Beast Within (Loup-Garou Series Book 3)

by Sheritta Bitikofer

  Katey began to slowly rise to her feet, and Darren bristled in agitation. As if she were approaching a skittish colt, Katey came toward him. The wild wolf that lurked just inches beneath the surface didn’t want her to come close. Didn’t want her to touch him again.

  He snapped at the space between them like a beast, but Katey barely flinched. Behind it all, Darren knew something was wrong and fought for hold of his humanity again, but whatever had consumed him could not be reasoned with.

  Darren didn’t want Katey any closer, lest he did something he would regret. This had never happened before. Even if it had, then it was a few centuries ago and too far back for him to even care to remember. Nothing had provoked the wolf so suddenly as this before.

  Before he realized it, Katey knelt in front of him and touched his cheek with her fingertips.

  The effects of her touch spread through his body, subverting his blood like the antidote to the venom she had put there herself. The wolf quieted his growls, and the golden eyes disappeared. Darren felt the peace and balance return to his body, but every tense muscle ached and burned. It took a great deal of strength to keep himself from falling to the ground.

  Katey must have seen this and helped to steady him on his feet. “What happened?” she asked.

  Darren squeezed his eyes shut as his muscles and joints began to heal themselves and the wolf receded back into the darkness. “I don’t know. I…” he paused, wondering if he should tell her about what he had seen and what she had somehow unknowingly caused. He thought better of it. He needed to take this up with the loup-garou his visions had spoken of. “I think tonight is my night for the change. We should go home now. There’s nothing more I can teach you here.”

  Katey nodded and helped him to his feet. “Should I drive?” she asked.

  Testing his legs by shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Darren shook his head. “No, I think I’m all right.” With any luck, Katey would believe his lie.

  Chapter Nine

  Katey took her time folding her shirts, making each motion as slow and precise as possible. It was the only thing to distract her from the confusion. Ever since they got in the car and made their way back home, Katey found herself replaying what happened between her and Darren at the wolf preserve. Not only was she thinking about Chris and his tragic decision to let his wolf side destroy him, but also about what she had done to Darren.

  Although he wouldn’t admit what it was, Katey couldn’t deny she had unknowingly triggered something in her alpha. She had never seen him so savage. Darren had always been calm, composed, and quietly powerful, but when she asked for his wife’s name and touched his hand, all the facades of control broke and Katey wondered if Darren would change into his wolf form right there in the enclosure.

  Yet, when she touched him again, Darren’s hackles were soothed, and his human side took over once again. Katey hadn’t meant to do it and hardly knew what she had done to be the catalyst. She refrained from even coming close to Darren for the rest of the day and left him alone to deal with whatever it was he personally experienced. He hadn’t left the billiard room since they came home and Katey was too terrified to press him any further.

  Instead, she stayed in her room and began to pack her things, only taking a break to fix herself a meal. The sun was beginning to set now, and the task of packing was almost complete. She hardly noticed the sounds of a vehicle pulling into the driveway and footsteps through the house. By their scents, she knew it was Ben, Dustin, and Logan, but she wasn’t in the mood for company.

  That didn’t stop Logan from charging into her room. Katey held out her hands to keep him at bay as he rushed forward to embrace her. After their talk that morning in the kitchen, it seemed that all had been pardoned between them. The biting words were in the past, and if they were to cooperate that night on their way to the safe house, they both knew that apologies had to be made.

  Now, another problem stood in their way, and Katey didn’t know how to fix it.

  “Don’t touch me,” she warned, taking a few steps away from her fiancé.

  Logan staggered at her request and gave her a mixed look of hurt and puzzlement. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Just don’t touch me,” she repeated, unsure how to even begin to tell him what had happened earlier that day.

  “What did Darren do to you?” he insisted, his tone deepening.

  “He didn’t do anything to me,” she said, hoping that she was right. “It’s what I did to him.” The words sounded so strange and self-condemning, although she didn’t know exactly what she could be condemning herself for. No one had been hurt, but somehow, Katey felt as if she had violated Darren’s boundaries.

