Marie stepped up to him, between Sasha and him. “Samuel deserves nothing.” Her eyes flared with a deep bright yellow color as a growl flowed from her lungs, sounding like a slow roll of thunder to the room. “He lied to us. How can we trust that? How can we trust him?”
Thomas stepped back. His eyes drooped low as his heart raced from the sound of her voice. “I’m sorry.” He swallowed. “I stand by what I feel.”
Marie turned back to the others in the room. “I say Kalima is far more important than one’s feelings.” She laughed, hissing some. She turned back to serious all too fast. “Samuel deserves nothing from us. Kalima is our life. He never lied to us. He would never do that to us.”
Samuel heard enough. He turned from the group, pushed his way pass Thomas, and stepped directly in front of Marie. “Are you challenging me, Marie?” His voice turned contrived with a slow ebbing growl rolling through his mouth.
Marie stared straight into his eyes. Again, hers flared with the bright yellow of the wolf inside her. “I challenge those who lie to gain power.” She rumbled her voice down low. She showed her teeth. Her canines pushed out from her gums, growing within her mouth, and began protruding from her lips. Her nose crinkled up. Her eyebrows came down. Her yellow eyes winced to slits. The growl grew with every breath she made.
Samuel had to blink. He didn‘t want the fight that she showed him was coming. “Whatever?” He turned from her, pushed his way past her, and made his way to the front door. He stopped there and turned back around. “You all have made this decision. You are all responsible for it.” He left, slamming the steel door behind him when he did.
Marie let the wolf in her go back down inside her. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to calm down. There was no need to fight. There was no need to finish the change. Samuel backed off from the challenge. She knew that he would.
The others in the room all sighed with relief.
Marie spun around looking to all of them as she spoke with her human voice. “Who’s with me?” She stared at each one of them within a brief minute of a minute. “Who’s with Kalima?”
Thomas watched Markey step forward joining Sasha, Harold, and Marie in the center of the room. Susanna joined, cautiously coming to the others as well. Seeing all of them joining with Marie, told him what he already knew. He was alone in his feelings for Samuel. He was the only one that was willing to step to his side. The others were afraid of her. He could feel them wince. He could feel them unwilling to challenge Marie.
He winced his fear of all of that knowledge back down in his throat. “Fine.” He left them, and headed to the door. He left the same way that Samuel went and opened the door. He felt alone. He couldn’t challenge Marie, he knew that. He wasn’t strong enough. He didn’t even want to try.
Marie watched him leave and turned back to the others. She walked to them and stopped directly in front of Sasha. Now that Samuel was gone, she had other things that seemed far more important on her mind. “How is he?” She reached down with a firm hand and lifted Sasha’s eyes to hers by taking her softly under the chin. “How is Kalima?” She smiled. The yellow hint of her teeth gleamed to Sasha’s face.
Sasha watched everything unfold and couldn’t believe what just happened. She couldn’t bring herself to say what she heard from Jimmy and the human woman with him, and now, she nearly felt ashamed because of it. How could she tell them everything that she knew, about him wanting to kill Kalima? How could she, after watching Marie challenge Samuel successfully? She couldn’t do it and that left her speechless. All she could do now was just nod to the Alpha female of their group. “He’s well,” was all that she could say.
18
Gary watched the building quietly, keeping down the street and across from it, and waited, knowing that he had to take them all one at a time. He wasn’t sure how long it would take to do it. He decided that he had to just sit there and wait for that time to come to him.
Soon, a young looking man with short black hair came out of the red door and turned left, heading down the street. He moved in the opposite direction from him. He looked at him and his heart thundered in his chest. Another one was there.
How many of those freaks are there? He started the car. He had to follow him. At least, he figured that this was his chance to take one of them out. He was alone. He would be easy to take by himself.
He started to pull the car slowly along the street, and was just about to expose himself to the building, when he noticed the red door open again. Seeing it, he slammed on the breaks and brought the car to an instant stop.
He now watched a blonde haired, tall and large looking man come out of the red door and stop in the center of the sidewalk, and look down both ends of the street.
Seeing him, he nodded. He didn’t seem to see him sitting there. That felt good. Besides, they wouldn’t have thought anything about him sitting there, even if they did. They wouldn’t have known who he was.
Why would they? They wouldn’t even care.
The blonde haired man shut the door, turned right from it and started out down the sidewalk, heading towards the river.
He watched him, and turned back to the left. The man with the dark black hair was gone. He lost his chance to go for him, so he turned back to the large blonde-haired man instead. Watching him, he grimaced. I missed the one, but I have you in my sights dear boy. I can take him. I have to try. He seemed to be worth the chance. He decided and put his foot back onto the gas pedal and pushed it, bringing the car out from the corner of the row of deserted buildings behind him and came out onto the street.
He followed him, keeping far enough behind him in the car as he drove.
He watched him turn three corners, moving towards what looked like a couple of warehouses along some type of piers. The sun now came from behind both of them, casting shadows towards each other as they moved. That in itself, felt like a good thing to see. The big man wouldn’t see him, until he chose the time to strike him.
