“Hey Storm, are you ready to kick some werewolf butt?” I rustle his hair and he turns to me with his serious face.
“My mama will get you if she hears about you saying a bad word in front of me,” Storm announces.
“Bad word?” I ask. He’s standing there, not afraid of standing up to a grown wolf.
“You said butt and my mama told me that’s a bad word. Go ask her. I bet she washes your mouth out with soap. I had soap once…it was disgusting. The bottle said it was vanilla, it lied. I didn’t taste any vanilla, just disgustingness.” He sticks his tongue out as if he were reliving the event.
“Come on Storm, we have protecting to do. Remember what Dad told you? When we’re protecting people we love, we have to be quiet so we can hear and smell if a bad wolf is around. We love Abel, so we need to protect him.” Parker’s so gentle with Storm, it makes me happy to see them together.
Storm runs his hand through his jet-black hair. “Do you think the Big-Bad-Wolf is going to steal Abel?”
“We don’t have to worry about the Big-Bad-Wolf, but we do have to worry about Abel winning the gold medal.”
The three of us head to the West Field where the other competitors are warming up. The obstacle course was set up sometime overnight. There are fifteen hurdles and six tunnel-looking things on the field. Storm points up into the trees along the edge of the field. Cameras are mounted and pointing towards the field to keep track of everyone’s progress.
“You know we don’t have complete visibility right now, right? They won’t activate the visuals until the starting shot is fired. That means there are secret obstacles you should be ready to tackle.” Parker taps his chin with his finger and makes a humming noise. “One year, a snake pit appeared out of nowhere. One of the Russian wolves fell to his death. The fall was bad, the snake bites were worse.”
Storm jumps up and begins to tear off his clothes.
“Stormy, put your clothes back on. Abel’s the only one who’ll be a wolf this morning,” Pru says as she reaches us.
I sit on the frozen ground to stretch my legs and back. The competition will begin soon and the frigid air will be welcomed. I’d do anything for a cup of coffee about now.
“Abel, you’re going to win this without any problems. Tonight when everything calms down, you and I need to hunt together. Quinney has secured us a place for privacy. We have to pick who’ll be going in with you and announce the contestants when we get back. Quinney had a vision about someone from our pack going into the Seeker game and not coming out alive. If you insist on going in, I should go with you,” Dolly thinks to me.
She’s been melancholy since arriving in Ireland. This is the first Olympics since The General was murdered. I know she misses him. She’s never complained or mourned him publicly. Every so often, she’ll go for a run and I’ll hear her howling in the distance…a sad howl echoes across the farm.
“Dolly, you know we can’t go in together. I’ll make sure that whoever goes in with me will come out alive. I’m considering Shaynie or even Bryon. Parker would be perfect but I don’t want his kids to grow up without him, in the off chance he died. Before you say anything, I’m not being negative, actually the opposite.”
The announcer’s voice booms overhead for the packs to meet on the field.
”We’ll talk later.” We both say at the same time.
****************
“Are you nervous?” Pru asks.
“No, I’m ready to get it over with, though.” I give Pru and Oakley a reassuring nod and step into the starting gate. My wolf is pacing, he’s edgy with anticipation, so am I. The outdoor air has a hint of the freshly baked bread we had at breakfast. It reminds me of home and all the baking Dolly does when she’s nervous.
After a speech about staying within our lane until we reach the clearing, the countdown clock begins. I shut the pack out of my head and ready myself to run. We have ten flags to collect; the first to make it over the finish line with ten flags will win the gold.
Ting - Ting - Ting the gun goes off and I remember to take a breath and run.
Just as expected, a forest of forty foot pine trees rise out of the ground. The noise as they shoot up is deafening, drowning out the sound of my own heart. The ground is groaning as it splits open. Running a short distance, I stop to scan the tops of the trees for a bright red flag. My wolf takes over and spots a flag hidden within a treetop directly ahead of me. Tunnel vision kicks in and instinct takes me running to a shorter tree to my right.
