Cloaked in Secrecy

by T. F. Walsh

  She shook herself, snow flying in every direction, and immediately coiled around Daciana’s legs.

  Scratching Mila’s ears, Daciana’s gaze locked onto the three wulfkin closing in.

  I climbed to my feet. “Let me introduce you to Alena Novac; her brother, Nicolai Novac; and Damir. Daciana has no problems with you and your pack sharing her land.”

  Alena stepped forward first, and Daciana accepted her in a hug. Seeing the two wulfkin who held a special place in my heart hugging and inhaling each other’s scent aroused all kinds of thoughts. My wolf was ready to come out and party.

  Damir’s and Nicolai’s gazes were set on Daciana, and not in the enemy kind of way, either. She’d kick their butts across the yard if they tried anything, but hey, I’d allow them to discover that the hard way.

  “We appreciate you accepting us on your land,” Alena said.

  Daciana slipped her hands into her pockets and shrugged. “You’re most welcome. No one should ever turn away wulfkin in need.”

  Alena’s gaze landed on me, and I rewarded her with a smile.

  Daciana refused to take her eyes off Alena. I swore a sliver of jealousy crossed her expression. Oh, yeah, now we were even. I’d had the same reaction, but much worse, when Daciana first shacked up with that human.

  Color hit Alena’s cheeks. “Do you have a problem with us burying Father on the land then? Somewhere deeper in the woods, if possible, to say our farewell?”

  “Not at all,” Daciana said. “I’ll take you to a perfect spot while Enre speaks with his father.” The bridge of her nose creased at the mention of my father.

  “And Lutia,” Damir piped up.

  “She should be buried very deep in the woods,” Daciana offered. “Maybe close to Sandulf.”

  “Your father’s here?” Alena’s gaze bore into me, her voice high-pitched.

  Kissing the back of her hand, I said, “Don’t worry. I’ll join you shortly.”

  “Come, I’ll help you with the bodies.” Daciana started toward the front of the house with Damir and Nicolai behind her. Mila romped ahead.

  Alena stared at me, so many emotions whirring behind her pale-gray eyes.

  “Go, I need to see my father.”

  After a simple nod, she leaned into me, her lips grazing mine. My arms swept across her back, drawing her closer. I inhaled her lavender sweetness and returned the kiss, permitting myself to forget the horror of my father being here for those few seconds.

  Once she’d left my side, I headed toward the back door of the pack house. My gut twisted into a knot with each step. I opened the door and stepped into the kitchen. Father’s scent—a sour, tree-sap odor—collided into me. Too many fights and punishments from my younger days flooded back, the ones I’d worked so hard to forget. Except now they were as raw and fresh as if they’d happened yesterday.

  The first wave of shivers clawed up my spine. He wasn’t the kind of wulfkin who took any pleasure in of social niceties. “Get the task done and go,” he’d say. “Lingering is a female’s job.” Everything with Father came with a mission, a purpose that somehow benefited him. And considering today I turned twenty-five, I knew exactly why he was here.

  From the time I’d left my Varlac clan in Hungary eleven years ago, this day had been niggling in the darkest recesses of my head. The moment when I’d declare either that I had a pack of my own or that Father had the right to take my life in any way he desired.

  Taking a deep breath and squaring my shoulders, I pushed past the swinging kitchen door and stepped into the main living room. The air was thick with the smell of fur, perspiration, and kindling from the roaring fireplace.

  A quick scan revealed five wulfkin. Botolf sat on an overstuffed chair, dressed in a pink Hawaiian shirt, while Radu huddled on the wooden floor next to him, hugging his knees. Both their smiles were a welcome sight.

  “Good to be home,” I said in their direction, not expecting a response. It was for show, nothing more.

  My sights landed on Father, who lounged in the center of the large sofa, his arms folded across his lap, still bear-like in stature. The only hint of him aging was the presence of a few silver strands streaking his short black hair above his temples. Behind him waited his muscle—two large wulfkin. I didn’t recognize either of them, but it had been a while since I’d left home.

  “Father.” I stopped several paces away. “A pleasure to see you.”

