“I am no’ scairt, Riok,” Kinnon stated locking eyes with his brother.
“Aye, that is why I did nae say scairt. Fearful has nae shame,” Riok said.
“I am by your side, brother,” Kinnon replied. “Always.”
“I ken that,” Riok answered. “But something else is on your mind. If you speak of it, it may ease your worry.”
“’Tis merely I am concerned about Kyna. She is heavily pregnant and I want to be there for the birth of my pup,” Kinnon said. “I donnae want to leave my mate.”
“Aye, I believe it,” Riok stated. “I donnae wish to leave Leah but we must protect our pack. That is our duty. Think of the males who will nae have their mate to lie beside tonight. The druids have killed for the sport of killing. We mourn but we act.”
“And that is why you are alpha,” Kinnon replied.
“I donnae wish for this mantle, Kinnon,” Riok stated. “But ‘tis a curse I am blessed with and I would nae desire anyone else to take this from me. ‘Tis something I would nae wish placed on my enemy. I will nae allow our pack to become the next fatalities of these Shape Shifting demons. We have lost too many already. Now be on your guard. You ken they can take any form. We need to agree on a phrase should we confront each other on the battle field. Something we say to each other to ken ‘tis us.”
Kinnon nodded. They had lost too many wolves to the Shape Shifting Druids. The demons could take any form including voice and clothes but they could not take control of the mind. In the heat of battle, having a phrase only they knew saved their lives on more than one occasion.
“Our children’s names,” Kinnon said.
“Have you picked a name yet?” Riok asked. Kinnon nodded. “And what is it?”
“Kyna believes it to be a lad so she only had us choose a male name,” Kinnon explained.
“And what will my nephew be called?” Riok grinned.
After a beat, Kinnon smiled slightly and answered, “Weylyn.”
Chapter
Three
The wolf pack stood in the woods in their human form, watching the Druid’s camp. Riok, with his brother on one side and his lieutenants on the other, listened to the silence.
“Do they nae ken we are here?” One lieutenant whispered.
“Make nae mistake,” Riok said. “These demons are cunning. They could be in the midst of us even now.”
“The smell is sickening,” Kinnon said making a face when the scent of wolf’s bane mixed with druid stench reached his nose.
“’Tis true they have a pungent odor,” Riok replied diplomatically. Then, turning to his men, he half phased. They followed his lead and he felt them all go silent in his mind, awaiting his orders. The mental link between wolves was strong even over vast distances but close to each other it was intense.
Tonight, Riok started. We avenge our females that these devils slaughtered. He felt the anger and pain of those who knew their females had been at the burn. I ken your sorrow. I feel it as my own, but we cannae allow our emotions to rule this day. Fight and fight strong. Show these devils they cannae destroy us. We will protect and avenge our own. ‘Tis my honor to lead you as your Alpha. Focus on what we are fighting for and we will win the day.
The wolves’ battle cry roared in their minds as their mouths stayed silent. Riok turned to advance and they rushed into the encampment only to find it abandoned. Slowing, the wolves looked around.
“Could they have thought better of it?” Kinnon asked turning to his brother for an explanation.
“The fire is still warm,” Riok said, his hand outstretched feeling the heat. “They were expecting us. Be on your guard!”
As soon as Riok said the words, one of his lieutenants beside him cried out and stumbled forward, an arrow sticking in his heart. The Druid cry of battle rose and the wolves turned back to the woods where they had just been standing. Hundreds of Druids changed from their shape as trees into their human form and charged them. Clearly outnumbered, the wolves rallied together and stood their ground. Kinnon and Riok fought back to back as they had done for so many years felling many enemies. But as the battle wore on, the wolves’ losses were great and as Riok defeated one more enemy, he paused to survey the landscape. His wolves fought valiantly but he heard their cries both in his ears and his mind as they received their death blows. His body shook as realization came upon him; he had led them into a massacre.
He frantically sought out his brother as they had been separated during the battle. His eyes caught Kinnon, a little further off to his left, fighting two Druids and holding his own but there was the third Druid moving towards him that had Riok worried. The Druid shapeshifter shifted into Riok’s own likeness and was moving towards Kinnon’s back.
