A Werewolf Fantasy
Chapter 30

Erin could see that Danshak was mad at her and it made her very unhappy but she didn't know how else to salvage the situation.

"I know you are angry with me and - "

"Not now, Edvana," he said, cutting her off. "We will discuss this later when all of this is over."

She sighed but said nothing further. It was no use trying to apologize to him because nothing she said now would make him feel better. They continued their journey in silence and as they drew closer to Vomani, there was still no sign or sound of either beasts or Nikjin.

"Nikjin sure has a flair for surprises, doesn't he?" Erin remarked dryly.

"You are right, beautiful Edvana," a voice said from the dark cave that borders Vomani and Denai' Vena. "I do love surprises."

Erin felt a shiver run down her spine and the eerie sound of the enemy's voice. Everyone immediately became alert, ready to faceoff with Nikjin's beasts when they finally showed up.

"I love to make grand entrances," Nikjin continued. "And I hate to be predictable."

"Oh, trust me, Uncle. You are predictable," said Danshak. "Always hiding in the shadows and letting your army of wild beasts do the hard work for you."

Nikjin cackled maniacally in the dark cave. "Is that taunt of yours supposed to make me come running to you to prove you wrong?"

"No, but it will send me to you because no darkness can keep me from killing you tonight," Vak shouted from behind. "Step out of my way, all of you!"

The Prime Alpha charged forward and his pack of warriors followed him without hesitation. He has had enough of Nikjin and his childish cat-and-mouse games. He either wanted war or he didn't and he has killed one too many werewolves already for this nonsense to continue.

"Father, no!" Danshak screamed when he saw what was happening.

Going to Vomani to fight with Nikjin was one thing, but entering a pitch-black cave without knowing what awaited them inside was something else entirely. Something that was never in the original plan that they had before this journey began. Vak Smallchief ignored his middle son's warning and dove straight into the darkness to meet his nemesis. Monah and his pack followed the Prime Alpha's pack into the cave to join the commotion going on inside. "Stand back, the rest of you," said Weruona to his brothers and their packs.

"All of us cannot go in there at once. This may be another one of Nikjin's clever traps to keep us surrounded on his own turf. Let us wait here and see if Father and the others will return."

"And how long are we supposed to wait?" asked Zanisck. He hated suspense and was spoiling to go into the cave and join the foray.

"If they do not return within the next one hour, then my pack and I will go in and that leaves Danshak in charge," said Weruona.

"One hour is too long to wait," Zanisck complained. "What if they need our help?"

"We will wait for one hour, Zanisck, and not a second before," said Weruona in a tone that brooked no argument.

Zanisck scoffed but didn't offer any further argument. The eerie silence that enveloped them was unnerving especially because they couldn't hear any sound from the cave.

How was it possible that only a few moments ago, Nikjin was speaking to them through the dark, but now that two werewolf packs had entered there, not even a sound came from within? It didn't make any sense. "Why aren't we hearing anything?" Erin asked.

"Nikjin probably ran back when he saw Father going into the cave," said Danshak. "I am sure he did not think that anyone would be bold enough to come for him inside the dark cave."

"And who says I am in the cave?" Nikjin's voice came through the darkness.

Everyone fell quiet. The fear that permeated the gathering was palpable. It was obvious to all of them by now that something very weird was going on.

"My dear, Danshak. Do you still replace me predictable?" Nikjin asked, enjoying how disoriented the werewolves had become.

"What sort of dirty tricks are you playing this time?" asked Danshak.

"Why don't you come here and replace out?" said Nikjin.

"Do not listen to him, Danshak," said Weruona. "It is a trap."

"We cannot just wait here all night either," said Zanisck. "Why is he the only one talking in the cave?"

"Come in here and replace out son," said Nikjin silkily.

"I am not your son, you evil coward," Zanisck fired back. "Why don't you come out here instead? Are you afraid?"

Nikjin let out another blood-curdling laugh. "Stupid children. Do you even know what fear means?"

"We did not come here to solve riddles with you, Nikjin. Where is our father?" Danshak asked.

"Come here and replace out."

Nobody moved or said anything. They knew this was a trap but they didn't know the best way to tackle it. Staying where they were, seemed like the only reasonable option right now. "Very well," said Nikjin. "You can all remain there if you want. I have all night to wait, but you do not. However, when you are finally ready to come for me, you know where to replace me." Silence descended amongst the packs again, followed by confusion. What now?

"I have never been this indecisive in my entire life," Weruona confessed. "Does anyone have any brilliant suggestions? I am at my wits' end right now."

"Let me go with my pack," said Zanisck.

"If Father and the others are already dead, and I too die, there is you and Danshak here to carry on the Smallchief name. It is even better that the two of you are already married so you stand better chances of extending the Smallchief name than I do."

