The Rise of an Alpha Were-Jaguar

Chapter 13

“Full moon is tomorrow night and we have no idea where we are.” Jake said for the tenth time. 

Or was it eleventh?

“Here... Put this on.” I handed him a gray robe. 

“Where did you get this?” He asked suspiciously. 

“Just... put it on.” 

“You stole it from the Watchtower, didn’t you?” 

“Yes I did. I had no idea why I stole it at the time.” I said, suddenly realising that I didn’t even know when I stole it. 

“Cool. Thanks.” He pulled the robe over his head and put on the hood, which was so big that it fell over his face. “I look spooky, don’t I?” He asked, turning to me. 

“No you don’t.” I laughed and said. “Let’s go this way.” 

“No wait.” Jake stopped and grabbed my arm. 

“What?” I stared at him. 

“I hear flowing water. It’s coming from this way.”  

I followed him. We walked for about 5 minutes through the shrubs before we came upon a wide stream. 

“Remember like last time? This might lead us back to our Pack. Let’s wall in the opposite direction.” 

I kept mute and just nodded. I didn’t point out that the stream near our territory was clear and was flowing calmly, whereas this one was muddy brown and was gushing and splashing around. 

We walked, going the opposite way of the flowing water. 

“I’m thirsty.” Jake said in a croaked voice. 

“That’s water, isn’t it?” I said jokingly, gesturing to the stream by our side. 

“Gross.” He dropped to the banks. “Its so muddy. But I don’t have a choice, do I?” He cupped his palms together and scooped a little and raised it to his lips. 

I watched in horror as he drank to his fill. 

“It’s not so bad, Jas. Give it a try.” He said, looking up at me. He belched a little. 

I was thirsty too but there was no way I was drinking that.

“No thanks.” I said and continued walking forward.

Dark shapes were floating everywhere. The moon had hidden behind a thick cloud. 

“Hey jake... lead the way with your wolfy eyes.” I said holding back a bit. 

His eyes turned golden brown as he walked ahead of me. 

“We’re nowhere near our territory, are we?” He asked, looking around us. 

“No.” I said, yawning a bit. “Let’s camp here for the night.” 

I headed towards a thick tree I could see. “You ain’t feeling sleepy, right. You keep watch. I’m off.” 

I had hardly dozed off completely when Jake shok my leg violently. 

“Wake up.” He whispered. 

“Wha-at?” 

“Hear that?” 

I tilted my head a bit and yes, I could hear it. Light footsteps. 

No, not footsteps more like hoofs trotting down a path and coming closer. 

“Let’s run.” Jake said, already packing up his robes between his legs and preparing to run. 

“No no. I can’t see shit in this darkness.” I held his ankle. “instead, we’ll hide and keep quiet. Here sit beside me.”

He sat beside me and hugged his knees. I stretched my neck around the tree trunk and watched intently. 

“Do you see it?” Jake whispered beside me. 

“Sshhh... Quiet.” 

“Sorry.” 

Then I saw it and breathed a sigh of relief. 

“it’s just a man on a horse.” I told Jake, but I was still whispering. 

He looked at the shadow still coming forward and gasped. 

“That’s not a man on a horse... That’s a Centaur.” 

“CAN YOU BELIEVE that woman?” Jake fumed, they were back in the SUV. But this time, Jaja sat with Jamie in the back seat. Claude sat at the front with Gibson who was driving. The two guards drove with Jaja’s crew who followed close behind in a brown SUV. 

“I can’t believe her.” Jaja said and laughed. 

“She wants war... this is not the first time that a Vampire has been killed by a werewolf.” 

“What do you plan to do when we get home?” Claude asked glancing at Jamie through the rear view mirror. 

“Well, a curfew will be imposed. No child should wander near the borders alone. Increased security... thats your forte, Gibson.” 

Gibson nodded. 

“I’m coming with you, Jamie.” Jaja said. 

“What about your pack?”

“Oh I’ll send a word to them. My wife is a very reliable person. She runs the pack even better than I do”

The cars sped on the asphalt on the way to the airport where Jamie’s private jet waited. 

