by Lia Davis
One of the males walked across the deck, stopped and turned to her. "Are you feeling better?"
They only ever asked that one question. Something about the Lykans as a whole was intriguing. The one staring at her had dirty blond hair and would be considered extremely handsome by human terms, but he lacked the extra flair Julian possessed or the deep emotion Porter tried to hide.
Her only regret was she never told either of them how she really felt. Maybe in her own morbid thoughts she wanted to make a deathbed confession and slip away in case they didn't feel the same. Too bad she wasn't part animal, maybe then she could sense their feelings.
Not that it mattered, she had no future but she wished she had told them. "Do you feel love?"
The male blinked.
"Do you?" She sat up. "Do you feel love or is it all just instinct. How do you choose a mate?"
He shrugged.
"Please, just tell me." Her eyes filled with tears. "If I had told them I loved them would they have understood, or would they have thought it a silly human thing? Was it okay to love both of them?"
"The bond between mates is both with the body and the mind. Sometimes the bond can be forged with more than one."
She nodded, maybe that was the definition of love. The entire shifter kingdom seemed more open to different types of relationships, while humans seemed stuck in old ways.
He pointed. "We will reach Anthros soon."
On the first day of the trip they told her where they were headed, but she secretly wanted them to drop her off at her island. With her memories she wouldn't be alone, and she wouldn't be a criminal.
"You need to get ready."
Her hand went to her neck and her pendant Julian stole. It was the only thing of any value she had left. "For what?"
"To swim to shore."
"I should have let them finish their lessons." How come even though she knew she was going to die, she still tried to save her life? It must be instinct to hold on to every last second. Maybe she was more animal than she thought. "I can't swim."
Without another word, he walked away.
At last she gained her courage, stood and gasped. The lights twinkled on the buildings and the whole island seemed aglow. She’d never had the opportunity to see her home from the sea.
"I will get you as close as I can on one of the rafts." The male returned.
"Why not kill me or let me kill myself?" Her heart sped but she wasn't scared, a strange combination.
"You brought us the Antiamorphis injections. You deserve to have your life spared."
It was a moot point to tell them that once she arrived on Anthros they would most likely do away with her in their own way. "I also brought you the antidote. Will you do one favor for me?" She hated trying to negotiate, but she had no more options. Scant flickers of light sparkled off the small waves, but the rest was pure black.
He didn't answer.
"All I ask is when you return to Lykos please tell them I'm not afraid anymore." She pressed her hand to her chest. "I did love them."
"Do you want me to tell them that?"
She shook her head. Those words should only be spoken by her.
The boat made its way around the far side of the island with the beaches. The lights dimmed. A splash indicated they had lowered the raft used only in emergencies or for getting rid of a pesky human they didn't want to kill. Sort of like letting the fly out of the house only to let it be trapped in a spider's web.
"It's time."
She handed him back the blanket and for a quick second wondered what they would do if she demanded to be taken somewhere else or even back to Lykos. At the end, if she lived her dream and helped a whole species or even several species, it was worth it. Her father would have called it a win.
He led her to the ladder and deftly climbed down to the raft.
Somehow she was supposed to get on that miniscule square with barely any sides. Trembling took over her. Where she had been wracked with waves of sick heat, now chills consumed her, and her heart beat a warning in her ears. No doubt she was going to be ill.
"We need to go." The male called to her.
Only a few days ago she would have been treated like a princess. On the off chance she needed to climb down a ladder hanging over the water, Porter or Julian or both would have been right there making sure nothing happened, telling to close her eyes, they would take care of her.
She took a breath. The water didn't matter, her fear didn't matter. What mattered was making sure that when these males returned to Lykos they didn't describe her as some weakling human. If he kept his promise and told Porter and Julian she wasn't afraid anymore, she wanted the words to be true. Without second guessing, she found her physical and mental strength and climbed down the ladder, basically falling onto the raft.
The way the ship tossed and turned the night of the storm didn't compare to being out in the open on a raft that amplified a million-fold every ripple in the relatively calm waters.
She clutched the side and shut her eyes, trying to remember the raft wanted to float, her body wanted to float. If only she could float away.
The raft hit ground and she lifted her face. Her strength wanted to leave her again, so she needed to hurry and practically crawled out of the raft. The wet, coarse sand scraped against her skin, nothing like the finer grit of her island.
"Is there anything else?"
Unless somehow the man produced Porter, Julian, the keys to her apartment and a cure, there was nothing more he could do for her. "Don't get caught. Get out of here."
When no answer came she pushed herself up and turned. The waning moon gave her a small amount of light.
The raft stood empty, the small waves threatening to take it out to sea.
A ripped shirt washed up next to her. "He must have shifted and left." She picked up the tattered cloth.
Unsure of what to do next she remained lying on the beach holding on to one of her last links to Lykos. Did she turn herself in? Go home? Did anyone even notice she was gone? If she lay there long enough, maybe the sea would wash her away as well. More than ever she wished she learned to swim. If nothing else, she wished she could change into something else. She set her head down, scratched her nails through the rough sand and listened to the waves. Without four arms around her or fur to cuddle in, she was sure she would never sleep again.
