Chapter Five- Vampire Encounter
Jack's anger was spent and despair was setting in. His heart was broken by Akiza's sexual preference and he no longer wanted to be a werewolf. He would forgo any wolf tendencies he had indulged in and return to humanity as much as he could. Of course he couldn't halt his change to wolf form and he paused in an alley to change before padding out onto the sidewalk. His eyes were focused on the concrete but sensed the eyes of the humans on him as he passed. He used to walk among them unnoticed, but now that he was in wolf form, he drew a lot of stares. He didn't care. He really just wanted to be human again.
But I can't, he thought. I'm a werewolf for the rest of my life which could be longer than before. It doesn't have to be, though. I could kill myself or ask someone else to do it. Yes, that's what I'll do. The wifewolf I love doesn't love me and life now seems pointless. No one would miss me.
Jack, where are you? Yusei wondered, his nose to the ground as he tracked his omega's scent. He and Akiza had split up to cover more ground, agreeing to meet up at the park once they had searched their halves. Hopefully one of them found Jack. He had found Jack's scent and, nose to the ground, he literally followed in his foot and then paw prints.
Yusei was especially anxious to find his omega. Over the past week, that interesting smell that came off Jack had gotten stronger and it definitely snagged Yusei's attention. He recalled Goodwin's assessment and he believed the alpha that Jack was his destined mate. He did notice that Jack spent a lot of time with Akiza and had wondered why until tonight when told of Jack's reason to be bitten: He was in love with Akiza and became upset when told Akiza didn't love him. Oh, Jack. If you had told me about loving Akiza, I would have told you about her preferences and hinted that I find you desirable. A loud pain-filled howl sounded and Yusei nearly jumped. It was Jack!
Jack padded into a dead-end alley, turned, and laid down, watching people walk by. He was considering the ways to die. Impalement by silver was the best way to go. If I can buy a silver knife with a wrapped handle, I'll be able to hold it and stab it into my heart. I will sleep here and in the morning, buy the fatal weapon. He sighed as he closed his eyes and had almost fallen asleep when the smell of death reached him. He opened his eyes and saw three muscular vampires at the entrance. All three were pale in hue and had slightly longer incisors than humans had. A very burly black man stepped in further, an evil, gleeful smile on his face. "Well, well. What have we here?" he sneered. "A lone werewolf. A foolish one, who's going to die tonight."
The palest of the trio with pointed teal hair stepped up to Jack, crouched down, and tilted Jack's head up to see dull purple eyes and depression in their depths. He stood and backed away, spooked by what he had seen. "Let's leave him, Armstrong. He won't fight back and I'd rather try to kill someone who would fight and give me a challenge."
"Tanner's right," said the third. "It's not honorable to fight someone who has no desire to fight back."
"I disagree," Armstrong said. "If a werewolf won't fight, then we won't get hurt and it'll be one less mangy wolf to injure us."
"Forget it," Tanner said. "Let's leave him be."
"Please kill me," Jack finally said in a flat whisper. "I have no reason to live."
"There!" Armstrong said triumphantly, pointing at Jack. "He wishes to die, so we should oblige him."
The other two exchanged looks and Tanner said, "Greiger and I will not assist in a suicide. That is what this would be: Suicide by vampire."
"Suit yourself." Armstrong came up beside Jack with a leer. Then his foot swung forward and nailed Jack in the stomach. He gasped at the kick. He's going to torture me first. Well, that's fine as I will die in the end. Then he gave a howl of pain and looked up to see that Armstrong had sharp claws in place of nails. I didn't see those before. So, vampires have retractable claws unalike werewolves. Interesting. He saw Armstrong lash down again and Jack howled even louder before popping to his feet, growling and his fur standing on end. His self-preservation instincts had kicked in and he took umbrage at this torture being dealt out. "If you're going to kill me," he growled. "Then do it."
"And miss having some fun first?" Armstrong laughed. "Not likely." He lashed out with a foot and connected with a foreleg. Jack heard a crack and he crumpled to the ground with a pained whine before snarling at the vampire. The snarl earned him a kick to the head that knocked him out.
Yusei heard a louder howl of pain and increased his speed. The stench of vampires reached him before he spied two at the entrance of an alley. He growled a warning and they turned to see an enraged werewolf baring his teeth and the fur on his spine standing on end. They backed away before turning and running. Heh, either they're cowards or those rare few who have honor. Honorable vampires would prefer fighting lone werewolves who would fight back. Since they didn't stay to fight me, that means Jack is nearby. He stalked to the entrance to see an unconscious Jack and a vampire standing over him.
The sight of his unconscious omega enraged him further. "Leave him alone!" he snarled.
Armstrong looked at Yusei and smirked. "Why should I do that when he wants to die?" He contemplated the gold wolf. "Perhaps I'll do it by drinking his blood."
"No!" Yusei howled as he leaped at Armstrong, his extended claws ripping at the skin. Armstrong screamed as Yusei continued to attack and then he ran out of the alley, injured and needing blood to heal.
Yusei panted before turning and nosing Jack. "Jack? Jack!?"
Jack's nose twitched and his eyes opened slowly to focus on his beta. "Yusei?" he whispered.
"Oh, thank goodness. I was afraid you had ended up in a coma."
"No, but I would have preferred for that to happen."
"Jack? So, what that vampire said was true. You want to die!?"
"I do. I can't be human again and Akiza doesn't love me. What's the point of living?"
"Plenty! For one thing, I…I love you."
"You…love me?"
"Yeah. Your mating scent is enticing to me. It's clear that you're to be my mate."
"Your…?" Jack's nose flared and that smell he had been picking up all week wafted to him. "Yusei," he whispered in awe. "I can smell your mating scent. We are destined mates."
Yusei nosed his cheek. "Is that reason enough to live?"
Jack's tail wagged. "It is. There's just one thing: That vampire broke my leg." He nodded at the limb.
"Some raw meat will fix that." Yusei gave a loud howl that seemed to carry a long distance. "I just called for my backup," he explained.
Jack winced from both the pain of his leg and the realization of what he had done. "I guess I'm in trouble. I roamed alone."
"I'm afraid so. You won't go anywhere alone for a week as this is your first offense and as beta, I will be your escort."
"Fine with me. We can spend the week getting to know each other."
Akiza came running into the alley. "You found him, beta. I'm relieved he's all right."
"Not quite. He's got a broken leg. If you could get him onto my back, we'll get him to a nearby butcher shop."
"Of course, beta." Yusei crouched down as Akiza heaved Jack onto his back while Jack put his back half up there. Yusei slowly and carefully exited and headed down the sidewalk with Akiza beside him. "Jack, I'm sorry I led you on. I should have told you from the start that I preferred females."
"It's all right. It worked out. I found my destined mate." He nosed the back of Yusei's right ear.
Akiza gave a wolf's grin as they entered a butcher shop. I knew Yusei and Jack were meant to be together and they'll spend time together this week as Jack broke the no roaming alone law.