A Night Claimed

by Domina Alexandra

  “I want to return to work. I can’t let that part of myself go. What happened today made that clear to me.”

  “I know,” Rikki said. “I promise, you will be able to return to work. But we have to take care of Cain first.”

  Cain.

  *

  The night surrendered to the dawn when the pack finally settled down to sleep. The arrival of the newborn cub excited everyone, and each member took turns holding, rocking, and singing to her. Rikki didn’t need to tell me that it was their way of bonding with the newest pack member. I understood it was a wolf thing. I even took a turn myself.

  The living room was converted for the night into a massive bedroom for the pack. Couches were pulled out, mattresses were strewn about the floor, and there were even some sleeping bags brought in from storage. Izzy, Ric, and the newborn were lying together in the center of the room.

  I had a place of honor close to the new family, and Rikki remained next to me, her arm around my waist in a protective manner. It would only be too easy to fall asleep, but I couldn’t close my eyes yet. I surveyed the room and my gaze landed on the new cub cradled next to her mother who was sleeping soundly. The baby’s eyes were fixed on me. I smiled at her. There was an incredible bond between the two of us, one that would last throughout our lives.

  I fell asleep with those new eyes on me.

  When I awoke it was afternoon. The sun shone brightly through the window in the quiet living room. I opened my eyes to greet the rays of sunlight, quickly realizing that I was alone. Where is everyone?

  I stood and stretched, deciding to go into the kitchen for something to eat and to look for the others. All I could think of was bacon as I raided the refrigerator – the smell and the savory taste. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning. There were some frozen waffles in the freezer that I thought would be perfect with bacon, so I snatched them from the freezer door and tossed a couple in the toaster while I prepared the bacon on the stove. I listened to it sizzle in the pan.

  A noise outside caught my attention. I turned off the stove and walked over to the sliding glass doors in the kitchen that led outside. Nothing. Not even a light breeze. Strange. I know I heard something. I opened the door and stepped outside. I closed my eyes and sniffed the air. It would rain soon. There was a wolf nearby.

  The scent was wild and earthy. My eyes shot open and I grinned. Rosemary. She wanted me to come run together in the woods. Several others were close as well. Their scents were unmistakable.

  I tore at my clothes hastily, throwing them in the grass as each article of clothing was removed. I smiled and invited the shift, feeling the familiar ache in my gums and refusing to struggle against the pain. The transformation happened quickly. Bones shifted, new skin and hair emerged, organs grew and rearranged. I was remade. I was free.

  I howled and disappeared into the thick vegetation of the forest.

  *

  We were several miles from the main house when I became human again. I stood on my human legs surrounded by my brethren who had also returned to their human forms. Rosemary gave me a shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

  “We usually keep a few bags of clothing out here, just in case.”

  Rikki was dressing as well, so I tried to sneak a peek at her body as subtly as possible. I was becoming quite possessive of her. She was beautiful and she was mine. The human part of me grasped for reason when it came to jealousy, but the wolf in me…well, the wolf didn’t care. The wolf operated purely on instinct.

  She caught my eyes on her and smiled. “Do I please you?”

  I was certain the others had heard her question.

  I blushed and cleared my throat. “Yes, you do.”

  Toni and a few of the other men were carrying firewood and coolers. There were camping chairs a few yards away.

  “We will stay here tonight,” Rikki announced.

  “Yes!” Izzy cheered. “Did you like our game, Bonnie?”

  “Game?” I asked.

  “It’s not so much of a game as a ritual,” Rikki explained. “After the birth of a cub, the Omega would shift and seek out the cub, who was hidden by the rest of the pack. It strengthens the bond between Omegas and the cubs.”

  “But I only assisted—”

  “You are thinking too much like a human,” Rosemary remarked with some exasperation.

  I frowned, not really understanding her point.

  “That connection you feel with the cub? It’s strong and overwhelming, isn’t it?” Rikki was looking at me, but I knew she wasn’t expecting me to answer her.

