My Lycan Mate of Suicide Forest

"I'm sorry, did you say fae?" Lucas found his voice to speak amidst everyone else here who was so comfortable with each other. "Like from the lore?"

The four others turned to him. Whoops, did August say fae aloud?

"We need to catch you up on some things, Lucas," August murmured.

"The very first lycan was created by a fae called La Loba. All of us have fae genetics, although those of us who don't have wolves are closer genetically to the original fae who created us. Therefore, the alyko could be considered fae," Greta quickly summarized before turning to August in silent question as to whether that was sufficient.

August smirked, offering her nod of approval as Graeme scrutinized Lucas' reaction. Every small change in scent, every nonverbal gesture, every shadow or light that hovered over Lucas' eyes was silently passed through the highly attuned radar of Graeme's senses. He wouldn't let this male be trusted lightly, and he wouldn't be deceived.

"What else do we know about Zoe?" Greta questioned. There were very few creatures that she was aware of. Any nonhuman creatures that still existed would do so secretly, tucked away into time by myths and legends rather than making themselves known.

"She said she is older than me, though she didn't say by how much. So she doesn't age like us," August answered.

"What?" Lucas scoffed. "She acts so young."

"That's what is so strange. It's like her emotional maturity matches her appearance rather than her… intelligence. It's like watching two different people inhabiting her body, honestly," August recalled the way Zoe's personality would almost seem to switch when she was talking with her in the cell.

"That doesn't sound familiar to me," Greta's eyebrows furrowed in thought, "but I could do some research on it."

"Vampires don't age," Lucas suggested, standing now from his seat. This conversation was too intense to have sitting.

"Vampires exist?" August gaped. But why was she so taken aback by it? Lycans exist. Faeries exist. Still… vampires?

"They also drink blood," Sam pointed out. "And we haven't heard of any vampires in… well, forever. Why would there be one here?"

Everyone stood in silent thought as the possibility loomed.

"In this deal," August swallowed with difficulty before continuing. Her mouth was so dry. It was like shock or stress absorbed the moisture in her mouth. Fucking vampires? For real? "In this deal between the elders and… whoever, Zoe was also gifted to Andreas. Why would she be a gift?"

"Her intelligence, obviously. She made that anti-alyko shit she gave me, she has led a team in hunting down the alyko and tracking them on a map. Despite how creepy and annoying she is, she has a lot to offer in that department," Greta huffed in disgust.

"She's not a vampire," Graeme's sonorous voice cut off the possibility.

"Have you met one?" Sam asked, arms crossed against his chest.

"No, but she isn't one. She has none of the other characteristics," he said dismissively.

But August was absorbed with this idea, as if the very word 'vampire' had planted itself inside of her and was burgeoning forth with blooms and tentacles, curling around her thoughts. Zoe had said her defenses were 'clipped,' whatever the hell that meant.

And what was a vampire in the real world, if they actually existed? Did they sleep in coffins, sensitive to light, avoiding garlic and crucifixes and holy water while stalking their next victims? Did they sparkle in the sunlight?

"Can't we just ask her?" Lucas shrugged, and as if summoned, Zoe opened the door to join them out on the deck.

"Zoe, what kind of creature are you?" Greta asked, eyes narrowing, visibly bristling at the presence of the young girl.

Zoe's eyes slid to August's before she started batting her lashes in that display of innocence she had perfected. August didn't explain for her this time—that Zoe was unable to answer. She was curious to see how Zoe would respond to the question in front of all of these other people, but she could see the internal battle that Zoe suffered.

"W-what do you mean?" Zoe stuttered, diverting her eyes from all of those that were on her, scrutinizing her unapologetically.

She avoided the stares and took in the fresh autumn forest air that was so pure this high up, relishing in it. She never got to be outside. Even the short time with August and Graeme on the way to the treehouse and being up here, away from the pack house, away from the dungeon, and in this bright, free nature like some wild creature who could scamper off into the trees or glide away on the wind… it was a gift. This is how she wanted to live. She loved her research, she loved her lab, but this is where her heart longed to be.

"You know what I'm asking," the curt, unkind voice of the Alpha's sister sliced through the perfection of this moment. "Are you lycan? Are you alyko?"

"No," Zoe sighed, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Then what are you?" Greta's head tipped to the side, a distasteful frown riddling her features. You are different. You are wrong. You are unwelcome. That is what she was saying. Zoe recognized it without the words needing to be spoken.

"I can't tell you," Zoe said simply.

"What do you mean, you can't tell me?" Greta growled, beginning to advance on the girl.

Zoe shrugged. "It is as I say. I am unable to tell you. Otherwise I would."

Greta crossed the remaining space between them and grabbed Zoe roughly by the arm.

"I heard you were a gift, Zoe. Is that true?" a threatening putter rumbled in Greta's throat. "What if I break the gift? What will happen?"

A decision formed itself in Zoe's mind at that moment, and it brought a crest of tears to well. She couldn't tell them what she was, but perhaps she could do something else.

"Did you also hear that I caused the loss of your pregnancy? We determined there was a good chance your offspring may be alyko, and so like so many others, Andreas ordered the termination of it," she said, her wide, doe eyes watching the transformation of Greta's expression into something terrifying.