Chapter 10 – Will

He must have heard his father wrong. Apollo's eyes turned to Will.

"Son, legends are stories handed down to us for the next generations to be cautious. Many versions are created, yes, but it doesn't make the legends less true." Apollo sought Naomi's hand for comfort.

"Dad, I-" Will started but his dad cut him off.

"Will, the letter from Lee said that they are running away from the demons?" his father suddenly asked Will, arms still around Naomi who is wiping her tears away and regaining her composure.

"Yes. Demons chased them town after town." He confirmed. The letter was burned to his memory. "Why do you ask?"

"I'll explain everything then we'll hear Lee's letter to you." Apollo then looked at Annabeth. "For the benefit of everybody here, I'll start off about the story of the Wolves and Hounds, so bear with me."

"Thank you, Lord Apollo." Annabeth thanked the elder wolf. All wolves knew the story of the legend of the Hounds, it was terrifying as it was captivating. Will remembers the day he first heard the legend from an Alpha history lesson when he was a child, he was scared but also yearned to meet one. He wanted to meet one because if they were more powerful than him, an Alpha, then he would not be an Alpha and just be a healer. It was a silly daydream when he wanted to learn about healing. Now, he was grateful for the learnings about healing but there is no denying that being an Alpha is so much more than a leader of a pack of wolves, it was a realization after he became an Alpha.

"When the world was young, all creatures on earth were at peace, of course, humans and werewolves coexist in harmony too. No hatred, no bloodshed, and no war." The elder wolf started, "The gods made sure that the earth was pure, so all the impurities of the earth were sealed in the underworld. They were known as demons." Apollo continued. They were all silent as Apollo started the tale, Will noticed that Annabeth too was absorbed in the story. She was actually writing notes while listening. Hazel on the other hand was just listening intently at the Alpha of the Apollo pack.

"The Gods of old favored the wolves as they were given a big responsibility." His father continued.

"Seven wolves were chosen and tasked to guard the gates of the underworld. They were the most powerful wolves, the best of the best. They were granted immortality as a title as the Hounds of God. The Gods made their fur white as snow to stand out among the rest." Will noted that no other wolf donned a white fur but only the Hounds of God.

"I just only realized that I've never seen a white wolf." Annabeth blurted out of a sudden. "Sorry, Lord Apollo, please continue." She looked sheepish. Percy held her hand and smiled adoringly at her. "We were not really worried about that before." Percy reassured her.

"It's fine, Annabeth and Percy were correct." Apollo chuckled lightly. "We were curious but we didn't delve in it, didn't question it. We thought that was just legends after all." All Alphas in the room simply nodded including Will. "The next part of the legend was also well known by the wolves." Apollo sighed.

"One of the hounds was manipulated by the most powerful demon inside and opened one of the gates of the underworld."

"How can the hounds open the gate as they were just tasked to guard the gate?" Hazel questioned.

"Ah, yes, I'm getting there. The hounds were the keys of the underworld. All seven of them." Apollo answered. "The demon was clever enough to know that they were the keys. They tricked one of the hounds and purposely opened one of the gates and released demons on earth including the most powerful among them." Hazel nodded as she absorbed the information.

"Then, the demons created havoc on earth, right?" Annabeth piped up.

"Yes, the demons made the creatures turn on each other, made them kill each other, they caused famine, plagues the earth with diseases and of course, many deaths," Apollo confirmed. "The gods were furious as the impurities severed their creation. As part of the punishment, the hounds were stripped of their immortality and were sent to earth to kill all the demons that escaped from the underworld."

"If they were stripped down of their immortality, then there are chances they might die from fighting the demons resulting in their extinction," Annabeth uttered but it sounded like a question.

"You and the hounds may have thought the same, Annabeth." Naomi took over the conversation and smiled at her. "Hounds were stripped of their immortality but they were still powerful and most of all, they were still werewolves. If you were a hound, what might be the smartest way to maintain their powers generation after generation?" she winked at Annabeth.

"Generations after generations?" Annabeth thinks for a minute. Will knew Annabeth would absolutely deliver the right answer on this. Then, Annabeth smirked at Naomi. "Oh, I'll marry the strongest werewolf and give birth to children to pass on their responsibility."

"That's correct, dear." Naomi giggled.

"Are you a hound?" Percy jokingly asked Annabeth. She elbowed Percy hard at his ribs. "Oww, that hurts."

"Shut up." Annabeth hissed at Percy. They all laughed, making the atmosphere lighter from the earlier tense one. "Please, ignore my husband and please continue."

Apollo nodded and continued the story. "So, the hounds begged the gods to mate them with an Alpha to continue their line and to fulfill their purpose. To kill all demons that crawled the earth. The gods accepted their request and they created the soulmate bond of the Alpha werewolves. Thus, the soulmate mark and bindings on the Alpha werewolves. It was said that they were the first ones to have soulmates."

Naomi easily took over Apollo, "For over centuries, the hounds thrived. Their descendants continued their responsibility of killing demons. However, the demons also gained more power. Demons killed hounds and werewolves unquestionably. They also attacked human dwellings as wolves. Humans were enraged about the killings and started off a war with the wolves."