  Tato snorted. “An understatement. Humans have the capability to bring babies into the world far more easily and using more avenues than werewolves. We only have the Omegas.”

  As I listened, I began to understand. “So, the game, or ritual...”

  Rikki grabbed a soda from one of the coolers. “It is the final exercise of bonding between you and the cub. You will always be able to sense her emotions, her needs, if she is ever in danger…”

  “And we know that this is not part of the tradition,” Ric chimed in, moving closer to his wife, “but we wanted to ask you to name our cub.”

  I was stunned. “She is your first child.”

  “And now that we have you, we can have more,” Izzy grinned.

  I smiled weakly. “Wow. Well, I’d be honored.”

  A few laughed.

  I studied the cub in Izzy’s arms. She was strong. Very strong.

  “She will be a handful. Capable of becoming an Alpha. May I hold her?”

  Izzy nodded, and then handed the cub to me. The newborn stared at me with her green eyes, and I felt the bond between us solidify.

  “Remy.”

  “Remy?” Rikki repeated in a questioning manner.

  “Remy. I knew someone named Remy when I was younger. She was bold, honest, and fair. It’s a perfect name for our new cub.”

  A small fire was made and then packages of hot dogs were retrieved from the coolers to roast. The sound of beer bottles and soda cans popping open and the light laughter caused by silly stories lured me closer to the middle of the pack – both physically and emotionally. It was a family. My family. Granted, I wasn’t so thrilled at the beginning to be joining the pack, but who would? It was a difficult thing to be comfortable with for a person with even the strongest of spirits. But after today, I finally belonged. And now, Remy did too.

  It was still overwhelming to think about the power in my gifts as an Omega. The position I now occupied came with arguably the most important duty – the propagation of the pack. Each wolf in the family wanted children, I knew. Does Rikki want children? She had never spoken about it, but now that it was possible, she might be more forthcoming about any secret desire for babies she harbored.

  Rikki tugged at my shirt, pulling me down onto the thick blanket she had brought into the forest. “Come, sit with me.”

  I positioned myself between her legs and rested my back against her chest.

  “You are tense. I can smell your anxiety.”

  “I was just thinking.”

  “I noticed,” Rikki remarked. “Your forehead crinkles anytime you are deep in thought.”

  I peered up at her face. “I can't help it.”

  Rikki hugged me tightly and planted a soft peck on my hair.

  “While you’re thinking over there, perhaps you could also think about being the pack’s healer?” Izzy interrupted, the baby asleep in her arms. “I can tell that you loved your work as a paramedic. You had a gift for healing before you became a werewolf. You should use it.”

  “We know you want to get back to that, but what about considering doing the same for all werewolves? Many others would love to be able to take advantage of your abilities,” Cecilia chimed in.

  “It's too dangerous for her to demonstrate her abilities outside of the pack,” Rikki interjected, effectively dismissing the idea.

  I was too curious to allow Rikki to shut down the conversation. “But werewolves hea
l exceptionally fast, right? What would I really be needed for other than birthing cubs?”

  Tato, overhearing our conversation, joined our small subgroup. He took a swig of his beer and then said, “But there are circumstances when we cannot heal quickly or very well, and we would need further assistance. Historically, Omegas have also often served as a mediator between packs. You have so many talents.”

  “What could cause significant harm to a werewolf?” I inquired, suddenly afraid of the possibilities.

  “Wolfsbane is poisonous to werewolves, and we cannot heal quickly with bullets lodged in our bodies. But when hurt, we are dangerous to be near and it’s a risk to help. Therefore, many die. But as an Omega, you would be able to calm their wolves.”

  “She said she wants to return to her work as a paramedic,” Rikki stated coldly.

  “We all know that her return to the human sphere might not be possible. She is an Omega, and her gifts are far too valuable to the pack. Plus, she is more exposed out there than here with us. Other packs will come for her. We can protect her here.” Tato’s tone was argumentative, but I knew he wasn’t trying to be disrespectful.

