by Lola Gabriel
“Stop it,” he heard Jett say behind him and he looked at her.
“Stop what?” he asked.
“Whatever it is that you’re trying to conjure up in your mind,” Jett pointed out and approached him.
“She’s not going to cooperate with them,” he said simply.
“No, she won’t, but she’s not stupid. She knows what’s at stake and she won’t do anything stupid that would get her killed. If anything, she’ll probably play along and then open a big can of whoop-ass on them. She’s a new-blood. Her rage and aggression are at their peak right now.”
“But what if—”
“She’s fine. I can feel it,” Jett stated and looked at him.
“Good, now keep holding on to that feeling,” Kodiak ordered. “How is that tracking going, Blaze?”
Blaze glanced up with a frown and looked at Kodiak.
“What is it?” Kodiak asked, not liking the expression on Blaze’s face.
“It’s the strangest thing,” Blaze glowered.
“What is?”
“She’s in Snoqualmie Falls.”
“What is she doing there?” Jett asked incredulously.
“You know where that is?” Kodiak asked her.
“Just vaguely,” Jett responded, her brow furrowed. “By the falls?”
“No,” Blaze answered hesitantly. “Under the falls.”
“Then that’s where we go,” Kodiak said and walked to the front door. “Now.”
Jett rushed after him, her heels clicking on the wooden floor, and she asked, “Kodi, don’t you think we should wait until—”
“No,” he glowered as he spun around and looked at her with flashing eyes. “We go now.”
“Okay,” Jett obeyed and turned to Blaze. “You stay here, wait for Moss and Rogue. We’ll call you if we need back-up, so just stay close.”
“Will do,” Blaze answered.
Jett turned back to Kodiak and said, “Let’s do this, Kodi.”
11
When Ferren was a little girl, she loved the sound of the rain as it fell down from the heavens. The sound of the raindrops softly drumming against the glass of her bedroom window made falling asleep much easier, and it calmed her down better than any lullaby could.
Ferren felt as though she had gone back in time, listening to the sound of the rain against her window in her parents’ house in Bellevue, clutching her favorite stuffed rabbit against her chest, drifting off to sleep.
This time, however, things felt different. The sound of the water was much more intense. It wasn't soothing at all and it ripped her out of her dream-like state. She abruptly sat up and looked around her. She was inside a cave it seemed, and she noticed a waterfall to her right. She scrambled to her feet but winced in discomfort as she felt a burning pain in her arm.
She felt confused and overwhelmed as she walked around the cave, trying to figure out where she was. Then a familiar smell filled her nostrils and she stood silently for a few moments, trying to figure out why that scent was so recognizable to her. She knew it from somewhere, but she just wasn't sure from where. An eerie feeling crept up her spine as her vision blurred and she recalled her memories from that night.
Ferren ran through the forest, the cold wind brushing its way through her fur. She didn't recognize exactly where she was, but she wasn't fueled by fear. She wasn't being chased; she was simply running, feeling free for the first time in a very long time. She stopped suddenly, catching a whiff of a small deer in the vicinity. She slowed down, her body instinctively lowering down onto the ground as she stayed perfectly still. The deer came into view, but Ferren didn't move a muscle. She didn't even know how to hunt, but her wolf instincts were very strong, and she watched the deer moving between the trees, coming closer, completely unaware of the danger that awaited it. Just as Ferren was about to pounce on the deer, howls pierced the air from a short distance away, and the deer, startled by the sound, made a run for it.
Ferren huffed in annoyance and stood back up, shaking her head. As soon as she saw the two wolves making their way through the trees toward her, a growl erupted in her throat. They didn't seem like they were from around here, although Ferren didn't know exactly why she felt that. She barked a few times as a warning, but they kept moving closer to her. One of them, a pitch black wolf with a white patch on its one ear, looked at her, baring its teeth maliciously at her.
Her stance was defensive, and not a shred of fear was felt inside her. She was much braver than she thought she was.
The wolves came closer, their eyes fixed on her as if they had found exactly who they were looking for, and Ferren noticed their very distinct scents. It was familiar somehow, but she couldn’t place it. They circled her like a shark ready to attack its prey, and the anticipation alone was torturous to Ferren. When the black wolf was close enough to her, she leaped forward and bit him on the neck, wrestling him to the ground. Surprisingly, the other wolf stood idly by while she sunk her teeth into the black wolf’s shoulder. It yelped out in pain and threw her off, causing her to skid a few feet across the snow. The two wolves howled a few times before disappearing into the woods.
Ferren stood up from the ground, shaking the snow from her fur, and looked in the direction where they disappeared. She tilted her head, not quite understanding what happened, and decided that she had had enough fresh air for one evening. It would be light soon, and she didn't want to be caught by animal control, being as close to the city as she was. Heaven only knew what she might do to a human if they tried to wrangle her like an ox, so she headed back through the trees, following her nose. She jumped over the back boundary wall of her property and figured it would be a good idea for her to climb in through the window rather than walk in casually through the front door. That’d be a tricky thing to explain.
