Chapter 61 The Black Wolf Comes

Lucas

Diana has been in and out of consciousness for the past several hours. After we had loaded all our belongings into the cars, Michael assisted Elder Allen and Andrew in collecting their things while I went to check on Diana. Ethan was panicking when Diana would not wake up even when he shook her awake. Her body was on fire, but she was shivering from cold. Her once pink lips were now a pale white and her whole body was drenched in sweat.

At sunset, Wyatt came inside the mansion to tell us the tent was ready. Didi and Athena asked me for an oversized sweater or shirt and some jogging pants so they could change Diana from her sweat drenched clothing before we placed her inside the tent like she instructed.

"I need to swim ashore. I need to swim ashore...," Diana uttered in her sleep. She kept repeating that over and over again until Didi and Athena had gotten her into dry clothes. She then began saying a bunch of words with no coherent thought... dry, beautiful, suffering, Moon Goddess, black wolf...mother. She would sometimes open her eyes when she muttered something, however most of those words she uttered were during her state of delirium.

It was now dark and freezing cold outside. A thin blanket of fog covered the grass. Gray clouds were scattered in the sky providing a glimpse of the moon. Most of Ethan's men stood guard inside the house, making sure Elder Allen and the mage wouldn't do anything stupid. The rest of us stood outside and kept a keen eye on Diana and our surroundings.

"It would be nice to have a doctor in the group. I've had some medical training in the military, but I don't have any knowledge on what's going on with Diana. Good news is, since she's unconscious most of the time, she doesn't feel any pain. Bad news is, whatever's happening to her is getting worse as the Blood Moon rises. The penumbral shadow has appeared. It means the moon will be entering the Umbra and the total eclipse will be happening in maybe thirty minutes." Alpha Connor said, peering at the moon. "It's show time boys. Ethan better take the blankets off Diana, open the entrance of the tent and keep away. Diana will be shifting soon."

As if on cue, Diana began screaming. Ear piercing screams. We had to cover our ears from the sound. I have been present at a number of first shifts and I have never heard a scream like this before. Good thing we were away from the mansion. Diana' screams were so high pitch, it might have shattered glass.

I glanced at Ethan who was closest to the tent. His ears were already covered with his beanie, but he still felt the pain from Diana's screams. He was knelt down on the ground covering his ears. I saw he was screaming something, his lips were moving, but I couldn't hear him. I backed away from Diana's tent so did Connor and his men. Michael, who had earmuffs on, helped Ethan stand up so he could move away from the tent. All of us except Michael kept moving away from the tent until we no longer felt the sting of her screams.

Michael, I could see, was coaching Diana. He was crouched down on the ground, his hands on his earmuffs, peering into the tent. I looked up at the moon. I was surprised it was already a deep red and it looked so close. The scattered clouds that moved in the sky were flickering with lightning. The electricity in the air could be felt. Thunder rumbled and the breeze became stronger.

It became quiet all of a sudden. I advanced towards the tent. I glanced at my side and saw Alpha Connor doing the same. Fog had started to settle all around us, a thick blanket of fog. It made it difficult to see.

Michael suddenly stood up, backing away slowly from the tent. The tent bristled with movement then it was flung aside as if it were thrown.

"On your knees, Lucas. Bow!" My wolf, King, exclaimed. I followed his instructions and dropped to my knees and bowed my head, keeping my head up a bit so, I could see.

The fog was so thick and the night so dark, that I couldn't see clearly. I heard Alpha Connor's voice echo through the cold night.

"All bow to the Queen!" He said. I noticed Michael had dropped to his knees as well as the others with us.

A low growl broke the silence then, a loud, booming howl.

It was so loud, I felt it reverberate throughout every nerve in my body. It was sending all wolves a message...the queen has been reborn.

I saw the door of the mansion open, the light from inside the house shedding some brightness to the eerie darkness outside. The people from inside started coming out walking towards us. They all knelt down and  bowed once they were on the lawn on the estate. The lights around the front lawn flickered. It sent my heart racing. The wind picked up again and blew the fog towards us. I closed my eyes. I felt the dampness of the fog hit my face as it was blown away.

When I opened my eyes, I was shocked to see the black wolf standing infront of me. She was a monstrosity, as big as the old wolf god Fenrir. She had a close resemblance to him as well. She bent her head, her teeth just inches away from skull, and gazed into my eyes.

"Lucas Lockwood, because of your mate I was given to Diana to extract justice. You rejected the mate given to you by the Moon Goddess and in the end, she and her whole family were slaughtered. This is a lesson you will have to live with for the rest of your life until you meet her in the afterlife." The black wolf's green eyes were glowing and as I peered into them, I saw Amy.

She was scared. So scared. Her water broke from her fear and she went into labor. The wolf suddenly came to her, bit into her neck and pulled out a chunk of her flesh. She dropped unto the cold pavement, bleeding out, tearfully praying to the moon to save our baby. She also whispered words I had so long hoped I could hear from her.

