10. Caleb

**Caleb**

I rush outside the Pack House, with Conon right behind me. I had hoped for a quick meal and a quiet evening but now I have to deal with the vampires that are at my border. And there is nothing and no one that I hate more than the leeches.
**'I can hardly wait to sink my fangs deep in their throats and to rip their hearts from their chests,'** Raven says to me.
*'You can have all of them,'* I say and I feel my wolf getting ready for the hunt.
Bolgan, one of the Deltas and an Enforcer is waiting for me outside.
"How many are there?" I ask.
"Three," Bolgan says.
"It's Jeremy and Hogan's turn to patrol?" Conon asks.
"Yes. They are the ones that sent me a text telling me they caught the scent of vampires," Bolgan says.
"Where are they?" I ask.
"Next to the Ritual Stones," Bolgan says and I growl so loud with furry that the Enforcer takes a step back.
The most sacred place of a pack is where the Ritual Stones are. It is the place where the former Alpha and Luna of the Pack introduce the new Alpha and Luna to the pack. The place where soulmates or companions hold their mating or binding ceremony. The place where the Alpha and the Luna bless the newborn pups when they have their naming ceremony. And the place where the Alpha or Luna can communicate with the Moon Goddess.
In the case of my pack, it is different. Even if I have worked hard to get the pack running and recognized by the Elder, I am not the official Alpha since I haven't found my soulmate. For now, the Council of the Elders is the one that officiates all the rituals that the pack needs until I find my soulmate. Until then I am only the Alpha Regent of the Black Ruby Rogue Pack. I hope that the Moon Goddess blesses me with my half soon so that I won't have to depend on the Council for everything. I can't stand those old fools that think they know everything.
I look at the moon for a moment, thinking about my soulmate. I hope that where ever he or she is, I will find my soulmate sooner than later.
Usually, Alphas have female soulmates but in rare cases, the Moon Goddess may pair an Alpha male with a male and an Alpha female with a female. I like both females and males, so I don't really care what my soulmate is.
I look at Conon, "Let's waste no more time." And I start running.
Werewolves are not only much stronger than humans but also much fasters. I run as fast as I can, loving to feel the wind on my face. Conon runs next to me.
It only takes us ten minutes to get to the Ritual Stones.
As soon as I am close to the Ritual Stone I smell him–roses and jasmine. People think that vampires smell of death and old, but in fact, they smell very sweet so that they can trick humans.
I growl and Raven howls with rage inside my head. I pick up more speed and then I see the vampires. And I see him, the person that I hate the most in the entire world. I know the moment he sees me because those red eyes of his go wide. A moment later I am in front of him. Before he can react I wrap my fingers around his neck and look into those red eyes of his, eyes that once I loved so much but now I never want to see again. He puts his hands around my arm trying to get free from my grasp but I squeeze his neck even harder.
"When I last saw you I told you that I will kill the next time we will meet," I say.
I hear the other two vampires pulling out swords–swords made out of silver. With the corner of my eyes, I see them getting ready to attack me. My Enforcers and Conon get into a defense position next to me.
"Gets your paws off of prince Tristan," one of the vampires says and I look at them only to recognize Xenos and Zeke, Tristan's knights.
"If you try to attack me, I will claw his black heart out of his chest before you can reach me," I say to the knights. "And not mention that my Beta and Enforcers will be upon you before you can even blink."
"Don't attack!" Tristan says in a breathless voice.
"You heard him! Now put your swords away and back off!" I growl at them. Xenos and Zeke hesitate a few moments before doing what I told them. Then I look back at Tristan.
"If you kill me, you will never find out why I came to see you," Tristan says in a weak voice.
I narrow my eyes, "I don't care to know why you want to see me."
He claws my arm, but I don't ease my grip on him.
"Caleb, please! My mother!" Tristan says.
I let out a bitter laugh, "I should have known the Leech Queen is the reason for your visit."
"For fuck's sake, Caleb! Just listen to prince Tristan! He even sneaked a blood slave away from the Palace to show you he came here with good intentions!" Zeke says, while I never take my eyes off of Tristan.
"You have a blood slave with you?" I growl my words at him.
Tristan tried to nod. He claws some more at my arm ripping the sleeve on my coat. "Omega," he says in a low tone.
