TALA

by Laura Ryles

  “Where are you going?” He yelled at Tala. Tala didn’t answer; she sped up. She was running past tree after tree, faster and faster. She was running so fast that things were going by in a blur. Tala was sure she had never run this fast before. She didn’t get tired and she didn’t give out of breath, but her heart was pounding, and somewhere in the distance, coming from the other direction, she could feel his, too.

  He was coming to her. She passed over a small creek and there on the other side, at the top of a hill, he came through the trees. The sight of him made her breathless.

  “Ander!” She yelled and held her hand up.

  “Tala!” He yelled back and came down the hill toward her. He picked her up in his arms and held her to him. He kissed her face over and over. She breathed him like he was oxygen itself. God, he smells amazing, she thought. After a long while, he set her down on her feet again. They stood together in the middle of the woods just drinking in each other’s presence.

  “I feel like I’ve been waiting for you forever,” Ander said.

  “I know, I’ve missed you, too.” Tala looked up at him from under her lashes. “It feels amazing to be this close to you.”

  “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” He kissed the top of her head. “Come on, let’s go meet your new pack.” They walked back hand in hand. When they reached the small cabins that belonged to the pack, the others had already arrived and started mingling with the Tundras. When she and Ander approached, everyone turned to watch them draw near.

  “Tundra Pack,” Ander yelled loudly. “Timber Pack. Welcome to the future of both of our packs. Whether we reside here together or not, from this day forward, we are united under one Alpha. One Alpha, One Pack!” Ander raised Tala’s hand, held inside of his own. Everyone else echoed. “One Alpha, One Pack!” She could feel the power inside of her growing every second they were together. Tala looked around until she found Drew and Lark in the crowd. They were talking and laughing with a couple of people from the Tundra pack. She leaned into Ander and let his strength support her, too. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She watched as her packs came together. They were going to be okay. They were home. She was home.

  WOLF WARS

  Chapter 1

  “It’s resolved then.” Oakley sat forward in his chair to be able to see around the entire meeting chamber. The oldest and wisest of the Timber and Tundra packs stared back at him from all around the table. In the corner, the two youngest of the group sat side by side, and hand in hand, distracted by one another’s presence. Oakley cleared his throat to get Tala’s and Ander’s attention back on the meeting and off of each other. “We Timbers will go back to Montana and get our affairs in order. We’ll sell our houses, procure passports and paperwork, pack up and return here to live permanently in a month or two. Liam, one of our elders, will stay behind, along with Cindy who requested to stay here and help with preparations for our return.” The men and women around the table nodded in agreement.

  Almost a week had passed since Tala’s two packs had been thrust upon one another in an effort to meet the needs of both packs. The Tundra pack was a strong pack, but a small one and could use the reinforcement and increase to their number, and the Timber pack, who weren't very numerous themselves had been forced off of their land during an illegal land scheme that would take months to figure out in a court of law. Tala looked around the table now, at the cooperation and compassion that she could already see growing between them. This was exactly what she had hoped for as the newly appointed Alpha of both packs. She reached over and squeezed Ander’s hand. She had never been happier.

  “Well, I guess that’s it then. This meeting will adjourn. Members of the Timber pack, be prepared to fall in line with the return caravan at seven a.m. Until we meet again, brothers and sisters.” Oakley stood up along with the rest of the elders around the table and got ready to leave.

  “I have an announcement to make! Please, if you’d all wait just a moment.” Tala stood up and cleared her throat. She reached out for Ander’s hand with her own. He took it, then stood up beside her and wrapped his strong arms around her tightly and kissed her on top of the head. “As your Alpha, I would just like to say that the way you have all come together has truly amazed me. I have never seen so much generosity of spirit, so much warm-hearted comradery, such true brotherhood, in all my life. It is undeniable now that we, as packs, are truly compatible, thanks to our mutual respect and admiration for one another. Most of you know that Ander is my mate, and that we are already bound by a true Mate Bond. However,” Tala reached up and placed her hand on Ander’s arm that was still wrapped around her, “Ander and I have an announcement that we would like to share.” She looked up over her shoulder and waited for Ander to continue.