"Luke, I'm sorry," she whispered, her mouth barely moving and her eyes staring up into the moon. "I shouldn't have let my pride get in between us. If I live, I will come back to you. I love you..." She closed her eyes, conserving the energy she had left so she could survive.

I rolled into a ball onto the ground and sobbed. I clutched my chest, the pain in my heart was so excruciating. I lost my Amy. And there was nothing I could do to bring her back.

If only I did what was right. Marry her and be the man who she deserved.

"You were given a difficult choice. The Moon Goddess had hoped you would be the one to link the humans and the wolves. Yet, there were outside forces who had other plans. If you desire redemption, you must be the Alpha that you are. You must fight!" The black wolf said. "Be the man, the wolf, your mate loved. And to provide you solace, know that your mate loves you with all her heart. I have watched you take care of Diana. If I take pity on you, it is because Diana loves you with all her heart."

I picked myself off the ground and wiped my tears. I looked up at the black wolf. "Tell Amy, I love her and I will forever have her in my heart." I lowered my head and looked down at my hands which once upon a time, grasped the hands of a human nurse named Amy with so much love.

I looked up and the black wolf was gone. I looked around at the wolves scattered across the lawn. Every one was either crying or was in a state of remorse. I stood up, trying to find the black wolf.

My eyes noticed a light. I walked towards it. Instead of the black wolf, I saw a woman with long flowing thick blond hair in a white sheer dress, seemingly glowing like a light bulb in the arms of Alpha Ethan Crowne.

It was Diana.

She lifted her head from Ethan's shoulders and smiled at me, happy to see me. She ran towards me and hugged me. I took off my coat and placed it on her shoulders.

My Diana, my savior.

________________

Michael

Elder Allen is a piece of work. After practically making a tantrum about not being able to pack, apparently she was already ready to leave. All her luggages were in order much to my surprise. She was blind and was able to move around like she could see.

"I know what you're thinking. You are wondering how I can move around without my eyesight. I can still see a faint silhouette. Medically, I'm considered blind, but I can still see a bit. Onyx was kind enough to leave me some of my vision," Elder Allen said, scornfully. "I know all of you think of me as a monster, but I had my reasons."

"Every one has their reasons, Elder Allen. I have killed before so has Lucas, Alpha Connor even Alpha Ethan Crowne. We aren't proud of it, we don't lie about it and as far as reasons go, we did it to either save a life, save our pack, save our country, save ourselves or for revenge. Where do your reasons fall under, Elder?" I asked her. "How about you, Andrew? Where do your reasons fall under?" I glanced at Andrew who was busy collecting the Elder's luggages to bring downstairs.

"You sound so righteous, Michael? Pray tell, do you think the black wolf will spare you? You killed Jonathan infront of her."

"And I will do so again. If she punishes me for it, so be it. I will not run from the consequences of my actions. As for you, Elder, practice a little humility when you are in our company. You can continue on with your little charade in the presence of wolves who do not know you as we do."

"Thank you for your unsolicited advice." The Elder rolled her eyes at me. Gosh, she's so irritating.

After collecting her things, I sat her down in her rocking chair with Colt breathing down her neck. I gestured to Wyatt to follow us. This mage may have more sedatives in his room. I accompanied Andrew to his bedroom which was located beside the media room near the mansion's study. Before entering his room, we went through a small hallway of shelves filled with books on one side while the other side were window seats where you could read or sleep.

His bedroom was also styled like a hotel room with a large walk-in closet. I whistled low seeing his walk-in closet was filled with designer items. I opened a drawer and it was lined with expensive watches arranged by color.

"I've never had someone come into my room before," Andrew said, eyeing me warily.

"Business must have been good. Tell me, how much is your net worth?" I asked, hoping he would answer.

"That's none of your business, Michael."  I smiled at his answer. What can I say? I wasn't Diana.

"There must be a vault here somewhere. Or is your cash inside one of these drawers? I doubt you put your money in the bank. You'd be taxed if you did." I start opening everything I could, drawers, cabinets, glass panels. I moved his clothes, jackets and pants to check the walls behind them. I couldn't find anything. I rested against a square pillar which served as a bag stand trying to think where all his money was hidden. I accidentally place my hand on one of the hooks, pushing it down and his full length mirror that was propped on a wall, swayed forward. Andrew rushed to it, blocking me from opening it. I pushed him out of my way. I open the secret door and there inside was a tower of bundles of cash of every denomination.

"Goodness! How much money is in here?!" I stare at him.

"I don't know. A couple million, maybe several million? I invest my money in art and expensive jewelry. And of course I have invested much into this estate. I was hoping the Elder would pass this estate to me as inheritance," he admitted shyly.

"Well, I don't think we should leave all of this here." I took a large suitcase and started packing some of the money in it. "Start packing some clothes and whatever valuables you can't part with it. I have to be honest with you Andrew. When the rogues discover you double-crossed them, they're going to tear this place apart. Maybe even set it on fire. You need to send your staff home and give them their separation pay." I tossed him several bundles of hundred dollar bills.

