Ricky walked carefully up the steps and onto the porch. The boards groaned but held his weight easily enough. He signed with relief as he opened the door and walked inside. He sneezed a few times as he glanced around the one room cabin. There was a rickety table in one corner with two chairs. A cot that had definitely seen better days was shoved up against another wall and then there was the fireplace that took up the third wall. He was willing to bet this had been the home of a shifter or a hunter at one time. The lack of any kind of kitchen or bathroom lead him to believe whoever used this place had probably been an outdoorsman and only used this place to protect them from the fickle weather of the mountains.
The sound of sneakered feet preceded his brother as he entered the one room structure. “I’ve got the wood and I found a small stream just over the hill for water. It tasted real good and its cold. I could go get you some if you want Ricky.” Sandy dropped the wood beside the fireplace and stood waiting for his next instructions.
For a moment, tears threatened to fall down the older sibling’s face. He should be the one taking care of his brother, not the other way around. He jumped as he felt a small hand on his arm.
“I can help, Ricky. Please let me help.”
The older brother squared his shoulders and smiled as he nodded. “Don’t worry, it’s going to take both of us to get this place in shape before that snow storm hits.”
Ricky glanced around wondering what they could use to gather water. After a moment he opened the duffle bag and pulled out the first aid kit he’d grabbed as an afterthought. The plastic container might be big enough to carry enough water for them to use. He emptied out the rest of the medical supplies back into the duffle bag and handed the box to his brother. “Will this work you think?”
Sandy studied it for a moment with such intent that Ricky almost laughed. But he quickly hid his smile as his little brother grinned and nodded. “I might have to make more than one trip, but that’s okay it’s not far. Besides, I can drink in my wolf form.”
“Good idea!” Ricky praised as he clapped his little brother on the back. He hated to have his sibling out of his sight, but he also knew that even at six years old, Sandy was already stronger than him in many ways. He’d learned quickly once they joined the Willow Creek Pack, that wolf shifters were capable hunters as early as age four. “Just make sure you use your nose and come back here if you smell anyone, do you understand me, Sandy?”
The young boy nodded his understanding before he turned and left the building. Ricky sighed and forced his aching body to remain standing for just a bit longer. He had to at least try to get a fire going and then if possible figure out a way to shake out the bedding on the cot. It would be tight, but both he and Sandy could fit on it. He glanced out the windows and wondered how long they could stay here, how long would they be safe?
It seemed like he had just sat down to rest for a moment when he felt someone pressing something against his lips. Ricky groaned and tried to sit up, but the room spun alarmingly. He noticed the fire was still going, so he couldn’t have been asleep for too long.
“Come on, Ricky, you need to drink this and then I got a surprise for you.”
Ricky chuckled. “Another surprise?” He smiled as he watched his younger brother’s chest puff out before he reached down and pulled up a dead rabbit. For a moment, Ricky pulled back in horror at the bloodied carcass but then his stomach growled. “Well now, that is a good surprise. Just give me a minute and I’ll get it ready to be cooked on the fire.”
“Drink first, Ricky, please?” His younger brother pushed the plastic container towards him and waited while he drank.
The water was still cool and did taste good on his parched throat. Normally he would have been worried about drinking untreated water, but he knew dehydration was a bigger danger at this point. He drank slowly, savoring the wetness as it slid down his throat. He watched as his brother pulled the old table closer to the cot he was lying on and then went to the duffle to grab the hunting knife. It was the only gift his father had given him. He glanced down at the leather sheaf and remembered the day like it was yesterday.
It had been his seventeenth birthday. Maria had been married to his father for a little over two years and was pregnant with Sandy. It had been a good time for his family. Ricky had never known his own mother as she died when he was only two years old. His father had grieved for the loss of his wife by drowning himself in the bottom of a bottle. His youngest memories were of the smell of alcohol, sickness and the feel of his father’s belt. No matter how hard he tried, his father always seemed to find him lacking. Years later, Maria explained to him that it was because he reminded his father of what he’d lost.
