by L M Lacee
As it was Sunday family day, the castle was quiet. Not much foot traffic to cross paths with her therefore she did not have to explain where she was going and why. She loved her surrogate family, but they were slightly overprotective at times and for some unknown reason they always looked at her decisions with suspicion.
But if she was wily as only a wolf could be, she should be able to slip away without anyone knowing especially. ‘Mr working on it dragon.’ Angry all over again June quickly packed her retrieval bag, somethings she realized as she placed spare clothes and ammunition in her bag one never forgot how to do. She loaded up on her personal weapons and changed into her old outfit of jeans, shirt, combat boots and leather coat.
Ready, she looked around, decided she had forgotten nothing and quietly left her apartment, running down the wide stone stairs. She stashed her gear in a small closet off the landing and walked into the family room, it seemed luck was on her side.
CHAPTER TWO:
C harlie and Harper were together and away from the others. June smothered a laugh as she slid in behind the sisters when they both jumped a little as she stepped up to the two of them and slipped the paper Charlie held from her fingers. “I will go, Reighn has said Harper is not to go out again.”
“June that is not a good idea.” Charlie said.
Harper agreed saying. “Sage will not be happy!”
June looked at Charlie and Harper knowing she needed to make this sound good or the sisters would foil her plan. “Excuse me! I was with Sage when we first started retrievals and I am quite able to look after myself.”
“What will Sage and Fin say?” Charlie asked softly. June could see Harper looked confused not realizing as everyone else did that Fin and she were in a courtship of sorts. “Why will they say anything? I am not a young one to be asking permission. I am capable and healthier than Harper. No offense!”
“Oh none taken. Truth is truth!” Harper agreed with a grin.
“Charlie, I will get it done. I will make it okay. I promise. “June proclaimed, hoping Charlie would not ask Sage’s opinion, the last thing June needed was to have Sage demanding to know why she wanted to leave the castle. Charlie smiled, but it did not reach her eyes, she was not happy but in truth she could not say no. June was as far as she knew a very good retriever and as she said, she was no child, plus Harper was hurt more than she was letting on.
June whispered. “Charlie I need this. I need to go out for a while. I need to clear my head, please don’t make me beg.”
“Oh June never! Girl go…go and stay safe please. Get dead and I will kill you myself!”
June nodded. “See you in a few days and thank you, Charlie.” She hurriedly slipped from the room as both Charlie and Harper watched her go. She ignored her wolf’s sorrowful howl telling her. It is what we need to do, to decide what our next step is. Please don’t be sad. We will be back.
Later that night Fin leaned against the wall outside June’s apartment and waited for her to return. He had not attended Sunday family day opting instead to go and see his old comrades. A message was received three days ago to let him know they wished to return home. His dragon insisted he told June and even invite her to come with him but he was worried. The planet his friends had been stationed on was known as a rogue destination. Finally he convinced his dragon she would be safer at home so he did not tell her he was going, thinking to spare her feelings about being left behind.
Ella would say he decided for June and did not give her enough credit to decide for herself. He sighed as he again shifted trying to get comfortable on the hard floor. Maybe Ella and his dragon were right, maybe he was too protective. June was an intelligent, amusing, gifted female, and he was a lucky male to have her or he would be if he could only stop pissing her off as he had last night, he had felt her anger again. Because you will not employ the strategy, we agreed on. His dragon told him.
We cannot use that. Our strategy did not take into account shifters. They are all about emotions not as we had originally thought, dragon rational. Wolves are not dragons, and June is more wolf than human.
So what are our options? Our shadow is becoming restless and annoyed with our delay.
We are not ready! His dragon went silent with that and Fin mentally shrugged, maybe courting a female wolf was different than preparing for battle, maybe not all contingencies could be foreseen, he would think on it. He knew he was partially right. He had to make sure he was secure, that he and his dragon could keep her safe. It was something he had learnt as a young male. His brother had not done enough for his shadow or hatchling and Ella had grown up without him or her parents. He would never allow that to happen to June or any of his young, if he actually had any. Where was she?
His dragon murmured. Maybe she has gone to stay with friends. You are tired, today was harder than you thought it would be. Settling males that have not lived in civilized society for many years was enough to try my patience. Go to bed if we are not to see our shadow. I do not want to be here, where I can scent her anger and frustration, it adds to mine.
Fin sighed, Alright. We will find her tomorrow and take her to lunch!
His dragon grinned, and Fin could almost feel him drooling. Hamburgers? I like hamburgers.
Yes! You greedy dragon.
CHAPTER THREE:
F in was annoyed in fact he was beyond annoyed he was probably closer to incandescent with anger. He walked into the health center where is niece Ella stood talking to an older male, he waited and paced as he felt his anger climb.
He had just been told when he went to June’s office to ask her to lunch that she was not there. It seemed she never came into work today. She was in fact not at the castle or Dragon’s Gap. Apparently his shadow left last night to do a retrieval.
Fin was here at Ella’s place of work because he knew she would know if this was in fact true. As she flicked worried eyes towards him and then quickly away, he felt his heart sink. She knew, his June had left him. His dragon moaned pitifully, our fault we took too long. Wolves are not dragons!
