The fate of the Rejected Alpha

THE FIRST MISSION

A moon later…

The moon was already rising in the sky. The night was cold and silent, which was frightening for the human women in the city of Kiruna, located in Sweden. About six months ago, Sweden asked for help from the government of Reikiavik, Iceland. But they didn’t want to put their men at risk and passed the request to the government of Murmansk, Russia, as they were the ones working directly with Mary Van Helsing.

Margaret had finally given Occisor the books that addressed everything about lycanthropes, from the brothers who disputed the title of god of the moon, to the beginning of the hunt and enslavement of humans for his kind.

“Occisor,” Mary caught the attention of the young man who was quietly eating his meal.

Still chewing, he looked at her and raised his eyebrows.

“Margaret,” Mary called.

Margaret, who was eating her potatoes in silence, also looked up.

“The government has already set the next mission. Margaret, you’ll be here alone for a while, it won’t take more than a week. I’ll take Occisor with me.”

“Why can’t I come with you?”

“I want to assess how Occisor will solve this case.”

“Where is it? What is it?”

“It’s in Kiruna, Sweden.”

“That’s too far from here. Why did they gave you a mission so far away?”

“Eight months ago, a serial killer started going after young people between the ages of 15 and 17 there. He tortures them, rapes them, then beheads them.”

“Monster.” Margaret felt cold as she imagined what the victims had gone through.

“He’s smart, he’s good at fighting and he can shoot pretty good. A lot of cops died while hunting for him. And they saw no other option but to ask our government for help, which means this is our case now.”NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

“But, Mary, what’s this town like? It’s not dangerous to…”

“The city is known as the darkness of eternal polar night.”

“What does this mean?” Occisor questioned, confused.

Mary always found the expression he makes when he doesn’t know something cute, it’s the only time she sees him as a puppy that still needs to be protected.

“The sun is not present there, unless, of course, during the months of May and July. Other than that, it’s only night. I’m in no danger of getting sick in that town.”

“Just like here, then.”

“Yes. The city doesn’t have many inhabitants. There’s no base there either, we’ll have to stay at an inn.”

The reason they live in Murmansk is that the sun appears only fifty-three days a year. The cold is perfect for Mary, who has a cold body by nature. After all, just like she says herself, she’s a walking corpse.

“I don’t want to go.”

“I told you what happens if you refuse. I don’t want to have to hunt you down, torture you and then kill you.”

“While one species of monsters rejects me, the other wants to enslave me. I can’t tell the difference,” the boy said, his appetite now gone. He dragged the chair back and stood up.

“Aren’t you going to finish eating?” Margaret asks.

“I’m not hungry.” He says and leaves the kitchen.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to take him with you?”

Mary sighed. Occisor is becoming a complicated creature. She understood his anger of being rejected by his pack and then the disgust he felt of having to live like a slave serving the humans’ will.

However, Mary didn’t feel that way. Perhaps because she was a human before, she takes pleasure in defending them when they need her.

“I just don’t want him to become my enemy,” Mary confesses quietly.

“When are you going?”

“Tonight, I just need to talk to…”

“Let me talk to him. You go get ready,” Margaret smiles and Mary reciprocates the gesture, feeling relieved.

“Thank you.”

Margaret nods, gets up. She walks down the hall until she reaches the room she shares with Occisor. The door is open and she finds Occisor lying on his back and with his arm covering his eyes. She walks slowly and sits on the end of the bed.

“What do you want?” He asks impatiently.

“Mary– she’s sad about your attitude. You should apologize.”

“I know, but I can’t be like I used to be anymore. In my heart… There’s just just so much hate and anger. And now… Now that anger is beyond just my own kind.”

Margaret sighs. Unlike Mary, she doesn’t understand what Occisor is feeling. For her, he should be thankful for being alive and being able to do the right thing, which is to do the job they have to do. To kill evil, all the criminals who hurt and kill innocent people.

