by Barb Shuler
“What?” I asked, confusion clouding my brain. “An enchantment? Like a magic spell or something?”
Was that even real? I read about that in books and saw it in a few movies. “Is Harry Potter real then?” I blurted out and made a face as she laughed, pulling me into a tight hug before she stepped back.
“Not in that way, my child. It’s more like a glamour. People normally only see what they want to see, so it makes them see just that. Not that we get many visitors this far into the woods. There are the occasional human hunters that get off the deer trail. But even them we have to be careful of. If someone sees too much-”
“We kill them or make them one of us.” Jarrod’s words had my head snapping up.
“What?” I asked, my voice squeaking.
“Jarrod!”
“You what?” I squeaked again. My head shaking slightly.
“Look, Gretchen, you said you wanted to give her the truth, so I’m fucking well doing just that.” He stalked over and took my hand. I looked up and met his pleading gaze. “It’s the only way to stay safe. If we let one slip through the cracks it could kill us all. Please understand that.”
“You- I mean…” I stuttered trying to put his words together. He was a killer.
“Yes, love, that’s my place. I am the enforcer of the pack. It’s not always a pleasant job, but it has to be done. I protect your grandmother, who is our Alpha, and the pack from any and all harms. I have also sworn to protect you at all costs as I did earlier. Jezebel had a mixed background. She had just enough of her gift, a magical gift, to use it against you. She tried to mark you as hers. I couldn’t allow her to use magic against you, or to mark what was not hers.”
“That was not the only time he has protected you, Mistress. Master has always been there to protect you,” Corbin said, his head bowing slightly as my grandmother growled at him.
“He speaks the truth. I’ve protected you before. We, as a pack, have always been around when you needed a little help. Though we have strived to remain hidden, you did catch a glimpse of me once. In that moment I had no choice but to let you see me so I could protect you.”
“Jarrod, don’t!” Grandmother said, a bite to her voice.
“Stop it. Let him tell me. I-I want to know,” I said.
She sighed, anger still on her features, but she waved her hand at us.
“That night at the river. I was there to watch over you, and yes, I got too close and you saw me, but you were not out there alone. The river is on the border of the enchantment. One side is enchanted. The side you were on, however, was not. A hunter saw you, and he saw me. I had no choice. I had to do what I could to protect you. That night.. I had to do what I could to keep you-”
That night filtered through me. I saw the dark wolf, his muzzle down close to the ground, his golden eyes staring at me. I pulled the wet dress to me and looked around. Snapping twigs pulled my eyes from the wolf. When I looked back, he was gone. I pushed the dress back into the water to rinse off the rest of the soap. There was a scuffle in the woods. I heard a large growl. My skin prickled. I scooped up my dress and took off running up the edge of the river and back to Grandmother’s house. Panic filling me.
“The noises that frightened me… that was you protecting me?” I asked, cutting him off. My head tilting to the side.
“Yes. I will always protect you. Even if you chose to never stay here with me, with us, to ignore the connection I know you feel here.” He tapped my chest and I took his hand. I pressed it to my cheek and closed my eyes. Tears started to fall and it all started to make sense.
The protectiveness of my mother, and my grandmother. Grandmother’s house being so far into the woods. I pulled away from him and moved to the back door. I opened it and stepped out. I needed to let it all sink in.
How had I not put things together sooner? I was so stupid. I felt a warm pair of arms wrap around me and I leaned back against him. I just needed a few minutes to think.
11
In the last two days I have learned way too much about my Grandmother’s family’s history and that of her pack. It was so much information that my head was starting to hurt. Talk about brain overload.
My dreams had me tossing and turning like I had when I was younger. The information I’d been given, the bit I’ve found on my own and some I had just pieced together has warped my dreams. Or, I was hoping it was that. Maybe once all of this was sorted I would be able to return to my normal self when I slept. Though my dreams now are a lot more... intense than they were as a child. I used to dream of wolves and the night at the river. Now, I dream of a naked Jarrod and at times, Corbin and Jarrod. It was a lot to let sink in.
As I look through the books in front of me I sigh. I’d brought them in from the library earlier. I had been starving, but didn’t want to stop looking through the books. I pop the last grape in my mouth before flipping the page. I scan the information, my eyes following each word. I lean the chair back, balancing it on two legs. I lean up just slightly to keep myself from tipping forward or backwards.
The genealogy tree before me has a list of everyone that has been in the family since the late fifteen hundreds. They are marked with a full moon if they are a full shifter, and a crescent if they are half wolf, and cross if they are a human, at least according to the legend on the side of the page.
I scan the tree, reading each name to see if I can find some I may recognize. I move further down the list and was expecting to see a cross by my name, but that isn’t what I see. I blink hard when I see I have a crescent moon by my name. I’m a half wolf? But.. I blink again. My mother is a human. My dad is human.
“What the actual hell?” I mutter, and lose my balance on the two legged chair stand. It’s not until the chair falls backwards and I slam into the floor that I shriek. My head hitting the back of the chair didn’t feel good but I’d live. I let out a frustrated sigh.
