TALA

by Laura Ryles

  “No, Ander, it’s too strong. I tried to run at it in wolf form and it almost knocked me out.” Ander didn’t listen. He bit down onto the metal bar and it made an awful sound for a moment, and then, to Tala’s amazement, she heard a crack and a scrape, and the whole bottom half of the bar bent out as Ander pulled at it with his teeth. He let go of the first bar and did the same thing with a second and a third. Tala was able to squeeze her human body through the bars at last. She hugged Ander’s neck when she was finally free.

  Chapter 9

  “I think you’d better shift.” Ander’s thought, becoming hers.

  “Okay,” Tala said. She transformed into a tawny colored wolf. She could hear footsteps coming from the doorway that Dag had left through only moments ago.

  “We need to go.” Ander said. Tala nodded.

  “Hey, hey! What the hell are you doing?” Dag had just rounded the corner into the room. Tala and Ander were out the door, before he could catch up to them. They started running faster. A bullet whizzed by Tala’s head and then one by Ander’s leg.

  “Oh my God! Ander, he’s shooting at us.” Tala thought.

  “Just run, don’t stop no matter what,” Ander answered. “When the bullets stop, that means he’s a wolf too, and he’s coming after us.” So, she ran. Her paws were beating the ground so hard and fast that she thought the pads might bust. The muscles in her haunches tightened and loosened and she was suddenly very glad for all of the mornings that Liam had run her until she had given out.

  “Ander, could you hear all of the things your dad told me?” Tala thought.

  “I heard enough.” Ander thought back

  “They are going to attack the pack. They may be there already.”

  “It’s going to be okay, Tala. We just have to get there.” They both pushed themselves harder than they ever had before. They were flying through the forest so fast that Tala couldn’t even make out the trees as they flew by; it was all one long green blur.

  They were almost back to the Tundra settlement, and they were coming up on the far side of the lake. Tala slowed down when she heard screams. She watched as a young boy, whom she recognized as Kelly’s older brother, crested the hill on the other side of the lake and ran down toward the water. Then, a man she had never seen before topped the hill behind him and tackled the boy.

  “Ander! They’re already here!” Tala made ready to charge in. By the time she realized that there were more men waiting beside the lake with guns, it was too late. Gunshots rang out from several directions. She saw Ander crumple to the ground right beside her. Then there was pain. It was like being stuck with a hot fire poker. One in her front leg, one in her chest, and one in her hip. This time, it was she who collapsed to the ground. She’d been shot. The heat from the bullet was still moving through her chest as she lay on the ground, several feet away from her mate.

  The scene on the far side of the lake was still unfolding. She watched as more of her pack ran over the hill trying to escape. Some of them were in wolf form and some of them, mostly the children who were too young to shift, were in human form. Men that she assumed were shifters from Dag and Orin's pack followed the children, and still more savage, rogue, wolves came down after the wolves of her pack. There had to be at least ten rogue wolves and that wasn’t even counting the men who were still in their human form. Her pack was being crushed, just like Dag had said they would be. Not just the men and women either, they were even wrestling the kids to the ground. Tala’s eyes began to fill with tears. This is my pack, she thought, it was my job to protect them, and I’ve failed. This is all my fault. I brought this on them. I’m the one that Dag and Orin both want.

  “Well, well. What have we here?” Dag’s voice entered her mind, as he walked out of the trees behind her. Orin and Cindy followed close behind. Tala could tell they were headed for her and Ander, where they lay defenseless on the cold, hard ground.

  “Ander, Ander, can you hear me?” Tala thought. There was no answer. The footsteps of the three newcomers were right on top of them. Dag kicked the heap that was Ander’s body. He laughed and turned to look at Tala. The stillness of Ander’s body terrified her.

  “I guess he can’t save you anymore, huh, Alpha?” Dag’s laughter echoed as he walked into Tala’s line of sight. “Now, watch me tear your pack apart.” Dag cut across the shoreline. “Orin, Cindy, let’s go!” Dag barked his orders, and the two wolves behind him obeyed.

