by Casey Lane
I nodded and swallowed hard. “Sorry, Daddy.”
He hugged me close. “You didn’t know. Off to bed.” Then he turned away as he shut everything down. I had already wandered into my room when he found me. “Oh, look. You’re so grown up, you don’t even need me to tuck you in.” He chuckled.
“I’ll always need hugs, Daddy.” I held out my arms, eager for the comfort he provided. Then I rolled over and fell asleep.
A few short hours later, I woke to wailing. I threw back the covers and rushed from my room. The twins met me in the hall.
“What’s going on?” Shelby wrapped her arms around my waist.
“I don’t know. Go back to bed.” I peeled her off and pushed her back into the room.
“How are we supposed to sleep through that?” Lenoir glared at me.
“I’ll close the door. If that doesn’t work, put a pillow over your ears.” I glared at her as I closed the door.
Slowly, I made my way to Mom and Dad’s room. My heart thudded in my chest. This wasn’t good. This was pain. This was anguish. This…was practically a howl.
When I reached the door, I peered inside. The doctor stood there frowning while he worked on using butterfly sutures to close my mother’s stomach. “She should start healing soon. Staples would only hinder the process,” he grumbled by way of explanation.
I felt better knowing she was alive. Still, my father had stepped out onto the balcony. His wails were what woke me. Thinking I could comfort him, I tiptoed out and stopped by his side. In his arms was a baby, blue, not moving. I inhaled sharply and that was the first time he noticed me.
“He was stillborn.” Tears dripped from my father’s eyes. “The cord wrapped around his neck. He died before Dr. James could remove him from the womb.” He looked away as he choked back sobs.
I wrapped my arms around him. “It’ll be okay, Daddy. You can try again.”
Shaking his head, he murmured, “Your mother almost died. There will be no more children.”
My eyes widened. “But…you need a son. The pack will need an Alpha one day.”
“Without a son, we’re more vulnerable. I know this. You know this. And now the rival pack knows.” He jerked his head meaningfully toward the doctor.
“The Hippocratic Oath,” I reminded him. “Doctor-patient confidentiality.” I struggled to offer him comfort.
“Nothing comes before the pack. If his Alpha ever presses him, he’ll have to reveal the truth.” He shook his head. His tears had finally dried. He swiped at his nose with his sleeve. “Stay with your mother. I need to run. I’ll be back.” He passed me the baby.
In the time it took me to settle the bundle in my arms, my father had already shifted, leaving a pile of clothes behind as he trotted down the stairs to the yard. I watched as he raced out to the tree line. Soon he disappeared from sight, but I could hear him. The predawn silence was shattered by the sound of his howls.
Chapter One
Ten Years Later
My heart raced as I sped down the road to the Phoenix Pack homestead. This place had been the culmination of my parents’ dreams, a place off the grid where they could raise their family and live quietly with their pack.
I’d finished my last final for the spring semester of my senior year at Appalachian State. We were days away from graduation and for a few minutes, my biggest fear had been my grade on the anthropology exam. I really wanted to make the Dean’s List again and make my pack proud. My phone had chimed, and I soon discovered a text from my mother begging me to stay away and stay safe. Naturally, I had to rush home, even though it was a solid two-hour drive. As daughter of the alpha, I had a responsibility to my parents and my pack.
As I pulled up the long, winding driveway, I smelled smoke. My eyes burned and I covered my mouth as I choked on air. There were fire trucks blocking my path, so I pulled onto the grass and hopped out of the car. One of the firefighters saw me racing toward the main house, which was now fully engulfed in flames. He caught me as I tried to run past him.
“Hold up, miss.” He gripped me firmly around the middle, and I wriggled and twisted in his arms until I faced him.
“That’s my family home!” I pushed against his chest, determined to break away, but he seemed equally determined to hold on to me. “Let me go!”
“I can’t do that. We have to keep everyone back while we get the fire under control.” He looked down at me, his jaw set, completely unmoved.
Shaking, I stared past him, watching as timbers creaked and a section of the roof fell in. “How did this happen? I don’t understand.” I moved back and forth frantically as I hoped to catch sight of my family.
“We have an investigator who will figure this out as soon as the blaze has been extinguished.” Then he turned me around and pointed behind me. “Is this who you’re looking for?”
I followed his finger and discovered my younger sisters were coming up the driveway. The bus must have dropped them off. The twins were seniors in high school this year. Their eyes were wide as they stared at our home, fully engulfed in flames. As soon as they recognized me, they rushed to hug me. They were bigger, but their affections hadn’t waned through the years.
“You have finals. Why are you here?” Shelby gave me an extra squeeze, which seemed to be as much for as me, since I could feel her shaking.
“Mom messaged me to stay away.” I frowned as I struggled to make sense of everything.
Lenoir sighed as she wrapped her arms around her body. “That explains everything. You always did love to do the opposite of what you were told.” Then her brow furrowed and she whimpered, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” I nodded as I watched other kids climb the long, winding hill to the homestead. Roughly fifteen families lived there. There should be so many parents running about collecting together. Instead, I saw none of the adults. Inside me, something died. I think it was hope.
