Hunted (Auralight Codex: Dakota Shepherd Book 2)

by Shei Darksbane

  Raelya smiled, amused. “I did not think so either. It is funny how people view the Christian god in America. It is not how he is viewed in all the world, you know. It has certainly not always been so.”

  I found the shirt I was looking for, pulled it out, and zipped up the bag. “Yeah, but people have pretty well ruined it here, for me at least. But that’s okay. I don’t need a religion to know how to be a good person.”

  Raelya nodded. “I was just curious.”

  I smiled at her as I tossed the bag onto the bed. “Of course, I also respect the all-mighty Flying Spaghetti Monster.”

  Raelya blinked. “The Flying… Spaghetti Monster?”

  I grinned and started explaining the concept of His Noodly Goodness as I moved my boxes out of the way to make my room a more pleasant guest room for whichever of my packmates Ralof chose to assign to it for the weekend. Raelya helped me carry my stuff around as I told her all about the history and origins of my favorite modern religion. Raelya shook her head, choking out breathless laughter as we shifted boxes around the room.

  By the time we had finished with the boxes and FSM 101, I was pretty tired. Raelya and I shuffled over to her room, taking clothes and personal belongings I’d need for the weekend which had been conveniently still mostly packed. I took a shower, Raelya brought up some sandwiches, we nibbled them down, and then we curled up in her bed.

  As I lay there, warm and comfy, cuddled up with my packmate and best friend, I found myself so excited that it was hard to sleep. I had a new home with a new family, a new job-the kind I’d always wanted, a new pack to get to know, and tonight, a brand new experience to look forward to. I was going hunting with the pack. I was going to get to let my wolf-self out and we were going to run with the pack in the forest, over the mountains and into the valleys. We were going to be free, and we were going to belong.

  For once in my life, nothing was going to stand in the way of that. I was going to be a part of something, part of a family that really wanted me, part of something greater than myself.

  I was smiling as I drifted off to sleep.

  13

  Running Free

  When I woke up on Friday afternoon, the house was already busier and nosier than usual. Raelya and I got up, got dressed, and headed downstairs to find the kitchen already hot from a morning of baking, and preparations for the evening meal were well underway.

  I quickly learned that werewolves ate a lot, that hungry werewolves were cranky werewolves, and that no one wanted a cranky werewolf.

  Elisa had conscripted all of the pack house’s resident werewolves plus Andrei to prepare for the incoming pack. We had food cooking on every heating device in the kitchen. We had meat on the grill. Ralof had ribs smoking in the back yard. Elisa had a small army of slow-cookers lining the counters.

  We all pitched in, prepped, cooked, and generally just did whatever Elisa ordered us to do until we’d managed a meal of feast-like proportions onto the dining room table. The table was not set for eating; Elisa had us arrange the dishes buffet-style instead. We piled a stack of plates on one end of the table and made sure every dish had a big serving spoon or tongs. When we finished, Ralof and Elisa excused themselves upstairs so they could clean up before the rest of the pack arrived. Andrei snatched a roll as soon as Elisa left the room and grinned at me. “Dinner Roll Liberation Front forever!” he whispered conspiratorially before darting out with it.

  Raelya smiled at me and dragged me back into the kitchen. “We will make some juice and tea, all right?”

  I grinned at her. “All right.” We spent another half hour working on drinks, and when we were finished, there were several gallons of tea and juice prepared. We set them out on the counters in coolers with spouts and stacked plastic cups nearby.

  When we finished with the drinks, I ran upstairs with Raelya to change out of our flour-dusted, sweaty clothes and into something more comfortable, or at least cleaner. Raelya changed into a sky-blue sun dress and re-braided her hair. Ralof’s boisterous greetings let me know that some packmates had arrived in the time it took me to brush out my hair and throw on a pair of jeans and a tank top. This one was blue with red and white writing that read “On a scale from one to America, how free are you tonight?” Hey, I had to be festive, right?

  I stepped out of the bathroom after changing and spread my arms wide. “What do you think?”

  Raelya laughed and shook her head. “You are silly, but I think it is cute.” She smiled up at me. “I can not wait for tonight.”