"Are you insane? Is this the right time to make a jest?" asked Danshak.

"I am being serious," said Zanisck. "As much as I hate to say this, that bastard, Nikjin is right. We cannot stand here all night waiting for something to happen. We might as well go into the cave and replace out what has happened to the Prime Alpha and the others."

There was a murmur of agreement amongst the warriors who were now becoming as curious as Zanisck Smallchief to replace out what lay beyond the cave.

"Fine, we will go in," Weruona conceded. "But you will remain here with Zorraya and Edvana."

"What!" Zanisck exclaimed. "Why?"

"Yes, why?" asked Zorraya.

"It is either that or we all wait here together," Weruona insisted.

"This is insane," Zanisck muttered. "You want me to babysit the she-wolves? Is that my punishment for having a brilliant idea?"

"We need to get moving and stop wasting time bickering with each other," said Danshak.

Erin sighed. She was so over this and wished for the umpteenth time that she had stuck to her original plan to grab that blasted dream stone, put it under her pillow and sleep her way back to Fairbanks where she belonged.

This twisted nightmarish game that Nikjin was playing with them wasn't funny anymore and she can now say with all certainty that her curiosity has been fully satisfied. There was nothing more to see here, plus there was the hairy issue regarding death in this realm.

If her uncle-in-law killed her here, would she be dead in the future too? How would the coroner explain her cause of death to her family?

Maybe she should have kept her promise to Danshak and stayed back in the Smallchief compound because she was way over her head here.

"So, what is going to be?" Zanisck asked.

"My pack goes in next, without Zorraya," said Weruona.

"What - "

"Not now, Zorraya. Please, for once, do not argue with me."

"Weruona - "

He gave Zorraya a hard stare that silenced her instantly. "This is not a negotiation. You will stay here with the others and when only Zanisck's pack is left, you and Edvana will return home with them. Is that clear?"

She said nothing but her eyes begged him to let her follow him.

"Let us go," Weruona said to his pack. "You are now in charge, my brother. Wish me well," he said to Danshak.

The three brothers rubbed their heads together in a werewolf version of a group hug before Weruona and his group marched into the mysterious abyss. It was an emotional moment for all of them especially Zorraya who began to sob quietly where she stood, unable to hide her anguish.

Erin felt as if she was at the venue of the apocalypse watching the Smallchief family disappear into Nikjin's cave one after the other. Perhaps they should have waited for the evil genius to come to them instead of this harrowing experience they were going through right now.

"Are we ever going to come out of this alive? Is there a happy ending after all this?" Erin asked.

Danshak was silent for a few seconds before he spoke again. "If you are beside me in the end, then I will consider it a happy ending."

She looked at him intently, searching his eyes. "What are you saying?"

He put his mouth close to her ear and said, "I am saying that when it is my turn to go in, I want you to join my pack."

Erin gasped in surprise. "Do you mean that?" she whispered back.

"Yes, but you have to be clever about it. I do not want Zanisck and Zorraya to notice your absence until we are gone."

"But why? What changed your mind?"

"I have just realized now that I would rather die with you beside me than die alone," he said honestly. "I know my reason is purely selfish, Edvana, but if this is the end end of our existence, then I want you with me."

Erin felt her heart overflowing with love for her mate. He finally understood her reason for risking her life to follow him here, he finally realized that she was incomplete without him and that made her stupendously happy. "The only thing that can come between us in this life is death," she whispered. "And even death is not enough to separate us because we will replace each other again wherever we end up."

"Soul tie," he said with a knowing smile. "I guess that means you are stuck with me forever."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Do you two not think that it is inappropriate to act this way in front of everybody?" Zorraya asked, shooting daggers at the couple with her eyes.

Her temper has been bubbling to the surface since the two lovebirds started whispering back and forth as if they were hatching a secret plan.

"Says the she-wolf who kissed her mate in the full glare of everyone only an hour ago," Erin shot back.

"Stop it, Edvana," Danshak chided her. "We apologize, Zorraya. We did not mean to offend anyone you."

"I am not offended," said Zorraya. "Edvana will soon understand how I feel when you and your pack go into the cave soon."

Danshak and Erin exchanged looks but said nothing. How Zorraya would react when she discovered that Erin had followed Danshak and his pack into the cave was anyone's guess but that would not stop them.

They had both made up their minds to stick together until the very end and it would take a lot more than Zorraya's wrath to keep them from doing that.

"I think you should get ready to enter the cave, Danshak," said Zanisck. "Enough time has passed since Weruona went in."

"Very well," said Danshak. He glanced at Erin and gave her a look that she recognized as her cue to blend in with the rest of the pack.

Zorraya kept her eyes pinned on Erin as she began to retreat while Danshak and his pack moved forward, disappearing into the crowd of werewolves running into the cave. By the time they were all gone, she was nowhere to be found.