Chapter 24

Michael opened his eyes after a few hours. He sat up, squinting and scratching his eyes. He lifted himself up from the floor and tied the towel he found covering him firmly around his waist. He had shifted fully into a wolf without the presence of the full moon. It was something he hadn't done before. Memories of the previous night flashed in his head. As much as he'd wanted to deny it, he really had to talk to his father. He had heard what Sydney knew, but it wasn't enough for him. He wanted to know his origin, his real family, and why they gave him up. 

"You were trying to say something hours ago, before you passed out." Sydney's voice drifted Michael out of his wonder zone. He swiftly turned in response to the startling voice, his eyes flashing in that direction. 

"Yeah," Michael agreed, when his eyes fell on Sydney. "We need to find the golden dirk before the ravens do." He gazed at his shredded clothes lying on the ground and thought of what he'd wear.

"Here!" Sydney hurled a shirt and a trouser at him as if he had read his mind. "Put that on."

Michael clutched it close to his chest. He quickly wore them out, and they left the house. He suggested they go to the house where Chris stayed when his dark side was turned on.

They made their way there and searched, making everything topsy-turvy, but to no avail; they found absolutely nothing.

Michael groaned. Chris hadn't entered their home since his dark side was activated, so there was no way the golden dirk would be hidden there, otherwise he would have gone there to check for it. He was at a loss as to where Chris would conceal things. He tried harder but was unable to come up with anything. Chris was out of reach, despite his attempts to mind-link with him. 

His expression brightened as he had an epiphany. He recalled Chris's childhood adventures in the tunnel. On occasion, he would carry Michael along with him. 

Sydney pursued Michael as he ran off to the tunnel. When they arrived, a sizable padlock had been used to secure the ground-level entry. With a single pull, Michael smashed it and unlocked the steel door. After peeping down the creepy tunnel, they descended the ladder and looked around the dark passages. 

Sydney pulled out his phone and utilized the flashlight to find his way in the pitch-black tunnel. He halted as if sensing something. "Something's here with us!" He spoke immediately.

"Put that away," Michael told Sydney, pushing away his phone. "Whatever it is, you're drawing it to us." 

"It's dark here. I literally can't see anything. " Sydney continued flashing the path he was taking.

"For goodness' sake, Syd, you're a werewolf. Use your wolf eyes, you dumbass. " Michael hissed.

Sydney snorted. "Let's get what we came for and get the hell out of here." He continued walking, illuminating the passage.

For a while, Michael remained still, pondering how oddly Sydney was acting. He raced up to him and caught him by the arm. "We're not going anywhere until you tell me why you're hiding your identity as a werewolf." 

"Michael, I think you're just being paranoid." Sydney faced him.

"I'm being paranoid. You're not going to-" Michael was interrupted by Sydney's hand in the air, gesturing him to stop talking. "What is it?" He questioned seeing the look in Sydney's eyes; it was that of fright.

"Get down!" Sydney screamed, pulling Michael down to the ground with him. 

Someone began to shoot arrows at them. Michael wasn't fast enough as one of the silver arrows made with wolfsbane bruised his arm. He yelled, clutching at his bleeding arm. 

"Find the golden dirk; I'll handle the shooter." Sydney told Michael and stood up with a growl, but he realised the anonymous shooter was gone but some group of people stood in front of them. He didn't glow his eyes, so he couldn't see them clearly. He listened to their heartbeats and vividly sensed nine people, which he later figured to be ravens.

He tucked his phone in his pocket and grabbed Michael from the ground, pulling him to another passage. They ran, and the ravens followed them. 

"I'm not used to running away from a fight." Sydney stopped running after they covered a short distance. He panted profusely. "Go, you know where the golden dirk is, find it and get out of here, I'll handle them. " Sydney spoke, pointing behind him.

"I'm not leaving without you." Michael's hand remained attached to his bleeding arm. 

"Go!" Sydney yelled as the ravens approached.

Michael faltered. He backed off slowly, his eyes fixed on Sydney, who nodded at him before turning to face the ravens. Sydney tightened his fist while using his werewolf gift to mentally slow their motion. He roared and dashed through the ravens, shredding them with his claws and tearing them with his fangs. Michael watched him in awe. 

They all collapsed with a flump as he was finished. The sweltering temperature returned to average. He eventually caught up to Michael, and the two of them hurried to the area of the tunnel where Michael believed the golden dirk was concealed. They rushed out of the tunnel after finding it.

When they came out, they were faced with another jam. There were several ravens in front of them. They were confused. Looking around them, they noticed they were surrounded by ravens.

"Give us the golden dirk." Elias, who stood in front, spoke.

"We can't hand it over to them." Michael whispered to Sydney.

"I think we should give it to them." Michael was shocked by Sydney's words.

"Are you really suggesting that right now?" He asked.

