by Lynn Red
"I really can't," she said before rushing out the door.
Abel caught up with her and matched her pace. "You don't understand. I said I wouldn't take no for an answer."
She stopped and looked at him, her brows knitted together as she wondered what he wanted. This had to be a joke. No way would someone like him be interested in her. "What is your problem? I don't care if you won't take no, I said no. Now go find someone else to bother."
Spinning on her heel she began walking away, but was stopped by his hand on her arm again. He didn't grab her hard, he barely even touched her, but there was something electric and powerful in the soft touch of his fingers against her skin. She stopped and turned back towards him.
"I didn't want to move here," he said quietly as the hallway grew louder from the passing students. "My parents couldn't give me a reason so I kept convincing myself there had to be one. I had faith in some point or purpose for moving to this swamp you call home."
"I don't have a home," Faith said then mentally kicked herself for saying it.
"I came here to meet you, Faith. I kept faith and I met Faith. You might not understand it because you're human, but I know we're meant to be together. We're going to do great things together. Give me a chance, will you? Just trust me. Have faith in me."
He grinned and she found it hard to not hate him for using her name in such a ridiculous way. Still, she was confused. Who was this guy and why would he think he was meant to be with her? His grey eyes felt like they were swimming in her thoughts, trying to read them.
Slowly, barely realizing it she nodded her answer. There was something so familiar and comforting about him. Maybe he knew something she didn't. Maybe he could see into the future. Or maybe she just wanted to spend more time with the handsome new guy.
Present Day
A beautiful, caramel skinned man with a tight black t-shirt knocked on the bar in front of her and brought Faith back from her memories.
“Miss? Can I help you?” he asked.
He was muscular in a different way than the rest of the shifters there, telling Faith he was a different animal than the others. With a thicker body, his muscles cut through his skin and rippled with his every move. She could sit there all day and stare at him if it wasn’t considered rude.
"Sorry, I was just...never mind," she said not wanting to tell her story to the bartender. She refused to be that cliche. “I’m Faith Galloway, I’m here to—"
"Follow me," he interrupted her then waved to another bartender to take over.
He pointed to the end of the bar and she weaved her way through the crowd to meet him. In a darkened corner near the bar he opened a door Faith hadn't seen before and motioned for her to enter before closing the door behind them.
"Sorry about all the security but I'm sure you understand we can't just have people showing up here," he said. "My name is Rafael. You'll be meeting with my Alpha who is one of the twelve on the Kapok Council."
The more he spoke, the more Faith detected a slight accent she couldn't place. She quietly followed him down a stark hallway, the bright lights making her blink after the darkness of the bar. Over the years she heard a lot about the Council and was surprised it was so easy for her to get a meeting even though she wasn't a shifter. But once she said Abel's name they were just as interested in meeting with her as she was in meeting with them.
At the end of the hall, Rafael knocked on a plain wooden door and waited.
"Come in," a gruff voice said from the other side of the door.
Rafael opened the door and waited for Faith to enter before stepping in behind her. Seated at an old metal desk pushed against the wall, was a man even larger than Rafael. His dark hair was brushed back and his striped button shirt with the sleeves rolled up looked painted on him.
"Sir, this is Faith Galloway," Rafael said.
The man stood up from his chair, towering over her. He was a little taller than Rafael and more muscular but equally as sexy. After being surrounded by coyotes all the time, Faith forgot the immediate sexual attraction humans felt from meeting a powerful shifter, especially an Alpha.
"Its a pleasure to meet you, Faith," he said his voice dripping like honey. "I'm Erich Krause. Because of the sensitive nature of this meeting we'll be discussing this alone."
He gave Rafael a stern look and Rafael walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Erich put his hand on her back and moved her towards an overstuffed tan couch. Simply feeling his hand on her back reminded her how long it had been since she felt the touch of a man. She needed to get a hold of herself and not let her natural attraction to him take over, but it was hard to fight with biology.
