Lone Wolf Rising

by Jami Brumfield

  'What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Neck?'

  Silence.

  'Are you there?' Irritation bubbled up inside her. It was a stupid question; she knew he was still there. He couldn’t hang up on a telepathic phone call. 'My neck, Gabriel, why is there a swirly, silver circle on my neck?' She continued to try and wipe it off. When that didn't work she tried to cover it with makeup, but silver was a lot harder to hide than dark colors.

  'Why do you think I had anything to do with a silver mark on your neck?' He asked but she heard something in his voice, a hint of something that wasn't quite right with the words he was thinking.

  'Because it is in the exact place you bit my neck last night in the dream.' And she was suddenly thankful she wasn’t saying these words out loud because they sounded insane. ‘Don’t you lie to me!’

  'The dream, you had that dream, the one with Lucky, you and I?' He asked, shock flavoring his words. 'You can't blame someone for what they do in their dreams, Becca.'

  'I can when it becomes a real when I wake up.' She snapped, staring longingly at the off the shoulder off-white shirt she’d planned to wear today. She wasn’t going to be able to wear it now. With complete resolve she ripped off the shirt and opted for a high neck black shirt and purple scarf. It was more Savvy's style but would have to do until she could get the mark removed.

  'You can't remove the mark.' His voice was tinted with sadness. 'I’m sorry, Becca, but it takes two to agree to the mating mark. I never would’ve done that in a dream had I known it was real. But you were participating in that dream as much as I was.'

  'So was Lucky!!!! So, what, am I mated to you both?'

  He chuckled, 'Nephilim don't leave mating marks. At least I don’t think they do.'

  'You think this is funny?' She screamed into her mind.

  'Sharing my mate with another guy, even if it’s my best friend, isn’t funny in the least.' His voice was cold, serious, and sad. The tone caused her to shiver. 'Nothing is permanent yet. You just accepted my advances toward mating. The mark is there to warn off all other wolves; not nephilim.' Rebecca cringed at the bitterness in his tone. 'We have bigger problems; we have a dream weaver getting involved in our business. They’re the only ones with the power to manipulate a dream and make it real. I’ll look into it.' He said with finality.

  'No, I have a feeling I know who it was. I’ll take care of it.'

  Silence.

  'Gabriel did you hear me? You have bigger issues to look into, like discovering who attacked our pack. We won’t be safe until we find them and eliminate the threat.'

  Still silence. She could feel his fuming, it matched her own.

  'Gabriel?'

  'You may be my alpha, but I’m still a dominant wolf. I don't like my emotions being toyed with. I’m a predator, Becca, as much as a human. What your dream weaver friend did was a violation of privacy and interference in something I hold sacred. To ask me to leave it alone is to ask me to be untrue to myself.'

  'Asking you to trust your potential mate to handle it while you address more threatening dangers isn’t asking you to be untrue to yourself. I’m an alpha, and I’m asking you to trust me to handle this.'

  He roared in her mind. She knew this was difficult for him, she could feel it. She knew he was struggling with his own personal demons, but she could also feel him giving in. What surprised her was that she referred to herself as a potential mate; apparently she was giving in a little, too. 'Fine.' He finally growled. 'See you Thursday.' It was like he hung up on her; only a telepathic disconnect is far more jarring than someone hanging up the phone.

  "Goodbye to you, too."

  "Goodbye to who?" Savvy entered the bathroom rubbing the sleep from her eyes, yawning, and startling Rebecca.

  "Good morning, sis." Rebecca kissed Savvy on the cheek; which got her a glare with narrowed eyes from Savvy before Rebecca headed out the door. It was time for grandmother and her to have a talk.

  As she made it down the stairs, she realized grandmother was of the same mindset when she found her grandma sitting at the table waiting for her. It was the first time Rebecca has seen her since Saturday. Grandmother patted the seat next to her; an invitation for Becca to sit. Rebecca did, after she looked around the kitchen to make sure Hunter was nowhere to be found. Grandmother slid a peppermint tea across the table, the smell so strong it made Rebecca think of Gabriel. Rebecca pushed the wolf’s snarky smile out of her mind and blew twice on the hot liquid before taking a sip.

