by J. K. Snow
Jordan looked into the crowd to see many had already shifted into their animal forms, some howling up at the moon. Her eyes transfixed on a man that transformed into a lion and then another into a grizzly. She looked to her side and Asher was no longer beside her. He was standing, looking down at her and holding his hand out smiling, gesturing for her to stand.
She grabbed his hand and stood with him. He wore a look on his face that willed her to shift.
She felt the wave of intense heat take over every muscle when she heard a few cracks and fell on all fours. Her vision was incredible, her smell increased ten fold and she looked out to the crowd. She turned to Asher and then howled into the night’s darkness.
*****
Asher stood in the center of the clearing with Jordan. She was beautiful under the night’s full moon. Her long blond hair a tousled mess that fell over her shoulders and her eyes were glowing white like the rest of the crowd. It was happening. He looked at her with an intense stare willing her to find her animal and to allow it to break free when he watched her muscles roll under her skin, joints shifting with ease.
He smiled as his eyes rested on the large white wolf that was now Jordan. He watched as the crowd went into a frenzy and started shifting. The only ones left standing in their human forms were himself and Erza. All the shifters started to enter the clearing and approached Jordan, several at a time, smelling her. Taking in her unique scent. Some she bared her fangs too, they were getting too close and Asher watched as they backed away slowly. Finally when they cleared the center leaving only the two of them, Asher had a hard time ripping his eyes away from her. She was the most beautiful white wolf he had ever seen. Even more beautiful than what he had remembered from when they were children. He watched her approach slowly and then jump into the air at him, knocking him down on his back. All four paws were on his chest, her muzzle mere inches from his face when she growled baring her fangs at him. Asher smiled and pushed her off playfully and said, “I don’t think so!”
Jordan did a playful dance in the grass, like they did when they were kids. Watching her, he jumped up and transformed with ease into his black panther. The last thing that went through his mind was Jordan was back and she was finally his.
Chapter 10
It was now Sunday, a full week since Jordan had returned to Kodiak Island and two days since her mating with Asher. She had spent every second exploring the island in her wolf form with Asher and Declan. They had taught her many of the gifts that a Kodiak held including suppressing the animal within, on a few of the natives that have lived their all of their lives.
Her visions were so clear that they consumed her at times, almost frightening her with the vivid images that she remembered from that horrid day. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to explore that part of the Island. It hurt too much. She also embraced her ability to communicate with the other Kodiaks through telepathy with no issues what so ever. She found it exhilarating.
Standing at the edge of the mating clearing, Jordan waited for Asher and Declan to catch up to her.
Inhaling deeply, she let the fresh, crisp air invade her nostrils, filling her lungs. She turned to look behind her, too see them both only a few hundred feet away. Turning, she began to run on all fours, feeling the leaves crunch beneath her paws; shrubs and trees a mere blur as she raced past at lightning speed. Jordan lept over logs, skirting around old tree trunks as the feeling of her animal flowed through her and filled her with a warmth that she loved and missed. She kept a steady pace to allow Asher and Declan to catch up and within seconds they were running beside her at a distant to her left and right.
Jordan quickened her pace once more, curious to test the limits of her wolf and again as she ran faster through the rough terrain she looked back to see both panthers now behind her. Barrelling over the top of a hill, she headed down as her claws dug into the soil below her and then with a final burst she lept in mid air over a brush pile.
She continued to run, scanning the area when something caught her vision and she stopped suddenly tumbling to the ground, rolling into the grass below. Catching her breath, Jordan transformed and instantly froze when her eyes focused on the area she remembered all too well now.
Her hand came up to her temple as the vision flooded her mind and it felt like a spear through her skull. She finally stood and saw Asher and Declan behind her. They both approached her slowly and then also transformed.
She felt Asher’s hand on her arm when he said, “Jordan, come on. Let’s go. You took the wrong path. You don’t want to be here.”
She wrenched her arm from him not even looking at him as she continued to walk further into the clearing. She stood frozen in her spot as her eyes widened taking in the view. Cabins that once stood were old chards of burnt wood. Now there was new trees that grew in between, along with shrubs and foliage.
The burnt chards of wood however went on and on as she looked from side to side, until she couldn’t see any farther. She walked further into the village where she once resided and came upon an old well that still stood in it’s place. She walked over and placed her hand on the old stones and fell to her knees as the pain struck her again and darkness invaded her.
Mama! Papa! Jordan screamed out into the crisp air. Her sister clung to her waist crying uncontrollably while she continued to shout out. Jordan's eyes were rapidly scanning the village that sheltered the entire pack and watched in horror as some were still screaming in agony; some were still on fire!
"Jordan, where is Mama and Papa? What's happening?" Sonja asked, crying.
She covered her sensitive nose as she moved closer to a water well hesitantly with her little sister in tow, fighting with herself not to retch or cry.
A familiar scent wafted around her covered nostrils and Jordan's head snapped in the direction and stepped a few feet towards it.
