Novice Defender

by Marisa Chenery

  Her dad nodded. “It’s okay, Stan. We’ll come now.”

  Calan stood from the table at the same time Jerrica did. They closed the distance to the men, then followed her dad and Stan outside. Jerrica didn’t bother to grab her bow and quiver as they headed to the road.

  The four of them rushed toward the gates once they reached the center of the settlement. There was a small crowd gathered in front of the large wooden portals with voices raised in anger. A quick look showed the majority of the people there were from John’s family. His brother, Les, seemed to be the loudest of the bunch.

  “What’s going on here?” her dad asked in a booming voice, causing the others to fall silent and turn in their direction.

  “You,” Les said, as he shoved his finger at her dad and stalked toward him. “You are to blame for this.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Les pointed at the gates. “Then go see.”

  Her dad was quick to head to the stairs that would take him onto the walls. Calan and Jerrica were close on his heels. She heard the moans of two zombies, even before they’d reached the top.

  Jerrica stepped to her dad’s side and looked down. The undead were well known to her. They were John and his son. From the condition of them, they hadn’t been dead long. The bite marks along their throats and arms were fresh-looking, and their bodies hadn’t yet started to decay. Their eyes were blank and filmed over. They shuffled around close to the gates and moaned softly.

  “If you hadn’t banished them, this wouldn’t have happened,” Les said harshly when he came to stand behind them.

  Her dad turned to face him. “John left me no choice. He and his son knowingly put every life behind these walls at risk when they shot those blood arrows to draw the zombies here. As leader, I have to look out for the welfare of every individual in the settlement. Your brother and nephew crossed the line.”

  Les’ face turned red. “Your leadership?” he shouted. “The only reason you have that position is because you stole it from John.”

  Getting equally angry, her dad raised his voice. “I did no such thing. I was voted in. And that would never have happened if John had been properly performing his duties instead of abusing the position.”

  Jerrica wasn’t at all sure that the argument wouldn’t lead to punches being thrown. Calan must have thought the same thing. He stepped between Les and her dad.

  Les tried to take a threatening step toward her father, and Calan put a hand on Les’ chest to stop him. “I think you’ve said enough. What’s done is done. There’s no changing that. I suggest you leave, along with your family, while I do my job. I don’t think it would be a good idea for any of you to be around to watch.”

  That seemed to calm Les a bit. He nodded once, then turned to take the stairs down. Soon after, Jerrica heard him rounding up family members, and the heated voices slowly quieted.

  Calan looked at her. “I’ll go down now, then through the gates once they’re all gone. You can stay here.”

  Jerrica nodded. Calan headed down the steps, leaving her and her dad alone. She turned to look at him. He stared at the zombies with a dejected expression. She closed some of the distance between them then placed her hand on his where it rested on top of the wall.

  “Don’t blame yourself for this,” she said. “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “I didn’t kill them, but I was the one who sent them out there.”

  “As you said to Les, you had no choice. Their actions led to a lot of deaths. Something had to be done.”

  “I know, but it doesn’t make me feel any better about it.”

  Jerrica didn’t know what else to say. She was sure her mom would, though. This was all part of what it meant to be a leader. Her dad would have to come to grips with that.

  The gates opened a little, and Calan slipped out in his wolf form. The zombies didn’t react to his presence. To them, he wouldn’t smell like anything—not human and not undead. He was basically invisible to their senses.

  Calan didn’t draw it out. He launched himself at John’s son, taking him down to the ground where he ripped his head off with his sharp claws, biting through his skull to the brain. He did the same to John. It was over in less than a minute. He shifted to human form, then waved his hand over the bodies. Blue-green flames engulfed them, burning them to ash in seconds.

  Jerrica thought she should feel something at the thought of what Calan had had to do to John and his son, since she’d known them before they’d turned, but she didn’t. All she could think about was the fact that, because of them, she’d almost become one of the undead. They hadn’t cared what result their actions would bring. They’d done it to try to discredit the Werewolf Defender, to have humans that he protected outside the walls attacked and killed. As far as she was concerned, they had brought this on themselves.

  Calan turned toward the gates, and they opened enough for him to come behind the walls once more. Jerrica and her dad turned to head down the stairs to meet him.

  As they walked, her father said, “I’m glad it was Calan who ended them. If it’d been you, it would have given Les more reason to hate our family. It wouldn’t have mattered that you’re a Defender now as well.”

  He was right. No matter what she was, that family would have hated her for doing what she’d been created to do. It’d have been another mark against her.

  On the ground, Jerrica looked toward the settlement’s center. Les was there, glaring at her and her father. No other members of his family were with him. He was sure to cause her dad more than one headache in his role as leader. She doubted Les would ever get over what had happened here today. She pulled her gaze off Les as Calan joined her and her father.

  “Thanks, Calan,” her dad said. “It was best you did it rather than Jerrica.”

  Calan smiled. “No problem. It is my job. Besides, it wouldn’t have been the best to have them be the first zombies she took out as a Defender. Those tend to be the ones you always remember. At least, I recall my first.”