Shut up! The plan was yours as well!
We are doomed to be alone!
Dear Goddess. What kind of warrior are you?
A LONELY ONE! His dragon roared almost dropping Fin to his knees.
“Uncle Fin?” Ella said carefully after she had finished talking to the male who with one hesitant look at Fin hurried away. Ella felt kind of sorry for her Uncle. He looked like his world had been rocked. When Charlie told her at breakfast this morning that June had left to go on a retrieval. She wanted to jump up and down, finally June was taking a stand but now looking at her devastated Uncle she was not sure that was the best plan.
She felt her Uncle was being ridiculous. She understood his reasons as did June, shoot everyone did but there was safe and secure, then there was procrastinating. Her Uncle was dithering as Harper would say and like June she did not know why?
“Ella, I cannot find June.”
“She is not here, she left Dragon’s Gap.”
He felt his lungs squeeze his chest. He had known she was not here but for Ella to baldly say as much, took his breath away. “Why…Why? Would she leave without me knowing?”
“Why would she not?” Ella asked as she led him into an office, hers by the scent of it. Fin thought as he paced the small room. “She is my shadow.”
“Is she? All indications say you have no claim on her.”
Fin growled. “You know I do. We have been in a courtship.”
“No Uncle!” Really, males! Her dragon said. Why must they complicate everything? Ella sighed in reply to her Uncle. “You have been in a courtship, June and her wolf have been telling you the courtship was over. They wanted their mate, you denied her. What did you think was going to happen?”
Fin paced again as he told her. “She understood!”
Ella was sure she heard a pout. Trying not to laugh she said sharply. “No, she did not! Do not fool yourself. She was patient, she was kind, she did unde
rstand. Now she has lost patience. She is no longer willing to be a doormat, and she does not understand. All she knows is her mate has rejected her.”
He slumped onto a chair, his head hung low. “I do not know what to do. We, my dragon and I had a plan?”
Sage strode into the room she hugged Ella then she stood looking at the male “Well you better think of something. My sister left home without my knowledge and it is your fault dragon!”
Fin stood up fast his face a mask of shame and pain. “Ella how did you find out?” Sage asked her annoyance coloring her words.
“Charlie told me this morning when we had breakfast.”
“Call her here, for me dear!”
Ella inwardly grimaced, she knew that tone, it boded ill for the one she was angry with… and she was angry. It was easy to tell it was in the way she spoke as the Dragon Lady. “Certainly Dragon Lady”
Sage eyed the male. “Please sit, you and I need to have a discussion. “She took the seat beside him. “I am going to tell you a few things about your Shadow.”
Fin looked at her and said nothing. Sage nodded, good the male was willing to listen. “Some of this you may know, some not, there is stuff she will not tell you herself. June was brought up by her grandmother.”
Fin nodded. “I know she was a mean, bitter, nasty female who abused my June.”
Sage sighed. “Yes, she did and often. June finally escaped her at thirteen. She found a wolf pack, a street pack in New York. Thankfully they were good to her. The Alpha believed all young should be educated and he had no care if the wolves under him were half or full blood. Believe me that was unusual back then. When June was eighteen, her Alpha was killed in a challenge. The new Alpha did was not a progressive thinker like the old Alpha, he hated all half-bloods. Just before the challenge the old Alpha feared for June and the half-bloods under his care. He made June swear if he lost to make sure she took all the half-bloods away, he gave her a lot of money and places she could hide them. So obviously the old Alpha was defeated and before the new Alpha established himself and his pack. June did as she promised.
I am sure you can imagine he did not like that. He hunted her throughout America when she had all those under her care safe, she left and traveled the world doing basically what we do now except she took them to my Uncles pack for safety.”
“I did not know any of that. She never discusses it.”
“No, some of those memories are not kind to her and there are somethings she did that she would rather forget.”
“I see. I can understand that.”
“I am sure you can. The thing you should know about June is she can become wolf crazy.”
“What is this term? I have never heard of it before have you niece?”
“No, I have not. Is it a disease?” Ella asked Sage as Charlie walked in.
“Hello Sage… Fin… Ella.”
“Charlie, we are discussing June.” Sage told her as Charlie took a seat. She eyed Sage warily noticing the tight way she held herself if she was not mistaken her Dragon Lady was not pleased. “I see. I am sorry you disagree with my choice but in truth as a retriever she is first class and she was capable, but most importantly she was willing.”
Fin stood. “She is my shadow you had no right.”
Charlie’s eyes went ghost grey as she too stood. “Stand down dragon Fin or I will put you down.”
“You may try assassin.” He growled back at her.
“Stand down my friend.” Storm calmly said as he entered. Fin took a step back and shook his head. “I beg your pardon, my apologies!”
“Understandable.” Charlie said quietly as Storm nodded. Sage stood and her face became hard and none were left in any doubt that the Dragon Lady, stood before them and she was angry. She pointed to Charlie. “I am very angry at you, there was no way you should have allowed her to leave for whatever reason without talking to me first.”