  Across the lake, Tala saw Liam’s wolf form climb over the hill. He’s alive, Tala thought. Liam grabbed one of the rogue wolves by the scruff of the neck and threw him off of a small Tundra woman. Another wolf, who had just joined the fray, jumped on top of Liam and sunk his teeth into his back. It was Orin. Orin shook Liam until he stopped fighting back and then dropped him like an old sock. Tala tried to move her legs, she wanted to get up and fight. She wanted to stop Orin, but she couldn’t.

  “Ander, please wake up. Say something.“” She cried in her mind. There was a sharp pain in her chest. Then her vision focused on another event taking place just across the lake. Colt was charging toward Dag on foot. He was running toward his father with a shield and sword from the great hall. The tears poured down Tala’s fur and dripped from her nose. Orin and Dag were winning. They were going to kill everyone. Even knowing that was nothing compared to the ache of sorrow that was growing deep inside of her at the thought that her mate was lying lifeless next to her. She couldn’t feel him at all anymore.

  Tala tried to reach Ander with her snout, but he was too far from her. She pushed as hard as she could with her back legs. The pain made her wince and whine but finally she managed to shuffle her body across the few feet that separated her from Ander. She lifted her head and laid it across Ander’s back, letting her tears fall into his soft white coat. His chest wasn’t moving. He can’t be gone. She breathed in his scent. Home. Even in the midst of all of this, it still gave her peace. She belonged right here beside him.

  “I can’t live without you, Ander. Please don’t go.” When he still didn’t respond, she laid her head down, closed her eyes, and waited for her end to come. “We will go together, then.” Her breathing became shallower. Her legs began to shake. She could feel the energy inside of her draining out, like the blood from her open wounds.

  Chapter 10

  Then something stirred inside of her. The force of flow changed direction. Both the energy and the blood seemed to be pooling up inside of her. There was a bright light somewhere beyond her eyelids. Anders' chest began to rise and fall.

  “Tala?” His voice sounded in her head.

  “Ander?” Tala gasped. She lifted her head and opened her eyes. Looking at Ander, her eyes squinted. His coat was gleaming like the sun. No, it was glowing! His body was engulfed in a pure blue, almost white light. She looked down at her own body. She was immersed in an aura of her own. Her coat shone in a brilliant golden brown hue. She looked as she had in her dream. Her body began to gain strength. She put her feet up under herself and stood up. Ander did the same beside her. They closed the gap between them, and Ander nestled his nose against her cheek. Tala, in turn, placed her snout under his chin. The bullets dropped out of their bodies one by one.

  “I love you.” Ander's voice was a whisper inside her head.

  “Ander, I love you. I thought you were dead.”

  “I think I was for a moment. Was I shot?”

  “We both were,” Tala replied.

  The several battles on the other side of the lake had come to a halt as many of the wolves stood motionless to take in the spectacle that was Tala and Ander.

  “Are you okay?” Ander asked as he stepped back to look at her.

  “I’m fine. I think I’m healed.” Tala answered. “I think you are too.” A certain wolf was pushing forward to the shoreline on the far side of the lake.

  “NO!” cried Dag. “That’s impossible. I should have killed you when I had the chance.” Orin came to stand beside him, staring at the two radiant wolves acros
s the water. Cindy cowered beneath Orin and watched in disbelief. Tala turned to face her adversaries.

  “I’ve had just about enough of these two,” she thought as the energy that had been building since their wedding day surged through her body like electricity in a plasma globe. “Let’s end this.”

  “Right,” Ander responded, “I couldn’t agree more.” They walked the short distance around the edge of the lake to join everyone on the other side. Tala headed straight for Dag, with Ander on her flank. The other wolves and humans were awestruck, watching their approach. Some of the rogues took off then on their own, but Dag, Orin and Cindy stayed where they were. Dag and Orin bared their teeth and emitted low growls at Tala and Ander. Cindy was still cowering like a beaten dog beneath her lover’s feet.

  Tala and Ander stopped a few feet away from the hostile trio. Tala lifted her head and stood completely erect. When she did, she was taller than every other wolf present.