She met his light brown eyes and noticed a smirk. Quickly looking away she sat down, embarrassed by his knowing gaze.
"Tell me what I can do for you," he said. "Its not everyday the Council gets a request from a human, especially not a human mated to a rogue Alpha."
Mated? Is that what she was to Abel, his mate? Or was that all this big man thought of her? She disliked the term and meaning of it. She liked thinking of Abel as her high school sweetheart and first love, and hoped he thought of her the same way. Or at least did before the coyote took over.
"I'm here to talk about Abel Barlow," she said. "He's out of control and I need your help. I don't know where else to go."
CHAPTER TWO
Erich Krause leaned back in his desk chair looking at the cracks in the corner of his office. He didn't usually spend much time there but the Council requested he meet with a woman who claimed to have information on coyote Alpha Abel Barlow.
Abel had been a menace for several years. He had been slowly growing his pack trying to stay under their radar, and although the Council didn't know exactly what he was up to, they knew to keep an eye on him.
Erich had to admit to being curious about the woman coming in. She left her name as Faith Galloway, but after a little research Erich was unable to find any information on her. He wondered if she was Abel's mate, but seeing how he had decomposed over the years Erich strongly doubted it, but didn't discount the possibility. Humans were known for their strange attachments after all. Regardless, she claimed to have information on the coyote so he had to hear her out.
The door opened down the hall, something Erich easily heard with his heightened senses, but then he caught a scent. It wasn't like anything he'd ever experienced before. His bear spirit woke and roared from within. Erich sat up straight causing his chair to squeak painfully and closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply through his nose.
It was the woman, Faith Galloway. Her scent danced around him, enticing him to get her but he kept himself seated knowing she would reach his door soon. With a mixture of savory and sweet, her scent reminded him of a decadent warm whiskey sauce he had on a dessert once, and how the smooth texture spread over his tongue and down his throat.
With his body heating up and the bear within fighting to get out, Erich struggled to keep his cool and stay in his seat. Regardless of what he was experiencing he needed this woman to feel comfortable enough to tell him why she was there. He refused to blow it because of some primal need for someone he hadn't even seen yet.
After what seemed like an eternity of waiting to match the scent with a face, Rafael knocked on the door.
"Come in," Erich said impatiently.
Faith entered his office, her long blonde hair pulled back into a low ponytail with wisps framing her pretty oval face. She was dressed all in black but Erich was able to see she was hiding the curvy body of a woman, one he wanted to see more of.
Standing to introduce himself to her, he used a touch of his shape shifting ability to make himself appear even larger. He couldn't help himself, he wanted to reduce any thought of the tiny coyote from her mind.
Knowing how Abel looked and acted lately, Erich refused to believe such a beautiful woman could be in love with him. To find out he decided to test her by calling her Abel's mate and gauging her reaction.
"I'm here to talk about Abel Barlow," she said. "He's out of control and I need your help. I don't know where else to go."
Hearing her voice with a slight tremble he pushed aside his desire and longing for her. This was serious and he needed to get back to business and control himself. He was an Alpha, no reason he should be acting like a love sick schoolboy, especially towards a human mated to another Alpha.
"Tell me everything," he said.
"Abel has been kidnapping and holding werewolves in cells at the catacombs. He's experimenting on controlling them for his own purposes."
"How is he doing this?" he asked. She looked down at the floor and Erich knew she didn't want to answer. He leaned forward in his chair and without thinking, took her hand. "I promise, whatever your involvement I'll protect you."
She looked at him skeptically and he didn't blame her. Even he couldn't believe what he told her, but he meant every word of it.
"I'm helping him," she said softly. "I'm a charmer."
***
The large paws of the grizzly bear thudded along the dank cement floor of one of the many stone corridors in the catacombs. His nails softly clicked as he chased after the coyote Alpha Abel in animal form. Erich knew he was being lured away by the coyote, but it was all part of the plan.
