Bureau Under Siege

by A. K. Michaels

  Jason shook his head. “No, she feels, hmm, uncomfortable I would say the word is. Yes, she feels uncomfortable around others because of her slight limp and she prefers to stay here and help out the elders look after the land for us.”

  Creed lost sight of her as she was swallowed up in the crowd of people, stretching on his toes to catch another glimpse of her. Jason’s hand on his shoulder bringing his attention back to the Alpha.

  Jason cocked his head to the side. “Why the interest?”

  Creed could feel the power within the Alpha, although it didn’t faze him in the least, he decided to be honest. “I could sense her before we arrived and her scent is rather unique.”

  Jason’s chest rumbled, a laugh breaking free. “I see, well, Creed, in that case I wish you good luck. Ronnie can be somewhat elusive and headstrong. Not to mention her dislike of strangers.”

  As Jason’s eyes met his, Creed knew the Alpha was aware of what he had implied. “You have no objection? I’m not a Wolf.”

  Shaking his head Jason again looked sad. “I have no objection. That’s if you can even get her to talk to you.”

  Creed could see Jason was about to say more but just then the rest of the vehicles arrived and the Alpha moved away to welcome Ronan. As he turned back around, he used his senses to stalk the Wolf.

  *****

  Getting out of the SUV Ronan turned, helping Starr out before taking in the scene before them.

  The bodies already unloaded and being carried to the Healer’s cabin to be prepared for burial. There were large beasts roaming around, some of the Pack staying Wolf, the rest in their human forms hovering around. Jason, the Alpha, stood in the clearing where their vehicles were parked, dressed casually in jeans and a sweatshirt.

  Ronan walked over, his hand held out in front of him. Jason grabbed it, pulling him in for a hug and thumping him on the back. Ronan only just managing to talk through the rough handling. “I can’t say how sorry I am.”

  Jason pulled back, still holding onto his hand. “I know, Ronan, you and Drake were close and although you are not Pack, we all think of you as one of us. Drake was a good man, a good Wolf, and a helluva friend.”

  The lump that appeared in Ronan’s throat almost had him gagging, swallowing several times to get rid of it before he could reply. “Yes, he was. If there’s anything we can do for those who’ve lost someone, please let me know.”

  Jason finally let go of his hand, shaking his head. “That’s good of you, but the Pack will make sure everyone is taken care of.”

  “Of course,” Ronan said looking around, “the offer is there, if needed.”

  “You and your friends are welcome to wait in my home. It will be a few hours until the ceremony and everyone else can go to the communal lodge. My mate has set things up in there for folks to be comfortable as they wait.”

  Jason started walking towards the largest cabin, set off to the side and farther away than the other buildings. Starr joined him, taking his hand as they followed, Sam and Charmaine just behind them.

  The sadness seemed to be all around them as they walked on, Starr’s hand tightening on his. Jason stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to his door. “Make yourselves comfortable. There’s coffee and snacks in the kitchen for the ladies. I’m afraid I’ve got to go and get everyone organized but I’ll come and get you when it’s time.”

  “Thank you,” Starr said quietly as Jason walked away.

  As soon as they were all inside Charmaine turned to Sam and said, “Oh my, I’ve never felt anything like that! The grief is in the very air, it’s almost stifling.”

  Starr walked on, past the sofas which sat before a large log fire, towards an open plan kitchen, which was huge. There, on one of the countertops, was a fresh pot of coffee, pastries, cakes, sandwiches, and fresh fruit. Pouring a coffee she held up the pot and asked, “Anyone else?”

  Charmaine nodded, walking over, “Yes, please.”

  Pouring another cup Starr passed the milk jug over to Charmaine asking, “Do you need sugar?”

  Reaching for the milk and adding a small drop to her coffee Charmaine shook her head. “No, just a little milk. Oh, those pastries smell divine!”

  Chuckling, Starr moved the plate closer before grabbing one for herself. “Yeah, they do. I wish I could bake.”

  “I’ll make you some, I love baking.” Charmaine sat down on one of the high stools set beside the counter.