  Jerrica hadn’t thought about it that way. Having John and his son be ever in her memories as her first zombie kill was not something she would have wanted. It was just another reason she would be leaning on Calan for support until she learned everything there was about the new her.

  Her dad blew out a breath. “Now that’s over, I’m going home. Are you two coming?”

  Calan answered before Jerrica could. “I want to take Jerrica to my cabin, if she’s okay with that.”

  She nodded.

  Her father smiled. “All right. I’ll see you later.” He turned then walked away.

  Jerrica threaded her fingers through Calan’s as he took her hand. She glanced toward the center to see Les was no longer there. At least he wouldn’t be more of a problem for now. In the future, who knew?

  She and Calan walked in silence. It didn’t take them much time to reach his place. The cabin had been empty before he’d arrived. The family who’d built it no longer lived in the settlement. They were one of the families who’d left suddenly, which made Jerrica think they’d been forced out by John on the sly in the dead of night. Apparently, he’d done that during his leadership to claim land he’d wanted or sometimes if he’d held a grudge.

  Calan opened the door, and Jerrica followed him inside. He hadn’t changed anything since he’d taken over the cabin. There were a simple wooden table and chairs and a bed, which didn’t have any sheets on the straw-filled mattress. He didn’t need them. He only ever slept in wolf form because he couldn’t sleep well any other way.

  He filled two wooden cups with water at the hand pump in the kitchen before they sat at the table. Jerrica drank some before she placed it in front of her.

  “I have a feeling Les is going to be a big problem for my dad,” she said.

  “I’m afraid so. He might not try anything like his brother did, but he’s going to be vocal about not liking your dad being leader. He probably feels as if he should have t
aken John’s place, especially after John and his son were banished. Les would have been next in line within his family for the job, before John’s sons.”

  Jerrica nodded. “He would have been.” She took another sip of water, then had to cover her mouth with her hand as she yawned.

  “Tired?” Calan asked with a smile.

  “Yeah. I have to get used to waking up just before dawn again.”

  “Then come lie down. I’ll shift, and you can snuggle against me.”

  “I’ll fall asleep.”

  “I’ll wake you up before it gets too late. I said I’d wait until you were settled and comfortable with your new life before we married, but we are mates, and I miss you at night.”

  “I miss you too. You know, you could change your mind and move into my family’s cabin. Or maybe I can just live here with you.”

  Shortly after she’d awakened from her long sleep, her parents had told Calan that he was more than welcome to live with them, since he was now part of her family. He’d refused, saying he wouldn’t even think of possibly accepting their offer until he was married to her. Jerrica wasn’t sure how much longer she could last both being with him and not being with him, at the same time.

  Calan tugged Jerrica off her chair, then positioned her across his lap. “I don’t want to rush you into anything you’re not ready to take on. Plus, you’re still so new as a Defender. Your life has dramatically changed already, and us getting married on top of it will only add to that.”

  Jerrica rested her forehead on Calan’s. “I should be the one to make that decision since it’s my life and I have to go through the changes. I think a month will be more than enough time for me to adjust.”

  “Three months.”

  She lifted her head and pulled his back by tugging on a handful of his hair. “Two months, and that is as far as I’ll bargain with you.”

  Calan chuckled. “You win. Two months. We’ll have to let your parents know. And I will continue to live here.” He looked around after he gently pulled her fingers out of his hair. “And I guess the cabin will have to be fixed up for when you move in.”

  “My mom and dad will help with that.” She covered another yawn.

  He held her close, stood, then carried her to the bed. “You’re going to lie down with me.” Calan placed her on the mattress before he went wolf, then climbed up beside her.

  After he lay down, Jerrica rolled to her side and put her arm around his warm, furry body. She soon lost the fight to keep her eyes open and she fell asleep.

  * * * *

  A knock on the door brought Jerrica awake. She blinked. It was dark inside the cabin. They hadn’t lit any oil lamps or candles before they’d lain down. The knock came again.

  Calan lifted his wolf’s head and stared in the direction the sound had come from. He didn’t shift to human form. Jerrica pushed up to sit next to him.

  “I’ll get it,” she said.

  She slid off the bed, then crossed the cabin to the door. Jerrica opened it to find Becca on the other side. Jerrica looked past the other girl. There wasn’t anyone else around.

  Becca sneered at Jerrica before she could say anything. “I want to speak to Calan.”

  Jerrica didn’t bother to answer. She turned to look at Calan. He hopped off the bed, then came to stand at her side. There was a bright flash as he took on his human form. Jerrica left him to deal with Becca on his own and she sat at the table. She still had a good view of them.

  “Becca, what did you want to speak to me about?” Calan asked. Jerrica made note that he made no move to invite the other girl inside. He stayed in the middle of the doorway.

  The sneer Becca wore disappeared to be replaced with a sad expression. She seemed to focus solely on Calan. “I wanted to come to personally thank you.”

  “Thank me?”

  “For ending”—Becca’s breath hitched—“my father and brother. The thought of them as zombies… It would have been terrible to know they existed like that. You put them out of their misery.”

  “I only did what needed to be done. I would have thought you would be as upset as the rest of your family.”

  Jerrica couldn’t help but think the same thing. That would have better fit Becca’s character than the behavior she was exhibiting right now.

