Malsum Pass

by Forrest, Kimberly

  The room quieted, but Tara was still grinning with amusement and then she said, “That was hilarious, you guys. It was getting a bit tense in here, so I appreciate it.”

  L.J. shook his head, Addie resumed her seat, and Tarvahl said, “We wouldn’t have gone at it quite so bluntly, but it’s no joke, baby girl.”

  Riley watched as Tara’s gaze went from one face to another and then her head reared back and her eyes went wide before saying, “Wait, you said lycanthropes as in lycans? Do you worship wolves or are you saying you actually believe you’re some kind of werewolves?”

  “Not worship, we are wolves, but not like you see in those movies, Tara, that’s all Hollywood make believe with the wolf bite and the moon, and some sort of mindless hybrid monster.” L.J. said.

  Riley stepped forward to get her attention. “Yesterday when you saw the wolf up on the ledges; that was Vahl.” He said, cocking his head in her father’s direction.

  Her head swung to her father for confirmation, and Vahl nodded. “L.J. had come that morning to tell me about you. I just wanted to get a look at you. I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

  Tara was slowly shaking her head no. She was in denial. Riley sighed. Seeing was believing after all. He considered shifting right then, but thought better of it, his jeans were too snug. His gaze went to Addie and her loose dress.

  “Addie, we need to get her past this. You can shift in that dress.” He had expected some objections, but everyone remained silent as Addie stood up, toed off her mismatched shoes and shifted right in front of Tara. Her tan and black coat was mostly covered by big flowers, and she looked ridiculous but no one was laughing. Tara had pressed herself back on the couch as far as she could and even tucked her knees up to her chest; her eyes were wide and her mouth opened and then closed and opened again. It looked like she wanted to say something, but no words came out, just a squeak.

  L.J. kept one hand on Tara’s knee and placed the other on Addie’s back and then said, “It’s still Addie, honey; she just looks different in this form. She’d never hurt you. You can pet her if you want.”

  Addie sat on her haunches, let out a whine, her tail thumping the floor made the dress move up and down rather comically, but there was nothing amusing about Tara’s fear. Tara tentatively reached out a hand and gave Addie a stroke behind the ears. She was brave, and Riley was so proud of her at that moment.

  “S-so, my mother,” she stopped to lick her lip nervously, “she could do this, too?” Tara asked.

  L.J. shook his head. “Your mother was only half lycanthrope and I’m afraid she never transitioned. Probably a good thing in retrospect since so many died.”

  At Tara’s horrified look L.J. sighed. “I think I better start at the beginning.” He looked around the room but especially at Riley and then raised a brow and said pointedly “If no one has any objections.”

  Riley waved him to continue.

  “Before you or your mother was even born, the number of females in our pack was declining rapidly. We lost some from hunters, some from childbirth and illness, but mostly we just seemed to be producing more and more male offspring. The council decided to do that exchange program that Donald, Doctor Bascomb was telling you about. One summer we’d send some of our males up to Maine to join in the runs and the next summer they would send some of their females who volunteered with some of their males to run here. The hope was for our males to find mates from a different pack and hopefully produce female children from those new blood lines.”

  “Runs?” Tara asked and then she looked at Vahl. “Zack mentioned wanting me to do a run. What is it?”

  Vahl cleared his throat. “Several times a year we shift as a pack to run through the woods and hunt. It’s a time of bonding.”

  L.J. waited a moment to see if Tara had any other questions and then continued. “When that wasn’t producing any noticeable results, it was decided that for the sake of our continued survival, the council would allow the pack to take non-shifter mates.

  “It had always been forbidden because it was imperative that we keep our secret from outsiders, but some were lucky enough to find some trustworthy women who loved us and kept our secrets.” He patted Tara’s knee and then gave Addie another stroke on her back. “Your grandmother Helen was one, and we had your mother. In fact your mother was one of several females that were born in that time. We thought our problem was solved.”

