"Mom?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAGpTjZLb0uO
"Welcome home, Rosalind."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAhfOay7o5SS
"Woah, major plot twist!" Heath elbowed the other Huntsmen. "Did you guys know about this?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAcWQgBlbafx
They remained silent.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXDCh0Ln3gX
Rosalind couldn't stop shaking. "How?" That was the only word she managed to say.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAPD2gxtqswC
Luna rose from her chair and approached her. Her heels made a clopping noise as she strutted across the stone floors. She placed a finger under Rosalind's chin and grinned revealing shiny white fangs. "There's so much you don't know, and I'm going to teach you everything," her smile vanished. "But first we have to take care of the Mixedblood."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAqfGOCY5siH
She snarled at Theo, but he didn't flinch. "You have a lot of nerve, showing up here. Tell me, what is it that you want from me?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAeAqAaI6q3m
He pulled the letter out of his back pocket. He had hastily taped it back together after his mother tore it to shreds, but now it was hardly legible. "This is why I'm here."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAw6RlDncQf7
Luna snatched the note from his hands and skimmed it over. "Oh, of course, you're here for the cure." She giggled to herself. "I don't have it."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAoZviBjqGC6
His entire body tensed up except for his fist which he was shaking at her. "What do you mean you don't have it?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAzkxzAxQgiJ
"I mean precisely what I said. I don't have it and I never did."
149Please respect copyright.PENANADYbWI66Ho9
"Then why does this letter say you're keeping it here?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAZWuDNpDwCq
"Well, you see, I sent this confidential message to my dearest associate, about fourteen years ago. Unfortunately, the letter was intercepted, and the cure was stolen before it arrived here."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAnLe6qvmjlM
"Who stole it?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAke7UXzvATl
She rolled her eyes. "My mother."
149Please respect copyright.PENANA2ldOZaaiWB
"Gran?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAPYHS6kSSD0
Luna let out a humorless laugh. "She's quite spry for an old woman." She removed her coat revealing deep scars that resembled claw marks on her shoulder. She brushed Rosalind's dark brown hair out of her eyes. "My mother stole something much more precious to me than the cure that day."
149Please respect copyright.PENANA4kUkZD8tGu
She was lying. Rosalind wasn't precious. Her mother had abandoned her. She slapped her mother's hand away. "You can save your lies for someone else because I'm not buying them. I can't believe you can stand there and pretend like you love me!"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAhZ3RVYUYRL
"Darling, I'm not the bad guy here."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAoy7oVDxvMx
Rosalind refused to face her. "Listen, I'm not interested in what you have to say. Just point us in the direction of the cure, and we'll be on our way."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAYwiuYsTVBt
"I would, but it appears you already have it." She turned to Theo. "Have you been having trouble with your night vision lately, Mr. Lovell?
149Please respect copyright.PENANAz92gMJClmL
"How did you know ?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAb0IvtFfzD3
She shrugged. "That's usually the first thing to go. Then you'll lose most of your sense of smell, not long after you won't have fangs anymore, and before you know it you'll be entirely human."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAGm0rWYEY6N
"Why should we believe anything you say?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAoaVr5baBdZ
"All I want is to be rid of your kind. I don't care by what means."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAqApmFptdFR
Theo stared down at his hands. "So you're saying I'm cured?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANArcgXEBEXaR
Luna nodded.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAb5Gi1zMswi
Now Theo was the one at a loss for words.
149Please respect copyright.PENANA3YYIHiyPB4
"How is this possible?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAZkImnJeEM8
"With this." Luna pointed to the silver locket around Theo's neck.
149Please respect copyright.PENANANKznYleKkM
"My locket?" Rosalind asked.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAO3ArZiJIWL
"This locket is an enchanted artifact. Humans created it to suppress werewolf transformations, in an attempt to control us." she glared at the locket in disgust. "But I suppose it could be useful to a Mixedblood."
149Please respect copyright.PENANALx3p5eE90I
Rosalind stared at the locket in his hands. "So, I had the cure the whole time?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAwnkFJSPsWV
Luna nodded.
149Please respect copyright.PENANA6zu0Sa2LSj
"Why didn't Gran tell me?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAwDxEjvH3XV
Her mother placed a hand on her cheek. "Your grandmother is a woman with many secrets, but don't worry I'm going to teach you everything."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAy9Te2S7p8D
They all stood in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time as they tried to contemplate this new information. Chandler cleared his throat loudly reminding the Pack Mother of their presence.
