by T. F. Walsh
The growls turned to whimpers. Her head was wedged out of the cave’s mouth as she pushed herself through. If the dracwulf had not slaughtered innocent people, I might have felt compassion for her. Pressed against the rock, I inched farther away, the sun beating down on us. Unsure how we would cross the open path between the rocks and forest, my worries turned to the beast who exploded onto the ledge, causing rock fragments to cascade over the cliff.
Hunched low to the ground, she crawled toward us like a spider. Her ears pricked, fur bristled and incisors on display.
I reeled backward, exhaustion winning the battle against me. The coldness of the blustery weather didn’t help. Under no circumstance would she allow me to take him. With Enre tight in my grasp, I kept moving.
She threw herself forward, and I shoved Enre and myself backward. Her razor teeth caught flesh and snagged on my sweatshirt at my side. She yanked with such force that Enre slipped from my arms, and I landed hard on my hip. The beast dragged me closer to the edge with her forward motion.
The fabric ripped from her mouth, but her talons stabbed into my calves as her hindquarters dropped over the cliff, dragging the rest of her down, trapping me in her plummet. I flailed about, screeching as the dracwulf hauled me over the stone surface toward my death. I grabbed for anything on the rock platform and came up short. My body rushed over the rock’s edge, pulled by the mass of the dracwulf.
My talons burst free and scored the ground until they latched onto a ledge in the stone. I had stopped our descent, though we now both dangled off the side. She struggled and shook us both.
“Stop freakin’ moving.” Excruciating pain laced my legs and crept upward.
She didn’t. Her claws dug deeper into me. I screamed, my voice echoing in the catchment. Her talons tore down my calves and gripped my joggers. The sensation jerked up my body. My shoes were slipping off and the dracwulf lost her hold and she dropped. Her wail was ear-shattering.
I hung from the ledge, and numbness started to crawl through my arms. Breaths rushed. I drew on my last rush of adrenaline and hauled myself up. Huddled on the sill, I glanced downward and willed my hands to take human form.
A swarm of trees encased the catchment. I calmed my breath. No birds flew around us, only the gale sang on the breeze. My gaze dropped lower. The dracwulf lay on a single ridge with no easy passage into the forest. She was still alive and already climbed to her feet. From the fall itself, she should be dead. Damn, I wanted her dead and every last bit of Sandulf’s betrayal removed from the pack.
But now a small opportunity of time opened up for me to escape, and I rolled onto all fours, crawling toward Enre.
The animal already started bellowing.
I lifted Enre’s fragile body, and a tingle buzzed up my arms and legs. His skin was tepid to the touch. My heart froze when his eyes slid open a crack, revealing the blueness of his pupils, which had washed away and no longer held the deepness they once radiated.
“Enre, it’s me, Daciana. Can you hear me?”
No response. He just stared at me, like a lost child too scared to voice his words. A cold wind wiped the heat clammed to my skin. If someone had told me a week ago that I would lose Connell, kill Sandulf, rescue Enre, and become alpha, I would call them mad. Everything I desired had been ripped from me, and I questioned my own sanity now. Winning back Connell and saving Enre were my sole motivations, and I refused to give thought to my purpose if those things were taken away.
I pushed into a sloppy and slanted walk. My mangled legs stung each time I pressed weight on them, and a trail of blood followed behind us.
Sliding sideways along the rock form, I kept a vigilant eye out for the dracwulf. Once we reached the sharp boulders, I slowed my pace and stumbled downward in slow motion. At the gap between the rock and forest, I had no choice but to jump. Taking a few steps back, I tensed and ran, leaping at the last moment. My feet hit soil, and Enre’s body bounced in my arms. Dropping to my knees, I whimpered. As soon as the pain in my legs subsided, I was back up and rushing into the woods.
I kept my focus on reaching the pack house before the dracwulf escaped from the precipice. Every part of my body trembled, but I refused to stop.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Past the rocks, I hastened into the forest, blundering past low-hanging branches and over dead logs. I had no energy to do anything more than walk straight. The mid-morning sunlight slanted through the canopy of trees, and its warmth wrapped me in a sense of false security. Unable to move faster, I kept checking over my shoulder and listening for noises, anything to indicate the dracwulf was closing in on us. I had taken her mate, and like me, she would never surrender. Her attack was inevitable once she managed to climb out of the gorge, especially with the easy-to-follow blood trail.
Enre’s weight in my arms, which grew heavier the farther I trudged, bothered me less than the tears that refused to stop each time I thought about no longer having Connell. I’d lost him. A few times, my legs wobbled beneath me, and I leaned into a tree for a rest, never letting Enre out of my grasp.
At last, we reached the pack house, and I inhaled the scent of fried sausage on the wind. I rushed inside, greeted by silence. My foot kicked backward and slammed the door shut.
“I need some help!”
The kitchen door flung open, and an exhausted Botolf appeared. His hair was ruffled, patches of redness smeared his white shirt, and his expression turned aghast at the sight of Enre.
“You have another patient, doc.” My voice choked on tears.
He stood still for a moment, placed a shaky hand to his forehead and mumbled, “Dear God, you found him.”
