Wolfsbane: The Wolf Within

by Bethany Shay Porteous

  “Don’t be my usual charming self and piss him off, I’ve got it.” I didn’t plan on having much contact with him anyway. “Why am I even here?”

  “That’s between you and your dad, I’m just the chauffer. Your arrival isn’t the only thing that’s got the pack in a buzz though. The Alpha of Michigan is coming to visit the day after Thanksgiving.” He looked at me from the corner of his eye and I frowned.

  “Alpha Dean?” I asked in surprise as Emily’s face instantly flittered into my mind. “Why on earth is he coming here?”

  “What the heck would he want anything to do with Wyoming?” my wolf asked. “We’re literally worth nothing and he’s like, a super power.”

  “Plus me and Emily were so close…” I shivered. “It’ll be so weird.”

  “I’m not sure,” Beta Phillip said, however, there was something in his tone that didn’t sit right with me and I frowned. “We know how close you were with young Emily—your father was actually happy that you had befriended the Michigan Luna. It was a sad day to hear of her death.”

  Feeling a rising lump in my throat I blinked quickly and coughed before looking for a new topic. “You know on my trip to Boston—”

  “Your dad isn’t happy about that.”

  “He’s never happy,” I quipped. “Anyway on my road trip to Boston we stopped in at this really amazing pancake house, I have never eaten pancakes as good as those ones. Oh my Goddess.” They were truly the best things I had ever eaten in my life.

  “Is that a hint?” Beta Phillip asked with a grin.

  “Yep. I’m starving and plane food is crap,” I told him.

  “Okay then, food it is.”

  ∞

  “Welcome to Cody!”

  My heart sunk a little as we drove into town. It didn’t look like it had changed, but then again a town this size never really does. I noticed a few of the shops that were owned by wolves and I even picked out a few familiar faces.

  “Feel good to be home?” Beta Phillip asked from beside me.

  “Sure,” I lied.

  “You’re not around humans anymore Charlotte,” he told me. “If you’re going to lie make it believable, he’ll sense it otherwise.”

  We had to drive a little way out; we lived in a compound as most packs did that backed onto the National Park. Humans had no access to our small home and kept away from us anyway, thinking we were some kind of cult. As we approached the guarded gates I felt my skin crawling and my wolf pacing in my mind.

  “We’re home!”

  “Don’t get too excited it’s only for a few days.”

  “Can we run yet?” She pleaded.

  “Soon,” I muttered absentmindedly.

  We drove through the compound as the rain began to hit heavily again. I could hardly see where we were going but when we pulled up to a stop I knew we were here. I could make out the red two-storey house. The wrap around porch and even the old porch swing I used to sit on with mom when I was younger.

  “I’ll get your bag for you,” Beta Phillip told me.

  “Sure,” I said.

  Seeing as it was pouring I wasn’t going to get my moment of reminiscing. I quickly ran up the pathway and up the wooden stairs, glad to be under the cover of the porch. Beta Phillip followed behind me. Everything from this point looked the same. The porcelain frog where dad hid the key to the house still sat by the old doormat. The front door was still white, although the once glass panes that used to be in it were no longer there, now it was just a wooden door.

  “Your father changed the door after you left for college,” Beta Phillip told me. “Too many people kept smashing the glass when they left the house in fury.”

  “People as in Brennan and me right?”

  “Right.”

  Taking a breath I nodded and raised my hand to the knob, twisting and pushing it open. It still squeaked, just as it always did. I took my first step inside my house in two years and all the smells came rushing back to me at once, leaving a trail of memories popping up in my mind.

  “Not much has changed,” I noted aloud as I walked further in. The foyer was still painted white and the always scuffed timber floors still hadn’t been redone. Family photo’s still lined the staircase and the door to my father’s office was shut.

  Like always.

  “He’s not home yet,” Beta Phillip told me. “Brennan will be soon, he’s at the training field. Listen, I’ve got to head back to the office but have a wander around. They’ll be back to annoy you soon.”

  “Sure. Uh, thanks for picking me up,” I smiled at him, my first genuine smile all day.

  “No worries, I’ll see you later. Mary may pop around to say hi.” Phillip left, closing the door behind him. I looked around the house, stretching my arms behind my back. I can’t believe nothing had changed.

  Following the hall from the entrance I bypassed the stairs and headed toward the kitchen and dining room. I wasn’t surprised when I walked in; it was as if I had never left. The wooden cabinets were handmade by my father, as well as the benches. He’d modeled the entire kitchen for my mother.

  Shaking my head I went back toward the entrance, grabbing my suitcase and heading upstairs to my old room. I passed Brennan’s room on the way, which surprised me because it was definitely different. Gone were all the nude girl posters and trash all over the floor. The room was so clean it looked like a guest bedroom, the only way I knew Brennan slept in it was because his scent was fresh.

  The next door was my room and I was interested to see if it had been boxed up, it wouldn’t surprise me if it was. Pushing open the door I was hit with a stale scent, like no one had been in there for a while. Judging by the dust on the dresser by the door I’d say no one had been.

  The walls were still a soft baby blue; the white curtains were drawn, making the room a lot darker than it needed to be. My photos were still pinned to the mirror on my dressing table, my bed was assembled and I admired the masterpiece. Something else my father had hand crafted. Intricate designs of wolves running had been carved into the bedhead, along with my name.

  There was no bedding, so I had to go in search of some linen. It felt so weird, being back in my house. It didn’t feel like my house but it was. My room wasn’t packed up; I really thought my father would have done that.

