by Leeda Vada
Chapter One
Calli opened her eyes. Recognizing the hazy, sulfur-tinged vision of her wolf, she howled her frustration and rage through the shrubs and trees of her family’s ranch.
“God, not again,” she moaned, her nails raking her cheeks as the sobs broke free.
Fisting her hands and crushing the damp leaves of the misty morning dew, she rose to her feet. Her she-wolf, taking advantage of its freedom, must have been racing all over the forest floor.
She had tried so hard—so very hard—to suppress her shifting. If it had been any other day, Calli would have felt more charitable to the playful side of herself. She wouldn’t have begrudged the young cub from expending some of the excess energy that had built up since the last time Calli had allowed her out.
But not today. Today, she found her wolf form repulsive. The earthy smell of the animal sweat. The brackishness of the saliva that dripped from her tongue. The sharp sting of her canines when she would accidentally nip her skin.
She made the shift into her full human form. With no clothing stash nearby, she found shelter at the base of the nearby Camperdown Elm and snapped a few low branches to cover herself further.
#
Calli and her brothers were Canid, five generations removed Were descendants. Through the centuries, Were DNA had been diluted to the point where there were no full-blooded Weres still in existence.
Until the birth of the Lakota triplets.
Only Alpha Apollo, his Lupa, Belen, and select members of the Powhatan Council were aware of the triplets’ shifting ability. Though blood tests had shown their elevated Were DNA, because no one living had ever seen an actual shift and there were no records of nascent DNA, Canid scientists could only speculate about what the elevated DNA in the triplets meant.
#
Calli’s brothers, Rand and Nathan, reveled in their ability to fully embrace their wolf, and when Calli was younger, so did she.
Back then, she didn’t mind the secrecy that came with their gift. It had been exciting keeping a secret. It made her feel special, making her and her brothers part of a private club to which only they and a few others belonged.
By the age of six, the triplets could control when they shifted, so they could interact with other children. The boys handled the transition well, but the few times when Calli did mingle with other young girls, she could not share the childhood confidences and experiences that are the glue of adolescent alliances, especially cliques of young girls.
She felt awkward and out of place. The other girls sensed her reluctance and misinterpreted it as Calli thinking she was better than they were. They, in turn, took offense and reacted accordingly, ostracizing her at every opportunity.
Eventually, Calli refused to participate in the arranged play dates, willing to suffer any punishment her parents imposed rather than attend. Instead, she found comradery with her brothers and the large pack of gray wolves who roamed the Lakota reserve.
Her father, Odin, had built the family ranch on two hundred acres of wooded land bordering Bakari, the Cumberland Nation headquarters. The ranch was inaccessible from three sides, a dense forest of red oak pines on the left, a labyrinth of mountain caves to the back, on the right, an Olympic-size pool, surrounded by flowering shrubs and a stand of crepe myrtles, all protected by an eight-foot electric fence. The only public access was through the gated entrance at the front of the property, so it provided the triplets security and privacy. And, in Calli’s case, a safe place to be herself.
#
Then, when she turned ten, things changed.
Her mother, Laura, invited her to an afternoon tea. These mother-daughter tea parties had been a special female bonding time for the two Lakota girls since Calli was three. But Calli sensed there was something different this time. Her mother seemed uncomfortable for some reason.
“You’re growing up so fast,” Laura began. “Before I know it, you’ll be on the cusp of young womanhood.”
“Oh, no,” Calli thought. Though she already had a very basic knowledge of “the birds and the bees,” it was not a subject she wanted to discuss over tea or anywhere else. And Lord knows, especially not with her mother.
Laura told her how beautiful becoming a woman was, how her body was preparing her to be a mother someday.
While her mother proceeded to explain in painstaking detail the process of human reproduction, Calli sat quietly, sipping her tea, periodically nodding her understanding while wishing she was miles away.
Then, Laura said something that really got her attention. After girls started their menstrual cycle, they could no longer spend unchaperoned time with members of the opposite sex. In other words, very soon the comradery that she shared with her brothers and their friends would no longer be available to her.
Calli assumed the persona that her mother expected to see, and outwardly conveyed understanding and calm acceptance of her femininity while simultaneously allowing her true self to escape into the sanctuary of her she-wolf.
Calli got her period when she was eleven. Puberty is an awkward, confusing time for young girls—a time of insecurity and self-consciousness about the changes in their bodies—and Calli experienced those same emotions.
But, in her case, the sense of belonging—the sharing of the awkwardness of getting that first period that only female peers can provide—was not available to her. And even though she might now lament her self-imposed isolation, the damage was done. There was no way back.
Calli also felt alienated from her brothers. She missed them terribly, but there was no way she could discuss her situation with them.
#
But Calli Lakota was a fighter. Her warrior spirit would not let her wallow in self-pity for long. Calli took the alienation and insecurity and channeled it into her mission to become the best in any training competition she entered. She became the fastest runner, the highest climber, and could swim the furthest.
