Howl And Growl Complete Collection

by Cloe Cullen

  She watched him with big, wide eyes, not bothering to conceal her concern and worry for Darius, but it was the Alpha's voice that finally ripped Darius' gaze away.

  "Wolf shifter, your name is Darius, is it not?"

  Caught off guard, Darius merely nodded.

  The Alpha grinned. "Obedient, and smart...I see you were trained well over at Gray Creek." Laughter rolled through the crowd. Darius kept his gaze squarely on Amara's father. "I trust you're also smart enough to know how foolish it was to cross the border." Darius didn't say anything, waiting for the Alpha to continue. "So, tell me, why did you cross the border?"

  Darius straightened himself, readying his voice. "I crossed the border to find missing wolf shifters."

  Murmurs amongst the crowd began, but the Alpha held up his hand for silence. "Go on."

  "Three shifters from my clan have been missing for at least a week. My clan came to me for help; I'm one of the best trackers in my clan." More laughter from the peanut gallery rang through the air. "One shifter's tracks led back into wolf territory, but the other two went straight across the border."

  The Alpha listened quietly, though many more of his people started to mock Darius.

  "So, I ventured over, despite my pack arguing against it." Darius thought back to Remus. "I followed the trail and ran into your daughter." Amara shifted uncomfortably next to him. "We fought, but in the middle of our fight, we heard screams and ran to investigate, and sure enough I found my two missing wolves."

  The Alpha grunted and cracked his fingers in frustration. "Yes, that's roughly how Amara described it. She said you helped her protect the two cubs from the wolves."

  Darius nodded. "They were my missing wolves, but they weren't acting like any normal wolf shifter. They were in a frenzied state like they were feral, and their fur was unnaturally black."

  "You mean, like these?" The Alpha motioned as four cat shifters came forward and dumped the two bodies of the black-furred wolf shifters onto the ground. Both bodies slumped over, their tongues hanging out. Darius grimaced at the sight. "They don't look feral to me."

  "They were. They attacked us both," Darius said, nodding to Amara. "Besides, they weren't just feral. Those two wolves became Changelings."

  It took a moment, but soon enough the whole of Red Rock was in an uproar of laughter and amusement. Darius growled low in annoyance, and Amara crossed her arms. Neither the Alpha or his wife howled in laughter, and the other strange woman simply continued to stare at Darius, like he was some sort of new species.

  "Changelings, you say?" The Alpha said, raising his voice. "There haven't been Changelings this far north ever. They only roam the Blackwood, close to the home of their masters. The only way they would ever come up to the Oldwood would be if..."

  Darius smiled. "That's right, if a Vampire came with them. One did." The crowd quieted down at this revelation, but Darius ignored the sudden change in mood. "His name is Orpheus; he's tall, lanky, pale and has red eyes like I've never seen before. The best part? After Amara and I defeated him, he promised to come back for revenge. We each decided we'd warn our clans, but as you could probably tell, I haven't had the opportunity yet to inform my people."

  The Alpha stared Darius down once more, though this time his look was softer. Recognition flared in the Alpha's eyes, and Darius knew Amara's father believed him.

  Suddenly a chant began somewhere in the crowd, calling for Darius' head. The chant grew louder by the second, more voices joining and unifying the chant. Both Darius and Amara looked to the Alpha for reassurance, but he merely sighed and rose to his feet. "I believe you, young wolf. But you have still committed a grave sin against us. Never shall a wolf shifter cross into the land of the cougars; if he does, then he shall be slain."

  Amara tried to protest, but her father ignored her. He turned to the crowd. "He shall be executed tomorrow, in a show unlike anything we've seen," he shouted. He turned back to Darius and Amara, both of whom wore stunned expressions. "And we shall celebrate my daughter's victories against both the wolf clan and a Vampire!"

  A roar of approval filled the air. Amara tried to protest once again, screaming at her father, but to Darius' surprise, it wasn't Amara who grabbed the Alpha's attention. The woman that stood behind the Alpha earlier, the redheaded one, begged the Alpha to let Darius go. Darius watched with bated breath as she clutched at the Alpha's jerkin, pleading desperately. Stunned, the Alpha shoved her to the ground and roared at her to back down.