  I grinned. “Oh yeah? What’s tonight?”

  Raelya grinned back. “You have forgotten already?”

  I grinned even broader. “Forgotten what?”

  Raelya punched my arm gently, laughing. “Stop that! I know you remember.”

  I rubbed my arm playfully. “How could I forget? It’ll be my first time running with the pack. I can’t wait.”

  Raelya nodded. “You will love it. I can not wait to see you love it.”

  “Well, it’s almost dark now. I guess I only have to wait till after dinner, yeah?”

  “Most likely. Everyone will eat a little, but then they will want to go running. No one wants to fill up before a hunt.”

  I blinked. “So all that food we made was just to take the edge off?” Raelya nodded. “How many werewolves are we talking about here?”

  It turned out, there were a lot of werewolves in the pack house that night. At least thirty, maybe more. Aside from the house being scarily full of strangers, all of whom I knew to be werewolves, the effect of so many Awakened beings in a small space was somewhat overwhelming. An aura flared around every last werewolf, and the result was a dizzying array of colors and patterns so rich and diverse that it was impossible to keep paying attention to them all. Trying to pick them apart was pretty difficult with so many people standing so close, and I quickly gave up trying.

  I stayed close to Raelya as we navigated the busy house which was brimming with excited men and women, all engaged in rowdy conversations as they ate and drank and generally had a great time. Even with half the house guests outside at the unlit fire pit, the large living room was still crowded. Raelya and I grabbed some food and found a corner to plunk down in. Wolves I didn’t know were everywhere and even though I knew we were all pack, it made me a little nervous to have my back to them.

  Raelya pointed out a few wolves as they passed and quietly told me about them. They didn’t all look like people you would think of as werewolves. They weren’t all muscular and rustic like people you’d see on a fitness magazine or romance novels. There were some who definitely fit that description, like Ralof and Andrei, but plenty were average-sized and if they were athletic at all, the clothes they wore were perfectly capable of hiding it. I spotted a pretty young woman with long brown hair and a swimsuit-model body chatting with a moderately doughy looking guy in board shorts and a T-shirt. One woman who stood talking with Elisa could have been a high school teacher, and a couple of younger guys stood talking in a circle who might have come fresh from a frat party. All my illusions about what a werewolf looked like on the outside went straight out the window.

  My lack of social experience kept me firmly planted in the corner, though I really wanted to be outside. The hunt was soon and I felt it in my blood, the urge to go running with my pack for the first time. I glanced at Raelya excitedly. “So what’ll it be like?”

  “We will all go outside and shift, then go run in the woods. You will know what to do, mostly. Your wolf knows how to run with a pack even if you do not.”

  I shivered with anticipation. “Yeah. I know she does. I can feel it.”

  Raelya smiled at me warmly. “Soon, Dakota. Very soon.”

  “I knoooow. But—”

  I cut off sharply as someone kicked my foot in passing. I glanced up at a tall man who looked to be in his mid-thirties with short brown hair, a scruffy stubble, and a mean expression. I blinked as I realized his outfit could have walked itself straight out of a John
Wayne movie: a faded red button-down shirt with a plain brown vest over faded jeans that looked more actually worn-in than “fashionably distressed”. He had an expensive-looking pair of cowboy boots, and the oldest Stetson I’d ever seen, and that’s saying a lot given that we were in Tennessee. He glanced at me briefly then seemed to write me off immediately, but he tipped his hat just a touch and said, “Scuse me.” before heading outside with a beer in one hand and a plate of food in the other.

  I shrugged it off and glanced back at Raelya but she was eying the cowboy as he stepped out and I didn’t like the expression on her face. “So… not a friend?”

  Raelya glanced at me as if surprised I’d noticed. She shook her head and picked at her food pointedly. “No, it is not that. Just… It is not important.”

  I frowned. “It is to me.”

  Raelya smiled up at me warmly. “You are so sweet, Dakota.”

  I grinned. “Aww shucks.”

  She shook her head. “He is Jack Lindon. Ralof’s third. And his situational awareness is not so clumsy.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “He knows how to pick up his feet.”

