I shook my head. "I won't change tomorrow night."
Ares smiled. "We'll see about that, but we must hurry."
I looked at Matt and Koda in their wolf bodies and human heads, and at Ares, and scowled. "Why is this happening to me? Why couldn't I just have a normal life?"
Ares frowned. "Your father said you were an outsider anyway."
I laughed. "An outsider to everyone but Bret and Billy."
Ares snarled. "You have to forget about them. You will never see them again."
I frowned at him. "What? Why? You promised not to kill them." I felt my anger boiling up and my skin started to turn hot. I took a step towards him and growled. A deep wolf growl came from my throat, but I didn't cringe.
Ares growled back. "Do not try to fight me, Artemis. You are completely human until you change, and I don't want to hurt you."
“Then answer my questions." I snarled at him.
Ares snarled back at me, taking a step closer.
I fought my body and stayed still, not stepping back from him even though I could feel the pressure building against me.
"I will only let your aggressive gestures last so long. I understand that you are not used to the werewolf way, but I am your dominant, and you must treat me as such. Your friends will be alive and fine, but you will not be allowed to visit them or anyone else. After you have your first change, your food instincts are a little off."
I stopped snarling and stared at him. "You mean that I might end up trying to eat them?"
Ares nodded. "Exactly.”
I frowned. “Aren’t humans the top of the food chain?”
“Humans were never the top of the food chain,” Ares answered with a scoff.
“What is?”
“We are,” Ares answered.
I decided to leave the food chain topic alone, and walked towards Koda and Matt. "How old are you three?"
Koda frowned. "You don't want to know."
"Try me."
Matt laughed. "Just wait until you know everything about us before we tell you our age."
I sighed. "Fine, be secretive. See if I care. Now let's go. I'm starving."
Koda smiled. "Me, too."
I looked at him and realized he was trying to make a joke. I laughed and turned to Ares. "So, I guess you'll be carrying me again?"
Ares shrugged. "Would you rather ride one of them?"
I looked at Matt and Koda and asked, "Would one of you let me?"
Koda stepped forward and nodded. "Of course, hop on." He coughed, and I cringed as his face snapped and popped and extended into its wolf form.
I shivered. "At least you look natural again, but that's disgusting to hear."
"Wait until it's your body doing it," said Matt.
Ares snarled, and Matt quickly changed his head back to wolf. I reached out towards Koda and stopped mid-way. I looked back at Ares. "Are they still them?"
He tilted his head to the side in a very canine-like manner. "You mean are they still thinking like themselves or are they thinking like a dog?"
I nodded. "Yeah. If I pet him, is he going to try to bite me?"
Ares shrugged. "Depends on what kind of mood he is in."
I looked into Koda's eyes and said, "Don't bite me." I reached forward and stroked his fur with my hand. "It's so thick."
Koda laid down so I could get on to him easier. I climbed up and grabbed a fistful of his fur, enjoying the feel of it in my hands. He stood up slowly and started walking. I tucked my legs up slightly to get a better hold, since he was too large to ride like a horse. Koda crouched down and then sprang forward in a full run. I held on tightly, leaning forward so the wind and branches wouldn't hit me. We ran much faster than before and came out of the forest in a few minutes to a flat grass field. Koda slowed, and Ares walked to stand beside us. He looked around, then nodded. Matt walked forward into the open field and looked around carefully. He got to the middle of the field and howled loudly. I watched as five wolves ran from the trees on the other side of the field, and walked up to Matt. They smelled each other's faces and then sat down on their haunches. Matt turned back to us and nodded. Koda and Ares walked together towards the group. I lay down flat on Koda's back trying to hide as much as possible in his fur.
We reached the group and Koda sat down, making it harder for me to hang on, but I gripped his fur tighter not wanting to fall. Ares, still in his human form, said, "Greetings, fellow wolves. We come to seek shelter in your town."
Another man who had changed forms answered, "Greetings, Prince Ares. Of course, you may stay with us. You need not even ask our permission."
