He saw something in the young man he liked, it was possible he reminded him of himself. Aelnoth had travelled illegally to the human world many times, and the risks were just as great had he been caught.
Matthew had been defiant in his chains, intelligent and curious. So Aelnoth outbid all the other auctioneers and won. There was some grumbling to the King about it, but the auction was done fair and square.
Aelnoth tried on several occasions to free the young human, but Matthew insisted on staying. He wanted to learn about Undervale, he told Aelnoth. He wanted to absorb the culture. So Aelnoth instead offered him a paid position within his household, under the agreement that they would never speak of it outside of themselves, and that anytime he wished Aelnoth would help Matthew return to the human world.
Over the years the two had become friends.
“We’re friends, and you know it. Also, stop calling me ‘my lord’, it sounds foolish,” Aelnoth said.
“Well maybe it does, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re lord of the clan now, does it?”
“No, I guess not—and the lord is hungry, so you better get me some food,” he responded laughing.
“Of course, my lord,” Matthew said. “Also, you should know, your mother is on her way over here. I don’t know when she returned to the den, but I heard her say something to one of the cook maids about knocking some sense into you about an heir.”
“When is my mother not going on about me and an heir,” he groaned. “And my father, barely cold in the ground,” Aelnoth replied. “Maybe I have time to escape to the woods before she arrives.”
“Before who arrives, dear?” his mother said as she entered the chamber. Aelnoth shot Matthew deadly daggers as he slunk out of the office. Matthew was smart and knew when a human presence wasn’t wanted. The last place he wanted to be was in the widow Ashlu’s way. Aelnoth couldn’t say he blamed him. His mother was a beautiful, strong, and powerful woman, and not a woman who should be crossed. Her wolf form was a deep, wooded brown, rare among wolves and shifters alike, much like Aelnoth’s only hers had tinges of silver that became more prominent as she aged.
“Good morning, Mother. What brings you inside this fine day?” he said, crossing the room in three great strides to kiss his mother’s cheek.
Aelnoth had noticed since his father’s death his mother spent more and more time in her wolf form out roaming the lands. He assumed this was how she dealt with her grief and wasn’t one to interfere. In fact, he rarely saw her in her human form, except if she took time out of her day to pester him about an heir.
“My sweet boy, I brought you a gift,” she said, holding up a line of recently pelted rabbit furs. “I caught them myself. And I thought now that you’ve taken your father’s place maybe we’d have the seamstresses make you a new winter cloak?”
“That sounds like a lovely gift,” he said, hugging her to him.
“And also, while we’re talking about winter,” she continued. “Have you thought yet about approaching the King for a suitable mate?”
“See Mother, there you go, and we’re having such a lovely chat.”
“Aelnoth, don’t be smart. It’s time, if you don’t want a formal mate as of yet, I understand, but then at least go to the auction houses, buy a suitable broodmare.”
The last thing he had time for was a woman mate, shifter or human. There was plenty of young, noblewoman at court that he was sure would jump at the chance to be the next Lady Ashlu, but he wasn’t enticed by any of them. When he mated he wanted to know it would be the right woman. Not just a receptacle for an heir. He wanted what his father and mother had had. A true partnership. Family. Someone to fight for and protect, but also someone to pleasure and take pleasure in. He certainly wasn’t going to purchase a mate like going to a human grocery store and picking out produce.
Rubbing his face with the palms of his hands Aelnoth sighed, deeply. “Mother, humans are not animals to be kept in cages for our carnal pleasures. They are people. We should treat them with dignity and respect. I won’t be buying a ‘broodmare’,” he said.
“The Ashlu clan is unsteady with the passing of your father. It makes our pack nervous. Whether you face it or not, we have enemies. An heir will settle the rumblings of those who are concerned. There are those who wish to unseat us.” she said.
“Are you concerned about Alard? The King would never allow it. You worry too much.”
“The King will look out for what is best for all of Undervale, and not play favorites toward one pack. Catori Alard wants power, that’s all she has ever wanted. With your father gone, she sees this as her opportunity. Find an heir Aelnoth.”
“I promise, Mother, I’ll speak to the King, and I’ll start to look for a mate,” he said, trying to reassure her. “However, I will not mate with a human against their will. It’s wrong.”
“Do what you must, son. Just don’t ignore this. There’ll be repercussions.” He watched as his mother smoothly transformed back into her wolf, left the pelts and disappeared.
Chapter 3
“Do you really think now is the best time to be taking a trip?”
“I told you, Nana, I don’t really have a choice,” Susie said. She hated lying to her grandmother, but what choice did she have. She wasn’t going to come clean about Jason’s real health issues, until she knew for sure, until she had answers. And she wasn’t even sure she would be able to find his father anyway, so bringing her grandmother into this mess was pointless. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“And where is it they are sending you again?” Nana asked.
“Out West.” She thought it best to be as vague as possible, it was bad enough she had told her grandmother that it was a work-related trip, when in actuality she had to take time off. It would hurt their meager savings, but she had no choice. “You have all of the prescriptions Dr. Merkel gave for Jason for his pain?”