Next to me, Conon growls in anger.
"Where's the Omega?" I ask.
"If you don't let the prince go you will never get the blood slave," Xenos says.
"I will kill you three leeches and then look for the Omega," I say.
"The blood slave is in a car with Oana. If she doesn't hear from us in–" Zeke says and looks at his watch, the resumes speaking " three minutes she will suck the slave dry."
"You have left an Omega with Oana?" I ask Tristan in disbelief.
"If she touches him before the three minutes are gone, Tristan will have her fangs removed," Xenos says.
**'I want to kill Tristan so badly!'** Raven says with so much hate in his voice.
*'I know. But now we have a duty to save the blood slave. We can always kill Tristan next time, but there might not be a next time for the Omega.'*
Raven thinks for a few moments, **'Very well. Next time then.'** And I feel him retreat at the back of my mind.
Anger burns inside of me and I would love nothing more than to kill the leech but I know that if I do that I won't get the Omega from them. I let go of Tristan's neck. He coughs several times.
"Bring the Omega," I demand. "Once I see the state in which the werewolf is, I will listen to what your bitch of a mother wants," I say looking at Tristan.
"Bring the Omega," Tristan says to his knights.
I wait as Xenos takes out his mobile and dials a number. When he is done talking, he looks at me. "They will be here in about ten minutes. She can't drive here," Xenos says, looking around. "This forest lacks roads."
"If that leech is not here within ten minutes with the Omega, I will kill you," I say looking at Tristan. "And then your knights will be next."
Tristan nods. Then his eyes fills with regret, and says in a low tone, "I am sorry."
"You are sorry?" I ask in disbelief. "Don't make me laugh."
I turn my back to Tristan. I hope he will try to do something foolish, giving me a reason to kill him.
I look at Conon, "When that leech gets here with the Omega, I want you to take him or her directly to the clinic."
"But–" Conon says.
"But nothing. The Omega is your main priority. Jeremy and Holgan will help me in case the leeches attack."
Conon nods, "Alright. But be careful."
The ten minutes pass quickly, and I see Oana and the Omega. The werewolf has a collar with a chain attached to it, and Oana is pulling the chain, having the Omega walking behind her.
One look at the Omega and Raven is already on edge, wanting to get free and to kill the leeches.
*'Not right now, Raven. The Omega is still not safe,'* I say and Raven retreats once more.
The Omega is a male, around sixteen years old and in a very bad state. Even from a distance, I can see all the places he has been bitten from.
I feel how Conon and the Enforcers tense, getting ready to attack the leeches.
"Caleb, fancy seeing you again," Oana says in a sarcastic tone when she gets next to Tristan.
I ignore her and look at the Omega. The air is thick with the scent of his fear. He keeps his eyes glued to the ground. This is how the vampires love to have their blood or sex slaves–submissive and full of fear. He is wearing some rags and looks like he hasn't eaten in days.
I look at Tristan, "Let the Omega go."
Tristan nods at Oana, and she lets go of the chain.
"Come to me," I say to the Omega, using my compelling Alpha voice. "You are safe now."
But the Omega doesn't move.
"You can go," Tristan says and finally the Omega comes to me.
When he is in front of me I have to stop myself from growling at him, when I examine him. I want to know how badly he has been abused by the leeches. Apart from the bites and a few bruises, I don't see any more signs of abuse.
"Look at me," I say in a soft voice to the Omega, and I wait patiently until he does so. When he finally lifts his head, I find myself looking in a pair of haunted brown eyes–eyes that have seen too much for his age. "What's your name?" I ask him.
"Elton," he says in a weak voice.
I nod, "Elton. I am Alpha Caleb. My Beta, Conon, will take you to the pack. The pack's doctor will take care of you."
Elton is on the verge of crying. "Am I safe?" he asks.
"You are. I promise."
Conon moves next to Elton. "Come with me," my Beta says and leads Elton in the direction of the pack.
Once Conon and Elton leave, I look at Tristan. "If you want to talk to me, I want this leech," I say and point at Oana, "out of here."
She laugh, "You are scared of me, dog?"
I growl so loud she takes a step back, "Call me dog once more, leech and I will kill you."