  L.J. got up and stretched his back and then sat down on the edge of the coffee table. “It wasn’t until those children went into transition when they hit puberty that we realized we had made a horrible mistake. Almost all of the children died. Their non-shifter side just wasn’t strong enough to survive the stress on their bodies.” L.J. shook his head seeming lost in thought. “Such a dreadful time,” he added in a whisper and then seemed to pull himself together.

  Tara looked horrified and Riley wanted to go to her and pull her into his arms to reassure her, but he let L.J. continue his story.

  “That’s when Donald, who had gone to medical school to be a doctor, started working on that medication you take. The half-blood children may never shift, but at least they would survive.”

  Vahl growled. “She never should have been given that medication. Marisol knew full well Tara wasn’t a half-blood. She’s the daughter of an alpha for Christ’s sake.”

  Doctor Bascomb spoke up, “In Marisol’s defense, when she called me I jumped right on a plane to fly down there and see her; but even with arriving so fast Tara’s eyes and teeth had already shifted. Marisol had to make a decision on the spot; another twenty-four hours and it would have been too late.”

  “I would have died?” Tara gasped her eyes wide.

  “No, no, Tara, you were transitioning perfectly. There was never any doubt that you’d survive.” The doctor said.

  Riley snarled, and he heard Vahl do the same. “Then why was she given the drug?”

  Doctor Bascomb sighed. “Tara wasn’t on pack lands. She wasn’t even close to one. She would have had zero protection. Marisol made the choice that she would be better off on the treatment.”

  Vahl stood abruptly. “She could have brought her to me! It was my right to protect her!”

  L.J. stood up and growled as well so Addie shifted back to human form. “That’s enough growling from all of you.” She said. “It’s done! Whatever you believe Marisol should or should not have done won’t change what she did. We deal with it and move on. This is about Tara.” And then she sat back down next to Tara and Riley heard her ask “How are you holding up, honey?”

  Tara just shook her head and then leaned forward to pour herself an ice tea from the pitcher. Her hands were noticeably trembling so Riley walked forward to help her. He handed her the glass and let her take a sip before saying. “I’m the one who took your pills sweetheart.”

  At her look of surprise he continued. “I’m sorry I lied to you and scared you. I just knew that you shouldn’t be on those things. You’re a strong female and a shifter and it made me so angry to know that your mother denied you so much of your nature. Do you understand?”

  Tara leaned her head back against the couch and put a hand over her eyes for a moment before turning her attention to the doctor. “So if I no longer take my pills, I’ll be able to turn into a wolf, is that what I’m to understand?”

  Doctor Bascomb nodded. “You’re displaying alpha traits, so if I had to guess, you’ll transition quickly at the onset of your next ovulation.”

  Tara looked thoughtful and then nodded, turning her attention to Riley. “I hope you know that as soon as I shift, I’m going to bite you right in the ass, Riley Cooper.”

  Riley threw back his head and laughed. “I look forward to it, sweetheart.”

  Tara looked out at the view from atop the ledges. She’d told her visitors she needed a bit of time to think and had escaped through the back door. Not that they couldn’t see her if they looked out, but she had started to feel a bit penned in and needed air. Her mind felt l
ike a tennis match and she was the ball; back and forth, back and forth, whacked on both sides. On the one hand there was this phenomenal… well, power she guessed was the best way to put it: she could turn into a wolf! How freaking cool was that?

  But on the other hand, she remembered quite clearly the pain when she’d thought she was sick and her mom had called Doctor Bascomb. If that’s what the transition felt like, then she couldn’t deny she was afraid. Every bone and muscle in her body had ached and burned; her skin had prickled like tiny needles had been all over her body. Her eyes had hurt, her gums had bled, her ears were constantly ringing and she had felt so hot like she was burning up with fever. Add to that a racing heart like she had just run a mile, stomach cramps, and a migraine from hell and you had an experience that Tara never wanted to repeat.

