Shifter Wars: Supernatural Battle (Werewolf Dens Book 1)

by Kelly St Clare

  “I apologise.” He searched my face, eyes solemn and a complete contrast to—

  “Your grin says otherwise,” I grumbled, taking the application forms when he offered them, still grinning.

  My chest rose as our gazes met.

  Electricity thrummed under my skin, and I shivered, frowning. “Thanks for these. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Andie,” he called.

  I paused. “Yeah?”

  “Your saxophone.” He jerked his head to the bar.

  Shit.

  Shooting him a glare that dared him to laugh, I stalked past to grab my case and purse, spinning to leave again.

  I blamed the call with Roy.

  “Your first song tonight,” Sascha damn Greyson said as I passed him.

  I stopped. “What?”

  “It was good advice,” he said. “Thank you for the encouragement.”

  I watched as he strode away, and my stomach plummeted.

  Shit.

  Try Just a Little Bit Harder.

  18

  “Excuse me. Walter Nash?” I tapped the shrivelled man on the shoulder. Why couldn’t I think of him as just Walter though?

  He hobbled in a circle to face me. “Rhona!”

  “Not Rhona,” I said, smiling. “Do you remember me? I was looking for the Thanas a while back.”

  His eyes rounded. “I do. Kathy from Valley Designs said that Roger from the post office told her you’re sticking around. That must mean things went well with Herc. Or was this place too beautiful to leave behind?”

  No doubt he’d also heard of my thong escapade, too, but the old man was too nice to mention it. “A bit of both. Could you help me again? I’m trying to find a nice spot to swim.”

  I’d spotted Walter Nash from my windows as I tried to convince myself to leave the apartment. Facing werewolves in public was one thing, outside and alone… another thing entirely.

  I couldn’t let fear rule my life. Even if I really, really wanted to stay in my apartment all the time.

  I wouldn’t let Sascha Greyson control me.

  “I’m the person to ask.” He bobbed his head several times and grabbed my arm, hauling me down the street.

  His grip was freakin’ strong.

  “See that sign?” He jabbed a gnarled finger.

  The street post contained several brown signs—post office, pharmacy, bank. Below them were two green signs. One read Lake Thana. The other read Deception River. They pointed in opposite directions.

  “Either of those’ll set you right. Both roads are well sign posted. The river hole is one of the most beautiful places in the valley, or my name isn’t Walter Nash,” he said emphatically.

  Lake Thana was where Rhona took me.

  I slid into Ella F after, throwing my heavy tote bag onto the passenger seat. She hummed to life.

  “Thank you,” I told her. Car troubles would truly be the cherry on top.

  I rolled down Main Street, stopping for the tourists cramming the streets. I hesitated at the street post and turned left over the bridge, following the sign for Deception River. I’d never been out this way.

  The river that split the valley clean in half flowed beneath the gorgeous stone bridge, and I made a note to come back at sunset with my phone to snap more pictures.

  Turning right at the other end of the bridge, I drove slowly, enjoying the winding river road and red oaks.

  Tension drained from my shoulders.

  Yep, I made the right choice getting outdoors.

  Moving to the valley couldn’t just be about the game. Grids was important to me, and so was fostering the connection I’d felt when arriving here. For me, and because Mum had loved this place so much.

  The way was well sign posted. Walter Nash hadn’t led me astray.

  “Walter,” I said aloud, holding my breath. “Nash.”

  Calling him Walter was like calling Bradley Cooper by just Bradley. Except Walter Nash wasn’t a movie star.

  Or was he?

  I grinned.

  Around the next curve, rows of cars appeared, lining the road. Guess I’d found the watering hole. “This is not what I had in mind.”

  Me. Sunglasses. Blueberry muffins. Sunshine. Denial that werewolves exist. Alone time. That’s what my Saturday would involve.

  I tapped my bottom lip and drove on. Others had the same idea—I spotted smaller clusters of cars farther down the road. I kept driving until all cars were left behind.