  Logan waited for a better explanation, but Katey had nothing to give. After a tense moment, Logan reached out his hand to touch her trembling fingers. She recoiled, squeezing her arms against her chest and backed up into her writing desk. The edge of the wood bit into her lower back. She was trapped and vulnerable, and Logan knew it.

  Heedless of her warnings, Logan pursued her and wrapped his hand around the hand that was tucked under her chin. Katey watched his eyes for any sign of gold or beastly rage but was met with nothing short of devotion.

  Katey let herself be pulled into his arms and melted against him, overwhelmed with relief. Perhaps what had happened with Darren wasn’t her fault after all, unless it was a one-time freak accident. At least she wouldn’t have to deny herself Logan’s warm touch for all eternity.

  He smoothed out her hair and kissed the crown of her head as he always did when she was upset. “What happened?” he asked, his voice tender and inviting.

  Katey told him about Chris, and all that Darren had shown her at the preserve.

  “Did you know Chris?” she asked as she nuzzled against his chest.

  “I met him once before he turned wolf, but I know he and Darren were fairly close.”

  Katey looked up into his icy blue eyes. “You know about the Disease if you don’t change?”

  A shadow passed over Logan’s face, and he nodded. “Yes, I know, but you don’t need to be worried about me. I’m going to start trying again.”

  “But what if it’s too late? What if you can’t change on your own now because you haven’t done it in so long?” It was difficult to keep the ribbon of panic out of her words.

  Logan shook his head. “We only need to be worried when I stop changing altogether.”

  Katey hugged him tighter. “And here I thought we were impervious to most things.”

  A small smile pushed its way forward, and Logan dipped his head down to touch noses. “You still have a lot to learn,” he whispered. “I don’t see how any of that has to do with us touching.”

  A grim mantel fell over Katey once again, and she slowly pushed herself back to get a better look at his face. “While Darren and I were in the enclosure, something happened. I touched him and he almost beasted out on me. I don’t know what I did, but I touched him again, and he was all right.”

  Logan turned pensive for a moment, assessing what she had told him and then shrugged. “Perhaps it was your incarnated spirit of peace that did it.”

  “But if it’s supposed to be peaceful, why would it make him so mad that he let his wolf out for a minute?”

  “I don’t have all the answers, Katey. I’m sure no one does. You’re unique, so we’re kind of making this up as we go.”

  Katey didn’t want to accept that she would constantly suffer these strange phenomena for the rest of her life. There had to be some ancient manual somewhere, some volume of texts or scriptures to tell her what she had to do and what she was capable of. Anyone who knew was long dead, and any hope of understanding was buried in ruins somewhere if they existed at all.

  A sound floated down the hall and into Katey’s room. Logan straightened up and turned to face the melody. Katey’s lips curled into a wide grin when she realized exactly what it was.

  “What in hell fire is that noise?” Logan
grumbled.

  She tugged at Logan’s jacket sleeve and giggled. “Dustin,” she whispered before skipping out of her room and down the hall toward the bathroom. The door was closed, with a little steam cloud rolling out from underneath. Through the pattering of water on the shower floor, Katey heard Dustin’s baritone voice singing in his lovely Irish brogue.

  “O ne'er shall I forget the night, the stars were bright above me, and gently lent their silv'ry light when first she vowed to love me. But now I'm bound to Brighton camp kind heaven then pray guide me, and send me safely back again, to the girl I left behind me.”

  Logan joined her, his head tilted toward the door as he listened with a screwed up face of bewilderment. Katey pressed her finger to her lips, enjoying the moment too much for him to ruin it. The rhythm of the ballad was slow, but bouncy, reminding her of rolling green hillsides and everything that personified Ireland.