Naomi's voice was heavy as she continued "The wolves didn't have a choice but to protect their packs and territories. Then, the humans gained knowledge on how to weaken an Alpha's power."

"The death of their soulmates will lead them to their weakest state." Annabeth provided.

"Yes. The humans targeted the Alpha's soulmate. Also, they were easily distinguished between werewolves because of their white fur. So they were an easy target." They were all quiet as they all know that the wolves and humans had been at war for so long. Only the older generation made the treaty between them and their common enemy was the demons. "The humans were not the only problem of the hounds though, the Alpha's instincts were also a mess because the very nature of the Alpha was to be the leader, the one who made the decisions but they were overshadowed by the hounds as they were more powerful than them. They created a great divide to the Alphas that are not yet mated by a soulmate."

"Alphas' position was threatened because of their power?" Annabeth questioned.

"Yes. As an Omega yourself, dear, you know that Alpha's instinct to be the one in charge is unquestionable. However, the hounds made the Alpha uneasy especially when they took control and many hounds would be in the same area. They felt agitated and the need to control their mate was consuming." All Alpha were guilty of this trait. They come to them naturally and when it consumes them it would be a bloodbath; William thinks that this is his most hated trait about an Alpha.

"The great drift between the Hounds and the Alpha made the hounds extinct." Naomi continued, "Alphas that were consumed by the power organized an event for all the hounds to be gathered. The legend ends when the Alphas caged the Hounds, young and old, and burned all the existing hounds alive. Then, the hounds were never once seen again." Annabeth and Hazel looked horrified, and all of the Alphas had a somber looked on their faces. The legend ended on the extinction of the Hounds. Will knew this story when he was young but now he heard it again, his heart ached for the hounds especially the young children as it isn't their fault that they were born as a hound.

"Can I ask a question?" Hazel turned towards Naomi and Apollo.

"Yes, of course." Naomi encouraged her. "what happened to the hound that was tricked by the demons?" Hazel asked.

Naomi and Apollo shared a look. Then, Naomi turned to Hazel. "In the legend, there was no mention of that hound. There were no mentions throughout the legend that was passed down on the wolves because it was intended to conceal the truth."

"The truth?" Hazel asked again.

"That was the one she told me when I asked her about the Hound that was tricked by the demons." Naomi said in a hushed tone.

"Her?" Jason asked. "Who do you mean by her, Lady Naomi?" Naomi just stayed silent.

"Will, I think it's time to share what was on Lee's letter." Apollo's eyes bore towards Will.

"Dad, who's her? Mom?" Will's heartbeat gets faster, HER. It can't be.

"Will,-" Naomi started.

"MOM!" Will's voice raised and let out a low growl. "Will! Watch your tone!" Apollo growled back at him. Naomi's hand quickly grabbed Apollo around her.

"We've met her. The hound." Naomi relented. Will looked shocked. The other occupants of the room were in a different state of shock. "Not just any hound either, she was one of the seven chosen hounds, and the hound that was tricked by the demons."

"Her name was Reyna." Will's voice was above a whisper. Apollo and Naomi snapped their heads towards Will.

"You've met her?" Naomi questioned worriedly.

"No, but Michael and Lee did." Will deflated. "All you have said was also in Lee's letter however in the letter they've met Reyna, the immortal hound."

Naomi's eyes were on the verge of tears again. "Will, is that why you wanted to be an Alpha? To meet Reyna?"

Will closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes. I wanted to meet her if she was true, and to know if she was the real reason why my brothers were killed."

"Reyna is an immortal hound? How did that happen, in the legend, all hounds were stripped from immortality?" Percy questioned the Solace family. "And you two met her? How, when, why?" Percy was clearly confused.

'Calm down, Percy. Make us understand, please." Jason interrupted. Percy sent a glare towards Jason. Annabeth calmed him by caressing his nape soothingly. "Will? How did Michael and Lee meet her?"

Apollo, Naomi and all of the occupants in the room looked at him. "According to Lee's letter, she was severely injured in a battle from demons. Michael and Lee took her in a few days in the pack. She was confined in a room when she suddenly changed into her wolf. A pure white wolf. During the shift, Michael and Lee were covered in light and projected Reyna's memories. From the moment she was chosen as a wolf until her latest battle from the demons."

Lee's letter

Will, I'll give you instructions upon reading this letter. You'll get this letter after a few days of my death. Assuming you'll get this. I entrusted this letter to my beta, so it will surely arrive to you. If I survived this, I will tell you all this myself. First, read this on your own, no one will ever know that I've sent this letter to you except my Beta, second, do not show this to Mom and Dad because they'll worry, third, burn this letter after you read this. No one should ever know about this Will. I trust you will follow my instructions, you're a bright kid.

I wanted you to know that I've missed you, I've missed Mom, Dad and Kayla. I miss home but we are in danger Will. Protect them for me, please. This letter will be nothing but the truth in this, may you trust my words on this little brother. You do know the legend of the wolves by now. If not, go to Dad or Mom about it and listen to it well. Now, they will tell they are not true but they are real. Hounds were real and I've met one, Will.

