Novice Defender

by Marisa Chenery

  Jerrica nodded. “Maybe, but we’ll have to do something fast. He and Becca are to be married in two days. And we’ll have to find somewhere to put him where Calan wouldn’t be able to escape.”

  “There’s the empty stall in the barn,” her dad offered. “It’ll be hard to keep him locked in it, though. We’ll have to have someone always standing guard.”

  Les nodded. “I’d like to help with that. I feel sort of responsible for what happened to him, since it was someone in my family who did it. I’ll do what I can to make amends.”

  “Okay,” her dad answered. “If we’re doing this, we should do it tonight, before Calan gets wind of it. You know how fast things travel through the settlement. Les, if you don’t mind, can you help me with the stall? I have to clean out the old straw, put new in it, then rig up some kind of lock.”

  Les smiled. “I can do that. Once we have the stall prepared, I’ll head to my cabin. I have something there that will work as a lock.”

  Jerrica’s father and Les left the cabin. Her mom put her arm around her shoulders and smiled. Jerrica met her gaze. “I can’t believe Becca actually tried to poison Calan.”

  “She’s more vicious than I thought. At least we know what got into Calan. We’ll get him fixed up. Don’t you worry.”

  “I know we will.”

  Jerrica wouldn’t let herself doubt that they’d fail. They couldn’t. The good thing was she didn’t have to face it alone. She was grateful to have her parents, and even Les, on her side.

  Chapter Eight

  After helping her mom clean up the remains of dinner and wash the dishes, Jerrica headed out to the barn to see how her dad and Les were progressing with the stall. She found her father there by himself.

  “Did Les go home to get that thing he said he had?” Jerrica asked, once she was inside the barn.

  Her dad stepped out of the stall with a rake in hand. “Yeah. He shouldn’t be too long, I’d expect.” He met her gaze after she stopped in front of him. “You do realize you’ll have to be the one to subdue Calan. If he goes wolf on us, only a Defender will be able to stand against him.”

  “I know.” She’d already thought that through while she’d been helping her mom. Calan could easily kill anyone else, not that she wanted it to go that far.

  Les came rushing into the barn, panting as he tried to catch his breath. Jerrica and her dad went to him. He held up his hand for them to give him a minute. He leaned over with his hands on his knees. After a few seconds, he straightened.

  “I haven’t run like that in a very long time,” Les said, as he panted a bit more.

  “What happened?” her dad asked.

  “It’s Calan and Becca. They’ve left the settlement.”

  “Then we’ll have to wait for them to return to put our plan into motion.”

  Les shook his head. “No, they left for good. They aren’t coming back.”

  “What? Why?” Jerrica asked.

  “Apparently, when I overheard my sister-in-law and niece talking to each other about Calan, they knew I was there. It was supposed to be some kind of test, which I failed, since I came here. My sister-in-law has never really liked me. Becca and Calan left about forty-five minutes ago.”

  Her dad looked at Jerrica. “You have to go after them.”

  “I know, but I’ve never tracked anyone long distance before—only short ones, and only zombies who are slow moving.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “No, Dad. It’ll be too dangerous. I’m safe out there, and you’re not.”

  “As long as I’m with you, I will be as well.”

  “Yes, but you have to stay by my side at all times. Plus, I’d have to shift, and the best way for you to keep up is to ride on my back. No offense, but I don’t think I’d be able to carry you for too long.” Her dad was a little over six feet and was well padded with muscles.

  He gave her a crooked grin. “None taken. Then you’ll have to go alone.”

  The sound of chanting filled the barn. Jerrica recognized it, but the only time she’d heard it before had been during a dream, not while she was awake. It was the shamans. Her dad and Les looked around, trying to see where the voices were coming from.

  “What is that?” Les asked.

  “It’s the native shamans who made Calan the Werewolf Defender all those years ago. I’ve only met them once, while I slept.”

