Standing next to her was Marcus. He was in a plain tee and jeans with a neutral look on his face. She felt power coming off him as well. Atara was confused. She had never felt power coming off him like this. Is Raven giving him power or have I never noticed this?
“Ah, there she is now.” Marcus said, announcing her as soon as she crossed the threshold.
“Are you ready to go to the Shifter realm?” Raven asked with her hand outstretched towards her.
“Yes, I am.” She answered, putting her hand in Raven’s. Raven looked down at the ring and brushed her finger over it.
“Good. I plan to accompany you through the portal to ensure your safety. Once I can guarantee that you are safe, I will stay with you, but will be enchanted so you cannot see me. That way when you are finished with your business, we can portal back.”
“Do you expect the Alpha to revoke his hospitality and attack?” Atara asked.
“You are heir to the realm. I will not take any chances.” Marcus sternly said.
“So, this is not because I failed the last mission?”
“No. I know you are more than capable of handling yourself. I do not trust Shifters.” Marcus said to her more softly this time.
Atara gave a slight nod to acknowledge his statement then looked to Raven. She flicked her wrist off to the right and her navy-blue magic slid across the floor and rose up to create the portal box. I will never get used to seeing that. I wish I had that kind of magic. Then she motioned her hand for Atara to go through the portal. Once she started walking, Raven followed her.
On the other side of the portal, the Shifter realm awaited. It was beautiful. There were more trees, flowers, and streams. Atara felt as though the Shifter realm did not evolve with the modern times like the Fae realm. She had heard that the Fae realm has more advanced technology, weapons, and even futuristic looking buildings. However, Atara would not know that nor would anyone else. The Fae have not accepted outsiders within their realm for over a millennium.
The Shifter realm was more natural and more primeval. She stepped through the portal and into a hazy clearing. The sun barely pierced the thick haze and tall evergreen trees. The air had a slightly blue tint to it. The only sound to be heard was the chirping and warbling of blue jays and wrens. She turned to look back and see the portal collapse behind her. As it collapsed, she saw the Alpha of the shifter pack and three of his guards standing there.
The leader of the Shifters was a tall man with broad shoulders and large arms. His face showed his age with deep wrinkles and dark circles under his dark brown eyes. Were he younger, he would have had a slender figure, but age let his physique get away from him and he clearly had a pouch around his midsection. Despite having a bit of weight around the middle his large figure showed strength and displayed a dominant presence. He had a tan complexion and jet-black hair like the other three men in his presence. They all wore denim jeans, button up shirts, and leather vests. The Alpha and the second oldest wore full brimmed hats with their long hair underneath, possibly signifying age or rank within the pack. The younger members of the group had their hair cut short in a type of buzz cut.
The Alpha spoke in a deep voice, “So he really did have the audacity to send someone?”
Atara replied, “Yes, I am his daughter, Atara, I was sent from Cyrus to deliver a proposal to you.”
The Alpha frowned and did a hand waving gesture.
“I am Mateo, Alpha of the Coyote Clan. Our culture does not permit us to discuss interpack affairs without first entertaining our guests, even though you are wasting your time. As hosts, we must first participate in dinner and a hunt. However, for the sake of brevity, we are just going to do dinner. If you would please follow us, we will take you to your lodge.”
What crawled up his ass? She thought.
Atara followed the four-man welcome crew through the forest. The welcome crew walked briskly and at attention. Not a word was spoken throughout their walk through the forest. Occasionally one of the younger ones would point at a deer or squirrel and the second in command would grunt in affirmation, but no real words were uttered. Mateo was unswayed by anything and paid attention to nothing else other than the path ahead. The path winded through the forest in “S” shaped patterns curving through tall trees with gnarled roots, streams, and hills. They approached a hill with a sharp incline and the path went straight up the hill. Leaning forward they began the ascent. The top of the hill was the steepest and around the top of the hill there were sharpened logs and fencing forming a perimeter. Beyond there was the Shifter’s village.