I know you will not believe this but I've met her, a hound. She was running away from the demons. The demons wanted to kill her because of the great threat she was imposing on them. Michael and I found her outside a city and she was heavily injured. We can smell a faint demon scent in her, clearly run-ins with demons. We took her in a couple of days, tended by our healer. She was still delirious when we both visited her in a cabin and then she shifted into a white wolf. Her fur was white as snow. I never saw a white wolf before, they were something out of the stories for me but it was standing in front of me. something happened to us, we were submerged in a bright light and saw a collection of her memories. It was more of the hounds and her retribution. It felt real, Will. All of it. She woke up after that, asking if we saw all that. Clearly having no choice, she explained all of it to us.

Her name was Reyna and she was one of the original seven wolves and the youngest of the wolves that received immortality from the Gods. They were called the hounds of God; their greatest responsibility was to guard the gates of the underworld. Take note of this, Will. The gates of the underworld were made up of seven seals and seven gates. Every gate has a seal and each hound was the key to that seal. Reyna was a key, too. In the story of the legend of hounds, one hound was tricked by the demons but never said how. In the memory that I saw from her, the demon inside the gate shaped as a young boy wolf asking for help, Reyna immediately scouted towards the gate, she peered closely in the gate until she was held in the neck by a demon. The gate did not suppress great powers from the demons and Reyna was at their mercy. The other hounds came to the rescue but the demon was so powerful that they barely stood their ground. Immortality from the gods are absolute, Will. But this demon can reverse it. It only shows that this demon was formerly a god himself as he ebbed Reyna's life out of her. Draining the life out of her, Reyna's gate was opened and that powerful demon and many demons got out of the gate. Reyna was dead for a moment until the gods revived her.

The Gods were mad as they closed the gate of the underworld again. As a punishment, the hounds were stripped down to their immortality except for Reyna and was sent to hunt and kill all demons in the earth. The six hounds begged the gods to be partnered with the Alpha's and continue their legacy as hounds. Reyna's retribution was different from the other six. She was revived after the incident but she was immortal. The gods gave her immortality but she will not have a soulmate and will bear no offspring, she will be forever being doomed to witness the death of her colleagues and their offsprings. She will be only released from immortality when all demons that escaped were either killed or captured again in the underworld gates. The gods have abandoned them. They also knew that they were still valuable to the demon that escaped for information on the seven keys of the seven seal to release all demons. Reyna never disclosed to us on what happened to the keys but she is looking for them. If they will fall in the hands of the demons, the earth will be done once and for all and she wanted to avoid that. She said that this was the home of her family (the other hounds). Only a handful know about this Will.

Reyna is not with us now, we separated ways from her. We wanted to help her find the keys. She refused because if we stay with her, it will be dangerous and demons will flock towards us. Before she departed, she handed us a gift. She gave us an orb. She said that it was bathed in the lake of the underworld and gave us that for safe keeping. Also, my letter will end on this. The demons are still chasing us; they really think that Reyna is still with us. We escaped three towns over for the past week as the demons were still trailing us. We are now in the city of Venicia, so far away from home. By the way, I hid the orb on the cave outside of the Venicia, it was a cool cave, Will, it was a cave hidden with a beautiful spring water inside. If you'll ever get this letter, please take care of that orb and if you'll see Reyna, please tell her that we are sorry we did not keep our promise. Don't forget to burn this letter.

And I'm sorry Will. I miss home and I love you.

Your loving Big Brother,

Lee

"Oh, Will." His mother quickly hugged her for comfort. "I'm sorry." Apollo quietly pat his shoulder while his mother was on him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you mom. It was a request from Lee, I can't break it."

"It's fine, honey. I know why you did it. I'm sorry too, we should have told we met Reyna." Naomi is still hugging him.

"We are sorry, Will." Annabeth sympathizes.

"I know everybody is itching to know how we met the hound." Apollo pointedly looked at Percy who is now clearly on the verge of curiosity based on all the pout he's sporting. "But I just wanted to confirm something from Will."

"Dad?" Will asked, also curious.

"Did you get the orb from that cave in Venicia?" Will nodded, confirming. "It was in Cecil's care until now." He pointed out to Cecil. Who was observing as well as Lou.

"Yes, I have it right here, actually." Cecil rummages through his small belt bag that he carries around anywhere. "here it is." He pulled out a small box and put it on the round table in front of Apollo. His father opened it slowly. It was a white orb with deep purple and blue within it. They all peered at it. In all honesty, Will did not examine the orb when he found it on the cave where Lee hid it. It was simply captivating.

"This is why the demons chased your pack, Will." Apollo told him.

"What? Why?" Will was confused. "I thought it was because of Reyna. A foreign smell is still lingering on that orb."

"No, not the scent, but the magic that held with this orb. This was bathed in Lethe water, the lake that was on Lee's letter, the lake from the underworld." Apollo explained.

"How is that important?" Will asked.

Apollo looked straight at Will. "This will tell you where the keys of the underworld are."

A/N: It's been a while and this is chapter 10. Please keep safe during this pandemic. Enjoy!

Special thanks to ms. smp for editing this chapter. Comments are highly appreciated! Keep safe!