  “Oh.” I nodded, then what she meant actually dawned on me. “Ohhh. You mean he kicked me on purpose.” Raelya nodded and I frowned. “Okay, why?”

  “He has… some misguided ideas about… our relationship.”

  “You mean he thinks… you and me?”

  Raelya smiled. “Well, possibly, yes. That would be a reason to dislike you I suppose. But I meant about he and me.”

  I frowned. “Oh. So you mean he likes you and you don’t like him back?”

  Raelya shrugged lightly. “I suppose.” She frowned and stared at her plate then looked up at me again. “It’s more, well… We tried once, but I called it off. And he hasn’t really… I don’t think he has accepted it completely.”

  My frown deepened. “Oh. I see.” I glanced out the glass doors at the man in question who sat on one of the benches near the blazing fire, eating and chatting with a couple of other men who sat with him. “So kicking my foot huh? Seems rather petty.”

  Raelya nodded. “It is. But more likely he wanted you to meet his eyes so you would determine dominance with him.”

  “Why would he want that?”

  “Because he would expect to win. He is high in the pack. You are new. You are not likely to bend his wolf to you. Bending your wolf to him would give him advantage over you if…” She seemed to search for a word.

  “If he thinks I’m competition for you.” I supplied.

  Raelya nodded.

  I frowned very deeply and the wolf started stirring inside. Now eager for more action than just a hunt, it felt as though she paced impatiently within me. “I don’t like that sort of thing.”

  “Oh?” Raelya eyed me concernedly. I imagine she could see how angry I was. Or maybe she could feel it. Being pack had some interesting effects on one’s ability to notice another’s emotions, and Raelya was closest to me in the pack so far.

  “When a man feels he is entitled to control a woman’s choices.”

  Raelya shook her head. “It is not like that.”

  I glanced up at her. “Isn’t it?” My voice was a little sharper than I’d meant it to be and Raelya put a hand on my arm, attempting to soothe the wolf and maybe me as well. “I mean, if he thinks you like me, if he thinks we have a relationship, he should respect your choices. Picking a fight with your girlfriend, were that the case, would be him trying to control you, whether by trying to scare off the competition, or by making you afraid for the person you cared about. Either way, it’s abusive and I. Don’t. Like. It!”

  Raelya frowned then glanced back down at her plate. She seemed to consider for a moment, then leaned on my shoulder suddenly and nuzzled my arm softly. “I think I see what you mean.” She spoke very quietly. I lifted my arm and put it around her. She laughed softly. “I do like you, Dakota.”

  I chewed at my lip a little. “I…” I sighed. “I like you too, Raelya. You know I do.” I hugged her softly.

  “I am not trying to take you away from your Amorie. I know you care for her. I just… I want you to know that I care for you. And even if it can not be more than friendship… I want us to be close.”

  I stroked her shoulder gently. Despite being older than me, stronger, and doubtlessly smarter, she felt so small and vulnerable against me and I wanted to protect her no matter what. Logically, I knew she was more capable of protecting me than I her, but the wolf agreed with me on the feeling. The wolf gave a little push inside me and I bumped my head against her head a little more sharply than I’d strictly intended. Mine, the wolf seemed to say to me.

  And Raelya seemed to hear it. She looked up at me, smiling, and dipped her head before looking up at me again. I had no idea what it meant, but the wolf in me seemed to understand her. She liked me. She felt safe with me. We felt right together.

  Damnit. I really liked Raelya and being close to her was easy. She was pack, my own kind, and I had just moved into her house and even frequently shared a bed with her, even if it was strictly platonic. Meanwhile, Amorie lived hours away from me, had been incredibly busy lately to the point that we’d barely had time for a few stray texts, and everyone around me seemed to think she was a mistake, maybe even a deadly mistake.

  What’s more, it wasn’t just a question of what I wanted. My wolf had shown some very definite interest in Raelya that had been more than a little difficult to ignore. And my wolf didn’t seem to care that I had a girlfriend; she wanted what she wanted. Human rules of relationship etiquette didn’t seem to concern her overly much. Which made things even harder. I really cared about Amorie; I loved her. But I really cared about Raelya too, and my wolf was not leaving me much room to doubt what she wanted. I frowned and leaned back into the corner with a sigh.

