Chapter 9: The Other Mother

Adrian POV

I was so scared. The gun that the boy was holding was huge and nasty. My heart was so fast a-beating. Mama was so gripping me tight that I could hardly get my breath.

"Who are you?" Mama asked. Her voice was making an effort to be fearless, and I felt her trembling.

"My name is Lucas," the boy said. He didn't lower the gun. I came to see my mother. She has something to show you."

I have nothing to do with you, Mama, said. She drew me and Damien near. "You're just a child. You are not aware of what you are doing.

Lucas said, I know better than you do. His face didn't change. He seemed like a robot and not a real boy. My mother told me: otherwise, your father will be killed by your mother. You would select the boys, you would, she said. But you ought to pick your father. The only person who has ever told you the truth is your father.

Mama's body went stiff. I could hear tears beginning to run on her cheeks. She was frightened and mourning and furious too.

"Where is your mother?" Mama asked.

"Not far," Lucas said. "She's waiting. She sent me to bring you. There is something that she wants to tell you about Adrian. Something that will make everything different.

I looked up at Mama. I did not realize what was going on. I did not know why everybody was chatting about me as though I were something substantial. I was just a five-year-old boy. I was just Adrian.

You have to leave Damien behind you, you promise me, Mama, you promise me, said we have to go with you. You must tell him to leave him somewhere safe.

Lucas gave it a moment of thought. Then he nodded. "Okay. But the baby comes with you. The mother replied that she wishes to see them both.

The name of his is Adrian, Mama said angrily. "Not the baby. His name is Adrian."

We went out of the building behind Lucas and into the night. He walked us through shady lanes and streets. The city appeared to be different at night. It seemed as though it was all shadowy and threatening.

We came to an old house. It was falling apart. Windows were broken. The walls were dirty. There was some light inside, however.

Lucas swung the door open and we entered. There was a woman inside. She was a tall blonde-haired person. But her face was scarred. On one side of her face long marks as though someone had cut them.

"Evelyn," the woman said. She smiled, but it was a dirty smile. "Welcome."

I looked at Mama. Her face had gone white. "Serena?" she said. "But you were--"

"Arrested?" Serena laughed. "Yes. I was arrested. I was in prison. But I wasn't there for long. Because my friends got me out. People desired what I knew. Because I was valuable."

Damien had his hand clenched on the hand of Mama so hard that his fingers were turning white. I could feel him shaking.

"Why did you bring us here?" Mama asked. "What do you want?"

Serena went round us in a kind of circle as a hunter does when seeking game. I want you to know what the truth is, she said. He wants you to know what Adrian really is.

"Adrian is my son," Mama said.

"Is he?" Serena said. She turned to a table and opened a large book. There were pictures and papers and pictures and papers. Have you ever heard what the Blackwood family is? What is in his precious Adrian in his veins?

Mama didn't say anything. She was only following Serena like a bird follows its hawk.

Adrian is not any werewolf, said Serena. She pointed to the pictures. "He is a rare breed. He has royal blood. The bloodline of Kieran reduces to the first Alpha Kings. And my bloodline is even older. We are the oldest packs. We are the strongest."

"What are you talking about?" Mama said.

I mean, power, I said to Serena. I am referring to the fact that Adrian is the strongest werewolf child to ever exist. I mean millions of dollars in the hands of the right people with him.

I didn't understand. I was just a little boy. I couldn't be worth money. I couldn't be special. I was just Adrian. I was simply a person that liked to play and laugh and have fun with my brother.

"You're insane," Mama said. "You're completely insane."

"Am I?" Serena approached a second door and unlocked it. It was a technologically advanced room. We had computers and machines and objects that I did not know their names. We have people who will give anything to get a child just like Adrian. Individuals eager to create the ideal Alpha. People who desire to have an army of the most powerful werewolves ever seen in the world.

Mama drew me and Damien back. "We're leaving," she said.

But Lucas lifted his gun again. "No," he said. "You're staying. Mother wants to show you something different.

And Serena smiled that sadistic smile. She pointed towards the computers. On the screens were videos. Videos of children. Werewolf children that were made to resemble as though they were mutilated and trained and fought.

That is the fate of special children, said Serena. This was what I was going to do to Adrian. That is what my partners want him to be.

It was as though Mama were an animal dying. She drew me to her and kissed my head repeatedly. Never again, never again, I will never let that happen, I said to myself. Before I have my time I will die before I allow any one to injure you.

You are supposed to have no choice, you see," Serena said. She picked up a phone. By the way, Victor is still alive. Kieran didn't kill him. My people have him under safe custody. Your father is there too. Both of them are mine now. Both of them are leveraged."

Mama's face went pale again. "What do you want?"

Sign papers, I want you to sign papers, Serena thought. "I want you to give Adrian to me. Legally. Completely. And I in turn will spare your father and Victor's life.

"I won't," Mama said. "I will never give you my son."

Serena's smile disappeared. Her face went dark and angry. "Then your father dies. Your father passes on to-morrow at sunrise.

She tapped a button on her cell phone. One of the screens had a video on it. It depicted my grand-father sitting in an empty room. He looked hurt. He looked scared. He was pale as though he were awaiting his death.

"Choose," Serena said. "Your father or your son. But you can't have both. No one can have both."

Mama fell to her knees. She was shaking. She was crying. We were being broken in front of her.

I did not comprehend all this. I was merely a small boy who just wanted his mommy to be well. I was just Adrian. But seemingly I was a thing as well. Something that had been perilous and that was precious and more valuable than the life of my grandfather.

Serena suddenly dropped her head on the door that opened behind her. A man came through. He wore nothing but black, and had a scar on his face. It was Victor. But he wasn't tied up. He wasn't a prisoner. He was meandering around as a free man.

"Hello, Evelyn," Victor said. He was smiling his ugly smile. "I told you this wasn't over. I told you we would meet again. And here we are going to finish what we started.

He averted his hand and clapped together. Behind him came more people. They looked like soldiers. They were transporting equipment and staring at me and Damien as though we had been put into the zoo.

Serena smiled even bigger. Good-bye to Mama, said Welcome to the future. Welcome to the world where now your son is mine.