulled out her phone.

            “I have him. First I shall see what Savage wants with him. Then I shall bring him home. The Halfling is captured.”

            “Very good, I shall kept the community guessing. You don’t let him out of your sights Lorraine. I am sending three more to aid you. Bring that boy home or else.”

            The phone line went dead. Years has passed since they began the search for this creature. Ramsey and Sandra had no idea what they created when Langdon was born. Then that damn witch Liz trying to keep the secret a secret. Protecting that human and that mutt of a pup.

            From one of the school windows, June was checking out the birdies in the nest. From the ground below she noticed two men carrying someone out of the school and a woman behind them. Focusing her eyes, she screamed out. “LANGY!” The students looked over at her.

            “June?” The teacher asked.

            “LANGY!” she pointed out the window.

            The teacher rested over to see the men putting someone into a van. “Oh dear god!” Rushing to the phone she called the police department. Sending a student to the office. June ran out the room screaming for Zero and May.

            Finally Carter stepped out into the hallway. “June what’s wrong?”

            “Someone took Langy!” her tears rushed down her already wet face. “I want Langy!”

            Carter looked inside the room, “Bret find Zero, somenone’s kidnapped Langdon.”

            Bret’s eyes widened for a moment. He flew out the room, calling Zero on the phone. By time the words came out of his mouth, Zero was running out of a room.

            “Where’s June!”

            He pointed down the hallway towards where Carter was keeping June.

            “Get the others!”

            Bret was hoping that he was talking about Langdon’s brothers and his Beta’s. By time he had found them all the police where all over the school. June was a mess, May couldn’t calm her down. And Jalin was about to morph into his wolf. Luckily Jace was able to call Dalson about Langdon’s abduction. 

            A mess what was the situation was. Josh and Aaron had to pin down Zero. He lunged out at one of the officers who wasn’t listening to anything that June had told him. The officer was now on his way to the hospital. Alpha Blackwood sent them off the school’s grounds. Principle Wade stepped back and let the Alpha take control. He had no clue what to do. Teachers and students were placed on lock down.

            Vera held a crying mother in her arms as Bailey tried to compose herself enough to speak with the police. Tatom was trying to figure out what was wrong with the situation. Him and Max went back in the direction that a student had seen Langdon walk coming from the office.

            There is was, Tatom felt it. His face grew pale. A strong electricity charge was in the air. This charge only belonged to one person, Lorraine. A hunter for the witch’s council. Max growled that he was picking up two unknown wolf scents. Tatom’s stomach turned.

            “Tat?”

            “The witch’s council. They have Langdon.”

            “What does the witches council want with him!” Max screamed. His wolf was pushing forward.

            “I don’t know.” Tatom had no idea what the council would want with a wolf. “Wolf scents? The council is working with wolves?”

            Max caught the confusion in the human. Tatom called his mother to find out if she knew what was going on. Upon hearing that the council had taken Langdon, she blew up. Stating that she’ll find out. He was to keep her informed on everything!

            Running through the town Tibitha was speaking to everyone she knew who knew about Langdon and her son. Who thought that what the council was doing was wrong. By the end of an hour, she was able to gather more people who had a nose for snooping around.

            Kagen was sitting out on his back porch when she ran passed. Sliding to a stop, she ran up the small walk way to him. Her chest heaved from her activities. Kagen rolled his eyes at her before going back to sharpening up the blade on his lap.

            “I take it that the gossip train is in double time today.”

            “Don’t be funny!” Tibitha snapped, “Langdon has been taken by the witches council.”

            He nodded. It was only a matter of time they got to the Halfling. “So Lorraine finally caught up to him.”

            “You know!”

            “Of course, I am after all the wolf boy as who witches so call me.”

            Tibitha paused, this was true. For some reason Kagen who more about wolves than he did other creatures. The werewolf language came natural to him, where others had to learn. He understood what a beast could do and what their humans were capable of.

            “Explain!”

            “Do not shout at me, you know better.” Kagen snarled at her.

            She threw out her hands, “OHHHH! You are so difficult! I don’t know why Tatom”

            His eyes narrowed on the woman before him. Tibitha covered her mouth in the words that almost slipped out. Kagen stood up and glared down at her. His jaw was locked.

            “Why what? Why your son liked me! Go ahead say it Tibitha, go on! I knew this day would could where you would turn your back on me. See yourself away!” He threw down the blade and entered his home. With a slam of the door, Tibitha felt like her heart was ripped out.    

            Those words were not the words she wanted to speak. Tatom liked how dark Kagen seemed. How short his words were at times. How dominate Kagen is. Tatom loved him so much that when the day came to say good-bye he broke down.

            “Kagen,” Tibitha marched right inside his home. “That’s not what I was going to say! And you know it! Ohhhh! You over grown child! I promised Tatom never to say what was going to come out of my mouth.”

            Turning the corner, she was met with a blade at her throat. Kagen’s eyes had darken with rage. His jaw was tightly clamped down. No movement came from his chest. However, he was not looking at her. His ears were trained somewhere else. Closing her eyes, she studied the air. Trying to hear what he was hearing. A noise came from downstairs. Sounded like someone searching through his belongings.

