by Willow Cross
Pete uttered a low growl as a hunter approached. “You’re close enough. What did you find?”
Sarah nipped at Pete, putting him in his place. “Stop. I got this.”
“We still don’t know who can be trusted. I’m just protecting you.”
Sarah faced the hunter before her. “What did you find?”
“We’ve tracked them to the old quarry. There are at least a hundred, maybe more. I’ve left two to watch, the rest have returned with me.”
“They’ll go to our cabin first. So we can't meet there. When will the other packs arrive?”
“The runners have been sent. They will come as soon as they are notified.” The wolf’s head rose as he sniffed the air.
Damien, the leader of the Indera clan, entered her mind. “Indera is coming. Rashuk is on our tails.”
Sarah growled in approval as Jason stepped through the trees. Moving to him, she placed her head on his massive shoulder. “I thought you’d never get here.”
“I'm still not sure this is the best idea.” Turning to look at Pete he asked, “Where is Phaedra’s place? Can we get there quickly?”
“Good idea. It’s a jog, but it will be the last place they look.”
Jason’s head flew back as he howled. From a distance, several howls replied. As the group sped through the trees, lights began appearing in windows all over the sleepy little town.
***
The ringing of a phone brought Grandpa White Horn out of his sleep. He moved his hand over the bedside table feeling for it. “Hello?”
“Gramps? We got trouble, big trouble.” Shad said.
“You’re darn right we do. You and your sister better get back here on the double.”
“Better wake everyone up, Gramps. Shit’s hit the fan pretty hard.”
The old man flipped the light switch engulfing the room in light. His eyes squinted as he attempted to read the grandfather clock. “What time is it? And what are you talking about?”
“We’ll be there in a few. Get everyone up. And, Gramps?”
“What?”
“Load the guns, all of them.”
Old man White Horn slapped the phone back on its base. What in tarnation is going on around here? “Heather. Get up, girl. There’s work to be done.”
Two doors down the hall, Heather groaned in her bed. “What’s wrong?”
“Get up. Call David, tell him to get everyone around and ready. Looks like this will end tonight.”
Heather leapt from her bed to her feet. A wicked grin sprouted on her face as she pulled on her jeans and an old t-shirt. In her mind, her favorite song played over and over. Let the bodies hit the floor, let the bodies hit the floor...
***
“Quiet!” Christian silenced the howlers. “Lights are coming on all over the valley. You’re making too much noise.”
To his left, Shana sat on a large bolder. Christian turned to glance at her and growled. “I can’t change, and you know it. It would give the whole thing away. Although, I’m pretty sure they know we’re here already. Your pack is noisy.”
Christian let out another growl and nipped at her shoulder.
“Don’t get pissy with me. If you need to talk just shift; it’s not like I haven’t seen you naked.” Shana lit a cigarette taking a long pull. It sizzled as the cherry grew bright. Exhaling, she smiled and waited for Christian to obey her. He’d wanted her for a long time now. When they were young, Christian had asked for her hand. Her father said no. He’d had other plans for her. Shana shook her head with a smile. The best laid plans. Oh Daddy, if you only knew what my plans had been. A girlish giggle erupted from Shana’s throat. She threw her foot towards Christian, taking a swipe at his rear haunches. “You going to change, or what?”
The large grey wolf shimmered as he brought himself up on his back legs. Head to toe, his body shifted. Fur and teeth drew back into the skin to reveal a well-muscled, tall man. “You could try to make this a little easier on us.”
“There’s nothing I can do. If I change, they’ll hear me. She’s strong now, I can sense it.” She primly crossed her legs and continued to smoke.
He eyed the cigarette. “You know how that burns the nose. Put it out. We can’t keep track of who’s around with you messing up the scent.”
She smiled sweetly, took one last draw, and threw it on the ground to smolder.
Christian let out an exasperated sigh and stepped on it.
“Happy now?”