  Driving around a bend, I spotted a dirt area off the road. Looked like cars pulled in there all the time. Directing Ella F off the road, I parked and pushed through the trees.

  Yes!

  A rippling and natural water slide ran into a deep and calm pool. A narrow sandy beach lined the shore, bathed in sunshine.

  Trees surrounded the oasis. Check.

  Not a single person. Check.

  This was me for the day.

  Returning to the car, I heaved my bag out, locking Ella F.

  A short forest walk, and I kicked off my flip-flops to sink my toes into the warm sand.

  A sigh escaped my parted lips. Spreading out my towel, I groaned at the aches and pains in my body. I probably shouldn’t swim today. I couldn’t be sure of staying above water in this sorry state. Gerry was a mean bastard and angry punching received a D minus.

  “Only happy punching from now on,” I told the trees.

  Tearing off my summery yellow dress, I slathered on sunscreen and set out my water bottle and phone.

  Groaning again, I adjusted my navy sunbathing bikini and flopped on my back. The rippling river was the best kind of meditation track. Downriver a distance, a louder pounding and slap of water provided a soothing bass.

  Beautiful.

  I closed my eyes.

  The sun soaked into me within minutes, permeating my bones. The warmth weighed like a heavy blanket, and with the state of my body, drifting in and out of sleep was far too easy.

  I rotated like a rotisserie chicken, settling my cheek against the old beach towel.

  A deep sense of rightness filled me at the mix of river water, pine trees, and sunshine. A deeper scent carried through the air, but I didn’t know what tree caused it. Kind of like a musk.

  I’d have to ask Walter Nash.

  Mum might have sunbathed in this exact spot once. Now, I was here. In another twenty years, someone else could do the same. The Thanas were right; this valley didn’t belong to anyone. No one needed to own this land.

  How could it possibly belong to feeble creatures like us?

  I rolled again.

  How did Mum ever leave this place? Had she known this kind of beauty wasn’t normal outside of the valley? At one point, this place meant everything to her, and she’d never said a word about Queen’s Way to make me feel she loved it at all. She’d once requested her ashes be spread on this land. What was it that overrode her connection to Deception Valley in the end?

  Was pregnancy the driving factor? Or protecting me from the werewolves? Stewards had children here all the time, so it didn’t seem like enough despite my initial assumption. Surely there were other werewolves in the world too—and fuck knew what else. Wasn’t there safety in numbers and what you knew?

  She’d gone off with only Murphy for company, but I couldn’t help feeling she still belonged here. Even in death.

  Maybe when I knew more of Mum’s past, I’d be comfortable spreading her ashes in the valley.

  My phone buzzed and I fumbled for the damn thing, reading the message from Herc.

  Murphy died October 9th.

  I rattled off a quick thank you, lying back again.

  October 9th. Three weeks after my third birthday. All I could remember was his face as he left and the toy truck in my hand. Was that truck a birthday present?

  No idea.

  I might be content to preserve him as Dropkick in my memory forever, except Mum’s journals were filled with mentions of him—even at age twelve.

  Jiani was right.
Even back then, Mum knew she loved him.

  The thought of changing my mindset about Murphy was, frankly, terrifying. Without me ever intending to, I’d built my life around him leaving. My fears, my drive, my expectations for others staying power… everything was tied to his betrayal.

  That maybe never happened.

  Scrolling through my contacts, I tapped on the number of Mum’s second friend.

  “Hello?”

  “Nairee? It’s Andie here. Ragna’s daughter.”

  The woman gasped. “I’m so glad you called.”

  Wow, so different to Jiani. I could see Mum gossiping and laughing with this lady as opposed to seeking her advice.

  “Nice to meet you,” I mumbled. “I was hoping to ask you some questions about Mum.”

  “Of course. Ragna was one of my treasured friends. She might have left, but I remember our time together so fondly.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. Mum hurt a lot of people by leaving.”

  “Perhaps, yes. But Ragna was never one to hurt others if she didn’t have to. I believe she had her reasons.”

  Same as Jiani. Though Nairee was a lot more forgiving. “You don’t know why she left?”