However, once his father met Maria his life changed for the better. Suddenly, he had a family with a father who had time to teach him how to hunt and toss a football. His dad had apologized for how he’d treated Ricky and promised it would never happen again. They even started going to church. It was as if Maria had brought the sunshine back into the world. But of course that had only lasted until he turned eighteen and his father found out that he was gay.
“Are you okay, Ricky?” Sandy’s soft voice dragged him back to the present. He shook his head slightly and tried to smile. No matter how bad his life had been, Sandy was just like his mother, he brought the sunshine.
“I’m fine. Now, let’s see if we can get this rabbit cooked, shall we?” They spent the next hour preparing dinner and then eating what tasted like the best meal he’d had in a long time.
In his former pack, he was lucky to get enough to just get by and meat was something he rarely had. He knew he’d lost weight and muscle but at least during that time Sandy had received decent care, or he thought he had. After overhearing the Alpha’s plans for his brother, he knew he had to get him away and someplace safe.
“Do you want me to get more wood, Ricky?” Sandy broke into his unpleasant thoughts.
“I think we have enough to get us through the night. Why don’t you take part of this and eat? You need to keep up your strength if you’re going to go hunting for wood tomorrow.” The tired human hated that his brother was being left with all the hard chores, but right now he doubted he had the strength to get to the front door.
Sandy shook his head and grinned. “I’m not that hungry, ‘cause I ate the other one before I came back here.” Sandy looked down for a moment before he continued. “Is that okay, Ricky?”
The older brother put down the meat he was eating and smiled at his younger brother. “You’re a wolf, of course it’s okay. Why would you think it’s not?” He watched as his brother bit on his lower lip for a moment before he responded in a soft voice.
“Alpha Clifton told me eating cooked meat was for inferior beings like humans. He told me that if I didn’t eat my meal raw, I wasn’t a shifter. He said shifters are better than humans and that I shouldn’t be around them or act like them.” Sandy shrugged. “I don’t understand why he doesn’t like humans but I don’t want to be a shifter anyway if it means I can’t be with you. Maybe I should have brought back the other rabbit so you could cook it for me, then we could stay together forever.”
Ricky saw red for a moment as he tried to get his emotions under control. He had suspected that their old Alpha was filling his brother’s head with some kind of crap but could never prove it. He was glad he’d grabbed his brother and left before any more damage could be done. Luckily, his younger brother hadn’t accepted what he was being taught.
Ricky took a deep breath and looked at his brother. “What do you think, Sandy? Do you think I’m weaker or less of a being because I’m human or because I don’t eat my food the same way you do?”
“NO!” Sandy cried, as he jumped up and wrapped his arms around Ricky’s waist. He stifled a groan from the contact on his still healing wounds before he hugged his brother back.
“Look, Sandy. There will always be people who don’t like others who are different from them. That doesn’t make them right.
In fact, they miss out on so much by being limited in their view. When you get bigger you’ll travel and see how many wonderful different kinds of people there are in our world.” Ricky hugged him tighter for a moment before he pulled back and looked down into the light blue eyes of his sibling. “You’re a shifter and more importantly, you’re my brother and I love you. It doesn’t matter to me if you grow long ears and have a purple tail, I’ll still love you because you are a very smart and caring person.”
Sandy sniffed for a moment before he stood and picked up the small piece of rabbit. He took a bite and glanced up at his older brother. “Could use a little more seasoning don’t you think, Ricky?”
Ricky laughed as he continued to eat. “I’ll put that on the grocery list, right next to the sugar cookies okay?”
The two continued to banter back and forth until both were warm, fed and tired.
