Lila's POV:
As I stood at the train station in Grimswood, anxiously waiting for the arrival of the parcel, my mind raced with excitement and nervousness. This small package held great importance for my fellow vampires and I. It contained a pint of blood belonging to the original vampire family at Mystic Valley. Three original vampire families existed- The Montagues family at a town called Mystic Valley, The Veres family at Riverdale City, and Viktor's family here in Grimswood. I am the only child of my father and maker, Viktor- the kin in line for King Vampire. These three families were known as the original vampire families, for their bloodline could be traced back to the very first vampires to walk the earth. They were highly respected and revered among our kind, and their blood was considered very powerful.
After every century, the ruling King Vampire steps down for the next kin from another family to rule. This is to ensure peace, stability and check of power among the three families. The ritual rites involves conjoining the blood of the former king vampire, and the blood of the neutral vampire family, and then infusing it in the succeeding king vampire who is placed under hibernation for a decade before his ascension of the throne. This mixture of blood resurrects the new king vampire from hibernation, giving him the memories of his ancestors which helps him to rule rightly.
Viktor my father has been in hibernation for 10 years now, and finally the last requirement for his resurrection was here. The Veres had earlier delivered their own pint of blood, and just the Montagues remained. As the designated receiver of the parcel, it was my responsibility to ensure its safe arrival. I could not afford to let anything happen to it, for it held not only the blood of the original vampires, but also the trust and friendship of the three families.
As the train pulled into the station, I couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. The package had finally arrived. I quickly made my way towards the train, my vampire speed giving me an advantage over the humans bustling around me. I approached the cargo car, I spotted the familiar face of the Montagues. They had sent their representative, a tall and imposing figure with a striking resemblance to their leader. We exchanged nods of acknowledgement before turning our attention to the train attendant who was struggling with a large wooden crate. With our vampire strength, we easily lifted the crate and placed it onto a nearby cart. He rolled the cart to a corner where he took out a small wrapped parcel from one of the vases in the crate, and handed it to me. We exchanged nods again, and went different directions. He headed back onto the train, while I made my way to the family mansion.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and responsibility weighing heavily on my shoulders. I had been chosen by the Council to receive this royal parcel amongst all other relatives despite me being a girl, a testament to their trust in me. The Council was made up of my father's three siblings- Rufus, Greg and Rebekah. But as I reached into the woods of Grimswood, I was suddenly ambushed by a group of rogue vampires. They must have caught wind of the arrival of the royal blood and were determined to claim it for themselves. Their faces were covered halfway up their nose, but I could tell by their speed that they were definitely vampires. In the chaos that ensued, I fought to protect the precious parcel, my fangs bared and my senses on high alert. I couldn't take on all of them in their large numbers, I estimated them to be about 6-7 vampires so the wisest thing to do was to flee to safety. I realized that they had arrows with them which resembles ones made from the sacred oak tree, and harmful to vampires if shot with one. In fact, an arrow made from the sacred oak tree could kill any original vampire if pierced through the heart.
As I ran through the dense woods, my heart was pounding in my chest. The adrenaline pumping through my veins, causing my vampire senses to heighten. I could hear them behind me, the loud thudding of their footsteps and the sound of their bows being drawn back. They were gaining on me, determined to take me down. I dodged and weaved through the trees, my speed and agility being my only advantage against them. But no matter how hard I tried, their arrows were getting closer and closer. I could feel the sharp tips grazing my skin, a reminder that one wrong move could be my end. I needed a plan and fast. That's when I remembered the one place they would never dare to follow me - the wolf territory. The wolves were our enemies, and I knew better to stay away from their territory. It was dangerous, but it was my only chance. Without hesitation, I changed course and headed towards the direction of the wolf territory. I could hear the vampires closing up from behind me, realizing my intentions. But I knew they wouldn't dare to follow me into the territory of their sworn enemies. As I stepped into the enemy territory, a sense of fear and unease washed over me. My instincts were screaming at me to turn back, but I knew I had to keep going. I could hear the wolves howl and growl from a distance, but I kept on running.
Just then, an arrow met my back, missing my heart by a few inches. The pain was excruciating, but I refused to let it slow me down. I pushed through, determined to escape. Finally, the vampires retreated after I was shot. They probably figured that if I didn't die from the wound, I was as good as dead in wolf territory so they left. I then noticed that the parcel I had collected was not on me, and it may have fallen off while I was running. I decided to immediately go back in search for it, as I wasn't ready to appear before my family council without it.
I took a moment to catch my breath, the adrenaline in my body slowly beginning to fade. I could feel the blood trickling down my back, the wound caused by the arrow burning with pain. But I was determined to find the missing parcel, so I kept on moving. My speed began to slow down as I moved and finally, I came to a stop as I found difficulty breathing.
I fell face-up to the ground, my body exhausted from the long run. I knew I couldn't go any further - my legs felt like lead and my lungs burned with each breath. I stared at the moon, its bright light mocking me as I lay there, helpless. My mind began to race, imagining the three obvious scenarios that could lead to my end. The first one was the most terrifying - the wolves. I knew that if they found me now, I wouldn't stand a chance. The mere thought of their sharp teeth tearing into my flesh sent shivers down my spine. The second possibility was just as grim - bleeding to death. If the wolves didn't find me, I would surely bleed out before morning. But the third scenario was the most bizarre of them all - surviving the night only to be roasted by the sun. I chuckled bitterly at the thought.
Suddenly I heard a rustling noise above me. My eyes shot up to the tree towering over me. Even from my distance, I could see a figure perched on one of the high branches, looking down at me. I couldn't make out much of its features, but from the way it moved, I could tell it was a man. Before I could even process what was happening, he jumped down from the tree. It was a long fall, but he seemed to do it with such ease, landing on his feet like it was nothing. I couldn't believe my eyes - this man was definitely not human. As he came closer, I noticed his pale skin, sharp features, and piercing yellow eyes. He had long, dark hair that fell in wild curls around his face. But what struck me the most was his strong, muscular build. He moved with a grace and strength that no mere mortal possessed.
Immediately, I could tell he was no vampire either. This man was something else entirely. His scent filled my nostrils - a musky, earthy smell that I instantly recognized as that of a wolf! He didn't transform fully into a wolf, so he maintained a man-like structure. I had the urge to run, but I couldn't. I was too weak. But as he stood in front of me, his gaze softening, I knew that he didn't mean me any harm.
I tried to ask him for help, but words failed me. As if he understood my helplessness, he offered to help and I smiled at him. In that moment, I passed out.