The village looked like it had been frozen in time. The buildings were old longhouses made with thatched walls of logs, sticks, stretched leather, and straw. Atara marveled at the contrast between her pack’s modern quarters and lair and this primitive enclave. Mateo led Atara to a longhouse at the far end of the compound.
“This one is for you,” Mateo said sternly. “We leave this one vacant for outsiders such as yourself passing through. Dinner is at six”
Atara wondered what he meant by Outsider. She assumed that most packs had a sense of solidarity but maybe that’s how he views anybody that did not live in the compound with the rest of the shifters. She entered the quarters provided, it was drab. The inside was designed in mostly browns and other earth tones. There was an area with bedding and shelves lined with knick knacks and sundries. The other room was a bathroom that amazingly enough, had a functioning sink and toilet. Everything else might be frozen in time but thankfully some things had moved forward. She sat down in a lone chair in the main room and tried to meditate and steel her mind for her upcoming meeting with Mateo.
She had questions and maybe Raven had the answers. She had to be lurking around somewhere, but she did not appear. Atara shrugged it off, maybe wondering if Raven was investigating the compound or just enjoying nature. Witches love these kinds of places and maybe she was just drinking it in.
Klink, Klink, Klink.
She heard three quick clinks coming from the bathroom. She went to investigate, and she saw a bright yellow corner from behind the mirror on the wall. Atara grabbed the corner and pulled out post-it notes. In Raven’s handwriting the note said, “cannot talk ears everywhere.” She wondered what was going on and she felt arms wrap around her and the flowing fabric of the dresses Raven normally wears. She then sensed an energy from Raven that put her mind at ease. When Raven let go of her embrace Atara felt her energy relaxing her and then the effects wore off. She looked outside and realized it was darker out. How much time passed? She wondered if Raven put her in a trance to keep her in the room and on her best behavior. One can’t act out of line if one can’t act at all. It was time to go to the dining hall for dinner.
She walked out of her long house and onto the path that led through the village. The villagers were all quiet and staring at her as if they knew something she did not. She remembered all her lessons from her father and Marcus teaching her about dominance. If she acted bothered or disturbed by whatever this display was then she was allowing her dominance to be called into question. She shoved that anxiety down and focused on her posture. If they want to put on a show she can respond in kind.
Atara entered the longhouse that held the dining area. The room was lit by a large fireplace and various candles throughout. The table had two long benches running along the sides of it with a chair on the far ends of both sides. In one of the chairs sat the Alpha smoking a cigarette. The table was covered in food. Wild game, fish, fruits, vegetables, and other rustic dishes. Atara had a seat on the bench. She had to look to her left to make eye contact with Mateo. She did not like the blind spot that this created to her back and her right.
Mateo gestured to the food, “please eat.”
Atara took some pieces of wild deer, salmon, and a cranberry relish and put them on her plate. She ate in silence as Mateo smoked his cigarette in long drawn out drags. The food was so-so but under seasoned compared to what she was used to. The smell of smoke from
Mateo’s cigarette added to the smoke of the fireplace did not do her appetite any favors either. She finished eating and Mateo pushed his cigarette into an ashtray. She heard rustling outside, grunting and the smell of wet dog hit her nose. Atara felt the energy of the room change to something darker. She knew her presence was a catalyst to a bigger problem than expected.
Mateo snapped her out of her thoughts. “What brings a member of the Kingdom Pack out of the safety of their realm into the Realm of Shifters? We haven’t had an emissary from your clan in so long, so you must want something.”
He was direct, but he had good reason to be. It has been a while since the Kingdom had any contact with the Shifters. The Shifters were a proud bunch. It was one of their biggest strengths as they held onto the rites and rituals of their ancestors which helped their bond with their coyotes. It was also their biggest weakness as it kept them in the past and resistant to any form of change. It also made them very cocky.
