Pushing my concerns to the back of my head, I open the door to my room and step inside. Marjorie is still asleep, but by the way her eyebrows are pulled tightly together I imagine her dreams are not at all pleasant. I shut the door and hurry to the bed, sitting near her feet. She whimpers in her sleep, so I lay my hand on her left ankle.
She sits up in bed suddenly, struggling for a breath of air. The covers transform into her shield of security as she brings them up to her chest. She is so off right now she hasn’t even registered I’m in the room with her.
“Marjorie? What’s wrong?”
She glances around the room a moment before resting her eyes on me. “What time is it?”
“Eight thirty.” I reach for her hand. “You’re pale. What is it?”
“I...I had a dream. Only, I’m not sure it was a dream.”
Her connection to our kind grows stronger with Bray’s presence as he is the only direct family link this close to her.
“Bray is here.”
“He’s here because of the dream, isn’t he?”
“I suspect so.” I pick myself off the bed. “Let me help you get started.” I pull back the covers and give her moment to wiggle to the edge of the mattress.
“I need to change.”
Spotting her suitcase near my desk, I stroll over to pick it up and lay it on the bed within arm’s reach. Next I grab her leg brace and put in on while she busies herself searching in the suitcase for something to wear. Once she has picked an ensemble, she zips the luggage back up and signals for me to remove it. I place it back down on the floor.
“I’ll be down the hall,” I say as I recheck her leg brace to make sure it’s securely buckled before stepping back. “Are you sure you’re not going to need help getting dressed?”
Catching my grin, she responds by shaking her head. “I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, well, call me when you’re done.” I leave her to take care of business on her own and rejoin Alexis and Josephine in the kitchen while I waited for her to call.
About a half hour later, she texts me to let me know she is done so I rush upstairs and bring her into the library where Bray is waiting to have a word with her. Because I have one more thing to run by Alexis, I excuse myself and walk out of the room.
My twin is engaged in a conversation with Bayard when I stroll into the living area. Most of the members of our packs are either out in the yard or upstairs.
“Kyran, I am glad you have decided to join us.” Bayard sits on the couch across from the one Alexis has made himself comfortable on. “I noticed it has been several hours since you had your last episode. Your system is going back to normal.”
That’s hardly a relief considering the episodes to follow will be no less brutal. “For the time being I am well.”
“Soon I will take some samples of Marjorie’s blood,” he comments.
“I’m not interested in a cure.”
“Kyran...?” Alexis glares at me.
Bayard dips his head slightly. “I cannot push this on you, but the possibility will be there in case you ever change your mind.”
“Even if I did, the cure is not a guarantee. It might not be effective.”
“We will not know unless we try. At best, the bloodlust can be made submissive so you can have more of a normal life.”
An average life sounds like paradise to me, but I don’t want to fool myself into believing I can have the ordinary everyone else takes for granted. “It’s not that I don’t want to try.”
You’re just afraid it won’t work and then you will be disappointed. Is that why you’ve been thinking about running away?
I’m startled by Alexis’ words. So he has caught a glimpse of my jumbled thoughts after all. How am I supposed to lie my way around this one?
I’m not running away.
But you have been thinking about it. You can’t leave Marjorie alone.
I’m not leaving her alone. It was an impulse thought. Nothing more.
Kyran, I am not replacing you. Even if the cure doesn’t work, you can’t just assume I will be there to take over by stepping in as Marjorie’s potential mate. She loves you and this isn’t going to change anytime soon.
“I may think on it some more,” I say to Bayard, ignoring Alexis’ comment.
“There is no greater risk than the one that is never taken in the first place.”
No greater risk. Where have I heard this before? Thinking back a few weeks, if memory serves me right, it was the same thing Alexis told me our first day of classes, after he figured out how badly Marjorie had affected me.
“In any case, if it does not work, you will have nothing to regret later because you would have at least had made an effort to better your life.”
“Your words carry a lot of wisdom, but unfortunately my brother is a little too hard-headed for his own good.” Alexis puckers his brow as he looks at me.
“I said I would think about it,” I respond in a calm, soft voice. I have no energy nor am in the mood to get into another argument with him right now so I let it slide. “Besides, if I continue to refuse, I’m sure I will see no end to your harassment.”
“The way I see it, I’ll harass you if you do. And I’ll harass you if you don’t. It’s a lose-lose situation for you.” Alexis’ soft chuckle sparks a need in me. Something I haven’t felt comfortable with in a long time because of my insecurities, my curse, my flaws, but I think it is long overdue. Even if fate somehow screwed up our relationship further by tying us both to the same girl, Alexis is still my brother and I haven’t been fair to him in a long time.
In good and in bad times, he has always taken the brunt of my anger, has always stayed one step behind me, and never turned his back to me. Not once, has he tried to overshadow me, nor tried to run me off as if I was some piece worthless trash. Alexis is the true image of what a family should be like: warm, caring, loyal, and sadly devoted.
“Alexis, when the Gandillons are finally taken care of, would you like to go out hunting? Like we used to do back in the day?”
His face lights up like a birthday candle. “Really? Do you really mean it? Because I will never let you back down out of the offer.”
