Chapter Four
The Beta’s Prerogative
J
ust in time to clock in, Luca entered his current place of employment. Panda Plate, the Chinese restaurant, was a small, family-owned, buffet, with a dining room that sat less than fifty customers. The back door automatically swung shut behind him as he entered.
“On time today then,” Mr. Yang said as Luca joined him in the kitchen.
“It appears so,” Luca joked as he pulled on an apron and took over what Mr. Yang was preparing.
“Hey,” Seth Yang greeted as he entered the kitchen from the front of the restaurant.
Luca nodded at him and continued to stir the contents of his pot.
Seth turned to his father and said something in Mandarin Luca couldn’t comprehend, and then returned his attention to his friend.
“Thanks for agreeing to do that double date thing,” Seth said as he lounged against one of the stainless-steel counters. “According to Monica, I really messed up,” Seth said with a cringe.
“No worries, I’m happy to help,” Luca said as the contents of his pot came to a boil.
“Two years is a long time. It’s important to celebrate such a day,” Seth’s dad added while dumping ingredients into yet another pan. “Monica’s not the only one who thinks my son messed up.”
“Yeah, yeah Dad,” Seth mumbled. “You and Mom have both made yourselves clear on that one.”
Luca smiled as he watched father and son.
“Sometimes I think they like Monica more than me.”
“Sometimes we do,” Mr. Yang commented, although his son was no longer speaking to him directly.
Luca remembered interacting with his father with the same level of familial banter and ease. It was part of why he liked working here, in this family atmosphere. It reminded him what a family really was and made him remember his own.
The phone began to ring. Luca finished dumping the chicken in another pan, set it on the warmer, and walked over to answer the call. Scribbling down the order, he walked it back and stuck it to the metal bar over Mister Yang’s head.
“Speaking of that favor,” Luca said as he walked back to his own workstation. “Tell me, who is this girl I’ve agreed to go out with?”
“Well…” Seth joined him at the counter near the warmer. Luca began working on another entre as Seth spoke. “She’s around your age. I think. It’s kinda weird since she works at my school, but whatever. And don’t tell Monica that I said it but, she’s super sexy but also, like, cute…” Seth paused, presumably thinking.
Luca laughed. “I meant her name.”
“Oh,” Seth looked a little embarrassed. “It’s…”
“Boys,” Mr. Yang called. “Work.” He pointed to the warmer where the chicken was waiting to be taken out to the buffet.
“Okay, I’m going.” Seth rolled his eyes, picked up the pan and walked into the dining room.
JULIANA
Jules turned the corner and headed away from the Promenade. The wolves were still on her tail. She could hear their labored breathing. Come on! Give up! She heard a howl from behind her. If he turns now… Her train of thought was interrupted by a hard smack on the back of her head. She spun, opened her mouth, and let out a threatening hiss.
The wolves stopped in their tracks. The one who had thrown the brick took one step back. They were in an abandoned alley now, she could attack. But instead, she turned and ran into a more open area, past a deserted bus stop then ducked into a highly populated restaurant. She hurried past the hostess toward the restroom in the back. The wolves entered just as Jules passed through the swinging door.
Once inside the restroom, she looked around. There were three stalls and a small window at the far end. She went for the window, jumping through it into the back alley. Then she turned and leaped onto the roof of the neighboring shop to wait. Finally, she heard the sound of the restaurant door slam followed by angry voices. The wolves emerged one by one. I may have lost them. But she couldn’t count on it. Just then, Monica’s phone vibrated.
“Where are you, Jules?” Gabriel’s voice was rushed, anxious.
“On top of the office building next to Seaside Soda Shop,” she told him.
“I’m six blocks away. Head east,” he instructed calculatingly.
The wolves had headed north-east so if she swayed just slightly to the south, she would probably avoid them. She walked to the far side of the building, away from the restaurant. She jumped off the roof, landed soundlessly on the pavement below, and bolted in Gabriel’s direction.
Gabriel
Gabriel’s car sped down the busy road. “Really Eileen,” he said as she kicked him in the side of the head while climbing into the back seat, making the passenger seat available for Jules.
“You’ll live,” she said sarcastically. “It’s Jules I’m worried about.”
“She’s going to be alright. I think she lost them.” He controlled his tone, even though he was panicking internally.
Eileen let out a sigh of relief, obviously believing his deception.