My calloused hands are red from bits of bark digging in as I climb the tree. I balance along a branch, ready to jump over to the tree with the flag. Someone else has spotted it and they’re close enough for me to hear their heavy breathing. It doesn’t take long before there are four of us vying for the same flag.
I leap across and snag the flag on the first try. Not pausing long enough to hear the griping from the other wolves, I maneuver myself out of the tree.
Soon I have eight flags and only one other person at my heels.
“You don’t seem too great to me. I’m an ordinary wolf who’s about to beat your ass.”
I turn to the trash talking guy. I recognize him; he’s the Canadian who has eight flags too.
“Beat my ass, huh? Come on, if you think you can, please try.” I give him a once over before saying anything else. “It doesn’t take being a Great Wolf to win, it takes being the one who can make it through the obstacles without dying. Oh look,” I say and point to a flag. I reach for the flag in one swift movement, securing it with the other eight. I turn towards the Canadian in time to see he’s not as confident as he was one minute ago.
“You asswipe, you stole my flag!” He shouts behind me.
Don’t listen to him, he’s pissed off because he knows he can’t beat you. I tell myself. Someone is screaming, I look around to figure out where the screams are coming from. Another scream, only this one is high-pitched and scared.
“What, you can’t handle a little screaming?” He chides at me.
“What’s your problem? Someone’s hurt!” I shout. My wolf is trying to pinpoint where the screams are coming from.
“You’re a dumbass if you turn around for some pansy wolf who can’t make it through an agility course. See that up there?” He points to a flag. “That makes number 9 for me; I guess you’re not so great after all.”
Screw him. Another scream, louder than the first two, fills the air.
“Some things are more important than a gold medal,” I say and turn around to run back towards the screaming. No sooner do I turn, an arrow zips past me and into the Canadian. I flip around in time to see his eyes grow wide and his mouth opens to say something, but he tumbles to the ground instead. His breathing is labored as he flails back and forth in pain.
I race over to him and assess his wound. The arrow is straight through his chest. There’s no way he’s making it out of here alive. “Hold on, a medic will be here in a second.”
It doesn’t matter, the injury is too bad for his wolf to survive. The light goes out of his eyes as they stare off with a blank gaze.
Damn you! I have no idea what else to think. It could have been me if I hadn’t turned around when I did. The cries have stopped. The competitors who’re left are headed my direction.
The medics appear out of nowhere and I force myself to run away and win the competition.
****************
Chapter 7 Going for the Gold
“You’re convinced this is the right thing to do?” Dolly asks.
We’ve been talking to Quinney for the last hour, going over the visions he’s been having.
“It’s the only thing to do. She and I make a good team.” I reply.
“Okay, let’s go talk to the pack,” Dolly pulls me in for a hug. “You’re going to be great. You and Pru will make our pack proud, I have no doubt.”
“Thank you.”
****************
The conference room is once again the meeting plac
e. Someone spots us and our presence is brought to everyone’s attention.
Across the room I see Oakley, Pru, Shaynie and Bryon. I walk over to the four and ask them to come out into the hallway with me.
“Hopefully I won’t hurt any feelings; I had to make a decision that will work for the pack. It isn’t something worth dragging out. If someone died in front of me on the agility course, the seeker course is going to be more dangerous. Bryon and Oakley, you won’t be going in with me.”
Oakley has on his poker-face, but his body language says he’s not happy.
“I’ve decided to take Pru with me.” I stand tall to back up my conviction.
“She’ll be too distracted guarding you, leaving her vulnerable,” Oakley growled.
Pru turns to him and punches him in the upper arm. “I’m not an idiot, Oak! Abel, we’re going to kick some serious ass!”
Without warning, she pulls me into a bear hug.