  Raelya nuzzled my shoulder, leaning back with me. “What is wrong, Dakota?”

  My heart hurt. I didn’t know what to say. “It’s nothing.” I lied.

  Raelya didn’t buy it. “It is something.” She glanced up at my face then frowned softly. “Oh. I am sorry.” She straightened up against the wall.

  My heart hurt even more. “Relationships are hard.” I commented quietly, more to myself than to anyone. But Raelya heard me, of course.

  “I know. I am sorry.” She stood up. “Want some more to drink?” She reached for my cup which I gave her to allow us a moment of separation.

  I pulled my phone from my pocket and stared at it a long moment before texting Amorie. “Hey, bout to go on my first hunt.” I added an excited smiley face and sent it.

  Amorie texted me back immediately. “Oh how exciting, my little wolf. Have fun and be safe.”

  “I will. I miss you. When can I see you again?”

  Amorie responded quickly again. “When do you have time for me? I will make time for you.”

  “Really? Can you come see me here?” I hadn’t been expecting an opportunity to arise so suddenly.

  “I can. Perhaps Sunday?”

  “That sounds great. I can’t wait to see you.” I thought about Amorie’s pretty blue eyes, the cool touch of her lips on mine.

  “It can not come soon enough. Do not be afraid to call me between now and then either.”

  “I will call you after the hunt. Or tomorrow night. Not sure how long we’ll be out.” I didn’t want to leave her hanging if we came in after dawn. I had no idea how long a run would last, after all.

  “Very well. I will look forward to it, my love.”

  I sent her a kissy emoticon and put the phone away as Raelya sat back down next to me with our drinks. I took mine and smiled my thanks. My heart felt heavy with emotions and I wasn’t up for a lot of conversation so I mostly stuffed my face with food and drink and eagerly gazed out at the woods beyond the circle of werewolves still dining by the fire. I tried my best to ignore Jack the Cowboy and the anger he brought to my already volatile mix of emotions.

  Fortunately, I didn’t have to
hold off much longer. Ralof walked through the living room and the crowd parted before him as he made for the back yard. Everyone started taking their plates to the kitchen. I stood, eager to shift my mind away from my relationship woes and toward the night’s run instead.

  Raelya offered to take my dishes and disappeared into the kitchen so I stepped outside. Ralof stood alone past the circle of the fire, gazing into the woods. I wasn’t sure if I should approach him since no one else had, but I did anyway. I walked up to his side and stood near him quietly, gazing into the woods as well. He looked down at me and smiled. “Excited?”

  I grinned at him. “Oh yeah.”

  “Good. Remember to enjoy it.”

  Raelya stepped out of the house and came over to join us. She smiled at Ralof then at me. “Ready, Dakota?” I nodded. “Good. You can stay near me. I will guide you.”

  “That’d be awesome. Maybe that way I won’t make a fool of myself.”

  Ralof laughed. “You will be fine.”

  I smiled as the knot in my stomach started untying itself. The warmth of my pack surrounding me was far stronger than the anxiety in my chest. And on top of that, I wouldn’t have to concern myself with my human-side feelings for a while; I had bigger fish to fry. Or maybe bigger rabbits to chase. “So what will we be hunting this evening?”

  Ralof glanced up at the sky and stretched. “Rabbits mostly, maybe deer. Depends on what we come across.”

  I nodded. “And we eat them?”

  “You can, or you can not if you prefer. Most will gladly take your share if you refuse it.”

  I grinned. “I guess we’ll see.”

  Ralof grinned and clapped me on the shoulder. “Just go with what feels right, eh?”

  I nodded. “All right.”

  With that he took a few steps forward and stripped off his shirt, threw his head back and howled with his human throat. The sound was imperfect, but close enough, and it was certainly big and loud. I felt the wolf in me stirring to join him so I stripped off my shirt without thinking. Raelya was doing the same, though I barely noticed. I couldn’t wait to take my four-legged form and go running with my Alpha.