Thirty seven

Satake woke up screaming. The grim atmosphere seemed to join him in his anguish as lightning forked carelessly through the sky and heavy rumblings followed. Satake sank to the ground, pulling his legs against his chest with his arms, remembering that awful night. As much he despised witches, Satake had almost forgotten how horrifying that night was. He remembered the flames that had engulfed the forest the minute he stumbled on the Crow brothers. They and a few were the only survivors of that night's massacre. Satake curled further as crystal droplets began to fall from the sky. Familiar fear of ending up like hai parents began to assault him. More importantly, it broke Satake that he was nothing like the Crows. The thought crashed in his mind but he could barely let it slip. Growing up, Satake has seen shifters psychologist after psychologist trying to figure out why he couldn't shift. He had been diagnosed with OCD in his preteen years at the orphanage and later his inner wolf was diagnosed with paranoia which caused him to not shift when he came of age. Satake looked lost as he peered into the distant sky. Could it be perhaps he was never a werewolf shifter, to begin with? If he wasn't a werewolf, Satake wondered, What was he?

***

Ginger Maplewood knew she was in trouble. It was past midnight already but the light in her home still shone bright orange through the window light. There was a sweet aroma tainting the cold night air that rushed through her nostrils. Her mother was cooking and Ginger knew quite well that her mother wasn't a night person. She crept to the backyard and jammed her extra key into the keyhole. It twisted but the damn thing wouldn't budge.

"What the heck!" Ginger cursed under her breath before attempting a spell to unlock the door. There was a whoosh in the air but when Ginger pulled at the doorknob again, it still wouldn't budge. Ginger was impressed. Her mother has taken the time to ensure it was spell-proof. Curse that woman's extra nature! With her pride between her legs, Ginger strode back to the front door and knocked, preparing herself for the lecture of a lifetime.

"Who's there?" Yasmin's dull voice erupted from within.

"It's me, mom." Ginger answered.

The house went silent. It only lasted for a second though. Before Ginger knew it, the door flew open, missing her face by an inch and she was met by a disappointed look that made her regret all her life choices. "Where the hell did you go?" Yasmin demanded, clutching her daughter's hand and pulling her inside.

"Jason needed my help." Ginger disclosed, stalking the living room to avoid having to look at her mother's face two consecutive times. It was a failed attempt. The minute that sentence fled her lips, Ginger felt her mother's hand latch on to her shoulder, forcing her to face the lethargic woman. Yasmin was bone white. The mention of Jason had deprived her of the blood that ran through her veins.

"Ginger, are you insane?" Yasmin shrieked. "I have warned you to steer clear of those damn werewolves."

"And I wish it was that easy mom but my dad is a werewolf. Standing alongside the Crows is a birthright I cannot refuse."

"Birthright?" Yasmin shook her head in scorn. "You are not a werewolf Ginger. You are not their kind. Do you know what happens to people who frolicked with the wolves?" Without waiting for a reply, Yasmin continued her assault. "They get gobbled up. Even your father wasn't spared from that fate and he was a werewolf. Do you want to end up dead like him?"

Ginger found a catch in her throat. Her mother's demeanor was cold but Ginger understood that it was only Yasmin's maternal protective instinct talking. She reached for her mother's aging hands and pressed them tightly. "I don't think I can over end up like that Dad even if I wanted to. Not with an overbearing mother like you." Ginger's statement made her mother chuckle, lightening the wrinkle lines on her face. "And how can I be like Dad when he will be returning to this plane soon?"

Yasmin intended to speak when a telephone shrieked. Yasmin cursed and attempted to go get it when Ginger stopped her. "Don't worry mom, I'll go get it."She then lifted herself off the couch and launched a seeking hand at the mobile.

"Hello,"

"Hi," The receiver glitched. "Could you hand the phone to Yasmin, tell her it is from Lilith."

"Lilith..." Ginger repeated. Ginger turned to her mother. Yasmin stood up instinctively and snatched the phone.

"Hello Lilith," Yasmin muttered, motioning at her daughter to leave. Ginger did as her mother wanted and retreated to the living room. Lilith, she mused. Ginger identified that was the vampire queen. She had felt what the woman was like when she raided that vampire's mind. It was what made her interested in the Crow's notorious Beta in the first place. Ginger clamped her eyes and muttered a spell. The air went cold and the sound of every appliance seemed to amplify. Ginger kept changing until a white noise buzzed in her ear.

"I'm done being patient Yasmin, I want the soul restoration process to be quickened. I almost lost the host today. I won't let that happen the second time." Ginger heard the vampire queen whine despite being so far away from her ear's reach.

"Wilhelmina, you have to be patient. I also want my husband back but we have to be patient. I still have to get the attribute."

"I thought you claimed we had the attribute. Yasmin, are you messing with me?"

"Of course not," Ginger heard her mother pacify the vampire. "The attribute is indeed present but it isn't powerful enough yet. Give me time."

"Two weeks! Two weeks Yasmin or I'll find another witch to do the job for me and I assure you, you can forget about the resurrection of your husband." Lilith swore abruptly cutting the call.

Yasmin reappeared in the living room with a disgruntled look plastered to her face.

"Are you really going to go ahead with it?" Ginger inquired.

"I have no choice," Yasmin replied.

Hearing that, Ginger then looked in the direction of the fridge door where the pictures of Satake Crow and Olamide Armstrong were attached to.

(The title is a big spoiler. You will be getting more soon. Can you predict why Olamide is affiliated with Wilhelmina's (Lilith's) big plot?)