The car drove to the front entrance, came to a stop and Wilder exited. He took one step and then he hesitated to go through the front door. So he walked around to the side of the ranch. He needed more time to think. Glancing out over a vast area of his land he and his brothers owned, the land and ranch would be there for his children and his brothers’ children, he thought. There they would make their homes. He would give them their portion of land and they would live there and they would all be his family. Looking at the many babies being born, the family would be large and all thanks to Adrienne.
He made a rapid turn. It wasn’t because he heard something. He had sharp ears but he heard nothing. It wasn’t because he smelled something. It was because of his instincts and the change of wind that he knew who was standing behind him.
“How did you know I would be here?” Bane question with a raised eyebrow. His eyes a menacing yellow color.
“Because I knew you would be you. You were like this as a young cub. I didn’t expect that you would change. You were never where you said you would be. I should have known that sooner.”
“I wondered how long it would take you to figure that out,” Bane said.
“I didn’t figure it out. It was just fate.”
“There is no such thing as fate,” Bane said his mouth tight.
“You believe in nothing,” Wilder said.
“I believe that you will die tonight. Not before I tell you what has become of your son.” Wilder’s heart fluttered and he was overcome with hurt. But he would not reveal that to Bane.
“My son is no longer a pup. He can take care of himself.”
“I took him out to the farthest part of Alaska in a cage, starved him, and then let him out in the wild. About now, he’s food for wolves, or a trophy for some hunter. You will never see him again,” Bane said with a smirk.
Wilder’s eyes glowed deep blue. He closed his eyes and twist his neck side to side. When he thought of his son the pain overwhelmed his body and made him weak. He had to shake it off and think like a werewolf not a man, or he wouldn’t be able to function.
“When I have finished with you, I will kill those brothers of yours one at a time. And then I will take Adrienne and their offspring with me, make some of them slaves, and I will have your pack and your woman. I will fuck her and she will have my pups and you will be forgotten.” Bane watched at Wilder’s face. He hadn’t affected him yet.
“Do you think I forgot Hunter’s brother, he’s dead too. I will kill everything you’ve wanted, and now it’s your time.” The joy of killing was etched on Bane’s face. His chilling dark eyes danced with delight.
Wilder standing patient said nothing. He peered restless at Bane. Only his eyes shifting. He raised his head and let out a wolf howl. The dogs took up his cry. It shocked and distracted Bane. In a few seconds, Wilder sprang on Bane sinking his teeth into him, tearing away a large piece of his flesh and with the meat of Bane’s shoulder in his mouth, Wilder spit it on the ground in front of him.
Bane staggered away from Wilder with blood oozing everywhere. The attack was unexpected. Then they both shifted at the same time. Bane had made a mistake to approach Wilder while he was in his human form. It was Bane’s blatant arrogance that made him vulnerable. Standing facing each other with their large fur ruffled on their backs, they snarled and gnashed their teeth. Walking in a circle around each other to look for an advantage, Bane discovered that now he was vulnerable.
Rushing Bane, Wilder took aim at Bane’s shoulder and when Bane tried to protect it, Wilder went low and with his sharp teeth, he clamped it to Bane’s leg, snapping and breaking it. Bane looked surprised. He never thought Wilder was capable. Yet Bane wouldn’t give up. He hobbled on one foot and refused to go down because he knew that it would be all over.
This would be the war to end all wars between Bane and Wilder. There could be only one Alpha and master. It would be decided in one second.
Wilder leapt for Bane’s jugular and Bane couldn’t protect it. Wilder dug his teeth into it and Bane fell and staggered in a corner.
This hadn’t been either werewolf’s first fight. They had fought wolves, men, bears. Wilder was cunning and possessed the pride of a hunter and had learned the patience of the wolf. Bane was brash and a bully like a man which he refused to admit to. Each had their own weakness and each had their own strength.