“Keep a lookout, we should cross paths any second,” he instructed. Please be in on piece, Gabriel thought.
“There!” Eileen shouted, reaching up past him to point out the windshield. Gabriel sighed audibly as he sped to a stop next to her.
Jules didn’t slow when she saw them. She was in the car in seconds.
“Hi there,” she said after she had slid onto the seat beside him. She wasn’t out of breath but leaned back in her seat anyway, looking worn.
“I can’t believe those animals actually chased you,” Gabriel spat.
Jules shrugged her shoulders as if to say, it’s no big deal. “Gabriel, I’m fine.” She lifted her head to smile at him reassuringly.
“No, you’re not. Your head is bleeding all over my seat. What happened?” Gabriel’s rage was getting the better of him. They hurt Jules.
Jules lifted her hand to the back of her head. “I’m fine. It’s already healed.”
“How are you fine?” he asked, glaring at her.
“There is a strong sense of relief that comes when one is no longer being chased,” Jules teased as she fiddled with her hair, presumably attempting to mask the blood in it.
“Jules, these beasts…” Gabriel began to ague.
“I’m sure were following orders,” Jules interrupted.
“So that makes it alright!”
“I didn’t say that, but…” Jules began.
Eileen cut her off, “Jules, Gabriel is right. We can’t just pretend we don’t have a problem.” Eileen leaned forward to be more of a part of the conversation.
“We don’t know that we do,” Jules said. “Obviously, they chased me and that’s not promising…”
Gabriel started to say something, but Jules continued, cutting him off.
“It’s not a great sign, but I won’t do anything to escalate this. It might just fizzle out if we don’t feed it and we are going to give it that chance,” Jules said, looking back at Eileen and then at Gabriel to ensure compliance.
Gabriel nodded, but he was not happy with this course of action. However, she was his coven leader and he would respect her wishes. He just hoped that this decision didn’t end up getting someone killed.
“Now take me home,” Jules said, frowning slightly. “I should wash this blood out of my hair before I meet up with Monica.”
Gabriel looked over at his friend. Jules was right. Even the brilliant red color of her hair couldn’t camouflage the amount of blood that was in it.
JULIANA
In minutes, they were in front of Jules’s little green house. Her car was parked to one side of the driveway.
“Monica must have come here,” Jules commented.
Gabriel still looked uneasy, but she smiled at him brightly anyway. Monica often came to Jules’s after a fight with her parents or Seth. It was one place Monica felt safe. Ironically.
“May I?” Jules asked Eileen, holding up a hat she’d found on the passenger seat floor.
“Of course,” Eileen replied.
“Thanks.” Jules pulled on the hat. She didn’t want to scare Monica unnecessarily. “See you later,” she said as she got out of the car and went to the front door of her house. She found it unlocked. She waved to Gabriel, suggesting that everything was fine, and entered the house.
“Monica?” Jules walked into her well-furnished living room and found Monica sitting on the couch, curled up, knees to her chest, wrapped in a blanket. She was staring silently at Jules’s cell phone.
“Monica,” Jules said again, getting the girl’s attention.
Monica looked up, shock and concern written on her face.
“Monica, it’s okay. I told you I’d be fine,” she comforted, sitting down beside her and wrapping her small arms around her friend.
Monica began to cry softly.
“You said you took care it. So why did they chase us?” Monica whimpered, but then sat up and tried to compose herself, wiping the tears out of her eyes.
“I may have humiliated their Alpha yesterday.” Jules smiled sheepishly.
“What does that mean?” Monica asked, her tone a mix of confusion, anxiety, and interest. But Jules could tell by listening to her heartbeat that she was starting to calm down.
“I didn’t mean to, I just might have stepped on his pride a bit.” Jules leaned into the couch and pulled her feet up, making herself more comfortable.
“If that’s all, why’d they bother chasing us?” Monica asked, still slightly confused.
“I’m not sure. I know pride is a big deal to werewolves, especially Alphas. It could just be that. Or it could be because I brought up that there was peace before the war broke out. I suggested that we try to coexist peacefully like I did with my friends three hundred years ago.”
“Sometimes when you talk, Jules, I remember you’re a corpse,” Monica teased, obviously feeling more at ease now.
“Thanks,” Jules said sarcastically and both girls laughed.
