Wolf Creek Alpha (Texas Pack 1)

by Ellen, Jo

  Liz could see the wolves and one of the fae guards patrolling in the woods. She doubted Lisa even noticed them. She watched them while she thought about how to explain about her change.

  “I wasn’t born a wolf. I was changed at the pond after Mack and I mated. It was magical.” Liz giggled. “Don’t be afraid that it will hurt. It’s hard to put into words. It was like being surrounded by and inside of a rainbow. I remember the sensation of the magic entering my body, changing my molecules I guess.”

  Remembering the moment, Liz sat quietly thinking about it. “I remember standing beside the pond and seeing the world around me differently. I could see much better, hear small animals scurrying through the woods. Oh, and the smells. I was overloaded with the scents of everything around me.”

  “But you were still you, right? I mean, you didn’t lose your sense of self?” Lisa asked.

  “I was very much still me, only better. When you first change, every smell distracts you and you want to investigate it. I took off running before I even realized what I was doing. It was so much fun! Mack and I ran for what seemed like hours. He chased me while I learned how to be a wolf. He could have caught me easily, but he gave me room to run and learn,” she laughed again.

  Lisa could tell Liz was recollecting some private moments, so she finished pulling more silk off the corn, waiting.

  “Oh, sorry. I was remembering some happy moments. I just want to say, I’ve never regretted a single moment of my life with Mack. He gave me three wonderful sons and a life I’d never even imagined. I always thought the world could use more magic, I just never thought I’d be the one living it,” Liz eyes had watered, with good memories.

  Lisa reached over and hugged her. “Thank you. I appreciate your sharing this with me.”

  Rising, Liz picked up the pot of corn. “Come on, let’s get those men busy cooking. Our contribution won’t take long. We’ll just add a salad and then watch the men work.”

  Going inside, Liz placed the pot on the stove. She wouldn’t add the water or start it boiling until the meat was almost done. Lisa went to the fridge to gather the salad makings while Liz went to get a chef from the great room.

  They all followed Rafe as he grabbed a beer on his way outside. Liz and Lisa glanced at each other, giggling. They knew everyone would be giving Rafe advice on how best to cook the chicken, as they all considered themselves the best cook.

  “Where are Stephanie and the girls? I haven’t seen them today,” Liz asked.

  “They all left to go with Colin’s parents. I believe they were going to visit his mom’s side of the family. Some cousins, she said. They’ll be back tomorrow,” Lisa told her.

  “You haven’t gotten to spend much time with them,” Liz said.

  “More than I have in the past. We have been able to talk in between my magic lessons and her taking care of the girls.”

  Liz refilled their wine glasses and they went outside to join the men. Anna was already seated talking with the guys. Liz turned around to go back inside and get Anna a drink also.

  Lisa sat beside Anna, making small talk. She was still somewhat amazed by the changes in Anna. She interacted now instead of quietly sitting on the sidelines observing others. It was a nice thing to see.

  Once again, the guys had started a football game. “You’re not joining in this time?” asked Lisa.

  “No,” Anna laughed, and then said loudly, “I’d hate to show them up again.”

  The guys started doing their trash talking, hearing her. Not to be outdone, Anna gave back as good as she got.

  Rafe ran over to check on the chicken, winking at Lisa while flexing his muscles. They had all taken their shirts off for the game. He was such a showoff, she thought. But boy did he have the physique to pull it off.

  He let his mom know the chicken would probably be done soon so she could start the corn. Lisa rose also so she could set the table and get her salad and different dressings set out. Anna followed the women, helping also.

  Dunstan and Ian had gotten back from their outing and were just getting a beer when they came in.

  “We’re just about to eat, so you can’t join the game. No sense you two getting all sweaty too,” Liz told them.

  The men came in after rinsing off with the garden hose and putting their t-shirts back on. Liz had never allowed her boys to come to the table undressed. It didn’t matter that they were all grown men. They had too much respect for her to disobey her wishes.