Bane had forced Wilder in a corner and gave him no way out when he chose to brag about killing his sons and fucking Adrienne. Wilder sprang again on Bane tearing a deeper piece of shoulder where his bone showed. Wilder would take him apart piece by piece as Bane watched himself unable to move, or do anything to protect himself. Bane looked down to see blood trickling in large quantities over his fur.
He hadn’t seen Wilder sprang at him. Wilder gave no indication that he would. His face showed no expression where Bane was concerned. With such a surprise move, Bane couldn’t protect his jugular.
“What are you doing out here, Wilder, and who is with you?” Wilder turned to see Adrienne standing behind him. When he did, Bane made one last dying leap on Wilder’s back taking him to the ground. They were entangled together snarling and biting furiously.
Adrienne at first stood stunned at the sight of blood everywhere.
“Leave, Adrienne,” Wilder shouted. Surprised at seeing Adrienne he couldn’t protect himself from Bane’s assault. Bane slashed Wilder’s throat in a violent frenzy of seeing and hearing Adrienne. Adrienne turned screaming and ran into the house.
Wilder twist his body biting at Bane when he thought Adrienne was safe. He sprang to his feet and Bane charged a bleeding Wilder going for his throat, and Wilder fighting off a dying Bane in a violent circle, trying to remain on his feet. Once Wilder stayed steady on his feet, he sprang on Bane aiming for his jugular and broke Bane’s neck with a jerk.
Wilder dug his teeth into it and Bane fell lifeless.
Rushing to Wilder, “Are you all right, my love?” Adrienne held a gun firmly in her hand.
“What were you going to do with that,” Wilder said breathless taking the gun from her hand. He had to pry it out.
“I was going to kill Bane.”
“Do you even know how to use that?”
“I took a few lessons.”
“Where did you get it? We don’t have guns in the house.
“No, but Robert does. Mena told me where to find it. Drayton is under medication and Robert was sleeping from exhaustion. He didn’t hear anything. Mena and I tried to wake him and he wouldn’t budge.” Wilder looked at her, he too was exhausted. He took a hard breath.
“I have to call someone from town to pick up Bane and bring him back to his pack.”
“What are you going to do with him? We can’t leave him here.”
“His pack will bury him. I’ll wake Robert and we’ll bring him into the hospital.”
“Where Lycell is sleeping?”
“He won’t mind.” Wilder wrapped his arms around Adrienne and they walked into the house. “We have to talk.”
“I have to know now. I don’t like to wait. Besides I won’t be able to sleep.” He took her hands and when they were headed up the stairs, the door opened.
“What’s going on here?” They turned and Devin was walking into the house. Wilder ran to Devin and hugged him.
“This is a first, father.” Devin said stepping back and looking intently at Wilder. “What did I miss? I hope it wasn’t something exciting. You’re bleeding everywhere.”
“It’s nothing. Where have you been, Devin?” Wilder said relief washing over him.
“I’ve been to the movies with Katie. She’s leaving soon and I wanted to see as much of her as I can.”
“She’s Hunter’s girl. Where is Hunter anyway?” Adrienne said looking at Wilder.
Chapter 11
Hunter crawled along the half frozen unforgiving ice until the sun wasn’t in sight. He crawled until he saw a river. If he could just get enough fish to eat he could hunt later. Draggi
ng his hind legs over the snow and boulders he finally came to rest leaning over the bank of rushing river water. There he saw a small school of fish. Reaching in with a quick flash of his paws he had managed to ensnare two large king salmons with his sharp razor teeth.
He would stay there all day and fish and eat and drink the fresh water, but it was getting dark and he needed shelter. Not having any clothes, he couldn’t endure the spring chill. He thought it best to remain in his wolf’s form.
Hunter tried standing on all fours. Although weak at first, he managed to stand and then walk. He would run next. But still he needed more time.
Turning he came eye to eye with a dark haired woman and her child. The child stood there amazed at seeing the largest wolf of his life. It became apparent he had never seen a white wolf this far north.
