Marija laughed a cruel and sad sound that seemed to match the forlorn wind howling outside now the rain had died down. “Because I was pregnant, my family exiled me. I was dead to them and had to raise Lilan by myself. She grew up strong. Her hair was your color, always a reminder of what I had done to you, and her skin was honey colored with eyes like the greenest tree. She would have been a beauty and broken the hearts of many men if she had made it to adulthood."
"She died. How?” A lump formed in his throat.
"We were going back to our home in the woods. There had been rumors of fierce wolves running throughout the forest, and the village warned us about them. There had already been three attacks. We paid them no mind. It was late, the moon was full. We were almost home, but they ambushed us. Lilan they dragged off into the brush before I could summon any magick to help her. Their leader had been watching me, wanted me for himself since he knew I was a powerful witch. So he attacked me, marking me for his mate. The bite was savage, and I feared for my life, but I recovered, and the next full moon, I changed. They never found Lilan's body. The leader of the pack was waiting for me. I did the unthinkable and challenged him for leadership. I, a cub in their minds, won. However, the pack would not accept me as its leader. So they let me be. There I stayed, deep in the woods until, centuries later, a young werewolf had heard the legend of me and braved the dark woods and brought me back here."
"Why did you never call me, summon me, and tell me about our daughter?” Darius stared into Marija's eyes. She had sunk down in front of him. Staring at her, some of the hate he had been harboring for years seemed to blow away like dandelion fluff on a windy day. He felt lighter somehow. She ran her hand over his cheek.
"How could I call you and tell you our daughter was dead? I hated you for a long time, Darius, but Lilan was your gift to me, and I cherish her memory. Over the years, you find hate eats you up inside, makes you twisted. I saw that happening to me, and I didn't want to become a true monster. So I learned to forgive. It's evident you still despise me. Darius, I can't turn back the clock and undo the curse. If I could, I would. Maybe by helping me here, you've been given a second chance. Will you help us find the one who has been slaughtering our young before it hurts anymore of the pups? Please?"
Darius felt the warmth of her hand on his cheek. Before him was a vulnerable woman begging for his help. He had never seen Marija like this before. Time had certainly changed her, softened her in a way. Maybe he was being given a second chance. He had not forgiven her by any means for what she had done to him, but with her before him, everything seemed more bearable in a way. He unclenched his fingers and traced her cheek. “I swear I'll find who is doing this."
Her smile lit her face. “Thank you."
The Raven Warrior didn't say anything. Marija let her head fall against his knee. After a moment, he found himself stroking her hair as he had done in the old days. For now, there was nothing to be said between them. Everything had already been uttered. He knew the truth now and the error of his ways in the past.
Maybe Marija's right. Maybe this is my second chance.
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Chapter Five
Her mind was not on her restaurant. Alena stared at the black tabletop she was wiping down. Her hand had been going in circles for a while now, and her wrist was hurting. The day had been slow, but today was Monday and expected. She was off in half an hour and the assistant manager, Deborah, was coming in to take over. She had known Deborah since they had bumped into one another at the grocery store. She had just gotten fired from her job, and Alena needed a manager. Poof. Everything worked out like magick, but that wasn't what had Alena's attention.
Her mind had drifted back to her message from the night before from Jamie. She had been sobbing on the phone so hard. Alena had to play the message back three times just to figure out what she had said. Once she did, a knife had been driven into her heart and then had ripped it out between the spaces in her ribcage. The desperation and sorrow in Jamie's voice haunted her. The message had said Jamie had found one of her youngest mauled to death. They didn't know what had caused the demise. She had to come home. She was pack. She was obligated. Her instincts told her she did have to return home, but there was also fear.
What if she did return and Vincent acted out his threats? Would the pack kill her since she had murdered the original pack leader? So many questions flew through her mind. She desperately wanted to drop everything and run home to help her cousin, but things weren't as cut and dry as they seemed. Once Jamie had found her and left for the first time, she had gotten another knock on her door a month later. This time the rapping was Vincent. He stood before her in all his wolf glory, animal magnetism oozing from his pores. She had to admit he had turned into a handsome specimen and looked nothing like his father, even though under the surface she sensed his pent-up emotions. There were things he wanted to do to her, but he didn't want to come on too strong in case he spooked her. As soon as he looked at her, she felt his consuming desire for her. Something deep inside, the dormant wolf opened its eyes and stretched, noticing there was another werewolf around and a male one who had eyes only for her, but she ignored her buried beast. Vincent pushed himself past her into her apartment.
Cinnamon never even came out of the bedroom to greet Vincent. They chatted for a bit and then he offered his proposal. Come back home with him. Be his mate. He had always wanted her even before she ran away. They were meant to be together. He would do anything to have her. He sensed the wolf in her, even offered to bite her so she could transform. Alena had no interest in being with Vincent. Never did and turned his offer down. He had become angry, assuming she would jump at the chance at being the pack leader's mate. Alena never desired power. She had always wanted to be left alone and do her own thing. Once she kicked him out of her apartment, he threatened she would be his one way or another.