"We can't possibly fight this number of ravens. We're on the losing side. Many of them, against the two of us. "

"We can take them," Michael assured him. "I mean, you took out nine ravens on your own without breaking a sweat."

"Shall I remind you that werewolf gifts don't work on purebloods? Most of these guys are purebloods. " Sydney sighed. "Give them the golden dirk."

Michael scrupled. He raised his hand slowly and tightened his grip around the golden dirk. "I'll give you the golden dirk, but in exchange for Chris." Michael tried to make a deal.

Elias stood quietly for a while, chuckling darkly. "No," he said, shaking his head. "I don't make deals, but either way, I'll still get the golden dirk." He grinned. "Attack!" .

Sydney seized the golden dirk from Michael and tossed it over to Elias. Michael's eyes widened, boggled by Sydney's unanticipated action. He stood there and watched as Elias grabbed the Golden Dirk. His thick black claws surrounded it, his lips curved into a cruel smirk. He ordered the ravens to retreat. Feeling fulfilled, he flew, and the manifold ravens hurled up and flocked together.

"Why did you do that?" Michael clenched his jaw. 

"It was either we give them willingly or they kill us and take it."

"You didn't even try to fight."

"Because there was no point trying. We'll get both Chris and the golden dirk back. " Sydney said as he walked away.

Michael had no idea what kind of werewolf Sydney was, and he had never seen a werewolf do anything like what Sydney did inside the tunnel before. 

He deliberately refused to contribute or reply to whatever Sydney was saying. He didn't want to acknowledge his presence.

"Okay, what is it?" Sydney hindered Michael's movement by blocking his path. He had been the only one talking. He knew Michael was angry at him for what he did, but he just asked nevertheless.

"Why won't you tell me what kind of werewolf you are?" Michael halted, and for the first time since the walk began, he spoke.

Sydney sighed. He stood akimbo and raised his eyes to the setting sun, squinting a little. "Alright," Sydney said while nodding. "I'll show you my wolf eyes after we save Chris." 

"It wasn't about the number of ravens, was it?" Michael questioned. You'd have to shift to fight them, and you know I'll see your eyes when you do. "

"Mike, I've been betrayed by a lot of people, people I even thought would never betray me. I can't get myself to trust anyone easily, but like I said, when this is over, I'll tell you about myself. " For a while, Michael's gaze remained on Sydney.

"We'll need help. I'm heading to Jacob's. I'll meet you at the house." Michael turned around and left. 

*

Michael arrived at Jacob's house and placed a knock on the door. He waited for a few moments, and then Jacob opened the door. "What are you doing here?" He was questioned immediately.

"Jacob, I really need your help. Chris has been held captive by the ravens." Michael figured he didn't have all the time in the world, so he proceeded straight to the point.

"I thought you were actually here to apologize." Michael's face dropped on hearing Jacob's statement. How could he be so selfish? He should have apologized first before asking for anything of that sort.

"Your brother bit me and you stabbed me; both of you almost killed me." Jacob continued. "I'm so pissed right now. In fact, I think the ravens are actually doing me a favor. " He didn't even give Michael the chance to talk as he slammed the door on his face.

Michael stood by the door for a while before he turned around and began walking to Sydney's house. He felt bad and embarrassed. He cursed silently. Jacob had enough reasons to be mad at him, and he knew it, but he couldn't help the embarrassment he felt.

On his way, he saw Emily. She told him she was on her way to his place, and he explained to her why he wouldn't be staying there for a couple of days. She decided to walk him to Sydney's place and when they got there, they found Elsa sitting on the couch next to Sydney. Michael frowned deeply as he proceeded into the room with a confused look on his face.

"Why is she here?" He asked, pointing at Elsa.

"We need all the help we can get." Sydney responded

"Elsa, I've already endangered your life. I won't let you go with us. " Michael strode up to Elsa.

Elsa gave him her usual drowsy gaze. "Is there a plan?" Rendering his statements irrelevant, she turned to Sydney and asked. "Or do we just intend to charge in and kill anyone we come across until we get to Chris and the golden dirk?" 

"Are you guys preparing to conduct a rescue operation without me?" Emily enquired. Elsa and Sydney flinched. She was there the entire time, but they never noticed. 

"I erred in thinking that your phoenix side couldn't bring you back to life." Sydney said, his gaze traveling down her body. 

"Indeed, it did." Emily nodded imperceptibly. "And I'll participate in any mission you guys are organizing."

"No, Emily, we can't take you with us." The ravens want you, and you'll be walking right into their hands. You can't protect yourself." Michael expressed his displeasure with a frown.

"I've been practicing. You can't stop me. I've made up my mind. " She strode up to the couch and sat close to Elsa.