  “Yum! These are wonderful,” Starr expressed as she munched on her pastry, “Would you? Thanks, I usually just buy them but there’s nothing quite like fresh home baked ones.”

  “I used to bake a lot when I was younger and I’m going to start again. I was wondering, do you think it would be okay if I did some baking for the canteen?”

  Sam stepped up behind Charmaine, his hands on her shoulders. “It’ll be more than okay, they’re always looking for folks to help like that. The Wolves eat massive amounts of food and, from what I’ve seen, a hell of a lot of ‘em have a sweet tooth. Drake used to love cakes ‘n candy.”

  Ronan joined them in the kitchen. “Yeah, he did. He always had something or other in his pockets and I’ve seen him sneaking pastries out of the canteen on more occasions than I can remember.”

  “Do you remember that time he stole half a birthday cake?” Sam laughed. “God! I thought that She-Wolf was gonna skin him alive, she was so angry!”

  “I know!” Ronan grinned. “He ran like hell when she shouted at him. Don’t think I’ve seen him run as fast as he did that day, dropping bits of icing as he tried to escape her. Jeez, it was like Hansel ‘n Gretel, all she had to do was follow the icing on the floor!”

  “Yeah, but what did she do when she caught up with him? Eh?” Sam said with a smirk, “Gave him a big fat kiss right there in front of everyone. Said if her baking tasted so good he wanted to steal it, she’d make him a full cake just for him.”

  Charmaine took a little nibble on a pastry, washing it down with her coffee. “He sounds like he was a nice guy, I know I didn’t get to know him well or anything, but he sounds like a fun person.”

  “He was,” Ronan stated, “he was fun and loyal and he was a really good man. It’s just wrong he isn’t here anymore.”

  Starr finished her pastry, moving to stand beside Ronan. “I know, Fang, today’s going to be hard, but, we’ll get through it. Together.”

  Sam’s voice barely a whisper, “Yes, together.”

  Starr turned towards the living room. “Why don’t we go and sit down, get more comfortable? Charmaine, you can tell me some more things to put on your list.”

  “Good idea, we’ve got some time to spare,” Ronan said, following Starr and sitting down on one of the large sofas.

  “So, Charmaine, give me your list,” Starr said as they all settled down to wait.

  Far too quickly Jason walked in. “We’re about ready to head out,” his voice as somber as Ronan had ever heard it.

  “Shit,” Sam mumbled as they stood up to follow the Alpha.

  Ronan’s voice didn’t sound normal in his ears, but maybe that was because he was talking around the apparent obstruction that had appeared in his throat. “Let’s get this over with,” Ronan said as he took Starr’s hand, walking out from the warmth of the cabin, “let’s put our friend to rest.”

  *****

  Kyra held tight to Serge’s naked body, standing to the side of one of the cabins. “I don’t think I’d get through this without you,” Serge almost whimpered, the pain in his voice causing her to tear up.

  “I’ll be here for you always, Serge, you know that.”

  Serge kissed the top of her head before pulling back so he could stare into her eyes. “Yes, my Wolf, I know that. I’m not sure how I’m going to be later so I’ll say sorry now, in case I’m a jerk.”

  Kyra gave him a small smile. “You’re allowed to be a jerk today. I know you guys don’t deal with emotions so well. You’ve got a free pass today but if you’re too much of an idiot I
reserve the right to bite your ass.”

  Serge tried to smile, she saw him try, but he failed. “Just tell me I’m being an ass if you need to, Kyra.”

  Kyra went up on her tiptoes, placing a small kiss at the side of Serge’s mouth. “I will.”

  “I’ve got to change now, for the procession.” Serge moved backwards a few steps, his eyes staying locked with hers. “Try and stay close to me, my mate. I need your strength today.”

  As Serge started his transformation she nodded. “Always,” she whispered as his great beast appeared before her.

  Serge’s Wolf trotted over, nudging her with his great snout. Kyra reached out with her hand, patting the Wolf on its head. “Come on, let’s go put him to rest, my mate.”

  With a soft whine the Wolf straightened up, pulling itself to its full height, holding its head high as they walked together to bury his best friend.