  For a moment things felt normal. It was like it was before she made the decision to become a wolf and throw away a heritage she had no idea she had. Rebecca would get up early for a run, and have a tea with grandmother while the house was quiet. It was their time, and she missed it. But this was not like those times. Rebecca saw the hurt still in her grandmother’s eyes. Rebecca was sad that she turned her back on the family; even though she had no idea what she did.

  "I’m sorry, grandma." Rebecca told her as she poured some honey and milk into the tea.

  Grandmother nodded and put her cup down. "I know." She handed Rebecca a necklace, similar to the one that Savvy wore, only different in slight ways. "I need to know you are protected. I’ve already made one for Hunter and for Savvy. Yours was a little more difficult, but here it is."

  Rebecca looked at it. It was made up of multiple stones encased in a gold locket. When she opened the locket it had a picture of Hunter and Savvy. It was hard to speak around the lump forming in her throat. When Rebecca did find her voice it sounded raspy and unlike her own. "It’s only missing one person." Rebecca tried to manage a smile, only her lips shook as she fought back emotions.

  "I’m part of the locket. I made it. So you have a complete representation of your family." Grandmother said, as though she read her thoughts. "Natalia tells me you created an air block the other day." She said it like she was talking about washing the dishes or doing the laundry, not like she was talking about manipulating one of the four elements.

  Rebecca decided she would have to talk to Natalia about confidentiality.

  "Don't be mad at her. She came to me because she was worried about you. Werewolves should not be able to control the elements. That’s a power reserved for witches."

  "And warlocks like my father?"

  Grandmother nodded, a smile curving her lips. "And warlocks like your father. We’re entering uncharted waters, and hiding information from each other is dangerous."

  "So why don't you tell me why you hid the fact that we’re witches from us?" Rebecca didn't mean to ask it so coldly, but it was irritating that she couldn't see how they were more alike than different.

  "Fair enough. Your mother and father spellbound all three of you; restricted you from accessing your powers. I’ve been trying to unbind you since you arrived. Until I did, I saw no point in telling you about your powers." Grandmother took another sip of her tea. "But now, I see that was a mistake. You’re tied to the supernatural world as tightly as any of us. I just wish I’d made this realization before you became what you are now." Grandmother placed her hand in Rebecca’s. Rebecca could see the emotional battle she was facing internally. “When you are responsible for other people you sometimes make mistakes. The best you can hope for is doing what you think is right and hope it works out.”

  Rebecca smiled warmly, understanding in her eyes. "I don't mind what I am now grandma. It was my choice, my consequences to face - my decision. But I think it’s time to tell Savvy and Hunter. They need to know. And I’ll help anyway I can."

  She looked at Rebecca, eyes sad, full of remorse. "You have your own challenges to face." That knowing spark twinkling in her eyes for the briefest of moments.

  "Which is something I want to talk to you about." Rebecca slipped the necklace around her neck and waited for her grandmother to look at her.

  "I have to remain neutral. I can help you like any other supernatural, but my commitment to the coven is to remain neutral.” She added. “I’ll be watched very carefully now to
make sure I stick to that promise."

  "And I would never ask you to break that promise. I just need help understanding my new place in this world."

  "I’ll happily offer advice whenever asked, but you must make those decisions on your own." She warned.

  Rebecca nodded. "I’m meeting with the rogue wolves tomorrow. Gabriel has warned me that some of them think they were treated unfairly. Tomas made arrangements with them, to… strengthen his numbers."

  Grandmother nodded. "I expected as much. Tomas was never one to be trusted."

  "I’m thinking about accepting them all in the fold and letting them earn their place or expulsion." Rebecca told her. "Wiping the slate clean and giving everyone a fresh start."

  "That’s a dangerous plan." Grandmother continued using her warning voice, but offered little advice.