  Rikki’s eyes were golden. Her body shivered with rage. “She. Will. Decide. Is that clear?”

  Tato lowered his head in an attempt to diffuse the tension and to show his respect for Rikki at the same time. “I know she will. I only needed to speak my piece, and to express what we are all thinking. It’s not only her safety that concerns me, it is any human around her in her line of work. You know Omegas have great restraint, but when it comes to the presence of blood, they are just as dangerous and unpredictable as any other dominant wolf.”

  The looks on the faces of those around me confirmed it. I was a danger to others. My profession was not ideal for a werewolf, it seemed. The urge to retch was strong. How can I not go back to work? How can I not be a paramedic? I realized then that the reason Rikki was training me was not simply because I needed to hone my skills to prepare for the possibility of being attacked again, but it was also to train me to resist my bloodlust. Rosemary reached for my hand, curling her fingers around mine and squeezing lightly. I needed her hand. Without it, I was certain I would float away because I didn’t feel attached to anything except the persistent desire to vomit.

  It was all making sense now. Rosemary was able to keep her job at the hospital because as a submissive wolf, she would never lose control. But I was no submissive. I had submissive traits, but the dominant would always subdue them. The night I nearly attacked the man in the hospital made that painfully obvious. If Rosemary hadn’t been there to stop me…well, it would have ended much differently.

  Then, I thought about my job. It was a carousel of frenzied emotions and the appearance of blood was unavoidable. I couldn’t pick the calls I received. What was I going to say to my supervisor? 'Sorry, but I can only work basic life support calls where I deal with minimum blood and only good people'? They'd ask me to resign. I turned my head to the side, trying to hide the fact that I was about to cry.

  “I won't ever have the control that I need in order to return to work, will I?”

  She shook her head. “Not in this century.”

  I covered my eyes with both of my hands. It was not enough to stem the tide of tears. Rikki had spent so much of our time together encouraging me in my desire to go back to work, not once saying or even hinting that it wouldn’t be possible for over a lifetime. I wrenched free of her arms and ran back to the house, not bothering to say anything to anyone. I left them there with their fire, their drinks, their new cub, and their bullshit secrets. I needed a break from this world of werewolves.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  I rang the doorbell of a house that I had not visited in a long time. My mom appeared in the doorway, and I collapsed into her arms like a little kid and began crying.

  Minutes. Hours. Days. I had no clue how much time had passed since I rang her doorbell. I was curled up on the couch, my head resting in my mom’s lap. She combed her fingers through my hair, and it felt as if she was detangling all of my knotty worries. My mother and I were never so close that we might be mistaken for sisters or friends. We bickered with each other constantly, though I never doubted her love for me. And whenever I needed her, she was there.

  However much time it was that we had spent on that couch, it was all spent in silence. My mom never said a word to me, trusting that I would tell her what I needed to say when I was ready. Right now, I was stalling. I didn't know what to tell my mom. The truth was out of the question. I am a werewolf. She could not possibly understand that, much less accept it.

  After my tears had dried and puffiness set in, I sat up to face my mom, knowing that I couldn’t stall any longer. “I love my career, you know that. It’s made me a stronger person and gotten me through so many tough times. But Rikki thinks I should quit. She believes that because of the trauma I’ve endured with this attack that it’s emotionally unhealthy for me to remain a paramedic.”

  My mom did not speak right away. She looked as though she was carefully considering her words.

  “What makes Rikki assume that?”

  I sighed. I had to think of a way to tell the truth without revealing everything. “I... don’t have control…over my actions, I mean. Not lately. I've...been having nightmares. Panic attacks. I'm afraid to even go into a hospital.”

  “Oh, honey.” My mom pulled me into a tight embrace. She kissed my cheek. “I'm sorry. Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”

  I wanted to tell her the truth. I wanted it so badly.