  Rafe saw that Ian and Dunstan were back and asked how the hunting went once everyone was seated and started to eat.

  “Stephen hasn’t been back to his job, but he has taken a leave of absence. We followed his trail from the motel he and Dunstan had stayed in. A friend of mine from another pack who is a cop tracked his credit cards. I told Colin not to bother since he’s too close to home. I didn’t want Ciar or any of his minions knowing we were looking in to Stephen,” Ian said.

  Ian went on to explain that there were records showing that Stephen had bought a gun. The same caliber as the one Rafe had been shot with. That wasn’t a surprise to any of them.

  “We all have his scent now; since we know it was definitely him in the woods. He won’t get close again,” Dunstan stated.

  “He checked out of his hotel, after that, he disappeared off the radar. We’re assuming he’s now with Ciar,” Ian said.

  Devlin told them what he’d learned in his research. Letting Dunstan know Lisa hadn’t seen a spell in his mind.

  “We think he tracked you by using your blood. We can only go on the little knowledge I found, and what Robert had heard about. Can you think of a time he may have taken any of your blood?” asked Devlin.

  Dunstan thought of all the times his father had punished him for some small infraction. He’d received many injuries from Ciar, but being fae, he healed quickly.

  “If he did, I didn’t know about it. As you know, we heal fast. There were times I was unconscious and awoke in the dungeon, but they were not physical beatings. He usually blasted me with magic. That was painful enough, but he didn’t draw blood. If he took some while I was knocked out, I never knew about it,” Dunstan told them.

  “My guess is that he did do it while you were out. He knew you would heal and not show any scars if he cut you,” Robert said.

  They decided to go on that assumption. The guys had started cleanup duty, leaving the women to go about their business. Lisa left to go shower while they continued discussing Ciar. Anna went to her room to watch television. Her favorite program was about to start and she didn’t want to miss it. Melissa hadn’t said much, just listened in and occasionally added her opinion. They adjourned to the great room to continue the discussion.

  Lisa had been gone for about thirty minutes when Melissa fell back, sinking into the couch. Robert jumped up and ran over to her, putting his arm around her and laying her head against his shoulder. He could tell she had gone into a trance. They all stood, gathering around her.

  “Is she alright?” asked Rafe.

  “I think she’s having a vision. We’ll have to wait until she comes out of it,” Robert said.

  They all stared at Melissa, watching her eyes flutter behind closed lids. She wasn’t making any sound. If they hadn’t seen it, they would have thought she’d fallen asleep.

  Suddenly, she started thrashing around, flailing her arms. Robert slid her into his lap, holding her arms so she wouldn’t hurt herself. He tried to enter her mind, intending to help calm her down. She relaxed, slumping into his arms.

  Melissa slowly opened her eyes. She looked around, confused as to why everyone was standing around staring at her. Realizing she was sitting in Robert’s lap, she squirmed for him to loosen his arms so she could move. He took his time letting her go, not wanting to release her.

  Realizing she’d had a vision, she told them all she was all right. It always took a little time for her to recall and process her visions.

  Knowing they were all waiting to hear what she’d s
een, she told them they’d have to give her a moment.

  “It takes me a little while to understand what I’ve seen,” Melissa told them while rubbing her forehead.

  Liz ran to get her something for her headache and a glass of water. Thanking her, Melissa downed the pills. Once she finished drinking, she started to tell them what she’d seen.

  “My vision started out at the pond again. I was the only person there, I think. But I could feel another presence shortly thereafter. I kept searching the area, looking across the water to the woods on the other side. I suddenly felt someone behind me and when I turned to look, it was you,” she said to Robert.

  “I was trying to enter your mind to help calm you down. You were thrashing around on the couch,” Robert told her.

  Nodding, she continued, not admitting to him that he had helped her. “Next thing I know, I was in the house going up the stairs. I could feel that presence again. I felt I needed to hurry and get to Lisa,” she said looking at Rafe.

  Rafe grimly asked her to continue, clenching his fist.

