Noah

One week earlier

It had only taken them a few minutes to get to Greenwood Park from his apartment. Under the cover of night, no one would suspect a thing about the two supernaturals. Noah kept a firm eye on Mia, she was nervous. Despite her best intention not to be, her eyes kept glancing from side to side. Like she was waiting for someone to pop out the bushes and rob them.

She really didn't have to come along, he would have been fine on his own. Though he was skinny as a twig, and had muscles the size of peas. He came from one of the most powerful werewolf families in the UK, and that in itself came with benefits. Noah might not look like much as a human, but as a werewolf it was completely different.

Noah sighed impatiently as he checked his phone once more, glancing around the abandoned park for any sign of Victoria. It was definitely midnight, he confirmed.

"Isn't she supposed to be here by now?" Mia asked trepidatiously, pulling at a loose thread in her top. Before Noah got the chance to reply there was a loud whoosh noise and the gentle noise of leaves being picked up by the wind.

"Are you talking about me?" A smooth, sinister voice called out. "How delightful!" Simultaneously, Noah and Mia jolted, turning around to look behind them. Stood under the light of the crescent moon was Victoria. She was a small, slender woman with flowing blonde hair and apathetic ice blue eyes.

Immediately Noah stretched his arm across Mia, blocking her from the new woman. Glaring at her with suspicion, Mia and Noah waited for her to speak. Almost mockingly, the woman rose her arms up in a pacifying gesture.

"I come only with peace," The woman giggled, "I take it your Noah Jones? But who's this lovely lady,". Reluctantly, Noah dropped his arm, taking a step forward closer to Victoria.

"It doesn't matter who she is. Just tell me the information you have, and then we can all be on our way," N oah demanded with a scowl, crossing his arms over his chest. Mia shot him an odd look.

"Just to be clear, you are Victoria, right?" Mia asked cautiously, tilting her head. Noah felt a wave of embarrassment flush through him. He was so focused on finding out what happened to Annalise, he had forgotten to even properly check that this was the woman they were meant to be meeting.

"Mmm, straight to business I see," The lady hummed, "And yes, for your information little lady, I am Victoria Taylor. It's a pleasure to meet you both,". With a flair of arrogance, Victoria curtsied and Noah winced. He hated Vampires and their old ways.

"Can we get on with it," Noah barked, tightening his grip on his arms. Victoria rolled her eyes, and huffed.

"What is it with you men?" Victoria questioned, more to herself than anyone else, "Always so impatient, don't you think so little lady?" She turned to look at Mia and raised a delicate eyebrow at her.

Mia grimaced, glaring daggers at the woman.

"Get on with it." Noah repeated aggressively. Victoria tutted condescendingly, before nodding in agreement. Noah's breath hitched as he waited for her to finally reveal who had murdered Annalise. The news he had been waiting five long years for.

"No fun. Oh well," She pouted, "Annalise's body isnt where you think it is. Its where you least and most expect it to be."

Noah froze, ice running through his veins. It was almost like his heart stopped beating. What did she mean? Her body wasn't where it should be. He went to her funeral! He saw with his own eyes, as Annalise's coffin was lowered into the ground and covered with dirt. His best friend. Buried.

Quicker than he could speak, Mia was the first one to react to this information. A shift changed in their atmosphere. Blue twinkling mana wrapped itself around Mia outstretched hand, like it was being drawn from the air itself. The magic looked like midnight blue clouds, soft as silk with twinkling stars dotted here and there.

"Don't fuck with us," Mia hissed, as she let the magic curls itself threateningly around Victorias ankles, holding the woman firmly in place. Victoria tugged at her legs, trying to force them to move but to no avail.

"Tell us the truth," Noah piped in, trying to keep his voice stable and not let out the growl he was holding in. Victoria sighed heavily, picking at her fingernails like she had no care in the world.

"I am." She said bluntly, "Annalise's body is no longer buried in her grave. Someone robbed it. In fact, it was the exact same person who murdered her. So are you going to listen to me, or do you want to keep playing these petty games,"

Victoria looked up from her nails, glaring fiercely at them both, eyes dark. Slowly, Mia let the magic dissipate like fog in the morning air. "Thank you," Victoria glowered sarcastically.

"Who killed our friend. Why did they kill her?" Noah spat, not wanting to calm down for one second. The ice in his veins had been replaced with pure fury. How could someone steal Annalise's body!? He wanted, no he needed to find this person and make them pay.

Make them pay for what they did to Annalise, for what they did to Annalise's family and for the devastation they caused Mia and himself.

"Keep your eyes on the leader of the Modesto Clan. I'm sure you've heard of him? Keep a look at anyone close to him. Track his movements. And then you will find her." Victoria warned, her voice almost tired and worn.

Noah made a face. Vitus Modesto? The leader of the ancient vampire Modesto Clan? One of the first vampires ever recorded. He was behind this. Noah had been sure it was the new vampire that had moved in, in Wonder Street.

Not someone like Vitus Modesto, who had been trying to make amends with werewolves for the last decade or so. The war between werewolves and vampires had been bloody, there were huge losses from both sides. But Vitus Modesto had been trying to make amends with the werewolves since then. Even going so far as to send them gifts, like money and weapons.

Noah knew for as fact his own father, leader of his extensive werewolf family, had spoken face to face with Vitus multiple times. In fact, if he remembered correctly, they were on relatively good terms with each other.

Noah knew he should have paid more attention to supernatural politics when his mother had tried teaching him, when he was barely a pup.

What use could Vitus have found in stealing Annalise's body. He was drawn out of his quiet contemplation by a shout from Mia. With neck breaking speed, he looked up. Only to find that Victoria Taylor had disappeared.

"Fuck!" He growled, kicking a stray twig in annoyance. What the hell where they meant to do with that information.