“In my opinion, you’re being childish, selfish, and spoiled. Mary does everything for you, she went against the government so she could raise you. She cooks for you, she teaches you how to fight and you thank her with rudeness. Be grateful for not be a slave.”

“You don’t know what I’m feeling. My life isn’t…”

“How do you think I came here? Do you think life is difficult just for you!?” She shakes her head, frustrated. “You never had to see someone being devoured in front of you! You don’t know the pain that it is to have your hopes stolen from you, the blood and the smell of death, you… You don’t know what those girls have been through… How did they feel having their bodies violated… And their family… You don’t know…” She stopped when she felt her eyes fill with tears.

Margaret’s words took Occisor by surprise, he never bothered to think why she hated the wolves so much, why she too had been raised by a vampire. And then he finally realized; he wasn’t the only one who was suffering from the cruelty of the world. With a squeeze on his chest and wet eyes, he sits on the bed and hugs his strong sister, lays his head on her shoulder and allows a tear to flow.

“You’re right, forgive me. There’s a lot I don’t know yet… That I never imagined. I focused so much on my feelings, I didn’t consider anyone else’s, I’m sorry,” a sob escapes Margaret’s lips and Occisor tightens his arms around her. “I’m really sorry. But, you know, I still can’t be like I used to be before I knew everything.”

“Just don’t forget we’re a family. Don’t forget what Mary taught us. Be a good son. Even if you don’t see her as a mother, be a good son for her.”

Occisor said nothing, only hugged his sister. Margaret wiped her wet face with the back of her hands.

“You need to pack your things. You’re leaving tonight.”

“I’ve already arranged everything,” Mary says from the door, finally revealing her presence.

So proud. She was so proud of them. Seeing them hugging, united, apologizing, understanding each other’s pain, it was a sublime thing for a mother. To have her children united like that…

“Then we’d better hurry, Margaret can’t be alone for long, who knows what nonsense she might do.” Occisor jests.

“Wait, I’m right here!” She protested and punched the youngest in the shoulder.

Everyone laughed. It had been so long since the last time they talked like that. Like a loving family.

“Take care of yourself, okay?” Mary says and hugs Margaret, kissing her forehead affectionately.

“You guys take care of yourselves, and just kill this son of a bitch. Bring peace to those people.”

“You got it,” Occisor smiles at her and waves goodbye.

Mary does the same and soon they leave the base, leaving Margaret alone.

The cold wind makes it hard to keep his eyes open and Occisor grimaces.

“Take this,” Mary held out to him an expensive-looking leather overcoat.

“Thank you,” he says after he puts the jacket on. “How are we going to get there?”

“Get on my back.”

“Why?”

“Since you can’t transform yet, in human form you won’t be able to keep up with me. Get on my back, this way we’ll get there in forty-five minutes tops.”

Occisor widens his eyes. How could they go to another country in just forty-five minutes?

“Come on, now.”

Occisor sighs defeated and climbs on her back.

“Better hold on,” Mary smiles and then starts running.

All Occisor can see is smudges, the icy wind stings his eyes and he has to close them. The ringing in his ear is deafening, but he doesn’t dare open his mouth to complain about anything.

He was so distracted with keeping himself warm that he didn’t notice the time passing. He only realized that they had reached their destination when Mary shook him.

“Where are we staying?”

“Right there, in the last house in the village.”

They began to walk, the snow road lit by the lamps in front of the doors, the houses are all closed, implying that this place was haunted. The smell of fear was clear to both of them.

Upon arriving at the inn, they went straight to their rooms. There was no one at the reception, and finally Occisor breathed in relief.

“So. I need more details about this serial killer.”

Mary smiled, she already expected him to want to start right away.

“He likes to act at dawn, usually breaks into the houses armed and practices his crimes in front of the family, regardless of whether there are children or not.”

“We’re gonna need a bait.”

Mary looks at him proudly. She’s sure he will be another feared Van Helsing on the face of this earth.