Suddenly, the whole area flooded with light. Burning light, brighter than daylight. She held her breath and tried to see, but the glare blinded her.
"Identify yourself." A male voice through a speaker echoed all around her.
"Alyssa Wilkinson," she called out. Her shaking resumed, but she managed to lift her hands. "I work for the governmental offices. I may have been exposed to pyrexosis."
The area went quiet, but the light continued to shine, heating her worse than the fever.
Out of nowhere several Aktrosian guards charged toward her. The bears surrounded her, yanked her up and shackled her hands.
"Wait, I won't run." The cuffs cut into her, reminding her of the day she met Julian and Porter. "Please."
They didn't listen to her pleas, only dragged her away, throwing her into the back of a vehicle.
With guards flanking her, she cowered in a corner and shut her eyes, but it didn't stop her tears. Nothing mattered, she had reached her end.
The vehicle came to an abrupt stop and once more she was dragged out. They scurried her away, down several corridors, before at last throwing her into a tiny windowless room with a dirt floor.
"What is this?" She wrapped her arms around herself and backed up to the far wall.
Light shined into the room and she could only make out some vague shapes of the others.
"Alyssa Wilkinson, you are being charged with treason, theft, and endangering your country." A deep male voice announced.
"You don't understand. I didn't harm anyone." She shook her head.
"You stole the antidote to the Antiamorphis inoculation. You breeche
d security."
"They were in pain, you didn't see them. They needed medicine." She raised her voice, trying to get them to hear her. "They didn't lie to you, they only wanted help."
"Several good men and Aktrosians lost their lives as a direct result of your actions." The voice stayed strong and steady.
"They were cruel."
"You aided and abetted known enemies," the voice continued listing off her crimes.
"They are a smart, advanced and kind species." She lowered her head. "I loved them."
One of the guards came forward, pulled her back by her restraints and threw her to the ground.
"I loved them. You can't change it or shake it out of me." Her knees gave out.
"You will remain here until your formal sentencing."
One of the guards unfastened the shackles.
The light switched off and the clink of the heavy door sealed her fate.
"It doesn't matter, I'm guilty." She shut her eyes. Nothing could harm her anymore because everything had already been taken.
She wasn't sure how long she lay there, a minute, an hour, a day, several days? No more snap decisions for her. She had nothing but time to think. The endless darkness thankfully masked the miniscule space and any signs of time passing.
Off in the distance she heard a howl and her chest constricted. While wolves weren't found on Anthros, coyotes and other animals made their home here. Still, she pressed her hand to the unforgiving wall.
Chapter 10
Anthros. Unlike Julian, Porter never had any dreams of the island of the humans. He wanted to hate the place that caused such grief and suffering to his species. As far as he was concerned the whole island could sink, but only after he retrieved his mate, or Julian's mate, or their mate.
He bared his fangs and turned to the black wolf guiding them up the side of the mountain. They spent the entire ride there deciphering Noah's words and came up with their own plan on many levels.
At least Julian had listened to him. They had made their plans the entire trip to Anthros. No sailing right up to the dock, no trying to blend in with the rest of the humans, no cocky strut down main street. Instead, they started their search by breaking the human law from the get go, shifting into their wolf form and swimming to the uninhabited part of the island. No, a human couldn't scale the side of the mountain easily, but a wolf had no problem. With their human clothes, a set of the Antiamorphis antidote and the items from Noah strapped to their backs, they made their way to the top and overlooked the city.
In the cover of night, the buildings stood as towers of light. The elders told them at one point Lykos rivaled Anthros, and together they were going to build something even better. He let out a low growl. While the humans thrived Lykans died, and while they searched for Alyssa, the humans were snuggled in their high rises never thinking about any species unless they had use for them.
Julian turned to him.
In wolf form no words were needed. With a silent acknowledgment, they set out on their separate paths. The search started their unstated competition, the one they didn't voice. Whoever found her first would win her, no need to share, no need to get along, or work together.
While his animal side wanted to let loose, to create havoc through the city until he located his mate, he took his time, crouched down low and figured out the lay of the land.
Though she was sick, he had his doubts they would take her to the hospital. Also, her apartment had to be sealed with her disappearance. At the moment his mate was considered a criminal on her island, a threat to the government.
With his goal in mind, he stayed on the outskirts, but made his way around to the governmental buildings. He peeked through a crack in the tall stone fence to a large windowless grey structure. His fur stood on end, no doubt he found the exact place they were given the fateful injections.
He made a quick round, taking note of any security. With no guards or cameras in sight, but their faint scent in the air, he jumped the fence.
Maybe humans didn't feel they needed heavy security with concrete block buildings. Maybe everyone who entered the cells was compromised in some way, sick, drugged or shackled. More likely they never expected to have a Lykan on their grounds.