  “Her golden hair in ringlets fair, her eyes like diamonds shining. Her slender waist, her heavenly face, that leaves my heart still pining. Ye gods above oh hear my prayer to my beauteous fair to find me, and send me safely back again, to the girl I left behind me.”

  Katey watched Logan’s expression shift from confusion to something somber, like he knew exactly who Dustin was singing about. Katey straightened and felt the joy slip away when she realized that Dustin wasn’t singing in joy, but in mourning.

  She remembered something about Dustin losing his first wife, but she had never asked about the circumstances. How could such a beautiful song, sung so pleasantly, be about anything but happy times and laughter?

  Dustin’s voice was in mid-stanza when he suddenly stopped. The void of music in the air left Katey feeling slightly empty and dazed as she snapped out of her thoughts. She opened her mouth to compliment Dustin, but Ben interjected.

  “Guys, you better get down here!” he commanded from downstairs, a note of wariness in his voice.

  Logan sniffed the air, and his eyes went wide before he rushed toward the stairs. Katey followed, leaving Dustin to cut his shower short.

  When they arrived downstairs, Katey tested the air and smelled the faintest whiff of sulfur.

  Vampires.

  The sun had sunk below the tree line, but there was still enough light to make it difficult for vampires to come out of hiding just yet.

  She stopped on the last step and watched as Ben kept his eye on the door, a loaded revolver trained in the same direction. Darren had made an appearance, clad in comfortable sweatpants and a white shirt, and a rifle raised to his shoulder, pointed down the length of the foyer. Katey could see his alert eyes glowing gold.

  Without asking any questions, Logan picked up his own gun from the stash near the kitchen - a more modern model - and checked the magazine.

  “What are you all doing?” she cried as she made her way to the front door. “We’re at peace now, you shouldn’t be pulling out your guns at the first sign of a vamp.”

  Logan darted forward and blocked her path.

  “Katey, go upstairs,” Darren ordered, not taking his focus off the front door for one moment.

  The doorbell rang, and the tension in the room cracked like a mirror put under too much pressure. Everyone looked to the front door and waited in uneasy silence. Katey wondered about the traditional myth that vampires had to be invited in. Not one occurrence during her time at the castle confirmed or denied that myth. From the thread of confusion shared among the others, she knew this must have been odd behavior at the very least.

  Katey sidestepped Logan, hoping to catch him off guard, but he blocked her again. This time, Ben went for the door, one hand gripping the ivory handle of his revolver. He clicked the hammer of the gun back as he placed his hand on the doorknob.

  The idea of violence breaking out in her own home set her teeth on edge. She was supposed to be the bringer of peace and harmony, and her pack was ready to bring that all out of balance again. She readied herself to dodge past Logan. If she could make it to the door fast enough, she might have been able to intercept their guest and ensure their safety.

  He peeked out the narrow window beside the door, and his shoulders rolled back in relief. Ben sighed, glanced over his shoulder at the others with a look of utter annoyance. He swung open the door and eased the hammer forward on his gun.

  An elderly man stood on the front porch, a black cape draped around his body and hood sheltering his face from the fading sunlight. Beneath the cloak, Katey saw a familiar ally, whom she thought she wouldn’t see again for a while.

  Michael smiled warmly and waited for Ben to invite him in with a casual gesture.

  Logan also relaxed and shoved the muzzle of his gun down the back of his pants while Katey slipped past him.

  “This is a fine welcome, isn’t it?” Michael teased, looking at Darren who had his gun still braced against his shoulder and fixed on the old vampire.

  “Darren, this is Michael. He’s my grandfather on my mother’s side.”

  The alpha didn’t even flinch. “How do you know?”

  Michael stepped inside and tucked back the hood to reveal his weathered and wrinkled face. The shock of white hair showed his age, but the sparkle in his wise brown eyes showed a kind and gentle soul. It was no wonder that the spirit of peace would choose him to gather allies for the assembling of the council. He had a charming nature to him that Katey had sensed from the very beginning, even before she knew who he was and her relation to him.

