Chapter 86 The Werebears and The Man with the Silver Eyes

(Jacques POV)

Ma sœur: my sister
*Meré: mother
*Mon garçon cheri: my darling boy

After discussing their plans on Hope's surrender, they all focused their eyes on me. Here we go... the interrogation is about to begin.

"So, how exactly did you meet Amelie?" Leia asked boldly.

"My mother died from illness when I was 5 and my father followed soon after. With no parents and no one else to take care of me, I was demoted to being a slave. I had no objections against hard labor, I was an able 5 year old. I could carry water or bales of hay, plow the field, do laundry and wash dishes. I was also helpful in the kitchen. What I couldn't take was the scarce meals and the abuse from my seniors." I lowered my eyes remembering the whips and chains. "It happened every single time they were drunk on wine and that was almost every day."

"They would whip me and the other orphaned wolves. Chain us if we made mistakes. They would also order us to fight each other and bet who would win. Good thing we were wolves...our bruises and wounds would heal quickly. The next day, it was like nothing happened the previous night."

"Money started to become tight and feeding a room full of orphans became a chore. Our Beta thought it was a good idea to sell us for "entertainment" to earn more money. That was when I escaped."

"I was sold to an elderly gentleman who loved chocolate-colored skin boys and when he saw my rare-colored silver eyes, he paid three times what was originally asked of me so I could stay at his mansion over the weekend. At first it was innocent enough, he fed me, bathed me, even bought me new clothes, shoes and some toys to play with. But when night fell that day, he ushered out all his servants and said it was time to go to bed." I looked at the girls to see if they were paying attention and I saw the anger flicker from their eyes.

"He took his robe off and instructed me to kneel and kiss him down there. I bit off his penis and ran while he howled in pain and screamed for his servants to catch me. He forgot he told them all to leave and have a night off."

"I lived on the streets for a while. When it was cold, I stayed in abandoned buildings with the rest of the homeless people. I tried doing odd jobs like cleaning, walking dogs, helping people with their groceries. I just couldn't stay in one place because I knew people were looking for me. "

"One fateful morning, Amelie, my meré, found me stealing bread from a bakery. The owner chased me down and fortunately caught me. We were on our way to the police station when she told the owner I was her nephew and gave him a reward. I was scared she was one of the old man's servants tasked to find me."

"She had a car waiting so, I planned to jump out of the car while we drove, but Amelie held on to my arm knowing I'd try to escape. She promised she wasn't going to hurt me and wanted me to live with her as her son. "Just give me a chance. If you don't like living with me, I'll let you go to find a place of your own." Amelie told me so I would stop fidgeting."

"I decided I'd give her a chance since she saved me from going to the police. We first stayed in a villa in France. She gave me new clothes, toys and my own room. For the first time since my parents died, I felt happy. We stayed for a month then she announced she was going to bring me to America to put some distance between me and the pack who was looking for me. She said she saw a man-wolf lurking around the villa and it meant they were looking for me. I told her I did not want to leave the villa. I had dreamt I would stay there forever and have a happy life. She said New York would be more enjoyable and I wouldn't have to hide as much because there, she could protect me."

"Once we arrived in New York, I had a private tutor help me with my English. When my mother saw I was adjusting well, she sent me to private school. I finished grade school and high school with high honors and finished University as a Business Graduate and I'm planning to take my Masters this fall if the situation allows it." I rest my gaze on the clouds, outside the plane's window, passing us by as we flew past them.

I could still remember the time when I was a little boy. The death of my mother and father still haunts me to this day.

"No, he is my mate." I hear my mother say. "He may not be from this pack, but once we mated, he became one of us."  She was lying in bed speaking to her brother who was the acting Alpha of our pack, standing in on her behalf. She had been very ill for months and nothing even the healing herbs I brought to her could not help her.

I was in the other room of our house, playing with my toy cars, wary of my Uncle's Beta seated in front of me, studying my every move. I pretended to be engrossed with my cars, but I listened intently to the two adults in my parents' room. I was to young to be anointed Alpha in my mother's stead so, my Uncle anointed himself acting Alpha even if my mother was still alive.

"Ma sœur, he has not once ever shifted in our presence. He does not even have the stink of a wolf. Even your son, Jacques, does not smell like a wolf. He is not wolf and should be banished from the pack."

"I am still Alpha, Jean Luc, and will be until I die. If you do not heed my words, it will be you who will be banished from this pack." My mother started coughing. The effort to speak causing a strain on her lungs.

"So be it, Ma sœur. So be it. Have you already created your will?" I heard my uncle ask and his Beta snorted. I looked up and saw the devilish glint in his eyes. I wished I was old enough and strong enough to shift. I would tear his eyes out.

"Yes. Henri and Jacques will inherit everything. Henri will be acting Alpha until Jacques is old enough to become Alpha of this pack. I allow you to act as Alpha to learn how difficult it is to lead, but I have heard the nightly drinking sessions and the petty crimes you do to earn money. That is not what being an Alpha is."

My father barges inside the house and my uncle's Beta stands. "What are you doing in my house?" My father stands in front of my uncle's Beta towering him. "Get out!" My father points to the door.

"Oh, we were just about to leave. Take care of my sister. She looks as if she has not long to live." My uncle starts laughing and continues to laugh as he exits our house and walks towards his Beta standing in the snow."