  “When I entered her room, she was asleep with Ciar standing over her. I don’t know what he was doing. That’s when the vision left me,” she said.

  Rafe was already standing and going towards the stairs. “That vision will not happen. She’ll be in my room from now on and he won’t find her sleeping alone, ever.”

  Watching him leave, Robert tried to probe for more details. “I need you to concentrate on the vision again. Try and see his face. Was he saying a spell? Was he moving his hands around in any kind of pattern?”

  Concentrating, Melissa brought Ciar’s image to mind. When the vision had first come to her, she had been looking at Lisa. Now she switched her focus to him. She saw his lips moving, but couldn’t quite make out his words. Looking down at his hands, he had something clinched in his fist.

  “He was talking, and holding something. I’m going to go back into the vision and try to hear his words. It’s like meditation, so please be silent so I’m not distracted,” Melissa said as she relaxed back on the couch.

  “Wait a moment, lass. If you’ll allow me to, I’d like to enter yer mind so I can see yer vision. I may understand what he’s saying. Also, if I don’t recognize whatever’s in his hand, I would be able to describe it to our Queen so she could tell us what it is,” Robert said.

  Melissa did not want him in her head, but knew she had no choice. She didn’t have a good reason to refuse him and knowing he was right just annoyed her.

  “Alright, but only examine the vision. Do not enter any other part of my mind,” she told him firmly.

  Robert knew better than to smile. He was lucky she was allowing this much. Of course, now he was curious as to what she was trying to hide from him.

  Sitting beside her, he reached for her hands. She tussled with him a moment then huffed out a breath and allowed him to take her hands.

  Closing her eyes again, Melissa centered herself and started her breathing exercises. Starting to slip into her trance, she could feel Robert’s subtle probing. She imagined a doorway and allowed him to enter.

  Slowly, the vision took shape before her. She knew she was controlling it this time and it could not hurt her. First focusing on Lisa, she saw once again that she was sleeping soundly. She then moved on to Ciar standing beside the bed. She watched his face, trying to make out his words. Finally, she understood. She could hear his harsh voice, whispering to Lisa.

  She had no conception of Robert being with her now. Totally focused on the vision, she did not feel his presence.

  Looking down, she tried to make out what he was clenching in his fists. It was a dirk! She was finally able to see that he was holding it backwards so his palm hid the blade. She could see the hilt of the knife barely sticking out from his huge hand.

  Melissa was afraid his plan was to stab Lisa in her sleep. She kept watching, waiting for him to move. Feeling the vision slipping away, she desperately tried to hold on to it. As the mist thickened, she noticed as she was pulled back that he was using his thumb to caress a gem on the hilt. Over and over he rubbed the gem. Right before the vision was completely gone; she thought she saw the stones glow.

  Taking a deep breath, Melissa opened her eyes and found Robert staring at her. Dropping her gaze, she glanced over at Ian.

  “We have to protect Lisa. I heard his words this time. He was saying, ‘you’re mine now’. When I looked at his hands, he had a knife and kept rubbing a stone in the hilt. I’m not certain, but right before the vision disappeared, I think the stone glowed,” Melissa told them.

  “We have to figure out how he overpowered Robert’s magic and froze everyone. If he’s able to come here, then we have no way to keep her safe if everyone is held motionless. We need Niall to get back soon. I hope the Queen was able to give him something to break Ciar’s hold,” Ian said.

  “We know now he wasn’t casting a spell on her at least. I’m more interested in the dirk. Seeing it glow tells us it carries some kind of magic. I think that’s where he’s gotten his power to control us. I didn’t pay attention when we were there to notice if he had it on his person. I arrogantly thought he couldn’t overpower my magic,” Robert said disgustedly.

  “Don’t beat yourself up. None of us knew he could do that,” Ian said.

  Mack sat contemplating. “Dunstan, what do you know about the dirk you had? It seems all of this started with that Stephen fellow getting it at auction.”