“When the air clears I will be. Are you sure the Indera and Rashuk will not come to their aid?”
“Oh Phaedra will see to it. All we have to worry about is killing the weak and keeping the strong subdued. Some of them, like Pete and Dave, will make great additions to your clan. You’ll have the strongest pack in the world. You can take any hunting ground you choose.” Shana hopped down from the boulder, placed her hand on his naked chest, and using her finger, drew a circle around his hairy nipple.
Christian’s body reacted to her touch. “Why do you do that? Good grief woman, I’ve got things to do.”
Shana laughed. “Just a test. Just wanted to see if you still want me. Remember what we are doing this for? Bettering your pack? Making it so we can finally be together. Thomas would have never let you keep me. I was sensing, before you took care of him, that he was already looking for a way to get me back.”
Christian’s face grew clouded and unsure. Sarah had been in his mind. He had seen her thoughts as well. She wasn’t the kind to kill. No killer instincts at all. What is this woman doing to me? What am I doing here?
Shana’s sharp eyes watched as the questions entered his mind. “You having doubts, my love? Don’t you want to be with me?” She said as she ran her fingers through the hair on his chest.
“Of course I do. I’m just worried about my pack.” He reached out and stroked her cheek. She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. She wouldn’t lie. Not to me. She knows how long I’ve loved her.
A loud howl erupted from the west rim of the quarry. Both of their heads snapped in the direction of the mournful sound. Christian glanced back at Shana before shifting back into wolf form.
***
A ringing phone irritated Sheriff Tyler. Reaching up, he pulled a pillow tighter to his head in an attempt to continue sleeping. A rough shove from behind aggravated him even more. “Are you going to get that?” His wife’s muffled voice came through the pillow.
“Urgggh.”
“You know it’s not for me. Answer the dang phone.”
Tyler rolled over, reached for the nightstand, and put the small cordless phone to his ear. “This better be important.”
“Sorry, sir. We’ve had an incident here at the jail.”
With a dull grunt, he pulled his mass into a sitting position on the side of the bed. “What are you talking about?”
“Well sir, there’s been an escape.”
“What? How in the Sam Hill did that happen?”
“It appears the Masada boy pushed the window out and went through.”
“He pushed what out?”
“The window, Sir.”
“Boy, you been drinking on duty? Can’t no one push out a concrete slab window with iron bars.”
“I think you need to come down here and see this, Sir. I don’t know what to make of it myself.”
“Be right there. Have someone make a fresh pot; I’m going to need it. And Severs?”
“Sir?”
“This better not be a joke.”
“It’s not, Sir.”
The old man sighed and shook his head as he placed the receiver back on its base. The mattress gave a slight bounce as he stood. “Shirl, I’m going to work.”
“It’s three in the morning.”
“Yep.”
Bleary eyed, he pulled on a clean uniform, shoved his feet into his boots, and headed to the lock box to retrieve his service revolver.
***
Five men stood around the bent bars lying in the alley
behind the jail. “Where’s Peg with that coffee?” Sheriff Taylor growled.
Just then, a tiny redhead flitted down the passage. “Here you go. Fresh and hot.”
He gave her a curt nod as he accepted the large Styrofoam container. “So nobody heard a thing? Four prisoners in there, and no one heard nothing?”
“Oh they heard something, but it don't make any sense. A bunch of drunks aren't the most reliable witnesses.” Severs answered.
Sheriff Tyler took a long swig of his coffee. “Yeah, yeah. Snuffling and growling, smelled like dog, then the crash from the bars. And none of you heard a blessed thing?”
“I was the only one on duty. Just me and Peg. I swear I didn’t hear anything until the prisoners started yelling.” Severs nervously ran his hand over his head.
Officer Danville moved his gaze from the bent bars to the sheriff. “Are you seeing those bars? He did that from the inside. There’s no way he could do that. No way. No one is that strong.”