“To be honest with you, I’ve been trying to find a way to discourage you from taking me, so I’m relieved,” Bryon admitted. “Not that I’m a wuss or anything…”
“Don’t worry, no biggie. Of course you’re not a wuss, I’d never have considered you if you were.” I reach in my pocket and pull out the Pack Coin. It’s a silver coin with our pack name on one side and the Celtic Tiquertra with a wolf’s head on the other. There are two coins, one for each competitor of the Seeker. “Hey, we need to go inside and make the announcement. Pru, you and I will talk after the meeting. Oakley, I’m sorry man.” It isn’t as though I can tell him about the vision Quinney had, or he’d not let her out of his sight.
“I’m good,” Oakley says as he opens the door to the room.
The pack is anxious to find out who’s going into the arena. I take Pru’s hand into my own and we hold up our coin with the other hand. A few mini-gasps go throughout the room; they’re soon drowned out by the sound of congratulations from everyone else.
My parents are leaning up against the back wall with worry written all over their faces.
One by one, each member stopped on their way out, to give us a word of encouragement or advice. The rest of the night is reserved for Pru and I to run together and go over our plan of survival.
****************
“Did you get any sleep?” Pru asks. She came to the room early to have a private breakfast with Oakley.
I shake my head no. “I’ll be fine, Sapphire and Parker are waiting to go down with me. Enjoy breakfast.” I wiggle my eyebrows up and down at them.
I watched a movie called The Green Mile, a year or so ago…the walk to the elevator reminds me of the movie. Walking the walk to the executioner after serving time in prison on death row must feel like this. Sapphire is talking to Parker and it reminds me that life goes on, with or without you.
We had breakfast catered so the pack could eat alone. I’ll miss seeing Brianna before I disappear into a maze filled with death defying obstacles.
“Any news about Kane?” Bryon asks me.
“No, why?”
“I don’t know, Dolly has been talking with his wife for the last thirty minutes. I thought maybe they’d heard something.”
“You’re aware of how she is when she’s nervous, she likes to talk. I’m sure his wife is losing her mind.” I reach for a pair of tongs and pick up a giant sticky cinnamon roll. “Carbs, my favorite.”
Bryon pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket and sets it in front of me. “Here’s a note from Brianna, she asked me to give it to you this morning over breakfast.”
My wolf nods in approval.
“Oh, you can’t read it in front of anyone,” Bryon demands.
“What? Why?”
“She’s a girl, that’s why. She came over to me and talked to me in that cute, hard-to-understand-at-times accent and told me not to let you read it in front of anyone. I’m passing the 411 to you, now if you don’t mind, I’m starving.”
“You’re aggravating. Her accent is cute isn’t it?” I smile to myself as I imagine her talking to me. Here comes my mom, she’s crossing the room towards me. It’s like her to want a hug and give me a pep-talk. This morning, she’s trying her best to hold it together, unsure if I’ll make it out of the game alive.
“Abel, don’t do anything to show off. I know you have all of those fancy abilities, but don’t get yourself killed. Don’t let Pru die either,” she reaches up to touch the side of my face.
“Mom, I won’t show off any of my fancy abilities,” I tease her.
“I’m serious, son.”
“Mom, don’t fret, we’ll be fine. I love you. Pru and I will see you soon.”
“I love you too, Abel. Be good.” She gives me a quick kiss and I walk her to the door so she can go to the parents waiting area.
I stood at back of the conference room and watched my friends eat their breakfast. It’s hard not to think, soon, I’ll be their alpha. Everything will change the moment I accept the destiny of the wolf. So much of the werewolf lore is tied to Ireland, in fact, I’m drawn to stay here. I’d never leave Oklahoma, or my pack, but something is calling to my wolf. I’ve tried to ignore it by saying its Brianna that my wolf is drawn to, but it’s more than romance that’s pulling me.
Everyone is busy eating so I sneak out to the hallway to read my note.
Abel,
I know this is silly, but I wanted to wish you luck in the Seeker event. No matter what, be careful. You’re so different from what I expected. You’re warm, funny, and I think you’re going to do awesome. Don’t forget, clothes are hidden throughout the game so when you shift back to human, cover up! LOL
In all seriousness, thank you for taking me out and for being you. I think you’re pretty great already. Be safe.