  “Mom, I'm just...scared. I feel like I'm losing my identity. Being a paramedic is a big part of my life, and I don’t know if I can do it anymore.”

  “Bonnie, why did you come here? Not that I mind – I love having you here. But why aren’t you telling all of this to Rikki?”

  I shook my head. “She lied to me. She told me what I wanted to hear.”

  “I agree that lying was not very smart on her end, but shouldn't you let her explain why she lied?”

  “Because she thought I was too weak to face the truth,” I barked angrily.

  “Bonnie,” she said in a stern voice. “You have never been weak. I certainly don’t believe that Rikki thinks you are either. Perhaps you should try looking at things from her perspective.”

  I didn’t understand her meaning.

  “Maybe Rikki was afraid to tell you because she knew you'd see yourself as weak. Anyone who knows you, knows you are your own worst nightmare. You’d start punishing yourself and taking it out on the world by distancing yourself from everyone who cares about you.”

  I was prepared to argue but I reconsidered. She was right. I was my own worst enemy. I leaned back against the couch. If Rikki had told me the truth right away, I would have closed myself off from everyone. No doubt about it. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I hadn’t really run away because Rikki hadn’t been forthcoming about the truth, but because I was terrified of the confirmation of what I already knew deep down: I couldn’t just go back to my old life.

  My phone buzzed.

  “You should get that. It might be Rikki.” She smiled encouragingly.

  I nodded.

  “Hey,” I answered weakly.

  My mom squeezed my hand and then stood. She headed to the kitchen to give Rikki and me some privacy.

  Rikki sighed in relief on the other end of the line. “Where are you?”

  “My mom’s,” I replied in a low voice. I wanted to make sure my mother couldn’t hear me from the kitchen.

  Rikki was quiet for a minute.

  “I'm sorry I ran off,” I said. “I needed time to think.”

  “I should have told you—”

  “No,” I interrupted her. “You were right to be concerned. I think I may have reacted differently if I had known sooner.”

  Before, I was still unsure about my feelings for Rikki. Before, I couldn't accept what I'd become. Before, I was holding on by a t
hread. Before, I believed because I had to believe, that I could return to my normal, human life.

  “Can I come and get you?” Rikki asked.

  I thought for a minute, then said, “Rikki, I need to feel human right now. Just for a little while longer.”

  Rikki said nothing.

  “My mom is inviting you to dinner on Sunday. Come. And then, you can take me home.”

  “Okay.”

  *

  My brother pulled into the driveway and I frowned. I knew Raymond wanted to meet Rikki again. The last time he met her, I denied there was anything between us. Now that I was living with her and claimed her as my girlfriend, he had all kinds of questions. My other brother, Shawn, would be here too. I was the oldest of my mom’s kids.

  “What's for dinner?” Raymond strode into the house, tossing his coat on the couch.

  “Hang your coat up!” my mom shouted from the kitchen.

  He rolled his eyes and took his coat to the closet by the front door. “Where's this girlfriend of yours?”

  I squirmed noticeably in my chair. “She’ll be here.”

  My brother wasted no time diving head-first into a lecture about my relationship with Rikki. A large portion of the speech focused on my recent change-of-address and how that looked to everyone. I had to control the urge to punch him.

  I heard a car pulling into the driveway and I knew it was Rikki.

  “Don't be a dick, Raymond. I mean it.”

  I rushed to the door. I walked outside and shut the door behind me. Rikki was walking up to the porch, holding a bottle in her hand. I thought it was wine but was surprised to discover that it was olive oil. And not a cheap brand.

  “Something tells me you didn't spend five dollars on that bottle.”

  Rikki’s wide grin stretched across the angles of her face. Her hair framed her cheeks in loose waves. She looked so beautiful.

  I stepped forward to greet her, wrapping my arms around her neck. Our foreheads met and her free hand snaked around my waist. She kissed me softly at first, and then she parted her lips slightly, using her tongue to trace the border of my bottom lip. I shuddered with pleasure.