by W. J. May
Derik continued to talk, but his voice had become a series of mumbles as Dru focused her attention on her younger sister.
"I couldn't find you earlier and it scared me. I wanted to tell you something." She smiled and continued to pull Dru toward the back of the gathering crowd.
Karis was only a few years younger than Dru and would soon be considered a woman by pack standards, but she was far from it, physically and mentally. She had a slight defect that had caused her to stop growing years before, her height capping off at that of a ten-year-old girl, but she still continued to develop, so her weight put extra strain on her. Dru loved her dearly and instantly felt horrible at her biting attitude.
"I'm sorry. I've just been under a lot of stress lately." Dru reached over and gave the girl a quick hug. "I need to hear what's happening with the Hunters and with our pack, but you and I can spend some time together tonight. Okay?"
"Won't Seth want all of your attention? He's been gone for days, and you know how wolves get near the full moon."
"Damn," Dru muttered, her eyes lifting to the sky toward the large moon that sat faintly in the distance. "It's not until tomorrow, so tonight should be fine, but he isn't really like the others. You know that."
Karis snort-laughed, and a few of the other members of the pack hushed them. Dru turned and growled a warning to them, the crowd backing up a little as she did. The whisper amongst their people was that if anything happened to Derik, it would be Drucilia to take his place and not his brother Seth.
It wasn't unheard of to have a female Alpha, but it was extremely rare. All wolves were expected to mate, and for a female Alpha to find a strong mate that wouldn't kill her off in her sleep was a task for the bold and fearless. Dru wasn't at all interested in leading anyone, much less taking over and trying to fix the emotional destruction Derik had caused over the last five years. He was typically much more aggressive toward the men, but somehow Dru had made it to the top of his list, the tension between them mental, emotional and highly sexual.
"So, like I said," Derik announced, his voice rising above the crowd, "we will have a feast tonight due to the success of the hunt today. Eat and enjoy each other's company, for tomorrow we leave. The full moon will rise tomorrow, so make sure that those of you without a mate join the group that will travel as humans. This should help your urges, and if they are too much to bear, find a single female in the tribe or detour carefully to the human’s village just south of here."
"As if it's just the males who have urges," Dru muttered and was hushed again. She simply let it go and winked at her sister before moving back toward the front as the crowd dissipated.
"Seth," Dru called out as she walked toward them, causing Seth to turn toward her and smile," I would like to be part of the human group. I can help lead if you and Derik want to round up the rest of our pack and bring them in the coverage of night."
"Just depends on what Derik wants us to do." Seth shrugged and reached for her hand, pulling her toward him and wrapping his thin arms around her. "Either way, I want to be together tomorrow night. I'd rather not have to hurt someone for touching you because of the moon."
"Hurt? Someone touched my woman and I'd rip their damn throat out," Derik responded, walking by and letting his eyes linger a moment too long on Dru.
Seth laughed. "Yeah, that's what I meant." He smiled and Dru just shook her head. Her mate’s soft persona was endearing in more private, intimate moments, and yet it was such a letdown for the strength of the tribe as a whole.
"Come with me back to my tent and I'll tell you about what we saw?" He moved back and took her hand, a smile on his face and the promise of a good story in his expression.
"Yeah, sure." Dru fell in beside him, her hand cold and clammy in his. Being born an animal with the fierce desire to kill, dominate and rule left her in a constant internal battle when she was not challenged or made to feel anything. The man beside her gave her plenty of practice for patience and perseverance.
"We were able to kill about twenty large bucks, so dinner tonight should be rather extravagant."
"That's good. The food supply dwindling earlier this week has left most of us with hunger pains. The women and older boys have forgone eating altogether to ensure that the children and elderly are properly taken care of."
She let her eyes drift along the forest as they moved toward Seth’s large tent, which he shared with his brother.
She wanted to know more about the large white wolf that had hovered above the cliff she'd seen earlier. He didn't belong near them, and yet something stopped her from divulging his location to Seth or Derik.
At one time she and Seth had shared a small tent, but with the growing population of their pack, the necessity for larger families to move in with one another had surfaced, and Derik hadn't wanted anyone with him but his brother. Drucilia was more than happy to live with her sister and just spend time with Seth when the occasion called for it.
"It's going to be better in our new home, Dru. There are so many different types of animals, and the threat of humans is decreased. I think the only thing we really need to check into is the whispers that vampires live in the far valleys of our new land."
She stopped, pulling her hand from his. "Vampires? I thought they were all but gone?"
"So did I, and I believe our parents wanted us to believe that, but now that we're grown, it's time that we discover the truth or lie behind their claims ourselves." He shrugged and opened the door to the tent as she continued to stand just outside of it.
"And you don't think that perhaps we should check into that before we drag all of our people to this new land? What if there are vampires? Aren't we a great catch for them?" Dru felt a shiver of trepidation rush down her spine. The stories of the walking dead were told as a way to get kids to behave, to keep the teenagers from leaving in the dark of night.
"We'll be fine, Drucilia. Come in here with me. I'm tired and I don't have the energy to worry about the possibility of blood suckers right now." He sighed and all of a sudden looked ten years older.