  For a moment, she had hope that perhaps Michael would be the one to explain some things to her. He had known that loup-garou females existed at one time. He had told her so in the library at the castle in Canada. Michael also knew about the prophecy that she was to fulfill. If anyone knew what she was supposed to do, it was him.

  “I was the one who rescued her from those who… dealt with her parents’ rebellion against the old ways.” His old voice was deep and touched with an accent that sounded foreign, but Katey couldn’t place its origins. “While they were executing my daughter, I made sure Katey would be taken care of by one of her nursemaids.”

  Darren didn’t lower the gun as Michael moved forward, his heavy boots thudding against the wood flooring. Ben closed the door and followed him, but didn’t seem concerned.

  Logan, Dustin, and Ben were there when Michael tried to stop Yaverik from continuing the battle in the castle that long-ago morning. They also heard the orders concerning him and accepted his help when Katey came back to life after saving Logan. They all knew that Michael could be trusted, but all Darren had were stories and testimonies from the others. He hadn’t experienced Michael first hand.

  Michael finally stopped when the barrel of the gun rested against his broad chest. Katey was sure that Darren hadn’t blinked in the last few minutes since the alarm was raised. They stared one another down, neither willing to give an inch to the other. They all seemed surprised that Darren hadn’t pulled the trigger yet.

  “Why are you here?” Darren asked, the hostility palpable in his tone.

  “I’m here to see my granddaughter, of course.” Michael’s jovial voice was quite the opposite of Darren’s. Hopefully, the alpha wouldn’t take it as mocking.

  “Who else is with you?”

  “I have my driver outside and a dozen men guarding the house.”

  “Why?” Darren tightened his finger on the trigger.

  “I heard there were hunters in the area and I wanted to make sure that this place would be secure. I’ve also dispatched men throughout Crestucky to do the same.”

  “How did you know where we were?”

  Michael grinned. “Don’t be mad, but your good friend, John, helped me. When I told him that I needed to give my progress report to my granddaughter, he was more than cooperative in letting me know where to find you.”

  Darren growled and cussed John’s name under his breath. “Were you followed?”

  “My friend,” Michael laughed, “we have our own hunters to watch out for. I have spent centuries mast
ering how to become invisible. I was not followed.”

  “I’m not your friend,” Darren growled, his teeth bared in aggression.

  Michael lifted his hands. “My apologies.”

  Dustin came trotting down the stairs, paused at the bottom and groaned, probably feeling the same annoyance that Ben did. “Darren, what are you doing? Don’t be pointing a gun at him!” Dustin chided as he pulled out his own gun that he had hidden behind his back and slammed it down on the kitchen counter.

  Katey stood beside Darren, and reached out to touch his shoulder, but thought better of it and gripped the rifle instead and gradually lowered it until it was pointed to the floor. Darren put up little resistance, and she wondered if it was because he believed Michael’s story, or if it was because Dustin was the one telling him to stand down.

  Darren straightened and lifted his chin, his glare still searching Michael for any hint of deception. Michael was no longer concerned about the alpha and turned to Katey.

  “I trust you’re doing well?” the old vampire asked, oblivious to everyone else in the room and the obvious discomfort amongst them.

  Katey smiled weakly and nodded.

  In another life, she might have grown up with Michael close by. He might have visited on holidays. He would have been there for every birthday and spoiled her with gifts. He would have been present for every major event in her life like any normal grandparent. Instead, the man that stood before her was her only living blood relative that she knew of and she wasn’t sure how to act. Should she hug him? Shake his hand? Or should she continue to stand there like a fool, waiting for a cue or sign to tell her how to behave?

  The cue came when Michael held out his arms, offering a hug if she should want it. Katey took the chance and dove into him with the zeal of an innocent child. Despite the stench of sulfur seeping from his skin, she detected the scent of peppermint and the crisp aroma of cologne. This was not how she expected a vampire to smell up close.