  With his hands on his knees, he pushed himself up. “Don’t kid yourself.” Growing up, he’d beaten into me the notion of never talking to wulfkin while sitting, or I might as well join the females in the kitchen. “Here I was thinking my visit would be like our good old days, until Daciana spoiled the fun.”

  Yep, straight to business. Who needed niceties when dealing with the devil? One side of his mouth curled upward, and the look in his eyes held the same evil I’d seen each time he prepared for another punishment.

  The bastard enjoyed every punch he threw my way, and a quick glimpse of his large hands as he wiped them down his black shirt brought back the memories: the thunderous pain his strikes left, and my struggles for breath each time his fist collided with my chest.

  “Sorry to disappoint.” I made no attempt to keep the sarcasm out of my response.

  He motioned his disinterest with a curt wave of his hand, as if I were no more than a pesky fly. “I’m used to your disappointments.” He strolled across the room toward the window, his boots thumping the wooden floorboards with each step. He turned his back to the window, a halo of light cast around his large frame.

  Another wulfkin emerged from the hallway into the room with us.

  I did a double take. “Matias? When did you get back?” Matias had been part of the Transylvania pack, but once Daciana had killed Sandulf, he’d vanished and none of us had known where he’d gone.

  “He’s with me,” Father said, dragging my attention back to him. “The only wulfkin from this pack brave enough to tell me the truth about what’s been going on.”

  A snarl lodged in my throat. Matias sold us out to my father.

  “I thought you were killed by the dracwulf,” Matias added. “So I did the right thing and sought help.”

  “Well, you can continue considering me dead,” I said, “seeing as how you sought immunity from Varlac punishment and not caring for the rest of the pack.”

  Matias straightened his posture, his gaze fallen. Pack members stood up for each other. They didn’t run away the second life got hard.

  “Enough of your squabbles.” Father stomped toward me. “So, Sandulf created a dracwulf, and yet I had to hear about it weeks later from someone other than my son?” His voice grew sharp. “We had an understanding. You report everything back to me.”

  “There was no such agreement.” My response flew back fast, and I tucked my fisted hands into my pockets. “Maybe if you had treated me as a son rather than target practice, I might have understood your intentions better.”

  “Pfft,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “I gave you a Varlac upbringing, something any wulfkin would have cherished. If you have no backbone, then that rests on your shoulders, son.” He spat the final word.

  He circled me, and I stood there, refusing to let him intimidate me. Never again.

  “So, now I’m left with the difficult decision,” he said. “Sandulf is dead. The rules clearly state that if a pack member creates a dracwulf, the entire pack pays for it. Death is the punishment.”

  I swallowed the boulder in my throat. Playing the son card wouldn’t work. There was nothing else between us. No love, no connection.

  “I can instruct the council not to kill you as a favor to me, but the others … ” He tsked. “The council can’t bend the rules for everyone, not without something in return.”

  Rage pumped through my veins. He hadn’t changed one bit. “You’re the Varlac leader of Europe, the council will do whatever you ask them to. This is bullshit.”

  “Well, I have been trying to delegate
recently. Anyway, considering Daciana only has a small pack of four, this is too much territory.” Rounding me, he stopped and faced me at eye level. “But I want to show you I can be an understanding father.”

  The poison in his eyes was anything but understanding. “As such, the Transylvanian land will be given to your brother, Marcin, and his pack of twenty or so. The four of you will join his pack, taking Marcin’s orders. For that, I will present your case to the council to see if the punishment can be spared on this pack.”

  Radu made a gasping sound, his shoulders hunched, his eyes wide.

  From what I remembered of Marcin, he was as ruthless as Father, and Daciana’s pack would be treated like outsiders, or worse. My insides were boiling, every nerve twitching.

  I fought to rein it in, but not before my response flew free. “That’s going to be a bit difficult considering I’ve just taken over the Bulgarian pack. This officially makes me the alpha with the largest pack in Europe. And if I’m not mistaken, under your rule, the alpha with the largest pack decides who may join his pack.” My lips peeled back over sharp teeth, and a growl droned in my chest. I hated lying or presuming Alena would agree to me being alpha, but since we were in the same boat of shit, I couldn’t imagine her disagreeing too quickly.