“I’m not going to back out of it.” Sparing a glance at Bayard, I say, “What about you? Would you like to join us?”
“I would indeed. Set the time and the date.” Sensing movement in the room to our right, Bayard picks himself off the couch. “I must meet with Marjorie for a little bit. Please excuse me.”
Alexis and I both nod. He takes off then to the foyer, shutting the door behind him.
“It’s almost time for the meeting and the ValKhazar clan hasn’t appeared. I’m a little worried,” Alexis comments.
“If Bray said they will be here, all we have to do is wait for them to show up.”
“What if they don’t?”
“Then, you will have to keep your promise.”
He doesn’t look particularly happy about this request, but he promised to keep his words and I hold him to it.
“And you will keep your promise to our sister and not play the hero.” He hits right back like I knew he would.
“Wolf’s honor,” I pledge, knowing a wolf honor is not something to be taken lightly.
No matter what happens we both have promises to keep, duties to fulfill, and responsibilities to take care of. Only if we work as a team, will we break through barriers and come back victorious. It won’t be easy, but I have been struggling to survive since I was in the womb so this isn’t new to me. But in the event that a death occurs, am I sufficiently prepared to face it again?
Losing our parents had been difficult for all of us. I’m not so sure how another death will affect us now. The thought alone sickens me. It sends a shiver down my spine, and forces my heart into a gallop. Because I know what I stand to lose should I fail, it’s my job to make sure those I care about are safe.
Gazing at Alexis, I can see he has similar thoughts in mind. I owe him a lot, and
if things go well for us today, I vow to make up to him every single reproach, every punch, shove, condescending comment I’ve ever hurled at him.
It’s time for a change. I feel it in my blood. Maybe, instead of accepting the fact that I am and always have been different, I should take on Marjorie’s and Bayard’s offer to help rid me of the curse. As Alexis has said many times over, if it doesn’t work at least I know I tried to make a difference.
Chapter Nine
Little Heaven Park is more than just a recreational center. It is surrounded by about 127,568 acres of land, which houses the local wildlife, and now a fairly large population of werewolves belonging to at least three different packs that I know of. The area is relatively large. Its vastness nearing the state border of Idaho, so there is sufficient space for our kind to hide and spread wide.
Some 250 miles more to the west and we’d run straight into the Lolo National Forest and we don’t even know if these werewolves have called this location home yet. For now, we have decided to stick out here to see what we are up against. Because there is little certainty to go on, Bray has decided to post Imai and Liam at the mines, ordering them to warn us if they catch anything out of the ordinary.
To the east, farther away from where Marjorie is supposed to meet Angela, Marquis has led Esteban, Simone, James, Edgar, and Gage to scout for possible signs of any invading werewolves. Bray, Bayard, Dario, Cian, Josephine, and I have headed west, closer to the location where Alexis should be dropping Marjorie off right about now.
With the ValKhazar pack delayed in their arrival, we’ve had no choice but to proceed as planned, though I’m hoping they will show up before anyone else does. So far, we are clear, but if our suspicions turn out to be true, it won’t be for long.
We spread out a bit in hopes of covering more land, but it takes a few scarce seconds for me to realize something isn’t right. It’s quiet. Too quiet. And still. Like the calm right before the storm. I feel the threat of impending doom deep in my gut. Something is definitely amiss, even if we don’t see nor hear it yet.
“You feel it too, do you not?” Bray asks as he steps in next to me.
“Like we’re walking right into a trap? Absolutely.”
Bray takes out his phone and points it up to the sky. “I barely have a signal, but it might be enough to call Alexis.”
I stop walking to face him. “What for?”
“So that he can report how things are at his end.”
I wait in silence as Bray dials Alexis’ number and holds the receiver to his ear. After a few rings, Alexis picks up. “Alexis, how is Marjorie? Have you arrived at your destination? Is anyone else present?” He waits a moment for Alexis’ reply before saying, “Very well. Call me as soon as you can.” He ends the call and turns to me. “It appears they have arrived safely, but Alexis cut the call short for some reason. I hope he will clarify once he dials back.”
Cian, one of Bray’s trusted Trackers, falls to his knees a short distance in front of us and glides his fingers over the loose soil. Because tracking is not something engraved in my blood, I have no idea what he’s doing but I’m guessing he’s trying to determine if there is any movement from any direction.
“There is a slight vibration. They are moving quickly.”
I can’t sense anything yet, but that doesn’t mean the Tracker is mistaken.
“They are near,” the brown haired wolf announces.
“How close?” Bray asks just as his cell phone begins to ring.
Cian rests the palm of his right hand on the ground and waits in patient silence for the answers.
Bray answers his phone. “Alexis? Who else is there?” Silence as my brother fills Bray in, conveying what he has been able to observe. “Marjorie is there with the girl? Good. It seems as if we might have company soon. Cian has detected movement and he is trying to determine in which direction they are coming from.” He listens some more, before adding, “Sabine should have been here by now. I am not sure what has delayed her arrival.”
“Have you tried calling her?” I ask as I survey the woods around us.
“Yes, but I continuously get her voicemail. She must have turned off her cell phone, which is unlike her. She reports to me without fail. This behavior is troublesome.”