The old man took another swig, then seeming to come out of a daze, looked at the officers standing around him. “Well, what are you all still doing here? Get in your cars and start searching. The longer it takes you to get busy, the harder it’ll be to find him.”
“Yes, Sir.” The men answered as they turned and headed towards the street.
“Severs, put out an APB on the sister and that Indian kid. If they don’t already know where he is, they’ll know where he’s going.”
“Will do.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Light spilled from the windows and open door of Phaedra’s cottage. Unseen, hidden just inside the trees, wolves guarded the perimeter. Sarah sat at the table with a vacant expression on her face.
“Do we know how many they have yet?” Jason said.
Her expression remained the same as she raised her index finger.
He waited a few moments more before saying, “Well? How many?”
Sarah’s lips moved as if in conversation, but no words came from her mouth. Her head nodded and her eyes focused on Jason. “Possibly two hundred.”
“Are you kidding?”
She shook her head. “There is no way we can take that many. How did they come up with so many so fast? It’s going to be a blood bath.”
“Pete!” Jason yelled.
Pete stood in the kitchen doorway. “What’s up?”
“They are saying two hundred, maybe.”
Color drained from his face giving him a sickly pallid look. “That’s not good. That’s seriously not good.”
Sarah gave him a cursory look before resting her eyes on her brother. “We can’t win. There is no way.”
Running his hand through his hair, Jason sighed. “What do we do?”
A loud thwack resounded as Pete’s hand slapped the table. “Run. We run. There is nothing else we can do. If we stay here, they will kill most of us.”
“Bring in everyone except the hunters. We’ve already wasted too much time,” Sarah replied.
Worried, Jason’s eyes darted to the clock on the wall. “We need to let Ash and Shad know we are leaving.”
Moving her head from side to side, Sarah answered, “No, Jase. We have to go and we have to go alone. You know she’ll never stop looking for us. Never. The only way to keep them safe is to get as far away from them as possible.”
Jason peered out the window into the dark. His face took on a distant faraway look. “We could have been happy with them.”
Bending her head, she whispered, “I know. It’s too late for that now.”
***
Fist’s clenching repeatedly, Damien hissed, “You are barking mad! This isn’t how we handle things. Wolves don’t run, they don’t hide, and they don’t give up their lands. Not to anyone, for any reason. We have to fight them.”
Gaze focused on the other two leaders, Jason answered, “I don’t care how you did things before. Honestly, I don’t care what you do now. I am disbanding this pack and advising them to leave. Any of them that stay will face the consequences of their decisions alone. We didn’t want this from the beginning, Damien. We didn’t ask for it, and we sure as shit didn’t expect it. My sister and I are leaving and that’s final.”
Jordan slid his chair back and stood. “I guess that’s it then. You two go ahead--cut and run--but my clan is going to fight. I won’t give up grounds, not without a fight.”
Sarah’s eyes darted between the two leaders. “If you stay, she will kill you all. She didn’t come here to just kill us you know. She came here to take over. I wish we could all go together, but I don’t see how that is possible.”
Leaning over to squeeze her hand, Pete said, “Where ever you go, I’m going too. I won’t leave you to face her alone.”
“Thank you.”
“Ha,” Damien spat. Pivoting, he stomped out the door, Jordan following close behind.
Jason sighed. “Well that’s that.”
“Never could talk much sense to those two,” Pete responded.
Sarah stood and moved to the small kitchen window. “How many are leaving, Pete?”
“Pretty much everyone. A few old-timers are staying, but the rest are either heading out or have already left.”
She nodded. “Good.” Spinning around, she said, “Well let’s get a move on.”
“You want to go back for clothes?” Jason asked.
“You have the checkbook, right?”
“Yep.”
“No reason to go back. I would have liked to have some of those pictures of Mom and Dad, but I’ll live. Pete, you need to run by your house?”
Holding up a large knapsack, Pete grinned. “I’m good. Let’s get moving.”
