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CHAPTER 6 A Tough Decision

Tabitha

After my husband had departed from our mansion, I secretly fled to where a private plane was waiting for me. I had my fair share of the riches my husband, the Marquess, would bring home after the Eldest took his share.

While my husband thought I busied myself with mundane things when he was away, I studied electronics, robotics, engineering, biology and chemistry. I trained in combat with skilled masters to ensure I was properly prepared for the day I would go against my kind. In my spare time, I did research and tracked the numerous wolves around the world. I would communicate with certain wolves who I knew could be an ally of the Enchantress once she became of age, however I kept my identity a secret.

My husband was a ruthless killer, but extremely reckless. He didn't care if he was seen by the humans just as long he got the job done. Although he has said he shunned killing innocence, when given a target, he did not think of the consequences of his actions. There was always a series of collateral damage in his wake. I did not agree with it, however, the Eldest lauded it and even if the rest of the nobility despised it, there was nothing they could do. The Marquess was a blood relative of the Eldest. To be related by blood was held at the highest esteem by the Eldest of the East Coven Stronghold.

I flew directly to Cebu, Philippines. I had my suspicions the Turner descendant had hid in the small country for the blue star of Aludra had constantly hovered above it since it was first seen after hundreds of years. I employed a number of spies scattered throughout the archipelago to help me locate the Turner kin. The wolves, as much as they tried to hide, always underestimated the capacity of the vampires to hunt their prey. After creating relationships with the locals, the wolves made it very easy for my kind to get information and find out who they were.

One of the delivery men of the Turner pack was a spy of mine. He was a human mercenary and did whatever was asked just as long as the price was right. He would eavesdrop on the conversations of a man named Owen with his boss James. Owen would sometimes slip and revert to calling James, Alpha. The one problem, I suspected my spy would also sell the information to my husband. And with information like that, knowing my husband was so generous, would make my spy very wealthy.

I arrived before my husband did. He made a short stopover in Manila before proceeding to Cebu. He despised the tropics, however he had created a business here as a front to export humans to our fortress. The Philippines had one thing that was very abundant that made my coven interested in this country. There were many street dwellers, humans who would not be missed by anyone. Since the country was small and overpopulated and most of its citizens poor, my husband exploited this fact to his advantage. Clean blood may not be an essential commodity to the human race, but for us vampires, it is gold.

I did my surveillance perched atop the roof of the Temple located near the townhouse of the suspected Turner descendant. I had to have a good view and vantage point. While I was up there, I caught the distinctive smell of wolf.

"Alpha James, there is no other way to get the artifact we have long sought. You know as well as I do, without it, we can not wage a war with the bloodsuckers. According to the Marquess, the Blood King is willing to offer it as payment, so long as a Turner descendant's blood is spilled," said a man's voice directly below me. His voice sounded familiar. I inched towards the edge of the roof and tried to see who James Turner was speaking to, but I could not get a glimpse of him.

"B-but I can not afford to leave my family. My daughter...she is still young," James Turner said.

"Yet, you must. A private jet awaits your mate and daughter. They will be brought to a secure location. When it is time, I will send the sword to her and finish what we had started those hundreds of years ago." The man paused. "Sadly, this is a tough decision to make, but you must decide now. They will be here within the hour. You have time to bring your family to safety or all will be lost. Do this for all of wolfkind."

When I saw the numerous motorbikes arrive near the townhouse, I became nervous. My husband had brought a whole army with him while I was alone. As the men took their positions at the corner of the street, I decided I could only save the Enchantress. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to, I could not save them all.

After the gunfire stopped, I pulled the wolf out of the car. I was fast, one of the fastest among my kind when I was in neophyte training. My husband and his men did not notice I had taken the wolf. He was busy trying to identify the wolves in the first car while his men scurried to chase after the SUV that had escaped the bloodshed.

The wolf was burning and bleeding from the silver bullets that were lodged inside him. I brought him to the nearest house that had a large backyard so I could speak with him.

"Where is the child? Is it a daughter you have?" I asked him after I had seated him against a big tree.

He looked at me with contempt. "I will not answer your questions, B-bloodsucker."

"You have no choice, Wolf. I am your only hope. I may be a vampire, but I never wanted to be one. Before I was turned, I had promised my bestfriend Leonora, Luna to Alpha Henley Turner, that I would protect the Enchantress if she were born. My husband is intent on killing her and your mate. I will not allow that. I assure you." I bent down and placed a hand on his shoulder. I wanted him to know he could trust me. "Now, tell me, Alpha James Turner, is it a daughter you have sired?"

He looked at me with uncertainty, however after peering through my eyes, he saw the truth in my words. "Y-yes. Hurry, they are on their way to the airport." He took out a ring from his pocket. "If my Beta does not believe your intentions, use this. This will prove I have given you my consent. Please, I beg you. Keep my Sapphire safe," he said. "Tell her I love her and I will always be with her."

