Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 138: Under the full moon

Chapter 138: Under the full moon

Alpha Cynric remained true to his word, coming to honor their agreement with the rise of the full moon that night.

When the first howls sparked, Silas was already standing by the gates.

Dozens of them sprinted through the forest of tall trees while their baying continued, only ascending higher with every second.

As the ground trembled from their merciless stomping, the trees rumbled along, bending to the will of winds that carried their shrieks in every direction.

Stronger and louder with every step, the werewolf pack cut the distance short between themselves and the Eleazar property in no time.

The first in line to exit the woods was, of course, none other than the alpha Cynric who leapt, breaking every bone in his body only to land on his two feet as if nothing at all had happened.

In his humanoid shape, Cynric had an inch or two of height over Silas. The series of cracking and growling that followed would have wrenched the heart of the weak when the rest of his pack thrusted forward and shifted into their second preferred form.

Their eyes glowed best under the full moon. Much like witches it was that celestial body that bestowed them with every blessing they enjoyed, and their kin knew to be thankful for those. At least a dozen of them stood proud behind their leader.

"You’ve aged," guttural Cynric’s voice was and yet spruced up with a hint of pleasantry.

In reply, Silas’s features barely moved, "Welcome to you all," he said in the driest of tones.

The silver gates separating them split open as soon as he’d uttered those words.

"You’re still no fun," Cynric took his first steps inside before walking right past Silas.

The vampire remained rooted in his spot for a good moment, glaring at the rest of the pack who never moved.

"They stay outside," was all that Cynric said regarding them, "Shall we get this charade over with? I am not wasting an entire full moon night under no fancy roof,"

Throughout the hallways towards the meeting room, no daytime staff member dared show their faces. Only vampires roamed the manor, most stiffening on the spot at the sight of Cynric. The glares shot his way, every bit, resembled the ones his own pack had offered to Silas.

"Why all the long faces?" no word that came out of his mouth failed to make the walls groan, "I am not going to bite anyone... Unless they want me to," Cynric appeared to take nothing seriously.

The wolf man waited for no permission before practically throwing his weight on one of the large sofas garnishing the meeting room.

"So, I suppose this is about the caverns," Cynric started, "Well, go on then. Don’t be shy. Speak up,"

Silas took his time and a seat in front of his guest with the poise he’d always reflected, "May I offer you a drink?"

"Who are you now? Persephone?" Cynric never moved, but his expression, sort of, shifted to an interrogatory one, "Stop stalling and cut to the chase,"

"It has been brought to my attention that you and your pack have-"

Cynric cut him off, "That me and my pack have been unlawfully squatting in the great spring caverns yada, yada, yada...," the atmosphere in the entire room was flipped on its head when Cynric suddenly leaned forward and slammed his fist against the surface of the table before him, "Those caves belonged to my people long before your league of genius jesters decided it’ll be playground for some annual buffoonery!"

"It goes much deeper than that," Silas never even flinched.

"How deep?" Cynric’s features relaxed a tad, but he remained in the same position, "Deeper than your little fangs go inside your warm flesh bags?"

"Times have changed,"

"You’ve had it for centuries even before the war. I think it’s high time my people reclaim what is rightfully ours, don’t you think?" the wolf man grinned, baring his long and sharpened canine teeth.

"Won’t you compromise even for one night in a year?" in front of Cynric’s very expressive demeanor, Silas, on the contrary displayed as much emotion as a drywall.

"It is not just about that one night and you know it," the werewolf straightened his stance, "We’ve given you lot an inch and you’ve been yanking at our arms and legs. Many of you come waltzing in and out of those caverns like some damn tourist site. Would you concede the same for your land?"

"It is a sacred night and-"

"Not so sacred to us!" he growled, "Our homes are sacred to us, the rest is history,"

"Is there anything you’d like in exchange for allowing the equinox celebration to take place in the great spring caverns?"

"A human sacrifice," Cynric had uttered those words so seriously before cracking up into almost uncontrollable cackles, "No. Nothing comes even an inch to the sanctity of our home, the honor of our ancestors lay now in my hands. I’ve bent the knee and played nice for long enough. No more of that,"

"I understand your position but-"

"Dear Goddess Ayyur1! You still have the same face but none of the fire that used to burn in you," Cynric chuckled.

"We’ve left the war far behind us since then,"

"Did you leave your soul there as well?" the wolf man scoffed, throwing his gaze through the window facing his seat.

"Let us return to the subject that concerns us tonight," said Silas.

"I am done bargaining," with that Cynric pushed his weight off the sofa and towered over Silas, "Not with you, not with anyone and let this be a fair warning; should any being that does not have wolf blood coursing through their veins step on our land on the spring equinox, they become fair game for my people to do with them as they please,"

"You’ve dragged your pack all the way out here only to leave a warning with me," the vampire, sort of, half asked.

"I know I may not seem like it, but I am not one for bloodshed. They should listen to you and in turn search for new grounds to celebrate your... Sacred whatever. You have an entire month to find and consecrate one. Without me though, count us out of it,"

In this fictional universe, Goddess Ayyur is the deity wolf folk swear by. It is the most holy of beings in their eyes said to be the origin of all their powers.

In our world, Ayyur also stands as a lunar deity once loved by the Berber people in ancient times.