  The chanting grew louder, and the shape of a man slowly took form. Much to Jerrica’s surprise, he seemed to become solid, real. It was one of the shamans. He looked as he had in her dream. He wore buckskin pants and moccasins. His chest was bare, and painted with red and black symbols. There were feathers in his long black hair that fell around his broad shoulders. He had the build of a warrior, and he looked to be in his late twenties.

  He smiled. “Hello, Jerrica.” He spoke perfect English, but his words were laced with the accent from his first language.

  “You’re actually here,” she said. “I’ve tried to contact you, but none of you answered.”

  “I am sorry. We know what has happed to Calan. We could not reply to your calls. It took most of our energy to work the spell to bring one of us to the real world. I was chosen to come. The others still watch.” He glanced at her dad and Les.

  Jerrica pointed to each of them. “This is my father Geoff and another settler named Les.”

  The shaman nodded at them. “I am Running Wolf.” He smiled at Jerrica. “It was I who decided to have our protector of the world be able to change into a wolf.”

  She nodded. “I had wondered. Can you bring Calan back?”

  “No. I will go with you to hunt him down. My stay here is limited, as are my powers. I only have enough to subdue him so we can return to the settlement, then rid his body of the poison. After that, I must return to my shaman brothers in the spirit world.”

  Jerrica eyed Running Wolf. He was a little shorter than her father and didn’t seem to weigh as much. “I guess I’ll be able to carry you on my back in wolf form. For how long, though…” She shrugged.

  Running Wolf smiled. “There will be no need for that. I will be able to keep up with my Defender. I suggest you shift, Jerrica. We must leave now, before Calan gets too far.” He seemed to look into himself as his eyes took on a faraway expression. “He and the girl he is with have stopped for the night and made camp.”

  With a flash of light, Jerrica took on her wolf form. Running Wolf came to her side, and they headed out of the barn with her dad and Les following. Their small group walked through the settlement to the walls at the entrance. Others joined them once they’d spotted Running Wolf.

  Her dad ordered the gates to be opened, then turned to Jerrica. “Be careful out there.” He looked at Running Wolf. “Take care of my daughter.”

  The shaman nodded. “I will, but she has no need for me to do that. She is a Werewolf Defender and can protect herself. We will return with Calan and the girl.”

  Jerrica stepped through the gates with Running Wolf at her side. She bent her head and sniffed the ground, trying to pick up Calan’s scent. It only took her a moment. It wasn’t fresh, but it was easy for her to detect with her sensitive nose.

  “Follow the trail,” Running Wolf said. “We run together.”

  She took off in a loping run, following the scent trail that led to the edge of the forest. The shaman easily kept up, as he’d said he would. Past the trees, Jerrica sniffed the ground once more to make sure she was headed the right way, then sprinted her fastest. Running Wolf stayed at her side, running at a speed no regular person could possibly attain.

  Jerrica lost track of how long they’d run until she picked up the scent of a fire a short distance from them. She slowed and looked at Running Wolf. “I smell a campfire. They aren’t too far now.”

  The shaman nodded. “Good. He will fight us. And the girl could be a problem. Are you prepared to do what needs to be done to subdue Calan?”

  “Yes. I’ll fight him if I have to.”


  “All you have to do is take him down to the ground if he decides to go on the attack. I will do the rest.”

  She jerked her head in a nod, then walked toward the scent of the fire. It wasn’t long before she saw the flickering light of the flames through the trees. Calan was in wolf form with Becca sitting next to him. They were in a small clearing. She held something out to him that looked like one of the sandwiches she’d made for his lunch when this had all started.

  Jerrica ran toward them then burst into the space. She knocked the sandwich out of Becca’s hand before Calan could take it. Jerrica carefully picked it up in her mouth, then threw it into the fire. Becca let out a shriek of outrage, and Calan growled.

  “Leave, Jerrica,” Calan said with a snarl of his lip. “You aren’t wanted here.”

  “No. You’re coming home with me. Becca has been poisoning you. She’s been giving you wolfsbane in your food.”

  “You lie. Becca would never do that. She cares for me too much.” Calan growled low in his throat.