“King Cyrus is raising an army. We are sending emissaries and ambassadors to every pack and tribe that we have contact with to join us under one banner. With this alliance we will be able to protect everybody serving under our banner, share our resources, and ensure a pea-” It appeared as though he was not listening to Atara. She immediately regretted taking on this mission. This is Marcus’s job!
“Stop.” Mateo interrupted. “I have heard enough from you, child. You are not the first one to extend this offer to us. We have received messages from your father, his master of spies, and now you all with this inane proposal that we align ourselves with you? No, I do not think I will do that. You have exhausted the limits of my hospitality by bringing this preposterous idea of being your ally when you have never cared for our realm.”
Atara heard snarling as shifters in coyote form entered the room from the door behind her. She could not see how many but from what she heard there were about three. The temptation to turn around and engage was overwhelming but she could not break eye contact with Mateo. She would not be swayed by this. They expected me to come here to attack.
The Shifters and Wolves never got along since the dawn of both species. Shifters were proud, but not as strong as Wolves. Where the Shifters did not evolve with the times, the Wolves did. So, while the Werewolf population prospered in wealth, and gained a separate realm, the Shifters did not. They stuck with the old times and refused to interact with the Wolves entirely. Cyrus was an imbecile for believing that this could happen.
“I do not expect you to understand, you are still naught but a pup. I have been around for centuries. I recall a time when the idea of Werewolf Kingdoms were just folly and your ilk were only feral packs and tribes. I remember a time when the feathered serpents still slithered across the sky and I remember when they were driven away. I have seen my people through plagues, hunter incursions, and war. And your King, your father, has the audacity to expect me to roll over for him.” His voice went from a rasp to a snarl as he bared teeth. “I will not sell out my pack for your Kingdom and we will ensure that this is the last time your Kingdom insults us with this proposal.” Mateo began contorting and turning. He was shifting into his coyote.
Raven’s voice boomed inside of Atara’s head. “Shift now!”
Atara began to shift into her wolf form to combat Mateo. She looked over her shoulder and saw the three coyotes behind her frozen. Three were crouched onto the ground baring teeth and the other one was frozen midair! She saw a void in the smoke in Raven’s form. The Raven void’s shape had her arms stretched towards the wolves holding them in place. Now she only had to focus on Mateo. Mateo jumped up onto the table on four paws. He broke into a run knocking over food and plates and lunged through the air towards Atara. Atara now fully shifted dashed under the table and came out on the other side. He missed and hit the wall. She jumped up on top of the table and saw the Alpha coyote rise to his feet. He snapped at her feet and she snapped back.
It was at this moment he saw his coyotes frozen in place. Helplessly watching their fight. Then he noticed a disturbance in the smoke. He charged towards Raven with his mouth ready to rip the High Priestess apart. If he can rend her then he can free his pack and swing the fight in his favor. He got close to the witch’s shape when Atara clamped down on his tail. A sharp searing pain went up his tail and spine as he tried to break her grasp, but she started pulling backward and dragging him away. This tug of war was not working so he turned and bit Atara on the face.
The coyote’s bite was hard and sharp. The elder wolf’s teeth tore into her flesh. She thrashed out of his maw and they both began snapping wildly at each other’s faces. Teeth clashed together and occasionally scraped against skin. Atara had enough of this sloppy brawl. She jumped forward with her paws outstretched and knocked him down. He fell with enough force to smack his head off a chair with a loud thwack. He was disoriented, he was without aid, and his people were about to get a lesson in the supremacy of the Kingdom Pack.
Atara tore into him while he was down. The Alpha who once proudly boasted about surviving hunters, disease, and war now faced his end at her teeth. She tried to make the old man’s end as quick as possible. His reign was over, and she turned and faced the other three coyotes. She assumed these were the other members of her welcome party as one was almost as big as Mateo and the other two looked younger.
