The Invincible (CHP 13)
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Summary Of Last Chapter – Audrey awakens up in a warehouse and is faced by Harvey (tall man). He tells her that patients are hallucinating in Radley because they are being poisoned. He also reveals that he had cancer for which, he pretended his fake death and turned into a werewolf. He reveals Lady Cambridge’s first name in Naomi. He asks Audrey to join his wolf pack so that his pack can be complete. He summons the rest of his pack and they all shape-shift into werewolves! Audrey declines the offer and runs away by lighting some light and smoke bombs. Theo, who reveals, he too is a werewolf, recuses Audrey. His pack and himself, go to distract Harvey as Audrey is taken to safety with Dylan and Melissa (members of Theo’s pack)
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CHP 13
Mellisa and Dylan lead me away from the warehouse to somewhere underground. They gaze around before opening up a secret door which leads down with a ladder. When we reach down. Dylan switches on the light and we walk along a vague corridor until we reach a steel door. When they open it up, I see a vast room. The size of a banquet hall. The room is mostly empty. On one side are bottles: medicines, herbs etc. On the other side are tables and chairs. There is one table in the center with maps and some weapons.
“What is this place?” I ask Dylan.
“It used to be a garage. It was for rave parties in the early 1950’s but then it was abandoned. Theo found this place and made it sheltered for us. So now we partially live her. It’s like our pack’s den!” He says, smiling.
Mellisa walks over to the medicine sector and picks up some bottles, bandages and antiseptic.
“Come on. Let’s get you wound up.” She says, tugging me toward a table and chair.
“Will they be alright?” I ask Mellisa.
“Who? Theo and the rest? Yeah, they will be fine. Theo always has plan and it almost always goes just the way he wants it to.” She says, pointing towards the many maps and weapons laid out on the table.
I smile weakly as Dylan takes charge of the injuries and dabs at my wounds with antiseptic.
“Sorry, if it hurts.” He says, softly.
I look at both of them quietly. They don’t look like werewolves. I almost don’t believe the fact that they are. They look so customary, so humanly.
“Mellisa? Are you the same person who talked to me at the party or was it just pretense?” I ask her.
“As werewolves, we have a dual life. One as humans and another as wolves. The Mellisa you met at the party was me! It was my human form. In fact even when we transform, it’s only our face that changes. Not our personalities. This applies to all of us. Including Theo.” She says, smiling.
“You guys, don’t kill other people?” I ask her.
She and Dylan look at each other and laugh. “No, Audrey!” She says.
She gets up and walks over to the center table. Pulling out a slab of ash wood.
“Here, read this.” She says, putting the wood on my hand.
It has been carved with the words ‘non autem qui semetipsos tutari’
“I don’t read French.” I say quiely.
“It’s not French. It’s Latin. It means ‘We protect those who cannot protect themselves!’ It’s the motto of our pack.” Dylan says, smiling.
“So, you guys help others?” I ask, Dylan.
He nods his head and says “Yeah, We all work together to save lives, not take them. None of us have ever killed an innocent life. That’s why our pack is called the ‘Vindex’ Pack. It means protectors in Latin.”
I smile. “That’s not something I expected!” I say.
“Not all werewolves are evil, Audrey.” Mellisa says.
“You have a lot to learn about our world, and you will!” Dylan says, putting the last bandage around my wrist.
“It will take time to heal. Most probably a week or so.” Mellisa says as she takes the bottles from Dylan’s hands and keeps them back on the shelf.
“What do we do now?” I ask them.
“We wait for them to return.” Dylan says as he rocks himself back and forth.
We wait for half an hour, then an hour, then two hours!
“What is taking them so long?” Dylan murmers to himself.
I rock myself back and forth on my heels. Waiting for a sound. A signal. But nothing happens.
“You know, Audrey, I finally get why Theo likes you so much. I mean look at you: You’re smart, clever, brave, calm, curious, pretty, independent and just so different.” Mellisa says.
“Theo likes me?” I say raising my eyebrows.
“Oops! Was I supposed to say that?” She says covering her mouth.
Dylan bursts out laughing and says “Mellisa, the loud speaker! You really can’t keep a secret, can you?”
I secretly smile to myself. I don’t really have an interest in Theo, but if feels good to know that he likes me. It good to know a boy likes me.
Suddenly an alarm buzzes in the room and Mellisa and Dylan jump up to their feet, ready for anything that enters the door.
“Someone’s coming! Hide!” Mellisa says, nudging me.
“I’m not gonna hide! I’m gonna help you.” I say, picking up an arrow and bow from the table.
But when the door opens, it’s not some intruder. It’s just Theo and his pack. But in Theo’s arm’s is a girl. Severly wounded. I remember her standing behind Theo when he was giving instructions. She was part of Theo’s pack.
“Oh my god! Sophia!” Mellisa says running up to the pack with Dylan following her closely behind.
“What happened?” Dylan asks worriedly.
“They threatned us. Sophia was their prey.” Theo says, softly.
They place her on the table. She’s unconsious.
“Why isn’t she healing, herself?” One of the boys asks.
“Because she has been hurt by the ‘Demon wolf’.” Theo says
“So she won’t heal?” Mellisa asks.
“Not without an emissary’s help.” Theo whispers.
All of them move back from the table in sorrow as Theo tryes to revive her. I get why they feel a pang of sorrow. I notice that Theo’s pack is like family. Like best friends. They all look for each other and fight to protect innocent’s and when one of them gets hurt, it like all of them have been hurt.
“What’s an emissary?” I ask Dylan.
“It’s another word for a druid. Druid’s are like our mentors, advisors. They help us live in this world. They are also known as magicians cause they can do magical things. Each pack has their own emissary” He whispers to me.
“Then what are you waiting for? Why don’t you call the druid?” I ask him.
Everyone looks at me as if I just commited a murder.
“What?” I ask them all.
Theo moves towards me and lets out a deep breath.
“Audrey, our druid….. Is your..” He starts to say but then stops himself and sighs.
“My what??” I ask him, concernigly.
“Your mother.” He says slowly.
“My mother?” I ask him.
He nods and puts his hand on my cheek.
“I’m sorry.” He says, quietly.
All of them look at me in sympathy. Their heads lowered down. For the past 12 years, I lived my life thinking my mom was dead. I went to her funeral and saw her being buried. I was only 11 years old when the entire household fell on my shoulders, and now I know that my mom is actually alive? And a druid?
Precap – Audrey’s mom comes into the den and cries when she finds Audrey. But Audrey pushes her away in anger and tells her about the hardships she had to face in her childhood due to the selfish nature of her mother.
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