  “Welcome home Charlotte,” I muttered to myself.

  “It still smells the same,” my wolf said.

  “Like cheap teenage perfume and something questionable under the bed?” I laughed.

  “Exactly.”

  I dressed the bed quickly before opening the curtains, grimacing at the still pouring rain. Turning back to the bed, I picked up my suitcase and unzipped it, pulling out my clothes and other essentials I had brought with me.

  The dust was getting to my nose so I had to give everything a wipe down and then I had to vacuum the room. Surely they could have at least gotten it ready for me? If you demand for me to come back at least set my room up.

  “Now can we go for a run?” My wolf whined in my mind.

  “I want to, but I can’t. Dad will go ape if I run through the territory without his permission and it’s too wet out there anyway. Later.”

  “I’m going to burst through your skin.”

  “Well restrain yourself; I won’t cop a beating because of you.” My reminder shut her up and I fell backward onto the bed, groaning as all my muscles cracked.

  My ears pricked at the sound of the front door opening and closing. The person stilled for a moment and I knew whoever it was would have scented me. Closing my eyes I breathed in deeply, trying to register who it was. They smelt like rain and sweat.

  Brennan.

  His footsteps were rushed and I could tell he was running upstairs. I jumped up off the bed as he came in, a huge smile spread across his face.

  “Char!” He pulled me in for a tight hug and I squeaked, laughing before hugging him back.

  Goddess, I missed him.

  Pulling back I assessed how muc
h he had changed in two years. His features had become more defined and he had lost a lot of his baby cheeks. His trademark curls he received from mom still sat proudly tousled on his head and his blue eyes shone with happiness. His nose however, was red and looked as if it had been swollen.

  “What happened to your nose?” I asked him.

  “In two years I was hoping that wouldn’t have been your first question, however, I’ll humor you. I broke it in training. It’s fine now, healing up. How have you been? How has college been? You didn’t put a lot in your emails.” His eyes dulled a bit and I bit my lip, feeling his sadness.

  “I’m sorry for the lack of contact Brennan.”

  “I get it, you and dad, it was messy.” He smiled at me and shook his head. “I’m just glad you’re home for Thanksgiving. You look great.”

  “Thanks,” I grinned. “I’ve been training with some of the wolves who go to Brown. I’m still pathetic with weight training though.”

  “Some things don’t change,” he shot me a wink before he sighed. “I’ve gotta shower, dad’s going to be home soon.”

  “Okay, I’m going to get changed.” Brennan left and I went and sat at my dresser, staring aimlessly at myself. Goddess, I was so nervous to see dad. The last time I saw him I was storming from the house with a duffel bag and a dislocated shoulder.

  I quickly slipped out of my travel clothes, eager to get all the strange smells off me. I put on a pair of black jeans, a shirt and a cream sweater over the top. Just as I finished running the brush through my hair I heard the front door open and my heart hammered in my chest for a brief second before I calmed myself.

  Setting down the brush I took a calming breath and exited my room, hesitantly walking toward the landing of the stairs. My father stood in the foyer, unloading his pockets onto the table near the door before he stilled and then looked up at me.

  His brown hair was peppered with grays and his eyes had dark bags underneath them. He did not look like the man who had all but chased me from his house. He looked worse.

  “Charlotte,” his voice was gruff and his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Dad.”

  “Welcome home, sorry I wasn’t here to meet you. I had business to attend to.” He didn’t sound sorry and I’m sure he was relieved that he didn’t have to greet me earlier.

  “That’s fine; I had to set my room up anyway.”

  “Alright,” Brennan’s voice broke through the thick tension and I turned to face him. “I’m going to go pick up dinner, want to come with?” I looked back down to the foyer, my father’s office door clicked shut and I laughed under my breath.

  “Yep, sure let’s go get dinner.”

  I followed Brennan out of the house, happy to find it had stopped raining. Inside I was fuming, why had my father brought me back here if he had no intention of apologizing? He treated me the same way he did before I left.

  “Why am I here Brennan?” I asked him as we got into his truck. “Seriously, why am I here?”

  He looked at me with serious eyes. “I honestly have no idea; I was surprised he even mentioned inviting you up for Thanksgiving. Everyone here was under the impression he had washed his hands of you. We’re all curious.”

  “Well if he’s trying to live out some happy family Thanksgiving scenario he has another thing coming. I’m not staying for tomorrow if he doesn’t tell me why the hell he brought me back here.” I was not going to be played around with. I had grown into myself, being away. I was not going to be beaten or emotionally toyed with.

  “Easy Charlotte, let’s try and keep it civil. I’ve really missed you and I’m hoping you coming home will help get us back on track again. I miss my sister and you need a brother…and you need a father.” Brennan glanced at me and then back at the road. “Maybe this is his way of extending an olive branch. Give him time, he’s a proud man and an Alpha, an apology is going to be hard coming from his lips.”

  I stared gloomily out the window, shaking my head. I felt like I was eighteen all over again and Brennan was taking me out for a drive to cool off after a fight with dad. If he wanted to make peace I’d hear him out, but if he lured me back here just to hate on me some more then I was out of here.

  About the Author

  Photo: B. Tenda

  Bethany Shay Porteous is a young romance and fantasy author from Australia. She published her first novel ‘Wolfsbane’ when she was nineteen. Bethany started writing at the age of eleven and her writing evolved from young adventure stories, to young adult romance and fantasy novels. To Bethany, writing is not a chore or a job; it's an escape to another world and a chance to share her many worlds with others.

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