These accomplishments, of course, only increased the divide between herself and the other girls, but Calli told herself she didn’t care. She didn’t need them.
She suppressed in her looks and dress any appearance of conformity. She was Goth one day, unisex the next. Her hair—blond today, fire-engine red tomorrow—green, yellow, purple, orange. No color was off limits. Spiked, mohawk, Afro, braids. You name it, Calli wore it.
Calli often overheard her parents lamenting her rebellious behavior and her refusal to discuss the subject.
She loved her parents, and she knew they loved her. But she couldn’t allow them to
breach the wall of defensive dress and behaviors that was the only thing holding her together, her only protection against the emotional forces threatening to break her into little pieces.
#
Her parents, sensing her reluctance to train with her brothers, decided to become her instructors. Odin made sure she mastered every move and skill a warrior would need to be successful in battle. Laura was equally as proficient a warrior as her husband. The rumors of her Amazonian background were not exaggerated, and she taught her daughter the skills of the mythical warrior princesses.
#
Since Calli was the first-known female shifter, Canid doctors Arjani and Malachi did not know how the nascent Were DNA would affect her body. Dr. Arjani had warned Laura and Odin that hormone imbalances could trigger more frequent and unplanned instances of shifting.
It had happened again last night. She had escaped to Saber’s lair for some alone time when she suddenly found herself being propelled through the trees.
Calli had stopped reporting the occurrences to Dr. Arjani or her mother. It was none of their business. It wasn’t as if they could do anything about what was happening to her anyway. So w
hat would be the point?
Though the Canid Elders told her and her brothers ad nauseam how blessed they were to have been given such a “gift,” pre-adolescent Calli begged to differ. How could she feel “blessed” when that same gift made her a freak? What they interpreted as a blessing, she interpreted as a curse.
She was tired, so tired of handling it all.
Even in her wolf form, no matter how far and fast she ran, she hadn’t been able to run away from the truth. And she never would.
#
Soon after Canaan Powhatan had arrived at Alpha House from his latest apprenticeship, he stopped by to check on the triplets, which he did whenever his training allowed him time for visits home.
Laura told him the boys had gone with Odin to rescue two abandoned wolf cubs that had been sighted at the far end of the Lakota reserve. Calli was somewhere near Saber’s lair. She sent Calli’s favorite afghan with him because of the fall chill in the air.
#
It took Canaan only a few minutes to locate his young friend. He had followed her sobs to where she had sheltered under a makeshift cover of branches.
Calli was resting her cheek on her arms as she gave in to the despair and frustration. But she did not have to lift her head to recognize the scent that was Canaan Powhatan.
“Go away, Canaan.”
“I am not going anywhere.”
The animal sounds of the forest were subdued as if the animals also sympathized with the distress of the troubled young female.
After several minutes, the sobs became more sporadic and soon ceased.
“Please, Canaan, go away,” she pleaded.
“I'm not leaving. Now, accept that and tell me what this is all about. Why are you hiding in there?”
“Because I’m naked, you moron!”
“Unplanned shift, heh?”
A loud “Duh!” was followed by a shaky hitch in her voice.
“Well, your mom sent your painted blanket. The temperature’s starting to drop.”
“Don’t come any closer.”
“Calm down, Calli. I changed your diapers, for God’s sake.”
“I’m not three months old, Canaan.”
“Right.” He took a few steps back. “I’m going to lay the blanket on the ground. Then, step over to this tree over here and I’ll turn my back while you retrieve it and wrap it around you.”
“I still want you to leave.”
“Not until you tell me why you are crying.”
“You wouldn’t understand,” she murmured.
“Then explain,” he said softly.
“I can’t,” she said stubbornly, wrapping her arms around her middle and beginning to rock her body back and forth.
“And why not?”
“You’re a boy.”
Struggling to suppress his smile, Canaan conceded, “Guilty as charged. Now, that we agree on that, what else?”
“I can’t talk about this with you.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re a boy, dunderhead! Aren’t you listening?” She sighed in frustration. “It sucks being a girl,” she whispered. Facing away from him, she hugged her knees to her chest and then rested her chin. “Especially being a Canid female, one already cursed.”
“Have you talked to your mom about how you feel?”
“She gets so sad when I talk to her about my shifting ‘gift’. She can’t shift; she’s not even Canid. So, how can she understand? And she’s too old.”
“It’s not just that?”
“What then?”
His countenance must have betrayed his consternation, because Calli began to giggle—just a little at first—then a lot. As Canaan stared, his mouth open, her amusement seemed to increase, until a loud, raucous, shoulder-shaking, belly laugh erupted from deep within.
Canaan joined in before he could help himself, and the tension was broken.
A few minutes later he continued.
“Okay. I don’t have a solution right now, but I’ll come up with something. Leave it to me,” he said confidently. “Will you trust me?”
“Maybe,” she said warily, pulling her knees more tightly into her chest.