With a mighty yell, Riok rushed to his brother’s aid reaching Kinnon just in time to fight his own likeness. As the Druid fell before him, Riok scanned the field. Only then did he see his brother further off to his right staring at him with wild and frightened eyes. Before Riok could even react, he felt the arrow pierce his back. Turning to see a Druid shifted as Kinnon, behind him, Riok watched as a wicked grin spread across the druid’s lips.
Riok had been duped. He had saved the wrong one and it cost him his life. Falling to his knees facing the Druid, as the wolf’s bane poison weakened him.
The Druid, looking like his own brother, raised a sword high about to deliver a death blow. Riok heard Kinnon scream the cry to protect their alpha, but it was too late. Locking eyes with him, brother, he thought and quickly finding Kinnon’s consciousness, he continued. Donnae blame yourself. Ken that I love ye and take care of my son.
He kept his eyes on him and searched for his mate’s conscience. Leah leapt into his mind with a cry as she felt his pain.
I love you, my Queen, he told her. Forgive me for no’ being there.
Riok! He heard her scream then all went silent.
***
Kinnon watched in horror as the Druid severed Riok’s head in a single blow. One moment his brother’s blue eyes were staring at him and the next his headless corpse fell to the ground. Rushing to the alpha, Kinnon turned his attention to the Druids who held Riok’s head in their hands, a grisly memento he would not let them keep. In three quick moves, the Druids were on the ground not moving with Kinnon standing over them, his claws bloody, his body covered in the spray from their blood.
The battle was theirs but there was no cheer from the wolves as the Druids retreated. The pack, some half phased and others fully phased into their wolf form, walked slowly towards Kinnon. He was on his knees in full human form before his brother’s body speaking low.
“I will take care of Marrock, Riok. I swear to you on Mother’s grave he will ken and remember you. Leah will be in my care as well, Brother, I promise you. I will look after them. I am so sorry,” Kinnon’s voice broke and he placed a hand on his brother’s chest, the soft feel of leather hardly comforting beneath his calloused fingers. Carefully, Kinnon picked up the necklace Riok wore that had dropped on the ground when he fell. Letting out a cry as he felt the blood coat his hand, he wiped the medallion on his tunic. The symbol of what Riok was, the Alpha, carved into the wooden medallion dangled from the leather strips.
“I will give this to your son. Be at peace, Riok, you have done your family proud,” Kinnon said giving his brother the last rites given to the dying or dead of the pack.
The pain of his loss was too much for Kinnon, he phased, threw his head back and howled. The rest of the pack howled with him, a sign that their Alpha was dead. The sound carried all the way back to the village and reached Leah’s ringing ears. As soon as she heard it, she collapsed on the floor in a dead faint.
Chapter
Four
The warriors carried the body of their alpha back to the village. No one spoke as they entered the gates, the rest of the pack lined the path to the fortress keep. The females openly cried as Riok’s body passed them and the males looked down hiding their emotions.
Kinnon walked ahead of the b
ody, stone-faced. Looking up, he saw Marrock’s small frame standing on the steps of the keep. Kyna was behind him, her hands gently on their nephew’s shoulders.
The entourage stopped just a few feet from the base of the steps and set Riok’s body on the ground. Kinnon walked up to the steps, his gaze locked with his mate and the tears rimming her eyes spilled over and ran down her cheeks. Finally, Kinnon looked at Marrock and knelt down. Marrock pulled his small frame up to its full height and stepped down from the top of the stairs. Reaching his uncle, he said nothing as Kinnon kept his eyes downcast until Marrock put a small hand on his shoulder then Kinnon raised his eyes and fixed them on the lad.
“Uncle Kinnon?” Marrock asked softly.
Taking a deep breath, Kinnon’s voice was low but still cracked on the words he had to force out. “The Alpha… is dead.” Marrock showed no emotion as Kinnon held up the necklace that Riok wore, designating his Alpha status.