As the exhausted human put more wood on the fire he stared over at his sleeping brother before he turned to gaze out into the snow filled night. “Please, if anyone is listening, just let us be safe for a little while. Not for me, but for my little brother. He doesn’t deserve to suffer.” As he looked at the sadness in the hazel eyes reflected back at him, Ricky wondered yet again if there really was anyone out there who truly cared or if he was destined to always be found wanting and to be alone.
As one day turned into another, the two boys had gotten a routine down. The only problem was, even with the food his brother caught and the shelter they had found, he felt himself getting weaker. Ricky glanced from his place on the bed towards the door his brother had gone through when the sun had risen. He wasn’t worried yet as sometimes it took his brother awhile to catch the small prey they had been living on. Even with the snow, Sandy still managed to bring back food, water and more dry wood for the fire. It bothered Ricky that his six year old brother was doing the lion share of the work, and yet at the same time he was filled with pride that his sibling was proving to be such a great boy scout.
Of course, he grudgingly had to give Alpha Clifton some credit for making sure Sandy knew how to hunt and use his shifter abilities. Without them, they both would have starved long before now. But he would never forgive the shifter for what he’d done to him and what he intended to do with his younger brother. If he thought his father’s abuse had been bad, what Alpha Clifton did to him made him, even now, drop his head in shame. He’d been made into the pack punching bag, household servant and sex slave for those who won favor with the Alpha.
On some level, he felt he actually deserved what had happened to him. Yet, after awhile, he realized that the Alpha was slowly killing him. A part of him was willing to give up and at one time, he almost had. But then his friend Jake pointed out the problem with that solution. If he died, who would be there to protect Sandy, who would keep his promise to Maria to ensure his little brother was safe? As he sat there and waited for his brother to return, he worried what would happen if he didn’t get better. His last hope was that the Windy River Pack was truly a sanctuary pack and would at least take his brother in. As much as he hated the idea, he knew what he had to do. If he didn’t feel better by tomorrow, he’d have to risk sending his brother on alone.
Perhaps dying in this abandoned shack was his penance for all the harm he’d caused those around him. After all, Alpha Clifton was right on one count. If it hadn’t been for him, Maria would be alive and happy today. Sandy would have his mother and Alpha Clifton would not have found out their secret. Hell, even his father might still be alive and happy. His lack of control of his sexual urges had cost too many people their happiness. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift once more to the night all their lives changed.
Ricky had smiled as he and his best friend Robert parked in the driveway of his home. For the past month, the two of them had been experimenting and found they both enjoyed each other more than just as friends. So far it hadn’t progressed further than some kissing and getting each other off, but soon Ricky would be leaving home to attend a local trade school and further his mechanic skills. They had talked about renting an apartment together. Ricky had known he was gay since he was sixteen but he still hadn’t told his father. Part of him was afraid, because since finding religion again, his father had voiced his feelings loud and clear about how he felt about those who he believed lived in sin.
Robert leaned in and pulled Ricky close. Their lips touched before he opened to allow his lover in. He could feel the blood rushing to his cock and yet a part of him knew they needed to stop. His father would be home from work by now. But it just felt so good. His hand moved to rest on Robert’s zipper as he gently rubbed the stiffening cock beneath the cloth. A soft moan sounded in the small confines of the car. Ricky slowly lowered the zipper on Robert’s pants as he reached inside to feel the warm silkiness hidden within the folds of cloth. “I love that you go commando, Robert,” Ricky said softly, before he lips were once more claimed. He smiled as Robert began to thrust his hips while deepening their kiss.
Unfortunately for him, his father chose that moment to find out what was taking him so long to come inside. He remembered Robert begging him to just come home with him as his father banged against the windows hard enough to shake the vehicle. But he knew he had to face the man. He squeezed his friend’s hand and told him he’d call him later.
Ricky went into the house and sat down on the sofa to wait for his father to come and talk to him. He figured he’d get a beating with his dad’s belt, but he’d had them before and survived. Once his father was through, he intended to pack and leave. He was sure he could stay with Robert until the air cleared or until he could find a job and get his own apartment. He heard Maria yell for his father to stop and then he watched in horror as his dad entered the living room with a gun.