She huffed softly, moving a step back. "Go take a nap then. I don't see how this conversation can wait, so you rest and I'll talk to your brother."
She didn't wait for his response but turned on her heel in search of their fearless leader, the bastard who had torn out her father's throat.
CHAPTER TWO
Dru walked into the tent she had just seen Derik enter without concern. Derik had just finished slipping out of the black pants he had been wearing. He dropped the pants he held in his hand as she continued to move toward him, his strong body bared before her. It was something she’d seen before, but each time she did, it took every ounce of her strength not to let him see how it affected her. She stopped in front of him, her chin tilted up, eyes filled with the dominance she felt swimming through her.
"I want to talk to you about the vampires," she said casually, trying hard to keep them from stepping into an argument.
"Yes, well, most people would request entrance to my tent rather than just barge in. If you were anyone else, I would kill you where you stand." He growled and stepped closer, the primal smell of his skin and glare in his eyes calling violently to the beast that had been trapped beneath her shield of humanity.
"If you killed our people as often as you threatened to kill me, then you would be a lone wolf, Derik." She stepped the last step toward him, tilting her head up to let her gaze lock onto his. He was a foot taller than her and dwarfed her with his massive size. She kept her eyes on his face and completely blocked the fact that he was more comfortable naked in front of her than he should be.
"You talk too much, Dru. Perhaps I should give you something else to do with that pretty mouth of yours." He leaned forward and nipped at her, the sound of his teeth chomping together giving her goose bumps. He was pure strength and the most aggressive male she'd ever encountered. It was a shame that he was a power-hungry bastard.
"Actually, you should do something with yo
ur own pretty mouth besides spout out promises and plans when you've yet to clear the threat before the lambs you send out to slaughter," she retorted, nipping back angrily.
His large hand was around her throat before she realized what had happened. He lifted her off the ground and pressed his nose to hers as she wrapped her smaller fingers around his and struggled to breathe.
"Don't talk to me as if I am beneath you, woman. I will never be beneath you, unless I am breathing my last breath. This is your last warning from me, and I only give it because of a future we once promised one another." He dropped her and she caught herself, the room spinning as oxygen rushed into her lungs. "The vampires are a nuisance, nothing more. Take your place in the ranks and don't approach me again unless I call you by name."
She rubbed absently at her throat as hot tears stung her eyes. Turning on her heel, she walked quickly toward the tent opening, anger burning a line of regret down her chest.
His voice stopped her. "Stay far away from me tomorrow night."
"What?" she muttered, her back to him.
"The moon will be full, and you were created to be mine. Stay away from me, or I will take what belongs to me, and I don't think you'll survive that."
"I hate you," she whispered, disgusted by the fact that he was the only one who was physically worthy of a night with her under the strong pull of the moon and all that it beckoned them to be.
"No you don't, but you do hate that you don't."
He laughed as she slipped out into the darkness of the night, her fiery hair blowing in the wind and dancing about. She wiped at the useless tears that dripped onto her cheeks and walked toward the large fire that blazed in the center of their camp. The entire pack was there, and the anticipation of something new moved through the air as people laughed and made plans.
Drucilia searched the crowd for her sister, several people stopping to ask if she was alright. The pack’s loyalty to her father was still evident in the kindness shown her, but rules were rules, and the Alpha was to be honored, obeyed and loved as well. She fought hard against the ancient desire to worship Derik—hate being her only weapon.
Finally she located her sister, who was dancing around the edge of the fire with a few young girls. Drucilia walked quickly toward her, the girls waving to Dru before running off in laughter together.
"There you are. I was wondering if you and Seth were having a pre-full moon night." Karis smiled with innocence not befitting her words.
"Seth and I rarely have anything, silly girl." Dru pointed to a large log close to the fire that was uninhabited. "Come on, let's go sit down and spend some time together."
"Sounds good to me." Karis walked beside her, her hands clasped in front of her waist as she fidgeted.
Dru sat down and scooted over. "What's bothering you?"
"What?" Karis sat down, tucking a strand of chestnut hair behind her ears, her eyes wide and much too large for her face. Dru wished she could give her sister some sense of normalcy, and yet, because of her growth patterns, she was one of the most treasured creatures among their tribe. Everyone took care of Karis as if she were still a small child and beloved by them. It would forever be that way for her sister, seeing that they aged so slowly and time wouldn’t allow her many more physical changes.
"You know what?" Dru lifted her eyebrow, giving her sister a knowing look like their mother used to. "You're upset about something. Spill."
"Not really. I just keep thinking about a few things that seem weird to me. I guess I'm just nervous." Her sister shrugged and looked down toward her hands.
Dru reached over and placed her hand over her sister’s, squeezing softly. "Then tell me about it and I'll help you figure it out. You and I are a team, so let's hear it."
Karis smiled and let out a small, shaky breath before looking up, the fire lighting up her doll-like face. "I'm worried about the vampires. I remember, before Mother died, when she used to warn us not to go past the white-straw village just outside of our camp. Do you remember that?"
Dru nodded, the remembrance of her mother's voice washing over her and bringing with it sadness and regret. No one knew how her mother had died but Dru, and it was a secret that she would harbor alone. She bit at her lip, letting her gaze drift down to her own hands as they lay in her lap.