He rushed to the edge of the building, lowered his head and sniffed the perimeter. If she were here, he would find her, and if they hurt her or worse he would forget his life goal of becoming a healer and go to the other side. No one would be spared.
The building seemed to grow. With each step he took he swore he made no progress, but he kept his concentration, closed his eyes and allowed pure instinct to take over.
Her scent crept on him, slowly wafting through his nostrils, sweet like the fruit she consumed and salty from the sea combined to create an aroma that would forever have an effect him.
Every alarm hardwired through his body went off. Along with her scent came the stench of fear and pain. She had been through her own battle and needed him.
Instantly, he went into action. He ran back and forth looking for a way inside, a vent, a crawlspace, anything.
He stopped and tried to remember the interior of the rooms. By the time they were thrown inside they had been injected. The nausea, the confusion and the delirium had taken hold. The room had no windows, only one door, the air was oppressive, thick, no ventilation and he had only wanted to lie down.
Wait.
He stared down at where the grey brick met the ground. The floor was dirt, and he remembered breathing in the dust. In a fury he began to dig. After several minutes he made some headway but not enough. Any moment a guard could arrive. If Julian were here they could work twice as fast. He needed him and Alyssa needed them both.
Alyssa needed them both.
Damn it, he needed Julian.
He raised his head, let out a howl and continued digging.
Only a few minutes later the black wolf appeared.
Julian made a quick inspection of the area, sniffed the ground, and they both got to work.
In coordinated movements, the two of them dug down past two layers of buried concrete blocks, underneath and back up again.
Once more he did a quick surveillance his ears straight up, as Julian continued. Though no one was near, the way a shiver traveled down his spine told him they needed to hurry. Luck and timing would only take them part of the way. They had to get their mate and get out.
Julian retreated from the hole and tilted his head. They had to be close. Porter dove in head first, tunneling up toward the floor.
A faint scraping vibrated down from above, her scent intensified. Was she trying to tell them she was there?
Strength surged through him. He had to reach her. Dirt and pebbles fell down around him as the barrier between them thinned. At last he broke through and was met with not only a blast of stale air, but her hand reaching down to find him.
The second her hand connected with his fur she burst into tears.
"Oh my God it's you," she whispered, only moving back enough to allow him to enter before she lunged for him. "Porter."
The fact she knew him in his alternate form warmed him. He took a second to breathe her in and assess her health. She seemed to have gained a bit of strength.
From outside, Julian growled a warning to hurry.
He wanted to bask in the way her fingers grazed across his fur, but it needed to wait and he used his nose to prod her forward.
With no hesitation, no questions, nothing but trust, she went into the narrow passageway.
"Julian." Her cries started again.
After watching her slide up and away, he followed.
Once outside, Julian guided her to him. She gave Julian a kiss on his nose before taking hold of Porter, adjusting his pack and straddling his back. Yes, she was a part of both of them, spoke their secret language, understood them.
Her weight on him was welcomed, the way she wrapped her arms around his neck was a gift. Julian led the way, scaling the fence and getting them out of
the city.
Again, he trailed through the Anthros forest. He took his time to keep his strides steady, not jostle her too much, but no fear radiated from her. If anything she seemed exhilarated, raising her face to allow the night air to caress her face and even letting out a little laugh. As they made their way up through the mountain, she scratched her nails through his fur, tickled his ear and tightened her thighs around his waist. Their little human needed to calm down before she got a little more wolf than she planned.
They made their way to the top. Their paws crunched through the fallen leaves and crickets chirped, providing the perfect song to their travels.
The three of them circled around before they finally stopped in a little gathering of trees that overlapped each other near some larger rocks. A small alcove protected from the weather, a small piece of privacy out in the open made a perfect cave. Without any city lights, the stars lit up the sky.
"I want to talk first." She slid off his back and got down on her knees in front of them and held her hands out. "Come here and stay as you are."
Any terror she’d once had of their wolf form must have vanished. They took their respective spots on either side of her. Her focus darted between them and she took her time doling some long overdue attention, petting and kissing them. As if on cue they both let out a low growl. Lunar cycle or not, their reaction to her was instant.
"I swear I sensed you." She smiled a distant smile, one that said she sensed more than her words revealed. "I didn't want to believe I would never see you again."
He held his breath. Where was her talk leading?
"No matter what happens, the fact you came here for me and literally dug me out of prison says everything I ever needed to know. Dreams are made of this." She moved closer to them. " Right now I'm feeling good, like I can do anything, and that's how this works. Before you go back to Lykos, I want you to give me this night and then I want to watch you get off this island and sail away so I know you are safe."
He glanced at Julian. What was she saying?
"I don't know how this would have ever worked, or even if it would have. Maybe this is the end that was supposed to be. I'm not going to allow my rash decisions harm anyone else." She curled an arm around each of their necks. "Thank you for letting me have this, and thank you for giving me the chance to tell you both I love you."