  Becca nodded. “I know you did, and I’m not mad at you for it. I don’t want any bad blood between us.” She gave him a beseeching look. “I want us to start over, to become friends. I’m sorry I accused you of being dangerous. You saved me from that zombie. My fear had gotten the better of me, and I shut down. I was lucky that all I ended up getting was a sprained arm. Can we let all that be in the past?”

  Calan took a few seconds to answer. “I guess,” he said slowly.

  The girl smiled. “Great. Since I’m now working with Maria to prepare and deliver the lunches to the workers in the field, I’ll personally put together your sandwich and make sure it gets a little extra of everything, just to show you that I mean what I’ve said.”

  “That’s not necessary, Becca.”

  “I know, but I want to.” Becca glanced behind her. “It’s getting late. I should head home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She turned, then walked down the porch steps.

  Calan shut the door before turning to go sit with Jerrica.

  She grinned. “I wonder what made you so special?”

  He shook his head with a short laugh. “I have no idea, and I really could do with not being singled out by Becca. I don’t understand why she’d do it, though.”

  “I do. You haven’t known her as long as I have. She must feel she’ll be getting something out of it. Maybe she thinks if she’s all friendly with you, her standing in the settlement will increase. I bet she doesn’t like the change in her status.”

  “She’d do that, even though her family would be against it?”

  “Yes. Becca is out for one person and one person only—herself.”

  Calan stood and held out his hand. Jerrica took it, then he pulled her to her feet. “Let’s forget about Becca. If that’s the game she wants to play, so be it. It’s getting late. I’ll walk you to your family’s cabin.”

  Jerrica nodded. “Okay. I’m getting tired again.”

  They left Calan’s cabin before heading to the road that led to her home. Jerrica mused over Becca’s visit as she silently walked beside her mate. Obviously, Becca had no intention of changing her attitude toward Jerrica. She guessed the girl’s statement of not wanting bad blood only extended to Calan. Jerrica didn’t really care. Just as long as Becca didn’t do anything more than sneer at her and be rude, Jerrica could let it go. It wasn’t worth her time or energy. She would show Becca that she wouldn’t stoop to her level. Becca could have her ‘friendship’ with Calan all she wanted, but, in the end, he was Jerrica’s, and nothing would ever change that.

  * * * *

  Calan waited until Jerrica had stepped inside her family’s cabin before he went wolf, then ran down the road. He wasn’t going to do any hunting tonight, but he wasn’t going straight home either. After what had happened earlier, he needed to make sure there were no threats to his new family.

  He headed to the section of the settlement where Les and his family lived. They were situated in a space that could be considered a smaller settlement inside the larger one. Calan was sure the family’s cabins had been built with that in mind, since they had been the leaders. It would set them apart from the other people who lived there.

  As Calan neared his destination, he slowed. He didn’t want to be too close to be spotted. Les’ cabin came into sight, and Calan stopped then stepped into the deepest shadows offered by some of the surrounding trees.

  The distance was great enough that a non-Defender wouldn’t have been able to see inside the cabin, but Calan could, and he heard voices coming through the open window. Les stood by it with his back toward Calan. Becca’s mother sat at the kitchen table, crying. Les’ wife sat next to her with her arm around the woman’s shoulders
, talking to her in low tones as she consoled her. Calan would have been heartless if he hadn’t felt anything at the scene before him. Becca’s mother had lost her husband and son, not once but twice. It would be painful for anyone to endure.

  It didn’t look as if Calan had to worry about any backlash coming from Les or his family, at least not tonight. He turned then loped away. Hopefully, they would mourn their dead and do nothing more. Jerrica’s dad Geoff didn’t need anyone trying to take the leadership away from him. Geoff was what the settlement needed. After just a short time, the new leader had done everything he could to improve the lives in his care, something John had apparently neglected to do for some time.

  Chapter Four

  Jerrica knew she was dreaming, but she couldn’t wake herself up. It felt as if she were trapped, helpless to stop the scene that played out.

  It was the day of the zombie attack. People were running, screaming, as the undead tried to take hold of any of the living they could get their hands on. Jerrica shot arrow after arrow, ending the creatures, only to have their victims rise and take their places. Their numbers kept growing.

  Unlike what had really happened then, Jerrica was alone. Her dad and Austin didn’t stand with her, their backs to each other—her dad with his bow and Austin with an ax. The zombies slowly closed in on her. She continued to shoot arrows, making the kill shots, but there were too many of the undead.

  Jerrica panicked. She whimpered as her fear threatened to overtake her. Before that happened, she shifted. The familiar sensation of going wolf swept through her. In the dream world or in the real one, she couldn’t tell.

  The zombies formed a circle around her but didn’t attack. Two broke rank and shuffled toward her with their arms outstretched and their mouths open as they moaned. It was John and his son. Their dead eyes stared right at her. She backed away, only to feel the brush of cold hands touch her from behind. John and his son lunged at her, sinking their decaying fingers into her fur as they sank their teeth into her skin. She should have been able to break free, but she couldn’t. They tore into her, and Jerrica howled in pain and fear.