The room is instantly full of half dressed men all looking down at me as I’m laid out on the floor, the book covering my face while I mutter to myself and try to hold in my laughter.
“What happened in here?” I hear the boom of Jarrod’s voice before he even makes it into the room. God help me, I start laughing even harder then. That “honest, your honor, I’m not crazy” kind of a laugh. The book was removed from my face and his nose touched mine. I reach up and pat his cheek playfully.
“Angel, you okay, sweetheart,” I heard Grandmother ask. The men around us parted for her. I saw them move from the corner of my eye. I nodded as I kept my eyes on Jarrod’s.
“Relax, Cujo, I’m fine. I just lost my balance.” I grinned as he growled and nipped at my wrist. A spark of lust washed through me and I shifted. My legs still hung over the chair as I lay on my back. I hurried to reply to my grandmother before she got bossy. “I’m okay, Grandmother. Just need to work on reading while I balance a chair under me.”
“Really, Angel, I have warned you about that for years. Please stop before you break your ass. Or your head.” She glared at me but I just grinned back up at her.
“I already broke my butt and my head.” I laugh softly when Jarrod growls.
“She is not as breakable as she was. Leave her be, Gretchen.” A man said as he came in the room. I raised a brow then sat up when I saw Mr. Oswald, our family butler, come in. I wasn’t paying attention when I sat up and managed to clip Jarrod on the jaw with my head. I held my head and cursed. Now the front would hurt as much as the back was starting to.
“Ouch… dang, you got a hard head, man.” I whined.
There were a few chuckles as he leaned back down and captured my lips in a searing kiss.
“Enough of that. Let Angel back up, Jarrod,” Mr. Oswald scolded him. I laughed as Jarrod took my hands and I was pulled up with ease.
“Are you hurt?” Grandmother asked.
“I'm fine, really. I was so focused on the book that I didn't realize I was toppling over until the floor kissed my backside.”
Someone snorted
and I grinned as Jarrod moved to run his hands over my arms. “Are you sure?”
“Listen, I know I'm new to knowing what’s actually happening here and all, but when I say I'm fine. I'm fine. I'd know if I was hurt,” I said, pushing his probing hands away. His touch was causing my skin to tingle. Now was not the time for that.
“Now, Mr. Oswald, Grandmother, anyone really… can you explain why this book,” I said as I shook the book as I lifted it from the floor, “has a crescent by my name? Hmmm….”
The room went silent. I don't think anyone was even breathing. I looked to my Grandmother. Her back straightened and she took a step closer to me.
“Let's go to the library. I'll explain-”
“No. Everyone here knows about me. They know what's happening and dang it, I want to know too, right this minute.”
“Young lady, you watch your tone with me. You will do as I say,” Grandmother snapped. My lips curled up and I shook my head. Anger bubbled up inside of me as she tried to stare me down.
“I said now!”
She grabbed my arm and yanked me forward. I tried to stop it, but she was too fast. Jarrod was moving with us as she drug me to the library. I grabbed at her hand and once we were in the room, with the doors shut and locked, she released me.
“Tell me now!” I snarled at them both. There was a sudden spike of anger that ran through me. Grandmother’s hand came up and the sting in my face a moment later made my stomach hurt. Jarrod choked off a growl behind me. I let out a whimper. My hand went to my cheek.
When I looked up Grandmother’s finger was to her lips.
Jarrod muttered something about her being a hard ass as I stared at her.
I took a step back from her.
“Now, you will abide by my word. I am not just your grandmother, I am your alpha. You will learn your place now, pup.” As she spoke she moved to me and reached up and rubbed her thumb over my cheek.
I could see the sorrow in her eyes.
What was happening here?
“I-I'm sorry,” I stammered. She nodded before she wrapped me in a big bug. I relaxed into her touch, her warmth.
“I'm sorry, sweetheart. The walls have ears,” she whispered in my ear.
I nodded and rubbed my face. I wasn’t quite sure what was happening here, but something in her eyes and face had me nodding. She held me for a moment then let me go.
She looked at me, winked and then let her voice ring out clearly, “You will not disobey me. Granddaughter or not. Do not make me punish you again.”
“I-I won't, Grandmother,” I said softly, meaning that. My face was still on fire.
Jarrod’s warmth surrounded me as did his massive arms. I melted back into him. There was a sweet, gentle kiss placed on my cheek and I smiled softly. My eyes closed and as I let out a quiet sigh Jarrod kissed along my cheek and jaw. I relaxed even more. There was something about his touch, his warmth that relaxed me like nothing else can.
“Now, what I have to tell you will be hard. You should sit down,” Grandmother ordered.
12
Grandmother walked around, pacing the room in front of us before she spoke.
“The reason why you have that mark in the book is the same reason you've been having disturbing dreams. The abundance of sexual tensions. Your temperament changes. It's all connected, Angel. You're a shifter like us. Well, not exactly like us. You have your mother and father's genes.”
“But Daddy is a human. That book says so.”
“That book is correct in a way. Sweetheart, your father, Tristan, is not your biological father,” she said as she paced the room. My eyes bugged and it's a dang good thing Jarrod had his arms around me.
