"Mom?"
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"Welcome home, Rosalind."
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"Woah, major plot twist!" Heath elbowed the other Huntsmen. "Did you guys know about this?"
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They remained silent.
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Rosalind couldn't stop shaking. "How?" That was the only word she managed to say.
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Luna rose from her chair and approached her. Her heels made a clopping noise as she strutted across the stone floors. She placed a finger under Rosalind's chin and grinned revealing shiny white fangs. "There's so much you don't know, and I'm going to teach you everything," her smile vanished. "But first we have to take care of the Mixedblood."
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She snarled at Theo, but he didn't flinch. "You have a lot of nerve, showing up here. Tell me, what is it that you want from me?"
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He pulled the letter out of his back pocket. He had hastily taped it back together after his mother tore it to shreds, but now it was hardly legible. "This is why I'm here."
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Luna snatched the note from his hands and skimmed it over. "Oh, of course, you're here for the cure." She giggled to herself. "I don't have it."
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His entire body tensed up except for his fist which he was shaking at her. "What do you mean you don't have it?"
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"I mean precisely what I said. I don't have it and I never did."
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"Then why does this letter say you're keeping it here?"
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"Well, you see, I sent this confidential message to my dearest associate, about fourteen years ago. Unfortunately, the letter was intercepted, and the cure was stolen before it arrived here."
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"Who stole it?"
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She rolled her eyes. "My mother."
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"Gran?"
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Luna let out a humorless laugh. "She's quite spry for an old woman." She removed her coat revealing deep scars that resembled claw marks on her shoulder. She brushed Rosalind's dark brown hair out of her eyes. "My mother stole something much more precious to me than the cure that day."
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She was lying. Rosalind wasn't precious. Her mother had abandoned her. She slapped her mother's hand away. "You can save your lies for someone else because I'm not buying them. I can't believe you can stand there and pretend like you love me!"
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"Darling, I'm not the bad guy here."
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Rosalind refused to face her. "Listen, I'm not interested in what you have to say. Just point us in the direction of the cure, and we'll be on our way."
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"I would, but it appears you already have it." She turned to Theo. "Have you been having trouble with your night vision lately, Mr. Lovell?
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"How did you know ?"
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She shrugged. "That's usually the first thing to go. Then you'll lose most of your sense of smell, not long after you won't have fangs anymore, and before you know it you'll be entirely human."
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"Why should we believe anything you say?"
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"All I want is to be rid of your kind. I don't care by what means."
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Theo stared down at his hands. "So you're saying I'm cured?"
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Luna nodded.
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Now Theo was the one at a loss for words.
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"How is this possible?"
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"With this." Luna pointed to the silver locket around Theo's neck.
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"My locket?" Rosalind asked.
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"This locket is an enchanted artifact. Humans created it to suppress werewolf transformations, in an attempt to control us." she glared at the locket in disgust. "But I suppose it could be useful to a Mixedblood."
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Rosalind stared at the locket in his hands. "So, I had the cure the whole time?"
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Luna nodded.
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"Why didn't Gran tell me?"
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Her mother placed a hand on her cheek. "Your grandmother is a woman with many secrets, but don't worry I'm going to teach you everything."
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They all stood in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time as they tried to contemplate this new information. Chandler cleared his throat loudly reminding the Pack Mother of their presence.
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"What is it, Chandler?" her warm and inviting tone turned sharp and cold.
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"The Pack Father said you wanted to speak with us."
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She let out an exasperated sigh. "As a matter of fact, I do. My best Huntsmen got outwitted by a single Mixedblood. Would anyone care to explain exactly how that happened?"
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"He wasn't alone." Heath pointed at Rosalind. "She was helping him!"
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Luna facepalmed. "Shut up, Heath. I don't want to hear your excuses I want someone to take responsibility for your failure last night."
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Duke lowered his head. "I'm so sorry for failing you, Pack Mother. I underestimated the enemy. I'm a fool for making such an amateur mistake, I hope one day I can regain your trust."
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"Kiss ass," Chandler hissed.
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"No I was the fool," Luna lifted Duke's chin. "For thinking, Chandler was capable of leading you, which is why, for the time being, I'm putting you in charge."
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"What! You can't do that!" Chandler protested.
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Luna slashed her sharp talons into his face causing him to bleed. "Don't ever question my judgment again! Do you understand?"
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"Yes, ma'am." He whimpered so softly it was barely audible.
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"Worthless Boy." She gave him a disapproving look. "I would have disposed of you ages ago if Gregorio wasn't so stubborn."
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Duke now held his head high. "I promise I won't disappoint you, Ma'am."
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"I'm not counting on it. You remind me of myself when I was young." She let out a reminiscing sigh then snapped herself back to reality. "Now, we must discuss the elephant in the room, your punishment for failing to kill the Mixedblood. You know I don't appreciate it when my Huntsmen fail me, but I'm feeling nice, so I'm going to give you the chance to walk free without facing any consequences."
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"You're very merciful, Pack Mother," Heath said in a tone that made it hard to tell if he was being sincere.
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"I know." Sincere or not Luna didn't hesitate to accept a compliment. "Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to track Theodore Lovell?"
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"No, ma'am."
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"Twelve years. The last time he was within my grasp he miraculously got away. Do any of you know how that happened?"
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"No, ma'am."
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"You're lying. I can smell it, so are you going to tell me or not?"
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No one responded.
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"Fine. Don't tell me." She pouted. "Perhaps spending the night in the Sightless Caverns will make you more talkative."
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They all stood in complete silence.
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"Don't just stand there! Get out of my sight!"
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Without another word the three Huntsmen hastily left the room and slammed the door behind them. Luna wiped her brow like she had completed a difficult chore, then turned to face Rosalind and Theo. "Where were we?"
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Rosalind folded her arms. "You were about to show us the way out of here."
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"I'm afraid I can't do that."
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"Why not?"
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"Do the math. There are two werewolves and only one locket. You know it's my job to make sure there aren't rogue werewolves wandering around. Which means one of you is free to leave, and the other must stay in Silver Huntsmen custody."
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Rosalind began to pace back and forth across the room. "Wait, what are you trying to say?"
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She twirled her hand. "Think about it, I'm a werewolf, your father was a werewolf which makes you..." She waited for Rosalind to put the pieces together.
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"I'm a werewolf?"
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"What?"
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Luna rolled her eyes. "It took you long enough to figure it out."
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A look of hurt flashed across Theo's face. "You've been a werewolf this whole time?"
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"I didn't know, I swear!"
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Luna pulled a taser out of her desk drawer and activated it. "Enough chitchat it's time for you to make a decision. Who's leaving and who's staying with me."
ns 15.158.61.6da2