  Chapter 14

  Leaving the cabin Ronan held Starr’s hand, the sight before him one he’d seen several times but still it touched him deep inside. Starr gasped and he squeezed her hand, “I know, mo chroi, it’s quite a sight, isn’t it?”

  Starr moved closer to him, letting go of her hand to place his arm around her waist, watching her as she took in the tableau before them. The three bodies lay on wooden litters, covered with a sheet. At the front there were two long wooden poles that jutted out with another pole at the very front joining them together.

  Most of the Pack were in human form but there were several beasts prowling around, Serge being one of them. Starr was spellbound as she watched Serge’s large Wolf make its way to one of the litters, stepping between the two long poles, his head rearing back and bellowing the most heart wrenching howl.

  Starr shivered. “Oh my God! I didn’t know such pain could be heard in a Wolf’s cry.”

  Ronan pulled her closer. “This is just the start, by the end the whole Pack will join in.”

  Charmaine’s voice was full of emotion as she stared at the scene in front of them. “Does a Wolf pull the litter?”

  “Yes,” Ronan answered, “it’s a great honor to be the one picked to take the litter to the burial site. Though, I’m sure Serge would’ve fought off anyone to ensure he carried Drake to his final resting place.”

  “Hell, yeah, he was probably Drake’s closest friend,” Sam agreed as they walked down the stairs of the cabin and headed towards Jason and the rest of the Pack.

  Starr’s eyes never left the litters as two other Wolves took up their position with the other bodies. As one they lowered their heads and opened their powerful jaws to grasp the crossbar in front of them, lifting it up easily and starting to pull the bodies of their loved ones forward.

  Everyone else fell in behind them, Jason leading, with gentle sobs being heard from within the Pack. On and on they walked, Starr cursing once or twice as her heels sank into the soft earth. Ronan keeping his arm around her to keep her steady.

  Ronan apologized for his oversight. “Sorry, I didn’t think to tell you this morning that we would be walking in the wild, so to speak. They have a large field that they use for burials but it’s not like a graveyard with headstones and such.”

  “It’s okay,” Starr stated and frowned as she looked ahead then back at him. “So how do they know who’s where? Or where they can bury new people?”

  Ronan shrugged. “It’s a Wolf thing, Jason’s told me in the past that they just know. Once a Wolf is laid to rest then the Pack know they’re there.”

  “So what happens now?” Charmaine asked, her voice barely a whisper.

  Ronan answered, but leaving out the part about the entire Pack howling in grief. After all, there were no words to describe that and he didn’t want to scare Charmaine. “Jason will do a little ceremony, their bodies will be placed in the ground and then most of the Pack change and go hunting in honor of their fallen Pack mates.”

  Starr’s hand found his, holding it across her body. “It’s nearly dusk, do they always carry out the ceremonies now?”

  “Yes,” Ronan said and tightened his grip on her hand, “it’s so they can go and hunt afterwards.”

  “I see, well, that makes sense if that’s their way of mourning. Ronan, can we go home straight after? Or do we need to hang around for anything?”

  “We can go home, mo chroi. Are you okay? You’re looking a little pale?”

  Starr gave him a small smile. “I’m fine. I just need to go Dragon.”

  Ronan stared at Starr, noting the small lines of tension around her eyes. “You sure nothing’s wrong?”

  Starr nodded her head, her words entering his head. “Yes, I’m fine. I told you I needed to be Dragon a lot more while I’m pregnant. That’s all it is, I promise.”

  “Okay, baby, we’ll leave as soon as we can,” Ronan replied through their newly formed mind link.

  “Looks like we’re here,” Sam’s voice was low and held a hint of his own grief.

  Ahead were three graves hewn into the lush green field, Jason standing in front and the Wolves leaving the wooden litters next to the holes in the earth. Pack members now gently removing the bodies and placing them into their burial spots before rejoining the large crowd of people.

  The Pack were to the front and middle with the Vampires and others from the SEB offices spread out around the sides and to the rear. Ronan walked forward, stopping at the front with Starr at his side and Sam and Charmaine next to her. He noticed the young Witch’s face was white as snow, her eyes wide as she took everything in.