  She was almost tempted to go down there and tell Doctor Bascomb that she just couldn’t do it, so he’d put her back on the medication, but that smacked of cowardice and she didn’t want her new family to think of her like that. She didn’t want to think of herself like that.

  She heard the pinging of small rocks and knew someone had come to check on her, assuming it was the rude arrogant ass, she called out “You don’t have to worry, I have no intention of throwing myself off the ledge. And, yes, I checked for snakes before climbing.”

  “Glad to hear it,” she heard, but the voice belonged to her father instead of Riley. “How are you doing, baby girl?”

  Tara shrugged. “It’s a lot to take in.” Then she laughed, thinking back on her morning. “I met your wife in town earlier, and I thought she was a bit crazy with her use of dog metaphors – now I get it.”

  “You met Sherry? Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked coming to stand at her side to share the view.

  Tara laughed again, “Well, the conversation did kind of get away from me in there.”

  Vahl crooked a finger under her chin to get her to look at him. “Did she hurt you?” He growled.

  Tara chuckled at the sound. “She growled too, but otherwise she just wanted me to know what she thought of my mother and that she would tolerate me because she loves you.”

  Her father nodded. “I knew your mother long before I ever knew Sherry. Marisol and I grew up together in this town whereas Sherry grew up in a different pack. She was their council leader’s daughter and our fathers introduced us. Your mother had left town a good two years before I even met Sherry.”

  Tara thought for a moment. “Sherry mentioned preservation laws. What are those?”

  Vahl returned his gaze to the scenery. “A long time ago our people lived purely by pack laws. They weren’t always kind. Only one alpha and his mate would lead, any other challengers could either fight to the death or get the hell out. Otherwise, the pack needed to fall in line. When our numbers started to decline, the council implemented preservation laws, which forbids taking the life of another for any reason. The council now settles all disputes that would have ended in a fight to the death in the past and there are a few alphas now, all strong leaders. We’re strongest in numbers rather than split apart into smaller packs.”

  “I get that the council is like your governing body and all, but who gets a seat? Is it like a hereditary duty or something? Will Conner automatically fill your seat when you decide to retire?”

  “It used to be called the Council of Elders and it was exactly that. The oldest and therefore thought the wisest held a seat. When an elder died, the next oldest in the pack would take that seat. These days it’s a bit more democratic, when a seat opens the town votes on who they feel would best represent their needs. Coop was the last one that has gotten a seat; he’s the youngest member ever at thirty-two. He was voted in just this year, when one of our elders – my father in fact – passed away.”

  Tara grabbed his hand and held it. “I’m sorry, I hadn’t realized.”

  Vahl nodded and gave her hand a squeeze. “My father was a hard man, very set in his ways and liked his traditions and ceremony. He was extremely rigid with the rules and would rarely bend. He was well respected for his strength, but not very well liked. If I had to guess, you wouldn’t have liked him one bit. Your mother hated him.”

  Tara recalled her mother’s diary and her hatred for the elder Pierce and nodded but chose to change the subject. “Are there any women on the council?”

  Vahl laughed. “Yes, Sherry is a lawyer and she sits on the council to stay abreast of any issues that may need her expertise and one other woman, Margaret Tully, who I don’t think you’ve met as yet. She runs the bed and breakfast in town so is able to keep an eye on any outsiders staying in the area.”

  “Sherry’s a lawyer? That explains that power suit she was wearing.”

  “It’s recommended that our people stay on pack land, but that doesn’t always happen. Like with Zack who leaves to go to school or if someone decides to travel a bit. If something happens and they need legal representation, Sherry handles it.”

  Tara nodded again. It made sense.

  They shared a comfortable silence for a few more minutes and then Tara took a deep, cleansing breath and turned, “I think I’d like to talk to everyone about a few things, especially Doctor Bascomb.”

  Vahl gave a sharp nod and turned to follow her. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. “You know, I’ve always thought I was a raging bitch when I had PMS; kind of nice to know that I come by it naturally.” She winked and they both laughed.