  “You three will submit and face the judgement of this pack.” Tala’s voice echoed out across the water and to the crowd gathered in front of her.“Any wolf that follows you, may leave now, or stay and face the same fate.” After she spoke these words, the rest of the invaders began to back slowly away from the battles they had been fighting, until the only ones left were the three instigators.

  “Like hell, we will,” Dag growled. Cindy whimpered and looked up at Orin.

  “You’re all a bunch of cowards!” Orin yelled. “She’s just a girl.”

  “You don’t know what I am.” Tala’s voice rained down in their heads. Orin and Dag made ready to attack. Tala and Ander leaned back on their haunches, ready to accept their invitation.

  Dag tore forward at Tala first. She jumped up, catching his blow in mid-air with her paws and pushing him back towards the crowd. He hit the ground and slid a few feet leaving a skid mark in the dirt, then got back up onto his paws and came at her again. This time she twisted herself to the left and simply let him pass by her. He dug his paws into the dirt to stop and then he turned around, sinking his teeth into her hip before she had time to get out of the way. When he let go to get a better grip, she pulled herself away from him. She turned and stood face to face with him. Tala bared her teeth and growled. This time she led the attack and projected herself toward him. She managed to grab the fur of his neck, she shook him and pushed him towards the ground. Dag spread his feet out to try and keep himself upright. Tala pushed even harder. Suddenly something snapped in Dag’s leg and his chest hit the ground. He was down, and Tala held him there until he quit resisting. She let go of his neck and put her paw on his back, just like she had done all those months ago, when she had claimed the title of Alpha of the Tundra Pack from him. She lifted her head to find that Orin and Ander were circling each other.

  “I’m going to tear your face off, pretty-boy,” Orin growled. He jumped at Ander’s face catching one of Ander’s ears in his mouth. He jerked his head and pulled. Tala gasped. Ander’s ear ripped and he howled in pain, but after a few seconds, the bleeding had stopped, and his ear was completely healed. Orin ran at him again, this time knocking Ander from his feet. Ander scrambled back onto his paws and ran forward to meet Orin, who was making another attempt to knock him over. This time Ander knocked Orin to the ground. The dirt from the forest floor shot out all around Orin as he slid backwards toward Cindy, who was still huddled on the ground where Orin had left her. Orin got up and came for Ander again. Ander waited until Orin was right on top of him, before he leapt backwards, twisting his body into a half circle and letting Orin’s teeth chomp down on nothing but air. Before Orin could pull his head back, Ander took hold of his throat and clamped his jaw like a vice. Orin stopped pulling immediately, not wanting to have his throat ripped open by Anders' sharp teeth. Seeing this, Cindy finally pulled herself together enough to get to her feet and step forward. Ander had his back to her, so he couldn’t see her coming closer. Tala saw it though and knew Cindy was about to attack. Cindy jumped onto Ander’s back and grabbed the scruff of his neck. Ander was just about to let go of Orin when Tala’s Alpha voice rang out in all of their heads.

  “STOP!” Tala’s voice was so powerful, that even though it was only in their minds, the leaves on the trees began to fall all around them, and rocks started rolling down the hill toward the lake. Cindy was frozen. Her body had stopped moving altogether. She looked like a plastic toy, standing on Ander’s back. Ander was able to wriggle out of her grip, and once he had, she fell to the ground stiff as a board. Dag and Orin had become immobile as well. The only things moving were their eyes, which were darting around in confusion and terror.

  Tala looked at Ander in shock.

  “What happened?” Tala asked

  “I’m not sure, but whatever it was, I think you did it,” Ander answered, as he let go of Orin's neck and Orin stayed in the position he was in. Tala lifted her foot from Dag’s back and took a step away. The members of the Tundra pack, who had been released by their attackers when they left, stood with their mouths agape. One by one every wolf in the clearing bowed their heads to their Alpha, and a reverent silence fell, as even Ander lowered his head. Tala looked at each of the wolves before her. She couldn’t believe that only moments ago, she had been on the verge of losing them all, and her beloved Ander. She looked around again and realized....

  “Liam! Has anyone seen Liam?” The other wolves raised their heads and started looking around.