“What is it,” the dark hair dark eyed child of twelve asked of his mother.
“It looks like a wolf. Don’t run. He’s alone and he’s not hungry,” the woman said.
Hunter wasn’t afraid of the woman and child. Had it been a man then that would have been another story. The woman was holding her catch in her hand and she took one off the hook and threw it at Hunter. He sprang into the air catching it in his powerful jaws. Looking around to see if there were more humans, he sat and ate. When he didn’t see any he lay his head on his paws.
“He knows who is master. He’s not a hunter. He’s not wild, he’s not a dog,” the boy said. “What is he?”
“He’s between a wolf and a dog. But much more,” the woman said looking curiously at him and suspecting she knew what he really is.
“Can we take him back to the village?” The young boy asked his mother.
“No. It’s better that we don’t.” She reached for the boy’s hand and backed away from Hunter. But Hunter wanted to go with him, but he didn’t trust them to ask. In his condition he was as much afraid of them as they may have been of him. So he kept quiet but he followed their footsteps to their village.
The boy looked back. “He’s following us.”
“That’s because we fed him. He’s so big we can’t feed him anymore. He would eat all the deer around here, and they are scarce enough this time of year. We could starve keeping him around,” the older woman said. “We can’t risk anyone knowing that he’s following us. We could be banished.”
Hunter heard her. He may have been weak, but feebleness didn’t affect his hearing. He could hear a bat fly twenty miles away.
“What if I fished and gave him my portion?”
“No. We can’t take the chance. Look at him. He’s a meat eater. He couldn’t survive on just fish. He would need much more meat than the few ducks that you find.” The boy looked back watching at Hunter who appeared to be walking faster and stronger than before.
Hunter could feel his strength coming back. All he needed was fresh air, food, and exercise. When the woman and boy reached their village, Hunter glanced around. He saw people milling around, some dogs, and a wolf in a pen. He never wanted to be caged again so he stopped just short of the encampment. The boy looked back and saw Hunter turn around.
But Hunter had to find shelter. He remembered how warm he had felt before all of this. He dug a place in the snow near a tree and lay down inside.
The next morning he woke cold more hungry than before. He struck out to find some food, anything that could sustain him, until he could build up his resistance and strength. He decided that he would stay around the Eskimo village. There he could get something to wear. He first thought about stealing it. But he didn’t want to do that. He couldn’t ask because that would involve a new set of troubles.
Trudging through the trees, he saw a fox. He had caught one before when he was a cub, but it had given him so much trouble, and it was a fierce fighter, that he didn’t want to risk getting hurt for such a small payoff.
Hunter needed a large animal that would sustain him on his trek home. The pain in his stomach was worse than the risk of losing an eye to the fox, so he set out after it. He knew it was no match for him. When the fox who was looking for his morning meal spotted Hunter, he took off running and Hunter trailing behind him.
The fox dashed into an open area. It was clear that the fox was heading for the dense forest ahead of them. But then he heard a hum from an airplane. When he stopped and looked up he saw the fox scamper for the safety of the woods.
Hunter had forgotten that he was a wolf and not in his human form. He raised his head as if he wanted to say something to the low flying plane. He didn’t have the experience of his father. He had heard about men flying in planes hunting wolves. He couldn’t shout and tell them that he wasn’t a wolf because clearly he was that now.
The plane flew low and then he heard the firing of a shot and a voice say, “Run him. I think he’s hit. I don’t want to waste another bullet on that beautiful white pelt. When he drops then I’ll finish him off with a club.” Hunter didn’t feel the bullet just yet. But he knew that something was happening to him so he ran. No more bullets came but the plane stopped and he heard footsteps rushing behind him.
It was instinct and the will to live that kept him running and running even when he knew he should have dropped.