149Please respect copyright.PENANA1gV6OLkcFm
"What is it, Chandler?" her warm and inviting tone turned sharp and cold.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAOdp3PTFo9o
"The Pack Father said you wanted to speak with us."
149Please respect copyright.PENANA1J6eefvHax
She let out an exasperated sigh. "As a matter of fact, I do. My best Huntsmen got outwitted by a single Mixedblood. Would anyone care to explain exactly how that happened?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANASS8Nnpt8F2
"He wasn't alone." Heath pointed at Rosalind. "She was helping him!"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAGHgI3dZISf
Luna facepalmed. "Shut up, Heath. I don't want to hear your excuses I want someone to take responsibility for your failure last night."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAmexcnEOLDv
Duke lowered his head. "I'm so sorry for failing you, Pack Mother. I underestimated the enemy. I'm a fool for making such an amateur mistake, I hope one day I can regain your trust."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAfMcVEql6DZ
"Kiss ass," Chandler hissed.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAaatfKEy3QC
"No I was the fool," Luna lifted Duke's chin. "For thinking, Chandler was capable of leading you, which is why, for the time being, I'm putting you in charge."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAtPosWRlbgM
"What! You can't do that!" Chandler protested.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAUiPgmSqTfD
Luna slashed her sharp talons into his face causing him to bleed. "Don't ever question my judgment again! Do you understand?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAxRV9wy5tSX
"Yes, ma'am." He whimpered so softly it was barely audible.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAF2uyyk5bhT
"Worthless Boy." She gave him a disapproving look. "I would have disposed of you ages ago if Gregorio wasn't so stubborn."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAk2d6LsJzzA
Duke now held his head high. "I promise I won't disappoint you, Ma'am."
149Please respect copyright.PENANA7PT1JCwygG
"I'm not counting on it. You remind me of myself when I was young." She let out a reminiscing sigh then snapped herself back to reality. "Now, we must discuss the elephant in the room, your punishment for failing to kill the Mixedblood. You know I don't appreciate it when my Huntsmen fail me, but I'm feeling nice, so I'm going to give you the chance to walk free without facing any consequences."
149Please respect copyright.PENANALsH182gnzq
"You're very merciful, Pack Mother," Heath said in a tone that made it hard to tell if he was being sincere.
149Please respect copyright.PENANADXrISEPWo3
"I know." Sincere or not Luna didn't hesitate to accept a compliment. "Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to track Theodore Lovell?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMPom4FKcU6
"No, ma'am."
149Please respect copyright.PENANA7zvF5ypum3
"Twelve years. The last time he was within my grasp he miraculously got away. Do any of you know how that happened?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAVxSPZZW5MW
"No, ma'am."
149Please respect copyright.PENANABCmCzxv8F7
"You're lying. I can smell it, so are you going to tell me or not?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAzqp8Y2nATI
No one responded.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMX5bCNopuj
"Fine. Don't tell me." She pouted. "Perhaps spending the night in the Sightless Caverns will make you more talkative."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAiC7RWwcWlR
They all stood in complete silence.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAlBqhy1ZKyQ
"Don't just stand there! Get out of my sight!"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAwaN0F1rLrv
Without another word the three Huntsmen hastily left the room and slammed the door behind them. Luna wiped her brow like she had completed a difficult chore, then turned to face Rosalind and Theo. "Where were we?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANARviOr8trdC
Rosalind folded her arms. "You were about to show us the way out of here."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAj7iFOKFukv
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAubx2xukrQe
"Why not?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAgIEyhjoQ9c
"Do the math. There are two werewolves and only one locket. You know it's my job to make sure there aren't rogue werewolves wandering around. Which means one of you is free to leave, and the other must stay in Silver Huntsmen custody."
149Please respect copyright.PENANAo8mO1Yhta8
Rosalind began to pace back and forth across the room. "Wait, what are you trying to say?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAAqYydxTXSc
She twirled her hand. "Think about it, I'm a werewolf, your father was a werewolf which makes you..." She waited for Rosalind to put the pieces together.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAUJw9xiDLrs
"I'm a werewolf?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANApcWWhUhrYe
"What?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMlXgKwslif
Luna rolled her eyes. "It took you long enough to figure it out."
149Please respect copyright.PENANABGUCq69y1C
A look of hurt flashed across Theo's face. "You've been a werewolf this whole time?"
149Please respect copyright.PENANA6Tq26tlCRh
"I didn't know, I swear!"
149Please respect copyright.PENANA4uwu3IQu81
Luna pulled a taser out of her desk drawer and activated it. "Enough chitchat it's time for you to make a decision. Who's leaving and who's staying with me."
ns 172.70.131.162da2