The moon cast its silver glow across the landscape, glimmering faintly on the cascading waterfall beside them. The soft rush of water filled the night, blending with the occasional crackle of the fire burning near the pack. Its orange light danced over their faces, warming the cool evening air and casting flickering shadows on the surrounding trees.
The pack sat gathered on a wide blanket spread over soft grass, circled around the flame like old friends telling stories under the stars. Bottles of fruit juice, plates of sandwiches, cookies, and chips were scattered between them. The air was alive with laughter.
Jasper and Bella sat close, drinks in hand, giggling over something Jasper had said. Bella looked the happiest Tyler had seen her in years maybe even since their parents died. Her face was alight, carefree, glowing in a way that made his heart ease. Jasper nudged her playfully, and she shoved him back, their teasing growing louder.
Tyler sat beside Sophia. Her long fingers gently turned the pages of the ancient book that now rested in her lap, but her eyes weren't reading they were thinking. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She looked calm, wise. She always did. She was everything a pack leader should be strong, kind, patient, and brave. Yet, there was something gentle about her too, something unspoken. He'd never dared ask about her past. He didn't do well with feelings not his, and definitely not other people's. Still, he could tell she cared for him. Deeply.
Henry, chewing on a thick sandwich, gave an impatient grunt as James chuckled. "Come on, get into it already," James said, grinning from ear to ear.
Sophia finally lifted her gaze. "All right," she said, her voice calm but commanding, cutting through the chatter. "Let's dive into the druids' story."
Everyone quieted.
She set the book aside, her tone shifting as if she knew each word by heart. "The druids… were a family thousands of years ago who practiced black magic. Not to heal, or help… but to kill and destroy. They sold their powers for gold, for revenge… for chaos."
Tyler leaned forward slightly. The air around the fire suddenly felt heavier.
"The druids had two children: Akarn and Susun."
"Wait, what?" Henry cut in. "Didn't that vampire we fought near the tunnel mention someone called Susun?"
"Yes," Sophia said, frowning. "Yes, he did… now that I think about it."
She took a breath. "Akarn and Susun were twins. Born into darkness. They were killing by age eleven. Townspeople grew terrified. The council decided to banish them. But before that could happen, the family was visited… by two men."
Her eyes sharpened. "Men with beauty beyond human. Creatures of allure and power. Vampires. They promised the druids eternal strength, endless life. The druids agreed. They were turned and in that moment, they changed the world forever."
She paused.
"They slaughtered the guards sent to banish them. Then the council. Then their families. It was the largest massacre the town had ever seen."
Bella reached out and grabbed Jasper's hand, her fingers tightening around his.
"They conquered vampire territories with demonic force. Town after town fell. Humans bled and suffered under their reign. But the wolves… we didn't stay silent."
Sophia's voice dipped lower.
"The druids believed they could conquer the sun that if they could walk under it, they'd become perfect. They experimented. Potions, blood chants, dark spells. Every vampire they tested burned."
She swallowed. "Then came… a girl. A vampire who didn't burn. But they didn't know she was a werewolf. One who hadn't shifted yet. Her parents were chiefs in the werewolf hierarchy. She was their only daughter."
Sophia looked into the fire.
"She was held. Starved. Forced to resist blood. The only one in history to do so. When the druids found out, they came for her."
Tyler's fists clenched on his lap.
"The wolves fought. The battle was brutal. We lost many. It looked like the vampires would win. But the girl… she chose to end it. She drove a dagger into her own heart, ending her life. Her death saved the rest of us."
Sophia's voice softened. "She sacrificed herself… to stop the druids from walking in the sun."
A thick silence followed.
"So… what happened to Akarn and Susun?" Tyler asked.
Sophia slowly picked the book back up. "They split. Power-hungry both of them but with different visions. Akarn settled. Built his own family. But Susun? He still believes. Still wants the sun. Still dreams of what that girl stopped."
"Sounds terrifying," Bella whispered.
"Yes, Bella," Sophia said, her lips curving into a grin. "It is."
"Any more stories about them?" Tyler asked.
"Not yet," she replied. "I'm still reading. This book holds lineage, wolf knowledge… and something else."
Her eyes flicked to him and Bella.
"The girl who could walk under the sun… had black and white fur. Just like you and Bella."
All eyes turned.
Tyler's expression didn't change.
"So what."