  “She has, and she only wants you to get back at my family.”

  “Calan, are you going to let her talk about me like that?” Becca yelled. “We’re going to be married. Why would I try to poison you?”

  Jerrica had had enough of Becca. She turned her head to look at her. “Shut your mouth. I’m tired of listening to you. We go back to the settlement and that’s it.”

  The only warning Jerrica got that Calan was going on the attack was his loud growl. He lunged at her. She quickly stepped out of the way. She snapped her teeth in his direction but didn’t make contact. She only wanted to fight as a final recourse.

  As they circled each other, Jerrica caught sight of Running Wolf stepping into the clearing. He silently worked his way behind Calan, keeping pace with him. Calan lunged at her again, and this time she stood her ground and managed to take hold of him by the side of his neck.

  Running Wolf rushed to Calan and placed his hand on Calan’s furred head. The shaman chanted. Calan growled and tried to jerk away but seemed frozen to the spot where he stood.

  A half-minute later, Running Wolf stepped back. “Jerrica, you can release him. He is under my command now. He will only do what I say. He will remain there.”

  As if to prove the shaman correct, Calan tried to take a step, but could only lift one of his front paws off the ground. He threw back his head and howled with frustration.

  Jerrica had all but forgotten about Becca until she heard the girl scream. She turned to find Becca in the clutches of a zombie. Jerrica had been so intent on Calan that she’d been unaware that an undead had come to the campsite. Becca screamed again as the creature bit into her neck. There was nothing Jerrica could do to save her now. The girl turned in a matter of seconds.

  Jerrica took a step in Becca’s direction to put her and the other zombie out of their misery, but Running Wolf put a hand on her back to stop her.

  “I will do this. I know what the girl was to you. You don’t need to be the one to end her existence. It will only cause more bad blood between her family and yours.”

  A spear suddenly appeared in Running Wolf’s hand. He drew back his arm, took aim then threw. The spearhead landed in Becca’s head, and she dropped to the ground. A second spear took care of the remaining undead. The shaman went to the bodies, chanted some words, then they burst into flames, burning to ash in seconds.

  Running Wolf returned to Jerrica and Calan. He looked at Calan. “You will run with us to the settlement. Once there, you will go to Jerrica’s family cabin. There I will rid you of the toxin in your system.”

  Calan growled, but he kept pace with Jerrica and Running Wolf as they ran through the trees toward home. None of them spoke. With their speed, it wasn’t long before Jerrica scented their destination.

  They broke out of the forest and ran along the field then up to the gates. Jerrica threw back her head and howled. One of the guards poked his head over the wall then disappeared before the gates slowly opened to allow them entrance.

  Jerrica kept to Calan’s one side with Running Wolf on the other as they walked to the road that would take her to her family’s cabin. More than one settler followed. News must have spread about what she and Running Wolf had gone to do. Becca’s name was whispered a few times, but Jerrica didn’t pay much attention. She had other things to worry about.

  Once in the yard of her cabin, Running Wolf brought them to a stop. He turned to Calan. “Shift to your human form.”

  In a flash of light, Calan did as he’d been commanded. Jerrica shifted as well.

  Running Wolf took a step toward Calan, who snarled and said, “Keep away from me.”

  The shaman ignored that. “You will not move.”

  Running Wolf placed his hand on Calan’s forehead. His palm glowed, and Calan stiffened. Calan let out a groan, then yelled as he stiffened even more. Running Wolf chanted. Jerrica could actually feel the power coursing between them. With one more yell, Calan dropped to his knees and proceeded to throw up the contents of his stomach.

  * * * *

  Calan’s stomach gave one last spasm. He rocked back onto his heels, feeling as if he’d awoken from a dream. For weeks he hadn’t been really aware of what he’d been doing. It was mostly a blur, but he did remember how he’d hurt Jerrica, his mate.

  He looked up at her to find her intently watching him. “I’m so sorry,” he said in a rough voice. “I never meant to hurt you.”