"Thank you, Gregory, but I wanted to be polite and not insist you let me stay with you." Ares said in a lighthearted tone.
My grip slipped through Koda's fur, and I hit the ground making an "oomph” sound as I landed. The other man growled. "What do you have with you?"
I peeked around Koda and Ares smiled at me. "It's alright, Artemis. Come here."
I walked slowly toward Ares, eyeing the other wolves cautiously. "Are you sure they aren't going to hurt me?"
Ares smiled and held out his hand. "You are one of us, and you are mine. They will not harm you." I took his hand and hurried the rest of the way to his side. He said, "Gregory, I would like you to meet Artemis, my passt genau."
Gregory, the only naked man, shook his head in disbelief. "Your match? I did not think it was possible for a wolf to find a match."
Ares smiled and kissed the back of my hands sending chills up my spine. "Neither did I, but we had been dreaming of each other. I sent out a call and she answered from a state away. Her father did not tell her about our kind and kept her away. She has yet to change though."
Gregory blinked at me. "How old?"
"Seventeen, eighteen tomorrow."
Gregory shook his head. "Amazing. It must have something to do with her not being around our kind."
Ares nodded, staring at my face. "That's what I assumed. Her father has even refused to change in front of her. She had no idea that werewolves even existed until a few hours ago, when I came to her."
I couldn't help but look at Gregory's body. He was muscled like Ares and naked. I started to look lower, but Ares tapped my face making me look at him. He whispered, "I assure you that there is nothing special for you to look at on him."
I blushed and turned away from both of them. "You can't get mad at me. I hadn't seen a naked man before you changed at my house."
Ares snorted. "Don't lie. I could tell that you have slept with that boy."
"Define slept with. I have been asleep in the same bed with him, if that is what you mean, but I have never even kissed him, more than a kiss on the cheek."
Ares sighed. "Now is not the time to discuss this. We must hurry to your place. The full moon comes tomorrow, and she will need her rest."
I nodded. "Especially if I'm going to stop the change."
Gregory shook his head. "You can't stop it."
I glared at him, no longer unable to meet his eyes. "Do not tell me what I can or cannot do."
Ares laughed. "See Gregory. She is perfect."
Gregory smiled. "She is something, great Prince. Hurry and follow me then."
He changed back to a wolf, his body popping and snapping as it changed. I cringed at the sound and moved towards Ares, but he was changing, too. I ran to Koda and hopped up on his back as he started to stand up. I clung to him as he ran with the others.
Chapter Four
We ran for a few hours through the trees before coming to a large clearing filled with little log cabin houses and a bigger concrete warehouse building. Adults and children of various races walked around smiling, talking and laughing as our pack of wolves ran by them. I gaped, not believing that this sight wasn't scaring them.
How can this be normal? Are all of these people werewolves?
I shuddered at the thought of so many werewolves being in one place.
Aren't werewolves supposed to be angry and bloodth
irsty?
Our group stopped in front of the largest house, and the men changed from wolves to human. I kept my face burrowed in Koda's fur as they walked inside so that I wouldn't have to look at their naked bodies. Koda turned his head to me and nudged my arm. I looked up, and he snorted. I slid from his back and walked forward until I was on the steps of the house. I could hear Koda's body popping and snapping and cringed with each sound.
He made a stretching noise and said from very close behind me, "Come on. Everyone went to get clothes so that they wouldn't embarrass you anymore."
I felt the heat on my cheeks and was glad that I didn't have to look at him. I walked into the house quickly before any more naked men showed up. When I was inside the doorway, I stopped. The house had a very warm feeling. The entryway had rows of pictures of people and wolves and a chandelier made of deer antlers hanging over the doorway. The living room sat off to the left, the bedrooms to the right, and the kitchen was straight ahead. I frowned at the set-up and then shrugged.
Not my house to decide how to set it up.
I loved how normal everything looked and hoped that my life wouldn't have to change too much.
