Page 73 of Isabel and the Werewolf Beast

Vampire One and Two put their heads together and had a heated discussion. Then the entire line of vampire professors whispered back and forth along the line. They seemed to keep coming back to Vampire One and Two as though they were the leaders. The ones they looked to for answers.

“What?” I snapped when it didn’t look like they’d ever stop whispering and not tell us anything.

“Constantine was the last name of the warlock and witch who cast our spell.”

“What does that mean?” Isabel said.

I rolled my eyes. They’d come to the same conclusion as me. The warlock and witch were the wrongdoers in this feud. It took little for me to guess where this was going but I wanted to voice my thoughts aloud and have them confirmed.

“Silas was obsessed with you and becoming a vampire, right?” I asked Isabel.

“Yes. He tried blackmailing me into turning him. I sensed he was evil and didn’t want to do it. I refused him time and time again until he placed the curse on me. Trapped me here.”

The vampires stared at Isabel listening to every word she told them.

“So, I’m guessing ever since the original warlock and witch who cast the spell and saw what they created, they wanted to become a vampire. They wanted to be powerful yet refined. Live forever. Is that right?”

“The warlock, yes,” Vampire One said.

“What about the witch?” Isabel asked.

“We know nothing about the Constantine witch and her descendants.” His eyes narrowed into tiny slits, daring me to ask more questions about the witch, but there was a warning in the glare he was giving me too. I might be new to vampires but I was observant.

“How many Constantine warlocks have tried becoming vampires?” I asked.

“A few,” Vampire Two said. “Not all, but enough.”

Incredibly, they didn’t think the warlocks were the wrongdoers in this centuries-old feud.

“And all this time you didn’t think they might have been the ones to set the humans on to you? The ones to cause the conflict so they could get closer to you. Us werewolves are excellent protection. We’re fierce and loyal.”

“Perhaps,” Vampire Two said. “But the humans we hypnotized into forgetting always said it was a werewolf that told them that vampires hunted and killed humans.”

He seemed the most reasonable out of the two talking. The other vampires seemed content to sit back in the fancy gold and white chairs and whisper amongst themselves.

“What would happen if a vampire turned a warlock?”

“We’re not sure… He’d be powerful with his magical abilities, and strong with his vampire abilities. He’d be virtually unstoppable… I would imagine.”

“That’s why you said no to the original warlock,” I said.

Vampire One nodded.

I stepped closer to Isabel and scooped her out of the chair and up into my arms. She let out a surprised squeak but didn’t complain. She flung her slender arms around my neck and hung onto the half-shifted beast I was showing the vampire professors that she didn’t want to kill me. Didn’t believe in all her years of training to kill werewolves. She’d shown them with her acceptance of me, a werewolf, that we weren’t enemies. We didn’t need to be enemies any longer. Perhaps we hadn’t needed to be enemies to begin with.

“This woman is my mate and I’ll protect her forever. I’ll protect her family too.” I nodded at Lucian and Maximus. “You need to decide here if you want to be friends with werewolves again because there’s a large pack in the woods waiting to protect me and my brother as well.”

“You want us to change centuries of training for one couple?” Vampire One asked.

“No,” I said. “I want you to change your centuries of unwarranted hatred for a species you used to care about. One that used to be a part of you. One that was your family. I have had little in my life, but my brother, he’s my only family, and I’d do anything for him as I would do anything for my new family.”

Isabel lifted her hands to my face and drew my lips to hers in a claiming kiss. She never cared what form I was in. She loved me anyway I was. Would the vampires take a leap from her example?

“I’m happy to be a part of your family, Dante,” Isabel said with a breathy exhale. “I had a human family a longtime ago that I’d forgotten the care I once felt for them. Thank you for reminding me of that love.” She tilted her head to look at the vampires. “I’ve had a vampire family for many years, as I know you all have. While we care for each other, perhaps some of us even love our vampire family as I do, but there is a great difference between being connected because of your sire. Family loves you. Would do anything for you. Protect you in your darkest hour. Smile with you in your happiest. Hug you in your saddest moment. They are there for you no matter what, and Dante has shown me he will always be that family for me.

“You say you used to be friends, family, with werewolves. Don’t you miss your family? Don’t you want to experience that love again?”

The vampire beside Vampire Two stood, a woman with a bob of chocolate brown hair, and eyes shining under the chandelier. “What is the name of the pack alpha?”

---