"Something is after her." Reagan narrowed his eyes looking at a distance and ran ahead to chase after it.

Lia and Tyler followed him.

Reaching a distance, he came to halt, his eyes scanned the area, there was something off about the place. The air was stale, his stomach churned at the sick eerie feeling.

"Are they here already?" Lia asked presuming her brother had sensed the Vampires but as the pungent smell irritated her nose, she immediately threw her hands to cover her nose, "What's this smell?"

"It's not them, it's something else," Reagan replied to her previous question, "I can't exactly pinpoint what but it's something very creepy," He added.

"Oh man, this place stinks like hell," Tyler gagged, unable to tolerate the smell anymore.

Kevin rushed behind a bush and vomited out, "What the hell is this smell?" He complained clutching his aching head.

Reagan looked at his sister trying her best to not get affected but she was barely holding it, she gagged as the smell irritated her beyond her limits, he then shifted his gaze at Kevin who was squatted down holding his head.

"For now, get out of here," He suggested assessing the situation, "And send the patrol team, I'll check on here," He told them.

"I'm not leaving you alone here," His sister protested.

"Fine, you can come along." He rolled his eyes.

"Neither am I," Kevin answered as he stood on his feet but he was staggering.

"Are you sure?" Lia looked at him with concern.

"This smell, you guys must be having it worse," He looked at them.

Reagan rolled his eyes at them but chose not to say anything, "Anyway," he stated, "Let's call the patrol team and get started."

They all nodded in response.

Along with the patrol team, they searched the area, but had no luck, "Keep searching." Reagan ordered as they moved further into the forest, soon he caught on the scent, "there," He led them ahead.

They followed the stench deeper into the forest, along the way they had discovered dead animals, most of them rotten, they assumed the smell was from them, but Reagan could tell they'd discover something much worse.

As they continued their search, the night soon fell and the full moon hung high on the sky, And just he had expected, "Alpha!" He heard one of his men calling him out.

When he reached the place, "Shit" He muttered as he witnessed human bodies, not one or two but piles of them.

"I'm having a bad feeling about this," Lia commented covering her nose.

"A very bad one." Tyler backed her.

The overwhelming smell of blood tickled his nose and Kevin threw up again.

"Are you okay?" Lia rubbed his back as he vomited his gut out. " I think, you should leave." She suggested.

"No," He shook his head, "I'm fine," He muttered but the nausea was back again making him throw up some more.

"You're not fine, It's been ages since you've been having supplements. Rejecting human blood all this while, it's too much for you to handle this." Lia scolded him.

"You never cared before, why the concern now?" He narrowed his eyes at her, removing her hand from his shoulder, "I can handle it just fine." He retorted.

"Okay, whatever, you're both going back," Reagan announced.

"Why me? I am not going," Lia protested.

"Look," Reagan glared at them, "I've got my hands full with this, I can't tolerate your bickering." He scolded them with a stern voice, "He won't leave without you so spare me the drama and just get him out of here."

"But-" Lia tried to protest.

"Alpha's orders, Lia." Reagan looked at her sternly.

Lowering her gaze, she answered meekly, "Fine."

Just then, Reagan heard the voice of his beta, "There's more here!"

"Search the entire place," He ordered as he looked at Tyler, "Let's go."

Searching every inch of the place, they discovered more and more, the rotten bodies of dead animals as well as humans.

They came to halt when at a distance, an old building came into view, "Don't let your guards down." Reagan warned his men through mind link, leading the way he moved towards the house.

"I don't feel any presence but still be cautious," He warned his men, the house old, the windows were broken, the door was barely stuck in the wall, with a nod from Reagan, they broke into the building.

***

Alexa lied on the bed closing her eyes, trying to remember what had scared her but no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't remember. She closed her eyes again, she was reminded of Reagan, how his strong arms had held her close, her fear vanished in an instant, she felt calm and comfortable, she felt safe. His hands that cupped her face, his mesmerizing golden eyes, his lips that-

Wait! she stopped, why am I thinking about him? She immediately opened her eyes and shook her head.

"Forget it, Alex! Do not think about it." She slapped her cheeks and got up from the bed, "let's get some fresh air," She nodded and headed outside to cool her head.