" Salome, are you alright?" My father enters their room. I walk to peek through the door. My once beautiful mother was gaunt and thin. The illness eating away at her. Hard times have hit our pack and we had no money to send her to a hospital for medical attention.

"What was your brother doing here? Has he come to take the house? He has already used all the money for his nightly sessions at the cabaret."

"He wants to banish you from the pack. He says you are not a wolf." My mother tries to speak.

"What did you tell him?"

"You will be acting Alpha in my stead and you and Jacques will inherit everything." My mother started to cough out blood.

"Salome, we need to bring you to the hospital. I will do everything to pay for your medical bills. Let's go." My father tries to carry my mother, but she stops him.

"I am dying, mon amour. I do not need a doctor to tell me that." My mother sees me peeking through their door. "Jacques, come sit with maman. Give me some of your heat. It is so cold." I obediently walk to her and climb unto their bed. I hug my mother and start to cry.

"Oh, mon garçon cheri, do not cry. You are a strong wolf just like your father. You will grow up to be a beautiful man with a caring heart. Promise me you will take care of our pack when you are all grown up?" I wipe the tears and snot away from my face and nod my head.

She swept me into her arms and we lay there. I fell asleep until I was awakened by sobs. My mother's arms were cold and when I looked at her face, her eyes were shut and her lips had turned white. My father was seated on the side of the bed, holding her hands, sobbing her name.

After we had buried my mother, my father working in the town, trying to earn as much as he could to keep the pack afloat. One night, the police found him dead, claiming it was a suicide. But I never believed it. He would always tell me he was doing everything for me.

I escaped my pack and was found by a petite woman named Amelie. I left with her to go to the United States, but the years did not make me forget the treachery of my uncle.

One day, I will come for you, Uncle.


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(Yuri POV)

I had called the werebears from the Himalayas and the others scattered around the world to help our allies combat The Rogue Lord. After they had heard Hope, the kind woman who donates millions of dollars to the werebear community, was in need of protection, my comrades pledged their aid. With the help of Alpha Alexander, Alpha Alarick, Amelie and Arthur, we flew in hundreds of werebears to the territory and created a small village for all them which Hope casted an invisibility spell so it can remain unknown to our enemies.

So far, we have counted over a thousand of Rogue wolves camped outside the territory of Dark Moon prepared to attack once the Harvest Moon is High above our heads. A group of werebears also patrolled the territory of Midnight Moon, and have informed me, there were already a number of rogues in the vicinity. Everyone was itching to attack, but I had told them, it wasn't time yet. I ordered them to keep a keen eye and to attack only if the rogues wander into the boundaries of the territory.

I was currently with Alpha Alexander helping him put up a new water filtration system near the boundary of the werebear village. We had caught wolfsbane in the municipal water source and Alexander did not want to take any chances. He wanted to make sure we would have potable water during our attack.

We look up and hear a helicopter coming in. "That must be Hope with the girls. They were in New York City." Alexander informs me.

"With Amelie?" I ask.

"Yes. It was something important enough for her to transport the girls there instead of coming here. Come on. Let's welcome them home." We both get into the jeep and drive towards the mansion.

We arrived there just in time for the helicopter to land. Hope came out first, her golden eyes even more brighter than the last time I saw her. Alexander noticed it too. "Seems whatever she found in New York has made her eyes glow."

She was followed by her two Preistesses, Leia and Maria then, a tall, muscular man of ebony skin came out of the helicopter. He had chiseled features and a strong jawline. He looked like one of those men in the fashion magazines I see Amelie flipping through when she's working.

"Who is he?" Alexander asked me.

I shrugged. "I have never seen him before. Maybe a friend of Amelie's she had sent to protect the girls."

As the tall man walks towards us, he blocks the sun's light casting a shadow around him causing his silver eyes to glow. Argenti Lucus Unus or The Silver Eyed One! I can't believe it! The prophecy is true. The Silver Eyed One is considered a deity among the Werebears and it was prophesied that one day he would walk amongst us.

My heart started pounding in my chest and my palms began to sweat...I was nervous. I didn't know what I should do. Should I kneel, bow or kiss his hand?

Alexander walks over to Hope and kisses her on her forehead. Before she spoke, I dropped on my knees and knelt in front of Argenti Lucus Unus to show him my respect.

I feel him pat me on the shoulder and say, "No need to kneel. Bowing is fine."

"Oh blessed one, my apologies." I bow to him like 5 times until he makes me stop.

"That's good enough. One bow is good enough." He smiles at me. " I am Jacques Leroux." He bows his head.

"Alexander Ulrich. Nice to meet you." Alexander extends his hand to Jacques and they shake hands.  "Leroux? That's Amelie's maiden name. Relationship?" Alexander asks.

"I'm her son." Jacques answers.

"I apologize. I didn't know Amelie had a son."

"Alexander honey, he has had the same circumstances as me." Hope allays the doubts running through Alexander's mind.

"Again, I'm so sorry. You would think I'd be quick on the uptake but, I'm becoming old. Welcome to Dark Moon Territory, Jacques. This is Yuri." Alexander pats me on the back. "He's a good friend and has volunteered his service for the, uhm, event happening soon."

"My Lord, it is an honor to meet you. Come, my Lord. I need to take you to the village of the werebears. Your presence alone will inspire all werebears." I point to the direction of the small village where the rest of the werebears live.

"Yuri, what is with you?" Alexander asks. "You're treating him like he is a God."

"He is. He is our Deity."