Lloyd watched her with a frosty expression. For a long moment, no one spoke. Mireille's gaze dropped to the trembling grass, her shoulders slumping. Haa… great. This kind of sucks. I hope my next life is filled with love, at least. Her eyes drooped, head hanging low, and the air around her thickened with gloom as she awaited his judgment.
Lloyd observed the vampire's posture, the way she seemed to shrink under his gaze. For a fleeting second, something shifted in him—an unexplainable feeling—but it was faint, almost imperceptible. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Fine. You live… for now," he said, his voice low and measured. "But first, you answer a few questions."
Light returned to Mireille's eyes, hope rekindling. She nodded vigorously, as if afraid he might not see her otherwise. "I'll answer anything."
"First… what exactly are you?" Lloyd asked, eyes narrowing. "Why does your scent feel… mixed?"
"Well… I'm half vampire, half human," she admitted.
"That explains the human scent, but why do you smell like herbs and moss? It's… odd," Seven remarked, curiosity tinged with amusement.
"Yeah, almost like an elf. Don't tell me you've got elf blood too—that'd be a first," Zave speculated. Alex snorted, muttering under his breath, "This is pointless."
Mireille remained quiet, ignoring Zave's guesses. "Anyway… I'm just a half-vamp, unwanted by both my races. Ha." She let out a faint, self-deprecating laugh.
The werewolves exchanged glances, their curiosity evident. "Okay… how about this—do you want to join us?" Lloyd asked, eyes fixed on her.
Mireille's eyes widened in disbelief.
"No! I don't agree!" Alex bellowed, neck stiff, though he knew he was challenging the alpha.
"I don't think this is a good idea either, Lloyd. Think about it again," Zave added, somber, voice careful.
"Why not? I think it's a great idea. A new member could bring fresh energy to the pack," Seven said playfully, a sly smile on his face.
Alex glared at Seven.
"Quiet. Let's hear her choice," Lloyd interrupted. "What do you say? Want to come aboard?"
"Huh? Are you serious? You want me to join you… as backup dinner?" Mireille asked, incredulous, a small shiver running down her spine.
"It's your choice," Lloyd replied calmly. "But if you join us, we guarantee your safety and—" He paused, eyes sweeping her thin frame. "—you won't go hungry."
Mireille hesitated, torn. The offer was tempting, yet she had lived long enough in shadows to know caution. Especially with the blood moon approaching. It was a crimson curse—beautiful but deadly. Though it lasted only an hour or so, it was enough for vampires and werewolves to wreak havoc on an entire human settlement. Vampires lost reason under its glow, descending into uncontrollable bloodlust, while werewolves either found solace with mates or sought thrill and battle in its chaos.
"Aren't you going to answer?" Lloyd pressed as she stayed silent.
"Umm… it's not that I don't want to… but I don't think it's a good idea," she said finally.
"Yeah, Lloyd, we can't keep a vampire in the pack. What if she stabs us in the back?" Alex said begrudgingly.
"Do you not trust my judgment, Alex?" Lloyd asked, voice dropping with a subtle warning.
Alex turned his head away, frowning. Zave remained silent, lost in thought.
"Well, having her around wouldn't be so bad. It could freshen things up a bit," Seven tried to reason, but Alex gave no reaction.
Lloyd's gaze returned to Mireille, expectant.
"Give me some time to think," she finally whispered, sighing.
"Okay. Take this," Lloyd said, handing her a small, exquisite token. "Once you decide, come find us."
Mireille examined the token, feeling its weight in her hand. She nodded, then stepped back slowly, glancing over her shoulder. Seeing no movement, she bolted, disappearing into the dense forest like a shadow.
Back on her way home, Mireille moved cautiously, alert to every sound. Despite her vigilance, she found nothing to eat. Well… I guess no dinner tonight.
She returned to her home: a cave carved into the mountain, hidden behind a large rock. Inside, it was almost bare—a shelter rather than a home. A pile of dried grass and a scrap of cloth served as her bed. Silence and stone surrounded her.
Deeper tunnels, carved long ago, twisted through the mountain. She had dug them herself, secret escape routes born of solitude and desperation.
Mireille sat on her bed, turning over the werewolves' offer in her mind. Could she trust them? Or would joining them bring danger instead of protection?
Meanwhile, back in the forest…
"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Lloyd?" Zave asked, unease flickering in his silver eyes.
Lloyd gave a confident glance. Of course, it said without a word.
"We're going back," Lloyd announced, shifting into his massive black-furred wolf form. His golden eyes glowed with dominance.
"This is going to be fun," Seven said, transforming as well. His fur was mostly black, streaked with grey, muscles coiled and ready.
Zave shifted next, his silver fur glinting in the moonlight. They raced through the forest toward their cabin.
Alex watched them leave, eyes narrowing. Then he shifted into a white wolf, following the faint scent of the half-vamp.
He tracked her through the forest to the base of the mountain, climbing briefly before losing her scent. He descended, picking it up again near the base, but before he could pursue further, a sharp pain split his head. Tsk. The alpha was calling him back. With a growl of annoyance, Alex darted back to the pack.
Days passed. Mireille gradually tried to forget the encounter, basking in sunlight near her cave entrance one afternoon. Then she heard footsteps approaching. Who… and how did they find me? She quickly hid deeper inside the cave, heart pounding.
"Are you sure her scent vanished here?" Lloyd asked Alex at the base of the mountain.
"Yeah, I'm not mistaken," Alex replied, irritation clear. He had been forced by Lloyd to lead the search after she vanished without a trace that night.
As the werewolves climbed higher, Alex picked up a faint trace again. At first, he tried to conceal it, but as they ascended, the scent became undeniable. They traced it all the way to the hidden cave entrance.
"Well, someone's good at hide-and-seek," Seven exclaimed in surprise, finding the cleverly concealed entrance.
Lloyd's golden eyes lingered on the cave, unreadable. Something flickered behind them—pity? curiosity? maybe even faint amusement.
"W-who's there?" Mireille whispered, tense, clutching the edge of the cave wall. What are they doing all the way up here?