The man walked to one of the piers, and stopped besides the cement curbing of it and a long wall of the pier itself. There he sat down on the curbing, looking out towards the river just to his right.
Gary parked the car, just along the side of one of the warehouses, and took a deep breath. He kept far enough away so that the large man wouldn’t see him. He had to be careful not to show himself to it. That way the wolf wouldn’t turn. The man would stay a man. It would be easier to stop him then.
He turned off the engine, and stood outside the car. He reached down to his waist and removed his automatic from the holster that he kept on his side. He was not about to be unprepared. He always had to be ready.
He clicked the button on the side of the weapon and exposed the clip. He checked at the top of the clip and looked at the shells inside it. The silver twinkled in his eyes. Seeing them, he felt ready. He replaced the clip and cocked the weapon by pulling it back at the hilt. The sound came strong, but still sounded subtle. It barely even registered on his mind. He shut the car door, slowly, keeping the sound down as much as he could, left the car, and approached the large blonde haired man with an extra caution in his steps.
He felt strong. He felt confident. He felt absolutely right about his plan.
He moved along the pavement. He kept the sun in front of him, allowing his shadow to follow him from behind him as he moved. The breeze felt strong on his face. That, he knew, would keep his scent behind him with his shadow. He held his weapon out in front of him with its weight feeling powerful in his hands. He had to get closer. Silver shells were heavier than lead ones were, he knew that. If he fired from too great of a distance, the shell would go too low. He had to make every shot count. He had to make sure that he was close enough to make a good aim.
He felt ready. He moved closer. He was almost there.
19
Leaving their hideout, Thomas didn’t know which way Samuel went, so he didn’t know which way to go to find him. He wasn’t even sure if he should even try. May
be it was all for the best. With the way the pack reacted with what he said, he wasn’t quite sure of how far he should go to defend him. After all, what would he do if they left him alone? How could he make it without their support? He needed the group. He needed to be with all of them. He knew that they needed to stay together. If Samuel was finished with them, and he stood beside him, what would that mean for him and worse yet, if Samuel did lose the challenge that would inevitably come, would he lose as well? It felt all too risky. It felt all too bad. Being that way, he had to decide the matter first. He had to figure out whom to follow and stick to it when he did. The wrong decision could cost him too much. As he thought about it, maybe if he talked with Samuel, he would be able to make that choice. Maybe Samuel wouldn’t even try to fight the others. If he could talk to him, maybe they could both decide everything together. But first, he had to find him, and he wasn’t even sure where to start. When he did, he had some questions to ask him for himself.
What Marie said, stuck out in his mind. What Sasha told them, didn’t make any sense. What did happen between Collins and Samuel? Why did he leave? Why did Samuel lie about his leaving? Everything said so much, but yet nothing at all. Like the others, he had to know. He had to find out. Standing on the sidewalk, and looking down both ends of the street, no one was there. Not even Samuel’s scent came from around the area, and that seemed too bad. He wouldn’t find which way he went without it to guide him. Knowing that, he knew that he was gone. He would have to wait for the talk, and that meant only one thing. He had to give himself the time to think about everything by himself. He left and made his way to the docks. It felt like the perfect place to take that time to think.
Walking down the street, he made his way behind the building, and from there, he could smell the riverfront and it made his mind instantly calm. He walked to the piers. The smell of fish came strong on the air. The sounds of the water flapping to the shore came just as strongly. He moved between the buildings and came to the piers quickly. He headed straight to the wall.
No one was there. The entire area looked still. Birds sang all around him. Seagulls made their fantastic calls over the water. Some of them circled him overhead. He found his favorite wall, walked down it, and came towards its side, and there, he sat down along the side of the dock, and turned towards the river. He let his feet drop off the side towards the water, and he let them dangle before he even came to rest.
What do I do? He thought quietly, listening to the sounds of the water splashing up and around his feet. The slight breeze covered his skin, caressing him softly. The sun going down just in front of him added to the aroma of all of it. He looked from the river and down to his own knee, which he brought up against his chest. His thoughts turned over, and over again in his mind. In fact, he already answered his own questions, long before he even arrived there, and now realizing that, he blinked. I can’t be alone. I need them. He thought of Marie with everything she said sticking to him like a wet cloth, draping his soul. She’s right. Samuel lied to all of us. That bothered him immensely. Why would he do that? There was no reason for it. With Kalima being there, everything seemed real again. He made everything feel right. He came back to them, and knowing that, he made the decision for him. He had no other choice but to follow them. He had no reason not to follow him.
With his thoughts devouring his attention, he never saw the man coming up behind him before it was too late. He never smelled him because he was obviously moving down wind. He did hear him coming though, as he heard his boots smacking against the pavement and concrete of the pier coming towards him. They sounded so subtle at first, but grew with intensity as he approached him from behind towards the street.
When he heard him, he turned to him fast. “Who the hell are you?” He kept himself seated. He feared so few people that most of them would get the same reaction. He didn’t intend to change that now.