Hunter found himself back at the Eskimo village and at the shelter occupied by the young boy and woman. He lay and whimpered outside of their door. The boy didn’t say a word he crept outside when he heard the sound and saw Hunter lay their bleeding in the snow. Rushing to get him water and to clean the wound from his now pink fur, he cried out to his mother, “The great white wolf needs help.”
The woman rushed out and stood over Hunter. “We can’t do anything for him.”
“But I’ve seen you take bullets out before. Help him.”
“And have him turn on us?” The dark Eskimo said to her son.
“I won’t turn on you,” Hunter said with a cough of breath before he fell into unconsciousness.
Chapter 12
Hunter woke to the smell of fish cooking and the sound of a fire crackling in the fire place of a small wood frame house. He lay covered in a seal skin blanket. Standing over him was the overweight Inuit woman about thirty, and her warm hearted son. It was because of the young boy that he was alive.
“You’re a werewolf,” the woman said none too excited as she looked down on him.
“You know what I am?”
“I’ve heard of your kind, but never saw one until now. The elders spoke of men who can shift into wolves. They said to avoid coming into contact with one. I think they meant because they are dangerous.”
“Some of us are. We try to stay to ourselves.”
“What are you doing this far north? I didn’t think there were werewolves for hundreds of miles. I know they existed in the south but not the north.” She appeared puzzled as she ladled some meat into a bowl and handed him some hot walrus soup.
Hunter raised the bowl to his mouth and drank. He had never tasted Walrus, but it didn’t turn him off from eating it. It went down easy and he wanted more, but he wouldn’t ask. He was lucky to be eating anything. After quickly eating all the meat he handed the bowl back to the woman. Trying to sit up, he realized that he was a man again.
“You can’t stay here long. I don’t want anyone to know that I brought a werewolf into our territory. If the elders found out, that could bring the werewolves from the south and they would come here and raid our village, and maybe kill you, and then we would be in danger. We made a truce with the werewolves of the south not to get involve, and not to harbor an enemy.”
“How do you know that I’m an enemy?”
“There are no white werewolves in these parts. You belong to another pack. They kill others that come into their territories.” The boy sat down beside him on a bear rug after his mother left to go into another room. The boy never took his eyes off Hunter.
“How do you do that?”
“What?”
“Change like that. From a wolf to a human.”
“I just do
. It’s a part of me. It’s when you were a baby and now you are a boy. You change over time but in my case it happens quickly. When I was a cub I started changing and my parents explained to me what was happening to me.”
“You have a mother and father?” The boy asked as if he thought Hunter just sprang up from nowhere.
“Everyone has a mother and father.”
“I don’t have a father. He was taken away by a bear.”
“But you did have a father like me. Now I don’t know if I will ever see him again. I don’t know where I’m and how to get back home.”
“When you are well I can show you,” the boy whispered. He seemed excited that he could help Hunter and looked forward to his company. He welcomed an older male. “I have a snowmobile,” he whispered looking around for his mother. “When you can walk we can take it out to the lake. I’ll let you have it to go home and see your father.”
“Are you sure it will be OK. I’m not sure that I will be able to bring it back.”
“My mother said it was too dangerous when my father gave it to me, and that I was too young. Maybe you can come to visit me when I get older and bring it to me.” The boy paused and smiled. “But I won’t wait for it. I could give it to you as a gift. Inuits don’t believe in excessive things. We like to give things away.” That took a lot off Hunter’s mind. He didn’t want to make the boy a promise he couldn’t keep. And he was more than glad to take the gift.
***
Weeks passed and Hunter had healed except for the scar from the stitches. Before he reached home there would be more scars added to his body.
He had enjoyed his stay with the Inuits, but he was ready to go home. He ate fresh meat every day that he had brought in, and he grew stronger from hunting and stalking deer and from throwing nets to catch salmon in the nearby streams. Hunter would go out on the frozen lakes with the boy hunting for birds and small game which was plentiful in April. They would bring back animals where the boy’s mother would make a feast for them.
Insatiable: Hunter's Moon Book 5 Page 8