Shadows of the Ancients

by Christine M. Butler

  “Marcus Dupris, I challenge you for the title of Alpha, and the leadership of this pack. What say you?”

  “You can have it.” It was nothing more than a whisper, but he knew we all heard it. There were gasps among those present. Zach looked like he wanted to punch my dad in the throat, but he wouldn’t dare attempt it.

  My mother jumped up and stood in front of the stage, “Unless any others bring challenge, let the pack recognize its new master, Jameson St. Marks.” Everyone went down on one knee before my father, paying him the respect he was due as their new leader. There would be no other challengers.

  “I have offered mercy, in not making Marcus fight this battle, but he has dishonored himself, his family, and this pack with his cowardly display. Marcus Dupris, I shun thee.” My father turned his back to Marcus.

  “We shun thee.” The pack replied in unison. Every one of them turned their backs on him. Marcus shifted into his wolf form and took off at a dead run into the forest beyond the meeting area. He would not be welcomed back. This was the first shunning I had ever seen or taken part in. It was a very rare occurrence.

  My father turned to face the crowd again, calling them back to attention once more. “One more point of business now that I am pack leader. Zachariah Brighton, come forth.”

  Zach looked shocked, but he moved forward to the stage and stood tall by my father. I gave him a point for that, at least he hadn’t run off behind his shamed uncle.

  “Zachariah Brighton, you are hereby charged with trying to bend a potential mate to your will. Our pack law states our females are free to choose without influence of power. This morning, before witnesses, you attempted to make Jessica Marie St. Marks submit to your will, to be your mate, by use of power.” He looked out over the shocked faces in the crowd. “Do you admit to the charges brought against you?”

  Zach said nothing he simply nodded and hung his head.

  “You will speak when spoken to. Do you admit to the charges brought against you before this pack?”

  “I am in agreement.” Zach finally answered.

  “Since you met this inquiry with honesty, you shall not be shunned with your Uncle. If you choose to stay you will follow these rules. You may not request or seek out another mate for a full year from this date. You may not leave pack territory without escort for the next year, from this date. And you will do your best to steer clear of Jessica St. Marks when she is in residence with the pack.” My father looked out at the rest of the people gathered, to make sure everyone heard and understood the conditions. “Are these terms agreeable to you?”

  “We are in agreement.” The pack said as one.

  “Zachariah Brighton, are these terms agreeable to you?”

  “I am in agreement.” He offered, before bending to one knee in front of my father, and then the pack.

  “You are dismissed, Zach.” My father said, some of the edge in his voice now relaxing. “As I’ve already alluded to, we have guests amongst the pack. Prince Evan is here with his second, Asriel. You will treat them with respect, and while they are within our territory, they have agreed to adhere to our pack rules.”

  “There will be a bonding ceremony for my daughter, Jess, and her chosen mate during the full moon. Anyone not happy with the pairings already made by Marcus, and requesting changes, should come see me on Tuesday. If you are happy with your pairings, then you still need to see me to discuss when your bonding ceremony will take place.” My father, once again, gazed over the gathered wolves from our pack. “If there is nothing further, you may all be dismissed.”

  “Well, that went better than I thought it would.” I said as we stood waiting for my parents to finish up their conversations with some of the older pack members.

  “It would not have gone badly, no matter what. We would have seen to it if we needed to.” I believed he would have, though I had no idea what I’d done to earn the loyalty Evan was already showing me. I watched as my mother moved up beside my father, snuggling into his side, as he pulled her closer. If I was honest with myself, they were the reason I hadn’t wanted to accept Zach. It had nothing to do with power, looks, status, or even his douchebaggery. I couldn’t see myself as an equal with Zach. My parents had always shared everything on a level that I couldn’t even fully comprehend. I had always hoped that when I found a mate, it would at least come close to comparing to what my parents have. “I like the way they are together.” Evan spoke softly, as he pulled me closer to him. “There’s an equality there that makes them stronger. It is an enviable trait in a bonded pair.”

