His thought about grabbing me is gone as the attack again, makes him loose momentum and thought. I pull back, dragging the Sai out of him again, so more blood can flow freely.
I might be able to bleed him to death, if I injure him enough to lose ability to shape shift and heal.
Thane latches onto one of his biceps and sinks his fangs into Norden, Phelan runs back around for a second and too latches onto his other exposed arm dragging his fangs down Norden’s for arms.
I suddenly have a new plan. Just kill him, like this. Screw the head games. Get it done.
I stand up as Norden struggles to remain upright, while the Cavello brothers tear at him and bring him to the ground. We are together again, fighting another who would hunt us to the end of our time.
I know what I have to do.
“Do it.” I tell them and Norden’s eyes go from side to side, wondering what it is the Thane and Phelan are going to do.
I come forward and with both Sai still in my hands, and pierce Nordens thick neck from either side with them.
Slowly inching the tip of the longest trident in, I maintain eye contact with him the whole time.
“This is who killed you.” I growl at him. “Love killed you.” I feel the tingle across my skin and I know I do not have long to complete this mission, with the rest of his pack are on their way.
I probably only have a minute or so. The energy rippling across my skin, along with the moons embrace touching me like a siren’s call in this land, is expected. I’m not aware of anything else other than what I am doing right now.
I am trying to hold my shape shift at bay while Thane, Phelan and I shift Norden to his wolf self.
Blood gurgles up in his mouth and he coughs as it sputters out of it. “Nicholas Norden, I un-burden you,” I sink the Sai into him a little deeper.
“I unburden you from this pack of werewolves,” I push the Sai in further and Norden struggles, gurgling, the veins in his neck, pumping and pushing as we pull his werewolf out of him, shifting him.
His body starts to change and I give my final repose.
“I unburden you from our lives,” I sink the Sai in deeper and his bodily noises became sicker and strangled.
“I unburden you from my family,” The last push of the Sai leaves them right in him, up to the hilt.
His body whilst still held and pinned by Thane and Phelan and I, is more characteristic of werewolf, his face is half way there, but he no longer has enough power, he’s fading.
I concentrate along with the Cavello brothers on pulling his werewolf face out so that he can die a complete werewolf.
As his face shifts, for the last time, his noises sound like suffocation, as his werewolf comes too, without the ability to do anything but die before us. The ultimate cruelty to one so powerful. Rendering them no better than a whelp.
“I erase you from this life.” I hear the second howl and know time is upon us again.
I watch as the reflection of the moon against his eyes, leaves him and instead, death takes him. I listen for the sound of his hearts last beat and wait for it to still inside of him.
It does and at the same time, Thane, Phelan and I all let go of Norden.
I lift my head to the moon and howl at her as my shape shift takes over and I shift to my tribal form.
In time to see Addison, Markus, and Booker come charging into view, leaping over the discarded dead bodies of Norden’s pack around the circle.
I survey the damage around us. Almost all of Norden’s werewolves are dead, laying oddly with blood and guts hanging out. Some of my werewolves look roughed up, and injured. I’m not sure on fatalities though.
It wasn’t an easy fight but it never is. But isn’t that the whole point to fighting? Conviction drives it, when sometimes necessity dictates it. Choice is a limitation and belief is as big a must have as skill.
Our werewolves move into the circle, facing the bloodline towards the side that Norden’s remaining, able bodied wolves have come from.
Two of my werewolves, face our rear flanks to ensure the few that remain of Norden’s in-jured wolves do not try to attack us again.
Norden’s remaining pack charge at us but stop short when they see the dead wolves on the outside of the blood circle.
I let out a bark for the second wave of werewolves to reveal themselves from their hiding spots, they circle up and behind this newer pack of wolves. The spare fifteen werewolves who we sent out earlier, started out from the thousand acre mark to ensure any fighting would be pushed back towards this clearing.
They’re scent was far enough away that Norden’s werewolves didn’t know they were coming. I’d made a mental connection with one of the Quebec werewolves in order to maintain mission control, that I knew the second wave would get here in time.
I have to ensure this fight is ended, that none of these werewolves will follow in Norden’s demented steps.
So I do what I despise. I sink my fangs into his body and drag it around the front of the inner circle, keeping my eyes up at them at the same time, while my werewolves stand at the ready inside the circle behind me.
I drag Norden’s wolf corpse back to the center of the circle, towards Thane and Phelan and snort at them, to do what they must.
In the werewolf world it is the only way to ensure respect is earned.
Thane and Phelan bite into Norden’s chest and rip at it viciously, growling as they do so, until they tear it open.
It’s not uncommon for werewolves to eat their enemies once they are defeated. It shows victory and domination. It allows trace remains to be disposed of. And flesh and meat to be savoured for the hunger of the beasts that we are.
But I do not want to eat Norden. I do not want to absorb his soul or take any of his poisons bloodline into my body. I just want him gone from this lifetime, not carried around with me any further.
It’s Thane who pulls out Norden’s heart and holds it in his jaws, standing before his old pack, for them to see. They will know him and know of him.
There are only two ways to become pack leader, it’s either given to you, or you fight to the death for it.