            The blade dropped from her throat, Kagen tightened his body. Moving like a wild predator he moved towards the basement door. Popping it open without a sound, he moved downstairs. Tibitha tried to focus her eyes on the darkness, however she did not have Kagen’s sight. A beam of light came passed the foot of the stairs. Next she heard was a loud crash and some pounding sounds. Assuming Kagen caught his intruder.

            “Let me go!” A voice came from below.

            She rushed downstairs, flipped on lights as she went. Pinned on the floor was one of the council’s ear boys. They were snoopers for the council’s. Their proper name was Truth Finders. Bottom line, no one liked them. Especially Kagen.

            “I will only ask this once, what are you doing in my home!” Kagen tightened his grip up on the boys neck.

            “By the order of the council, I demand you release me at once!” the boy shouted.

            “Wrong answer,” Kagen threw down his fist. Making contact with the boy’s face three times. Blood poured out his nose and mouth. “Next I start breaking bones.” Gripping the boy’s hand, he squeezed his fingers together.

            “I am on official council duty. Release me!”

            Kagen snapped the boy’s fingers back. Sounds of bones snapping and breaking made Tibitha cringe. The boy screamed out in agonizing pain. Leaning down, Kagen whispered for the boy to start talking. He was running out of patience.

            “I told you, I’m on official council business.”

            “WHY!” Kagen snapped back the boy’s hand. Breaking the waist backwards. Tibitha swayed back and forth from the gross bone crushing sound.

            “I was sent,” the boy gasped. “To gather information you have on the Empathy and his family.”

            “I hold nothing!” Kagen released the boy. Gathering him up by his hair, he slammed him against he wall. “The council knows of the repercussions of seeking inside my home! Shall I send them a reminder?”

            With the kick of his foot a flame shot up out of the burner in the corner. With swift movements, a rod about two and half feet long fell from above. Landing inside of Kagen’s hand. He shoved it inside the iron burner. With another kick, the burner lit up in flames hotter than before.

            “You have no right Kagen!” the boy screamed into his face. “I am apart of the witch’s council!”

            “You are the mud that I wipe off of my boot when entering my home. You are the last boy who needs to be entering my home uninvited. You are not strong enough to take anything within my home!” In one motion, Kagen brought the rod from the fire and placed it upon the boy’s forearm. Branding him with a wolf’s head.

            “Leave before I decide to tear into more.” Throwing the boy onto the steps.

            Following him up, he made sure that the boy was leaving his home that very moment. Tibitha followed them out the door. Before the boy had a chance to leave, Kagen snatched the small red book from his pocket.

            “This is mine moron.” Kagen gave a kick to the rear end before sending him on his way.

            For a moment the air was silent. Tibitha wanted to say something however she didn’t know what to say. Kagen had every right to defend his home. With the witch’s council after everything he does or will do. Time was only getting in the way of destiny.

            “Kagen,” her voice was soft.

            “Shut up Tibitha. I don’t want to hear your excuses. Your boy is now where he’s suppose to be. Whether his words were true or not.”

            “It’s not like that. Tatom loved you very much.”

            “Loved.” Kagen whispered. ‘Now he loves another.’ “What is it that you want?”

            “Tatom called, Lorraine took Langdon. He thinks she’s working with the wolves.”

            “Probably Savage. He wants Langdon for what he done in New York.  A child out smarting an Alpha. Holds the power he does. I’m surprised they didn’t get to him sooner.”

            “Kagen what is that you know?” Tibitha walked over to him. “Tell me please.”

            “Just what the Empathy really is.”

            “What is he?” She held her breath.

            “A Halfling.” Kagen went off with those words.

            With the shock of what Kagen had confessed, Tibitha stared out at the darkening sky. A storm was coming in. The cold chill was bringing in a winter storm. Making it harder for the wolves to track scents. Running towards her house, she had to let Tatom know. Maybe he can figure out where Lorraine would take him.

            The phone rang, “Mom.”

            “Tatom! I know why the council took Langdon. He’s a Halfling! The magic bloodline in him is strong. Not only is he a wolf he’s a witch. A wolf that can do magic is dangerous to both communities. They’ll kill him! Tatom, you have to find him.”

            “Thanks mom.” the line went dead.

            “Zero!” Tatom took off running through the pack house, bumping into people as he went. “Zero!” Jalin stepped around the corner, pointed in where he was. Flying into the room, Zero was staring in his direction.

            “I know why they’ve taken him. Langdon is a Halfling. An actual Halfling. He’s able to due magic. The witch’s blood in him is strong. Magical strong. As in he’s a witch.” Tatom leaned down and took a breath. “We need to find him.    Some witches believe that Halfling are an abomination. They try to kill them off. So far have been successful.” Savage leaned over the body under him. “Hello Langdon,” thrusting his blade like claws down inside the flesh of Langdon’s arm. His screams lit up the house. The chain around his neck, the cuffs around his wrist and ankles kept him strapped to the table.

            “I have you now, boy.” Savage growled with such wickedness it made his men take notice of how evil the Alpha could really be.

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