  “Sometimes, it’s like you’re reading my mind.” My eyes narrowed as I looked up at him. “You don’t have a certain special talent do you?”

  “I have many special talents, little wolf. I’d be glad to show them all to you, in depth.” The teasing smile that spread across his face only added to his attractiveness, as it brought out the dimple in his left cheek. “But alas, I don’t have the ability to read your mind.” Asi stepped forward, still snickering over the first comment.

  “Evan, will we be staying in the pack territory tonight, or heading back to the club?” I saw the indecision playing over Evan’s face. He needed to be at the club, since it was a newly acquired business, but he did not want to leave me behind just yet.

  “I can always stay with Ashley again. Then we’d be closer.”

  “Ah, little wolf, so now you’re reading minds?”

  POSSIBILITIES

  “Ashley, are you sure it’s not a problem for me to stay here tonight?”

  “Seriously? I can’t believe you’re even second guessing that. Mi casa es your casa.”

  “Um, I’m pretty sure that’s not how it’s said.”

  “Well, I’m never going to be a linguist, so sue me!” She opened her closet up and started tossing things out. “Now, the real question is, what are you wearing tonight?”

  “Hmm, well, Evan didn’t seem to mind me in old sweatpants and bed head, so I’m thinking it really doesn’t matter.” I joked, stopping Ashley dead in her tracks, as she was about to toss another outfit out on the bed. Her normally pouty full lips were hanging agape.

  “You cannot be serious!”

  “What?” I questioned innocently.

  “Get over here, and find yourself something to wear.”

  “I brought some of my own jeans, since you’re short. I just need a top that’s going to look classy, yet flatter my figure.” I sorted through a few, and while they would have fit the bill on Ashley, they would have draped over my thin, barely-there-boob frame like a potato sack.

  “No! Not more boring, Jess clothes!” Ashley whined as I grabbed a t-shirt out of my bag instead. “What about hot, sultry Jess from last night? You know the one that rocked that dress like there was no tomorrow? I liked her style!”

  “Mmmhmm, her style got me in trouble, remember?”

  “Pssh, trouble my ass. You’re going to be mated to a Prince now instead of douchebag Zach. I’d say that dress got you out of trouble!”

  I sat down for a minute, taking it all in again. “I can’t believe that was last night. I mean, what the hell? I feel like my life is not my own all of a sudden.”

  “Good, because aside from me being in it, your life was pretty boring and lame. You needed something to shake things up, and you definitely needed a special someone to do the shaking.” She thought for a minute as she pulled out a beautiful blue silk shirt that had a ribbon closure on the top, leaving a teardrop opening that would dip almost down to the middle of my breasts. “This is the one! He’ll love it. It’s flirty, sexy, and still modest enough for you, Jess.” She shrugged as she added, “besides, my boobs don’t really fit in it.”

  I rolled my eyes at her, but secretly I was jumping for joy. I’d always wanted to try that blouse on for size. “So, what do you think of Evan?”

  “Um, I never got to talk to him yet, remember? I just saw how he tried to become one with you at the bar, but I have to say, I approved of that. Lord knows,
it’s about time someone got you all hot and bothered!”

  I groaned. I know she meant well, but I always felt like a kid next to Ashley, even though I was technically a few months older than her. “I keep forgetting you weren’t there today for pack business.”

  “Not yet.” She said offhandedly. “Maybe one of these days soon though.” I took note of the glazed look that crossed her face. “I wonder if I’d transition as smoothly as Jack?”

  “You never know, Ashley.” I tried to sound positive when I said it, because there was a huge part of me that wanted it to be true. I needed Ashley to be by my side in this life, for my whole, unnaturally extended life.

  “I just worry. What if I try, and I don’t make it? What if I didn’t live enough and it’s all for nothing, and I just cease to exist?”

  “Oh, Ashley, let’s not think about that right now. If and when you are ready, we will try. I think your chances of becoming a wolf are phenomenal after watching Jack go through it.”