  "Yes, but I hope they’ll realize, it’s a fair plan." Rebecca drank the last of the tea. "What I’m really concerned about is the lack of evidence from the investigation. The danger that Tomas and the pack faced is still out there and I’m not entirely sure it was the vampires that were involved."

  "The vampires and werewolves have been at war for many centuries. It’s a safe bet they are involved somehow." Grandmother began washing the cups in the sink while Rebecca dried.

  Becca pressed her lips together and frowned. "I met with Celestia and she paints a very different picture. She wants a truce."

  Grandmother dropped the cup and they both watched as it shattered into pieces at their feet. Grandmother grabbed Rebecca’s hand and forced her to look at her. "Celestia is a very dangerous vampire; she blames our family for her problems. You need to be very careful around her."

  "Dangerous I get. But why does she blame our family? Is it because her crown was taken after our parents' deaths?"

  "Celestia's issue with our family goes farther back than that. She has been on the wrong side of many Matthew witches."

  Rebecca nodded letting grandmother know she understood. She wanted to know more about her mother's family past with Celestia but she was running out of time. She would have to talk to her more about this later. "There’s an old saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Becca told her as she went to get the broom and dust pan.

  Grandmother shook her head, snapped her fingers, and whispered some words. Rebecca dropped the broom and dust pan as she watched the cup piece itself back together in front of her very eyes. “That was amazing.” Rebecca’s eyes got large like saucers.

  "I’ll see if there are any rumors on the vampire front to help you make this decision. I’d like you to be there this weekend when I tell Hunter and Savvy. Once I tell them about their heritage you’ll no longer be bound to keep your secret from them."

  Her words sent relief to every inch of Rebecca’s body. The idea of being able to talk to her siblings and grandmother about what’s going on in her life was a gift from the heavens. "Why not tonight?" She asked anxious to make this dream a reality. She already felt better being able to talk to grandmother and wanted that great feeling of freedom to continue with the rest of her family.

  Grandma pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Let them have this dance, after Saturday their lives will be completely changed. They’ll no longer be normal teenagers with normal problems."

  Rebecca nodded. It made sense. She put the broom away. “Grandma, I also found something about mother I would like to ask you about.”

  Grandmother Catherine tilted her head and offered a smile. “What is that, dear?”

  “I found an excommunication order signed by Francesco to remove mother from the Phoenix coven. It was dated a week before her death. Do you know anything about this?”

  Grandmother’s hand shook as she placed another dish in the dish drainer. “That’s news to me. Where did you find this?”

  Rebecca could tell she was hiding something. “It doesn’t matter. I just thought it might be important. Do you think it has something to do with her death?”

  Grandmother put her hand on her forehead, shielding her eyes for just a moment. It was another sign to Rebecca that she was hiding something. “Well, she was never excommunicated from the coven, so I don’t think so.” She returned to drying the rest of the dishes. “Both the Authority and Convent decided this was a human crime, not supernatural.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been hearing that a lot lately. Between you and me, I’m not buying it.” The doorbell rang. Knowing it was Lucky, Rebecca headed towards the door to let him in. Before she could leave the kitchen grandmother grabbed Rebecca’s arm once again, “you need to stop digging into your parents’ death. Please.”

  “I can’t.” Rebecca stated sadly. “I’m sorry but I have to know what happened.”

  Grandma sighed heavily. “Can you at least promise me that you will let me know if you run into any more problems with the air element? I can send you to someone to help you control it better."

  Rebecca nodded, "of course." She didn't expect to have anymore issues with magic. Since that day, she hadn't seen any sign of magic coming from her. But it was nice to know she had someplace to go. She then flashed a brilliant smile as she went to answer the door.

  Lucky pulled Rebecca into his arms and across the threshold the moment the door was open. She felt overwhelmed and cared for in that instant. It was overpowering and she closed her eyes waiting for the kiss, the kiss that never came.

  "Gabe and I made a promise to not..."