  Darius didn't get to see what happened next, as a number of guards came forward from the crowd and began to drag Darius away.

  The last thing he saw was the woman tear up as she gazed after Darius, her eyes filled to the brim with sorrow.

  Chapter Twelve: Amara

  Darius' impending death plagued Amara like nothing else ever had.

  She hadn't expected her father to announce Darius would be publicly executed the next day after seeing the recognition in his eyes that Darius was telling the truth. She thought her father would have been better than that. But seeing how easily the crowd swayed his mind, she knew she could no longer trust in his decisions.

  Amara remembered the look on Darius' face when he was dragged off from her father's stage, dragged all the way back to that cave. Fear contorted his face, though it was subtle. Most other cat shifters might not have recognized it, but Amara knew. Darius was usually so calm and relaxed, from the few moments Amara had spent with him. The quick look of fear upon his face tore at her heart, and she couldn't stop herself from replaying it over and over in her head.

  Many times, Amara tried to go see Darius, but the guards wouldn't let her past. When she demanded they stand down in the name of the Alpha, the two guards informed her that it was her father's decision to keep Amara away from Darius. Every single time, she looked in to spy Darius hanging his head, his brows knitted together. He wouldn't look at Amara, maybe from self-doubt, or the shocking news that he indeed would perish the following day. She didn't know which it was.

  Amara couldn't leave it like this. Darius had promised to make her his mate, and while she didn't know how that would work out in the long run, she knew that his proclamation rattled her to her very core, something no other male shifter had ever done. Darius may have been a wolf shifter, but Amara was growing attached to him. Something about him just felt right, and she couldn't see her future without him at the moment.

  So, Amara devised a plan, one that would certainly make her an enemy of her homeland. Not only would she save Darius' life, but she would also set in motion a plan to save her people from the eventual return of the Vampire Orpheus.

  Orpheus was a threat, there was no doubt about it, and while her father decided to celebrate her one victory against the Vampire, Amara would prepare for the next. There wasn't really a choice for Amara. She wouldn't let anyone die because she couldn't stand up for what was right.

  Amara opened her eyes to the dark of night. After coming home only hours earlier, she had avoided her father and mother, going straight to her private quarters and immediately beginning to scheme. She pretended to sleep early, only once her parents finally climbed into their own beds would she be able to move freely.

  Standing up quietly, Amara grabbed two satchels and filled them both with extra clothes and some food she had brought up to her room. Silently, Amara crept out of her private quarters and out of her home. She went out a back way so that any cat shifters that were still awake wouldn't notice her. Sucking in her breath, Amara calmed her nerves and raced carefully through Red Rock, aiming to arrive at Darius' cave prison. Once there, she noticed the two guards standing watch. Realizing there wasn't much else to do, she gulped and moved forward in plain sight. The two guards saw her come up and both sighed like they were dealing with a nuisance they couldn't get rid of.

  "Amara," one said. "What are you doing here so late? I know you're fond of this mutt, but he's not worth your time."

  "He'll be executed tomorrow. It's too late if you think y
ou can tame and make this dog your pet," said the second. They both chuckled at this joke as if it were the funniest thing in the world.

  Hesitation would doom her, Amara realized, so without warning, she jabbed the first guard in the throat, causing him to collapse and gargle up spit. The second guard leaped backward in shock and raised his fists to Amara, but he hesitated, so Amara kicked at his legs, crumpling him to the ground. She buried her other foot in his skull, knocking him unconscious and leaving his body spread on the cave floor.

  Panting, she wiped the sweat off her brow and looked behind her, to make sure no one was watching. Peering into the cave proved difficult, as there were no light sources inside, but two bright gray eyes opened up and stared at Amara.

  "Darius…" Amara whispered.

  He came forward, intrigue written all over his face. "Amara? What are you doing here? Don't tell me…"

  "Breaking you free, obviously."

  "I told you not to tell me."

