The Devil's Wolf

"She has painted a f-king target to her forehead," Raiden growled, the Other flashing in his eyes as he stepped forward to confront them. "What the f-k were you thinking, Ashlynn? You will bring both human and Other world down on you." "Hi dad," Ashlynn smiled at him, used to the alpha and undaunted by it, having plenty of her own alpha personality, and knowing her father might growl at her, but he would never, ever harm her. "Mum," she met her mother's eyes over her dad's shoulder.

Cecelia's eyes were sympathetic and amused - Raiden was at his werewolf father protective best, but they both knew it was because of how much he loved his cub. Cecelia had been on the receiving side of Raiden's protective nature many times after the trauma of Armageddon, it had taken years for Raiden to relax his guard over his mate and cub.

"I expected you," Raiden was bearing down on Elior, the vampire eye to eye with the werewolf and to all appearances unflustered by the werewolf aggression. "To protect and guide Ashlynn, not to encourage her to expose herself to the entire Other community's wrath."

"Hello, Raiden," Cael smirked enjoying Raiden's wrath.

"And you," Raiden hissed. "Stood there behind her whilst she did this. If I get the chance, you winged hellion, I will rip your intestines from your body and string them from the rafters like Christmas decorations."

"And there you go, dad, being totally gross," Ashlynn complained with a grimace. "Stop threatening my mates, and focus. I did what needed to be done. The vampires shouldn't be fighting this alone, and you agree, or you, mum, Alatar and his coven wouldn't be here. Your real problem is that if you say the vampires shouldn't stand alone, you have to back it up by going to the pack leaders, and you know they won't like what you have to say." There was a moment silence and Raiden inhaled.

"So," Serena, a woman who had crawled down multiple flights of stairs with half of her guts hanging out, wasn't afraid of putting them back out there by coming between a werewolf and his wilful and disobedient cub. "There has been a rather incredible response to Ashlynn's post. It has been re-shared across multiple platforms, and the comments on the original thread are coming almost faster than the app can keep up with. They are almost entirely in support of the vampires. "Others are posting videos of themselves coming out of the glamour, to friends, family, the local takeaway shop, classmates, workplaces... What is more, the humans, from their comments, have absorbed the message that we have always been here, amongst them - and if we have always been here, without harming them, why would that suddenly change?"

"The power of social media," Elior murmured.

Ashlynn smiled at him. "But you always knew that didn't you, my love?"

"It is true that I have attempted to work it to my favor," he agreed modestly. She could not count the amount of hours that he and his children had spent in her presence dispersing their message through the medium of social media, wielding it like a weapon with a sharp edge. "Apparently not as effectively as you have done."

"It is the wings," she told him. "People love the wings. I love the wings."

"I love the wings, too," he said, his voice holding a hint of darkness, and her grin widened with the wickedness implicit in his tone.

She winked at him lasciviously. "Later sugar, we will take the wings for a spin," she promised him, before turning back to her father and mother, and Serena. "I was very careful about what I said. I did not say, gargoyles, werewolves, witches, hobgoblins, angels, devils, warlocks, or anything else specifically that would get anyone upset."

"Nooo," Raiden drew it out. "But it was obvious..."

"That there are Others?" Elior arched an eyebrow. "I think that was Ashlynn's point. She implied it, with the aim of having the humans think of it, without actually exposing anyone. She was, as she always is, exceptionally clever about how she did it. The only people she exposed, were her and Cael. Those who have come out since, have chosen to do so of their own accord."

"She used my name," Raiden pointed out. "And her mother's."

"Yes," Ashlynn met his eyes. "I did. Because if anyone has my back, it is my mum and dad. Or so I have always believed. Are you telling me otherwise, dad?" She challenged him gently. As she had said to Cael, her parents had always supported and encouraged her. She did not think that would change now, when, deep down, they knew she was right.

Raiden's nostril flared. "Destiny knew what it was doing when it matched you to Elior," he said, barely above a growl, but there was a tone of approval in his voice. He admired her daring, and her dedication to doing what was right, for the world, and for her mate. It was how he had raised her, according to werewolf nature, to lead the pack through times of trouble.

"Yes," Elior said with pride, drawing Ashlynn against his side and pressing his lips to her forehead. "It did. And, as political alliances go, there are distinct advantages to marrying the sole heir of the alpha werewolf pair in my local city. That Ashlynn also inherited her mother's bloodline, and the gifts that bestows, is an added benefit."

"That she is Ashlynn is another," Cael added in an undertone.

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"As my devil says," Elior agreed comfortably. "So, Ashlynn has issued a call to arms to the Other world," he looked down at her, his eyes warming. "It was an incredibly risky and brave thing to do. And they are responding. Whilst the humans digest this change, we need to prepare to hold this position for the indefinite future and I," his eyes cooled and looked away from Ashlynn's. "Will need to issue the order to release the military."

"Please," Ashlynn clung to him. "Please, not until it's necessary."

"At what point is it necessary enough?" Elior replied gently. "We are betrayed by our own, the vampire hierarchy of this city forced into one building, our wider community victim to the actions of those that move against us... Vampires are dying, Ashlynn, every moment that we delay."

"Once you use the military..."

There was a thud from beyond the glass, that sent a vibration through the floor, and the vampires at the front gestured urgently as there was a shout from outside the building.

"This area is under..." The humans yelled into their amplifier.

A roar cut off whatever they might have said, and the glass doors at the front of the building slid open as three overlarge men pushed their way into the foyer and stood rocking their heads back and forth on their necks to show their impressive muscles and girth as their wings retracted and the stone-dull faded into the hue of skin.

"Gargoyles," Raiden murmured, impressed. "The gargoyle triad."

Further thuds reverberated from the front of the building and the doors opened and stayed that way as further large men moved into the building, looking at the alterations to the foyer with interest. They were all beautiful, heavily muscled, and naked, the stone-hue of their skin fading and emphasising the last point, but none of them seeming to be bothered by their bareness.

"Well, the view just improved," Ashlynn exchanged a look with her mother who smothered her smile beneath her hand. "Considerably. Would it be rude to take a photo? Or twenty thousand?"

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 000005s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! "Ashlynn," Cecelia murmured.

"Like you weren't wondering the same thing," Ashlynn smirked.

"Raiden Grenmeyer and Elior Cohen," Dior declared across the echoing foyer, all other voices falling silent beneath the command and depth of his, the vampires openly staring. "The gargoyles gather to fight for the vampires." "Dior," Elior stepped forward gracefully. "I am grateful for your response."

Dior's lip curled in the corner, his eyes flashing greenly with his Other. "Your mates are brave and beautiful. If they were not yours, we would challenge for them."

"I thank you," Elior responded smoothly, undaunted by either the compliment or the implied threat. "I certainly find them both incredibly brave and beautiful."

"If you die in the upcoming battle," Dior replied indifferently. "Etienne and Blaise intend to claim the female for our triad's nest. We are of the appropriate age to take a female mate and begin to have young. We are here to ensure that our interests are protected."

Raiden's other flashed Golden his eyes. "Ashlynn is my daughter."

"An appropriate bride price will be paid," Dior assured him.

"Don't die," Ashlynn cautioned Elior firmly in an undertone.

"It wasn't in my plans," the vampire assured her, mildly amused. He turned to Serena. "Call the human news stations. I want footage of humans attacking vampires on every channel. Let's turn the dialogue on this around. Raiden," he turned to the werewolf. "If I can leave it to you and Nate to orientate the gargoyles, I need to make some phone calls."