  Chapter Eleven

  Vahl stopped her with a hand on her arm as they reached the back deck. “Did your mother ever tell you about my name? About the name she gave you?”

  Tara looked at him sadly and shook her head. “I’m afraid any mention of Mom’s past was pretty much taboo in the house.”

  Vahl nodded a frown marring his face. “Well, the name Tarvahl was the family name of some ancestors of my mother. The story that she told me is that they were great warriors that bragged to every one of their virility and ability to produce strong men.” Her father smiled and winked at her. “But they made an enemy of an old gypsy woman who cursed them that they would forever more have only females and the name Tarvahl would die out with a whimper - and so it did. Every child born of a Tarvahl male from that point on was a girl.

  “I was born during the time that the female numbers were in decline, so my mom in her infinite wisdom and superstitious nature gave me the name Tarvahl in hopes that the curse would follow and I’d save the pack with my future brood of girls.”

  He smiled, cupped Tara’s cheeks in his large hands and put his forehead to Tara’s. “She would have loved you so much, Tara, just like I do. We’re not looking for you to save the town, that’s going to require more than one woman and lots of luck. Whatever you decide, it won’t change the way any of us feel about you. We love you. We’re just glad to have you with us now.”

  He hugged her and Tara nodded against his shoulder. She had to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat, blinking rapidly to clear the tears that had formed in her eyes.

  “Let’s go inside.” She said.

  Tara and Vahl came in through the back door and everyone was in the kitchen. She heard Doctor Bascomb saying “What we are able to take away from this is that mating with a non-shifter may well produce half-bloods that can’t shift, but if those half-bloods mate with the pure bloods, they’ll have children that shift. It doesn’t guarantee female offspring, but it’s a viable option. One weak generation will produce future strong generations. Instead of half-bloods being outcasts they need to be embraced by our packs.”

  Then they spotted Tara and all conversation came to an abrupt stop. She knew what they were waiting for by the expectant looks on their faces; knew what they wanted her to say. She ran a hand through her hair. The wind up on the ledges had whipped it into a mass of snarls and she was tempted to run upstairs and brush it, but she just grabbed a handful at the back of her neck, gave it a twist and then pulled it over her shoulder.

  She cleared her throat,
“Doctor Bascomb, if what you say is true, I’ll transition in roughly a week and a half.” She sat down at the kitchen table. “Don’t you think that’s too soon? I mean I’ve been taking the treatment daily for fifteen years. Wouldn’t it take more time to get it out of my system?” She motioned for the doctor to take the seat across from her so she didn’t have to keep looking up at him.

  “Normally, I would agree, Tara,” he said, pulling out the chair “And would caution that it could take anywhere up to a year to fully get the medication out of your system. But after seeing your eyes respond to like stimuli, I can tell you that your instincts are too close to the surface to be denied. Without the medication tethering them, they will dominate.”

  She was tempted to ask everyone except the doctor to leave the room, even opened her mouth in preparation, but disregarded the notion. With the exception of the rude arrogant ass, everyone was family, and if she just asked Riley to leave, she’d be the rude one. She sighed and just plunged ahead. “I remember a lot of pain, Doctor Bascomb. I don’t know if I can go through that again.” She felt Addie come up behind her and rub her arms.

  The doctor cleared his throat and then looked around the room. “Not to disparage Marisol or start another argument about the decisions your mother made, but had you been on pack lands and had your transition been expected there are things that could have been done to make it easier.”

  Tara heard another growl, from whom, she wasn’t sure, but she ignored it. Like the doctor, she did not want to hear any more about the choices her mother had made.

  The doctor continued. “Theoretically speaking, as we’ve never come across a case like yours before, your body had its initial phase years ago. The triggers are already there, they’ve simply been suppressed so they’d have laid dormant in your system. Think of it as a hill – you’ve already done the uphill climb, Tara; you just need to head down the other side.”