Through the Woods

by Cassandra Johnson

  Elle could feel the finality of his words. Her Alpha had spoken, and she was going.

  Elle smirked softly as she turned on her heel, following Marik into the kitchen, she needed another cigarette, the tension in the house was killing her nerves, and it seemed that every bit of that tension was coming directly from Gaerik. Didn’t he remember how he even started watching her? She knew too much about their world, and now he was trying to shut her out of it? It didn’t make sense, and she didn’t understand his sudden stance on protecting her from it either. She’d survived being killed, literally being impaled by a deranged wolf that wanted his entire family dead, had he forgotten that?

  Snatching up the cigarettes from the table she poured herself another cup of coffee and walked outside onto the porch, that little white dog seemed to like her because she was following her everywhere.

  By the time that Elle got back from the store with Molly, Marik had already given the dog a bath, and she was actually adorable. A pretty little lap dog. All white with a brown spot on her back and bits of black in her ears. She reminded Elle of a cocker spaniel mix, but she couldn’t be entirely sure, but the little lady followed her around everywhere since she’d laid eyes on her.

  Heaving out a sigh she sat down on the steps and lit a cigarette, her coffee mug placed between her feet while the dog nudged her head against Elle’s elbow.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart. Just a man being a jackass.” She said lifting her arm up to tuck the dog up against her. The little dog nuzzled into her side, making herself comfortable there with her as Gregory rose from his resting place and came closer, settled beside her as well. In a way, as she brought the cigarette to her lips, she felt like she was being guarded on both sides.

  “You alright, Elle?”

  She knew his voice, calm rippling down her spine as she nodded somewhat, glancing back at Marik as he closed the kitchen door behind him as he came outside to give them both some privacy, not even bothering to lower her voice.

  “What’s up your brother’s ass?” Elle asked him directly.

  Marik laughing, she liked to cut straight through the bullshit and get to the point. He loved that about her. Finding a seat next to her between the little white dog, he brushed his hand down her back slowly, his fingertips dancing down the dog’s spine.

  “Honestly? I have no idea. He’s been acting weird since he met Lucas.” Marik took one of the cigarettes from Elle’s pack and lit it. He felt terrible for the thoughts that were spinning inside his head, but he couldn’t help them as he glanced at the side of her face.

  “I don’t trust him. Not entirely and maybe it’s just because I don’t know him yet, but there’s just something nagging at the back of my mind telling me not to place all of my trust in him.”

  “Who? You’re brother or Lucas?” Elle half laughed, but she was entirely serious.

  “Lucas.”

  “I can understand that I’m honestly a little leery at this point,” Elle said through a halo of smoke. “It could just be everything that we’ve already been through but, somehow watching him come in here this morning and just fill up the entire kitchen with his presence? It makes me feel a little on edge.”

  “It’s your animal nature.” Marik chuckled slowly.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Whenever another animal comes into your territory, and you feel like it’s taking over, it’s your natural instinct to be defensive,” Marik explained.

  She took a sip of her coffee, tilting her head gently as she thought about that for a little while.

  “Is that how you feel when Gaerik interacts with me?” Elle asked out of curiosity.

  “It is,” Marik admitted, there was no use in trying to deny how he felt. “But I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I don’t feel like you are my property or something like that, but I guess it’s more that I want to keep you safe, that I am responsible for your safety and don’t take this the wrong way, Elle. You are a smart and capable woman, but I don’t want to see something happen to you because you're involved in all of this.”

  The way that he explained it brought a small smile to Elle’s face as she looked over at him, carefully reached out, touching his arm.

  “I do feel safe with you.” She reassured him.

  Marik could sense that she was telling him the truth like a warmth washed over him as he inhaled getting a mixture of her scent and the land around them. It felt peaceful for a moment, and he didn’t know for how long that would last, but he drank it in, nodding softly. “I’m glad.”