Two months later, she had pulled an all-nighter at the restaurant, staying there close to dawn doing inventory and giving the place a thorough cleaning, which she liked to do every six months. Deborah had gone home hours before, but Alena had sat and enjoyed the silence of the place until her eyes began drooping. She had to go home and get some sleep. On the way to her car, she had heard a growl behind her.
When she turned, a werewolf, larger than any she had seen before, was waiting for her. She hadn't even thought to keep track of the moon cycles anymore. Why would she when she would never change? Drool hung between its teeth in long strings like sinew. Its brown fur made it look like a bear hide in the moonlight. Its eyes flashed red and gold in the streetlight she had parked under. Without thinking, she bolted. Wrong move. Never run from a predator because running attracts their attention. But she wasn't thinking. Fear crashed down around her. Alena's feet carried her away from her car and the safety of her restaurant. Her legs gave way after about a mile. The wolf had her pinned in an alleyway. She had screamed for help, but there was no one around.
She had run into the back part of an alley, had tried to hide behind a dumpster. Her eyes slid over the horizon and noticed the pink and orange splashes of dawn were painting the sky. If she could wait out the wolf, she would be fine. The creature came down the alley, barring its teeth at her, and when she yelled for help again, she sensed something, someone above her. Opening her mind, she received only the burning impressions of anger and amusement, but she didn't have time to analyze the emotions. When she looked up, she noticed a man in black staring down at her watching the scene unfold before him, and he wasn't lifting a finger to help her either.
Before she could yell up to him, the sun burst over the sky line. The werewolf dropped, growled, and then began to lose its fur. When Alena did look back up at the stranger, he was gone. The only thing she had seen flying from the roof was the largest crow she had ever seen. After that, she had gotten harassing phone calls with heavy breathing, obscene notes from Vincent, and she had spotted him a few times walking by the restaurant. No more strange vi
sitors at night, but like the other night, she was still seeing things every once and a while. Now she had to face the fact her family needed her. She had to go back and tackle her fears. She had to step up to Vincent and tell him once and for all she was never going to be his mate.
"Alena, you okay?"
She looked up and felt her walls slip around her thoughts. The concern in Deborah's mind bounced back on her. Deborah might have been her employee, but she had also turned into her friend. Over the years, their friendship had grown, but she had never spoken about the pack or her abilities. She knew the other woman would not understand. Deborah was not the type who believed in the supernatural and expected everything to be status quo, relying more on science than religion. Alena respected that, but she knew there were always eyes watching you in the dark even if you didn't know they were there.
Plastering a fake smile on her face, Alena nodded. “Yeah. Just thinking, sorry. I have a lot on my mind.” She began wiping the table again until Deborah grabbed her hand and led her to sit.
"I haven't seen you act this neurotic since that Christmas two years ago when the four dozen turkeys you ordered didn't show up until late. What gives?"
"Am I that see-through?"
Deborah chuckled. “No. I just know you way too well."
"Yeah, I guess you do. Deb, I'm sorry. I got a phone call from my cousin last night. You know the one who showed up here nine months ago."
"The one who made you break three hundred dollars worth of dishes? Yeah, I remember."
"Well, her message asked me to come home. Her son was murdered, and she needs me there. I don't know if I should go or not."
Deborah's eyes widened. Alena felt the sudden sting of grief pierce Deborah's heart. “Oh sweetie, of course you should go. These were the ones who raised you, right? I know you don't talk about them much, but they're the only family you've got. Of course, you should go. If you're worried about the restaurant, you know I can take care of it. Besides you've needed some time off for a while. Go see your family and give them some comfort. I'll even take care of Cin for you."
A smile spread on Alena's features. She knew she could count on her friend to take care of the restaurant and watch the cat, but she still wasn't so sure she should actually go. Fear held her back. “Thanks, Deb, but it's more complicated than that. I'm afraid if I go back, I don't know when I'll be coming home."
Her friend studied her face and drew in a long breath. “Alena, you're the most independent woman I know. You hardly go out on dates. You live for the restaurant. Come on. Go see your family. What is the worse that can happen?"
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Chapter Six
What is the worse that could happen indeed? Alena had called Jamie back, but had gotten Ben, her husband. He seemed surprised she had called back and even more so when she asked for directions. He recited them to her twice and made sure she had them right. He seemed genuine on the phone, but deep down, Alena was not so sure. She had a feeling something was going on. From what Jamie had told her about Vincent and the vedma, she wondered what was really going on in the pack. How many had chosen the easy way to power instead of maturing into it as the centuries passed. She could only imagine.
She had gone home and filled up Cinnamon's food dish with plenty of food, promising herself she would put him on a low-carb kitty diet when she got back. After throwing several pairs of jeans, T-shirts, even a sweater or two, since the weather would be changing soon, into a duffle bag along with her other essentials, she looked around for anything else she might need. Nothing came to mind until her eyes settled on her locked jewelry box. Inside was something she hadn't taken out in years. It was a bracelet that had belonged to her father. Her aunt had given the trinket to her the first day she had her menses, a token from the pack showing she belonged. With shaking hands, she undid the lock and took out the case. Inside the box was a heavy silver bracelet her father used to wear. She always liked it growing up. Silver could kill a werewolf if even a fragment got inside the body, but wearing the metal on the skin only caused an irritation. Alena had never been allergic to silver. She traced the wolf's head in the middle of the metal before putting the keepsake back inside its box and then slipped the whole thing inside her bag. Something from her past might make her feel more comfortable among the pack. But she highly doubted that.