As soon as she got out, the cool wind hit her face, she frowned as she looked at a far distance, there was a strange coldness in the air that made her heart constrict, making her hair stand on the end, a chill ran down her spine. She rubbed her arms trying to warm them up, "I think it's better to stay inside," She heaved a sigh.

Just then, she spotted Kevin and Lia coming out of the woods. Lia was supporting him as he struggled to walk.

"I'm fine, you should leave," He tried to push her away but she refused to let go.

"You shouldn't be with me, right now," He warned her, "I'm losing my senses, I may do something to you," He panted as his eyes began to change color.

"You won't," She shook her head.

"Don't you hate me?" He asked her.

"I do," She replied.

"Blunt as always," he chuckled.

"Where are your medicines?" She asked.

"My room," He muttered.

"Let's get you there, then."

***

They infiltrated the house and reached the empty rooms, the house was really empty, they only got back their echoing voices and nothing else.

Reagan relied on his sense of smell and followed the stench to a narrow hallway which eventually led to a dark basement, their nocturnal vision helped them with the darkness.

"What's this?" They spotted a drawing on the wall, a circle with weird ancient carvings drawn out by the blood.

"Witchcraft?" Tyler raised his brow, "I thought they were gone extinct," He muttered, "Though few ones are in the Vampire Council."

"They're different, Tyler," Reagan corrected him, "They're sorceress."

"I don't see the difference." Tyler shrugged.

"Their abilities are innate whereas witches perform witchcraft for things they want, performing crafts like this," Reagan pointed at the wall, "Black magic, human sacrifices."

After returning back, they arranged a meeting with the elders and explained everything about what they found.

"We'll have to go to the human world tomorrow. For further investigation, we'll need their cooperation."

"First, we need to identify the victims."

"They're barely recognizable, few are already rotten," Tyler commented.

"Few, Tyler," Reagan reminded, "We can still get their DNA samples, contact Forensic dept. for their cooperation," Reagan told him, "About others still recognizable, we'll have them look up at the missing people's files, I'll contact the Chief of Police for their cooperation," He added.

After assigning the roles to everyone, he gave them one last look, "Double up defenses and be on your guard. Keep searching and report even a minute thing. Dismissed." He then sent them to their work.

When left alone, he then turned to elders, before he could utter a word, Adira replied, "We'll ask others for cooperation."

***

Alexa had been awoken by a nightmare and came out in the veranda as she felt suffocated inside her room. She then heard a commotion outside, she spotted Reagan, Tyler, and others entering their "meeting house".

She went to the place and stood outside, pondering on whether she should go inside or not, she paced back and forth before the group emerged out, she approached them hesitantly.

"Hmm..." she wanted to ask what was going on but hesitated.

"My, my, what's the queen doing outside at this time?" She heard a voice from behind, turning around she noticed the woman, Carla, was her name, she remembered.

"Don't need your beauty sleep, your highness?" Carla mocked her.

Alexa didn't want to have anything to do with her so she just walked away from her but the girl grabbed her wrist, "It's all because of you."

Alexa narrowed her eyes at her wrist then at Carla, who just tightened her grip, "Leave me," Alexa tried to shrug her off.

"If only you didn't exist," She tightened her grip which made Alexa wince in pain, before Alexa could shout, she instantly let her go.

Alexa rubbed her burning wrist, she then glared at Carla who scoffed at her then walking to another girl, she whispered, "You go with them tomorrow to the human world in my place."

"Human world?" Alexa asked them as she caught on the word.

"Yes, the human world," Carla looked at her suggestively, before making her way to somewhere and disappeared into the dark.

***

Next morning

Alexa approached Reagan as he was giving out instructions to his female beta about things to do in his absence. Finishing his talk he turned to her, seeing her fidgeting, he asked, " Did you need something?"

"Hmm... I heard you were going to the human world... and... hmm... Can I come along? After yesterday, I really wanted to get out somewhere to distract myself.. so can I please come along with you?"He eyed her suspiciously, "sure, it'd be a change of pace, bring your friends along too, they must be missing home too." He answered with a smile.

"Thank you." She smiled back at him. "I'll go call them." "Hmm." He nodded. After Alexa left, he called Kevin out, "Keep an eye on her." He told him.