Mathias (#1 The Chronicles of the Demon Wolf)
Chapter 8

Mathias and his brothers come out of the portal and confront Stefano about their recent replaceing. The Daemon High Lord nods in understatement. They know the Angels would get involved in this matter if the Necromancers are set out to look for the Book of the Damned.

“Best if you could give them a head up,” Mathias tells him.

“The book is heavily guarded by the Angels. The Necromancers would have to fight to their death if they wanted the book,” Stefano replies.

The 1st Battalion Commander shakes his head. “They have enough blood to spill, Uncle. They’re not afraid of death until they get what they wanted.”

“Do you reckon you could send us there?” Tanto questions.

Stefano shakes his head as a means of no. “The land where we keep the Book of the Damned is not a land for a mortal like you, Tanto. You have a higher chance of dying from madness than being killed by a monster there.”

Yes, it is true that only souls could enter the World of the Dead. But, a physical body could too. It just doesn’t last longer than a soul. A physical body would degrade slowly when it enters the World of the Dead. That is because the energy of the surroundings affects the body. If the Soul Eaters or the Dark Shadows didn’t kill harm the physical body, then nature would do the job.

The World of the Dead is actually divided into two parts. Mathias studied it during his entire study in high school and college. He spent thousands of hours trying to understand the World of the Dead and how it all connected with his pack’s past history.

The first part of the World of the Dead is what he called the Arrival Zone. That’s where all the souls arrive in the world. It’s basically a middle of nowhere. Sometimes, it mimics the location of the person’s last memory.

Other than that, it’s just darkness accompanied by thousands of Soul Eaters lurking around and the Dark Shadows. Dark Shadows are the Guardian of the Door that connects the World of the Dead and the World of the Living. Basically, the Dark Shadows are the security guards that keep everyone in the World of the Dead stays. Well, the main danger is the Soul Eaters. They hunt souls for food. Souls linger in the World of the Dead because they are not granted passage to the Afterlife or maybe because they have unsettled business.

The second zone is what Mathias called the Departure Zone. Dozens of erupting volcanoes, continuous flow of lava, endless screams of the punished souls and unbearable heat. It’s a living nightmare. Call it as Secondary Hell if anyone wishes but it’s not where the sinned souls were punished. It’s just a passage for the sinned souls to go through before they proceed to the Afterlife where they would receive the eternal punishment. Thousands of monsters live in there. They were once humans but their sins were too great thus they were condemned to roam the Departure Zone instead of proceeding to the Afterlife.

The pure souls, those who never committed heavy sins, are always greeted by the Angel once they enter the World of the Dead. The Angel would grant them a passage to the Afterlife without hesitation. The impure souls would either roam around the Arrival Zone or being granted passage through the Departure Zone.

“We’re not just mere mortals,” Tanto objects.

“His Angelic blood in our veins isn’t enough to protect us from whatever lives in there,” Mathias replies lowly.

“Then, send me in,” Someone else says.

The brothers and the Daemon High Lord turn around just to see Eva stands by the door of the portal room. Her eyes quickly land on Mathias and he could see she finally at ease.

“No,” the 1st Battalion Commander objects. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Just because my mom relinquished her immortality, it doesn’t mean she’s any lesser than a God. I’m the only chance you have to defend the Book.”

“And us,” her siblings arrive at the scene.

“Great, the Blake siblings are all here,” Tanto says.

Luna Blake, the oldest of the Blake siblings, is just a year younger than Mathias. She supposed to be in France because she continues her study there. She also leads the 1st Battalion of France Werewolf’s Council and currently in her second year of Alpha’s Training. Eva is the second in the siblings. Then followed by Micah, 18, and Silas, 17, who is still studying in college and high school respectively.

“Mathias is right,” Stefano says looking at everyone. “It’s too dangerous for any of you to go in there. For now, let the Angels protect the book.”

As much as Mathias hates sitting this one out, he knows Stefano is right. It’s far too dangerous for any of them to enter the Departure Zone of the World of the Dead. If the monsters didn’t kill them, nature would do it. It’s just how it is. The Departure Zone is no place for a sane person. They would likely die of madness rather than getting killed.

“I need to clear my head,” Mathias says, at last, leaving the basement alone.

He walks to the elevator and presses the button going up. Too many things going on at once. He knows he has to get the mastermind this time. Mathias did his first mistake when he refused to kill him. Now, no more. He would replace the weapon to kill him.

Mathias enters the elevator and chooses the rooftop floor as his destination. The rooftop always does the trick to clear his mind. A few seconds later, the doors slide open.

“Mathias…” Chelsea stands right before him. “I didn’t know you’ve returned.”