  Amara shrugged. "Oops."

  She threw him one of the hide satchels she carried, and he caught it with ease. He looked at the two unconscious guards, appraising them. "You realize you can be punished for beating up these two, right? Are you sure you want to go through with this? I know what I said about the whole mating thing, but-"

  Amara stopped him by placing a finger over his lips. She smiled. "Yes, I know I can be punished for this. Yes, I'm sure. And I remember you saying that if you survived your potential execution, and saved both our peoples from the eventual return of Orpheus, you would most definitely make me your mate. While I'm still debating whether or not I'll even allow you to try and mate with me, first I want to see you do what you said you would do. So, please, lead the way."

  Amara stepped to the side, motioning to Darius to move forward. A steady smile appeared on his lips, and he nodded. "Alright, fine. Let's go."

  ***

  Sneaking out of Red Rock was easy enough at night. If Amara had tried to break Darius during the day, it would be a completely different story. But at night, most of her people would be asleep, and the Red Rock mostly deserted. There were a few times Amara sensed a straggler in their path, so she changed courses.

  Within the hour, they were entirely outside of Red Rock. Amara sighed heavily that they didn't alert anyone yet; she was sure the two guards she knocked out wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, so it looked like her first obstacle was already over and done with.

  Stopping to catch their breath, Amara leaned against a tree and peered into the Oldwood.

  The Oldwood was dark and open, and shadows danced in her peripherals.

  "Alright, so what's the next part of your plan?" Darius asked.

  Amara turned to him. "We head across the border, to your people. We'll petition your Alpha about Orpheus, make him see reason where my father couldn't."

  Darius grunted. "I don't know if that's the best idea; he doesn't really like me all that much. Honestly, he might just try to take my head, same as your father, if he discovers I crossed back over. I don't want to imagine what he would do to you."

  Amara grimaced. "Is there any chance he might listen to reason?"

  Darius crossed his arms. "Maybe, but it would require the help of my friend...the Alpha's son, Remus."

  "You're friends with the Alpha's son, despite how the Alpha feels about you?"

  Darius chuckled. "Yeah, Remus isn't anything like his father. It's pretty odd. We grew a bond because both of our mothers were absent from our childhoods…"

  Amara stayed silent while she watched Darius brood. After a few moments, she turned to her satchel and opened it. "Well, we might as well get going. It'll be decent travel from here to the border." Amara began to slide off her tunic. Not hearing Darius do anything, she glanced back to find his gaze glued to her. "Darius, come on. Go undress behind that tree."

  "But I've already seen you naked."

  "I don't care, move it!"

  So, Darius did, grabbing his pack and moving behind the tree.

  Amara continued to undress, removing her clothes and feeling the light, night breeze upon her smooth skin. It felt incredible in Oldwood! Amara took in the night in all its beauty. The high moon brightened the tall, thin trees that populated the Oldwood, and nightcrawlers silently crept about, looking for bugs and other things to eat.

  "Amara," Darius called, from behind the tree. "Who was that woman behind your father, at the trial?"

  "The one gripping his shoulders? That was my mother, Zora."

  "No, the other one. The redhead."

  "Sarai? She's a healer."

  "Sarai…"

  "Why?"

  "No reason...she just looked familiar, is all."

  Amara pondered Darius' strange question and awaited more from him, but instead, she heard nothing, save for the soft padding of paws coming around the tree. She spied a giant, gray-furred wolf standing at the ready at the side of the tree, and so Amara followed suit, shifting into her cougar form and standing on all fours. Shaking off a shiver from the sudden burst of cold air, Amara purred as Darius picked up his satchel and padded over to her. Amara picked up her bag, and turned and ran off into the night. She listened as Darius followed suit.

  Hours passed as they ran, scampering through the various thickets and foliage, stopping every once in a while to grab a drink from a nearby stream or pond. Darius always kept the same short distance from her, a feat that impressed her. Cougars were climbers, agile and swift, and even the best cat shifters had trouble keeping up with Amara from time to time. When Amara opted to climb the trees and hop from branch to branch, he was always just below her. His presence made her feel safe and helped her get over the fact that she had just committed a crime against her people, one that not even her father might be able to forgive her for.