Gary stepped forward, walking to him from the pavement of the warehouse behind them. He came until he was just close enough to take a good aim.
“Buddy, are you deaf?” Thomas didn’t get the reaction he wanted, so this time he stood up, bringing his arms forward and his frame in full view. He showed off his bulk to many, and many more would run from the sight, but this time, the man didn’t stop. Hell, he didn’t even hesitate once. “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you want?”
Gary smiled. He raised his right arm, holding the automatic pistol out in front of him, and took a good aim. He was so close that he really didn’t even have to raise the weapon to his face.
Thomas saw the blonde haired stranger raise his arm. He saw the weapon and went with his usual reaction to such a sight. He laughed, with a sound that echoed all around them and bounced off the walls of the buildings behind them. He couldn’t believe what he saw. No weapon could ever hurt him. No one ever dared to try to do such a thing.
“I wouldn’t laugh if I were you freak.” Gary placed his index finger onto the trigger. The smile never once left his face.
Thomas stopped laughing the minute that he heard the word freak and that was all he needed. Instantly rage flashed to his face. This man, this stranger, knew something more that he shouldn’t have known. He could sense it. He could feel it. Why else would he have called him such a thing if he didn’t? He could feel the man’s heart beating fast, but sounded otherwise normal. He could smell the man’s scent, calm and relaxed. Knowing this, and feeling what he was, caused his own heart to rise in his chest. Fear crept up into his body and soul. He had to release him. He had to let it out. He wanted it. He had to have its help.
Gary watched his eyes turn yellow. He watched his skin begin to boil. He watched the freak start the change. He watched as his white face turned black. He watched his nose begin to curl. He watched for only an instant, before he saw enough, and pulled the trigger as the automatic recoiled in his hand.
The shot rang out, cracking almost like a whip on the wind.
The bullet left the weapon and found its mark with ease.
It struck the large blonde haired man directly in his chest.
Thomas looked down, feeling the impact of the bullet in his chest, making its way through the muscles of his build and straight through his heart. The feelings of it shocked him instantly. It felt stronger and far more burning than it should have felt. It all caused the wolf to fade within his mind. He saw his own shirt pressed in on his chest. His own blood stuck to the shirt and held it firmly against his skin. It felt so warm, as he reached both hands up to it and rubbed it with both of his palms. Feeling them wet, he lifted them back up to his face. They were covered. They looked terrifying beyond words. How could it do this? How could it have wounded me? Something felt wrong. Something very different struck him solid.
Gary lowered his arm, and took great pleasure in watching what he just did. So much so, he had to give the freak another smile.
Thomas looked from the single wound in his chest and looked back to the man as he lowered his arm. He saw his smile. He understood nothing of what he saw. He tried to say something, but couldn’t. His breathing grew short. His heart raced for a brief instant, before it began to slow. Soon, it stopped beating all together, and just as soon, he fell to his knees and from his knees to his stomach. He died before he even hit the ground.
Gary watched him fall. He loved the sight. It felt like such a powerful feeling. It gave him strength. It almost made his day. Another one of them was now gone, and it made him explode with pride. He stood there for only a minute, before he turned, and walked back to his car, leaving the pier and headed back to the pavement of the warehouse.
He climbed back inside behind the wheel, started the engine and drove away.
20
Brandon and Rachel both left after they ate. They had to get some sleep. It had been such a long day for both of them that Jimmy insisted that they leave and get some rest. They would get back together later. They had the time.
Finding himself alone, which seemed like a good thin
g, Jimmy didn’t trust himself alone with both of them, he went back downstairs to the basement. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for at first, so he went to the bookshelf door at the back wall to feel everything about it. He began to realize that his memories grew stronger when he found himself surrounded by the past. He looked over the shelf and all of the several books lining it, and found that each one looked different. Each one looked like a masterpiece of time. Some of them looked old. They looked original. Seeing all of them, he felt content. It seemed that Collins loved to read. It wasn’t long before he realized, looking through those books, that he wasn’t finding what he was looking for, so he turned, remembering that he saw what looked like journals back near the desk. Next to it, on the right on small bookshelves, he found what he thought he was looking for, so he bent down to the shelves to get a closer look at what he found.
Each one of the blue bound journals was marked with a date on the edge of the binder. There were two dozen of them, and they lined the top shelf, with the last one on the right simply reading 2008-2009. The one on the far left caught his attention next. That one was marked just simply with two words, The Beginning. He pulled it from the shelf and opened it up, still standing in front of the shelf.
The very first page read only 1893. The words were written in pen. The handwriting looked familiar—in fact, it almost looked like it was his. He couldn’t believe what he saw, so he read along.
It was July 1893 when I came to this place. I loved it when I first saw it. It was perfect in so many ways. I couldn’t resist it. It felt instantly like home. New York is so different from where I came from. There are so many people here; I’m finding it easy to blend into the masses. No one knows me. No one knows what I am. Walking along the bustling streets is like walking through water. Only the people are the waves.
A Werewolf's Saga Books 1, 2, & 3 (A Werewolf's Saga Boxed Sets) Page 40
