Darius handed the gypsy back the bracelet. “The killer is male. He was bitten so the moon would have no more sway on him, but something went wrong. He went insane like the former pack leader. He's sadistic."
"Gee that really helps."
"Let me see that.” Charlene pointed to the bracelet. Darius had assumed she had already seen the bangle. He watched the werewolf examine the bracelet. “This belonged to Jamie and Vincent's mother. To Claire."
"Maybe it fell off when they were holding Frank in the cave?"
"Maybe."
"I know who the killer is."
All eyes turned toward the door. Alena was dressed in an oversized T-shirt and black pants. Darius recognized them. They were the clothes he had left on the floor before she had started to change. Her feet were bare, and her hair was wild and free. The power emanating from her was amazing. Darius went to meet her, but she shook her head and took a slight step back. That small gesture made his heart turn. Even though she had marked him, there was a distance between them which hadn't been there before.
"Who is it?” he asked.
Alena ignored his question. “Charlene and Marija prepare Jamie for her burial tonight. I have something to do before the moon rises."
No one did anything. Darius sensed her frustration. “Please. This is the way it must be. I will fill you in a little later today, but I have to be sure."
The other two women nodded, and they got up and left the cabin to take care of Jamie's body, leaving him alone with Alena. His anger at being disregarded was something he could not let go. He gritted his teeth, went over to Alena, grabbed her arm, and spun her around. “Why did you ignore me?"
Alena growled at him. “Darius, understand. This is pack business. Something I have to take care of myself. I was given the information on the consequences. I have to take care of this mess because I started the cycle fourteen years ago. Please don't ask me to tell you again to stay out of it."
He felt his first tightening. Without realizing it, he brought it up, but Alena caught it, matching him with a strength she had not had before, enough to equal his.
"Don't make this any harder on me than it already is, Darius. You promised to accept everything I was. This is part of it. I know you have a job to do, but please."
He heard the plea in her voice and felt her emotions brushing against his mind. In her words, he sensed Alena the way she had been, human. He didn't like being kept in the dark, but he had promised to accept everything she was. Slowly, he quelled his anger and nodded. She released his hand and then took his face between her palms. Her eyes had dulled some, and he could see the blue in them from before. Her humanity seemed to be returning.
"Are you Alena or are you both?"
She smiled lightly and let her fingers trail over the healed marks she had left on his neck. “We are both. And I don't know. It's like she's in my head now. I can hear her, but we share the same thoughts. It's hard to explain, Darius. But what I say is from both of us. We are wolf and human. But no matter what, we still love you. Please believe me when I say that."
He searched her eyes and saw the fear in them that he would not love her anymore because of what she had become. He felt in her mind how terrified she was that he would not want to be with her because of what she had turned into. Staring so deep into her eyes, he knew he was peering into her soul. There were no more walls between them. He had opened his thoughts to her and they had joined together on a level he had never experienced before. He sensed the wildness of the wolf in her spirit and the stubbornness of the human woman he found himself in love with. And within each, they were desperately trying to make him see how much they loved him.
"I love you, Alena. That has not changed just because you have.” The Raven Warrior felt his skin tighten and realized dawn was close. “I have to go, love. My curse started once the rays of dawn hit the horizon.” He swept her up in his arms and took her warm lips in a quick, but passionate, kiss where their tongues tasted and met for a quick dance. He released her and stepped back, feeling the shadows wrap around him. Once they did, he let himself become the raven, and for the first time in his cursed existence, he hated his confinement to feathered form.
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Chapter Twenty
Alena watched Darius disappear as if he were a ghost. One minute he was there, and the next, he had just faded out. No matter, he was gone, yet she sensed he was still near. He was in the back of her mind, like a second heartbeat. His presence was different from the wolf. The longer she was awake, the more meshed her personalities were becoming. Alena remembered being in the forest and feeling the pain of the wolf tear her throat out, but she understood now the only way for her to completely get rid of any walls that were inside of her was she had to die. That was why Death had been there. He had been there to help her through the transition. Azrael was not just a being who took souls to another realm for them to find peace. He was an angel who helped and could bring life and death.
During her rebirth, he had told her she had to stop the carnage plaguing the pack. She was the one who caused the upheaval, by accident of course, but now that she was complete, she needed to take care of things she had put behind her. It was the rest of her initiation. Even the wolf had agreed with the angel. They had to set things right. If she had never attacked her uncle, he would never have gone insane and bitten Vincent. Because of her, the balance of the wolves was out of sync. Only those who were ancient should be able to slip their skins when the moon was not full. Normally, that started around the age of two or three centuries. They could break from the moon's cycle at first a few days before and after the full moon, and the older they got, the more they could control their change. If she had not wiped out his human personality, his wolf would never have had sway over his body, altering his body's chemistry. But how could she have known. She had thought her uncle was dead. There was no excuse, she knew, and now she would make things right. To do that, she would also have to slip her skin when the moon was not full. All she knew was that when she was in the dark tunnel and heard Darius at the other end, she wasn't sure if she was dead or alive. Everything was foreign to her.