  “What time is the calling?” Elle asked, dropping her hand back down to the little dog, rubbing under her chin softly.

  “The calling?”

  “Yes, the calling of the wolves. That’s what Molly calls it. I actually quite like it too, it pretty much sums up what is about to happen.”

  “Nine, Lucas told Gaerik were we are supposed to all be meeting.” He mused after a moment finishing off the cigarette and stubbing it out on the toe of his boot.

  Elle had been gone almost all day, and when she came back, she’d bought enough clothes to last them all three years here, not a detail was missed when she and Molly carried everything in. He wished she’d told him where she was going so he could have gone with her, after the incident with Lucas’ sister Marik didn’t know if he could stay cooped up in the house with his brother much longer, like Marik could feel the wheels of his mind spinning in directions that he wasn’t comfortable with.

  “When we get there, just stay close to dad and me okay? I can’t predict what will happen, but I have a bad feeling.”

  “Bad how?” Elle’s brow gently wrinkled as she turned her eyes on him concerned.

  “I can’t really explain it, but something keeps telling me to keep my guard up.”

  “You are the Alpha,” Elle told him trying to lighten his spirits somewhat as she thought of earlier when Gaerik was trying to keep her from coming. Marik had said that she could, and she’d called him, at least to herself anyway, her Alpha.

  “We’ll be okay, Marik. Whatever happens. We’ve made it this far, and if we can’t get help here, then we will find allies somewhere else.”

  Nodding he heaved a sigh. “I just keep getting the feeling that Lucas is hiding something, but I don’t know if it’s good or bad and I can’t leap to any sudden conclusions.”

  Reaching up Elle scrubbed her hands through her hair quickly before trying to get the mess of hair tamed once more, wrapping it around her shoulder. “Well, I guess we’ll find out one way or another. All we can do is hope for the best.”

  “You’re right,” Marik said though the words didn’t make him feel much better, he still couldn’t get the weight from his chest.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Despite the drop-in temperature the air felt thicker as they stepped out of the SUV, other vehicles were parked all around the clearing, people milling around aimlessly while they waited for the meeting to begin.

  Elle pulled the fleece jacket she wore closer around her body as she looked around at the numbers, there must have been at least thirty people gathered together, and Elle was looking for any familiar faces that she might have known from her childhood. More surprises; but the only two that she spotted in the crowd that she knew were Molly and Shaye, Lucas’s younger sister. She was about two years younger than Lucas and Elle, the baby of the bunch and they’d spent many a summer day looking out for her, taking punishments for crimes that Shaye had committed, at least until more kids around her age moved into the neighborhood, and she no longer had to pester her two favorite playmates.

  Elle couldn’t see Lucas anywhere, but she could sense Marik’s body heat behind her.

  “Anyone, you know?” He asked.

  His voice came to her, right above her ear. She’d known that he was close, but she hadn’t realized he was that close until she felt the warm vapor of his breath pouring down her neck.

  Those icy blues of his were taking in the crowd of people, scanni
ng for possible escape routes just in case they had to run or if it came to it, fight their way out. Marik didn’t like that idea, some thirty-odd people up against three wolves and a human weren’t good odds in his eyes.

  “Just Molly and Shaye.” Elle murmured, turning her head slightly to look at him over her shoulder.

  Somehow when Marik told her about Shaye, she wasn’t at all surprised that she’d grown up to be the type that would fly off the handle. Even as children she was the dramatic little girl who made mountains out of molehills.

  “I don’t see Lucas here anywhere.” She added after looking through the sea of people, straining her eyes trying to find his familiar blonde head somewhere amongst the other unrecognizable faces.

  There was a little light in the darkness of the clearing due to a few people having brought flashlights and the floodlights of a few trucks being left on.

  “He’ll be here,” Gaerik spoke, leaning against the side of the SUV.

  Molly left Shaye with a group of her friends and came over to talk to Gallen, letting him know that she had heard from her grandson and he would be here soon, he just needed to tie up a few loose ends before he could call the meeting to order.

