Chapter 7

The tension was getting to superfluous levels in every pack. The funny thing was even the non-players, Vampire and other witches which were neighbors of the five packs were interested in the outcome. The tournament was a game changer for the whole of Astra. Among the vampires who watching the completion closely was Lord Gilbert. He had invested much of his time in ensuring Elliot won it and he was not stupid to support him. He was viewing the bigger picture. It was so unrealistic for a vampire to support their biggest enemy, a single bite could end them.

"Am not sure your plan will work" Gideon one and maybe the only of Lord Gilbert's friends said.

"Trust me Gideon once Elliot trusts me I will gain access to the moonstone, use his army to win our battles and when we are done" he stopped to pick a glass, placed it on the edge of the table, "When we are done I will destroy it and destroy them forever" he said knocking it off.

The glass cracked into pieces on hitting the ground. Gideon looked as though he was not impressed. That was because he was not. He kept drinking blood from his blood bank. Belched and threw the empty bag away then picked up another one. It was his sixth in less than half an hour. Gideon was a heavy feeder owing to his old age and the amount of strength he possessed.

"Did you even get what I said?" Gilbert asked.

"No, and I don't care" Gideon said getting up on his feet, apart from feeding heavily he was also arrogant.

Gilbert used his super speed and rushed to lock the door. When Gideon got to him they stood staring down at each other like two ultimate fighting championship fighters ready to knock each other out of breath. From the look of things Gilbert was standing a chance to win. He was huge and older than Gideon which made him stronger, faster and brutal. To get to that age he had killed thousands of souls. One watching close enough could see it in his eyes, he was no man to stand against. The contrary might have been the shortest cut to death and he looked like he could offer it gladly without straining.

"Move" Gideon threatened releasing a growl.

"You will show me some respect!" Gilbert ordered growling even louder, "I deserve the respect and I demand it"

His eyes became bloodshot, veins formed around the eye sockets. He had morphed, his sharp carnassial teeth sprouted. Gilbert was looking for a fight and he wanted to instill some respect into his old friend. Together they had been through a lot yes but respect was paramount within the walls of his castle, he was on top of the food chain. Then the rest followed including his brother and friend Gideon.

"Ooh there you go again, like you did not bring all this upon us in the first place" Gideon said turning around, "For how long will you keep creating problems and then expect all of us to suffer because of them?"

"Why is it always my fault?" Gilbert asked with hands spread, he morphed back to human for the conversation that was building.

"Because it is" Gideon said pointing at him, "You want to control everything around you and in the process of doing that you endanger everyone around you. How I wish you could do the same when solving your damn problems. Do it alone!"

Gilbert could not take it anymore. He moved in super speed and knocked Gideon down from behind. Gideon got up fast as though he didn't fall in the fast place, he quickly morphed and send two successive punches on Gilbert's head area forcing him to retreat his, a kick in the mid-section pushing him to the wall. He readjusted the collar of his shirt and rolled his sleeves. Gideon thought he was coming after him with his hands but Gilbert grabbed a steel curtain rod ripping it off the wall. He hit Gideon's legs forcing him down on his knees. With the rod around his neck he started squeezing life out of him.

"Am the head of this convent what I say goes" Gilbert said, "If you feel like you can't live with my rules you are free to leave"

"Get me out of this thing you old rascal" Gideon ordered.

"Am not until you acknowledge me, this old rascal has kept you safe and fed for centuries the last you can do is respect him" Gilbert said.

Gideon was fading, all he was left to do was groan trying with his last gasp to free himself. No matter how powerful he was a silver rod around his neck was blocking air from getting into his lungs. He tried to tap out but Gilbert was determined to suck respect out of him. Gideon faded off and collapsed. Gilbert dropped the rod and walked to the nearby chair. He just wanted to instill discipline in him not to kill him. After a few minutes Gideon came round. Beside he was centuries old killing him with an iron rod was an understatement.

"Want some more?" Gilbert asked.

"No" He said getting on his feet.

"Am sorry..."

"No you are not, we both know the mighty Lord Gilbert never apologizes to anyone but demands an apology from everyone, then he wonders why he has few friends"

"Come on Gideon am trying to correct my mistakes here and the only person who can help me is you" Gilbert said.

Injured Gideon walked to the minibar and poured a glass of whiskey. Gideon was thinking about it. The fact was it was only him who could help his friend out. Gilbert did not have many friends. Even the vampires in the coven were compelled to stay and do whatever he wanted. That was the advantage he had over them, compulsion. Those that refused to fall in line such as those who took a lot of wolfs bane to deter compulsion were branded as enemies and killed by their own friends. When asked why he did that he said that's how he ran the coven, that's why he had survived massacres and pandemics. That the decisions he made were the only thing keeping most of them alive.

"Am in but we do it my way" Gideon said drinking the glass empty.

"Agreed" Gilbert said with a smile.

"I would love to start with your little wolf friends, show them a thing or two about combat, what do you think?" he asked.

That's how they operated. After beating the hell out of each at least once after every two or three weeks they would sit down and enjoy a drink as if nothing happened. Usually the maids would find broken furniture, torn curtains with broken or bend curtain rods, holes in the walls and other signs of a supernatural war and since they healed quicker than they got injured not even a single bruise.

"Who do you have in mind?" Gilbert asked.

"Elliot, he is the opportunist isn't he?"

"You're right, Cheers brother" Gilbert said rising his wine glass.

"Cheers!" Gideon said.

All Gideon ever wanted was acknowledgement as an important person in his life, as though a rough over his head and protection, freedom to drink from any vein he wanted in Astra was not enough.

*********

Wayne's crescent pack was the smallest and the weakest which meant it was always ignored, provoked and maybe sometimes overlooked in that it was not considered much of a bigger threat. And that was his advantage. Wayne's advantage, something he wanted to manipulate for a long time. Elliot was the opportunist but he was the master manipulator. He wanted to change the course of the supernatural history of Astra by winning the league of Alpha's. And the best way to do it was to keep his head down and work on the unknown while everyone else worked with the known.

It was Wayne who was behind the predicted surge of new vampires. It was the strings he pulled and no one could ever think it was him. After all he was not as connected as the Alpha's of the bigger pack were.

After coming back from Ava's Wayne went back to his pack house and locked the door. He always spend most of his time hiding behind that room. On the wall there was a board with all his conspiracy theories. Pictures of some great and powerful supernatural. The vampires and witches that scared the hell out of other supernatural creatures, most of them were either locked away by magic others he didn't know where they were. The door was knocked. Wayne went to check who it was before he opened it.

"So, how did it go?" Lilia the pack Luna asked.

"As expected Ava turned us down" he said.

She smiled and entangled her arms around his neck. Looking straight into his eyes.

"Are you genuinely sad she let you guys down?" She asked.

"No am not it gives me more time to brace myself up" He said smiling.

"I knew it, come on let's go everyone is waiting" She said leading the way outside his secret hideout.