Sighing, she left a note for Deborah and then locked the door. She told her friend she was taking a couple of months off, and if she really needed her, she would have her cell phone. Alena had never been gone from the restaurant for so long, but her friend was partly correct. She did need a vacation, and her instincts told her the time was right to face her past. All of it. Like Jamie told her, part of her was still wolf even if she could not change into one.
Now Alena stared at the moon as she drove along the deserted forest rode. She had left Boston a little after six and was now traveling the windy roads of the Green Mountains. The moon would be full in just two more nights. If true, then most of the pack save the ones who had not sided with Vincent were not held sway by the moon anymore and could change at will, but they would have to change when the silvery disk was pregnant in the sky. It was the natural law for the wolves. Forest surrounded her. From the directions Ben had given her, she still had another two hours to go, which would put her deep into the woods near the Canadian border and a little after one in the morning. Not that she was tired because she wasn't, but she sensed the early chill of winter on the breeze blowing by her open window. She was grateful for the extra sweaters she had thrown into her bag at the last minute. She hadn't been in this part of the country for so long that she had forgotten how much colder the mountains were. And she had forgotten the beauty. With the near full moon, the tall, lanky pines shone silvery blue as if they protruded from another world. The black road stretched out before her like a silken ribbon weaving between the trees. Every once and a while, she came across another car traversing the same stretch she was on, but it was few and far between. When the headlights did peer out of the darkness, they were intrusions into her thoughts. Her mind was winding along with the road, twining around thoughts she hadn't pondered in a while.
Could she turn into a wolf? Was the beast still alive in her? She hadn't concentrated on that part of her in ages. It might be possible. Alena contemplated the thought. The radio was losing its signal so she popped in a CD without looking at who the band was. Once she did, she realized the album was one she hadn't listened to in ages, Native American music filled with flute and wolf howls. The eerie music filled the small Nissan. She drove farther into the hills and found the melody oddly fitting.
Finally, after pulling over to the side of the road, stretching, and checking her map, Alena saw her turn off. She had forgotten how long she had run to get to the main road after killing her uncle. The long-ago journey was a faint memory just as getting picked up by the statie. The national forest park bordered the pack property and ran for miles giving the werewolves acres and acres of untouched and unreachable places to explore. She had only done so in her dreams while Jamie had run the unknown paths with her paws. The nearest small town was ten miles away. She had driven through, nearly missing the town hall when she blinked. A gas station, video store, mom-and-pop-pharmacy-deli-gas station-general store, and post office. If there was anything else, she hadn't seen. Now she had pulled down the dirt and potholed road, swearing every time the tires dipped into a hole she hadn't seen. She went this way for two miles. She noticed there were offshoots of the main road. Driveways to other houses branched off the main dirt road, disappearing into the wood since the pack lived fairly close together. She didn't know how many members resided there now. Each family had their own house and land, but those who were single lived in the main lodge. She had only been to the lodge for large gatherings.
The lodge was easily the size of two football fields pieced together and two stories tall. The main room was left open. Whoever had built the place had planned on the pack bei
ng huge. Maybe now it was. In her day, there were thirty wolves including the children and the strays who were allowed to stay. Who knew where she was going to be staying.
Finally, she saw Jamie and Ben's house, the one her aunt and uncle had owned. Shutting off her car, she stood outside of the house. Memories crashed down around her. Phantom echoes of laughter sounded in the trees where she and her cousins used to climb, play hide-and-seek, even get into wrestling matches with the other children. There were times when she got so carried away she would make her cousins hyper like they had double doses of sugar or soda. That was when she was little and didn't know how to block out her emotions. She smiled as she reminisced. Alena inhaled the aroma of the wood. Rain had recently pelted the spot, she had driven through much of the showers on her way up, but now the forest was alive with the scent of newness. Anything could happen now.
A tear slid down her cheek. Alena shut her car door. The sense of homecoming she had surprised her. Almost as if she had never left, yet so many years had passed. Part of her expected the door to open and her uncle would come walking out. Her muscles tensed as she strolled onto the porch. Tentatively, she raised her hand to knock, but the door opened before her knuckles hit the wood. Instead of seeing her cousin, she saw a miniature of her. This must be Trina. She was on the verge of becoming a teenager and would be changing soon. Alena felt the tenseness in her small cousin's body. There was a wild look to her eye, and her skin seemed alive.
"Hi. Is your mom or dad home?"
She just shook his head. Alena sensed her fear. The girl didn't know who she was. She didn't blame her, and there was a sorrow about her Alena knew that would be worse when she met with Jamie. A shroud hung over the house that was only going to get worse from the whole pack grieving.
Fur and Feathers [A Raven Saga Book 2] Page 5