Instead of answering her, he walks past her. He heads to the edge of the building and looks ahead. Hundreds of buildings of different designs spread upon him. This is the world that his people have worked hard to keep safe. Thousands of supernatural species living the same community and under the same government. This is his family’s life work. His mother worked hard to get this possible—to create peace with all the species.

“Are you alright?” Chelsea asks while standing a few meters behind him.

“You should leave, Chelsea,” he replies without a glance.

“N-n-no. You look like you could use some company.”

Mathias has no energy to argue today. He lets it slides this time. Chelsea comes closer to his side and he could smell the strong fragrance emitted from her skin. A scent of strawberry. It smells like as if she soaked in strawberry scented water for hours just to make the scent sticks to her skin.

Something about her scent calming him down and at the same time, making his demon wolf furious at him. One day, his demon wolf has to accept the fact that Eva is not their true mate.

“Do you feel the bond?” he asks her after a few minutes of silence.

“Not as strong as I thought it would be,” she replies, glancing briefly at him. “I know what you are. I mean, everyone does. I know it doesn’t work the same way for you.”

“Was that what you read?” he nods to the bag on her back.

He spots several books about demon wolves inside the bag of hers. Did she spend her time up here to read those books instead of getting a rest after a long day of training?

She wanted to say something but nothing came out. Chelsea zips her bag and turns to him. “I just wanted to understand you more. That’s all.”

“I don’t need anyone to understand me.”

“But, I wanted to.”

Mathias ruffles his hair. “Chelsea, I don’t think this would work—”

Before he could finish his sentence, she tiptoes and kisses him. There are two possible outcomes from this. One, he could just push her away to break the kiss. Two, he could pull her closer and deepens the kiss.

She’s his mate after all. It’s just his heart and demon wolf refused to acknowledge it. It’s just too complicated for him. He wanted his true mate since the beginning. But, ever since he’s with Eva, he just wished he didn’t meet his mate this soon.

Without him noticing it, he pushes her away.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Mathias snarls.

His own consciousness begins to deteriorate and replaces by his demon wolf. Chelsea startles by the sudden changes in his tone. It does not sound like he’s speaking for himself. Something else speaks for him. Her heart races against her ribcages when his right-hand wraps around her neck. In a blink of an eye, Chelsea groans in pain when her back connects to the wall of the small room which houses the elevator.

Mathias’ eyes change completely to the blood red indicating his demon wolf is taking over completely. They were right. She should have listened to those voices in her head telling her that Mathias is too dangerous.

“M-M-Mathias…” she stutters his name.

Her hand reaches to touch his neck but his left-hand pins it to her side. Chelsea yells in pain realizing he has broken her wrist. Tears stream down her face.

“P-p-please don’t hurt me…” she cries.

“You should be afraid of me, pup,” the demon wolf says menacingly. “I could kill you right at this moment.”

“I’m your mate. You wouldn’t—”

It laughs. “Mate is just a pawn. A demon wolf—a monster like me do not need mate at all.”

“You didn’t mean that.”

As much as the broken wrist stings her, it couldn’t be compared with the pain of his words.

“You are not fit to be my mate. You’re weak. A damsel in distress. A burden. You couldn’t even defend your own life. Let alone an entire pack.” his face is just inches away from hers. “You are nothing like her.”

His canines elongated from his gum. His eyes are fixed to the pulse on her neck. Oh Goddess, he really wants to stop that pulse from beating. Mathias licks his lips, thinking about the taste of the blood that would flood his mouth.

Afraid to see what he would do, Chelsea shuts her eyes tight and accepts her fate. Maybe the book is right. A demon wolf never likes its host has a mate. Mathias’ demon wolf is going for the kill because that is how much it hates seeing its host having a mate.

She’s hopeless against a demon wolf.

As soon his canines pierce the skin of her neck, Chelsea screams in pain. The poison in his canines fills the blood veins on her neck sending her body in a paralytic moment. Like a vampire thirsty for blood, Mathias is no different. He craves for the taste of blood. Sometimes, he purposely bites the inner flesh of his cheek just to taste the blood.

The monster has struck again. This time, it’s going for the mate.

The burden, as it calls her.

Chelsea is having a hard time keeping her eyes open. She feels too tired out of sudden. A nap sounds so good to her right now. Her hands couldn’t move at all. She starts to feel suffocating.

Then, she drops on the floor like a rock. Her blurry vision sees someone wrestling Mathias to the floor. He growls and retaliates against whoever that is.

“She’s fading!” a woman shouts to someone else. “I’m taking her to Lady Amanda.”

She feels two hands snake underneath her body and then, she’s no longer on the floor. Chelsea’s blurry eyes still fixed on Mathias fighting with someone before two join in.

When the two figures separate Mathias with chains and the other person by keeping him away, Chelsea sees the face of the person who pulled Mathias away from her.

“Sebastian…”

Darkness consumes her.