"Leave!" Tristan says to Oana.
She looks one more time at me, before leaving.
I fold my hands and look at the leech prince. "What does your evil mother wants?"
Tristan shakes his head, "It is not my mother that sent me. I came here because I need your help."
I lift an eyebrow, "If you came here asking for my help, you are wasting my time. I give you five minutes to leave my forest!"
I turn to leave when I hear Tristan saying, "She has ordered the Red Capes to kidnap humans and all kinds of were-people."
"What?" I ask looking at him. Raven growl with hatred in my head.
"She is kidnaping one or two each month. Usually, persons that have no families, so she won't draw the attention on her."
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask.
"Because I want to know what she does with those the Red Caps bring in. They are usually taken in a forbidden part of the Palace and no one sees them again."
"If you are hoping I am coming to the Palace, forget it!" I say. Tristan shakes his head, and I narrow my eyes. "Then what do you want from me?"
"I want you to find out the names of those that she has kidnapped and see if there is some connection between the victims," Tristan says.
I laugh bitterly, "So the son of the Leech Queen comes to me, wanting to know what mommy dearest is doing behind his back. Why should I help you?"
"Because this is affecting every shifter community. And because once they realize what my mother is doing they will want to kill us."
"Ah! So you are afraid that everyone will turn against the vampires. I hope that every single vampire on Earth is killed!" I say in an angry tone and my Enforcers agree with me.
"Don't let hatred cloud your mind," Tristan says.
**'We should look into it,'** Raven says.
*'Are you sure?'*
**'If the vampires are kidnaping were-people and humans, we have to stop them,'** Raven says.
*'You are right.'*
"Fine. I will help you. I will give you my email. If you have something to tell me, you will send me an email. I don't want to see you on my territory again. And especially not next to the Ritual Stones."
Tristan nods his agreement.
After we exchange emails I watch as the leeches leave my territory. Once they are far I feel I can breathe again.
I look at Jeremy and Hogan, "Let's make sure that there are no more leeches in our territory."
Together with the Enforcers, I patrol for about three hours, wanting to be sure that there are no more vampires close to the pack.
When I am sure that the vampires are gone, I return to pack. I go to the clinic, wanting to see how Elton is.
I hate when Omegas are abused. Not because they are not as strong as the other members of the pack, but because they are the heart of a pack, and should be loved and cherished. It is bad enough when a pack abuses Omegas but it is far worse when the vampires are the ones that do the abuse because they use Omegas in the most horrible ways.
"The Omega will be fine," Reyes, the pack's doctor tells me. "Fortunately he has only been used as a blood slave. He is traumatized but with the right help, he might learn how to deal with what happened to him."
"Can I see him?" I ask.
"He asleep right now. It is better if you see him tomorrow."
"Alright. I will see you in the morning," I say before leaving.
When I finally make it to the Pack House and go to the rooftop and go to one of the beach chairs I have there. I sit, put my hands behind my head and look at the sky. I love watching the stars. It makes me feel at peace.
I stay there, under a sea of stars, thinking about what Tristan told me when I hear her. Moments later I smell her–she smells like the Earth.
"What do you want Tatiana?" I ask her.
"Hello to you too!" she says and sits next to me.
I keep looking at the stars, hoping that Tatiana will tell me what she wants and then she will leave me alone.
When time passes and she doesn't speak I say, "If you only came here to look at the stars, then I will go to sleep."
I stand but before I start walking Tatiana finally speaks.
"How is she?" Tatiana asks me.
I don't have to ask who she is, because I already know about whom Tatiana is talking about.
"She is depressed as fuck, and I have no idea how to help her. I have tried everything."
"Try harder!" Tatiana insists.
"Goddess! Why do I have to be the one to help her? If you are so interested in Red you help her!"
"Because, my dearest Caleb, you owe me. I saved your life and now I am asking you to help Rain."
"Are you going to remind me that you save me all my life?" I ask in an angry tone.
"Oh, come on Caleb. Don't be so sour! If you help Rain we are even and I promise I will never mention it to you ever again!"
I look at Tatiana, "Deal! Now I am going to bed. It has been a long day."
"Until next time!" Tatiana says.
"I hope next time will be in a long time!" I say before I leave.