CHAPTER 66 The Wall

Drew

China. The last time I was here, I was burying my mother. It was her wish to be laid to rest with her ancestors.

Since China and Russia were known vampire territories, Fire avoided these two countries like the plague. Never did she think she would be able to set foot in China being who she was.

Once she stepped out of the plane, she began drinking in the sights. Like any other tourist, she whipped out her phone and began taking pictures.

It was snowing when we arrived, but since we were wolves, the cold didn't bother us. People were staring at Fire amazed she was wearing a beach dress despite the freezing temperatures. Alexander, the reliable friend that he was, rushed to the Duty Free store to find something for Fire to wear over her dress.

"Drew, how far are we from your territory?" Fire asked unexpectedly while we were waiting for my men to load the Hongqi limousines with our belongings.

"It's about a two to three hour drive, northeast," I answered.

"I forgot to tell you, Fire, Drew's pack is the only wolf pack here in China that has a working alliance with the Chinese government. Their main territory is located near the East Coven Stronghold guarding the boundaries so the vampires do not enter Beijing," the Marchioness explained. Unlike Fire, she came prepared. She was wearing a faux fur coat and boots with her maxi dress making her look like she belonged.

"I remember reading about that somewhere but I didn't know your territory was near the East Coven Stronghold. So, how big is your pack?" Fire asked. According to the High Elder, Fire's pack, being one of the last in the UK, was small and lived concealed near a waterfall. To get to her territory, you have to make a six hour trek into the highlands.

"Big. Although, the last time I was here, I was a boy. When you're young, things seem bigger than what they actually are," I answered her, then abruptly turned to Charles who was waiting beside us. "Charles, any word from my grandmother?"

"Alpha, I have been trying to get in touch with her. However, I fear reception is bad in the valley due to the bad weather," Charles answered.

"Are our SUVs ready at The Wall?" I asked. Fire's eyes widened with excitement. She knew which wall I spoke of.

"Yes, Alpha."

"I know it's already evening, but we can not delay our arrival. Have the limousines drive us to The Wall. There, we will have dinner and change cars and attire. If the pass to the territory is unaccessible to vehicles because of the weather, we will shift and trek the rest of the way in wolf form. Have our people prepare the dog sleds for our provisions just in case," I instructed Charles. "Anyway, we are required to enter the territory in wolf form. Only wolf can enter."

"What about my aunt?" Fire asked, worried. She noticed her aunt's things were being loaded onto an SUV.

"Unfortunately, she will not be allowed to enter the territory. Anyone who is not wolf can not enter. When I was a little boy, I was only allowed because I was not of age yet. Don't worry, Fire. Charles has already called ahead. The Marchioness can stay here in the city for the time being or stay at a hotel near the Great Wall," I suggested.

"Uhm, actually I will be leaving for Tokyo. I need to put a body of water in between me and the Vampire King so I won't be summoned," my aunt said. "I need to meet with someone before I leave though-"

"Marchioness, you're leaving?" Mason asked suddenly from behind us. Fire quickly pulled me away to give them some privacy.

"Mason and your aunt are a thing?!" I asked, not hiding my shock. I inched closer trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. It sounded like the Marchioness was breaking up with Fire's Gamma.

"Your aunt likes wolves and you, once upon a time, liked bloodsuckers. I see the similarity," I commented, snickering.

Fire quickly lifted her hand to punch me on the arm, but I swiftly moved away, wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her on the forehead. "My Luna always wants to hit me."

"Only when you say foul stuff like that," she said, pinching my cheeks.

Alexander and Mark came out of the Duty Free with bags. I laughed when Alexander pulled out a black "I Love China" sweater from one of the bags.

"Fire, sorry. They only had this in the Duty Free," Alexander said, handing Fire the sweater.

"Oh neat! Thanks Alexander!" She quickly put on the sweater covering her sleeveless white maxi dress. "My first keepsake from you." Fire smiled brightly.

"Just for appearances. People are already looking at you, wondering why you aren't shivering from the cold," Alexander said, relieved Fire didn't care if the sweater didn't go with her dress.

Alexander took another sweater out and handed it to me, but I gave him a dirty look. He rolled his eyes and put it on instead, then stood beside Fire. They looked like twins. Mark, who couldn't help himself, laughed at them which earned him a warning look from Alexander.

"Alexander, you ride with my father and the High Elder. Mason, Luke, and Mark you ride together. Tyler you drive, while Charles, you sit in front. The rest of you, pick a car and let's go."

The drive was quick to Mutianyu Village which is a settlement at the foot of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. Because it was night time, the lights along the wall were on, providing us with a shadowed view of the magnificent portion of the Great Wall of China even at a distance.

The Mutianyu Great Wall stood about 28 feet high, built mainly with granite. Throughout its stretch, watchtowers could be seen towering above with merlons within its parapets. I secretly wished we had arrived during the day. The view was breathtaking.