Jordan's eyes scanned the ground and her eyes fell on her mother and father's lifeless bodies. The tears that she was fighting back consumed her as she fell to her knees trying to pull their bodies into her lap so she could cradle them. "Mama! Papa! NO!"
Sonja sat in the cold white snow with her sister crying uncontrollably. Their cries echoed into the night sky. A moment later she felt a hand on her shoulder and Jordan whipped around to see the woman hovered over them and then a man approach.
"Take them now Sable!" The man screamed. “We don’t have much time!”
Jordan saw the woman was covered in blood and she instinctively pulled her sister into her arms.
"Everything will be ok child." The old woman said.
"You did this, didn't you!" Jordan screamed and then watched the man approach.
"Do as your told woman! Take care of the girls, wipe their memories clean or you will pay. Do you hear me?" The man growled.
Jordan squeezed Sonja harder in her arms as the old woman and the other man dragged them off and out of the den.
“Jordan! Jordan! Snap out of it!” Asher yelled trying to shake her by the shoulders.
She opened her eyes that were now filled with tears; she was still on her knees and as the memories overtook her emotions, she let the torrent of tears fall down her cheeks and started to weep uncontrollably.
Asher knelt down and grabbed her in his embrace and just let her cry. “Shhh. It’s ok, Jordan. Everything will be ok.” He whispered and stroked her long blond hair.
After a few minutes she turned and looked at Asher through watery eyes. She could feel the hatred and rage consume every part of her and the feeling of loss was overwhelming. Through gritted teeth and a trembling body she said, “I want to be the one to personally rip Lennox’s throat out!”
*****
They were all gathered at Cyprus’ cabin in his kitchen. They were leaving in a few hours to head into Anchorage to retrieve Sonja. They had agreed to slip in undetected and leave with Sonja the same way. No one couldn’t guarantee bloodshed but Cyprus had made clear that he wanted to avoid it at all costs.
Erza and
Mama Crone sat at the table with Jordan, while Cyprus, Asher, Declan and two other superiors stood with them. Micah looked at Jordan with a concerned looked and then turned to Cyprus and said, “Lennox is strong with his men. He has hundreds Cyprus. What if something goes wrong?”
Cyprus furrowed his eyebrows together and said in a firm tone, “Don’t ever doubt our bloodline. We are quite capable of handling ourselves regardless of the count. There is no need for any blood shed tonight; that’s why we have planned to go straight in and out with Sonja.”
Jordan’s head whipped around and then she stood. Her eyes narrowed looking at Micah and Sage and said, “Getting my sister is our main concern, but if anyone get’s in my way or if I come into contact with Lennox, I will shred him to fucking pieces.”
The tension was high and Jordan felt as strong as she would ever be. She was willing to risk her life to get her little sister out safely, out of the hands of the enemy that they had spent the last 14 years with. Oh, she would make them pay. Sable and Lennox were on the top of her list along with Jude. They would pay for all that they had done.
She would make sure of it.
KODIAK BLOODLINES PART 3
Chapter 1
They had taken Cyprus’ Cessna from Kodiak to Anchorage. Once they were on solid ground they changed into their animal forms and from the airport they took a long dirt path that headed into an area of heavy brush. Light or lack of it wasn’t a problem for the pack of wolves and panthers. They made their way through a forested area with Jordan leading the way and Asher and Declan on either side of her. Once they reached a large clearing Jordan changed back into her human form. She stood looking across the meadow at the house where she was raised. It was dark. Sonja was sleeping.
“Are you okay?” Asher stood behind Jordan. He had to bend down at least a foot to put his mouth to her ear. The vibrations of his voice and the heat of his breath sent convulsive shocks through her entire body.
She nodded. “I’m fine,” she whispered back. “I just want to do this. I want Sonja with us, where she belongs.”
“We all do.” That voice came from her left. It was Declan. His face was filled with determination...and worry.
“Okay, so I’m going in alone,” Jordan said.
“I still don’t like that idea, Asher said.
“You don’t remember my sister then,” she said. “She’s only gotten more stubborn as she’s grown. She won’t leave willingly with any of you. She’ll fight you tooth and nail.”
“I understand,” he said, “But, I don’t have to like it.” He pulled her into his arms and just held her there for a long time. “We’ll be right outside,” he said. She nodded, stepped back and changed again. She made her way through the meadow stepping over and around the willow that grew everywhere. It had a strong scent that could normally block out the smell of a moose, but tonight her already heightened senses were picking up everything. She was about a hundred yards away from the house when she smelled Lennox and his men.
She turned to warn the others just as the large, gray wolf pounced on her...and then she heard shots. She ignored them for now as she struggled with the wolf, finally getting her jaws around his neck and sinking her teeth into it with a satisfying crunch of bone and spurt of blood. The taste of his blood drove her into a frenzy and she shook her head back and forth as her powerful jaws continued to tear at his throat. It was only seconds later when the big wolf went limp and she let him fall to the ground. That was when she noticed the chaos going on around her. Her “family” was greatly outnumbered and some of Lennox’s pack was in their human form, armed with guns. Lennox knew the guns wouldn’t kill them...but a well-aimed shot could stun them long enough to subdue them.