Maria grabbed Sandy and ran to put him in one of the bedrooms while Ricky faced his father.
“You’re an abomination! How dare you bring that filth into my home!” His father raged at him.
Ricky stood and took it without saying a word. He hoped his father would calm down but instead his silence seemed to fuel his father’s rage.
“Your mother would be ashamed of you! Did you know she had cancer and refused treatment so that she could have you?”
“NO!” Ricky shook his head as he listened to his father. He felt his world tilt as he thought about what his dad was saying. Had his mother really died so he could live? His father had always refused to talk about what had happened. With no other relatives to enlighten him, he’d just assumed she’d gotten sick and passed away just after his second birthday.
“That’s right! Because of you, she died. If she’d taken the treatment, she would have lived and now you threaten our family with damnation again by being a fucking fag? I won’t have it, not again. I won’t lose my family because of you!” Arthur Landon raged as he raised the gun and aimed it at Ricky.
At that moment, he saw his death in his father’s eyes. He watched as the man’s finger tightened on the trigger, heard the sound of the bullet leaving the barrel and then blinked as a form jumped in front of him.
“Oh God! NO!” His father cried as he dropped to his knees, the gun hanging loosely in his grip.
Ricky looked down and saw Maria’s wolf lying in a pool of blood. He couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe as he continued to stare in horror at the unmoving form at his feet. He heard the sound of another shot and looked up to see his father lying on his side. The gun now lay on the floor next to his father’s lifeless hand. It seemed like he stood there for hours, but it was probably only minutes before he realized he had to do something.
A slight shimmer in the air caused him to look down at his step-mother’s human form. Ricky knelt beside Maria and turned her gently on to her back. Her eyes opened slightly as she coughed up blood.
“Hold still, Maria, I’ll get help,” Ricky said as he began to stand. He stumbled as a strong hand grabbed his arm and pulled him close.
“Too late for me—bullet wa
s silver. Promise me, Ricky.” Maria swallowed and tried to smile before she continued, “Call the Alpha at Willow Creek. Number is on my phone. Have him come. He’ll help you.” The shifter coughed up more blood and moaned softly before she turned to look at her fallen husband.
Ricky could see the sorrow in her eyes as she looked at him again.
“Not your fault.” Her hand grazed the tattoo on his upper arm. “Remember your promise. Take care of Sandy. Promise me…” Maria stared directly into his eyes with such intensity it felt like she was staring directly into his soul.
“I promise. Please, Maria, don’t die,” Ricky pleaded, but she simply smiled before she took her final breath.
The bullet must have hit her heart. He remembered her telling him that shifters could heal faster than humans, but a silver bullet to the heart or decapitation could still kill them.
“I’m so sorry,” Ricky sobbed, as he rocked while holding on to his stepmother.
He didn’t remember much after that. Somehow he had managed to call Alpha Clifton. Once he had arrived, the Alpha took charge, leaving Ricky with nothing to do but feel the loss. The house was sold along with all their belongings. Ricky and Sandy moved to the Willow Creek Pack and lived with the Alpha. A couple of months after, Alpha Clifton had come to him to ask if he wanted to be part of his pack. At the time, Ricky thought it was strange, but then he knew his little brother was a shifter and would need a pack to help him as he grew. Besides it was his fault that Sandy no longer had a mother. He had agreed to make sure Sandy was safe and he knew he couldn’t do it alone.
Life had been good at first. Alpha Clifton treated both of them like they were his sons. He’d learned that the Alpha had loved Maria but since she had found her Semme’ mate and didn’t want to leave her family, he had walked away. He could tell the Alpha was sad, but he didn’t seem upset about Maria’s decision. The Alpha promised Ricky that he would make sure that both he and his little brother would always be safe.
The Alpha's Promise Page 3