Ares walked out of one of the bedrooms in a pair of blue jeans and nothing else, and I stared at him as he walked towards me. His flawless caramel skin begged for me to lick, it and his piercing blue eyes would be perfect staring down at me while he...
I broke the thought off and turned away as a burning blush roared up my cheeks. I felt Ares behind me and desperately wanted to turn around and touch him, but I stayed still, digging my fingers into my arms to hold myself together.
You don’t even know this guy and you're already thinking about doing things you have never done with any other man before. I swallowed hard. Man. He was definitely a man.
"Artemis," Ares whispered behind me. If his voice was a physical element, it would be velvet.
I swallowed hard. "Yes?"
He moved closer to me so that a large thought would make us touch. "Are you alright?"
I nodded quickly then sighed. "I...I..."
Ares wrapped his arms around my waist, and I moaned at the feel of his burning skin against mine. He placed his lips next to my ear and asked, "Would you like me to give you some space?"
I tried to say yes, but my mouth said, "No." I spun around in his arms and stared at his gorgeous face. His rugged physical features reminded me of the men who often camped in the nearby mountains. If he had wanted to, he could have been a model. I felt the muscles of his arms against me and his chest muscles as he wrapped his arms around me. My eyes rolled in the back of my head. He laughed quietly and set me down in a chair walking across the room. I stared after him and fought my body to stay in the chair. He smiled, and I smiled back at him.
Matt whistled from the doorway and spoke in his thick British accent, "Wow, she really is all bonkers fer ya. I can't believe you have a passt genau."
Ares smiled and nodded. "She's perfect. Well, except that she hasn't changed yet."
I frowned. "I'm not going to change."
Ares shrugged and smiled. "Whatever you say."
I smelled steak and licked my lips. "Are we going to eat soon? I'm starving." Ares started walking towards me and wicked thoughts about parts of him I wouldn't mind nibbling on instantly sprang to mind. I shook my head trying to clear it and asked, "Did you put some type of spell or something on me?"
He whispered from behind me. "No. It's just how we are together."
I groaned. "Great. Just great."
Matt and Koda walked into the room and sat down on the love seat. They were both wearing only pants like Ares and it took all of my willpower to look away from their bodies and stare at my hands as I sat down on the farthest seat of the couch. I pressed myself into the corner, trying to hide and disappear even though I knew it was impossible. I continued staring at my hands, even when someone sat down next to me on the couch.
Matt whispered, "What's wrong, Love?"
I looked up slowly making sure to avoid staring at his body and going straight for his face. "I don't really want to answer that truthfully."
Matt smiled. "Is it because of how we're dressed?" I looked back down at my hands as another blush spread over my cheeks. Matt laughed. "It's alright. We won't get mad if we catch you looking at us."
"It's not that, well it sort of is, but that's not completely it." I said quietly.
Someone else sat down on the couch beside Matt. Koda asked, "You can't tell me you haven't seen your guy friends with their shirts off before."
I felt my blush deepen and shook my head. "I didn't really have any friends besides Bret and I never paid attention to the guys anyway." And I guarantee none of them had bodies like yours.
Matt snarled. "Was Bret the one trying to shoot us?"
I sighed and looked up at him. "Yes. You can't hate him for that, though. I’ve never seen wolves your size until we watched the videos on TV and then to see two of them at my house.” My throat constricted as I thought about never seeing Bret again. After taking a deep breath I continued. “Bret has always vowed to protect me, and he was just worried for my safety. He didn't shoot you, right?"
Matt shrugged. "I didn't say I hated him. I just don't like humans in general."
I grimaced. "You don't like me?"
Matt smiled sweetly. "Love, you aren't human. Your father made you believe you are, but you are a werewolf." He stared at my eyes and shook his head. "And something else, because I have never met anyone with purple eyes before."
I frowned. “What are you talking about? I don’t have purple eyes.”
Koda and Matt stared at me in shock.
I shook my head. "I don't know what you are talking about."