  "Push me. No kissing until I decide which one of you I want." Rebecca finished his sentence. It was the same one she heard from Gabriel last night.

  He let her go and she caught the guilty look cross his face for a second before it was replaced with a dazzling smile. "So I’ll not be kissing those irresistible lips today." He leaned in close and whispered "and I probably shouldn't have hugged you, either, but I was worried about you. I had the strangest dream."

  Rebecca felt his warm breath on her neck and was drawn in by the scent of vanilla, cloves, and cinnamon. The effect made her shiver and his comment about the dream made her feel guilty. "Well, he told me about the deal, and I must say, you two sure do know how to fight for a girl." It was meant to be a playful statement, but it hit him hard.

  "We’ve never fought over a girl." He ran his fingers through his hair, frustration coming off of him in waves. "Our friendship is facing the ultimate test, and even after you choose, I’m afraid it may still suffer." He offered a weak smile. "But that’s not your problem. You have enough to deal with." He opened the car door and waited for her to get in.

  She smiled when he got in to the driver’s seat. “Savvy and Hunter have late practices today so she is going to drive them both in.”

  “So we get to ride solo today, huh?” He pulled the vehicle in to drive.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  ~”I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that of an athlete.”

  ~Chris Cleave

  Hunter

  Hunter rushed back to the locker room, tired of being beat up daily at practice. Practice of the very game he loved so much. It was the only connection he still had to his father. And there was no way he would give it up for that very purpose alone. Who cared if his coordination was off and he couldn’t run very far towards the end zone before one of his teammates took him down? Without even thinking Hunter’s hand moved to rub the pain out from his knee. Natalia had grown tired of watching so she left, unable to watch him get crunched between the ground and another bigger, stronger player on his team.

  While the rest of the team barreled into the locker room, Hunter closed his eyes and focused on the pain in his knee. Natalia taught him an interesting trick earlier this week. He wasn't sure how much he believed it, but he was still impressed with the results. The pain was throbbing so he decided to try it again. He imagined pulling energy from a large healing light in the sky and allowing it to flow through his hands into his body. As he concentra
ted on the area of pain, miraculously, he started to feel relief. She called it energy healing and she promised him more lessons; letting him know there was plenty more to learn. If the lessons all show the same effective results he was ready to try them all.

  By the time Danny and his three stooges; Bryce, Jacob, and Marcus entered the locker room he felt better. They made their way through the room high fiving, chest bumping and congratulating most of the other players until they reached Hunter.

  "Nice fumbles, Winters." Danny grinned darkly. "When are you gonna learn that football isn't for everyone?"

  "And when are you gonna learn that I’m not a quitter?" Hunter shoved his pads into the locker, taking his anger out on them, instead of the guys behind him. Then he turned and faced them head on. Marcus was flexing his pectoral muscles; overcompensating for something no doubt. Jacob and Bryce puffed up their shoulders and tried to look mean and intimidating, but all they achieved was looking ridiculous.

  Hunter didn’t bother with them. The one he was really worried about was Danny. "Look, your sister and I are going to the dance and if I get my way we’ll be exclusive real soon. That means I need to start looking out for you."

  "As team captain, you should’ve been looking out for everyone already." Hunter locked his angry glare with Danny’s odd grey eyes.

  "Maybe." He pulled back as though he’d been slapped, and, shamefully, Hunter felt a twinge of gratification. It was short lived. "Unfortunately, there’s a hierarchy at schools and on teams. You just happen to be on the wrong side. It really isn’t your fault. You weren’t built for this game. You should be playing chess or on the debate team." Danny sat on the bench beside him and Hunter scooted a few more inches away from him. Danny always rubbed him wrong. He didn’t know what it was that made him dislike his teammate so much, but Hunter could barely be in the same room with him, let alone sitting side by side. Hunter had no clue as to the attraction Savvy had for the guy. Danny’s three stooges created a fortified half moon around them, effectively cutting Hunter and Danny off from the rest of the team.