  “Unfortunately not. Jiani said that you spoke, and I’ve got to say we’ve always agreed on that something more happened to our friend. Further than that, I can’t say.”

  Dammit.

  “But there is something I’ve kept to myself for a long time,” she whispered. “Ragna swore me to secrecy, but I feel she’d want you to find closure. She, well, Ragna called me after Murphy’s death.”

  I sat. “What for?”

  “She wanted to know if Murphy was safe. I had to pass on the bad news.” Her voice cracked. “It was one of the worst moments of my life. They loved each other so much. I felt like I’d cut off her limbs by telling her. Haunts me to this day.”

  Mum knew that Murphy died. Mum knew Murphy had died.

  I croaked. “How long after his death was this?”

  “The day after. Her choice of words always got me. Is he safe? It’s like she already knew the truth and just needed confirmation.”

  “Did she say anything else?”

  “Before I told her, she said that Murphy was meant to be home by now. That he’d only come to Deception Valley for a week.”

  My heart splattered on the ground. “He only left to visit the valley.”

  “What’s that, dear?”

  He was Murphy, not Dropkick.

  I closed my eyes. “Sorry, Nairee. Something’s just come up. Do you mind if I give you a call another time?”

  “Oh. Not a problem, Andie. Just whenever you want to talk, dear.”

  I hung up and stared at the water.

  She never told me my father died. She’d let me think he’d left us, abandoned us.

  Why did she hurt me like that?

  Lie to me like that?

  I dug the heels of my palms into my eyes, recalling Mum’s exact words. He had demons he couldn’t ignore. He left and won’t be back.

  In essence, that wasn’t untrue. Murphy did leave and didn’t come back. But Jesus, she’d let me fill in the gaps with the most horrible assumptions.

  At least her words gave me a clue now.

  He had demons he couldn’t ignore.

  Those demons led him back to Deception Valley. By demons, did she mean the Luthers? Or something else?

  Fuck. What a mess.

  I didn’t know how to face it. Any of it. I didn’t even know how to think about Murphy now he wasn’t Dropkick.

  I’d always, always refused him the title of father.

  My stomach rumbled, and that alone convinced my arms they should move. Riffling through the tote, I dug around for the paper bag. When life kicked a person in the vagina, at least there were blueberry muffins to save the day.

  How many hints did I need to drop to Herc to get more?

  A loud splash sounded downriver, and I lifted my head.

  Fish?

  A tiny scream sounded beyond the river curve, and silence fell.

  Shit, was that a kid?

  Another scream.

  I froze for an instant before bursting to my feet, muffin forgotten as I took off down the narrow beach.

  A third wailing cry.

  It was a child. Oh my god.

  I pumped my arms, sand flying as I sprinted. A pathetic howl arose, half gurgle as I leaped across boulders.

  The pounding of the river was louder as I rounded the curve, searching frantically for the source.

  There.

  A puppy struggled against the far riverbed, intertwined in branches. It howled again, bobbing under.

  Not a puppy.

  A werewolf.

  A baby werewolf.

  A mournful howl rose far off in the distance, and the cub choked a weak response. I was already moving, scanning the river. The rapids here weren’t a calming trickle. Shallow but fast moving.

  “Fuck. Okay.” Breath fast, I waded into the fierce river, immediately leaning against the shove of the water.

  I waded through the white water, wincing as the rocks under the surface scraped at my ankle bones and shins.

  “I’m coming. Hold on,” I gasped.

  A shrieking whine was the answer. Howls echoed through the surrounding forest. They barely registered as I cleared the rapids, blood pounding in my ears.

  There was a tree under the water. The cub was caught in the bramble. Uneasiness stirred my gut as I studied the dark depths.

  Anything could be under there. I could get stuck too.

  The tiny werewolf bobbed. Three seconds passed and she didn’t resurface.

  Time’s up.

  I dove into the water, forcing my tired arms and legs to cut through the torrent. Branches brushed my legs, scraping along my body, spiking terror through my movements. I burst upward for air, struggling against the current as I clung to the thick trunk.