Marrock lowered his head as Kinnon slid it around his neck. The medallion hung down to his stomach.
“Donnae worry, Uncle Kinnon,” Marrock said seeing his uncle’s eyes on the necklace. “I will grow into it.”
A sob came from the gathered crowd when they heard Marrock’s words. Marrock’s eyes passed his uncle and looked towards his father’s body. Walking slowly over to it, he placed his small hand over Riok’s larger one and squeezed.
“Donnae worry, Papa,” he whispered. “I will take care of Mama, I promise. And I pray I will make you proud. I ask for you to guide me and help me. I love you and I will miss you but I will always hold you in my heart and I will try to be like you. I will try to lead the pack as you would have. Be at peace.”
Marrock turned to the pack and took in the crying wolves before him. Even noticing his uncle wiping his tears, Marrock took a deep breath.
“I am young,” Marrock started, his voice clear and surprisingly strong. “I am nae my father. But his blood flows in my veins. His soul gave mine life. I may no’ be my father, but I am my father’s son and as such, ‘tis my duty and privilege to lead you. I will make my father proud. I swear to you, I will be a just and honorable leader as my father before me. As my father gave his life to protect his own, so I give mine to carry on his name. And, with the help of those my father trusted, I will strive to lead you as he would have… so what say you? Will you give me your loyalty as I give you mine?”
They all stared at the young lad in front of them and suddenly, he did not look so young. The fire in his eyes reflected the look they had seen so many times in his father’s. Marrock looked at each of them in turn. Finally, his gaze settled back on his uncle.
Kinnon stood slowly and walked over to his nephew.
“Marrock,” Kinnon said softly kneeling before him. “You, like your father before you, have my love, loyalty and friendship for as long as I live. I pledge myself to you as my Alpha. I will always be by your side for as long as you need me.”
“Then will you be my lieutenant, Uncle Kinnon?” Marrock’s voice was soft. “Serve me as you did my father?”
Kinnon lowered his head accepting Marrock’s plea and, as he had seen his father do when naming a Lieutenant, Marrock placed his small hand on his uncle’s right shoulder. Kinnon looked up at him and smiled slightly.
“I donnae ken what to do next,” Marrock said softly.
“’Tis all right,” Kinnon said. “You have done far more than anyone imagined. Your father’s spirit is definitely within you.”
“What if they donnae accept me?” Marrock asked.
Kinnon pulled him into a hug. “Look behind you,” he whispered.
Letting his uncle go, Marrock turned and saw the entire pack behind him down on one knee in the gesture of accepting Marrock as their Alpha. Kinnon watched as Marrock again pulled himself up to full height, puffed out his small chest, surveyed the people before him and took a deep breath.
Chapter
Five
Scottish Highlands near Aberdeen – Nearly fifty-five years later
“Good Weylyn, very good,” his father’s compliment made Weylyn smile. “Now let us attempt multiple attackers once more and remember what I told you, keep your eyes moving fast and anticipate your weak spots,” Kinnon instructed. Weylyn nodded once and several of the wolves rushed him. Ducking and dodging, Weylyn successfully fought them and nearly won the challenge except for the last attacker who had the better advantage and knocked him on his back. Faolán, Weylyn’s best friend and son of the clan’s herald, chuckled, reached out and offered his hand to Weylyn.
Once he was upright, lone clapping from outside the ring of clay stones drew their attention. Marrock parted the spectators, clapping his hands slowly, a slight grin on his lips.
“Much improved, cousin,” his deep voice was velvety smooth and full of strength. “Care to try your hand at besting me?”
“Nay, I ken my limits and I donnae desire to be on my back with an injury for a moon’s cycle,” Weylyn replied taking in the sheer size of the wolf man before him. Marrock had been a small child but he grew fast becoming the biggest and strongest of all the wolves. His black hair, inherited from his mother, hung below his shoulders and was tied at the nape of his neck. His light eyes, inherited from his father, danced over Weylyn’s young face.
It had been a prosperous fifty-five years under his Alpha leadership and as he grew, he had more physical characteristics of his father than ever before. Having reached his wolf age of maturity nearly five years ago, he looked the human age of thirty-five and was a seasoned warrior.