Then she pointed at Fin. “You and your plan of courting has done nothing but cause her to feel rejected which has done nothing other than drag up her parents and grandmothers rejection. You have made her doubt herself, she feels as if she is not worthy of a bond. Your work to convince her otherwise when she returns will be like climbing up a hill in fact that may be easier.
Realize I am her sister, so what I am saying now is for your ears only. What June has is not for all to learn about, it is something that occurs to wolves that have suffered in their formative years as June did. Now wolf crazy, for you who do not know the term, means she will take chances you and I would never think to do. She will not see the perils because she does not want too. She will willing walk into a trap, in the belief she will best it or her opponents. Why?
Because when she is wolf crazy she never sees the danger in any situation. If people like us get into trouble or feel outnumbered we will call for back up, she will not. She would never even think to do so. It is not a flaw. It is not because she does not care. She does greatly, just not about herself because she believes she is indestructible. She becomes wolf crazy.”
She looked at Fin and said quietly. “The last time she was wolf crazy was two years ago, she rescued three pups from their abusive father, she killed fourteen wolves before she came home. She walked into their den knowing she was out numbered, out gunned with no back up. When I asked her why she would take such a chance, she shrugged and told me she never once stopped to consider they would win. She believed she had right on her side.” Fin and Charlie paled as they stared at each other. “Fin, if she allows you another chance, you will need to learn the signs. For now I suggest we all sit back and pray to whomever we believe in that she will come back alive and whole.” She looked at them all tight lipped and bit out. “I am leaving, please none of you see me for a day or two unless it is about June. I am very angry.” Without another word she left taking a visibly upset Ella with her. Charlie with a kiss to Storm and a small smile to Fin, left after she had made sure Sage was nowhere to be seen.
Leaving Fin alone with Storm who said. “You and I at the Broadsword now!” Fin nodded as he followed the male from the room. He was in for a pounding and sadly on some level he knew he deserved it. Maybe he could get some advice from Storm and Lars after his beating. They had bonded with non-dragons.
Now you ask! His dragon snarled.
At least I am asking.
Still lonely! His dragon grumbled.
Yeah…Yeah!
CHAPTER FOUR:
T he music was divine heavenly tunes reached out into the darkness of the night making the hair on June’s arms rise as she sat in her car, listening to the song, as it was carried on the breeze through the open windows of the vehicle.
It had been three days since she had made her mad dash from Dragon’s Gap and Fin, she was on her eighth retrieval and unfortunately there had not been a day since that her wolf’s pining did not make her feel sad.
She was no closer to an answer to her problem of Fin although she hoped by being out of reach he may have thought on her last words to him and come to the same conclusion as she had. They needed to be together now.
As she listened to the song, she could not help the tears as they filled her eyes. She wondered who sung with so much heart rendering sorrow. Two rings on her phone let her know her passengers were about to arrive. She wiped any tears that may have escaped away and unlocked the doors, listening to the last notes of the song fade away under the purr of the finely tuned engine.
Within minutes her front and back seats were filled with females that sadly brought with them the scent of fear and desperation it was a familiar smell that invaded her car. When she heard the last door close, she put the car in gear and reluctantly drove slowly from the small town, knowing she would never be this way again and would be unlikely to ever hear such beauty again in her lifetime.
Sadness washed through her to mix with the fear and anguish residing in the car. Carefully she let only her eyes travel over the occupants of her vehicle. She was not surprised to see the
haunted faces of seven thin females and their small children. It had been that sort of town. Even with the beautiful music, there had been an undercurrent of violence and fear in the air that itched at June’s nerves. She was relieved to be leaving. A voice whispered from the darkness. “We are grateful for the ride.”
June smiled, and it showed in her voice as she answered. “No problem you are not the first we have taken from around here tonight, and as far as I know you will not be the last. All who needed to leave will do so before morning.”
“That is a relief, it as a place of horror that I hope we can put behind us.” Said another more mature female voice. June told them. “Where you are going, there are people who can help with that. They are good people. I know it is hard to believe there are places and people who are kind and loving to our kind.”
The same voice came from the back seat. “That is what the tigers told us. Sad to say there were some of us who did not believe them, until tonight when you and your vehicles all arrived.”
June nodded. “Yeah, we get that a lot, it is something we have come to terms with. Oh by the way who was that playing and singing in the bar?”
There was silence until a young female squashed in the front seat by the door answered. “There was no music or singing in the bar, just the typical fighting.”
June jerked the steering wheel. She had not imagined hearing the music with the haunting voice, softly floating on the air. Quickly to cover her lapse she said. “Sorry bump in the road. Well, it must have been a radio.”
They drove so long her passengers finally dropped into an easy sleep. Maybe the first they ever had. When June saw they were really asleep. She messaged her coordinates and a large oval filled with light opened on the road in front of her vehicle. She drove through the silver doorway. It was the quickest way to the drop off point, through a portal. Things had really changed she had discovered over the last three days since she, Sage and Claire had done retrievals.