  By the time the moon was beginning to dip downwards in favor of the morning sun, Amara and Darius were coming up to the border river. Panting, Darius dropped his satchel and bounded up to the water and sniffed the air. He shook his coat and yapped in delight.

  Amara supposed Darius honestly did like his home, despite how he talked about it.

  She dropped her satchel alongside his, and strode up to him, peering across the gushing water and into the Oldwood on the other side. The trees had become denser the further in the duo got in the Oldwood, but on the other side, the trees were even closer together, thicker and not as small. Amara grew tense as she realized that it was her turn to literally walk into foreign territory.

  She watched as Darius growled at her, loped back to their bags, picking both in his maw and coming back to Amara's side. He dropped hers, motioning for her to pick it up, and he waded into the river. Amara picked up her bag and gingerly placed a paw into the water.

  The liquid was cold and bit at her fur, but she found that the river was shallow enough for them both to cross without having to swim. Darius waited for her on the other side. Once over, Amara placed one foot in front of the other and exited onto the bank of the river. The gravity of those steps hit Amara immediately. She was no longer in Pride territory; the Pack ruled the lands in front of her.

  Darius might be going home, but Amara was finally beginning her adventure to prove herself.

  Chapter Thirteen: Darius

  Crossing back into wolf shifter territory relieved Darius; who knew Darius would become so homesick? Venturing into foreign land had been exciting at first, but it quickly became something terrifying at the same time. The roaring of Red Rock's cat shifters still echoed in his mind, the cheers for his blood making his head whirl in fear. Ulrick, Gray Creek's Alpha, had always hated Darius and even threatened him at times, but Darius had never actually felt like he was in any real danger.

  But Amara's father was different: he was able to instill a certain kind of fear that Ulrick lacked. The voice of the Pride's Alpha rattled in his head as they trudged along.

  Amara remained alert the entire time they walked through the Oldwood, keeping her head on a swivel, and staying low and t
ense. Darius didn't blame her; he had felt the same way when he first crossed the border river. She was brave. Darius liked brave.

  Suddenly, Amara came to a stop, her eyes peering into the Oldwood ahead. Darius stopped as well, giving her a quizzical look, but then the wind came and brought a myriad of scents along with it. Darius took in the scents, smelling the agitation and aggression that came with them. Every hair on his body stood up, and immediately Darius knew they were in danger.

  Two Changelings burst out of the Oldwood from straight ahead, yapping and howling and barreling towards them both. They came so fast that Amara was able to leap out of the way, but Darius didn't. The first of the two slammed into Darius, sending them both flying backward, and while Darius struggled to stand back up, the second lunged and sunk its teeth into Darius' leg. He yelped at the pain and thrashed wildly around.

  For a split second, he saw Amara leap onto one of the Changeling wolves, the beast letting go of Darius' leg and jumping back to shake Amara off of him. That gave Darius a chance to stand and brace himself for another headbutt by the first Changeling wolf. The headbutt connected with his stomach, but Darius stood his ground and bite down into the Changelings' back, picking up the Changeling and throwing him away into the forest.

  Amara was still scrambling with the second Changeling off to Darius' left. He glanced over and noticed a second pair of red eyes emerging from behind Amara. A third Changeling? Darius howled a warning, but his voice was cut off quickly by the second Changeling jumping onto his back.

  As Darius thrashed to get the second wolf off of him, two more Changelings burst onto the scene.

  Five Changelings? Fright began to take hold of Darius. How the hell would they be able to deal with five Changelings?

  The third Changeling joined the second in attacking Amara. Darius tried to rush to her aid, but the fourth and fifth jumped on Darius as well, ganging up on him, ripping and tearing at his fur and limbs. Darius howled in frustration as a myriad of teeth bore into his flesh. Out of the corner of Darius' eye, he spotted Amara being cornered. Darius wanted to scream and shout, and force the three Changelings off of him, but together all three were able to keep Darius restrained.