The pack stills completely and all menacing growls quieten quickly. As Thane turns his head to show all of them Norden’s heart in his mouth.
He goes to Phelan who opens his jaws to receive part of it, and they both back up, with fangs hanging on, tearing the heart apart before dropping it to the ground.
Eat and savour. Life is renewed to this pack. Thane’s voice comes through my head as he and Phelan back up and the rest of Norden’s pack receiving the same message.
They step forward to devour Norden’s werewolf body as I, the Breukelen, Manhattan Maen and Quebec pack werewolves look on.
48
We return home to New York, the following day.
I say goodbye to Aubrey and the Canadian D’arenberg family. Promising Aubrey that I will replace her watch that got wrecked in my shape shift. She promises to have my new Sai sent to me.
Thane and Phelan don’t really know what to do. Until I point out to Thane that he is now the pack leader of his old pack.
“You’ve got to get them righted.” I say to him.
“Which means going home.” Thane says. “At last.”
Phelan frowns deeply. “I’d rather go to Brooklyn.”
Thane nods his head at me and crocking his arm, asks if I can walk with him. I slide my arm through his and we go outside and walk together. “I’m not the true leader of that pack Bg, you are.” He says to me when we’re out of earshot of the house.
“I don’t need a pack, I’ve got one.” I state back at him.
“But the rules of leadership state,”
“Screw the rules Thane. I forfeit my right to any claim of leadership on that pack of wolves. I won’t fight you or Phelan again. I don’t want to be a pack leader and I sure as hell don’t want those wolves to be my pack.” I say. “No offence.” I add on quickly.
Thane chuckles back at m
e. “I can understand that.”
“Then you’re already more qualified for the job than Norden ever was.” I reply. “Besides, my life isn’t here. It’s in New York. But if it truly bugs you, let’s leave it to an undetermined favour to be called in at a later date. Does that work for you?”
“Yes, it does. Not that I wouldn’t help you anyway. I hope you don’t mean to never talk to us again.” Thane says.
“No of course not.” I state tapping his arm. “I hope to get to know both you and Phelan. And you are welcome in Brooklyn, anytime. Even during lunar weeks, there will always be an open door and a place for both of you to stay when you come.”
“That’s very generous of you, little sis.” Thane says testing the title out on me.
“What’s two more brothers, anyway?” I say shrugging my shoulders. “I’d really like you both to get to know my family, and for them to know you two. But you need to make sure your pack is the way it should be now. Make sure Norden has no legacy in it.”
“I will, believe me,” Thane says as we round the corner back into Aubrey’s Street.
Markus and I sit together in the car to the airport. We sit together on the plane ride home, Paris takes up the aisle seat beside me. We arrive back in JFK in Manhattan and we all slide into the same taxi cab together. We all feel tired, emotionally more than physically, I can feel the difference in energy around us.
When the driver asks where we’re going, Paris looks at me. “Brooklyn, Williamsburg.” He says knowing that Markus and I need to return home after all that has gone on. He stays for the drive over there, to ensure I get home safely. He has the taxi run the meter while he walks me to the door.
“Call me later.” He says placing a chaste kiss on my lips.
I nod my head.
We probably need a debrief or something. But right now, I want space. I want to be away from the world of werewolves. Markus’s kidnapping has rattled me and Paris can sense that without me needing to tell him.
Markus and I walk into our family home and to our old rooms. I feel like I could rest for a week as my emotions seem to suddenly shake me and come from me, tears rolling down my face.
“Bg,” Markus says sticking his head around my bedroom door corner.
“Yeah,” I say wiping at my face quickly and looking over at him.
“I just wanted to say, thank you. I never doubted you. I knew you’d rescue me. I just knew. Father would be proud, Breukelen Girl.” He’s polite enough to ignore my tear streaked face and I smile back at him.
“You’re welcome, anytime.”
He nods his head and disappears again from view. Our father, would be proud and that brings on new tears for me to cry. I stop myself and curl up onto my bed, falling, all too easily, into sleep.
I do not dream.
49
“Call me later.” Paris had said to me.
I didn’t call him. Not at first. I ignored his texts and messages. My new Sai arrived before I finally decided to speak to my pack mate again, on the third day of our return.
I was staying on at the family home for a while longer. All of us siblings were, it seemed like old times, like we used to do when Bodil would take part in dominance fights. All us kids would stay at home afterwards. I keep hovering around Markus. I can’t help it.
I have a lot on my mind. The whole Canadian experience was making me think a lot of things over. Like how crazy my werewolf life was and how it seemed to spiral outwards and affect others.
I was trying to figure out if this was my doing or not. I hadn’t really concluded anything helpful so far.
“Little wolf,” Paris murmurs down the phone line at me. “I miss you.”
“I need a little space right now. To uh, absorb all that has happened. I guess I feel a little, shell shocked, ya know?”
“I do. It’s part of the effect of this type of fighting.” Paris says back at me. “Will you let me know if I can do anything to help you through this time?” He asks me and I hate myself a little more for hiding out from him for the past three days.
“I think I just need to be alone.” I reply back to him. “I’m just….don’t you feel like this after you’ve gone through something like that?”