  “The pack is on its way here,” I continued. “They’ll arrive in a couple of days, and we’ll reside in Transylvania. Now, if my brother is having difficulty with his pack, I’d gladly take his members under my leadership, but I won’t accept Marcin into my pack. He can live with you in Hungary.”

  Father’s gaze dropped momentarily.

  I couldn’t believe his arrogance to take our land, as if we meant nothing. To hell with it. I’d fight him and every last Varlac to their graves before I gave in to him.

  “Well then,” he said, “it seems I’ve been wrong about you.”

  For a long while, only quickened breaths filled the room. The fire crackled and spat out embers.

  Father’s gazed stabbed into me. A low grumble resonated from his chest. “So, you killed Maxim, you say?”

  I swallowed the knot in my throat. “Maxim is dead, and his offspring are here to confirm this. In fact, I have Maxim’s body, too. They are burying him now in the woods.”

  Father stared at me. I refused to allow the jitters to take hold.

  “This changes everything.” He strolled to the window and back. His lips thinned as they started to curl upward into a horrid smirk. “You and Daciana will present your case and request approval for her to hand over the Transylvanian pack in front of the Varlac council. If agreed, I’ll no longer hold this pack responsible for Sandulf’s actions.”

  “Fine.” I wouldn’t back down, though I knew too well what would happen if we failed.

  “You and Daciana will accompany me back to Hungary. You will do this properly. I don’t want anyone challenging my son about how he gained the Transylvanian land.”

  A truck might as well have smashed into me. I’d lost my thoughts, and my legs weakened beneath me. Everything Father did came with ulterior motives. He didn’t need to say it, but I saw it in his narrow gaze. He wanted us in Hungary for another reason. “But—”

  “Life has changed back home.” Movement whirred behind his eyes. “Without the council agreeing to the changeover, Daciana remains the alpha. And that gives me the right to punish the pack for Sandulf’s mistake. Lucky you got yourself a new pack then. You’ve just saved your ass in case the council doesn’t approve the changeover.”

  “Fuck you. You’re not touching this pack.”

  One of his eyebrows arched, and the back of his hand flew forward, striking the side of my face.

  I didn’t move or make a sound.

  He turned away and stood next to the couch. “Delightful. You mouth’s as foul as your brother’s.”

  The wolf was halfway up my throat, and every muscle rippled. I would rip his fucking head off and tear his spine out. I stepped closer. My breathing raced. My vision locked on my father, who was using his fingernail to clean the ring on his index finger.

  “Enre.” Botolf’s voice rang in my ears. “Don’t.”

  Clenching my jaw, I stood there and wiped my cheek. Blood coated my fingers.

  “You can leave my home now. Daciana and I will arrive in a few days.” I spat the words, eager for him to go. “I need to be here when the pack arrives.”

  Except he stood there, folding his arms over his chest. “I’ll give you a few days to get your affairs in order, and then we’re going to Hungary together.”

  My arms trembled, but the response about how I was going to force him to leave stung my throat. No matter how much I yearned to beat the man and make him feel the years of agony I’d faced as a child, it wouldn’t be worth the payback he’d inflict on my pack members.

  Alena popped into my mind. I imagined her panic when I told her the news, but while Daciana and I were gone, she could settle in with the rest of the pack. This would work. It had to.

  I bit my tongue. Here I thought my life was set. In Hungary, I was sure I’d not only have to fight alongside Daciana for her pack’s lives, but knowing my father, he’d somehow endanger mine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  ALENA

  The freshly turned soil marked Father’s grave, contrasting against the white snow around it. No wooden crosses or marble headstones were needed. Father was returned to the earth, where all life had begun.

  Enormous pine trees surrounded us, their branches heavy with the burden of snow, watching over Father’s remains. Several feet behind Nicolai, the woods opened up to a cliff’s edge … a valley for Father’s spirit to overlook. It was a postcard image of endless sloping woodlands coated in white.