They left the house, and began the long trek down the back roads to the main highway. Every so often, through the trees, pin points of light would shimmer. “Good bye, my friends. Be safe.” Sarah sent out. And in reply, a mournful howl burst forth into the night.
***
Shad exhaled slowly, trying to contain his anger. “You’re not listening to me at all. This is way more than we can handle. We don’t have nearly enough hunters here!”
“And like I said before, these creatures are deceitful. You’ve let yourselves get drawn too far in. I’m sure they made it look like they are in terrible danger. But things aren’t always what they appear. Especially with dogs.” Grandpa White Horn responded.
“Gramps, seriously. You should’ve seen them. Every few hundred feet there were eyes. It can’t be just one pack. It just can’t. There’s never been a pack that size. If all of them belong to this pack, then everyone in this town must be part of it. Everyone! You’ve been in town; you know most of the people there don’t have the scent.”
“Oh come on, Ash. You’ve got your head so far up that dog's ass, you don’t know which way you’re going.” Heather spouted over her shoulder as she watched out the window.
“Shut up, Heather.” Shad said. “You don’t have the slightest clue what you’re talking about. I’m telling you, I was there when the cops arrested him. We were there when Sarah and Pete went into the woods.”
Standing, he moved to the window and shoved it open. “Listen to that. Just listen. How many would you guess are out there? Fifty? A hundred? When they got out of our car, they were scared to death. We don’t know what is going on here, all we know is that this is more than just a few pissed off Lycans getting together.”
Grandpa White Horn studied Shad’s face. Observing no lie, or deception, he exhaled noisily. “When the trackers get back we’ll know more. We’ll not make a move until then.”
Ashley placed her hand on his arm. “What if they don’t make it back? Something is very wrong out there.”
“If they don’t make it back, then we’ll do what we always do. We’ll hunt.”
***
Shana rubbed her face, and pushed a stray hair from her eyes. “Explain yourself. What do you mean they’re gone?”
The old man kneeling before her dared not look in her eye
s. Voice quivering, he answered, “They gave orders for the pack to disband. Everyone was to take what belongings they could carry and leave. Most already have.”
“Arggg!” Planting her high heeled boot in the center of his chest, she shoved hard. The old man landed on his back with a thud. Too frightened to move, he lay motionless, eyes squeezed shut.
“I told you! You just had to do it your way. How am I supposed to compensate for your ignorance? If you’d just listened to--”
“That’s enough,” Christian answered.
“Oh that’s enough, huh? Now all of a sudden you grow some balls? Well that’s just rich. The one person you don’t need to have a backbone with, you turn on. Lovely.”
For the first time ever, he had an overwhelming urge to slap her. Fist clenched tight, he drew in deep breaths. What was I thinking? I’ve let this vile woman spew her hate at me ever since I can remember.
The scalding look he gave her spoke volumes. She knew she’d crossed the line. In an attempt to regain some lost ground, she turned on the charm. “Look baby, I’m sorry. You know how I get. I just wanted this to be over. For both of us. Those kids won’t leave this alone. We’ll never be together for real if--”
“Shut up, Shana. I‘ve had enough of you.” As he watched her face change from the mask of love, to a more natural look of rage, he noticed that she wasn’t quite as pretty as he’d thought. Her eyes were too big and too close together. The point of her nose and the way she held her mouth gave her face a mean spirited look. Shaking his head, he walked away. All these years. I’ve wasted on these years on someone who doesn’t even exist.
Watching him walk away, she knew she’d lost him. She could see it in his posture. Shoulders back, movements fluid, he walked straight and tall. She sat and began removing her boots. Damn, I love these boots! Good thing I didn’t bring my favorite jeans. When this is over, I’m going to give them both an extra long beating for these boots.
Naked in the starlight, she shimmered and transformed before slinking quietly into the night. She might have lost him, but there were others. There were always others.
