Chapter 6 : Trade

Drake descended the stairs to find Lilly sitting calmly, sipping wine as she waited. His enhanced senses picked up the faint aroma of the grilled meat scattered across the plate on the table. Lilly was leisurely picking at the pieces with a fork.

When she noticed him, she placed the wine glass down.

Drake approached her, feeling anxious, nervous, and lost. He had no idea what to say.

"Sit," Lilly commanded. Without hesitation, Drake complied, sinking into the chair opposite her.

"I know you're confused—who am I, how do I know you're a hybrid?" she began, her voice steady. "By now, you should realize I'm not human. I'm a werewolf, part of a pack. I can smell the faint scent of blood clinging to you."

Her calm, composed expression made the pressure in Drake's chest rise. He swallowed hard.

"Your eyes. You've seen them in the mirror, right?" Lilly asked, her tone soft. Drake nodded.

"That's what will likely give you away as a hybrid," she continued, taking another sip of wine. "Nice flavor."

Drake's heart pounded as he asked, his voice shaky, "What can I do to stop myself from being exposed?"

Though outwardly calm, inside, his mind was a boiling storm, terrified of what might happen if he lost control—especially after facing that terrifying werewolf earlier.

"Relax," Lilly said vaguely, "It's pretty simple. Just choose one."

Confused by her words, Drake frowned but tried. He closed his eyes, and in the darkness, he saw them—two beings.

He settled his focus on the wolf, and the transformation began. Drake screamed as his bones dislocated, twisted, and reformed.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Lilly chuckled. "You'll transform into a werewolf when you do that. It's how new borns start."

She hadn't forgotten; she just wanted to enjoy the show.

The pain was indescribable—his skin tore apart as fur rapidly sprouted, his bones cracked and elongated, his jaw dislocating and reshaping itself. His humanity was being ripped away.

"Aargh!" Drake's hands hit the ground, now resembling monstrous claws. His fingers stretched, fur spreading across his skin like wildfire. His face distorted, taking the form of a wolf's jaw.

With a final, earth-shaking roar, the transformation completed. Drake had become a massive, three-meter-tall werewolf. His sharp claws gleamed coldly under the dim light, his canines now massive, the largest reaching five inches in length. His fur was a rich brown, gleaming in the faint light.

"Brown, huh… my color," Lilly muttered, clicking her tongue as she stood. At 1.6 meters, she was dwarfed by the monstrous being before her. Yet, she showed no fear.

Drake could only watch from within as a bystander. He had lost control.

The wolf snarled, feeling challenged by this small, weak human.

"Know your place," Lilly commanded, her eyes glowing red.

Drake's wolf form whimpered. **Wait... she's an alpha!** he realized as fear rippled through him.

"Take control," Lilly ordered, her voice cold.

With effort, Drake regained control of the beast. The werewolf's body lowered itself as Lilly returned to her seat.

"I have an offer for you," she said, unbothered by the monstrous form in front of her.

Drake, still amazed by the power in his wolf form, marveled at how natural it felt. Unlike the cold, indifferent power of his vampire self, the werewolf was warm, alive, and feral.

"Focus," Lilly snapped, her red eyes locking onto his. Drake felt immense pressure, whimpering as he was forced into submission.

It reminded him of how dogs cower when disciplined by their masters.

"I said, I have an offer," Lilly repeated, a frown crossing her face.

"Y-yes, I'm listening," Drake stammered, forgetting the thrill of his new form.

"I need your blood for something. Afterward, I might consider accepting you into my pack… as a slave." She stood, lifting his arm effortlessly. Her grip was like iron, and Drake found he couldn't move.

Lilly's finger elongated into a sharp claw, slicing through his fur as if it were nothing.

Drake knew how tough his werewolf skin was—close to steel—but Lilly's claw cut through it like butter. He could only watch as his blood filled the wine glass.

The moment her claw left his skin, his wounds healed instantly. The cup brimmed with his blood.

"How old are you?" Drake asked nervously, trying to distract himself.

"Older than you can imagine. You're practically a child to me," Lilly replied with a smirk, making Drake laugh nervously.

Lilly placed the glass on the table and returned to her seat.

"Stay in this form," she instructed. "Once we're done, you'll leave. There's a phone upstairs. Use it to find your way back home. Run in your wolf body—it'll help you gain better control."

Drake nodded, his mind racing to absorb everything.

"Remember, there are different packs in the area. If you smell another wolf, run. If you catch a scent that burns you, it's a vampire."

Drake nodded again, taking mental notes.

"My pack is made up entirely of alphas. You'll be the first omega, so expect mistreatment. But as part of my pack, you'll have the best protection and be a god among the lower wolves. Use that wisely."

She paused before continuing.

"Werewolf ranks are similar to what you've seen in movies, but with some differences. There are omegas like you, betas—either the Luna or soldiers—and alphas, the pack leaders. Above them are the High Wolves, Original Wolves, and Ancestor Wolves. That's all I know, but there are rumors... the First is waking up."