"I have recently bought an RV. It was just delivered the other week. I bought it just in case I needed to run. All my paintings are already in there and most of my jewelry. I was supposed to place the money inside it, but with production of the elixir and your group's arrival, I have not gotten to it." He takes a large carry-on and starts placing bundles of money neatly in it.

After we packed as much as we could, Andrew called the kitchen staff and gave them the rest of the money we couldn't pack and sent them home.

The carry-on, I put inside the trunk of one of the cars. The large suitcase, I let him place inside his newly purchased RV. It was a camper van type RV. Small enough for one person to handle, but big enough for a small group. It was hidden inside the large garage of the estate. I took the keys from him just to make sure he wouldn't run now that he was all packed.

By the time I got Andrew seated back at the dining table, it was already night and Diana was already in the tent outside. I escorted Elder Allen back at the dining table so Colt could keep an eye on the both of them.

"Mommy, there's a shadow on the moon," Harley said, pointing at the moon through the view deck's double doors. Oh my. It was about to start. I put on my scarf, coat and my earmuffs. I hate it when my ears freeze. It actually hurts.

I open the door to head outside to where Lucas and Connor where standing. That's when the high pitch ear piercing screams from the tent began.

The earmuffs helped block out the sound, but the screams still stung a bit. I saw Lucas and the others back away from the tent while Ethan was on his knees infront of the tent taking the brunt of the sound. I had to pull him up and push him so he would move back.

The screams continued and I crouched down to see what was happening inside the tent. I saw Diana was already going through the metamorphosis, her bones and body were morphing to form the black wolf. I told her not to fight it, to allow it to happen. Her face had grown black fur and her nose had already elongated into a snout when she stopped screaming. I heard some bones crack in finality, then a low growl. Suddenly, the black wolf tossed the tent away with his head.

I stood up and backed away slowly. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. Alpha Connor told us all to bow. I followed, bending low in submission. Then the black wolf howled making it known to all wolves the black wolf of legend was reborn.

When I looked up, the black wolf was in front of me. It was time for my judgement and for the atonement of my sins. I have waited eighteen years for this. The day had finally come.

"Michael Sullivan, much has happened to you. You lost your parents in a car accident while you lost your mate in battle. Up to this day, you feel remorse. Diana and I have decided to allow you your redemption." Her green eyes were glowing. I stared into them, mesmerized by the radiance her eyes gave off.

My father was a tax attorney while my mother did accounting. They were both good with numbers and I inherited that trait from both of them. My mother would always joke that she was better than my father and could calculate large numbers without any use of a calculator. My father, who loved my mother very much, always agreed with her.

After the military and dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder after the death of my mate, Lucas tapped me to be his Beta. We were good friends in middle school and all through high school even if we went to different schools.

When he want to college, I enlisted. I needed to train if I wanted to become part of Lucas's security. There I found the woman I have loved all through my life and that is where I also lost her.

When I came back, I decided to enroll in night school to finish a degree in accounting. Lucas was in charge of the Lockwood empire and he needed people who were good with numbers. The Lockwoods were already rich, yet it was through Lucas that the Lotus Pack had its golden years.

Lucas provided what his former Alpha father didn't. Better homes, more jobs, better pay, a school, a hospital and many other benefits. I knew what Jonathan meant when we left the pack to destruction. It meant the pack members went back to the dismal life they once had before.

One day, as I was going through previous ledgers under Eric Lockwood's management, I stumbled upon a discrepancy. I consulted with my father and he had told me it was possible Eric Lockwood doctored the books to evade taxes. Two weeks after consulting with him, my parents died.

I was supposed to go with them to have dinner that fateful night, but I begged off because Lucas had a dinner meeting he had to attend. Lucas and I had just arrived at the restaurant when I received the call informing me my parents had died in a car crash.

The black wolf brought me back to my parents' house with their black sedan parked in the driveway. I walked to a window of the house and saw my father on the phone.

"I've looked through the ledgers and clearly this is a tax evasion case. I know he's the father of my Alpha, but he's clearly cheated the government. Well, if you won't help me, I'll find someone who can." My father hung up and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He picked up the phone again and was about to dial when my mother called him to help with the wallpaper she was putting up. Since I had a place of my own, she decided to change my room into her workspace.

Suddenly a repair man's truck parks in front of the house. Four men come out, one takes out a ladder, one was holding a clipboard and was scanning the area, one went to the door to ring my parent's doorbell and one stealthily put something right beside the front bumper of the  car. My parents accident was no accident.

"You and Lucas share one common enemy, Michael Sullivan. You must avenge your parents," the black wolf said.

I buried my face in my hands. I should have never given the ledgers to my father. They would have been still alive to this day.

I looked up at the Blood Moon and vowed to kill Eric Lockwood.

"I'm coming for you, Eric."