The sudden arrival of grey wolf Alpha Caleb Overstreet, meant Abel would be even more ruthless as he tried to escape. After the release of most of Abel's captives, and the capture of his pack, the biggest threat would be dealing with Abel's seething rage. His was an anger that grew more uncontrollable as his coyote spirit gained more power over his human form.
After a sharp turn, the bear slid briefly trying to keep his footing as the coyote began his transformation back to human. His snout shortening, his ears pulling down to his balding head, his shoulders hunching forward, Abel Barlow was the whisper of the man he once was. Knocking him over, the grizzly Alpha bared his teeth and snapped inches from the man's ashen face.
"Get off me, you oaf!" Abel said annoyed, his voice echoing into the darkness ahead of them.
Erich quickly shifted into the hulking, muscular, dark haired man with broad shoulders that struck fear in many men. Standing up to his full height, he swept his hair back, off his face then spat at the ground next to Abel before narrowing his eyes and putting a hand out to help him up.
Pulling Abel to his feet was simply a sign of respect towards his fellow Alpha. He despised Abel and shifters like him who recklessly allowed their animal spirit to control them. Seeing Abel's human form age quickly as his coyote took more control, made Erich wonder where the benefit was.
After Faith had come in asking for help, the Council put Erich in charge of capturing Abel and his pack. What the Kapok didn't know was that he had been contacted by someone higher than them, and was instructed to do even more.
Because of some history with him, Erich's main mission was to become Abel's confidant. It was a difficult task since no one knew what Erich was doing, not even the other council members, but Erich was under strict orders and as long as he could be near Faith and keep her safe he would do anything.
Using bear politics as a ruse for the Council, Erich was able to infiltrate Abel's pack and get closer to the coyote. Erich had been trying to learn more of what he was doing with his prisoners, but wasn't having any luck. The coyote was more cunning and sly than Erich ever imagined.
Abel reached into a panel, hidden behind a large stone and pulled out a pair of slacks and a button shirt for himself. Erich shamelessly stood naked before him waiting as the smaller man dressed.
"Caleb and Joaquin are here. You know they can't find me talking to you," Erich grumbled.
"Yes, your beloved shifter council. A bunch of do-good Cub Scouts if you ask me. I know the real reason you're here with me, you know I'll rule them all very soon. You want a place beside me. Must be hard always living in that wolf Caleb's shadow," Abel said before rummaging through the secret panel again.
Erich didn't dignify Abel with a response. If he knew the real reason Erich was there, he'd never let him get so close. Erich made it clear to Abel that he would do what he could to protect them from the Council. But more specifically, Erich only wanted to protect her.
Although he knew she'd never admit it, Faith was in trouble out in the other room. She hid behind a veil of confidence, but Erich easily saw past that to the vulnerable woman inside. With her flowing blonde hair, emerald eyes, and delicate features Faith could distract and charm anyone. But when she chose to use her powers, she had proven herself formidable.
Believing her talent was the reason Abel kept her around, Erich glared at him with disdain. He didn't understand why she was there. She deserved better than this aging wisp of a man who was more coyote than human.
Abel knew she wasn't the fabled wolf charmer, the one who would open the gateway between the human and spirit worlds, yet he kept her anyway. Erich had been unable to find out why, but knew the coyote Alpha did nothing without motive.
"There's an empty cabin in the woods, in neutral territory," Erich said. "Go there and take the witch with you. I'll do what I can to free her and give you two time to get away."
Abel nodded then tossed a pair of jeans to Erich. Some of Abel's humanity flashed before Erich's eyes and he recalled the young, unassuming, highly intelligent man he once knew. As he pulled the jeans on, Erich heard a woman scream and sprinted down the long corridor to Faith.
Rounding the corner, Faith came into view with her empty bow. Hannah, with her long auburn hair and green eyes now the amber of a wolf, took an aggressive stance towards Faith who had charmed Joaquin, now in panther form purring at her feet. Hannah's wolf spirit had grown much stronger in this short time and made her haughty and strong. Erich found it amusing.