  Where was she?

  I worked down, shoving brambles aside.

  My heart leaped as a small paw broke the surface. I ignored the wood digging into my stomach as I pushed over the trunk and grabbed at the cub, yanking her out.

  Hooking my legs around the branch, I slapped her back.

  “I’ve got you, baby,” I choked between wheezing breaths. “You’re okay. You’re okay.”

  The cub vomited water and my shoulders relaxed though the tiny thing was nearly limp in my ruthless hold on the scruff of her neck.

  She had to be exhausted.

  The tree moved.

  My eyes widened as the trunk started to roll, pushing me under.

  Shouting, I threw the cub hard toward the riverbank. She tumbled across the mossy ground as water closed around me.

  I shoved away from the trunk toward the bank but was dragged back by a grip on my ankle. Bubbles escaped me as I yanked my left leg.

  It was caught.

  Fuck.

  The tree continued rolling until I was trapped against the rough riverbed. A thick branch crushed against my ribs.

  My chest tightened.

  I was fucking trapped!

  Using my other foot, I kicked against whatever trapped my other leg, clawing at the limb crushing my side.

  As my lungs burned for air, my eyes sought the light. The kicking of my legs grew weaker, my shoves and scratching feeble.

  I’m dying.

  Bubbles escaped my mouth, catching sunshine, and I noted the calming way my auburn hair floated in the water.

  Like fire.

  Pretty.

  Heaviness overtook my body.

  Smiling, I closed my eyes.

  19

  I shifted under a heavy blanket, moaning low. The pain in my body was at extreme levels.

  I had to talk with Gerry—this wasn’t sustainable long-term.

  “Andie,” an urgent voice said.

  I smiled at the smoothness, sighing as the pain in my body eased somewhat.

  “Wake up, Andie.”

/>   Say what now?

  A large, calloused hand stroked my forehead and my eyes popped open.

  I stared into a gaze that matched the voice and my heartbeat raced.

  Not a speck of amusement softened his hard features. “There was an accident in the river. You’re alive.”

  Pain ripped through my throat when I attempted to speak. Tears stung my eyes as I reached a hand up.

  “Water,” Sascha snapped, slinging an arm under my shoulders. I was a doll in his arms, unable to help or resist.

  I sipped at the water he gently tipped into my mouth, closing my eyes. Was the cub safe? Was I safe here?

  “What happened?”

  Silence met my words.

  I first looked at Sascha, swaying as I regarded the small crowd of Luthers gathered and watching in silence. I glanced down. “Am I on a kitchen bench?”

  A yipping sounded, followed by a weary shout.

  A young cub slid into the kitchen. I was already sliding off the bench to greet her. My legs had other plans, and I thumped into a cross-legged heap, reaching for the whining cub who leaped into my arms.

  “You’re okay, baby,” I hushed to the trembling cub.

  She whined again, and my heart broke in two.

  “It was a scary thing, but we’re both safe now.”

  The cub cocked its head.

  “You don’t believe me?” I asked. “I’m here, aren’t I? And you’re running around. We’re as safe as can be.”

  Holding her close, I looked at Sascha as he crouched by our side.

  “Aren’t we?” I whispered to him.

  Am I?

  The game was officially up. I couldn’t lie my way out of this and neither could he.

  His fingers curled against the wood. “Always.”

  A simple yes or no would have sufficed.

  I offered the cub to the woman I assumed was her mother—judging by the way she’d charged into the room. I smiled at the size of the cub’s stomach, obvious as she hung in my grip.

  Someone was very well fed.

  “Thank you for saving my cub,” the woman whispered, tears in her eyes. “He ran away. We couldn’t find him until he howled.”

  Oh. A he. Confirming that revelation seemed rude. “I’m glad I was there.”

  A subtle shifting in the ranks.

  Leroy, Hairy, and Mandy were relaxed. Some of the others weren’t happy with my presence. Or did they think I staged the whole thing?