  “Yes, we would like to invite you all to our wedding ritual, tonight. We’ve decided that we want to get married. We wanted to make sure that both packs were here for it, and we don’t want to wait until the Timbers have gone and come back, so we have decided to go ahead with the ceremony tonight.”

  “I know it may seem like a big thing to pull off with such a short amount of time to get things ready, but there are only two things that my wedding actually has to have,” Tala said. “Ander is of course one of them, but all of you are the other, and as you can see, I have all that I need already.”

  “Make that three things,” A familiar voice sounded from the entryway. Tala looked over at the door.

  “Mom?” Tala cried. “Mom, what are you doing here?” Tala unwrapped herself from Ander’s arm and ran to greet the woman waiting just inside the doorway. She threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

  “You didn’t think I would miss my only child’s wedding, did you?” her mom questioned.

  “Well, no, but how did you know? We only just decided to go through with it last night and it was such short notice.”

  “Ander called me last night. He booked a flight for me and everything.” Tala turned to look at the man she was going to marry.

  “Thank you,” she mouthed. Ander nodded his head and smiled.

  “Well, if you don’t have any more announcements, Alpha,” Oakley smiled at Tala, “I guess we’ll all go get ready for a wedding.”

  “No, that’s all. No more announcements.” Tala grinned and hugged her mother tight again. The pack members dispersed, and Tala took her mother’s hand to give her a tour of the Tundras’ small camp-like village. They walked all around the small cabins and the lake that was nearby. Tala showed her the great hall inside of the mountain and explained to her mother that this was where she had been taken when the old Alpha of the Tundra pack had her kidnapped several months ago. Tala showed her the room where she had been held prisoner which, ironically enough, had been turned into her own bedroom since she had come to live with the Tundra pack a week ago.

  “I guess this won’t be your room anymore after tonight though, huh?” Her mom said very casually.

  “What?”

  “Well, after tonight, I assume you and Ander will be staying together. After all you’ll be his wife, right?”

  “Oh, yeah, I guess you’re right. I hadn’t really thought about that.” Tala was sure that the nervousness she felt must have shown through on her face. It was confirmed when her mother reached out and touched her arm.

  “Don’t worry. You and Ander are meant to be. Everything will be perfect tonight. You’ll see,” her mom said as she gently stroked Tala’s hair. Their mother-daughter bonding moment was interrupted when Drew, Tala’s best friend, practically took the door off the hinges coming into the room.

  “Ma, you are here. The guys outside said that the Alpha’s mom was in here, but I was like ‘nah, the Alpha’s mom is in Georgia.’ I can’t believe it though, you’re actually here.” Drew walked up to Tala’s mom and lifted her off her feet to give her a hug, and then put her down. “So, what’s the occasion, just here to visit or what?” Debra looked at Tal
a in disbelief.

  “You haven’t told Drew yet? He’s your best friend. Well, at least I wasn’t the last to know,” her mom said, moving away from the two of them to give them as much privacy as she could without leaving the room.

  “Hasn’t told Drew what?” Drew questioned, looking at Tala. Tala scrunched up her face and winced a little.

  “Haven’t told you that I’m getting married.”

  “Oh, well duh, I knew you and wonder-wolf would tie the knot eventually,” Drew said, turning back to speak to Tala’s mom again.

  “Not eventually, tonight,” Tala said. Drew turned back toward her with his mouth hanging open.

  “What? Tonight? Like tonight, tonight? Like when the sun sets after this day, that tonight?”

  “Yes,” Tala said, smiling a little at Drew’s exaggerated reaction.

  “Well, okay. Guess I’m the Maid of Honor, right? What do I need to do?” Drew asked, getting over his shock and putting on his “best friend” face.