  She smiled and came to him. Jerrica took his hand to pull him to his feet. “It’s okay. You weren’t yourself.”

  “What did Becca do to me?”

  “She fed you wolfsbane. Her first intention was to poison you, but when it didn’t work and it seemed she had sway over you, she used it to her advantage. Running Wolf forced it out of your system.”

  “Who?”

  “Running Wolf. He’s one of the shamans.” Jerrica pointed behind him.

  Calan turned to meet the gaze of one of the men he’d only seen in his dreams. He instantly recognized him and blurrily remembered Running Wolf finding him and Becca.

  “You’re actually here,” Calan said.

  Running Wolf closed the distance between them and clapped him on the shoulder. “Not for much longer, now that my work here is done. We will always look after you, Calan”—he glanced at Jerrica before returning his gaze to him—“after both our Defenders. Goodbye for now.”

  The shaman’s body slowly lost solidity then disappeared. There was the faint sound of chanting before it, too, was gone. Calan looked at the people in the yard as he put his arm around Jerrica’s shoulders.

  “I need to lie down,” Calan said.

  Jerrica nodded, then led him toward the cabin.

  * * * *

  Calan awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside and the sun shining through the window of the room he was in. It took him a few seconds to realize it was Jerrica’s loft bedroom. He looked around and found her sitting on the floor with her back against the wall across from the bed he lay on, which was hers.

  “You’re finally awake,” she said as she stood.

  He shifted to his human form and sat up. “How long did I sleep?”

  She took a seat next to him. “Hours. It’s just after noon.”

  Calan leaned over and kissed her. “Can you forgive me?”

  “Of course. I told you that it wasn’t your fault. It was Becca.”

  “Do you still love me? Because I never really did stop loving you, no matter what I said.”

  “I do.” She gave him a long, hard kiss. “You’re stuck with me, mate.”

  “I wouldn’t want anything else.” He kissed her forehead. “Was Becca’s family told what happened to her?”

  “Yeah. My dad took care of that. Plus, he took care of Becca’s mom. Les went through all her seeds and got rid of any that were for poisonous plants. Then any that were already growing on their property were burned.”

  “Les did that? I thought he would have been on B
ecca’s mom’s side.”

  “He’s had a change of heart. He was the one to tell us what had happened to you. We won’t have to worry about his family trying anything against us anymore.”

  “Did your dad banish Becca’s mom?”

  “No. Since her husband is gone and she has younger children who need her, she’s allowed to stay, though she will be monitored until she can be trusted again.”

  Calan nodded. “Thanks for saving me.”

  Jerrica hugged him. “I’ll always be here for you, Calan.”

  He returned her embrace and didn’t let Jerrica go. He had no idea what their future would hold as Werewolf Defenders, but, for now, he was content to stay where they were and try to make a life with his mate.

  Also available from Finch Books:

  Zombie World: Werewolf Defender

  Marisa Chenery

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Jerrica yawned and stretched, wishing for once she could stay in bed later, but the sound of her mother moving around in the main part of their log cabin said otherwise. If she didn’t get up soon, her mom would be yelling up to her, and Jerrica hated that.

  She pushed back the covers and sat up. Weak light filled the loft that was her room. It wasn’t much past dawn. During the warm months of the growing season, it was expected that those who were assigned to work in the fields and orchard put in as many daylight hours as they could. Winters were harsh, and if their settlement didn’t grow enough food to see them through it, there was a good chance they’d be starving come spring.

  Jerrica looked at the single bed across from her own. Her brother, Hunter, had shared the loft with her until a year ago. At twenty—two years her senior—he was now married with his first baby on the way. Being eighteen, she’d be expected to follow suit in the not-too-distant future. Their world was hard, and life expectancies weren’t very long in some cases.

  She pulled on the rough homespun pants and shirt her mother had made. Jerrica wore them when she worked in the fields. Brown leather boots completed her outfit. It didn’t take but a minute for her to brush her long, dark-blonde hair then gather it into a ponytail with a piece of leather.