"Hey, I didn't mean to upset you." Karis' voice brought her from the memory that had etched its way into her mind's eye from the moment it had occurred to the present.
"It's okay. I just miss Mother so much sometimes." Dru sighed softly and looked up, brushing her hands along her face.
"I do too, but you look just like her, so that helps me." Karis smiled and pressed her shoulder into Dru's.
"I do not. Mother's hair had a shine to it, and her eyes were bluer than mine."
"Your hair is the exact same, Dru, and her eyes were a little darker, but yours are so light they almost look silver." Karis moved her head as if looking around the fire. "You look like her to me."
"Well, I'll take the compliment then."
Dru followed her sister’s gaze. Nothing seeming to be out of place as the crowds still enjoyed the feast and the mead someone had brought in from the human village south of them. "Don't worry about the vampires. I'll keep you safe."
"And who will keep you safe?" Karis asked, a look of disapproval covering her small features as she turned back to face Dru.
"Seth and Derik will keep all of us safe. I will keep you safe because you're my sister and I love you. Stop worrying about this. I promise that we'll be okay." Dru let the words leave her lips, her practiced pattern of showing no emotion coming in quite handy.
Truth be told, she was terrified. The vampires were supposed to be all but dead and gone, and yet here sat evidence that they still existed. How many times had her father warned her never to go where danger might lie in wait, but to plan and prepare for a better path, a safer route? It wasn't as if there were just a few of them in the pack that needed protection. There were almost a hundred members, and most of them were elderly or quite young. A war with the humans the year before had wiped out many of the pack members of fighting age.
"I trust you," Karis said softly, a yawn leaving her lips.
"Is that all? Nothing else bothering you?"
"Well, you might think it silly of me, but I had a dream the other night of someone coming to save us." Karis shrugged.
"Save us from what?"
"From Derik. He's a horrible leader, and he doesn't care about anyone but himself."
Dru turned toward her sister, her knee resting against Karis's leg. "He is the Alpha, which means that somewhere inside of him, he's required by the laws that created us to protect all of us. He would die for any of us."
"Yes, I know that, but he’ll only die once, and then the rest of us will be left to fend for ourselves. He will lead us into danger. I'm sure of it."
"From your dream?" Drucilia questioned further.
Her sister’s dreams had always been a topic of concern among her mother and father. It seemed that Karis had the gift of prophecy, which was rare for a Lycan.
"Yes. I can't see the danger, but I can feel it everywhere around me. It's hard to breathe in the dream, and there is so much blood that at times I have to swim through it to find you." Her sister's voice broke.
Dru scooted closer and put an arm around the small girl, pulling her in tight and pressing her cheek to the top of her head. "Hey, it's just a dream. There will be no bloodbath or us getting separated, okay? I'm right here for you."
Karis sniffled, her body shaking a little as Dru held on. Everyone seemed to disappear as the fire blazed in front of them, the air cooling rapidly with the loss of the sun along their backs. "I know you are. It will be okay. A savior is coming."
Dru stiffened at the mention of someone coming to save them. It was a bit overwhelming to hope for something of the kind to occur, and yet Karis’s visions and dreams had rarely been wrong. "Did you see this savior?”
Karis pulled away an
d slipped off the bench, turning to face her sister. "No, but you did. All I saw in my dream was you diving off the edge of the west mountain and swimming deep into the sea. When you came up you saw him and were filled with fear."
Drucilia sat quietly, her emotions under lock and key as she comforted her sister for a few more minutes and then gave her one last hug. Karis’s friends returned, the girls much too young for her true age, but perfect for where life had left her to remain for eternity.
"Love you." Karis bounded off, Dru returning the sentiment to the back of her sister's form as it disappeared in the darkness.
The scene from the dream had already occurred, hadn’t it? Earlier that day when she’d flung herself off the west cliff and into the welcoming waves, she’d surfaced to see him. The white wolf. Quite fitting for a savior. She could only hope that he might be the one to pick up where her father left off, a savior for her people from their current tyranny.
She started to move from the bench as a glimmer of light caught her attention at the edge of the forest, the large gaze of a wolf illuminated by the moon’s light. It was hard to tell from her vantage point if the beast was a member of her pack or not, but she quickly placed him as a stranger simply because of the new energy in the air around her.
She stood and took a tentative step, her demeanor very docile and welcoming in case the animal was truly just an animal and not a shifter.
A hand on her shoulder caused her to yelp, her heart racing as she pulled back and turned to face Seth. He lifted his hands in the air in a sign of surrender and awarded her a goofy smile. "I'm sorry, baby. I thought you saw me walking up. Just coming to see where you were." He started to lower his hands as concern moved across his features. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing," she lied and took a seat back on the bench, patting the spot next to her in hopes that he might join her. It didn't matter who the wolf was, she didn't want anyone else involved if she could help it. Male wolves didn't take too kindly to strangers—good or bad.
"You sure? You seemed awfully scared when I approached." He sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close. He leaned over and kissed the side of her cheek, his free hand moving her hair to kiss along her neck and nuzzle her.