Behind the scenes. Monitoring cogs.

He kept walking back and forth like his legs didn't have a brake in them. His movements dizzying me as I watched him. My fingers twitched , eager to move as my mind visualized my Glock releasing one round into his knee cap, enough to still his movements.

"Seat your ass down Hanson" Cherry shouted at the walking blubbery mess of a man. He stopped eyed her , turned to me my hand going to my Glock where it lay in it's rest and stroked the edge my eyes still locked on his as I sent the silent warning. His eyes shook a bit then skidded back to Cherry's before he sighed out and slumped down into his chair.

"Now that the walking mess is down, what do we do about recent problems?". I asked saltily. The other members of the room seemed to ponder over my words mulling them deeply.

"She knows the words of the seen,has begun to push her whims to make them actionable. If she succeeds, I fear she already has a step in front with that though, then all is lost." The older lady spoke her eyes a calm white as the irises of her sight remained unseen, the wrinkles of her hand a tell tale sign of her age. The dark shrouded her face keeping her a mystery to the rest of the table.

"Why did you tell her then?" Cherry asked her lips as red as the fruit her name spoke of moving effortlessly.

"A perceiver tells no lies whether to enemy or friend. I say what I see as I am permitted to only speak what I see". She replied harshly, the lack of irises making it unclear for me to decide who she stared at.

"I doubt exactly why this all bothers you. We already have her pawns within grasp I say we eliminate them before her plot grows even stronger" Hanson squabbed his fear ever reflective in his eyes.

"That is a decision that can only be taken amongst the alpha council's and the coven command." I reminded without giving a second glance.

"So what now we wait and hope her plans don't fall in step. She literally knows what is to come now thanks to ole white eye and her honesty over here" Hanson spat giving the Perceiver an irritated appraisal. If she noticed or was affected she made no sign of it.

"Then we gather them now and discuss this now rather later. It remains an advantage for us to act before she makes her next plan.". Cherry hummed standing as she made to move.

"I have a question red lips." The Perceiver began. Moments like this reminded me how well she could see even without her irises.

"The boy you say, his eyes, they shone?" She asked. Cherry looked at her for a while as of the question was a stupid one.

"Gold. Like any wolf's eye would". Cherry bit out clearly frustrated at the older lady who seemed to sigh as a confusion washed over her face. Clearly this had been the answer she had not expected.

"A little warning for whatever future decisions you make. Things that are destined or perceived are never changeable, some might say the present has a way of ensuring it's tomorrow". She rose slowly turning to fade away into the shadows.

"I fucking hate Perceivers and shamans. Riddlers the lot of them" Cherry hissed. I shook my head before rising them nodded to the other three in the room, the last man who had kept himself just as shrouded in the dark as the older lady cracking am eye open at my rise.

"You've said nothing Baba Friday." I commented looking to his age for wisdom. He scratched the gray hairs atop his head for a while them rose his form and gait a deceit only a fool would fall for.

"This matters tire my bones. Kill them kill them not. The days forward will sing a song of what the right decision should be." He muttered as he walked round the table.

"But Baba Friday. If what she speaks is true then we have to act quick before certain doom reaches us." Cherry argued. The old man shook his head as he clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"Always quick to act little Cherry. What did I teach you?" He murmured.

"Patience. " She grumbled.

"And..?" He prodded now passing her by as his attention remained on the exit.

"And watch. Observe.". She bit out obviously not patient at all. He nodded them turned sighing his ashen eye picking me apart as the milky cataract in his left eye wobbled.

"Sometimes the obvious is never the case. I've heard lots of those lady's jargon in my lifetime and I assure you. They are that jargon at first" he turned walking away briskly after his statement.

"And afterward" I called to him as he opened the door. He halted them turned to look at me his eyes glazing to Cherry them to a skittish Hanson.

"Then the chaos begins but even then there is always a sliver of order. " he walked out just as the last words left his mouth barely high enough to detect for humans but enough for me to hear.

"The finish line is always clearer when closer to the end never at the beginning". The door shut behind him and I sighed to myself.

"Well, what now?" Cherry's eyes gazed me over the red in them threatening to spill out from frustration.

"We wait, we watch, and we prepare". I muttered.

"This stays between us five for now !" I ordered.

"So no warning the council or the command?" Hanson piped his his beady eyes running about in his sockets.

"No. Cherry?." He looked at the vampire who's midnight black hair made her pale skin and red lips all to obvious. "Watch only. We act only when we need to, if we need to"

"I still think we are being to lenient. It's no wonder you wanted the Firstborns kept out of this. For good reason too." She muttered."Last thing we need is Malcolm making an appearance"a shudder apparent on her.

"Say a word and I'll make you squeal like a man, but not in ways you'd like" she glanced at Hanson warning him, his body squirming in discomfort before he scrambled up and dashed out the door.

"What wimp of a warlock." She shook her head in disgust then eyed me. Turning she walked for the door her hips rotating in tune to her steps.

"I hope you are right in your decisions for all our sakes " she called back before exiting. I sighed as I stared at the round table that we had encircled then rose making to leave.

"Before you go wise Alpha, a little detail I kept from the rest except the Baba not that I could withhold it from him".the Perceiver spoke reappearing from out of the darkness.

"You wonder why I ask the color of his eyes don't you?". She queried as she stared straight to me or atleast it felt that way. I nodded unsure if my gesture had been noted.