She will be a formidable werewolf when her transformation is complete, he thought but couldn't waste time on that now. Approaching his old friend Caleb, Faith's arrow still in his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile.
"She got you good," Erich said, but he could see Caleb's attention was elsewhere. "Everything's under control. Abel has been captured and I'll take care of his witch."
Caleb nodded, his focus strictly on Hannah. Erich wondered if it was truly love or if she really was the key Abel had been searching for, but Erich didn't want to believe in nonsense such as charms and spells. Plus Hannah didn't affect anyone the way she affected Caleb.
As Hannah returned to Caleb, Joaquin shifted back into his human self looking confused as he remained seated on the ground. His tanned skin accentuated his long muscles in contrast to Erich's large figure. Joaquin was not a small man, but he wasn't as imposing as his old friend and fellow Alpha.
Erich walked past him knowing the window to freedom was closing for Abel and Faith. Grabbing her arm a bit too roughly he pulled her down the nearby corridor he just came from.
"Let go of me, you beast!" she shrieked as she tried to pull her arm away.
Ignoring her, he continued dragging her towards the darkened passageway where he left Abel. She struggled and pushed against him, but he didn't have time to explain anything to her.
"Let go of me, you damn ape!" she said as she kicked at his thick legs.
"No not ape, bear," he growled. "I promised to protect you, remember?"
"But..." her voice trailed off confused. "I thought..."
"Things aren't always as they seem," he said.
Erich purposefully stayed away from Faith since their meeting months before. To protect his standing within the council, any meetings with Abel were held in private as he gained Abel's trust.
He had only seen her from afar since that day in his office, but her scent filled his soul with such raw emotion he knew she was the one, his true mate. It didn't matter to him that she was human or a witch. She could be a hedgehog for all he cared. His senses never lied.
Turning the corner Abel came into view pacing the floor. Erich slowed briefly, disappointed that Abel didn't take the opportunity to run on his
own. As Abel looked up, he saw Faith and his face softened. He held his arms out to her as Erich reluctantly let her go and she ran into Abel's arms.
"There's no time for this nonsense," Erich grunted. "Lets go. Do you understand the danger I'm putting myself in for you?"
"You'll be well compensated for this, Erich. Just get us to safety," Abel said.
Familiar with the catacombs from when Erich was a teen, he led the couple out to a clearing away from the growing crowd by the main entrance. As Abel and Faith ran, Erich made his way towards Caleb and the others who were loading police cars with the rest of Abel's pack. Joaquin, now dressed pulled Erich aside.
"There's more here than we bargained for," Joaquin said. "They found a body, a panther Alpha I recognize from a territory in Maine. I'm sure there are others."
Erich shook his head. Abel had taken things way too far. There was no easy fix now. His only hope was that Faith wasn't as involved as she seemed.
***
"What do you mean they got away?" Liam, the Alpha of the Oak lion pride roared at Erich. "Abel Barlow needs to be questioned immediately. How could you let them escape?" he said as he pounded his fist against the antique wood table the Council met around.
Erich fought back his desire to attack. He didn't like being questioned, especially when he couldn't give them the answers they wanted. The Council thought he messed up and Erich Krause never made mistakes. His instructions were clear, the Council could not find out about his mission.
"That witch is powerful. Perhaps she charmed Erich like she charmed me," Joaquin said. "I barely remember anything, but I was completely in her control."
"I can answer for myself," Erich said between clenched teeth. "I don't have to answer to any of you. I'm as much an Alpha as any of you," he said as he looked at each of their faces around the table, waiting for any of them to say something. "Abel has always been an intelligent enemy. We should be focused on him and not what some of you think I did."
The room grew quiet. Liam snorted before sitting down again. Erich met each of their gazes, silently challenging each of the twelve members of the Kapok Shifter Council if they questioned him further.