"We'll come by during the day, Fire," I said, knowing what was going through her mind. Once we got to the village, she began taking pictures. "No one should pass up the chance to see the Great Wall of China. Do you know my ancestors rebuilt this portion by mixing sticky rice flour and slaked lime?"

"And it's been up for 600 hundred years? Wow!" She exclaimed, snapping away with her phone, hoping to get pictures of the three towers which could be seen from where we were standing.

"Alpha, the restaurant has our tables ready," Charles said to Fire's disappointment.

"Awww...I want to see more of this place. It's so beautiful!"

"Fire, we need to eat. The snow isn't letting up and I think we'll have to trek it all the way to the territory in our wolf form. The others will stay to clear off the pass with a snowplow in the morning," I said.

After we had dinner, I instructed Tyler and his men to go ahead to the territory. The High Elder, my father and Alexander would wait until the morning. When the others had already left, I took Fire to the hidden shed where we could take off our clothes.

"You and I have a date with nature. There's a small cabin near the territory you and I will stay in. The others will go straight to the territory to help defend against the bloodsuckers if they come."

"Drew, shouldn't we go with the others to help defend your territory?" Fire asked, concerned.

"Don't worry, we will. After we have spent some quality time. Air, let Earth shift. She needs to feel the snow between her feet," I murmured.

"What? Why Earth-"

Suddenly, she shifted and out came a chocolate brown wolf with blue eyes. She was a bit smaller than Air, but her fur sparkled gold light when she moved.

As expected, she snarled at me. She pounced, her mouth open, teeth out, ready to tear me apart, but I quickly shifted to my wolf, Dragon, who was much bigger than her. Before she could bite me, I jumped away.

"You have to chase me first."

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Fire

I suddenly shifted and noticed instead of white paws, I had brown ones.

I shifted into Earth! Evidently, it was possible for me to shift into her. But something was different. I felt her need for revenge.

"Earth, I'm warning you. If you hurt Drew, there will be consequences," I told her as she slowly approached Drew in his naked human form, snarling, her teeth bared. Drew's eyes had turned dark with specks of yellow and brown. Dragon was at the surface preparing to shift.

"I'm sick and tired of doing whatever any of you want. None of you care if I'm happy," she snarled. "All I wanted was to be with Damon and you had to take that away from me. Well, if I can't be happy, then no one can."

Earth suddenly jumped in the air, her mouth wide open, ready to rip Drew's head from his body, but she was much too slow for him. Drew shifted into Dragon so swiftly that Earth fell face first into the snow.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk...You have to chase me first, Earth," Dragon said playfully. Earth lifted her head from the snow and saw Dragon's tender brown and yellow eyes looking down at her. "Stand up, she-wolf."

Earth, who could not ward off Drew's Alpha aura, obeyed and stood up which pleased Dragon immensely. Earth whimpered as a sign of her submission.

"Let's go. Long is the trail and cold is the night. Do not leave my side, she-wolf." Dragon took a leather satchel in his mouth and quickly ran-off.

"Ugh." Earth bolted after the black wolf, struggling to run beside him as commanded. It took her twice the effort to keep up with him because she was so much smaller than Dragon.

From a distance, I noticed the sled tracks against the snow left behind the wolves who went ahead of us. I had thought we would follow the path until we were near the territory, but Dragon seemed to be going the opposite direction.

"She-wolf, I said run beside me, not behind me. Hurry now!" Dragon commanded. Earth, although already tired, sped up, running beside Dragon without complaint.

Something had changed. She was angry earlier, but now she actually felt happy even if she was struggling to keep up with Dragon. She was free. She had been caged in the wolf realm for so long that she had no idea how it felt to roam through the world, breathing the air filled with so many scents and aromas, you couldn't just pick one as your favorite.

For a moment, Dragon and Earth gazed into each other's eyes as they ran side by side and I caught her reflection in his eyes. Her fur was sparkling with little flecks of gold as she moved through the wind. Earth was surprised to see how breathtakingly beautiful she was which made her run even more harder than ever before.

The crisp cold air did not dampen Earth's spirit. She ran beside Dragon until we entered the the thick of the forest. The faint moonlight from the sky above had no way of penetrating the dense pine trees which were blanketed heavily with snow. It left the forest dark and eerie.

It took a few moments for Earth's eyes to adjust to the darkness. She sniffed tentatively, looking for Dragon's scent and I suddenly felt her anxiety.

"I think he left us," Earth said anxiously.

"Take a moment and inhale deeply. Dragon isn't far," I instructed her. She inhaled deeply and followed the scent. Finally, to our relief, we saw Dragon's silhouette.

He was standing, his ears standing up, listening. He sniffed the air and growled.

Earth followed suit. Raising her nose, she sniffed and I caught the familiar scent of bloodsucker.

An unexpected howl broke out from a distance. It was calling for help and warning other wolves in the vicinity.

Drew drop the satchel on the ground, raised his head and howled, telling the others back at the village what our situation was.

"I didn't expect them to come so early in the night," Dragon snarled.