If not for him, I'd have been on the floor.
“He- Not- What? How can that be?!” I stammered.
“Angel, your mother and I disagreed on lots of things as mothers and daughters do. Your biological father was one of them. He was a shifter. Like Jarrod, he was an enforcer. He thought taking my child from me and making her his would break me in some way.”
She walked towards me. I shied away as she lifted her hand. She sighed.
“He only served to piss me off. When I found out he'd bedded your mother I was furious. He'd taken her inn-”
“He raped her. Let’s not pussy foot around this Gretchen,” Jarrod said.
She ignored him and continued, “From that union, you, my sweet girl, were born. We’ve been guarding you ever since.”
“Oh. My. God!” I shrieked and tried to get free of Jarrod’s grip. “This is horse shit! My father is my father!” A growl escaped me as I fought to get free.
“Stop!” Jarrod’s voice rolled across me and sent tingles through me. It seemed to make my anger rise even more. I wasn’t going to let him tell me what to do.
“He's- Tristan is my father!” I whimpered. Jarrod turned me to face him and shook his head.
“I'm sorry. Your grandmother, who is as tactful as ever, is correct. Your father, your biological father's name was Zane. He was for all accounts a good man until he let his lust rule him. He disobeyed a direct order and had to be taken out.” He sighed and looked away. “He put us all in danger.”
“Did… oh God. She made you do it? Didn't she?” I turned to glare at my grandmother. “Wasn't there-”
“No!” She snapped at me, cutting my words off. “He disobeyed me. He disobeyed your grandfather! He took your mother’s innocence from her! He had to die. Jarrod simply did his job.”
“He’s not an assassin! He’s a person! How could you be so heartless?!”
“Me, heartless? That man raped your mother!” she snarled as she moved to stand before me. My spine straightened and it wasn't until Jarrod pulled me back a step that I realized I was growling at her.
“Not about him! I don't care about him! I meant about making Jarrod take care of him! That was your job. Or the job of the elusive grandfather I've heard mention of a few times in my life, but never saw. This is… I mean…”
I scream in frustration, my body vibrating in anger, confusion and fear. A growl escapes me again. The door bursts open and a man, one I know quite well, barges in and moves to stand by my grandmother. Mr. Oswald?
“You already know your grandfather, child. He's been with you every step of your life. Why do you think that is? To keep you safe,” my grandmother said. She took a breath, her eyes fading from blaring gold to the natural goldish tone I had become used to over the last few days. “There are bad people in this world, but we are not those bad people. Please try to understand that.”
My eyes met Mr. Oswalds and my heart thundered in my chest.
“You? Him? Holy shiitake mushrooms and clam sauce! No way. He's not.. I mean… Mother never… I mean… I mean…” I trailed off cause my words are spinning in circles along my tongue.
My grandmother and the man beside her both nodded. My heart lurched like a rocket and I had to ball my hands into fists cause they were shaking as bad as the rest of me.
This man was my grandfather. I did love him. He was always very sweet and kind to me. He'd been there for every milestone. This explained a few ‘odd’ things to me. Like why he was always adamant about me being careful while I was outside to the point that he'd go with me when I was little. He’d not let me go to close to the tree line or, if I did, he would stay close, sometimes muttering to himself. Maybe he had been talking to the wolves. Jarrod had said they were always around. Mother had never stopped him from doing things with me either. She even encouraged it at times.
“Yes, sweet pea, it is,” he said. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you before now, but it wasn't needed information then.” My grandfather, wow that was going to take some getting used to, moved closer and I launched myself at him.
I hugged him as tight as I could.
“Don’t break him, Angel. Your grandfather is part human after all.” Grandmother said as she laughed. Grandfather gave her a dry look. She stopped laughing and sighed. “There is so much to learn still.�
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“Like.. what? What else could there be?”
“Oh, my sweet grandchild. There is much you do not know. For one, have you noticed any women around here other than your Grandmother? Well, other than the other one that was previously here?” Grandfather asked. His nose wrinkled at the mention of Jezebel.
I made a face and shook my head.
“That’s because female werewolves, shifters, whichever name you would like to use, are rare. Thus, the abundance of half-breeds. It takes a truly strong woman to survive the virus a bite can cause. If you’re human, in order to become a true, full moon howling werewolf you have to be bitten. Half-breeds, since they are born and not bitten, have it a little different. Your will is taken away, in short. Your dominant genes may they be human or werewolf, decide your fate.”
“So, you either are or you’re not? Um…” I suddenly felt unease rush through me. What did this really mean for me? Was I going to be a shifter werewolf? Would I have to kill things? Ack.
“You are showing signs that a shifter will emerge from you. Soon, possibly. Your instincts and hormones are strong…” Jarrod said with a growl into my ear. I snorted and then turned to him.
“Wait. What do you mean by that?” My hands went to my hips as I stared him down.
He might be the size of a house, but I needed to know these things. I heard my grandfather snort behind me. I looked over my shoulder and he and my grandmother were grinning at me. I turned back to Jarrod and glared. His lips twitched. That seemed to set my anger off even more.