  Pressing her hands into the pockets of her coat for warmth Elle rested her body back into what she thought was the front grill of the SUV but instead found the solid abdomen of Marik, he was still and hard as granite while he remained right behind her.

  As he felt her lean into him, his attention snapped downward for a moment, a small smile tugging the corner of his lips making one of his deep dimples appear for a moment before he rested his hands on her arms letting her remain where she was. Swallowing slightly Elle hoped that Lucas would get here soon, her nerves were a mess, she felt like the shadows were playing tricks on her. Like suddenly a mass of black would leap out and end them all.

  They didn’t have to wait for long as the headlights of a truck came bouncing into the clearing, followed by two vans right behind it.

  Elle stiffened somewhat seeing the vans, her pulse rate jumping as she saw that Lucas was driving the truck and that all three vehicles were packed to the gills with bodies and more than one face within them was recognized by Elle.

  “Is that--?”

  “Harriet.” Gaerik finished before Gallen could even speak her name.

  Elle stared open-mouthed as Gaerik moved around them towards Lucas’ truck and pulled the driver’s side door open and Harriet almost fell out on top of him, hugging his shoulders.

  “What the hell are you doing here you crazy blind old woman?”

  “I came to help you and your family,” Harriet said as Gaerik sat her down on the ground and the doors of the vans opened, unloading twelve people in all. “After you all left, my sight stayed, so I started making a lot of calls, people I knew that I could trust. I told them what was going on. Then wolves started coming around, asking questions like whether I had heard anything. I played dumb and pretended I was blind like always. They didn’t know any better.” Harriet shook her head quickly as the twelve people came out of the van gathering around Gaerik and Harriet.

  “Alex!” Gaerik roared, catching sight of the private investigator pulling him into a handshake that turned into a hug. More people filtered past Gaerik moving towards Gallen and Marik, Elle was shocked as she saw how many people had come from the vans.

  Gallen immediately recognized members of the Connecticut pack all here, surrounding them. They had rumors to share and the information that Harriet had given them. How in the world had they gotten here?

  As if Lucas read Gallen's mind he came over his arm around his grandmother.

  “I contacted some friends in the Connecticut pack that followed Elle up there when she left Arkansas,” Lucas said, a little bit of humor in his voice, but he hugged his grandmother closer. “We’ve always been looking out for you,” Lucas confessed looking at Elle, a gentler side coming through in his eyes that she hadn’t seen that morning when he was telling war tales in her kitchen. “We could never tell you ourselves. All of this,” he motioned around them, at all of the wolves that had come together. “It was something that you had to learn on your own if you ever needed to know it. Although, I think your nana really dropped a lot of hints that you never picked up on.”

  Elle was a little flabbergasted as she huffed out a small laugh, looking down at her feet for a moment.

  “Yes, she sure did,” Elle said shaking her head gently. “I just never picked it up.”

  “Except for in your novels,” Shaye said creeping up slowly.

  Snorting quickly, she looked at her and blushed a little bit, she wasn’t sure why but the fact that Shaye knew about those was a bit embarrassing considering their content, not just erotic in nature but the fact that they were based on werewolves themselves.

  “I’ve been trying to work up the courage to come over here all night,” Shaye said finally. “I’m a huge fan.” She cracked, rushing Elle. Her arms locking around her shoulders and hugging her tightly. “I grew up with a bestselling author.”

  Elle was glad it was hard to see in the dark alcove that their vehicle was parked in because he cheeks were about as red as a Santa Claus hat.

  “Oh, come on Shaye.” She chuckled, hugging her back before pulling in a deep breath as the young woman released her and stood back, moving closer to her brother and grandma.

  “So, you started calling in your contacts in Connecticut?” Gallen asked.