  “He’s here, Alpha,” It was Cecilia, the pregnant woman, whose sweet voice answered. Tala walked towards her. There was Liam, lying on the ground at Cecilia’s feet. Tala ran forward and touched Liam’s shoulder with her nose. He didn’t move. She walked around in front of him so that she could see his eyes, but they were shut tight.

  “Liam, can you hear me?”

  “Alpha, I’m sorry, but I think he’s gone.” Cecilia came closer in an effort to comfort her Alpha.

  “No, he’s not,” Tala answered stubbornly, with tears in her eyes. Then, somehow, she knew exactly what she needed to do to wield the energy inside of her. She lifted her paw and placed it on Liam’s chest where his heart should have been beating. She breathed in and out deeply, letting the energy flow, and thinking about where she needed it to go. All of a sudden, the radiance in her paw, transferred to Liam’s chest for the blink of an eye, and then he stirred.

  “Liam?” Tala sniffled.

  “Yes, Alpha?” Liam said, shaking his head as he got to his feet. Relief washed over Tala. She stepped forward and brushed up against Liam with the side of her own body to show her affection for her mentor and friend.

  Chapter 11

  “What happened?” Liam said as he turned to look at his Alpha.“Wow, you’re bright.”

  “I know,” Tala said, “Ander’s glowing too.” Liam looked over at Ander.

  “That’s incredible.”

  “That's not all either. I’ll tell you all about it when this is finished.” Tala turned back and walked to the front of the crowd again to stand beside her mate. “Pack!” She echoed inside of their heads. “These three wolves have betrayed us all. They must face the pack for it this time. I gave them all second chances. I let them live. Orin and Dag were released without harm when I became Alpha of your packs. Cindy was even welcomed back into our family. This cannot stand. They have raised forces against us. They have attacked our home. They wanted to kill us all, and they were very close to succeeding. If we let them go, it will come to this, again, I assure you. We will keep them as prisoners until the rest of our pack returns and then we will hold a tribunal to decide what is to be done with them. Is there anyone that disagrees with this course of action?” There was only silence. “Please escort the three prisoners to a safe place to await the tribunal.” When she had finished speaking, Dag, Orin and Cindy were carried off to be locked up. After that, the glow from Tala and Ander finally subsided and they went back to normal. The pack dispersed and the ones who were in wolf form, went back to their homes to get dressed. Tala and Ander
entered the side of the mountain and walked the long corridor together in silence, back to their rooms.

  Once they were human again, and fully dressed, Tala’s nerves got the better of her and her stomach began to churn, she ran to the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. She knew her nerves must have been frazzled from all the fighting and glowing.

  “Are you okay?” Ander asked from outside the bathroom door.

  “I’m fine. Just nerves,” Tala called out, still hovering over the toilet.

  “I’m feeling a little sick myself. Maybe it was just too much action. Or maybe I’m feeling it from you, I can’t tell if I feel a little sick, or if you feel so sick that I feel it too,” Ander confessed. Tala stood up straight, brushed her hair out of her eyes, and walked over to the mirror in the bathroom. Her eyes were still glowing a bright green. She brushed her teeth and walked out of the bathroom. Ander was waiting just outside the door. Tala walked over to him and fell into his arms.

  “I’ve never been so scared in all my life. Don’t ever do that to me again. I thought you were gone.” Tears began to stream down her face.

  “I’m sorry, Little Wolf.” Ander rubbed the back of her head as she cried into his shoulder. Then he kissed the top of her head. “I’ll do my best not to get shot anymore.” After the crying was done, Tala called Drew to tell him and the rest of the Timber and Tundra pack members about the attack. And to let them know that everyone was fine. Hanging up the phone with Drew, she looked over at her mate.

  “Ander, I’d like you to call a meeting.”

  Tala and Ander stood together in the front of the great hall. At the entrance door, Liam nodded his head toward her. That was the signal. Everyone was here.

  “I know,” Tala began, “that we are all tired and we all have a lot of cleaning up to do to recover from today, and that doesn’t even begin to cover the amount of damage that this day has done to all of us, including our children, emotionally, mentally, and physically.”