We stood there for what seemed like hours. My stomach growled, but the thought of eating made me feel sick. Still, I had to remember it wasn’t only about me anymore. Those four years of ultimate freedom during college were over. Now, I had sisters to think of and a pack… Well, we might have still had a pack. I swallowed hard as I worried what would happen to us if we were suddenly completely alone in the world.
“I’m hungry,” Shelby whispered as she glanced back and forth between me and Lenoir while looking guilty. “I skipped lunch to retake my chemistry exam.”
“Please. You’d be hungry if you’d had lunch. Face it, you love food.” Lenoir glared at her.
Shelby’s chin jutted out and she placed her hands on her hips. “You’re just mad I have the good metabolism and can eat anything I want.”
“Live it up while you can, sister. Remember what Mom always told us?” Her brows rose and she leaned in. “She used to be able to eat whatever she wanted…until she had children.”
“Yeah, well most men like a woman with some curves.” Shelby stuck her hip out. “Mine can handle a little meat just fine.”
Lenoir opened her mouth to retaliate, but I couldn’t listen anymore. “Stop,” I moaned. “Go to my car. I have a whole bag of snacks I bought at the grocery store and forgot to bring up to my room in the dorm. Grab the other pups and share!”
They glanced at me, squealed, and raced back to my vehicle, while gesturing for the others kids to follow them. I shook my head at their antics even as I wondered how they could be so calm at a time like this, when our home had burned down and our parents were missing. I scanned the area. Apparently, the fire was finally under control. The firemen seemed more relaxed. So, I slowly made my way toward the house, careful to stay in the tree line and out of sight.
I’d made it almost halfway there when I saw numerous sets of eyes on me. For several seconds, I stood there staring apprehensively. I sniffed the air. There was no wildlife nearby. These had to be shifters. The question, of course, was whether or not they were friend or foe. I started to move closer when I heard shout
s coming from the firemen.
“Found a body! No, make that two bodies!”
Without hesitation, I raced to the main house where I’d grown up. Once a proud two-story plantation style home, the place was now a pile of rubble. I stopped short of the porch and realized they were calling from the back of the house. I walked past charred bushes and shriveled leaves until I reached the veranda. The firemen were lifting debris and moving it, but already I could see two sets of blackened feet.
While they worked, I stood off to the side, silently waiting to find out if these were my parents. I could feel eyes on me. In an effort to hide my intentions, I gradually turned away from the house, covering my face with my hands. Sure enough, as I studied the forest, I saw a lone set of eyes staring back at me. I bit my lip and moved closer to the house. Before long, the firemen had completely uncovered the bodies.
“Coroner is on the way,” one commented quietly.
The one who had been holding me back earlier seemed to suddenly realize I was there. “You need to go back to your car, miss.”
“They could be my parents. Aren’t you going to need me to identify them anyway.” I clasped my hands in front of my chest as I pleaded my case. “Please don’t make me wonder. I’ll stay here all night worrying over who died in the kitchen.”
His shoulders slumped and I could feel I’d won him over, but then two detectives rounded the corner and walked up to me. “Who are you?” One asked as he pulled out a notepad and pen.
“I’m Savannah. Savannah Silver.” I reached for my backpack but quickly realized I’d left it in the car. “My driver’s license is in my car.” I frowned as they studied me.
“And what are you doing here, Miss Silver?” The second detective tilted his head as he stared.
“My mother sent me a text. Told me to stay away. Said it wasn’t safe to come home.” I shrugged.
“So, you rushed right here, I see.” His face was grim.
“You know what? I never got your name.” I wrapped my arms around my body. “And if you can’t understand why I’d rush home from college to check on my family, then screw you.” I turned and strode toward the firemen. The one who spoke to me stood there with his mouth gaping. Must not have been a lot of people who spoke their mind anymore. I was too tired for pleasantries, especially when they weren’t being pleasant. I took a deep breath and finally looked at the bodies.
The man seemed to have a chest wound. Even in a shifter, with the right bullet, this was deadly. I recognized the watch on his arm. This was definitely my father. Then I studied my mother. She was holding him. Immediately, I knew what had happened. He was killed and she chose to die with him, just like she’d sworn years before. I felt like someone had kicked me in the gut. I couldn’t breathe. No matter how much air I gulped in, I couldn’t fill my lungs. Soon, my eyes overflowed, and warm, salty tears dripped down my face. I swallowed hard to hold back the sobs.
“Do you know them?” The man who seemed to be the lead detective stared at me, waiting for an answer.
I nodded, fervently. “My parents. These are my parents.”
Chapter Two
My knees threatened to buckle. Then I felt two strong arms wrap around me. When I looked up, I realized the fireman had come to my rescue. “Thank you.” My voice sounded strained even to me.
“It could be hours before the fire is completely out and the chief investigator declares it safe enough for you to pick through.” His brow furrowed. “I’m guessing you’ll want to try to salvage whatever you can.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes. I grew up here. This is the only home I’ve ever known.” I felt like I was being watched. When I scanned the woods, I saw eyes staring back at me from the dark. There was a good chance whoever killed my parents was out there watching and waiting. Inside, I could feel my wolf snarling, and I knew I had to get out of there before I revealed my abilities. I blew out a breath. “Okay. I’ll take my sisters and get some food, but then I’m coming back.”