The wolf had been more in control then. Giving her the choice of returning to life changed or letting the wolf take over completely, Azrael had sent her on her way. Neither the wolf nor she agreed with that and wanted to return whole and be with Darius. The angel had faded, letting her find her own way back. Her return was her own way of breaking through her chrysalis. When the wolf had heard Darius's voice at first, the wolf was uncertain if it was really him or a trick to get the beast to come out of its den, but Alena did not know that her body was dead. When she had returned, it was to his waiting arms. During, her time of being dead Azrael had shown her who the killer was.
Ripper.
Not that she disbelieved the angel, but she had to be sure.
Tonight, she would draw him out. During the funeral in front of the whole pack. But first, she had to be sure, which was why she didn't tell Darius or the others yet. The Raven Warrior, her mate, was involved with finding the killer as much as she was, but he had to understand this was something she had to do for herself. She didn't want to put her life in danger or their future, but she had caused the mess, and had to fix the problems it had caused. She smiled at her thought of Darius. They were mated in the eyes of the wolf and in her heart also. She didn't need a ring to know Darius and she were meant for one another. Alena smiled and thought about what she had to do and what she wanted to do. The world was strange to her now. She saw things differently. The fireplace gave off heat, and she could see the warmth. The forest was alive to her even though she was inside. If she listened, she could hear the rodents burrowing under the house and the squirrels scampering up the trees. Part of her wanted to go and run, to be free of her flesh, to enjoy the feel of her paws on the forest floor and the scent of pine and dew clinging to her fur. Alena had never realized what being a wolf truly meant.
Her body felt tighter, her muscles leaner. When she woke up, she seemed a little taller. She had stared in the mirror before she dressed and noticed her eyes had changed colors. Her muscles were defined through her skin. Her body was warmer. Even her hair was a little longer. And she was famished. Then she was surprised when she was able to answer and hear Darius's thoughts besides just feel his emotions. She had apparently gained the werewolf power of telepathy. The minds of the wolves in the pack were not open to her, but she felt them differently than she did before with just their emotions. Their voices were whispers in the back of her mind, and if she turned up the volume, she knew she could hear their thoughts, but it would be impolite to eavesdrop. She wondered if her new power extended to other humans too or if her ability of controlling emotions would only come into play with them. Now, with her being transformed, she felt more of a connection to the pack and completely at ease with being in the compound. Nothing about her transformation frightened her.
She left the cabin and went to the main compound to dig up some leftovers in the kitchen. As she did, she heard Darius's wings flapping overhead. She licked her lips absently when the thought of chicken flashed through her mind. The Raven Warrior had been right. He was dinner since he was a bird, but she didn't want to eat him the way he thought. True, she wanted to devour him, but she wanted to be on top of him showing him who was the boss. The wolf had marked Darius for her mate because Darius was an alpha male. He was strong and would take care of his family. She had also bitten him to show she was as powerful as he. They were different species. He was a bird and she was a wolf, but he had been cursed into the shifter he was. Something inside of her told her the werewolf virus would not infect his system. He was not meant to be a wolf. If she had been one with the pack and had not met Darius, then she would have picked her mate from within the pack, or if not within the pack, at least another wolf. The thought of being with a human, like her father had done with her mother, was degrading. She understood she was half-blood, but she now understood the hatred wolves felt when others left their pack. Their sense of community, of the loyalty a wolf had, could never be felt with a human. A wolf, young or old, would give its life to protect its own and the pack. And that was what she had to be sure of.
In the kitchen, she plucked out some leftover ham and made a couple of sandwiches before downing them with water. Taking in her surroundings, she felt a pang for her old restaurant. She still had the desire to cook, but would she ever be able to go back and reclaim her life among the mortals? Would Deborah accept her? Part of her felt the hollow echo as if her former life had been lost. Everything she had worked for, gone to school for, seemed like a fading dream now she was different. Her outlook on life was different. By transforming and claiming her blood heritage, she had gained the near immortality of her people. She would outlive her friends, her cat. Everyone who was dear to her would be dead. Except the pack and Darius. They would be with her for years.
"My, my, the little pup has finally grown into her claws."
Alena spun around to see Vincent standing in the doorway. She sniffed and caught the scent of dried blood on him. Jamie's blood. His sister. Her cousin. Their family. Instinct said she had to obey him because he was pack leader. But she had left the pack and did not recognize any leader. She had been a lone wolf for a long time. She was not about to roll over on her back and surrender to him. Besides, if she showed him any signs of weakness now, he would make her submit, and by pack law, he could force her to be his mate even though she would never take him up on his offer.
"Get the hell out of my way, Vincent.” She tried to walk past him, but he grabbed both her arms and swept her up into a kiss. His lips were hungry for hers, and his tongue snaked between her lips. Her instinct was to bite down, and she got a good cluck of tongue before he pulled away and she tasted copper. With a sharp slap, he struck her face.
"You bitch!” he roared.
She took the hit and then stared at the blood leaking out of his mouth. The red enticed her instinct to hunt and made her even hungrier. “You think you can control me, Vincent? You think now, because I'm a wolf, you can rule me like you rule those lackeys out there you call werewolves? They were bitten. They are wolves by bite and not by blood. They may share the pack with us, but you were the one who brought them into the pack. I will not kneel before you and praise you."
