The Vampire's Harvest

15

Your hands, quick and shaking, pull the cord from around your waist. Perhaps you can throw the rope around the alpha before he changes. It certainly won't hold him, but it would be hard to ignore.

You aren't sure how best to go about that, however, and the first thing you can think of as you glance towards the cowering figures of the coven is the lassos you've seen the farmhands use on the town's cattle. You've never done it yourself, but you figure you only need to do is make a loop and toss it over the alpha. How difficult could that be?

Your trembling hands indicate that it is very difficult.

Despite the clear plan in your head, you struggle to form a knot with a loop big enough to go around the alpha. By the time you manage something you consider decent, you are already too late.

Looking up from your work, you find your hastily made lasso is no longer large enough for the giant wolf that now stands in the alpha's place. To make matters worse, a wordless command is issued and in a flash the pack shifts into werewolves, their clothes falling to tatters upon the ground. Their large paws leave deep prints in the mud as they charge towards the coven.

Ferris and the others aren't bitten in retaliation for what you've done. A bite would change them into a werewolves, and as far as the pack was concerned, that was a gift, not a curse. Instead, in their haste to get to town, the wolves knock the fleeing coven members to the ground, before digging their claws into the helpless mages' backs. Screams echo against the mountains as bodies are crushed beneath the massive weight of the large wolves. Thankfully, the pack isn't interested in sticking around to properly maim Ferris's mages. That energy is reserved for the vamps and, in a matter of minutes, the pack is gone and you are left gaping in the field.

"Look what you've done," Gianette hisses. Recovered from her battle, she is back on her feet and now rushing over to the pile of wounded bodies. "You should have trusted me, Micah. I knew what I was getting into and I didn't just blindly accept his challenge. I could have won that fight!"

You don't know how to answer her and she doesn't wait for you to give one. Instead she kneels down to the closest mage, assessing his wounds.

After a few moments, your shallow breath settles and you are able to swallow back the remorse burning in your throat. Whether they'll let you touch them or not, you have to do what you can for Ferris and his people. You scurry forward, finding Ferris and checking to see if he still breathes. A rush of air releases from your lungs when you find his pulse, but the coven's leader remains unconscious.

Gianette confirms everyone is alive, though some are just barely. She laments that perhaps a mage could heal the more damaged members, but since you managed to incapacitate the entire magical community, they will just have to hope the doctor in town can manage a group of twenty on her own.

You don't defend yourself against Gianette. You know she's right and you know that Ferris was too. How was this situation any better than the one you feared back when you suggested finding the pack in the first place? Perhaps they are alive, but would they really consider that a benefit when they find they're now paralyzed from the waist down and still living in a town centered around becoming food for vampires?

The two of you get the mages that can still walk back on their feet before sending them to town with instructions to retrieve the doctor. After that, you ask that those that are able, return to help to carry the remaining wounded back home. While you wait for them to pass on word, you tend to the rest the best you can, trying out what few healing spells Ferris had taught you. It seems like hours before anyone arrives to assist with the rescue. Apparently it was hard to get out of town since it turned into a war zone between the vampires and the werewolves. You tell the townsfolk that the reason Ferris and the others were trampled was because they knew the werewolves' plan and had come to stop them. If possible, Gianette hates you more for tarnishing the wolves' reputation, but at least you saved the coven from any sort of retribution from the vamps.

In fact, the whole coven is considered heroes after that night. The werewolves were soundly defeated by the vampires, with only a few managing to escape into the night. Once the vampires learned of Ferris's supposed exploits, they sent the best healers and doctors to assist in their recovery. Fortunately, they were all smart enough to go with the lie, some even felt so appreciative for the vampires' help that they renounced their rebellious ways completely and eagerly awaited the coming ball.

Ferris, however, is broken in a way that neither magic nor science can fix. He's stopped talking and has taken a post working on a farm, refusing to go to the ball. He never attempts to rebel again.

As for you and Gianette, you keep your familial home. Gianette has become a breeder and her children are to fill it. You are given Gretchen's shop so she can finally join the herd. You will be sharing the rest of your life with a sister who is utterly and vehemently incapable of forgiving you.

***

You've found one of the unsuccessful endings for this branch of the story... Why not go back and see if you can think of a better way to get the alpha's attention!