Koda called, "Ares." Ares walked over and stood in front of me. I stayed staring at Koda. Koda said, "Ares, you need to take her to the bathroom."
I looked up at Ares' face, waiting for his reaction. Ares frowned. "Why? Are you not feeling well?"
Koda shook his head. "Ares, she doesn't know what her eyes look like."
Ares looked down at me, eyebrow raised. "What color are your eyes Artemis?"
I shrugged. "Brown. At least that's what Bret always told me. Darren never had a mirror in the house and I never really thought about it. Whenever I walked by a mirror I just never looked into it."
Ares picked up my hand then turned it over, staring at the burn from the wolf necklace. “What happened?” he asked softly.
I sighed. “Billy gave me a necklace with a wolf pendant and the wolf burned my hand.”
Ares asked, “Silver?” I nodded and he whispered, “Don’t touch silver.” He pulled me to the bathroom down the hall. We passed Gregory, who watched us with curiosity. Ares pushed the bathroom door open and pushed me in front of the mirror. I stared at him, not sure what he wanted.
Ares sighed. "Look in the mirror."
I turned my head and looked at the mirror and gasped. I put my hand up to my face and rubbed my cheek. I knew I looked like my mother because Darren had told me, but I hadn't realized how much I looked like her. I looked deep into my dark purple eyes. I turned to Ares and asked, "This isn't some illusion, is it? Is this really what I look like?"
"Yes, Artemis. That is what you look like. Didn't you own a mirror?" I shook my head and ran my fingers through my thick black hair. I felt the tears running down my face before I saw them in the mirror. I turned away from the mirror and sat down on the floor holding my face in my hands. Ares sat down next to me and wrapped his arms around me. "It's alright, Artemis. Everything will be alright."
I stopped crying and rubbed my eyes with my arms. "I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't seen my face before, and I didn't realize how much I look like my mother. I thought this whole time that I was just ugly and that's why everyone treated me like an outsider." I stopped talking because I felt like I was being arrogant to say that I thought I was beautiful.
Ares tilted my head up with his finger under my chin and smiled. "
You're very beautiful, Artemis. I'm sure the reason they treated you like an outsider has nothing to do with your looks. I'll explain it to you later, but we need to eat."
I nodded and stood. I turned to him and asked, "Do you know of anyone else who has purple eyes? And why is it that I feel like I have known you my entire life, when I have only known you a few hours?"
He smiled and ran a fingertip along my jaw line. "I keep telling you that you were destined to be with me. I'm not making it up. And yes, I have met someone with purple eyes, but it has been a very long time since then."
I asked, "Does everyone have someone to answer their call?"
He shook his head. "No. The one that did, had to wait a long time to find the person who answered."
I asked, "How long did you wait?"
He shook his head. "Not yet. Wait until we explain everything about our culture to you."
I sighed. "Fine. But can you explain it soon?"
Ares laughed. "Of course." He walked from the bathroom back to the living room where everyone was sitting. I followed him and sat down in my spot in the corner of the couch.
Gregory brought out three plates piled with burgers and set it down on the coffee table. Gregory smiled. "Dig in!"
Matt and Koda jumped from the couch and grabbed two burgers each. Ares stood up and grabbed two also then all three sat down on the floor and began eating. I stared at the normal setting of guy friends eating burgers in a living room and wondered if all things about werewolves were the same. Well except for the body changing part. Ares looked up from his burger and frowned at me. "You need to eat."
I sighed and stood up grabbing one burger and sat back down pressing myself harder into the corner of the couch. I took a small bite from the burger and groaned in pleasure. "This is the best burger I have ever tasted!" I ate the burger quickly then grabbed another from the table, scarfing it down, too. Gregory handed everyone cups of soda then sat back down. I swallowed mine quickly, sighing in happiness when I was done. I felt a burp coming and fought to hold it down, but Koda burped loudly below me so I let mine out. I burped loud and long and laughed when I was finally done. "Excuse me."
Artemis Lupine- The Complete Series Page 10