“Yes, dear,” Nana replied.
“If you need anything at all, remember I probably won’t have access to my cell phone, but Kim’ll be able to help you.” Kim and Susie had been best friends since the first grade. Kim was the only one Susie trusted with the secret of who Jason’s father really was, and Kim was the only person who knew she was going to cross into Undervale to try and find him.
Kim begged Susie not to go. They both knew the potential dangers if she got caught. There were no travel visas she could get, and when Kim realized Stacy was going no matter what, she then tried to convince Susie into letting her come along. There was no way that was going to happen. It was one thing to put herself in danger, but quite another to put the life of her best, and only friend in danger.
Thankfully, Susie was able to convince Kim that she was needed more here to help Nana with Jason. If anything happened to Susie, she was relieved in knowing Kim would take care of her baby boy as if he were her own. She loved him almost as much as Susie did.
It was morning’s like this she wished she had a husband or a lover. Kim was an excellent support system and she had never needed a man for her own comfort. But it would be nice, she thought to have someone to wrap his arms around her, reassure her, and work with her to find a solution in that special way that only came from a true partner.
After kissing her grandmother goodbye, she tearfully walked up to Jason and hugged him tight to her chest, trying to commit to memory his sweet smell, and how he felt. If all went smoothly she hoped to be back within a week. However, nothing was guaranteed.
“You’ll be good and strong for great-grandma, right buddy?” she asked, wiping a tear from her cheek.
He nodded solemnly, “Of course, Mom. You don’t have to worry. You’ll be home before you know it!”
She smiled, he was such a trooper. “You’re right, it won’t be any time at all.”
***
Driving was the only way Susie knew to get to the border with Undervale. There were no official channels, and she didn’t know how successful she would be. She knew from the intern
et that firearms were forbidden in Undervale, so she had only armed herself with a small taser for protection. Honestly, she thought. I wouldn’t know how to use it if confronted. Jason’s father and Dr. Merkel were the only two shifters she had ever met, and they were both seemingly decent. So, it was possible she would be able to find a village or a town and ask around about the shifter tattoos, and maybe that will give her a chance.
Dr. Merkel had told her a bit about the great clans and the red ban on Jason’s father’s chest tattoo was an indication of a noble clan or pack. Most likely her lover had been a servant in a noble clan. Apparently, according to Dr. Merkel, all shifters have the tattoos, but only the four major noble clans had them placed on the chest. There could be hundreds of men in Undervale with the same exact tattoo that Jason’s father had.
Wiping her sweaty palm on the leg of her jeans, her chest tightened with anxiety. How on Earth was she going to pull this off?
As she drove the landscape outside slowly changed from suburban to wilderness. Thankfully, she had filled the gas tank in the last town. She must be getting close, and there was no telling how deep into Undervale she would have to go to find civilization. Or how friendly shifters would be, if she encountered any.
After hours of wilderness passed, the sun started to hang low dipping behind the mountains and shrouding the valley in dull light. Susie was certain she had crossed the border in Undervale. It was a bit unnerving. Unlike, for example going from the States to Canada where there were border agents and presentation of papers required, there had been nothing. Here there were no signs, no warnings, not even an indication she was in another country, except that the road had changed from neat smooth pavement to a rougher, gravel surface, Susie would have thought she was in a national park. The border was almost too easy to cross. Pulling over onto the grassy shoulder, she got out of the car and put the black film that Dr. Merkel had given her on the car in place of her license plate, tossing her license plate into the woods.
He told her the change may help her get a little deeper into Undervale before she would have to ditch the car altogether and make the rest of her journey on foot. Most shifters didn’t use cars, they didn’t need to. When in wolf form, he explained, they could cross great distances with ease. Most shifters preferred it. There were cars in Undervale but they all used the black film in place of the license plates as they were community property, and there was no need for registration. He also told her she should make sure any personal information should be removed from the car, and she could pretty much count on not finding it where she left it.
It wasn’t ideal, she thought. But Kim can meet me a few miles from the border on the way out. We needed a new car anyway. She had been grateful for all the help and advice he had given her. She wasn’t going to be upset about an old car.
Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw the flash of yellow eyes rushing through the tree line, keeping pace with the car. That was impossible. Her speed was steady at 55mph. Shaking her head she realized she was getting too tired to safely continue driving. She wanted to make it to a village or town thinking she may be safer sleeping in the car if there were others around, even if they were shifters.
As if in answer to her prayers, as she rounded the next corner she saw a single street lamp, then about a half mile further another, then another. The lights beginning to get closer together until finally, she came upon a small cluster of buildings. Well it’s certainly not Toronto, she thought, but it looks like there are at least some people who must live here.
Still unable to shake the feeling she was being watched, Susie drove through the cluster of buildings and out of town for about 3 miles before circling back to park the car behind the general store. Hunkering down for the night, in the morning she would get an early start. It was probably a good idea, leaving the car where it was parked and doing any further travel by foot. Once daylight broke she would speak with a local or two and get some information on how, or where, to find the clan with the red-banded tattoos. Extending the driver’s side seat all the way back she curled her jacket around herself to stay warm. Fall is coming fast, she thought, memories of Jason carving pumpkins filling her mind as she fell into a fitful sleep.