“When was the last time you spoke to her?”
“This morning. I informed her where to meet us in the event she was delayed.”
“Could they have been attacked on the way?” I ask, knowing it’s a possibility the ValKhazar pack might have been ambushed somewhere along the road.
“Not unless the Gandillons knew my pack was on their way,” Bray replies quickly. By his reaction, I can tell he has had the same concerns as me.
Cian shoots to his feet, turning toward the north. “They are going to box us in. There are four large groups. Due to the many pounding of feet, I can’t say for sure what the exact numbers are, but they are approaching fast.”
“Movement ahead,” Josephine shouts behind me. “To the right.”
A mass covered with silver fur darts from behind one tree toward Dario.
“Alexis, we are about to be ambushed. We are being invaded. We have no clue as to how many there are.” Bray is calm, as if this sort of thing happens often and he’s not the least bit worried. Being that he’s of the strongest of bloodlines, I don’t doubt he is fully capable of taking more than a few down without getting out of breath.
“How did they get here so quickly?” I murmur to myself. They couldn’t have gotten so close while escaping detection. Even those of us who are not Trackers could have sensed their approach with little effort.
“Kyran!” Josephine rushes to me, laying a hand on my shoulder as more figures emerge. “Why are they not attacking?”
Even the silver furred beast determined to knock Dario off his feet a moment ago made a beeline for the trees seconds before impact.
“They haven’t been given the order,” I say under my breath. These bastards are playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Keeping us occupied. I’ve seen this pattern before. First, they tested our ability to function as a pack. Then, back at the hospital, they tested our weaknesses. Now they aim to test our combat skills. The difference between then and now is this time there will be war, not merely an attempt to see what information they can gather on us. “Bray, tell Alexis to bring Marjorie to us.”
Bray glances around briefly, his eyes quickly assessing the situation. “He will never make it in time.”
“They're going after Marjorie. We need to get her away from the immediate area. We will never make it to where she is in time to stop them.”
“Wouldn’t bringing her here put her in more peril?” he questions.
“Alexis and I were right. This is a trap, but not one intended for Marjorie. It was set up for us. They will attack us here to keep us occupied while the rest go after Marjorie. The closer she is to us the safer she will be.”
Bray holds the phone back to his ear. “Alexis, get Marjorie out here as quickly as you can. I am on my way now. If you are unable to flee, hold on until I get there.” He ends the call and tosses the phone at me. I catch it, but look up at him in confusion.
“What...?” The rest of my question is left unsaid as Bray rips his dress shirt off and keels over as muscles begin to expand and bones begin to pop. His transformation from man to beast takes less time than ours, but it is no less impressive. When finished, he stands close to nine feet tall. His physical resemblance to us is similar but slightly different in his overall appearance. Taller, larger, bulkier, and with a slight mane around his neck he looks every bit as formidable as I know he is.
His clothing lay in a pile of shredded cloth on the ground as he whirls around and bolts deeper into the woods. As he goes along, I see him take down two betas with a mere swipe of his oversized paw before moving on. The death of the two unfortunate wolves is quick and barely puts a pause to his fluid movements. Bray disappears a moment later.
“They have arr
ived,” Bayard announces as he removes a brown leather jacket he wears and tosses it to the ground.
I stuff Bray’s cell in my pocket and keep a look out for potential threats.
“They are all over the place.” Movement to my right alerts me to a relatively large wolf with light brown hair staring at me with glowing aquamarine eyes. “Ivan.” I hiss, recognizing the scent. This is proof Kenny has had a role on the Gandillons’ actions all along. Ivan is here and therefore its obvious Kenny Marshall sent him to either get rid of me or collect the prize. Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter which. Our paths have crossed and one of us is going to die today.
“Not them. Our pack. The ValKhazars.”
I focus my attention on Bayard temporarily.
“I don’t—” A series of loud growls resonate nearby. Our backup has arrived and they don’t sound happy.
I have no time to dwell on this because Ivan comes charging at me like a rabid elephant challenging a foe over territory. He covers the distance surprisingly fast, oversized paws disturbing the soil as he comes barreling toward me with fiery determination. He’s going to hit like an out of control semi, hard and with the intent to cause excruciating pain. I brace myself for impact, spacing my feet apart and throwing my shoulders back. I don’t have time to shift from man to beast so I keep my ground.
Ivan slams into me before I can think to side step him, but he doesn’t catch me entirely off guard. His muscled arms surround my midsection and lift me off my feet, but I bring down my right elbow in between his shoulder blades, connecting with his spine. The blow unbalances him, causing his grip to falter. I engage my right arm around his neck to dig my claws near his jugular vein. He freaks and releases me, causing me to stumble as I land of my feet.
I recover quickly, steadying my step. I tear off my t-shirt as the urge to change becomes stronger. The pull overwhelms me so I give in, allowing the transformation to begin. The shift commences quicker than ever before, muscles extending, bones elongating and popping out of place, skin sprouting dark fur throughout. It’s instinctive for my inner beast to surface under the threat of an enemy and it does so rapidly.
Blood Moon Page 7
