As he stared around the room, many squirmed in their seats. Even for the Kotke pack, a hunt was one thing, but cold-blooded murder? Hope rose in Liam’s heart.
Alexander, Mikhail’s alpha, stood. “Bravo, Liam! That was a rousing speech. However, the fact remains that you interfered with the circle of life. When you watch the Discovery Channel and you see the little baby elephant about to be overtaken by the lions, don’t you think the cameraman could do something about it? Except he doesn’t. Because that is nature, Liam. That is life. It is sometimes cruel and difficult. Survival of the fittest.” Some of the audience nodded, but Alexander’s speech had only swayed a few. Unfortunately, however, he wasn’t finished.
“And what’s your plan if she lives, Liam? She stays and becomes part of your pack? What will happen when this woman’s loved ones come looking for her? Attention. We end up under a microscope. Her family will ask questions: Are we a cult that convinced her to leave her life behind? Why does she seem so different? You’re bringing destruction to our doorstep, and for what? Because you’re a sucker for a pretty face?” Alexander sneered in disdain.
“We’ve already lost one wolf this year to humans. Are you willing to risk us all? Or maybe you think that once she changes she’ll go back to her city life and pretend that nothing happened? It’s cruel to let her think that. She’ll need to move to be near the woods, probably have to quit her job. She’ll have nothing in common with family or friends, and they’ll start to ask questions then, too. She’ll suffer depression from not being with a pack, and eventually she will tell someone, if only to share her pain. And then what? This cannot end well, Liam.” Alexander’s voice rang with sincerity, but Liam saw the crafty look in his cruel eyes.
Liam looked into the faces of his pack and realized he’d lost them. Billy looked at him imploringly. Show them, he urged.
Alexander’s voice boomed. “All have had their chance to speak. Let us have a final vote. All those in favor of eliminating the woman, hands up.” Liam watched helplessly as the hands rose around him. He looked across the room to see Sean’s hand rise, then Maggie’s, and then two more from his pack.
Billy was right: he had no other choice. He was losing them. He pressed his consciousness outward as forcefully as he dared, putting everything out there. They would see, through his eyes, Amalie’s tears for Sara and her outrage on behalf of the wolves. They would feel his pain and fear, and most of all; they would know how he felt about her. As he poured out his heart and his love, he prayed.
Sean’s gaze snapped to meet his. Maggie’s hand stilled, only half-raised.
“The woman is my true mate,” Liam growled, the rightness of his words lending him strength. “She will stay here with us and become part of our pack. She has only one sister for family, and she will not look for her. You, my pack, have trusted me to safeguard you and make good decisions these past thirty years. I trust and believe in Amalie. If you have faith in me as your alpha you will accept my decision and put your hands down now.”
He took a deep breath, and tried to keep his voice steady. “If not, you have two options. You can leave the pack, or, if the majority of you feel I’m wrong, Amalie and I will leave together.”
He scanned the room. “For the rest of you, know this: vote or no, brother or not, the first to touch my mate will have to come through me first.”
Liam held his breath, as the world seemed to move in slow motion. Hands began to lower, and Liam was relieved to see all of his pack’s hands at their sides. He would have followed through on his threat if he’d had to, but losing a member of his pack would have been like losing a limb, and leaving would have been devastating.
He waited to see what the other packs would do. The Kotkes still had their hands high in the air, as did the majority of the Big Sky Canyon. Liam was glad to see that Niles and all of Stone Creek were with him. At least they had one ally.
Joseph looked at him coldly. “This is not how we do things, Liam. A vote must be ca—”
Liam didn’t let him finish. “As I said Joseph, a vote is pointless. Regardless of the results, you cannot have her.”
Joseph and Alexander stood and called to their respective packs. Joseph, in his ignorance, wanted to cling to the old, rigid ways. He could not accept that Liam was bucking the system, and as the elder, the slight would not be easily forgiven.
As for Alexander, Liam wondered if he had given him too much credit all these years. He sensed a cruelty in him that he had not seen before, and if Mikhail was any indication, some of his pack had a similar nature. Werewolves were just like people in that sense. There were good and bad. He’d maintained ties with the Kotke because he’d believed they needed to stick together. But at what cost? It wasn’t worth compromising his morals or beliefs.
They had nothing in common with the wolves of Kotke and had just needed a catalyst to break away from them altogether. And Joseph and the Big Sky wolves needed to be more adaptable. Perhaps someday they could mend fences, but for now Liam felt free and right for the first time in a long while.
Alexander moved toward the door, then turned and met Liam’s gaze. “You’ve not heard the last of this,” he promised. “You’ve made a dangerous enemy in the Kotke. Watch your back.” He marched out, his pack following close behind him.