  “Actually,” Tala said with the same silly scrunched up face as before.

  “What? I’m not the Maid of Honor?” Drew said, his feelings hurt.

  “No. We decided that it would make more sense for you to be Best Man for Ander. Lark can be my Maid of Honor.”

  “Okay, I guess that works too.” Drew looked appeased. “You better tell Lark though; you know she’ll be mad if you don’t give her time to do whatever Maids of Honor do.”

  “Why don’t you go tell her for me? She’s your girlfriend,” Tala pleaded.

  “Ha. Right? That doesn’t make me any less scared of her,” Drew jested.

  “Please. I have to start getting ready.”

  “Fine. I’ll go tell her.”

  “Oh, and Drew, I have another favor to ask,” Tala said, walking over to him. She leaned over and whispered, “I would like for you to ask some of the pack members to get the Alpha’s old living quarters cleaned out and move all of our things in there, mine and Ander’s.” Drew made a face at her and then left the room to go find Lark. Tala headed to the closet.

  “So, I have my dress, you wanna see it?” she asked her mom now that they were alone.

  “You have a dress? I half expected you to get married in jeans and a t-shirt,” her mom replied.

  “The thought did cross my mind, but I want to look special. For Ander.”

  “Honey, I’m pretty sure that boy would marry you in a paper sack.”

  “Okay, fine, I want to look special for me too.” Tala laughed and opened her closet door. She pulled out a cream colored, sleeveless, ankle length dress. It had an empire waist line which gave it a nice fitted but flowing look. Tala held it up in front of herself, grabbed one of the sides, and twirled around.

  “Oh, that’s beautiful, Tala,” her mother said. “It looks like you. Natural, graceful. Put it on, let’s see it.” Tala went into the closet to change and came out after about a minute. When her mom didn’t say anything, Tala got a little worried. Does it really look that bad, she wondered?

  “So?” Tala asked, hesitantly.

  “Oh, Tala. I was just thinking about that time that I came in and caught you playing ‘wedding’ with your dad. You were about seven, I guess. You made him get all dressed up in a suit, and you were wearing this white cotton dress that I had bought you to wear for Easter. After the two of you were ‘married’, you made him dance with you standing on his feet all around the living room. Do you remember?” Debra’s eyes grew misty.

  “I do remember,” Tala answered. “I had forgotten all about that until now.” She smiled as her own eyes filled with tears.

  “Tala, he would be so proud of you. I wish he was here to see you.”

  “Me, too, Mom.” Tala walked over and put her arms around her mother again. After a moment or two, Tala stood up and let go of her mom. “Okay, that’s it. No more tears today. I’m getting married.”

  “Good luck with that. I’ll be sobbing when you walk down the aisle.” Her mom helped her finish getting ready and helped her fix her hair. Then she cupped Tala’s face in her hands and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Don’t be nervous, Love. You are the happiest and the most beautiful that I have ever seen you, right here in this moment. I’ll see you out there, okay?”

  “Okay, Mom. I love you.”

  “I love you more.” Tala watched as her mom walked out into the twilight, leaving her standing alone with her thoughts.

  Chapter 2

  As the sun set, the packs began gathering outside to watch the ceremony. Tala could hear the commotion, but she hadn’t been outside since earlier in the afternoon when she and her mother had first come in to get ready. Now she was a little nervous that she had left everything up to Lark and the rest of her packs. She hadn’t thought that the logistics of the wedding were that important though, compared to the actual ceremonial part that would tie her and Ander together. Now she wished she had planned a little better.

  Just then Lark walked in. She was dressed in a soft purple, knee length, sleeveless dress. She looked over at Tala and her eyes grew big.

  “Wow, Tala you look amazing. You look like mother nature incarnate.” Lark pulled a wreath of flowers out from behind her back. She reached up and put it on Tala’s head like a crown.

  “Oh Lark, they’re beautiful,” Tala gushed.