Atara growled toward the other coyotes. She felt her wolf's power radiate around her. Raven's eyes grew wide as Atara noticed a black aura emitting from her as if it was dark fire. All the remaining coyotes whimpered once her power reached them.
Atara shifted back immediately, Raven enchanting her as she shifted to put a pair of pants and t-shirt on her.
“Shifters. Your leader has squandered an excellent opportunity to be a part of something grand. Our King Cyrus is willing to forgive the transgression of one rogue leader and welcome the rest of your pack with open arms. We want to join with our brethren and ensure peace between packs, share resources with our kind, and bring us all together into one united pack. Will you join us, or will you join him?” She said pointing to their defeated leader.
Raven phased out of her invisibility and lowered her arms. The younger coyote in the air hit the ground with a thud. When he stood on his paws, he bowed his head. The other younger coyote followed suit. The oldest one snarled and bared teeth. The hair on the back of his neck stood at the end. Atara locked eyes with him and growled back. The elder, now in charge, bowed his head in submission.
Chapter Nine: Zara
Xander held the monthly pack meetings within his home. Being an Alpha meant that your home had to hold many of the pack at once. The house was the largest of the town and off the road so it could be secluded. Even though the humans knew of our presence, it did not mean that they could live amongst them. Xander had even built a wall and gate around the property. He owned around thirty acres and the property was next to the woods. This made things easier when it came to the monthly Full Moon hunts.
On the inside, the home was mostly neutral in design and colors. The kitchen had been updated over the years to accommodate Sophia’s need to go above and beyond as a chef to the pack. The bedrooms were in different shades of earth tones with two bunk beds per room so the pack could all fit if need be, outside of Xander with Sophia and Zara’s room. There was another room next to Zara’s that was on the smaller side compared to the rest that only had one bed in it. Xander had used that for guests passing through or a new pack member that Xander had to teach control to. The kitchen, living and dining room fit into an open floor plan, making it easier to hold pack meetings.
Xander stood at the head of the table, waiting for the pack to calm down and stop talking. Derek was on his right side and looking smug as he usually did as the Beta. Zara stood on his left since she is now third in the pack. Next in line was Deckard. At six foot three, he was an inch taller than Xander and just as intimidating. Broad shouldered, bald head, stubble on his face, ocean blue eyes, chiseled chin, and well-defined muscles. Zara al
ways told him that the best part about him was his cockney accent while he was tactfully insulting someone. He would always smirk at her and shake his head. He was not a nice person to many people. Zara was an exception. He looked at her as a little sister and treated her like one.
Derek looked over at her and winked. She shuddered at the thought of him even looking at her, let alone winking at her. Deckard noticed her reaction and looked in Derek’s direction. “Oi! Take a cold shower or I’ll give you one!” Derek’s attention snapped to Deckard, he growled and started to stand up, but before he could do anything, Xander glared at him, stopping in his tracks. Zara giggled and leaned onto Deck. “Thank you, big brother.” He grunted and looked out to the rest of the pack.
There were fourteen other wolves besides Xander, Sophia, Zara, Derek, Deck and Lucus. Most were unable to attend the meeting because they were working. Lucus and Sophia were there as well for the meeting. Lucus sat on Zara and Deck’s side of the table. Deckard tended to be protective of Lucus as well as Zara. Deck had once told Zara that there was something about Lucus that made his brotherly side come out, but he would never say this out loud to anyone else. Sophia was in the kitchen preparing dinner for them. Gemma and Weston were able to join tonight’s meeting as well. Gemma was a quiet girl who always wore her hair up in a ponytail. She was around two inches taller than Zara, which put her at five nine. She had a round face, long blonde hair, and pale, blue eyes. She had a cute face, but she hid behind a book often. Weston was on the shorter side of wolves at five eleven. He had natural wolf muscle build but was not overly muscled. Xander had told Zara that it was because he was a submissive wolf. He had hazel eyes and flaming red hair. His face was kind and gentle. The others, who were working, would join them for dinner later.
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