The light glint of the sun could be seen as it prepared to rise above the horizon. 

“PSST!!” 

“Who’s there?”

“Come on, Mart. Wake up. Its me, Arthur.” 

“Arthur?” Mart got up wearing only pajamas. He walked to his window and looked out. Arthur was standing outside in the yard. Fully dressed and grinning widely. 

“Get dressed. We’re going out.”

“Out to where? It’s not yet 6.” 

“Come on... don’t be such a boor.” Arthur said. 

Mart walked to his bathroom, washed his face and brushed his teeth. Then he put on some clothes and jumped out his window. 

“This had better be good.” Mart said, shutting he window behind him. 

“it sure is. Now who’s next? Oh yes. Jeffrey.”

“Jeff?”

“Just follow me.” Arthur said, running down the street. 

They got to Jeff’s place. 

“The lights are on in the sitting room. Now what?” 

“Now we head to Billy’s. Its just around the corner. We’ll come back here.”

Mart had a skeptical look on his face. “What are you planning, Arthur?” 

“Don’t ask questions, Mart. Just come.” 

They headed to Billy’s. His house was a two storey duplex. Billy room was on the second floor. 

“What now?” Mart asked. 

Arthur looked around and packed a handful of gravel stones. Then he heaved them up to the glass window. 

“Oh God! What if that’s the wrong room? Like his parents room.”

“Relax... its not.” Arthur said. When Billy poked his head out the window Arthur turned to Mart and said, “See, I told you.” 

“What??” Billy whispered fiercely. 

“Come on down. Come on.” 

Billy went back in the room and stayed for about 5 minutes before he came back to the window and leapt out. He landed lightly on the balls of his feet. 

“Oh hey Mart. Where are we headed?” 

“Arthur won’t say.” 

They headed back to Jeff’s place. The lights were off this time. They crawled around the building trying to find Jeff’s bedroom window. Before they could knock, however, Jeff opened the window and smiled at them smugly. 

“What are you guys doing? Are you out of your minds?” Jeff said, sitting on the window pane. 

“How did you know?” Arthur asked, flustered a bit. 

“You all sounded like a herd of elephants running about on pianos. You’re lucky I’m the only one at home or else my had would have hauled your asses back to your houses.”

“But sitting room lights...” 

“Oh that was me. I was knitting by the fireplace.”

“You knit? What are you, my grandmother??” Billy squeezed his face in mock horror.

“Come on. We’re headed out.” Arthur said. 

“Sure.” Jeff said. He didn’t leap over the window but instead came out the front door and closed it securely. 

The four boys started walking down the street. 

“That remains Zach.”

“Zach is coming?” Mart asked. 

They all stared at Arthur with opened mouths. 

“Of course he’s coming.”

“You know, whatever it is that you’re planning, it better not get us into trouble.” Billy muttered. 

“If you’re scared of trouble, it’s better you turn back home.” Arthur countered. 

They had just gotten to the yard leading to Zach's house, when the door opened and Zach came out holding a white little bunny and a litter tray. He dropped the bunny went over to hose out the litter tray. 

“Hey Zach.” Arthur greeted. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Mart asked. 

“I’m letting my bunny out for the night... Duh" Zach said, rolling his eyes. 

“I still wonder why you keep a little rabbit for a pet.” Jeff laughed. 

“I’d have eaten it If I were the one.” Billy said, nodding and looking at the bunny. 

“Clover would not be eaten by anyone.” Zach said fiercely. 

“Nobody is eating your pet, Zach.” Arthur said. “Hey, put the bunny back inside and come on, follow us.”

“Where are you guys going?” Zach asked. 

“Just do it.” 

“Okay okay.... clover, here boy.” Zach caught the rabbit and took it inside. He came out back not long after, wearing a head warmer and a pair of fluffy gloves. 

“Now we’re complete. Let’s go.” Arthur said and jogged down the street into the woods. The four boys followed him rather reluctantly.