He studied me for a moment before responding. “I’m going to stay here and watch over the place until you return.” He stared out into the woods, much like I had moments before.
My eyes narrowed and I tried to sniff deeply without being too obvious. Now that the smoke had cleared some, my olfactory senses could process scents other than the overpowering odor of our burning home. A second later, I detected what I was seeking out. The fireman was a wolf shifter too. Then he interrupted my thoughts.
“There are some terrible people in this world, people who would take advantage of the fire and rifle through this mess to steal from you.” He slowly released me and took a step back. “I won’t let that happen. I promise.” There was something in the way he said it, in the way he glared into the woods while he spoke. I actually believed him.
“I appreciate this. I won’t be long.” I turned and raced back to the car. When I arrived, I found Tanner herding all the kids together and my sisters staring at him with such admiration, I wanted to puke. “What are you doing?” I snapped. “And when did you arrive?”
He raised both hands and took a step back. “I’ve been here about fifteen minutes. Came straight from work. Just trying to help.”
I could feel the hairs standing up on the back of my neck and I knew why. The pack was my responsibility. My father had been the Alpha. I didn’t want even another pack member trying to take over my role. “A car would help. Or a van. Don’t suppose you have one of those?”
“Actually, I have an Expedition.” Tanner proudly jerked his thumb toward the vehicle parked behind mine. “I can seat eight, maybe nine if they’re tiny.” He grinned.
I did a quick head count. One thing was obvious: there were no adults in the group. “Where are all the parents?” I frowned as I looked around our homestead. Most of the outbuildings were intact, as well as the other cottages. The fire had been completely concentrated around my family’s home.
“I heard some noise coming from the forest. I’m guessing they all shifted and ran. The kids were at school, so they focused on saving themselves.” He shrugged.
This went against everything I’d been raised to believe. Why did no one rush to protect the Alpha? Who killed my parents?
“We have too many kids to all fit in the two vehicles.” I sighed as I searched out my parents’ minivan. I saw it sitting in front of the detached garage, unscathed. All these years of downplaying their wealth to keep us safe. Still, they were probably killed for it anyway. I yanked open my vehicle door and pulled my keys from the ignition. Before I started college, my parents had entrusted me with all kinds of information and paperwork, but most importantly, with all the keys. I slowly removed the one for the minivan. “Which one of you wants to drive?” I glanced back and forth between Lenoir and Shelby.
“I’ll drive!” Shelby grinned and grabbed for the key.
“I’ll ride with Tanner.” Lenoir blushed and looked away.
I rolled my eyes. “Awesome. Let’s go to the Asheville Phoenix House. It’s half an hour away. I’ll order us pizzas to be delivered.”
“Sounds great, but I know nothing of the place.” Tanner chuckled as he smiled down at my little sister.
“Right. Why would you?” I shook my head. “Follow me.” Then everyone climbed into the vehicles and drove off.
The littlest pups had chosen to ride with me. I could sense how close to tears most of them were at the moment. “Let me order pizza and then we’ll talk, okay?” One by one, they all nodded. So, I made my call and stuck to the basics, a couple of larges with extra cheese, a couple of larges with pepperoni, and four two-liters of soda. Then I blew out a breath and prepared to address the pups. “I’m sure you have questions,” I began.
“Where’s my mommy?” The little girl in the back seat whimpered.
“Well, I don’t know. When I arrived, everyone was gone. They’re probably hiding. This is why I’m going to go back with Tanner after dinner. We can pick up your parents and everyone can be together.�
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“Because the pack always stays together?” The boy beside me wore a hopeful expression on his face.
“Always. Nothing can keep the Phoenix Pack down. This is just a stumbling block. We’re all gonna be just fine.” I nodded in my most reassuring manner, but I felt like a fraud.
We rode in silence for the next twenty minutes. When we finally pulled into the driveway, the kids pressed their faces to the windows, except for the little girl in the middle. She complained. “I wanna see! Move your fat head.”
“Patience. We’ll be there in a minute.” I sighed.
“How long is this driveway? It looks longer than the one to the homestead.” The boy beside me was practically bouncing out of his seat.
“Maybe.” I stopped in front of the gate and punched in the code on the keypad beside the entrance. Slowly, the metal creaked open, and we eased through the opening with the rest of the caravan sneaking in behind us. Finally, I pulled around the circular drive and came to a stop in front of the steps to the main house. I’d only been there a few times and each time I had, I was struck by the grandeur of the place. Asheville Phoenix House looked like an antebellum plantation, complete with sweeping staircases, countless Corinthian columns, and three spacious stories. I smiled as the kids gasped when they exited from my vehicle.
“We’re staying here?” The little girl’s eyes were wide with surprise.
I nodded. “Yes, for tonight and maybe for as long as it takes.” I bit my lip. The thought of rebuilding was daunting. “Pizza should be here soon. Let me unlock the door and then you can explore.”