  Jason held up his arms and silence descended, his voice loud as he spoke with heartfelt sadness at their loss. Starr pushed her body closer to him as Jason’s words spoke of the loyalty and bravery of those who had fallen. Soft sobs and crying now clearly heard throughout the Pack.

  Creed stood off to the side, his jaw clenching as Jason continued on. Ronan caught Creed’s eye and tried to convey, once again, that this wasn’t his fault. The only person to blame was Mikhail Karloff and his insanity at sending in a suicide bomber.

  That was not a scenario any of them could’ve guarded against. Ronan knew that the Elite Guard would still blame himself though.

  Creed shook his head slightly before turning his gaze back towards Jason. The Alpha telling tales of all three of their fallen. Ronan smiled more than once at stories of Drake and the antics he and Serge used to get up to as young cubs. Serge’s beast making soft noises as it stood guard over his friend’s body.

  Some of the Pack moved forwards, at some unseen sign from Jason, and started to fill in the graves. Serge’s Wolf still standing guard as the earth fell atop his friend. Starr’s hand tightened in his and when he looked down he saw tears silently running down her face.

  Removing his arm from around her waist, he pulled out a tissue from his jacket pocket and wiped her face gently. He had come prepared knowing how sad the funeral was going to be. Starr’s head leaned into his body, resting on him as he handed her the tissue. Charmaine’s soft sobs were clear to hear and he saw Sam hugging her close within his arms.

  “Almost done,” Ronan whispered as Starr tried to stem the flow of tears.

  “Good, I really need to fly,” she whimpered against his chest.

  Jason’s voice rose to a crescendo, uniting the Pack in their grief. Starr and Charmaine averted their eyes as Jason, together with most of the Pack, started to undress. Their clothes lay where they fell as they spread out, transforming to their magnificent beasts as one. The sounds of the mass transformation loud in their ears as a thousand bones broke and realigned.

  Charmaine let out a soft moan as Starr shivered in his arms. “I know, it can be quite...”

  “Awful,” Starr cut in, “it sounds awful and I still can’t quite grasp what they go through to change.”

  Sam chuckled. “That’s ‘cause you’re a Dragon and do all that with…what? Magic?”

  Starr nodded, a sad look on her face. “I guess so, Dragons are magical creatures and it plays a big part of who and what we
are. That’s why we’ve been hunted almost to extinction.”

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to make you remember that shit.” Sam frowned, Charmaine looking upset at his side.

  The young Witch’s voice low as she spoke, “I’m so sorry, Starr, about all of it. My kind hunting yours and for not saving Talon. I can’t say how bad I feel about it.”

  Starr gave Charmaine a sad smile, tears still in her eyes. “Thanks, I appreciate that and all you tried to do for him. Afraid it’s just a fact that there’s usually bad folks out there trying to get more power than they warrant, or indeed, that they can deal with.”

  “So true,” Ronan commented, “we deal with lowlife scum like that all the time.”

  As he finished the first howls broke the relative silence, more and more joining in as the Pack became one in their grief. Ronan’s blood turned to ice at the outpouring of heartache that completely surrounded them. The noise raising to an almost deafening level as the horde of Wolves raised their heads and bayed towards the sky.

  Their Alpha finally turned, loping off towards the forest that surrounded their land, the rest following him. A few of the older members of the Pack hadn’t changed and now went around picking up the discarded piles of clothes, using the now empty litters to pile everything that the Pack had left behind.

  The noise of the Wolves lessening the further away they went although there were still the occasional sound of a mournful howl in the air.

  “That was…sad,” Charmaine said, “though that word doesn’t cover it. It feels inadequate somehow.”

  Sam hugged her. “I know what ya mean, baby. We’ve been to a few of these and that last part always makes the hair at the back of my neck stand up. Haunting is the word I’d use.”

  “Yes!” Charmaine exclaimed. “That’s exactly the word. Haunting and beautiful at the same time.”

  Starr started to fidget, moving from one foot to the other before blurting out. “I’m really sorry, but I need to go, my Dragon is screaming to get out. So, I’ll take Ronan back and will see you tomorrow.”