“But I am in the mood for a challenge,” Marrock pressed. “Come cousin, spar with me.”
“I doubt I would be a challenge, Marrock,” Weylyn said, only having reached the human age of sixteen.
“I promise I will nae hurt you,” Marrock teased. Finally, Weylyn took a deep breath and nodded.
He was on his back with the wind knocked from his lungs before he knew what had happened. Marrock stood over him, blotting out the sun and laughing as he helped him up.
“’Tis sorry I am, Weylyn, I thought you were prepared,” Marrock goaded. Helping dust his cousin off as the dirt clung to Weylyn’s sweaty back, he clapped him on the shoulder. “Well done,” after he winked, he continued. “I believe a dip in the loch is in order.”
Weylyn nodded and bowed, walking back to his father who patted his shoulder. Waiting to leave for his bath, he heard Marrock call out to the crowd.
“Any challengers?”
One male stepped forward and the crowd roared to life. The poor male suffered a similar fate as Weylyn and was dismissed to bathe as well. Several others stepped forward and were deftly dealt with, but when an older warrior challenged him and was able to strike him, Marrock reveled in the competition. Once the older warrior was eliminated and left the training ring, Marrock, with only a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead and body, turned back to the crowd.
“Will nae one else challenge me?” he bellowed.
Every wolf averted their eyes. They enjoyed watching but did not challenge him even in a sparring session.
“I challenge you, Alpha,” a soft voice came from the crowd. Everyone held their breath as Marrock’s eyes squinted to see who spoke. The challenger stepped forward and across the clay markers of the training ring.
“A lass?” Marrock asked amused.
“Aye, Alpha,” she answered. “Do you accept my challenge?”
“Go home, lass,” he said. “This is male’s work.”
She looked at him and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Are you afraid to be bested by a female, then?” She asked stepping further into the arena.
Marrock threw back his head and laughed. “You think a female can best me?” He asked.
“Aye, I do,” she answered.
He quieted and stared at her. “Brave words,” he replied. “Will your mother nae be worried for you?”
“As you said, Alpha,” she continued. “This is nae female’s work. Is she to ke
n?” She asked.
Marrock watched as her blonde, almost brown hair caught the wind and whipped around her face which housed dark brown eyes, a thin narrow nose, high cheekbones, and kissable lips. Sweat slid its way down his back as his gaze travelled lower to her chest pushed up by her defiant stance. Females were a distraction he could not afford and she was no different. But she had challenged him and he never walked away from a challenge.
“What is your name, lass?” he found himself asking as his eyes trailed back up to hers.
“Mabh,” she answered.
“Mabh,” he broke eye contact, nodded and pursed his lips together in contemplation. “You have peaked my interest, lass. Aye, I accept your challenge, as long as ye ken that if agreed we will be two warriors, I will give you nae quarter,” he said.
“I would expect nothing else from you, Alpha,” she answered. “And as long as you agree to those same terms, as I will give nae quarter, we will begin.”
Marrock chuckled hearing her rebuttal. This slip of a lass, who’s arms he could wrap one hand all the way around, and whose body was lithe and slim believed she would defeat him. Seeing her tie her hair into a knot behind her head, Marrock made a promise to himself that he would not hurt her and would not use his full strength.
His eyes drifted to Kinnon who stood outside the ring. A subtle shake of Kinnon’s head told Marrock that his uncle did not approve of the current challenge, but as Marrock paced the perimeter, he grinned waiting for her to finish removing the outer washing gown she had on.
“Are ye ready?” he bellowed when she turned her back to him to toss the gown to the side.
After a pause, her voice travelled to his ears. “Are you?” She had asked before she took off running towards him. His eyes grew large as he watched her speed towards him and within a moment, he was on his back. The earth shook like a mighty tree had fallen and his grunt came as a gasp for air since all of his own had been knocked out. Mabh was over him before he could move to defend himself.
Lonely Moon (The Wolf's Bane Saga Book 2) Page 2