The movement alerted Canaan to the reddish stains dripping from the brown and yellow maple leaves and soaking into the dirt of the forest floor where she huddled.
“Oh!” he said softly, suddenly understanding the situation. He had three sisters after all.
Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and folding it several times into a narrow rectangle, he laid it on the ground beside her.
Then, he stood and turned his back. “Where is your closest clothing stash, Calli?
“About a mile back that way, in the branches of the old oak.”
“Okay,” he said and began walking in that direction. “Wait right here.”
Canaan walked in the direction of the small knapsack that would be hidden in the branches. Because a Were’s clothing was shredded during shifting, Laura and Odin kept extra sets in the forest for times when the triplets failed to remove their clothes before initiating the change.
Canaan did not hurry. He wanted to give Calli a few minutes to collect herself. She had to be feeling some embarrassment at the situation.
When he arrived back at the glade, he wasn’t surprised to see it empty.
#
Calli was careful to avoid running into anyone as she fled back to the ranch. She dressed quickly, then made her way to the safety of Saber’s cave. The pack alpha had always provided her and her brothers with a haven whenever they needed to escape the demands of the human world.
She rested her head on his flank and pondered the episode in the forest. Being the Alpha’s children, Canaan and his sister Tamby were two of the few people who knew of the triplets’ shifting ability, so they had been frequent babysitters for Calli and her brothers.
The brother and sister had changed the infants’ diapers, wiped toddler tears, and treated childhood scraped knees and elbows.
Canaan had soon become her hero. He had taught her how to tie her sneakers and had braided her wet hair after swimming lessons. He had always stayed behind to give her extra practice sessions to sharpen her skills, and even arranged for individual practice sessions so she could keep up with her brothers.
During her night wanderings, Canaan had often found her and instead of alerting her parents, had used the opportunity to teach her the names of the constellations and how to use the heavenly shapes to find her way home if she ever got lost on her romps through the vast Lakota forest.
Even the Lakota gray wolves on her family’s property accepted Canaan, a situation Calli initially found curious, but soon accepted as unexceptional, since everyone liked Canaan.
All Calli knew was that when Canaan was around, she did not mind as much the alienation she felt from the female members of the Bakari community. If Canaan thought she was special, the opinions of the others had no power over her.
But things were different now. She didn’t understand why exactly, but she knew deep inside that they were. That special connection she had always felt with her hero was gone.
#
Back in his room at Alpha House, Canaan called his sister. Tamby readily agreed to detour to
Bakari and have a long visit with Calli.
After disconnecting, he reviewed the episode with the little Were. He was sad, sensing that his relationship with his young friend had changed somehow.
He should not have been surprised. After all, she was growing up.
Canaan knew enough about young females from his experiences with his Flames when they were Calli’s age to know that her childhood was ending.
He would miss her. She was an innocent, a source of light amidst all the turmoil that was a Canid male’s existence.
She was beginning a journey on which he could not accompany her.
The depth of his sadness surprised him.
Chapter Two
Four years later
Since he could
walk, Canaan’s father, Alpha Apollo Powhatan, had been preparing him to follow in his footsteps. During his adolescent and teenage years, Canaan began a round of apprenticeships to other Canid packs both inside and outside American borders. His tutors were warriors who had been forged into formidable creatures of extraordinary intelligence and physical prowess.
These experiences shaped Canaan into a man of unparalleled charisma and power. Their tutelage, combined with the wealth and global influence of his mother’s family, had produced a leader with a strong sense of honor and unimpeachable integrity, one who was respected and admired equally for his courage and tenacity in battle as well as for his championing of humanitarian causes worldwide.
An innate “Code of Chivalry” radiated from him and he drew the like-minded to his side.
Still, many who entered Canaan’s sphere over the years—especially those who possessed heightened strands of Were DNA—sensed something else about Canaan Powhatan. A latent darkness that many in his legion of admirers failed to detect. Something subtle and deep, a presence, primal and savage, that lay hidden.
#
It had been Canaan’s idea to take the Canid influence globally to strengthen the Canid alliance into a conglomerate so vast and powerful that no government would dare to threaten their community.
To that end he had formed the Mestizo League. his personal goal was to establish chapters countries with large Canid populations like Russia, England, France, India, Japan, and Nigeria.
Several packs in Nigeria had expressed strong interest in joining the League. On the third day of negotiations, the group received word of a Wurdolak pack who were preying on several inland villages.
Wurdolak were Were-descended males whose bestial DNA had been contaminated with Renfield’s syndrome. Their obsession with the drinking of blood had led to acute dementia. They were a scourge on the human and Canid communities. The only solution was the eradication of the entire pack.
The Mestizos joined with the assembled packs in pursuit. They had been tracking the renegades through the bush. It had taken them several days to reach the site of the latest attack, but they found upon their arrival that the Wurdolak, having gotten word of their pursuit, had circled back to the Kenyan coast.