Jordan found Asher, his silky black fur blended in with the night. He was rolling around on the ground with two wolves pulling at him from both sides...but it was still obvious that he was in control. She made eye contact with him and he told her with his eyes to continue...they would handle this here. She hated leaving them, but she had to get to Sonja.
She made it as far as the front porch where she came face to face with Mamma Sable. She bared her teeth at the old witch, but Sable looked unfazed. Jordan was suddenly airborne, aiming for the sagging old throat of the witch that had helped slaughter her family, but something stopped her. It was like suddenly hitting a brick wall. Her body went limp and within a split second, it struck the ground. As she lie there it dawned on her...they knew they would come for Sonja, they were prepared. She slowly changed back into her human form and locked eyes with the witch as she lay there paralyzed by the yellow wolfs bane the witch had in her hands. When she jumped for her the old witch shook it and she inhaled the dust from the flower. It wasn’t enough to kill her, obviously, but for the moment she couldn’t move her legs at all and her arms felt like noodles. She’d used only enough to stun her.
Jordan lay silently for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She could hear the sounds of the battle still raging between Asher, Deacon, Cyprus, Sage and Micah and probably at least twenty of Lennox’s finest men/wolves. The reason they had the guns suddenly dawned on her, the wound from getting shot with a regular bullet wouldn’t kill them...but if the bullets had been treated first with wolfs bane...they would stun, wound and eventually...kill. She urged herself to have faith once more and turned her eyes back to the frail looking woman on the porch and said,
“You pretended to care about us...”
“I did care about you, Jordan...I do. I care about you and your sister more than you’ll ever know.”
“Slaughtering my family is how you show that? Stealing us away from our heritage...our destiny, is how you show your love?”
“I didn’t harm your family, Jordan...but I did do what I had to do in order to survive myself. I was forced to do it. Lennox gave me no choice. He’s our Alpha...”
“He’s no one’s Alpha!” Jordan spat. Sable looked at her sadly and said,
“Not knowing what you were has saved you, Jordan. You had a good life and you would have gone on having such had your friends not killed Noah. I know you loved him.”
Jordan felt a pang of regret that Noah had to die...but she understood now and as much as she had loved Noah, he’d known what his father was and what he had done. Had he loved her the way a woman deserves to be loved, he would have told her the truth. That was what she had to tell herself to stop the pain of regret.
“Noah knew what Lennox had done...he knew what you were, he had to...but he was willing to keep me in the dark. That’s not love. That’s submission to his father.”
“His father demands submission, Jordan. He’s the Alpha, he deserves it.”
Jordan snorted. “He’s not my alpha and he never will be.”
“Be careful Jordan...”
“Careful? I’m not afraid of him, or you. I’m not a little girl any longer. I’m here for my sister and no one is going to stop me from taking her.” The feeling had returned to her arms and legs slowly as she kept the old woman talking. Without warning, she changed and stood now in her wolf form before the old woman. She saw Sable clutch the yellow flower more tightly, and then she felt four huge paws hit the ground beside her. Asher glanced at her with his amber eyes and she knew what he intended to do. She nodded her white head and the huge Black Panther propelled himself
Hitting Sable like a bowling ball he knocked her over and into the door. The door tore off of its hinges with his weight against it and he and the old woman rolled into the house in a tangle of limbs before the wolfs bane took over and he was left as immobile as Jordan. She hated leaving him there...but she had faith he would be okay. She bounded up the stairs to Sonja’s room. She could hear her sister pounding against the inside and calling Sable’s name. She wanted to know what was going on. Sable had locked her in the room from the outside.
“Sonja!”
“Jordan? Oh my God! Oh Jordan!” she could hear the relief in her sister’s voice...Sonja had thought she was dead. “Please get m
e out of here!”
“I will Sonja, but I need you to listen to me, okay?”
“Okay,” Jordan could hear the sounds of Sonja’s breathing and she knew her poor sister was scared and confused. She hated frightening her even more than she already had...but it had to be done.
“You trust me, right?”
“Of course I trust you. You’re my sister. You and Mamma Sable are my only family,” Jordan felt sick hearing her say that. “Why wouldn’t I trust you? Jordan, what is going on?”
“I promise, I’ll tell you everything as soon as we have you out of there. I need you to stand as far back from the door as possible. It’s going to shatter inward when I jump against it...”
She heard Sonja let out a dark little laugh. “This isn’t really the time for jokes Jordan.”
“I’m not joking, little sis. Get away from that door.”
“Jordan, you’ll hurt yourself.”
“Trust me, Sonja. Tell me when you’re in a safe spot.” She heard her sister’s footsteps as she moved away and Sonja called out,
“Okay! Be careful!” Jordan was already in wolf form. She stood at the top of the stairs and ran the three feet to Sonja’s door, throwing her muscular form at it when she got close. The door splintered inward. Shards of wood went everywhere, and her sister was cowering in the corner of the room. Jordan started over to her and Sonja held out an umbrella and said, “Stay back!”