Her words hit Drake like a sledgehammer, too much to process all at once.

"What are High Wolves, Original Wolves, Ancestor Wolves… and the First?" Drake asked, stunned. "And what do you need my blood for?"

"Sigh… I hate newborns…" Lilly muttered. "High Wolves are a rank you reach when an Alpha has killed 100 other Alphas. But the Original Wolves? That's a rank you can't attain. Only the direct kin of the Ancestor Wolves can hold that title.

"Ancestor Wolves are the closest descendants of the very first werewolf in history. There's a legend that says the First Werewolf and the Ancestor Wolves lived during the human tribe era, the earliest to ever exist. But now, they're just history. No one's seen an Ancestor Wolf in ages, and even the Original Wolves disappeared 200 years ago. So now, High Wolves rule at the top."

Lilly took another sip from her glass and stood up, preparing to leave.

"Your blood…" she paused. "It's to heal one of the High Wolves."

Drake quickly blurted, "Wait… can you still tell me how old you are? And how can my blood help a High Wolf?"

Lilly turned slightly, giving him a vague answer, "310 years old, and you don't need to know the rest." With that, her presence vanished. Drake tried to catch her scent, but it had disappeared completely.

"310… wow. She's like my great, great, great grandmother," he thought, still processing the encounter.

Drake stood there for a while, lost in thought, sorting through everything he'd just learned. It was different from anything he'd seen in movies, and the fact that he was now just an Omega gnawed at him. He hadn't asked, but he wondered if there was a chance for him to become an Alpha eventually. What really bugged him, though, was the question of what rank the wolf that bit him held.

He looked down at his new wolf body, noticing the change in smell and the way his senses worked. Unlike his vampire form, where the scent of blood was overpowering and sounds were deafening, his werewolf body could distinguish between scents with greater precision. Blood, meat, and other smells separated distinctly rather than blurring together.

Comparing his two forms, Drake realized they were quite similar in many ways. Yet, his new height—towering at three meters—was strikingly different. The experience of standing on hind legs amazed him. He spent some time walking around, testing his new body, getting accustomed to controlling his strength before heading upstairs.

Drake grabbed the phone, checked the GPS, and sighed.

It was Tuesday, and the time read 12:00 PM.

Seeing the distance he'd have to travel to return made Drake feel a bit down. He'd definitely miss school.

Stepping outside, the fresh scent of life and prey filled his senses. The sounds, the smells—it all rushed at him, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, Drake embraced it. He crouched into a four-legged stance and sprinted away, his speed on par with his vampire form, but with far greater control. His vision sharpened—20 times that of a human's—as he dashed forward.

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Meanwhile…

A luxurious, sleek black Ferat car sped along a winding road. In under an hour, it arrived at a secluded mansion.

At a checkpoint, the woman driving handed the guard a card, exchanged a few words, and was promptly allowed inside. She drove for a few more minutes before reaching the gigantic mansion, where several werewolves patrolled—only Omegas.

Lilly parked the car and stepped out, her eyes glowing red as the wolves respectfully backed away, clearing her path. Inside, a man with glowing blue eyes awaited her. His demeanor was cold, and the glow signified his rank—Beta. He seemed to have been expecting her, leading her silently through the mansion.

"How is he?" Lilly asked, concern lacing her voice.

"It's getting worse… I don't think your father can make it another hundred years," the Beta replied emotionlessly. This wasn't an ordinary Beta; he was one of the few trusted enough to speak candidly about the death of a High Wolf.

"It'll be fine… I brought the cure," Lilly said, her voice breaking the heavy silence. The Beta paused for a moment, his curiosity piqued.

"You found a hybrid?" he asked, turning slightly toward her.

"Yes," Lilly replied with a confident smile. **Father, you will be well again.** She thought, hope filling her heart.

"We're almost there," the Beta said as they approached a large door. Two massive wolves—each three meters tall with glowing blue eyes—guarded it. They nodded in acknowledgment, allowing Lilly and the Beta to pass.

Inside, the sight of a frail, skeletal wolf lying on a king bed greeted them. The wolf was drained of strength, its fur dull and lifeless. Several other wolves stood around, watching the Alpha's condition deteriorate.

"My child… you're here…" came the weak, aged voice of the High Alpha as Lilly entered.

A smile lit up Lilly's face as she rushed to her father's side. She wasted no time, pulling out a small bottle.

"Father, I got hybrid blood," Lilly said excitedly.

The aged wolf's eyes widened in shock before a deep sorrow crossed his features.

"Alas, Lilly, hybrid blood no longer exists. All hybrids were killed, and to create one, you would need an Original Wolf and an Original Vampire. Without both, a hybrid cannot be made," the old wolf explained, his joy at seeing his daughter washed away by the weight of the truth.

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