He jerked her to him harder. “I don't want you to praise me, Alena. See, I knew the wolf was in you all these years. That was what I told my father and my sister. Bu they never believed me. I knew one day you would come into your own and you would be my mate. Today is that day.” He opened his mouth so she could see his four lengthening teeth. He was going to mark her and claim her. If he did that, she would be tied to him forever.
Alena felt a low growl rumble from her chest. She brought her knee up and hit him in the balls. The surprise made him drop her. “I will never be yours, asshole. I have already claimed my mate.” When Vincent dropped to the floor, she brought her foot up and connected with his chin. She was not in the mood to have him around right now, and he deserved whatever he got because he had tried to kill Darius. Her kick didn't knock Vincent out so she grabbed his hair and slammed his head into the floor hard. She heard his skull crack. It would not kill him; only keep him out of her way long enough for her to accomplish what she needed to get done.
"That was for stalking me all those months ago. I'm not your plaything anymore,” she growled, looking at his unconscious heap on the floor.
"I couldn't have done better myself," Darius commented in her mind.
"He had it coming," she answered. Alena heard her Raven lover cackle. Like she said, Vincent was not going to rule her.
"I guess I shouldn't get too frisky with you then. I see what I'll have coming to me."
Alena giggled. "There are many things I want to do to you, Darius. Hopefully next time we will be able to finish without getting interrupted by something. I'm very tired of getting you almost naked and then nothing happening."
"Love, you don't know how long I've felt that way."
Alena didn't answer him. Once outside, she closed her eyes and listened for the other pack members. Most of the pack were at the funeral site. Their dead were buried there, including her father. One day she would go there to pay homage to him. Tonight, she would go there to bring peace to her pack. Opening her eyes, she was glad that most of the pack was away, leaving only the children and the very old behind, some over a millennium. It was from there Vincent should have drawn his influence for leading the pack, but he chose to rely on whatever he wanted. Alena knew if she were leader, she would do things differently.
Taking a moment to gather her wits, she walked the paths to her cousin's house. Sadness and confusion covered the cabin like a tattered shroud. Her heart went out to the remaining children. She understood what it was like to lose a parent since she had lost both for a long while. And she knew Trina was close to changing. She swore her little cousin would have a better chance at changing than she ever did. No one should have to go through what she did. No one.
Alena knocked on the door. After a few moments, Trina opened the door. Her hair was messed, and her cheeks were puffy. When she saw Alena, she turned pale like one who had seen a ghost. She started to close the door, but Alena grabbed the hardwood and stepped inside the cabin. Being inside brought back a lot of memories. Some not very pleasant. Her eyes traveled the walls, a new meaning to the old medical drawings, surgical tools, and other paraphernalia caught her attention. Everything made more sense now. The other personality had been looming under the surface all along. No one had noticed.
"They said you were dead. Like Mom and my brother."
She knelt down and placed her hands on Trina's shoulders. “I'm not dead, sweetie. Remember when I told you we could change even if you were only half. Well, I started to change and had some problems. I got really sick until I worked them out. Now I'm all better."
"Will I have problems, too?"
/> "No. You shouldn't. You're already starting to feel the changes aren't you?” Alena asked.
The teenager nodded. “Mom said I should change at the next full moon. She said Uncle Vincent would take me in front of the whole pack and they would watch me change. I don't want to be naked in front of everyone."
Alena felt for the teenager. Being an adolescent was hard enough, and having to deal with all the changes going on inside of her and then adding pack rules and traditions into it along with the pain of first transformation into it. She knew Trina would be used to seeing the various pack members naked as well as her parents because nudity wasn't a big deal especially when they were going to change, but she understood where the girl was coming from. She didn't want to be exposed.
"I know how you feel, Trina. I really do. And it's embarrassing to be in front of the whole pack especially when you're in a lot of pain, but you've seen the others naked and your mom and dad so you know there's nothing to be ashamed of. Trust me, once you slip your skin the first time, you'll never think back on it. Being in front of the whole pack will seem like nothing after you have changed because all you are going to want to do is run and hunt."
The girl shrugged, and Alena felt and saw the weight of someone years older on the little girl's shoulders. She was taking on the brunt of the family weight since she had to protect her little sister. “Now, Trina, I have to ask you a couple of questions, okay? And I need you to be honest with me, okay? If not, I'll be able to tell if you're lying.” Alena opened her mind and felt the young woman's emotions. The poor thing was a wreck and ready to burst at the seams. She was so close to changing Alena figured she had been dreaming about hunting. And her dreams would keep her awake most nights because she wouldn't understand them. Or she might be afraid to sleep. Alena knew she had been that way when she was nearing turning.
"Yes.” Trina nodded.
"The last couple of months, I bet you've been having dreams about running through the woods. About hunting. And sometimes they get so overwhelming and so scary you wake up out of a sound sleep. And you don't want to go back to sleep because you're not sure what is real and what is your imagination, right?"
Fur and Feathers [A Raven Saga Book 2] Page 19