  My phone went off indicating that I had an incoming text. “Later isn’t soon enough. I want to see you now!” A stupid grin broke out across my face. Ashley noticed, and smiled at me.

  “I take it that was lover boy?”

  “Ash, I’ve been swept away by how I feel around him.” The grin slowly seeped away, replaced by the worry that creased across my brow.

  “How is that a bad thing?”

  “It’s literally been a day, and when he says this,” I turned the phone to show her my text. “I want to leap up and run down to the club to see him too.”

  “Again, I’m not seeing the downside here.”

  “You know, I’ve always worried about losing myself like some of the women I’ve seen, where all they live for is the wolf they mated. They cook and clean, they have his babies, but they have no identity of their own anymore. I don’t want to be swallowed up whole by someone who’s larger than life.”

  “Jess,” Ashley came over to wrap her arms around me, “you could never be swallowed up by anyone else’s presence, your own is way too big for that.” She pushed the blue blouse into my hand again, “Now, go get dressed. It is okay to be excited, and invigorated by something new. You’ve never really been interested in someone before. It’s okay to get carried away in the feeling of it, Jess. I promise. I will be here to reign you in if I see you start to look like a Stepford Wife or something, okay?”

  “I’m going to hold you to that.” I stood and walked to the bathroom with my outfit in hand.

  Fifteen minutes later I was still standing there awestruck by the way the shirt looked on me. It was like the damn thing had been custom designed to highlight everything I needed it to. There was the added bonus that the shirt was almost the identical cobalt blue color of Evan’s eyes. I had to mentally make myself pull it together when the thought of Evan’s eyes led me to think about being back in his arms, and how it felt when I had been leaning against his solid chest, feeling his arms around me. I imagined the spicy scent of him wrapping around and...

  “JESS!” Ashley yelled for me. “Come on, the anticipation is killing me. Did you forget how to tie the ribbon, or what?”

  I opened the bathroom door and stood there without going any further. Ashley’s jaw literally dropped. “Oh my God!” She said as she moved closer. “Why did I not give you that shirt sooner? Never mind, forget that question. You got it at the perfect time, your man is going to shit himself when he sees you tonight.”

  “Um, let’s hope not literally.”

  Ashley smacked me lightly on the arm, but laughed. “Jesus, this fits you so well. Turn around, let me see. Thank God you didn’t pack your mom jeans.”

  “My what?”

  “You know, your comfy jeans that are baggy and don’t really flatter your shape?” She waved me off when I looked mystified. “Seriously, between the skinny jeans, that shirt, and oh…” she stopped there. Your boots are going to look great with that. Here,” she said putting them in my hands. “Put them on, so I can see the complete package.” I slipped into the boots after I put some socks on my feet too, and Ashley literally clapped at me when I stood back up. “Perfect!”

  I did my own makeup tonight, going a little lighter than what Jess had done for me the previous night. I added in a little blue highlighting around my eyes to match the shirt, but otherwise it was mostly dark liner, mascara, and a lip stain for effect. I kept my hair down straight too. It fell stick straight to the middle of my back in long layers. Once I was done, I only had to wait on Ashley to finish up. She came striding out of the bathroom in a black mini dress with a royal blue cardigan layered overtop, because this was not going to be a warm fall night. The temperatures had already dropped into the 30s over the past few hours.

  She stalked over to me, hopping on one foot as she slipped a black, five inch heel onto her right foot. The minute she was in it, she was almost as tall as I was. After she slipped the second one on, she came over to stand beside me, both of us facing the full length mirror on the back of her door. “Oh, we look amazing!” Her red curls were draped over her shoulders, while the blue in the cardigan made her eyes stand out even more than they already did. “Let’s get going, because it’s a waste for us to be the only two people seeing this magnificence.”

  “I don’t know why you bother waiting to become a werewolf. You already have the ego of one!” I was laughing with her as we walked out the door.