Michael sighed, seeing how selfwilled she was. "For us to successfully invade their territory," He began. "We'll need help from someone on the inside, someone familiar with their dynamics." 

"I can help with that." Emily said with a smile, and they all stared at her. "Um... not actually me, Richard." He literally grew up there. He can tell us what we need to know. " 

They all agreed and found their way to Emily's house, coming across Jacob and Giselle. 

"I figured I could use some distraction to avert my mind from all that has been going on lately." Jacob said.

"Giselle..." Michael attempted to talk, but Giselle interrupted him.

"Don't even try to make me change my mind. If he goes, " She pointed her finger at Jacob and shifted it back to herself, "I go."

They all walked into Emily's house. They talked with Richard, and he gave them all the necessary information they needed without leaving out any. He told them where the raven's enclave was located, where they confined their prisoners, and what to expect when they got there.

The way Richard explained it, Michael knew what they were about to do wasn't an easy one. He couldn't let Emily and Giselle go with them. They were the vulnerable people among them. They had made up their minds, so he didn't think talking some sense into them would change anything.

He had to come up with another way to stop them from going on the mission. He couldn't risk any of them getting hurt or captured, especially for Chris's sake. He knew what Chris did to them when his dark side was active. and he honestly didn't think any of them would be willing to risk their lives for him. 

He thought of an idea and whispered it into Elsa's ears imperceptibly, and after a while, she stood up and walked out, feigning to need some fresh air. 

After the planning and conducting, they decided to head out on their mission the next morning. Richard didn't approve of Emily following them on the mission, but she was so self-willed that she refused to listen to her father.

Giselle waited for Emily to finish the quick talk she had with Richard, and they headed out to meet the others, but an invisible force restricted them from passing. 

"I'm sorry." Michael apologized to both of them. He had asked Elsa to cast a spell that would keep them confined to the house. She put a hindrance spell by the door that would last for 24 hours, so they wouldn't be able to leave the house and no one will be able to go in.

"Break the spell now!" ordered by Emily. Giselle was too shocked and angry to speak. 

Jacob was calm, and it seemed he was cool with the plan. He also didn't want Giselle to tag along, but he knew she was adamant just like her friend, and this was the best way to keep both of them safe.

"Come back here!" Giselle screamed as they turned their backs and started walking away. "Y'all can't leave us here." 

They didn't even turn around to look at them before they walked away. It was like they weren't even listening at all. All their screams, orders, and finally pleas, were like they were going into one ear and passing out through the other.

"We need to stick together." On their way, Sydney spoke. "Let's crash at my place tonight. There is enough room for all of us." He suggested, and they all agreed to it.

After they walked a few yards, Michael left them. He headed to his house to get some of the things he might need for tomorrow. When he got into the house, it was dark. He was glad Nicholas wasn't awake; he just wanted to take the things he needed and leave without him noticing. He used his wolf eyes to find his way to his room when someone switched on the lights. 

Michael gave a low grunt, halting in his tracks. Nicholas was a trained and skilled werewolf, the second generation of regular werewolves. He could hear even the slightest sound, he could smell things from afar, but yet, he wasn't as sensitive as the primordial werewolves.

"Michael, I'd like to have a word." Nicholas stood still.

"I don't have time to listen to words." Michael spun and faced his father. "So, if you'll excuse me, I have a mission to prepare for." He started walking away.

"What mission?" Nicholas asked immediately.

"Chris was kidnapped. The ravens took him. " 

"Goodness!" Nicholas exclaimed.

"Don't panic. He's fine for now, and I've got everything under control." Michael continued climbing further.

"Then, I guess what I have to tell you about your real family can wait." Nicholas left the lights on and proceeded to the wet bar, pouring himself a glass of wine.

Michael paused again, his eyes gleaming with interest. Nicholas had caught his attention. Right now, that was the only thing that Michael was interested in hearing. He descended the stairs rapidly and walked to the living room, where Nicholas sat down with a glass of wine. 

"How well do you know my family?" Michael asked.

"Too well, because I'm your real father." Nicholas's words made Michael furrow his brows. 

"You know how I hate it when someone tries to confuse me?" The frown still remained settled on Michael's face.

Nicholas placed the glass of wine on the coffee table, motioning for Michael to sit next to him on the couch, and when he did, he drew his claws and stretched his hands out to Michael.

Werewolves had a special talent aside from the gift the purebloods possessed; all werewolves could link minds. There are two things attached to it. When two werewolves dig their claws into each other's palms, one of them sees visions from the other's memory. However, when they casually link minds without digging claws into each other's flesh, they can only communicate with themselves.

Michael also shot out his claws; his hands hovered above Nicholas's. He brought them down slowly, and Nicholas lifted his hands to meet Michael's. They held each other firmly and pierced each other's palms with their claws. Michael let out a shallow breath as he traveled to a part of Nicholas's memory.