Chapter 38: Bad Blood

“Valerie, hide,” Marcel snaps at me in a hushed tone.

“What about you?” I ask, my heart pounding anxiously as I take a few steps back.

“I live here, remember? This is my family, my house. You’ll be in far worse trouble than me if you’re caught. You have to hide, now.”

He’s right, and we don’t have time to argue. I crouch behind the nearest shelf and curl up into a ball, trying to make myself as small as possible as the door of the bunker creaks open.

“Marcel? What are you doing here?”

Nora Teitzman-Ernouf walks into the bunker, closing the door behind her. I should be glad that it’s her and not Anthony, but my hatred for her overshadows any trace of relief. This woman called my father a rabid dog. Come to think of it, those are the exact words Marcel used. But from what I understand, Marcel wasn’t even there during the challenge. Was he just echoing his parents’ words, blindly repeating their lies?

“Oh no. No, no, no, no. You don’t get to ask the questions right now,” Marcel growls at his mother.

Oh boy. I wouldn’t want to be in either of their shoes right now. This isn’t going to be pretty.

“Marcel… calm yourself. You shouldn’t be down here,” Nora says, her voice tense. She wasn’t expecting this.

“‘Here?’ What exactly is ‘here?’ I thought this was a storm bunker, but we didn’t use it during the storm.”

That’s a clever comeback. If he plays his cards right, he might actually be able to pull this off without raising further suspicion.

“Instead, you’re using it to grow Wolf’s Bane? What the hell?” he adds.

Never mind. He shouldn’t have admitted to knowing what Wolf’s Bane is. We’re doomed. Unless…

Slowly, I lift up my phone, cautiously angling myself so the camera can catch the two of them from where I’m hiding. I hit record, trying to stay as still as possible.

“Wolf’s Bane? How do you know about that? Your father—” she asks, shocked to hear the words come out of her son’s lips.

“My father has been lying to me. He’s lying to the entire pack. Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me the Alpha hasn’t been secretly manufacturing a poison against werewolves!”

But she can’t tell him that. It’s true, and now they both know it. The secret is out, and somehow the only thing that seems to surprise her is the fact that Marcel figured it out. That’s not good.

“How did you even get down here? Listen, your father has a plan. It is not your place to question it. He is the Alpha of this pack, and he is protecting this town.”

“By poisoning it?” he asks, though it sounds more like an accusation. In his own aimlessly angry way, he might be able to deflect her questions with his own.

“By controlling it!” she retorts. Apparently, short tempers run in the family. “He only uses the Wolf’s Bane to maintain order. He drugs those who would question his authority, weakening them. Our pack must face many dangers, both on the outside and from within. The poison is his secret weapon, but he only uses it for the greater good.”

“How was killing our Elder for the greater good?” he yells at her, breathing heavily. He doesn’t have the restraint for a civil argument. If he doesn’t get that rage under control, his animal instincts will get the better of him, and we’ll really be screwed.

“Angelica was compromised. After years of being loyal to our Alpha, she was beginning to turn against him. Jacob Whren’s death was too much for her to bear. Her suspicions were becoming dangerous. After Jacob’s meddlesome daughter went to speak with her, she confronted your father. She doubted his right to lead the pack and your right to inherit the title of Alpha.”

Angelica... That day I visited her and asked about my father, the last time I ever saw her… She really did try to help me. And it got her killed. I don’t dare to move and wipe away the tears stinging my eyes.

“She knew too much, asked too many questions. Her death was unfortunate but necessary. She was threatening our family and our place in this pack. Don’t you see? We did this for you.”

That was not the right thing to say. Marcel looks ready to claw her eyes out, and Nora staggers backward nervously, leaning on a metal counter.

“Don’t you dare bring me into this. I was taught to lead my Pack through force and courage, not these cowardly schemes. I thought my father defeated his enemies with his power, not poison. Is that what he did to Valerie’s father?”

Nora sighs, and I struggle to keep my hands from shaking as I film them, holding my breath.

“Your father did what he had to do. He drugged Jacob with Wolf’s Bane, so he wouldn’t be able to shift properly. The poison inhibited his inner wolf enough and gave Anthony the upper hand. But this is bigger than one dead Elder and a challenge. How do you think your father wins every argument, every fight? He never lets his opponents stand a real chance against him. Jacob didn’t even know what hit him.”

For a moment, my vision goes red, and I think my tears turned to blood. Then my head clears, and I realize anger is playing tricks on my mind. There’s a fire burning in the pit of my stomach, and it takes every ounce of willpower to stay still. I don’t breathe. I don’t stop recording. I don’t even twitch. If I let myself move, I’ll lose control and shift so I can tear that woman’s throat out. Marcel isn’t looking any better.

“He’s not an Alpha; he’s a murderer. What he’s done is disgusting. It’s pathetic and weak. This is not strength.”

“No, it’s strategy,” Nora says, irritated. She wasn’t prepared for him to discover their well-guarded secret, and now that it’s out, she expects him to understand it? She’s demented. Her and Anthony, they’re both sick.

“It’s smart. Everything we’ve done is for the good of the Pack and for the good of this family. You’ll see in time. You’re just young and foolish, too stupid to see the big picture. Someday, you’ll thank us for this.”

It’s the last straw, and Marcel can’t hold himself back anymore. With a roar, he transforms into his wolf form. Nora gasps as he shifts, and I still can’t bring myself to move. I’m frozen in my hiding spot, petrified by anger, horror, and grief. Marcel looks every bit the big bad wolf from scary stories. I swallow a scream as he lunges at his mother.