"It's simple, he...." She spoke with a fierceness that bordered on fright, the word leaving her mouth like a storm. I stared the words not making sense as my mind reeled the possibility and my logic tried to grasp the truthfulness.

"Impossible!" I grunted. She shook her head.

"Yet possible,for I have perceived it, and I fear to say. It shall be just as I have perceived". She was gone once more before my lips could part leaving me shakier than Hanson had been a palm ruffling through my silvering blonde locks. My left eye twitched as my thoughts filled with her words and my face twisted in panic. But even though a

part of me doubted.

There was no way it was possible and even if her words were true. The question remained how?.

Venna

The crack and zing of the electricity as it ran through the overhead wires were audible. I could almost see them racing through the copper that lined against the walls and ceilings till the came jutting down over the cages that sat precariously at different spots. I could feel my dad's eyes meekly watching for my reaction as I edged closer to see what lay within.

The days after the party had been antsy and jumpy for me. Especially knowing that a member of my family was doing something illegal had not helped the matter. Finally I had confronted my dad on it which led to us being here. He had shown me another room completely different from the other I and my friends had found before.  Within it cages sat, cages that had a few people in them. But it hadn't been what he called me to show me as my mind processed what was going on. Several questions dropping in my mind box as my dad kept his eyes on me.

The electricity ran into the cages, the smell of burning and charred flesh reaching my nostrils. My steps wavered as I drew nearer towards the big secret that my dad would show me. The floor was called with different spots of dry blood and tables stood around with different gears and equipments strewn on them. But it was the cage in the room center that caught her attention.

It stood about nine feet with adequate spacing in it's width. The ground around it was was black unlike other places making her cring. Standing facing her with two thick chains holding him in place on the metal bar of the cage.

"Venna. It's time you learned the family trade. Or tradition. More like tradition". He said his gaze now locked on me.

I stood frozen my brain trying to process the anomaly that stood in front of me. 'What the hell' continually played in my head like a broken track.

"Is that ..." My words refused to leave my lips buy it was enough to get my dad speaking.

"Lycanthropy. Lycanthropes. Popularly called werewolves. Humans that can shift, transform change into wolves. There are several myths, folklores and stories about them. None matters." His gaze met mine as I looked to him then back to the beast now frotting as more volts of electricity went through him.

"What does matter is this, we hunt them. We keep humans safe and maintain the peace.Nothing much to it." He finished in an anticlimactic way.

"Vandal. You realize I should have been here for this?. What if she can't take this information." A new voice popped up and I turned noting my mother looking disapprovingly at dad her gaze not even venturing the huge thing in the cage seemingly unbothered by it's presence.

"You...you know" I queried.

"He's my husband V. Of course I know. Come there's a lot your should know but first I'd say I'm sorry we couldn't tell you yet. We wanted you to finish high school first before we dropped such a massive heritage on you. But things are going a bit haywire now so everyone is kinda...overeager?" She stopped talking like she wasn't sure of the word.

"What's going on?" I asked as I tried to turn and look at the beast just as we turned a corner and left the huge room.

"Nothing you should be bothered about for now. What's more important is how far your training has been going". I halted at the statement and then looked at her again.

Training. Of course. It kinda made sense now. Why everyone in my family like Vince and I and some of my other cousins were always training.

"I know you have lots of questions dear so I'm gonna try my best to answer the general ones that are important for now. So shoot". She assured as we entered another room. A range. We had one above in the fields bit this one had moving targets and more weapons lined up on the walls. From modern to ancient it was all here.

"Why?. Why do we hunt them?." I asked. Though the creature in the cage looked murderous I was sure I would be if I was put through such.

"Before. Long ago your ancestors hunted them without restrain. Wars were fought a lot between them and us. But new factors came into play that changed things up. Now we only hunt the scum of their race." She stated.

"I still say wiping them all out is better than acting police". A new voice sounded out.

"Not now Finn." My dad's voice boomed an irritation in them.

"Ooh. Then when huh. When the end us all while we play Police department." The new voice sounded angry. My gaze found it's owner to spot my uncle Finn. He was a huge man with a size that body builders adored. All muscles and no fat. In one hand a huge great sword was held lying flat stop his shoulder while his gaze pierced through us all. His black hair neatly gelled and combed back. Black eyes that he shared with my mum staring at us all.

"I'll say this one more time Finn. You have no say in any of this". Vandal shot out anger unrestrained. "Now excuse yourself".

Finn just glared. Then shook his head.

"I wonder how this is gonna when I turn out to be right. Train well kiddo you'll need it for what's coming" he stared straight at me before turning to leave.

"Your brother is a loose piece we need to straighten" Vandal spoke turning to Alicia while I watched. She simply sighed like she had no argument to make.

"Your mum and I will be training you and Vince from now. Set your schedule with the one your mum will provide." Vandal turned to leave the room after sharing a meaningful look with Alicia.

"What did he mean by what's coming?" I asked making him pause.

*Way to make this cliche Finn" Alicia murmured.

"Nothing is coming. That's just Finn's way of riling up the young blood." She assured.

*Now get practicing I wanna see how good your shots are now". Vandal urged spinning his finger to signal me to turn around and face the range. The look shared between both parents not going unnoticed.

Walking up to the range my mind filled with the image of the creature I just saw I shivered a bit. What the hell was going wrong with this town.