Your friend,
Brianna
My friend Brianna, I say over and over to myself.
****************
Chapter 8. The Game
When I was a kid, I’d play hide and seek with my sister, Allie. She earned her nickname Allie-Cat by the way she would hide in peculiar places, typically somewhere up high. When I’d find her, she’d look down on me as if she was a predator and I was her prey. Even the way she moved was cat-like. We’re wolves who’re going into an arena, but we need to think like predators. Who else to mimic, than the panther or other type of large cat? They’re calculated with every move they make, and that’s how Pru and I need to attack.
I’ve had the chance to see almost everyone compete and most of them are fast and go for the gold no matter the risk. That type of thinking will either get them killed, or cause them to make mistakes. It makes me recollect what happened to the competitor from Canada. He would be alive if he hadn’t been greedy.
After a moment’s hesitation, I take Pru’s hand and walk with her to the starting gate. Nervous tension is vibrating through the air as everyone gathers to the starting area. My nerves are uncommonly calm.
“You ready?” I ask.
“I got this,” Pru replies.
“Prudence, we’re going in as a team, we’re coming out as a team. Don’t forget,” I think to her.
She started to say something, but the announcer’s voice boomed overhead, telling us to check in.
“Oh Abel, you know I’ll save your ass, I wouldn’t leave you behind,” Pru teases out loud.
“Nice, okay little Miss Pru, we’ll see who’s saving who.” I nudge my shoulder into her. I hold the double door open to the check-in building and do a double-take as I see her. Brianna is putting on her competitor bracelet that we have to wear when competing. “Brianna is here,” I state the obvious.
“Wow, did she tell you she was going to be considered?”
I stare off into the distance and shake my head no. “It’s all strategy.”
“Seems as though you’re going up against your girlfriend,” Pru said.
“She’s not my girlfriend; she’s been showing me around….pshhht.”
“So you see better with your tongue down her thr
oat?” Pru asks.
“Yes, it’s all the craze.” I glance over at Brianna, hoping she isn’t listening to my conversation. Her lips curve up in a half-smile; obviously, she is listening.
I follow Pru to the Phelan Pack table. It’s where we pick up our survival backpack filled with various items we’ll need if something goes wrong. It has a couple of military issued MRE’s for us to eat which isn’t my favorite. Nothing like a meal ready to eat in a camouflaged plastic bag. Each MRE has a main course, snack, instant coffee with a little heater thing to make it hot, and waterproof matches. They’re hit-or-miss on edible or not, but they’re filled with calories, which we’ll need to keep our wolf energized. Each team is given a map of the wooded areas along with an emergency beacon and a burner phone to check in with our pack. If we set off the beacon, it will take us out of the contest.
The final item we’re handed is a small amber colored vile. The alchemist handing out the potion has a small yellow rose tattoo on her wrist. She’s a part of the Rosicrucian Provincialis Order, the same as an alchemist I met in Paris.
We’re instructed to remove the lid and drink the elixir in front of her. This is the scariest part of the entire Olympics for me personally; we’re cutting ourselves off from our pack. One drink will last 72 hours and keep us from communicating with the rest of our pack with the exception of our teammate. Most werewolves aren’t able to communicate when in human form, but as wolves they are able to talk to each other. Even though I’m not the official alpha yet, I’m able to communicate with everyone in our pack, human form or not.
Pru and I clink our vials together and say, “Salute.”
The caramel flavored liquid has a bitter aftertaste.
“What do you call that stuff?” I ask.
“Disgusting,” Pru responds with a chuckle.
The alchemist isn’t amused by the sneer on her face. “You need to report to the exit desk, the starting gun will be shot in seven minutes,” she says dryly.
The Great Wolf: A Legacy of Kilkenny Novel Book Three (The Legacy of Kilkenny Saga) Page 6