"I will, Alpha James Turner. Rest assured I will protect her until it is time." I took the ring and clasped his hand in mine to provide him some comfort. I knew he was dying. "May the Moon Goddess be with you," I said.

He nodded his head, acknowledging he had accepted his fate. "T-thank you," he whispered.

I let go of his hand and dashed to a motorcycle that I had left outside of the vicinity of the hills. I put on my helmet and sped off to the airport, hoping I could reach the Enchantress in time.

As I swerved through traffic, I noticed two men of the Marquess speeding on their motorbikes ahead of me chasing a black SUV.

As we entered the bridge, I pulled out my gun that was loaded with stakes and accelerated to get closer to the one trailing from behind. I aimed my gun at his heart and pulled the trigger. A stake flew in the air and struck the vampire, turning him into dust, his now driverless motorbike running into a street light on the edge of the bridge. His shocked companion slowed down to check what had happened so I accelerated and aimed my gun at him, making sure I wouldn't miss. I pulled the trigger several times and a number of stakes pierced his chest. He immediately turned into ash which was instantly swept away by the wind. His motorcycle crashed into the island in the middle of the bridge causing several vehicles near it to abruptly stop. This created a massive pile up.

I slowed down and followed the SUV to the general aviation ramp for private planes. As they passed security at the entrance, I stopped a good distance away, turned off my lights and removed my helmet. I took note which hangar they entered and decided it would be better to bypass security on foot. I got off my motorcycle and sped through the entrance, past security, towards the hangar they entered. I listened carefully. There were shouts of men ensuing inside the hangar.

"The Luna, the Luna is dead," I heard the dread in the man's voice.

"Beta, you are hurt," another exclaimed.

I decided in was time to show myself. I walked into the hangar with my hands raised above my head to show them I meant no harm. The wolves instinctively surrounded the car, partially shifting into their wolf form. Their eyes had turned into a dark yellowish hue, their fangs were protruding from their mouths and their fingernails elongated to claws.

"Identify yourself," shouted one of them. I could smell his Gamma aura emanating from his body.

"I am Marchioness Tabitha Acheron, wife of the Marquess Stefan Acheron. I mean no harm. I am here to protect the Enchantress," I said.

"Why should we believe you, Bloodsucker?"

"If I had wanted to kill you, I would have, Wolf," I answered. "Ask your Beta. I was the one who killed the Marquess' men. The ones who were pursuing them on their motorbikes," I replied.

"Stand down, men," Alpha Turner's Beta said while he approached me, one of his hands covering a wound. He looked pale. Obviously, he had lost a lot of blood. "Why are you here, Marchioness Tabitha?"

"I made a vow to a Luna Leonora Turner, mate of Alpha Henley Turner, over a hundred years ago that I would protect the much awaited female descendant of the Turner clan. Leonora died in my arms. She was my bestfriend," I explained. "Not a day goes by that I don't remember her dying wish. I am here to fulfill my vow." I took out the handkerchief I had always kept with me and I showed Alpha Turner's Beta the name crocheted onto the dainty piece of white fabric.

"The Luna is dead and I'm...," the Beta paused, "I'm dying as well. Sadly, Alpha James is now with the Moon Goddess. I do not know who I can trust. The child must live or wolfkind will face extinction."

"This child can not possibly be the messiah you all think she is," the Gamma said. Everyone looked at him, stunned he had interrupted us. He held the little girl in his arms. "I have spoken to the Marquess. He will not bother us as long as we give him what he wants. I assume the Marquess wants this child more than anything."

I took out the ring Alpha James Turner had given me from my pocket. "Beta, I have the ring of Alpha James Turner. I was able to rescue him from his car, unfortunately, his wounds were extensive. Do not, I repeat, do not believe my husband. Once he has killed the girl, he will continue to kill all of you then proceed to kill the golden-eyed wolf. There are whispers that the child survived the massacre of the Rogue Lord. When she is dead, wolfkind will stand defenseless. Give me the child and I promise you, I will prepare her for what is to come," I pleaded. I wanted to call the Gamma a traitor, but I knew they would call me the same.

The Beta took one look at the ring in my hand and gasped. "Where did you get that?"

"Alpha James Turner gave me this ring to prove he has given me his consent." I sped to the wolf who was carrying the child. "Give me the child. I have a plane on standby. The child must live."

"NO! I am tired of hiding in whatever godforsaken country available. I want to go home! The Marquess has vowed he would give me free passage once I give him what he wants."

I was about to punch him in the face so I could take the child, however the sound of gunfire that had erupted just outside the hangar, caused all of us to take cover.

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