  “You’re beautiful,” said Lark as she adjusted the wreath, then stepped back to take in the full picture. “There, it’s perfect.” She took a deep breath. “Are you ready?”

  Tala nodded. “I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,”

  As she followed Lark from the room, she imagined Ander waiting at the other end of the path she was about to walk.

  Once outside, they heard the faint sound of music playing softly in the distance. Lark led Tala… toward the tree line just a few yards away.

  It was starting to get dark and Tala wasn’t sure where they were headed, but she knew they must have been heading in the right direction because the music was growing steadily louder. As they entered the woods, Lark walked ahead of her.

  “Just follow me,” she whispered to Tala.

  Suddenly there was light. Tala looked up to see thousands of twinkly lights strung from the tree branches above them. She gasped. The lights stretched across the forest. Tala looked in every direction and every inch was covered with glimmering bulbs. Pulling her eyes away from the spectacle of lights, she saw the faces of her pack members, in the soft glow of the starlike canopy. Her mom, Oakley, Colt, and all the rest, watched as she walked down the aisle. The path beneath her feet went soft under her shoes. She looked down. The ground she was walking on was covered with all manner and color of wildflowers. There was Larkspur, and Woodlily, and Firewood Blossoms, and Vetch. Tala took a deep breath; the air around her smelled heavenly. She looked back up, and then, everything else disappeared in an instant. There he was. Ander. The part of herself that lived outside of her own body. How much she wanted him, how much she wanted to be his, now and forever. The green of the forest fell away, the flowers under her feet were lost to time, the light from the branches above her dimmed and the only thing she could see was the only thing that mattered. Him.

  She stepped up on the small podium next to him. He smiled at her, as a tear rolled down his cheek. Liam, the pack elder who was performing the ceremony, took their hands and bound them together with a piece of leather. Neither of them noticed. When he wrapped the leather around them, binding their bodies as one, they never took their eyes off one another. Theirs was a world of two. Food, shelter, water, air, love, those things only existed in Ander’s eyes for her now, and she knew it was the same for him. There was nothing there but them, and still that was everything. Then, even their separateness disappeared, they were one body, one mind, one soul. His fears were her fears, her joys were his joys, she could see herself the way she looked through his eyes. Their individual selves were melted down and poured into a single mold to gel into a new being where they existed only together
.

  The thunderous applause of the pack, when the ceremony was finished, was what finally brought them back to the small podium in the woods. Ander reached up and touched her cheek. He brushed her hair behind her ear and placed a chaste but loving kiss on her lips.

  “Tala, I never knew such beauty existed. You are truly the most dazzling creature I’ve ever seen.” Tala blushed and pulled Ander closer to her. She stretched up to kiss his lips one more time before the crowd claimed them both for the congratulations that were now in order.

  “Tala, you look freakin’ awesome.”

  “Thanks, Drew. So do you,” Tala said as her best friend pulled her in for a warm hug. The rest of the crowd came up and took turns shaking the newlyweds’ hands and giving them hugs.

  When the crowd slowly began moving away to where the reception was to be held, Ander walked over and took her hand.

  “This is the best day of my life,” he said as he brought her hand up to his lips to kiss the back of it.

  “Mine too,” she echoed. “Did you feel that? During the ceremony I mean. It was like we were the only two people on the planet. Then it was like we weren’t even two people anymore.”

  “I felt it,” Ander said. He started walking towards where they had set up the reception inside of the mountain in the great hall.

  “Do you think that’s what it’s like when all wolves get married? Or just the ones with a true Mate Bond?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve never heard anyone talk about it happening to them. Didn’t it feel awesome though? It felt like nothing could affect me outside of our little bubble. Like, I would never be hungry, or lonely, or hurt ever again, with you beside me. And now we’re mated for life.” Tala giggled at his response.

  “What?” Ander asked.

  “You sound a little like Drew, all amazed with the mysticism of the wolf bond. Maybe we’re just in love.”