Chapter 4
The moon was high and full, running through the trees, Aelnoth let the chilly wind run wild through his fur. There was nothing he loved more than the waning summer turning into fall for a good hunt. He paused briefly, catching a scent on the air—the buck was close by. What was that other scent? He bared his teeth letting out a low growl, as a larger wolf with deep black fur rushed past him in a blur, heading for his buck. Recognizing his old friend the prince, Aelnoth sped up, artfully dodging brush and fallen logs. No way was Symes getting this one. This kill was his.
Rounding up on the other wolf, Aelnoth let out a long loud howl, scaring the buck off. Symes quickly stretched out his forelegs and upturned his neck, turning back into his human form with ease. Aelnoth followed with the same stretching motion, his eyes turning from their wolfish yellow back to a deep chestnut brown. He saw the anger on Symes’ face and laughed at his frustration.
“What the hell, Noth?” Symes asked.
“What the hell yourself. That buck was mine and you know it. Now neither of us get it. We’ll live to hunt another day.” Aelnoth said.
Symes tossed him an apple from a nearby tree and Aelnoth caught it with ease, taking a bite. “Why are you here friend?”
“Father sent me to find you. He wanted to make sure you and your mother would be at the harvest feast. I told him, of course, but he sent me just the same.” Symes said.
“Ashlu clan would never miss harvest fest. Please tell the King, we’ll be there. The world didn’t stop when Father died. It’d be cruel to keep the pack in mourning when they look forward to this all year.”
“How is it? Now that you are lord, must feel good to let that alpha out, right?”
“Honestly, it doesn’t feel much different. You know there was no love lost between father and I, but Mother was his mate. For her, it’s been more difficult,” Aelnoth said, not wanting to reveal to Symes that his mother had been hounding him about selecting his own mate, or that she was spending more and more time in her wolf form. If the King knew the extent of her grief he might force her into a late mating with another wolf. His mother’s heart would always be Ashlu, and to ask her to leave her pack would be cruel.
“Well, I’m glad you have accepted your role as lord and Alpha. I urge you though, watch your back.”
“Why?”
“I have heard rumblings out of the Alard pack— it seems the death of your father has created some political ambition. And I warn you, friend, your love of humans is not winning you any favor.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Aelnoth scoffed. Symes may hate humans, but not everyone in Undervale felt that way. It wasn’t love of humans, but basic decency that led his thinking. It certainly wouldn’t affect his clan standing.
“They are vile creatures only good for breeding and serving. The sooner you accept it, the less ammunition Alard and other clans will have against you,” he said. “I only tell you this as your friend.” Symes was constantly working to convince him humans had no worth. Especially those who crossed illegally into the sacred kingdom. He was a proponent of the harsh punishments.
If Pups born to mates who were both shifters hadn’t increasingly suffered from severe health problems, most not making it to adulthood, or if those that did didn’t often go mad, Symes would see no point in human shifter involvement at all. Not that humans treated shifters who crossed over into their states and countries illegally, any better. Which only emboldened Symes’ argument and that of those who thought like him.
Aelnoth had heard the stories of shifters being put in labs, and tested on, like common animals, rats. It didn’t make what Undervale did any more right. The practices on both sides disgusted him. He swore to himself when he was Lord and Symes was king, they would find a way to live with th
e humans peacefully, learn about each other and mate without force. But the more he discussed humans with Symes the more it was becoming clear he might be alone in his fight. Symes thought Undervale would be better off without humans.
“Have you ever thought you might change your mind about the humans if you took the time to get to know one?” he asked, raising one eyebrow in a challenge. Symes growl was half-hearted, so Aelnoth continued. “Maybe even mate with one, your highness? I have tested the theory- the right human woman, well, she can be quite something in bed.”
“When I mate, Noth, it will be with your future queen and not some common human broodmare.”
“Your loss,” he said smiling as he shrugged his shoulders. It would take puppy steps, but all was not lost. He knew his friend, and beneath his anger toward humans, there was a fair, noble wolf. He may be able to change Symes mind, someday.
“Come, let’s stop talking of nonsense and enjoy the evening. You smell that? I think your buck has returned. Challenge?” Symes said.
“Accepted,” Aelnoth replied, quickly channeling his inner energy and willing his body to embrace his wolf.
The shift was different for each person. Aelnoth found for him it only took a moment of reflection and a channeling of energy. Much like stretching with and through his very soul. Beginning with the familiar tingle of electricity that started at the top of his head and ran down his body through to his feet. His senses sharpened, once his eyes flashed yellow, he found he could see better, hear better, and smell better. He allowed his wolf to take over and embraced the driving need to hunt. The relief he felt during a full moon when he unleashed a full howl moved his entire being. He had only experienced that same type of release once before, with a human woman, he was only half joking when he recommended his friend take a human to bed. He had had that connection once, six years before. He had been chasing it ever since.
One Night One Secret Page 2