  “Not much. My mother told me it was a gift from her family. I never really thought much about it. I left it stored in a box in my closet. Do you think it’s the same one?” asked Dunstan.

  “Does it have a red ruby in the hilt?” asked Robert.

  Sighing, Dunstan replied, “Yes, it does. So it all comes down to my father wanting that dirk.”

  “Obviously he knows something about it that we don’t. What I can’t figure out is why put it in an auction? Why not just hold on to it once he had it? It had to be him that took it from my house. Or he veiled someone to enter my place and take it.”

  “I remember you saying you took it back from Stephen at your hotel. Did you bring it here?” asked Ian.

  “Yes, I packed it in my bag. It should still be there,” Dunstan said as he left the room.

  Waiting for Dunstan to return, they threw ideas around trying to figure out Ciar’s plans. No one had a clear idea.

  The front door opened and Niall walked through. Robert was glad he was back. He hoped the Queen had been able to give Niall the answer to Ciar’s freezing them.

  “About time you showed up. We’ll discuss what you learned in a moment. Just listen in and I’ll catch you up later,” Robert told him.

  “You know how time differs between here and Faeiry. I came back as soon as I could,” Niall said.

  Dunstan came back in holding the dirk. “Unbelievable. This is a copy. I didn’t even look at it closely when Stephen gave it back to me. I just put it away and forgot about it,” he said bemused.

  Robert examined the copy, looking for anything familiar. There were ruins etched into the handle. They were gibberish. Plainly put there to look like the original, but having no meaning.

  They gave Niall a quick synopsis of what they had learned.

  “Was your blood on that dirk?” Niall questioned after Devlin had asked about tracking Dunstan.

  “I’m not sure, maybe. I’ve had it so many years, I’m sure I probably nicked myself when I was a kid. My mother gave it to me when I was very young. I used to practice throwing it,” Dunstan said.

  “How about a blood ritual? Any chance you ever did that?” asked Niall.

  Dunstan’s face lost all color. He remembered something. “There was this kid. It was so long ago I’d forgotten about it. We played together. You have to understand, it was rare that I got to play with other children. I think he was the son of a guard that I saw more regularly than any other kids. You know how boys are. We decided to become blood brothers. I got my dirk and cut both
our palms. We grasped hands to combine our blood.”

  “That’s the answer then. I don’t know what power the dirk already carried, but with the blood ritual, it would have made it stronger. More interesting though is this kid. Do you know what happened to him?” asked Niall.

  “I think he became one of my father’s guards also. With the hierarchy system still in place, you pretty much follow in your father’s footsteps,” Dunstan told him.

  “That’s how he found you. You have a blood tie to this guard. Did you two stay friends?”

  “No, you don’t keep friends at my father’s castle. Once he was old enough, he started his training. We’d nod in passing, but that was pretty much it.”

  “Would your father have known of this blood exchange?” asked Robert.

  “I’m tempted to say no, but my father knew everything that went on. I’m sure he had spies watching me, even when I was a child. He trusted no one,” Dunstan said.

  “Here’s what we know. He found you through the guard. That would have been a simple spell using the guard’s blood. He discovered Lisa through following you. He wants Lisa’s power. He’s using the dirk for control. Is that right, Niall?” asked Robert.

  “Yes, my father is an authority on ancient relics. I learned some things just growing up listening to him talk. He loved studying these objects. I can go back and ask him about this if you’d like, but I’m pretty sure of what I’ve told you. With the dirk already having power, I think he’s learned to direct it for his own control,” Niall told them.

  “No, I don’t want you leaving again. We need to learn if the Queen had a spell to use against Ciar’s power,” Robert said.

  “Yes, but I can’t repeat it. She placed it in my mind and told me only Lisa could use it. Once Lisa has the spell, she should be able to break any hold Ciar would have. The reason I’m not allowed to speak it is that it’s a very powerful spell. She doesn’t want the words uttered until they are needed. Our Queen doesn’t want this spell given to anyone else. She is trusting Lisa to use it only against Ciar,” Niall told them.