Just then, Monica’s stomach made a noise. Jules instantly felt guilty. Because she didn’t eat human food, sometimes it was easy to forget that Monica did. She pulled Monica’s cell phone out of her own pocket and passed through her contacts until she reached the number for Panda Plate.
“Thank you for calling Panda Plate, how can I help you?” asked the worker who had answered her call.
“Is Seth there?” Jules asked.
“One second,” said the male voice. “Seth! Phone!” he shouted.
“Give it.” Monica held out her hand for the phone.
Jules gave it to her.
“Seth? Hi.” Monica beamed with joy as her boyfriend picked up on the other end of the line. “Of course, my favorite. Yup, Jules’s house. Alright, see you soon,” she said, before hanging up the phone. “He’s off in half an hour.” She told Jules.
When Seth got there, he didn’t bother knocking. “Where’s my girl?” he called as Monica and Jules emerged from the living room. “There you are,” he said, wrapping his arms around Monica and kissing her.
Seth Yang was a slender, dark-haired, brown-eyed teen who was in the top one percent of his class and captain of the wrestling team.
“Can you stay?” Jules heard Monica ask as she walked into her bedroom to give them a moment of privacy.
“No, sorry,” he said, I promised my mom I’d help her with a project after work.
“I mean, helping your mother is a worthy excuse and all...” Monica began but she was cut off when Seth kissed her.
“I’ll call you later,” he said.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“I know you will.” He squeezed her hand, kissed her on the cheek, and then left, closing the front door behind him.
The girls sat on the couch as Monica ate and Jules turned on a movie. They laughed at the crazy comedy. Comedy wasn’t Jules’s favorite genre, but she thought it would be better to keep the mood light that night, for Monica’s sake. She was right. The girls laughed so hard, Monica cried. It was nearly ten o’clock when Monica’s phone rang.
“It’s Mom,” Monica said.
“Say hi for me,” Jules said.
Jules could hear irritated chatter on the other end of the line. “Yes Mom, I’m headed home now.”
Without a word, she picked up her keys and the girls headed for the door. Monica told her mom they were already in the car and on their way. Monica didn’t live far, it took them only minutes to get there.
Before Monica exited the car, she said, “you’re still coming on Saturday, right?”
Jules nodded. She couldn’t say no now. Not after what she’d put her through today. Monica smiled at her one more time before slamming the door and running inside.
LUCA
Exhausted and smelling like spices and soy sauce, Luca parked under his bedroom window. I really need to remember to leave my window open, he thought. Begrudgingly, he walked around the house to go in the front.
“Luca!” Carson’s voice called when he entered the house, screen door slamming shut behind him. Luca scowled and turned in the direction of the family room. When he entered, he realized he was joining the rest of the residents of the Den. Apparently, Carson had called some sort of emergency meeting. Kyle, of course, was no longer among them. However, a sixth man, that Luca had seen before but never officially met, was leaning against a far window. He wore glasses, was lanky, and constantly seemed to fidget from one foot to the other and then back again.
“Luca,” Carson addressed him. Luca’s attention shifted to his Alpha, who was pacing menacingly in the center of the room. “I’ve asked Jed here,” he motioned toward the man Luca didn’t know, “to move into that vacant room.”
Vacant? Luca thought, Kyle has only been gone for like twelve hours.
All Luca wanted to do was go upstairs, shower, and fall into bed. But Max stood, leaving a space on the couch for their Beta. So, Luca moved to collapse beside Ben and waited for Carson’s rant to be over. He let his head flop against the back of the couch. No telling how long this will take.
“As I was saying, the vampire problem must be dealt with. Jed may be a bumbling fool but he’s the best tracker in this pack.”
Luca looked over at the poor man, who was being subjected to Carson’s insults. Jed’s cheeks turned crimson, but he remained silent.
“Why are we bothering with these vamps anyway?” Kip asked from where he sat on the floor by the wall, his legs stretched out in front of him. “It’s not like there have been killings every night or any night for that matter. Why bother?” The question granted him a glare from Carson that was so powerful Kip seemed to shrink away from it.
“Why bother!” Carson repeated. “We bother because vampires don’t deserve to the walk this earth,” Carson’s voice raised, and he shook slightly.
Luca’s fists clenched. He was in no mood for this kind of tirade. “It’s a fair question,” Luca said, standing. Only he had the power to oppose their Alpha. “Why start something with the vampires when we don’t have too? They, at least their coven leader, didn’t seem to want to start anything.” Luca thought momentarily of the small, red-haired vampire that had captivated and intrigued him. It wasn’t the first time his thoughts had drifted toward her since last night. He shook her from his mind and continued. “If they kill, they don’t do it in Aboit.”
