72: Messiah

Boris took Aaron, Sophie and Mike to the closest elder werewolf that he knew of. He was not too far away. They reached a chicken fast food restaurant and entered the premises. At that point, they were doing everything that Boris told them to do. Boris asked them to take a seat at the corner of the restaurant and order something while he made his way through to the kitchen. Even Aaron didn’t know a thing about the elders and their lores. He himself had discarded those stories as nothing more than a folklore whenever he heard them. They seemed too much to fathom even to a werewolf. The realization would have made up for a nice anecdote, good enough to probably lighten up the mood of the girl who sat next to him. Aaron took it upon himself to order something. He walked to the counter and an overly enthusiastic teenage girl welcomed him with an ear to ear smile and said a cliche slogan. He asked for three buckets of chicken nuggets and soft drinks. The girl excitedly nodded and paced to the kitchen. For a moment, Aaron could see himself standing behind the counter, wearing an apron with a similar enthusiasm. He let himself drown deeper into the blissful daydream. It was the last day he could remember when he was not looking over his shoulder. The Cafe was supposed to be his haven until his powers were ripe and he was strong enough to defend himself. But everything had been flushed down the drain by the demons. Everything that followed was nothing less than a nightmare. Innocent people were killed and lives were destroyed. The voice of the waitress pulled him back to the present and she handed him a stacked tray. He received it and strolled back to the table. The meal was badly needed and duly enjoyed by all three. They were just about to be finished when Boris walked out of the kitchen and joined them. He picked a chicken nugget from Mike’s bucket and tossed it into his mouth.

“Woo! I missed these sons of bitches”, Boris commented on the food. He never had the time to dine during duty and he had been on duty for too long.

“Where are we?”, Mike asked. Sophie’s father and the veteran werewolf had developed a close relationship between one another. Boris chewed carelessly.

“This joint is owned by an elder werewolf. He uses it to help our people”, Boris responded. Aaron wasn't surprised by anything anymore. “The girl who took your order is also a werewolf. She recognized your Alpha scent from a mile away”, he added and turned to Aaron. The Alpha spontaneously looked back at the counter and found the girl whispering to another girl and pointing toward him. She recoiled and pretended to do something else as soon as Aaron caught her. The ear to ear grin wasn't enthusiasm for the job but the excitement to see the prophesied Alpha so close to her.

“What now?”

“We wait for the big guy to come. He didn't sound too thrilled for the visit but his tone changed the moment he heard about the great Alpha in his restaurant.”

“You’re gonna make me blush”, Aaron wittingly responded with a smirk. Sophie giggled.

“This is a huge deal. The confidence of our people will be worth a sight when they find out that their Alpha has finally arrived. They have been in hiding for so long”, Boris softly explained. Mike and Sophie were starting to sense an aura around Aaron ever since his transformation at the hotel. It was like he was intellectually aged in a matter of moments. A white elderly man with a white beard and an oversized coat entered the premises. He was carrying a briefcase. Aaron’s eyes stuck to him and he wondered if the old man was the one they were waiting for. The man swiftly walked into the kitchen without even stealing a glance in any direction. Boris didn't see him as his back was to the man. Aaron shook away the thought.

“What did it feel like? Turning into the king of the beasts?”, Sophie curiously asked Aaron. It sounded like the question had been there for a while. Aaron on the other hand, was also restlessly waiting to talk about it to someone.

“I could see everything but my focus was on everything simultaneously. I could hear everything but I was perfectly able to tell one sound from the other.. The moment I turned, everything stopped. I was able to count every fly, every ant and anticipate their next moves”, Aaron passionately explained. Sophie and her father attentively listened.

“Were you in control?”, Sophie reluctantly asked.

“Only the colors were brighter and the sounds were sharper but I was in control of myself just as I am able to right now”, he answered. Boris knew all of it. He was fully aware of what the Alphas were supposed to be like. The discussion bored him.

“You haven’t the slightest idea what our people make of you”, Boris butted in. Aaron looked puzzledly at him. “Most of us believe that the Alpha is only one, he or she just changes bodies. So if you are the Alpha, the soul of the very first Alpha is within you. That carries some weight”, Boris added. He looked back at the entrance to see if the owner was there yet and found the white bearded old man standing at the kitchen door staring at him as if to mean something. Boris recognized him instantly.

“He’s here!”, he softly announced and walked to the kitchen door. The rest followed him.
The three entered the kitchen and found the room on a hold. The door was closed shut behind them. Boris immediately walked to the old man standing over his open briefcase at the far end of the kitchen. The work was halted and every employee was there to see the Alpha up close. Everyone feasted their eyes on the Alpha like he was some demigod who had just momentarily visited his subjects on earth. The employees seemed too excited to even stand straight and a few even started to weep. Aaron stared back at them with obvious confusion on his face. Sophie and Mike stood back and spectated. Boris returned with the owner and the old man grabbed Aaron’s hand and kissed it with utmost respect. Boris gave Aaron a meaningful look that said ‘Told ya!’. The hand kissing and the staring contest finally faded down and everyone was back to their senses.

“Let me guess, all your employees are werewolves”, Aaron knowingly inquired and the old man smiled and nodded. Aaron took a look at the people surrounding him. They belonged to all sorts of age groups, nationalities and races.

“Our people needed a refuge and I could provide it for them. But now that you have finally arrived, we’ll no longer hide in the shadows”, the elder spoke with pride. There
were blissful murmurs all around. “But first thing’s first”, the old man said and motioned the employees to disperse. The kitchen was empty in moments. He asked Aaron to follow him to the briefcase. “Your very persuasive friend right here told me that you needed access to Samael’s realm”, the elder added and eyed Aaron for a negative answer which never came. The old man sighed. “Are you sure there’s no other way?”, he inquired.

“If I told you why I need it, you wouldn't think twice before assisting me”, Aaron responded. The old man was suddenly on the defensive.

“I wouldn't dare deny service to the Alpha. But I …”, the old man bailed mid sentence. “Alright. We have a way and I have brought it here with me”, he added and motioned to the odd stuff that lay in the open briefcase.