Chapter 12: The Real Enemy

Kieran POV

Everything was falling apart. I lay on the ground in the form of a wolf, and tied down by soldiers whom I could not overcome. Evelyn was screaming. Richard was struggling as a maniac. And my father was there standing around as though he had won some sort of game.

But Adrian was gone. My son was already gone.

I had to transform back to being a human being. It was such pain that I would have screamed but I did not. I simply stared at my dad with eyes full of fury.

"Why?" I asked. Just one word. Just one question. "Why would you take Adrian? Why would you do this to us?"

My father looked down at me. He didn't look sad. He didn't look sorry. He simply appeared to be an Alpha who had made up his mind and did not give a thought as to what went on with anybody.

Due to his specialness, my father replied. Since he possesses power, no-one in this world possesses. Him being the key to all these things.

"He's a child," I said. My voice was breaking. "He's five years old. He's just a little boy."

"He's the future," my mother said. She was now standing side by side with my father and they appeared as one force. As they had always been making plans together. He is the heir to our blood. He is the future of the werewolf world."

Evelyn fought against the men who had her. "I will find him," she said. Her voice was calm and deadly. I will locate my son, even if it would be my lifetime. And when I know him I will bring him home. You will all burn with what you have done.

My father laughed. "You won't find him, Evelyn. No one will find him. Before you get out of this place--if you manage to get out--Adrian will be changed. He will already be a different person. He will already be ours."

"Transformed how?" I asked. I was beginning to realize that it was larger than I imagined. This was not a kidnapping but something bigger. This was concerning the transformation of Adrian into something. Something worse.

My mother smiled. "We have scientists," she said. Genius scientists working on a project all their life. They are aware of how to steal the wolf shape of a child and improve it. They understand how to turn a werewolf into being stronger, faster and more powerful than nature wanted to be.

You are turning him into a gun, said Richard. He was gasping, with blood streaming down his face. You are making a weapon out of an innocent child to play your war.

"Yes," my father said simply. And there is nothing you can do about it. By tomorrow at daylight, Adrian will be the biggest werewolf on the planet. He will have the capacity to tear up whole packs with bare hands. He will be in a position to conquer kingdoms.

Evelyn sounded like an animal being bred to death. She collapsed to her knees. Her legs could not support her any longer and she had to be supported by the soldiers.

I heard a cracking inside my chest. My son. My beautiful and kind and innocent son was being turned into a monster. And it was my fault. I had rejected Evelyn. I had separated the twins. I had made a world in which this would occur.

"Where is he?" I asked. My voice was quiet now. Dangerous. "Where exactly is Adrian?"

My father said: "Somewhere you will never go. A place safe and safe and away from your weakness.

The house door burst open. Actual police rushed in. Guns and shields of human police and power of the human world behind their backs.

"Freeze!" one of them shouted. "Everyone on the ground! Now!"

Soldiers in the room grabbed the weapons but the police were quicker. They had the room surrounded. Their numbers were too big.

My father raised his hands. Something must have gone wrong, De Bleuil said. His was a smooth, smooth voice like oil. "These people are our guests. We had been talking about family business.

One of the police officers said, there was a report of kidnapping. He was looking at Richard. "Is that correct? Are you Richard Carter?"

"Yes," Richard said. It is the kidnapping of a child by these people. His name is Adrian. He's five years old. They took him hours ago."

"That's a lie," Serena said. She indicated the counterfeit Adrian. "This is Adrian. He's right here. Safe and sound."

The policemen appeared puzzled. He looked at me. He looked at Evelyn. He stared at the boy that was not Adrian.

According to the officer, we shall have to take the statements of all the people. We shall have to check the identity of this child.

My father smiled. "Of course," he said. He was so confident. So sure. "Take all the time you need. This is nothing but a misconception among the members of the family.

Evelyn looked at me. She had tears and desperation in her eyes. There was something she was attempting to say. She was attempting to say something without words.

I understood. The police couldn't help us. It was in the human world we could not be helped. This was a werewolf problem. This was a supernatural issue that could not be solved by any human law.

When the police were attempting to figure out what was going on, my mom leaned over me. She talked in a low voice so that I alone would hear.

Your son is going to the Mountain Facility, she said. It is a laboratory that is concealed in the Rocky Mountains. The transformation process requires twenty-four hours. Until the break of day tomorrow you have time to get to him. Thereafter, he will cease being Adrian. He will be something else. Something that answers to us."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

My mother only looked hearty once. Even though you are my son, I know how it feels to be a mother, she said. And yet, in spite of my own choice of the way I took, I do think you ought to have at least the opportunity of trying to save your child. Even if you'll fail."

Then she left and began to explain to the police officer, providing him with explanations and details that caused him to be less suspicious of what was going on.

Richard moved close to me. Where do you think Adrian is? she told him. He asked quietly.

I nodded.

then we must depart, said Richard. We must get out of this place before it gets to sunrise and get to the Mountain Facility.

"How?" I asked. The police were everywhere. Soldiers were omnipresent. We were trapped.

Through the back, said Richard. His eyes were pointing to the window of the kitchen. I have an automobile waiting three blocks away. In a few minutes we can get out of the city.

"We can't leave Evelyn," I said. "We can't leave Damien."

"We have to," Richard said. His voice was hard. Unless we get to Adrian in time, all is lost. Here with the police, Evelyn and Damien will be safe. But now Adrian is getting changed into a monster. Each moment we lose we are one moment nearer to lose him forever.

I looked at Evelyn. She was looking back at me. She nodded. She understood. She was telling me to go. She was saying that I should save our son.

I followed Richard towards the window. We had to be fast. We had to be invisible. We had to become ghosts.

My father had nearly called us to a halt when he spoke.

"Kieran," he said. There is something you need to know before you run after your son. You ought to know why Adrian is really so special.

I stopped. I swiveled about and looked at my father.

Not only is Adrian your son, my father said. He smiled. "Adrian is also my son. Adrian is the bearer of my blood. I made him my way as I made thee. Through manipulation. Through lies. By taking what I desired without seeking his leave.

The world stopped. Time stopped. Everything stopped.

Adrian had been sired by my father. Evelyn had a father who was with her. This is because my father made Adrian special.

And that did not make Adrian my son only. Adrian was my brother.