Carson snarled at him, undoubtedly angered by Luca’s defiance. His reflexes said to flinch under the Alpha’s powerful command and yet Luca resisted.
“They all kill.” Ben’s voice was soft and controlled like it always was. “They hunt and they feed. It’s in their nature.”
Luca looked down at the old werewolf. He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees. His eyebrows pulled together, looking a little stressed.
“Instinct or not. I say we do nothing until we know more,” Luca suggested.
Kip looked like he might agree with Luca but said nothing. Carson looked as if he might explode at any moment and still Luca pressed on. “We do nothing until we have proof that they are a danger to the people of Aboit.”
“It… is… not…” Carson took a strained breath between each word. “Your place… to oppose me.”
Luca resisted the urge to clench his own teeth. “It is my right to present other courses of action, even if those ideas are different from yours,” Luca sighed. “I’ve said what needed to be said. Take my opinion into consideration or don’t. That’s up to you.” With that, Luca walked from the room, retreating up the stairs to his bedroom.
KYLE
“Don’t break that thing before we get it up the stairs,” Hayley chided as she squeezed past Kyle and Luca to go open the door to the couple’s apartment the next day. He rolled his eyes at his wife and took another step up the stairs. Luca stepped up and Kyle mirrored him, they were making their way quickly with a large box, containing Kyle’s new television, between them.
“Hayley door!” Kyle shouted after his wife swung the door shut behind her.
“Just kidding,” she said, smiled, and held it open for them. “You know I could have helped you with that box.”
“Yes, yes, my love. I know, women can do whatever men can do, but why should they have to when there are men around to do it for them?” Kyle asked.
Hayley shrugged. “Good point,” she said and then disappeared momentarily into the bedroom. Kyle smiled after her as he and Luca freed the electronic entertainment device from its packaging and placed it on a rickety, old table.
“Can I ask you something?” Luca asked as he plopped down onto Kyle’s new-to-the-apartment, old couch and sighed.
“That’s a bad idea,” Kyle said in response.
“How do you feel about Carson’s whole vampire vendetta?” When Kyle didn’t immediately respond Luca continued, “I just think we should have proof of wrongdoing before we start an all-out supernatural war in Aboit.” He had been very distracted all morning by the meeting that Carson had called the previous night. Something just didn’t feel right to him. There was too much hate without an obvious purpose behind it.
It was Kyle’s turn to sigh. “Okay, honestly I think blood-suckers need to drink human blood to survive. This does make them dangerous to our town. However, I do see your point about wanting more information before we start a war over it. From what little I actually know about supernatural history; these types of wars can be messy, and a lot of our kind generally end up dying. But, everyone also knows that Carson always does what Carson wants and everyone around him had better do what Carson wants as well or things might also get out of hand. So, like, pick the lesser of two possibly shit-storm outcomes I guess.”
“I know you’re right,” Luca said. “The question is then; is following Carson’s orders really more important than murdering potentially innocent beings, of any kind?”
“Potentially is the key word there, Luca,” Kyle said as he began to stretch cords from the wall to the television. “It’s my understanding as well that all vampire’s kill. Even if they aren’t killing here, they’re probably killing somewhere else, maybe Fort Miles. You’ve heard of the uptick in homicides there recently, haven’t you?”
“True,” Luca said, sighing.
“It does sound like Carson has a solid argument,” Hayley added as she walked back into the room and sat beside Luca. “Murder is wrong, murders should be dealt with accordingly.”
Luca flinched.
“Hayley,” Kyle cautioned. He knew why Luca had flinched, but Hayley probably didn’t.
“She means non-remorseful murders.”
“Kyle,” Luca used the same tone on him that he’d used on Hayley.
“Why do you care about the vampires so much anyway?” Hayley asked, returning to a safer subject.
Kyle connected the last cord and picked up the remote to assessed his work. He then joined Luca and Hayley where they sat.
“Because he thinks the little one is cute,” Kyle said jokingly. He expected Luca to respond with a fake laugh or defend himself in some way. When he didn’t Kyle looked over. “Holy creepers, you do like her!”
Luca paled.
What! Kyle thought.