  Tears blurred my vision, and I wiped them away, battling the blackness threading through me. The same blackness I’d kept as a friend for too long when Mother was killed. My shoulders shook. I couldn’t hold back the emotions. I let them flow, wild and free, just how Father would have wanted.

  Nothing was fair. I dropped my face into my hands, unable to stop the tears or the sensation of my chest breaking in half.

  Around me, the wind howled, and Nicolai’s soft whimpers reminded me I wasn’t the only one who’d lost a father. Maxim was the alpha, mentor, and Father to everyone in the pack.

  When someone placed a hand on my back, rubbing it like Father used to, my head jerked around expectantly.

  It was only Daciana, her eyes glistening. “I am truly sorry for your loss.” Her warmth awakened a sliver of my spirit. “But you’re home now.”

  She didn’t know me, and yet she offered us her land, accepted our pack, and shed a tear for a wulfkin she’d thought had wanted her dead. I was wrong to have accepted Father’s decision to kill this pack. Death wasn't the solution to anything.

  “Thank you.” My words sounded brittle.

  “I’ll go brew some coffee for your return.”

  I replied with a smile that seemed awkward and wrong on my mouth. Daciana turned and trudged through the thick snow.

  Across from me, Nicolai remained kneeling, his gaze lowered. Damir stood at the foot of the grave, sniffling.

  Mila trotted past and brushed against me. I ran my hand down her back, her fur soft against my skin as slight static raced up my arm. Her ears perked up as she glanced back at me.

  She stood in a section of deep snow overlooking the valley below and released a howl. The lonely sound roused my own wolf, and a piercing urge rose to the back of my throat. Before I could stop it, my head tilted back, and a howl broke free. Nicolai and Damir joined in our song of grief that drifted on the wind. In the distance, our cries were joined by other wolves. This was now our home, where wolves roamed free, where the woods were our backyard. The first blossom of happiness swirled inside me.

  Mila paced past me, and I patted her again. “It’s okay, my friend. We’re safe.”

  She released a strange guttural sound, as if something was lodged in her throat.

  Nico
lai stared in her direction and rose to his feet. “Mila?”

  Mila’s body vibrated and shimmied in the sunlight, then she started to morph. Her legs lengthened, fur vanishing.

  Giddiness tickled my chest. After all this time! It was a miracle. The moon goddess had finally answered our prayers.

  Nicolai was by my side. Before us, Mila was in her human form, crouched in the snow. She looked up with wild, green eyes framed by blonde hair in need of a major wash. Her mouth opened.

  “Nic.” Her voice was rough and grave. She broke into a coughing fit.

  “Don’t try to speak,” I said. “It’ll take time since you were in your wolf form for so long.”

  Nicolai peeled off his coat and draped it over her back, helping her up. But she stumbled forward. He caught her and swept her off her feet into his arms. Mila held the coat around her, teeth chattering, but her beaming smile said it all.

  Had my magical touch incited something in her? Why now, and not the other times I’d patted her? I thought back to the bent trees when I’d tried to heal Father. Maybe my ability had changed, or possibly it was Mila knowing she was finally safe with Nicolai. The latter explanation made more sense.

  Nicolai dashed past, giving me an open-mouthed smirk. His eyes lit up as he hurried toward our new home. The idea of our home sounded foreign in my head. Damir followed the pair.

  Tonight was a full moon. We’d have to lock up Nicolai with extra security.

  When I turned back to the burial ground, the soft crunch of footfalls resonated behind me. Over my shoulder, I found Enre approaching, his chin dipped to his chest. If Father had had the chance to know Enre as a wulfkin rather than a Varlac, he’d have seen him as I did and given us his blessing. Enre was a wulfkin with a pure heart who wanted peace and harmony. This whole time I’d been wrong to doubt him because of his heritage. It was a mistake I wouldn’t make again.

  Enre knelt next to Father’s grave and scooped a hole in the snow. It wasn’t long before he reached dirt. He took a fistful of soil and sprinkled it across Father’s burial to show his respect. Head low, he remained that way for a few long minutes.