The air thickened and my breath accelerated. Botolf collected Enre into his arms and hurried toward the bedroom. A wave of heat shook me. I used the wall to steady myself and let out the uncontrollable sob I had held inside. I let everything out, so I’d be ready for the next round of onslaughts.
I wiped my cheeks, preparing to join Botolf, when Lutia stepped out from the hallway. I paused, waiting for her smart-ass mouth to kick into overdrive. Instead, she stood there, her posture tight, crumpled forward, and her gaze darted to mine.
She fidgeted with the collar on her black trench coat-style dress. “I’m glad you found him alive.” Her words rang soft and polite. “I know we haven’t been getting along lately — ”
“Actually, we’ve never gotten along.”
“You’re right, and I should’ve tried harder.” The side of her mouth pinched together. “But I’m hoping we can change that and forget the past.”
I inched closer. “I’m not in the mood for your jokes.”
“I gave you Enre.” She backed away. “I deserve some recognition.”
My first reaction was to jump her, certain it would give me satisfaction. My muscles tensed as the words grated past my throat. “You left Enre in a cave with a dracwulf, you killed a human in my apartment hoping to frame me, and kidnapped an inspector, revealing us to him.”
She shifted her weight from one foot to another. “Nah. Sandulf gave me the orders.”
“You didn’t have to follow them.”
“He would have hurt me.”
My fist pressed to my lips, and I inhaled deep. “I don’t believe anything you say.”
Her mouth dropped open.
Botolf entered the room and halted.
The sour taste on my tongue relighted. How I yearned to break her and make her beg for mercy, but then, would that make me any better than Sandulf? He used force and threats to control the pack. I intended to change things under my leadership, which meant doing things differently. “I’ll give you a task to perform. If I’m satisfied, you’ll gain yourself the lowest rank in the pack, equal to moonwulf. If not, you’re out.”
Her chin dipped into her chest. “What do I have to do?”
“Every little thing Botolf asks of you. He will be your mentor.” I turned to Botolf. “If that is okay with you?”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“Settled. Botolf will inform me of any instance where you don’t follow his instructions, and there will be no second chances.”
“For how long?”
“Count yourself lucky. Now get out of my way.”
She remained frozen on her feet with her fingers splayed out in a fan against her chest, then turned and dragged herself into the hallway.
I should have thrown her out of the pack instead of giving her another chance. I must have hit my head hard in the cave.
“You did the right thing. I’m proud of you.” Botolf squeezed my shoulder. “Did you know your ear’s bleeding?”
“It’s nothing.” I wiped my injury and discovered a nice chunk of flesh missing from my earlobe.
“Stop being stubborn, let me at least bandage the wound and clean the scratches on your arms.”
I agreed and followed him into the bedroom. Enre lay on the fur blankets on his back, and anyone else might have guessed he was asleep by the color in his cheeks. I cringed at the deep pain shooting in my ear as Botolf cleaned the torn flesh.
In no time, Botolf patched me up, and I washed the dried blood off my arm. Before long, I stood in the kitchen, leaning against the countertop and stuffing a third sausage into my mouth. The sway of trees beyond the window numbed my thoughts, and I welcomed the silence.
Botolf entered.
“How’s he doing?”
“I can’t believe he’s survived the injuries. Someone tended to his wound, and what he needs now is rest. We’ll have to wait until he’s stronger to know if he will heal completely.”
“A need for survival can sometimes aid healing.” Had I just tried to cover up for Sandulf?
“Survival can’t wash clean a mortal wound,” he said with a strained voice.
“We both know Sandulf kept Enre out there in the cave.” Botolf shook his head, and my gaze fell to the floor as I warned, “The dracwulf will soon be here and not too happy, either. She wants Enre back.”
His body stiffened. “Why didn’t Sandulf finish her off?”
“He was scared of losing the last real family he had after Alina’s death, though I don’t know why he just didn’t have pups with Lutia.” I stuffed another sausage into my mouth, and gulped the morsel in one go. “Not that it excuses his behavior.”
I proceeded to tell him about Enre’s capture, Sandulf’s threats to me, the larger pack coming for our territory, the attacks on the humans, and the police wolf hunts. I didn’t leave anything out, except my love for Connell. I stared at my hands, remembering the last time he held me in his arms, tight and devoted. He promised to love me forever, but would he now? The sting in my chest returned. I wished I hadn’t turned into a wulfkin, I wished I could have spent my life alongside Connell, smothered in his affection. Sadness spread inside me, and I had no idea how to even begin letting go of the constant hurt.
I started to walk away. “We need to bolt down the house. I’ll do the outside.”
“Maybe Sandulf was confused.”
I stopped. “What could possibly confuse him? That he mated with a wild wolf and allowed the animal to kill humans while he protected the bloodthirsty beast? Or that he condemned our pack to the Varlac and exposed us to a human? What part could have possibly confused him?”
“Let’s be rational in our thinking, Daciana. Things don’t just happen.” Botolf gripped his chin. “A series of events would have made him behave the way he had.”