Maybe I could just say I got a dog, she thought to herself as she jumped up on the banister of the back porch, before jumping onto the roof. She carefully made her way to her window, which for some reason she’d left open, and climbed through it. Feeling exhausted, she collapsed onto her bed and immediately fell asleep.
Ferren’s memory faded away and she was back in the cave, behind the waterfall. She heard a sound behind her and whirled around. A gasp escaped her throat as her eyes widened and she stepped forward.
“Mike?” Her voice was a mere whisper, and she stared at him in shock.
“Hey, you’re awake,” he smiled casually at her.
“What are you doing here? And where is here exactly?” she asked as she took a few steps toward him.
“I found you on the side of the road, in a crashed Mustang. You were just lying there,” Mike explained.
“What?”
“I figured that whoever kidnapped you must have wanted to kill you, and just left you there. You were bleeding and—”
“And you brought me here instead of to the hospital?” she asked with exasperation.
“I didn't think it was that serious. Besides, you heal fast. You’re a wolf now.”
Ferren froze and her heart stopped for a moment. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mike,” Ferren stuttered, trying to sound relaxed, but clearly, she failed miserably, as her voice shook. She knew the implications of telling a human their secret or admitting it when confronted with those kinds of interrogational questions.
“How was your second shift in comparison to your first?” Mike asked.
“How do you know about that?” she whispered, feeling cold shivers run down her spine.
“Because I made you that way,” Mike answered, and his eyes flashed yellow, just like the wolf in the road, and the one who attacked her.
Her chest tightened and she took a few steps back. “You,” she gasped. “It was you.”
Mike smirked at her and nodded proudly.
“You’re a wolf. How is that possible?”
“I must admit. You were pretty easy to lure into the wo
ods. I know you have a weakness for injured animals. I knew you were going to climb out of that car, but I didn't expect you to be so easy to catch. You’re not much of a runner, are you?” he sneered menacingly at her.
“How could you do this?” she asked. “We were supposed to be friends.”
“We were, until that was the only thing you wanted to be. Friends, with the occasional booty-call here and there,” he muttered bitterly.
“I told you that was the only thing I could offer you right now, Mike. You agreed,” she defended herself.
“Sure, but did you honestly expect me to not develop feelings for you, Ferren?” he asked and placed his hands on his hips.
“Is that why you did what you did?” she asked with a furrowed brow. “You attacked me and turned me into a wolf with the hopes that I would imprint on you?”
“That’s an interesting thought. That didn't occur to me one bit, actually,” Mike said with a pout. “But I didn't turn you for my own personal benefit, even though I might have to reconsider my reasons.”
“Then why did you turn me?” she asked.
Mike chuckled as he started to circle around her, his eyes focused on her the whole time, and the menacing look in his yellow eyes made her feel equally inadequate and mesmerized.
That’s his ability. To blind me from what is going on, she thought.
Ferren thought back to the entire time she had known him, and it all started to make sense. The way he always looked at her if she asked too many questions. The few occasions when she was at his house, how he didn't like her going anywhere in the house without him. He didn't give her a key to his house like she gave him a key to hers, and at times he seemed very secretive, but with the use of his ability, she was blind to all of that. She narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to keep herself composed, or she would allow her rage to boil over, and who knew what she’d be capable of doing when she was in the midst of a rage-filled episode.
She took a few deep breaths as he still circled around her and she lowered her gaze. “I can’t believe you are doing this. Why didn't you just kill me, Mike?”
“Because you’re much more valuable alive than you are dead,” he answered simply. “The Crescents have no use for you when you’re dead.”
“So, you are a Crescent. Kodiak was right,” she stated.
“Speaking of the Washington Alpha, it is rather unfortunate for you and him to have imprinted,” Mike pointed out.
“I bet it was,” Ferren muttered and crossed her arms.
“You’re awfully cocky for someone who is in your position,” Mike told her.
“I’m not afraid of you, Mike, regardless of what you think,” she spat.
“Is that so?” he asked and walked straight to her. He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. The tight grip of his hand around her neck was painfully uncomfortable and she struggled to free herself from his grasp.
The sound of the water rushing down the waterfall started to sound angry and destructive all of a sudden, but it was faint in comparison to the drumming in her ears.
“You have no idea how much I wish I could kill you right now, Ferren,” Mike hissed and threw her down on the ground, “but apparently you’re too valuable to kill.”
Ferren scrambled away from him, gasping for air as he stepped away from her. “You might as well do it, because I would never do what you or your Alpha wants. Your pack is deranged,” she spat at him.
“Maybe, but we get things done. We’re respected,” Mike sneered.
“Fear and respect are not the same thing,” she snapped back at him.
Mike crouched down in front of her, his yellow eyes flashing viciously, and he laughed wickedly. “You’d be surprised what a good motivator fear can be.”
Ferren noticed his eyes swirling, and she felt all her resistance melt away. She knew what he was trying to do, and she tried her hardest to resist. She didn't want to be controlled by a Crescent to do their bidding. She would not be the person who betrayed Kodiak and his pack. She was even prepared to die a horrible death before she betrayed him. He had become the center of her world in a very short amount of time, and he meant more to her than anything. If it meant she had to die to prevent the Crescents from attaining her as a Healer, then she would do it, as it was her duty as the Alpha’s mate to look out for her family.