Joseph stood by the door and called to Chandra, who was still in the sitting room with Amalie. The door burst open and Amalie bounded across the room into Liam’s arms.
He held her tight. “I love you. I love you so much, Amalie. Will you stay with me?” he murmured into her sweet-smelling hair.
She sobbed and nodded. “Thank God you aren’t hurt!” She kissed his face repeatedly. “What happened? Tell me what happened. I was so worried.” As he held her body close to his, he touched her mind so she could see what had transpired.
Chandra stood in the center of the room.
“Chandra, let’s go. We leave this place now,” Joseph barked. He turned, assuming she would follow.
Everyone’s attention turned to Chandra, who shook her head slowly. “No, Joseph. In order for a pack to work, wolves must feel their alpha is the best choice to lead them. After what I witnessed tonight and after spending time, albeit short, with Amalie, I’m no longer convinced you’re the one I would follow.”
She turned to face Liam. “I would like to stay with the wolf pack of Pray, if you will have me.”
Liam reached for his wolves, mentally posing the question. Their responses came quickly. It was unanimous; and just like that, they were twelve.
Joseph gave Chandra a steely glare and stormed out of the room.
Niles moved toward the door. He stopped and grasped Liam’s hand. He chuckled, his round face wrinkling into a huge grin. “Well, you sure stirred the shit didn’t you, boy-o? That’s all right. I never liked them anyway. It was time, Liam. And whatever the ramifications, we’ll deal with them together.” He gestured to his group and they filed out the door.
Finally, it was just Liam and his pack, both old and new. He turned to them. “Thank you. I’m humbled by your trust and I promise I won’t disappoint you.”
They all came in close and, one by one, hugged him and Amalie. Sean was last in line, and Liam felt his pain.
Amalie held her hand out to him, and, reluctantly, he took it. “I know it was hard for you to put your trust in a human. I promise I will strive to deserve it every day of my life.”
“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Liam, and for myself. I can barely get through the day now, but I manage for Ryan’s sake. If I allowed Liam to suffer that same pain, what would that make me? I would not willingly put anyone through such grief. For now, I’m withholding judgment on you. It may take me a while, Amalie.” With that, he turned and headed upstairs to check on his sleeping son.
“So is it time to eat or what?” Billy asked hopefully, and they all headed into the kitchen, leaving only Liam and Amalie behind.
“You hungry?” Liam asked.
“Nope,”
she replied, and they both laughed as her stomach growled. “Well, yes then. But we can eat after.” She leaned up and nipped at his chin.
“You don’t have to tell me twice, woman.” He scooped her into his arms and jogged lightly up the stairs to their bedroom where he closed the door and locked it behind them.
Epilogue
October 31, 2009
The air was cold and crisp in Pray, Montana on Halloween night. Under a moon so full it appeared as if it might burst, the forest pulsed with life. A large, male timber wolf padded forward into a clearing. A sable female of uncommon grace and beauty followed close behind him, her nose brushing his flank. They stood bathed in moonbeams and waited as the rest of their pack moved into the light. The male wolf let out a long, soulful howl and all but the sable wolf joined him in song. Their chorus rose and swelled until she, too, was swept up. She tested her voice, letting out a wobbly howl. The wolves nipped and nudged her playfully as she did, both teasing and encouraging. The timber wolf then turned and loped off, picking up speed as the rest followed. Soon they were running. Separate beings moving as one, in perfect harmony with one another and their land.
* * * * *
Just a few miles away in a little cabin, seated in front of a cozy fire sat a man. He poured over maps, jotted coordinates, and absently stroked the good luck charm strapped to his belt: a white wolf’s foot.
He laughed to himself as he thought about the past few months. After years of searching he’d finally caught a break. He’d botched the opportunity because he hadn’t known everything. But now he did, and soon he would be avenged. Soon everyone who had laughed at him and mocked him would be a believer. Soon he would have living proof. Proof that monsters exist, and they live in Pray, Montana.
The End
Author Bio
Christine Bell is one half of the happiest couple in the world. She and her husband currently reside in Pennsylvania with a four-pack of teenage boys and their two dogs, Gimli and Pug. When she isn’t acting as maid, chef, chauffeur, or therapist, she can be found reading about poker theory and vampires. (Not in the same book, of course. Wait, do they have those?) She hates bugs (except ladybugs on account of their cute outfits) and thinks clowns are creepy as hell. She loves writing about love and will never stop writing sexy romance stories, although she also hopes to one day publish something her dad can read without wanting to poke his eyes out with sharp sticks. You can find Christine at: www.chrisbwritin.blogspot.com.
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