Sandulf knew a menace dangled over the pack and did nothing. “It doesn’t matter, he’s gone. He was ready to join Alina a long time ago, and we didn’t see it.” Drawing closer to Botolf, I gripped his forearm. “There’s no time to evaluate every scenario. Sandulf is guilty. The dracwulf is on her way here, and we’re not prepared.”
“I admit, I saw it coming and hoped I misinterpreted his actions. I’ve sat back and let too much pass me by in the years gone,” he confessed.
His struggle to accept Sandulf’s betrayal was difficult to watch. “We need to focus on the problem at hand.”
He stared through me, at nothing in particular, and I didn’t expect him to respond.
“I’m not as strong as I once was, and it’s only us and Lutia. Matias hasn’t returned to the house since your ceremony. He’s agitated by what happened and took off into the woods. Radu has no strength to fight. Lutia probably does, but she pretends she doesn’t.”
“I don’t trust her. Maybe get her to lock up the windows inside the house.” I pushed the sleeves up on my shirt. “Move Radu into my room near Enre. It’s easier to protect them if they’re together.” I wondered if the basement offered a better hiding spot. But its entry and exit was a flimsy wooden panel, and left us cornered, so I kept to the original plan.
Snatching the last sausage, I pushed past the back door. How I would take out the dracwulf on my own, I still needed to work out. I toyed with the idea of using Lutia as bait or a distraction, and laughed to myself as I pictured her horrified reaction if I suggested such a thing.
The outside air held scents of pine needles, soil, and greenery, but no dracwulf.
At the kitchen window, I unlatched the metal clasps on each of the thick wooden boards on either side of the glass. Sandulf made the house defensible against potential attacks by other wulfkin packs. Every opening of the dwelling sported a covering, and once in place, only two doors permitted entry or escape. The security planks were not impenetrable, but they bought time. Never before had the shutters been drawn and yet there I was, locking down the place. The irritating notion that I didn’t stand a chance against the dracwulf tested my nerves. Bites and scratches were all I managed during past encounters against the animal, but I reminded myself I was a powerful wulfkin now. After all, I had killed a wulfkin with my blood. If only I knew how to turn that ability back on.
I wrenched shut the heavy slats one at a time. Due to their weight and force, I shoved my palms against the timbers to bring them together. The harsh movement stung my ear. I grasped the iron-studs on the short chain and clasped the panels shut. Once closed, the fasteners were removable by industrial clippers. Yeah, a bit of overkill, but needed when dealing with beasts with unnatural strength.
The crunch of dry leaves from the woods roused my attention, and my senses sharpened. I crept closer to the sound. The direction of the wind masked the scent of the culprit and my wolf readied to emerge. I stepped into the undergrowth, scanned the trees, plants and foliage.
For a second, everything fell silent. My chest heaved. When a gray rabbit hopped out of the huddled shrubs, I cursed under my breath and relaxed. Tempted to catch the bunny for a snack to serve it up for frightening me, I returned to the next window and continued securing the house until my feet nudged the basement door.
After securing three sides of the house, my arms ached. I paused and let the tingling sensation fade. At the front of the property, I latched the last two windows. Stepping away from the house, I admired my handy work. It resembled an evacuated property, boarded up by the government to stop squatters moving inside.
The soft drone of a car engine distracted my musing.
In the distance, a flicker of metallic red flashed between the trees. A car curved off the track and an Audi pulled into our driveway. The tires crunched to a halt on the gravel. Connell climbed out and shut the door with a thud, and my heart melted. He scanned the surrounding area before striding in my direction, his blond hair tumbling around his face. The wrinkled state of his hooded sea green sweater and black jeans said it all.
He was freaked.
My feet stuck to the ground, unable to move, let alone say anything.
A wave of heated rage accompanied his harried, wild expression,
though he managed a neutral smile, as if we might be passing each other on the street.
“Connell.” No other words formed because all I yearned to say was take me back.
He folded his arms across his chest, stopping a few steps in front of me. “Nice to see you, too.”
My voice quivered, and I couldn’t stop the babble. “I’m sorry for everything.”
He exhaled noisily. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I had to come back here.” He cleared his throat. “My mind’s been going through the events. Over and over. In theory, yes, maybe werewolves exist, but my logical mind refuses to accept it, even if I did see it.” He looked around him as if expecting someone to jump out from the woods. “I couldn’t tell anyone at the station without being ridiculed and forced onto medical leave. That leaves me in a very uncomfortable situation. Do I get the police involved to stop this man-eating beast at the risk of looking like a fool, or continue to lie to them, at the cost of my career?”
I swallowed hard and decided to divulge everything to him, refusing to feed him any more lies. He was already privy to our ceremony and transformations, so why pretend otherwise? But a lengthy conversation was out of the question right then, as the dracwulf could turn up at any moment, hungry to reclaim Enre. I didn’t need Connell to face any more danger because of me.
He said, “Why couldn’t you be upfront and honest like a normal person?”
“It killed me to not tell you the truth.”
“Oh wait, you’re not normal, are you? You attended those murder scenes and knew what was responsible for the killings. You lied to my face.”
His words stung, and while his anger and uncertainty spoke, insults made any wulfkin defensive. “Would you have believed me? Of course not. That’s why we’re trying to catch the animal ourselves.”