“Each fight is different and I can’t say I’ve been through one where my family were endangered like yours were.”
“It makes me think about my life you know and how crazy it is. I feel like for all the control I practice as a werewolf. My actual life is highly out of control.”
“And that scares you.” Paris says back at me.
“Yes, it scares me. Doesn’t it scare you that chaos seems to follow us everywhere we go? I mean was your life this crazy before we got together? When you were just another pack werewolf, before you became pack leader. Again, because of us.”
There’s a pause of silence down the line. “Bg are you saying you don’t want to be with me? Are you breaking up with me? Over a telephone?” He asks seriously.
I sigh heavily. “No.”
“My life before you, it wasn’t exactly what I’d call crazy but it also wasn’t what I’d call normal and sedate either. I’m a werewolf sweetheart, we don’t do normal and sedate.” He tells me softly. “We’re paranormal beings, nothing about us, and what we do is not going to seem, well, not crazy on some level.”
“I guess.” I agree with him weakly.
“Do you need more time apart from me than this?” Paris asks me softly and I can hear the concern in his voice. He’s asking me if we need to take a break from our relationship. I feel confused, I don’t think that’s the answer yet, that’s what I’ve been doing for the past three days isn’t it?
Yeah, big brave werewolf I am. Can swallow a hurricane whole but can’t stomach a bump in her personal life.
“I don’t know.” I state back at him honestly.
“Are you in love with Addison, is that it?” He asks me out of nowhere. It’s not a jealousy question, it’s said out of fear.
“What? No I’m not in love with Addison. Please, what we had in Canada was,” I trail off.
“I thought it was what you wanted for us.” Paris comments.
“It was.” I reply. “But I’m not looking for that to be us, all the time.”
“Okay.” He says.
“Paris, don’t get me wrong, I am in love with you. I never knew love, relationships with werewolves could be as amazing as mine is with you.”
“But,” Paris interjects.
“But loving you, being in love with you isn’t stopping the craziness. We’ve been talking about having pups and a future together. How does that work when I get kidnapped out of my own home and stolen away to Canada to be hunted only to find myself in a massive werewolf pack fight to the death?” I say at him desperately.
“Bg, that was a one off scenario.” He tells me.
“But you can’t be sure that it was. That’s my point.” I say back at him. “We don’t control our lives and we’ve been talking about bringing another life into this one.”
“So you don’t want to have pups now?” Paris asks me.
“Maybe not just yet. I think we need to wait. We need to be as ready for them as we would be if we were going into a pack fight. Because right now, I feel like having a pup might just make us a bigger target than we already appear to be.”
“It’s understandable that you feel this way, given what you’ve just been through, all of you, Thane, Phelan and you.”
“It’s not solely because of that. I’ve been feeling this way for a while now.” I tell him.
“Well okay sweetheart. We’ll wait.” Paris says back at me. “I’m okay with waiting for pups but just remember, I need you.”
50
I’m soaking in the tub when I hear muted voices further down the hallway. But I’m not really interested in making out who they are or what is going on. I plan on staying in this tub until it goes cold.
I reach for my glass of wine and sip it. There’s a knock at the bathroom do
or and I glance at it. “Yeah?”
“Bg, Julian Teehlan from the Manhattan Maen is here for you.” My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “He needs to talk to you, apparently it’s quite urgent.” My sister Bodil says through the bathroom door at me.
“Uh, yeah, sure, send him in.”
“I’m not sending him in while you’re in the tub.” Bodil replies.
“Fine, just tell him to talk to me through the door then, like you are!” Bodil goes away and I hear new footsteps walk up to the door.
“Bg, its Jules.” He starts.
I pick up my wine again. “Hey Jules what’s so urgent that a girl can’t soak in a tub for a few hours forgetting her worries.”
“Uh there’s a bit of situation, has cropped up with the Manhattan Maen that Paris needs your help to deal with.”
I roll my eyes and drink a large mouthful of wine. “What kind of situation?”
“One that’s of the essence in terms of time. It’s a pack political one.” I frown as I listen to his words. What do I know about Manhattan Maen werewolf politics? “Some very VIP werewolves have blown into town and descended on the Maen pack and Paris would like you by his side to help him, uh,”
I groan. Paris and social niceties outside of his friends, is just not good. Correction they’re good, his patience and tolerance for bullshit aren’t. “Schmooze them and help him figure out their game plan?” I interject back at Jules.
“Yes, that’s it exactly.”
“Fine.” I groan annoyed with it all.
Doesn’t this reiterate what I said to him I was feeling lately. It’s like jumping from one spot fire to another and trying to put them out. Tiring. “It’s a good thing I didn’t get my damn hair wet!”
“Uh, yeah, so the thing is,” Jules rambles on through the door as I drink more wine. “He kind of needs you over there now, and its like disrespectful or they’re some kind of dignitaries or something so you have to be formally dressed in pack colors of representation.”
I roll my eyes. “For fuck-sake.” I mutter under my breath. “Well shit Jules, all my dressy fucking clothes and heels are back at my place in Red Hook, so I’m going to be running late. You might want to give him a heads up on that.” I state angrily pushing out of the tub and reaching for a towel.
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