  “Well, that should just make the transition that much easier when I do!”

  “Ah! That’s different. You said, ‘when’ not ‘if’ this time.”

  “I guess the idea is growing on me more and more. Especially now that I have seen there are such fine specimens of werewolves outside of your pack. Tonight, you will introduce me to that hulking man-beast that your Evan was with last night.”

  I smiled, “Asriel. Evan calls him Asi though.”

  “Asi, I can live with that, especially if those tanks he calls arms are perched around me.” Ash attempted a throaty growl to make her point, but it came out all wrong, and she ended up in the midst of a coughing fit as a result.

  Of course, I laughed at her. “Maybe, try not to growl at him though. We don’t want him to think you have some incurable disease!” Ashley smacked me across the shoulder as I continued laughing at her.

  “Damn it, did my mascara run?” She asked, while rubbing her fingers gently under her eyes.

  “No, you’re good, Ash.”

  “At least I got that out before we got there. That could have been really embarrassing. So, no growling at the wolves for me tonight.”

  “You don’t need to growl, just flip that flaming red hair of yours around, and bat those beautiful blue eyes. He’ll be eating out of your hand in no time.”

  “Hmmm, I wonder what I have to do to get him to eat out…”

  “Ashley Leanne Reynolds!” I gasped, pretending to be shocked by her dirty mouth.

  “What?” She grinned at me. “If you weren’t such a prude, you’d be thinking the same damn thing. As a matter of fact, weren’t you telling me earlier about an ice cold shower you had to take? Maybe we’re two perverted peas in a pod, sister!”

  “I’m beginning to think that’s very likely, Ash!” We were walking up to the front of the club when I turned to Ashley, “remember, they’re werewolves. They can hear everything when we’re in there. Even a whisper. If you have something really embarrassing to say, just text it to me.”

  “Aw, you take all the fun out of everything!” Ashley laughed as I gave her a knowing look. We both knew Ashley ran her mouth a lot when she got drunk.

  “You’re not welcome here.” The bouncer from last night said to us as we walked up to the entrance of Hypnotic, the club Evan had just purchased.

  “Excuse me?” Ashley said as her hand went to her hip.

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “After last night, you really have to ask?” He smirked. “We’re lucky that little punk isn’t suing us for a new nose.” He shook his head. �
��I’m not even sure how such a skinny little thing could manage that kind of damage, but I do know I’m not letting you through these doors again.” The bald man exuded confidence that any werewolf might possess, but he was definitely just human. I would have sniffed him out, even if he had been a different type of shifter. He wasn’t. His bald head was reflecting the light of the neon sign above, as I texted Evan.

  “I think you’re about to change your mind,” I said to him with a wink.

  “I don’t think so, sweetheart!”

  A text buzzed back on my phone, and my face lit up as I waited for someone to come deliver the message to this bouncer that he was overstepping his bounds. “Do you know the new owner?” I asked innocently.

  “Haven’t been introduced yet, and it doesn’t change a thing.”

  “I see,” I stepped back as the door to the bar opened from the inside, and Evan stepped out, looking like a million bucks in a tailored, black suit jacket, that fit him to perfection. He was wearing it over a blue button down shirt, paired with dark blue jeans, and shiny black boots. His cobalt eyes sparkled above the whole package when he looked at me, and the smile on his face made my insides melt.

  “We haven’t been introduced yet,” Evan said to the man as he held out his hand. “I am Evan De’Lune, the new owner of this establishment.”

  “Yes sir, good to meet you. Name’s Pete Fontaine.” He pumped his hand in greeting a couple good times before letting go.

  Evan looked back over his shoulder at Ashley and I then. “What seems to be the problem with these two ladies?”

  “This one,” Pete nodded in my direction, “broke a guy’s nose in here last night. I talked him out of suing, but only just barely. He didn’t want people to know he got his ass beat down by a girl.” Pete had the good sense to laugh a little at that. “I banned her from the establishment, so that it wouldn’t happen again.”