Ferren closed her eyes and looked away with a growl. “Stop it,” she cried out in anger and shoved Mike away from her.
He was on his feet almost instantaneously and crouched defensively. Pouncing on her, they skidded off a rock formation and landed in a small pool of water, accumulated from the wayward spray of the waterfall. Ferren dodged quite a few punches from Mike, and she could tell he was growing frustrated that he couldn't accurately land a punch.
“What’s the matter, Mike?” she jeered as she cocked her head, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him over her shoulder. “Having a bit of performance anxiety?”
Mike stood up from the ground and growled at her, transforming before her eyes. His yellow eyes still flashed with malice, but this time, Ferren wasn't as terrified as she had been the first time, or the second time, she encountered him. Maybe the fact that she knew it was Mike was what made it easier for her, or maybe it was because he threatened more than just her safety. The safety of the entire Washington pack was at stake, and she refused to allow him, of all people, to put the pack at risk.
Kodiak’s pack.
Her pack.
As she was about to transform, she remembered something that Kodiak had told her. She’d only be able to transform at will after the last day of the full moon. Her heart sank into her boots, but she refused to allow this minor hitch in her plan.
I guess I’ll just have to inflict as much pain on him in my human form, she thought to herself.
Mike barked at her before coming in for the attack, but she was ready for him. She grabbed his flesh at the front of his chest and threw him across the cave. He landed against the stone wall and fell to the ground, but immediately got up again.
“Come on, Mikey,” she taunted him with a smirk. “Do your worst.”
His yellow eyes glowed eerily as he came toward her, but he quickly turned around and kicked her with a giant hind paw. She felt it as she was lifted off the ground by the impact of his paw against her torso and she flew through the air.
This is going to hurt, she thought a millisecond before she hit the rock formation.
It did hurt, but somehow, she managed to get up again. Their scuffle lasted for a short while, until Ferren felt herself getting tired. She had to hand it to Mike, he had stamina—which she already knew from previous experience.
As Mike came at her the last time, she fell down on the ground, not possessing the strength to even get up. As she lay on the ground, Mike approaching her with angry eyes, she felt blood trickle down the side of her face and the metallic taste in her mouth was overbearing.
Mike suddenly transformed back into his human form, fully clothed, and crouched down beside Ferren.
“This isn’t going well for you, is it?” The amusement was evident in his voice, and it sent shivers down Ferren’s spine.
“Screw you,” she spat at him and he turned away momentarily before grabbing her by the neck and lifting her off of the ground.
“Yeah, you’d like that. Wouldn’t you? Because that was all you ever wanted to do with me. I wanted so much more than that, but you weren’t ready,” he said with a scowl.
“I wasn't,” she struggled against his grip. “You knew that from the start, and you were fine with it.”
“You are so clueless,” he said, glaring at her.
Before he could utter another word, he was grabbed from behind and was sent flying through the air. Ferren felt a pair of arms fold around her shoulders, jerking her forward and away from Mike.
She was placed back on the ground and she looked, wide-eyed, at Kodiak, who gazed at her with sheer relief in his eyes.
&nbs
p; “What the hell took you so long?” she whispered as she turned to him.
“Now’s not the time to sass me,” he muttered, “and you’re welcome.”
“I’ll thank you properly later,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
Kodiak grinned briefly before turning to where Mike was on the floor, while Jett pressed the heel of her boot against Mike’s neck.
A growl sounded from the other side of the waterfall and as Ferren and Kodiak turned, they saw two other wolves stalk through the falling water toward them, snarling and baring their teeth.
“Oh, great,” Jett muttered behind them. “We have company.”
“I can’t transform,” Ferren panicked. “What do I do?”
Kodiak and Ferren backed away from the wolves and he looked at her. “Inflict as much pain as you possibly can,” he called out to her before transforming into the most beautiful wolf Ferren had ever laid her eyes on. His fur was the same color as his hair and his eyes were two bright emeralds, sparkling even in this dimly lit cave.
“Ferren, look out!” Jett called out to her and she turned just in time to see a white wolf pounce toward her.
The wolf brought her down onto the ground and she grabbed his muzzle as he tried to go for her neck. “What do I do?” she yelled. “I can’t keep him here like this forever!”
Ferren looked at Jett, who was fighting off Mike, both in their wolf forms, and groaned to herself. Both Kodiak and Jett were busy dealing with a bunch of rabid wolves, and she had her own to deal with. She threw the wolf off her, but it just kept coming back for more. It was becoming a bit annoying after a while, like fending off an aggressive little Chihuahua. Suddenly something that Kodiak had told her echoed through her mind and she grabbed hold of the wolf’s throat.
“Inflict as much pain as possible.”
She pursed her lips and a revelation unfolded in front of her eyes. When Kodiak said that, he didn't mean literally. Physically there was nothing she could do to hurt them, but through her ability she could. She knew that she had the ability to take pain away, so naturally she would be able to inflict it as well. She took a deep breath, focused her energy, and seeing the pain manifest inside her head, she touched the wolf with the palm of her hand.
