The Alpha Meeting

On Tuesday morning, Saphera was back in her own house waiting on Demetri. She had never been so scared in her life. What could she say to him? How could she explain this to him?

“Be honest,” Celix said. “Show him who and what you are and tell him this is why it’s not going to work. And if he then threatens our existence, we kill him off.”

“Don’t be mean, Celix,” Saphera said. She was pacing up and down.

Around 10am she heard a car stop and Demetri got out. As he walked over to the house, she opened the door and greeted him, but did not kiss him.

“Hey you,” he said, looking a bit out of place with her not kissing him.

“Is everything okay?” he asked. “Yes, just a tough start to the week?” “Okay, and how is Zion?”

“He went to my parents’ house. They came to pick him up Sunday.”

“Oh, okay. That’s nice of them to surprise him.” They went inside and sat down on the couch. “Listen Saphera,” Demetri said, “we need to talk.” “Yes? about what?” Saphera asked, feeling a bit unnerved.

“On Saturday the boys and me… we went out. You always said we shouldn’t keep secrets, right?”

“Yes?”

“Well at the pub where we were drinking, I ran into Lilly.”

“Lilly?”

“Yes my ex from last year.”

“Okay.” Saphera could sense that this conversation was not going to end well.

“Well, we had a few drinks together and when she was about to leave, she kissed me and shoved a photo of a little boy into my hands.” Demetri took out a picture and handed it over. Tt was a photo of the most beautiful dark-eyed boy with black hair. He looked just like Demetri.

Saphera immediately looked up. “He’s your son?” “Apparently, yes. When we broke up, she didn’t know she was pregnant. I was off to live in another town, and she had to finish her studies.”

“Okay,” Saphera stared at Demetri. “Where is she now?”

“Lilly and Jean moved here about a month ago.” “Wait, they’re in Sunny Beach?” “Yes, they are.”

“Okay, well, what now?” She could sense he was lost in confusion and troubled thoughts. “Do you still love her?”

“Yes, but I....”

“Then you know what you should do. You have a family, Demetri. A real family, and a son of your own.”

“Saphera, how can you be so cool with this?”

“I know the importance of family. And besides, they are your true family.”

“Yes Saphera, but what about us?” Demetri looked stunned and hurt.

“We will still be close, but I will never deny a son his father. If you still love her and she feels the same way, then what better way to make it work?” Saphera took off her engagement ring. “Besides, I have too many skeletons in my closet to draw more people into my life.” Saphera smiled and kissed him on his cheek. She got up and walked outside.

Demetri followed her, feeling sad yet relieved. “Saphera.”

“No, don’t apologise Demetri. There’s stuff about me that would haunt you. Not bad stuff, but it would cause problems in the future. You’re safer with her than you will ever be with me.”

Demetri looked dumbfounded. “Where will you go, Saphera?”

“I have my own means of getting around. I’ll stay at the fashion house and Zion will join me there. You can keep the house. I’ll just get my belongings.”

As she finished speaking, Celix came around the corner with Ralph—Zion’s dad. They were waiting in the garden keeping Zion busy, not wanting to leave her alone at this stage.

“What is Ralph doing here?”

“Like I said Demetri, there’s stuff about my life that will give you nightmares. Goodbye, Demetri.”

***

The next three days were tough. Saphera and Demetri cleaned out all her and Zion’s belongings and moved them over to the mansion.

“Saphera, are you sure?”

“Demetri, I have never been surer in my life,” she said as she loaded the last box.

“Will I be able to see Zion?”

“Yes, you will.” She gave him a huge hug and got into the car just as she saw Lilly driving up the street towards them. They passed her and she smiled. The little boy was asleep next to Lilly in his car seat.

“That was the best decision for both of you,” Celix said.

“Yes, I know it was.”

“So when will Zion return?” the twins asked. They were missing him.

“My parents will bring him along tomorrow.”

“Do your parents know about all of this?” Josh asked. “Yes, I talked to them and explained everything.” “And what did they say?” Zander asked.

“They are understanding, and happy,” Saphera said. “I think they’re happier about the fact that I am with one of my own kind.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Celix said from behind her. She turned around and kissed him. “So what will we make for dinner when the in-laws arrive tomorrow?”

“We must braai,” Saphera said promptly. “They love a nice fire with good meat. And yes, my dad only drinks whiskey and my mother Amarula. So make sure you have some of that.” When they arrived at the mansion something felt wrong.

Just then Ralph entered the lounge looking worried.

“What’s wrong, Ralph?” Celix asked.

“I just received some bad news.” He looked tense and worried. He was not yet healed fully after the battle, but he was better. “In a town a few miles from here, there have been a series of attacks. At first the hunters thought it was wolves, but the marks did not match those of a wolf.”

“Okay, so what was their next theory?” Josh asked.

Everyone was listening now.

“Well, after surveying the ground, the bodies they found were badly mutilated. But something else is missing. Some of the bodies’ limbs have been severed.”

“Wow, that is strange.”

Celix was quiet.

“Celix?” Saphera said, and everyone turned to him. “Let me guess… when the body parts were found, they had been skinned and drained of all blood?” “Yes, how did you know this?” Ralph and the others now focused on Celix.

“A few decades ago, I came across a creature which made my hair stand on end. I was in my prime as an Alpha. Nothing scared me. But that winter’s night I was scared to my core. I heard a woman screaming and I rushed to help, being the Good Samaritan I am. Once I reached the scene, I couldn’t move the woman was lying flat on ground with this creature standing above her. When it saw me, I froze. The creature lowered his head and opened his mouth wide. At least three rows of serrated teeth came out and sank into the woman’s body. She died instantly. It drank her blood as if it was water. Then after it had finished, it ripped off a limb and took it with. A few days later, the police found the missing part completely drained, with several bite marks, not one the same. The theory was that it was the marks of the babies or little ones of the Nightwalker.”

“Nightwalker?” Leon asked.

“Yes, we called them the Nightwalkers, for they never attacked during daylight and they moved so silent and quickly, they were undetected.”

“And you how did you escape that night?” Jenny asked.

“I was lucky. As it came up to me, I showed him my eyes—the eyes of an Alpha. It froze in it tracks, but did not run. Finally, when it heard the Siren, it fled.”

“I am really sorry that you had to go through that, but I think we are going to see them again.”

“Why would you say that?” Celix turned to look at Ralph.

“My hunters upstream said they saw a few dozen heading this way.”

Everyone in the room froze and looked at one another. “Apparently a rogue wolf killed off one of their young.”

“A rogue wolf? But we don’t have any rogue wolves in our territory.”

Ralph showed a picture of the wolf. Celix gasped. “It can’t be.”

“Celix, who is she?” Saphera asked, worried.

“It’s my younger sister. She’s supposed to be dead.”

To be continued….