  “Yes, sir. I struck gold because of Harriet here, she was already initiating a phone tree of wolves that were getting ready to come to find you and stand with you. My friends got me to her, and then we started working out a plan to get them down here. I’m afraid that many of your allies in Connecticut won’t make it out of the state alive.” Lucas said softly, looking down at his boots.

  “But we did a damn good job trying to get everyone out.” Harriet sniffed before glancing around, she was tucked under Gaerik’s arm looking around at the crowd.

  “Well let’s get this show on the road and tell these people why we’re all here,” Harriet said breaking the silence that closed in on them thinking of those who had not made it.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Lucas nodded, his southern roots shining through as he turned away from them and hoisted his frame onto the hood of his truck. His presence arriving had called the attention of the pack to watch him, waiting for him to speak. What came wasn’t what Elle expected.

  Lucas took a deep breath, his eyes glowing a burning red as he loomed over the crowd of people who’d gathered. It was as if the darkness itself understood what was taking place because she couldn’t even hear insects chirping anymore.

  Piercing the air around them, Lucas had thrown his head up towards a non-existent moon and from within him ripped a deep roar that she felt as if it had moved the very breeze in the trees. In unison, each wolf howled in return; Elle didn’t know if it was the summons of the Alpha or if the wolves that moved from the shadows had always been there. She thought or hoped that it would have been impossible for her to have missed them when they arrived, but they were revealing their presence now to their leader.

  “We are here tonight to welcome not just one of our own back into our fold, but many. But in welcoming our wolves home again, we are also here for another reason.” Lucas spoke above them, his voice loud and clear. “Our brothers are in trouble,” Lucas told them. “Grace Marshal was born with a gift, she was a healer to man and beast and those of us who walk between both worlds, and it was with much pride that she came home to us and that we were entrusted with her and her granddaughter's protection by our brothers of the north.”

  “Now we again are bound to our promise. A pact made between my grandfather and Lucian Chaliceman.” As Lucas drew breath there was a ripple of whispering voices that filled the air, eyes moving through the crowd from their Alpha towards the Chaliceman wolves, Elle and those who were brought there to the meeting by Lucas himself.

  “Lucian Chaliceman was a great
wolf, a true leader to his pack. He never turned anyone away, human or wolf. Today his son and his grandsons need our help. Their very bloodline is at risk of extinction along with the life of our own Elle Marshal. In the wake of a great tragedy, Lucian initiated a Council for his pack, doing away with the rule of the Alpha, others disagreed that this was not a good idea and they asked Lucian if they may come here, to us. To live among us, become a part of our pack and watch over Grace and Elle. My grandfather happily agreed to take those that felt taking out the part of the Alpha from our people was a step in the wrong direction. They never held any ill will towards Lucian, in the end they all knew that their Alpha was trying to protect them, he did not fight their exodus but wished them well. Lucian came here many times over the years until illness took the wolf and he departed to that other world that one day we will all ascend to. Today the very Council that Lucian formed to protect his pack has turned against his bloodline. That very same Council seeks to destroy our brothers for the lust of power and greed. We cannot allow such an evil to work in our midst.”

  A roar of howls and cheers went up, almost rupturing Elle’s eardrums but she hardly cared, she was too wrapped up in the conviction of the words that Lucas spoke.

  “The Council in the north is preparing an army, throwing caution to the wind, going against our ways. To this day, there is only one known Council of wolves, and it is with our Connecticut brothers. The time has come to return to the old ways. An Alpha must rule! We will fight! We will beat them back, and we will see Lucian Chaliceman’s rightful heir rule as Alpha!”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  The days and nights after the call of the wolves passed in a blur of faces that Elle couldn’t keep track of so she tried putting it all into words. She spent a great deal of time on her laptop in the bedroom and on the phone with her publicist. Julie called daily now that they were able to communicate and usually asked what Elle was doing and if she was writing. Usually, because she could hear Elle typing in the background and because Elle was very speedy in conversation whenever she had too much on her mind.