He has never lost a fight, Blake explained. That is why he heads the Council. He was born on a full moon, as well.
Amber now understood. He used his special abilities to control those around him. She felt the strange nudging at her mind and held her wall in place. The nudging became a powerful force. Amber found herself on the ground, on her knees, her hands grabbing at the sides of her head as the blinding pain shot through her brain.
Blake whipped around and gathered her in his arms. He watched incredulously when Marcello and Adam stepped away from them, under Isaac’s control. Blake frowned, staring in consternation as the crowd sat down quietly in their chairs.
“What the hell is going on?” he demanded, pulling Amber to her feet, while she continued clutching her head in pain.
Isaac shoved Gabrial out of the way, stepping closer to Amber and Blake. Blake tried to shield her from the old man when his gnarled hands reached for Amber. She sank back to the ground, the pain in her head blinding her.
Isaac growled, not understanding why he couldn’t control Blake or Amber like he had the rest of the crowd. Even the humans had bowed down to his control. Blake continued standing in his way, Isaac allowed his canines to extend, and shifted into his wolf form. When he changed, he lost his mental hold over Gabrial, Marcello, and Adam.
Blake realized that William and Reuben had some powers of their own and were the ones controlling the rest of the pack. Blake quickly shifted, shredding the tailor-made suit he had been wearing. His large black and gray wolf standing in front of his mate, snarling while the silver wolf growled and snapped at him as he circled.
Adam! Marcello!
Still in somewhat of a fog, Adam and Marcello shook their head to clear the fuzziness from their brains. But when they did, both immediately shifted forms. Reading Blake's mind, they lunged for the two Council members who were in the process of changing, as well.
Marcello and Adam knocked the William and Reuben to the ground and stood snarling over them. We can't kill you, Marcello growled into their minds, but, there is nothing in pack laws that keep us from tearing you to shreds and you wishing you were dead!
William and Reuben immediately stopped their change. Quickly regaining their human forms they lay on the ground staring up at the large werewolves that towered over them.
We were only following orders, William told him, holding his hand out in front of his face, like that would hold Marcello back.
Marcello had the two men under control. So Adam turned back to see if Blake needed any help. He turned in time to see the two wolves lunge at one another, snapping, trying to get the upper hand.
Blake kept his body between the old werewolf and Amber. He was concerned that she might be hurt since she had not disappeared and gotten herself to safety.
Gabrial watched Blake stand defiantly between his granddaughter and the wiry werewolf of the Council leader. He knew that one of them might die tonight and hoped for his granddaughter’s sake that it would not be Blake.
Gabrial sent the mental call to the other council members. He gave them brief details and kept the channel open so they knew exactly what was going on while it happened. He had informed them of Isaac’s intent, but without action, they could not do anything to him. Now that he had made his move, they informed him that they were on their way.
Blake's wolf raged at the old wolf that threatened his mate. He knew Isaac was stronger than he was, but he was fighting for his mate’s life, so that gave him a slight advantage.
That and his size, Blake was larger than Isaac, and quicker, but knew that if the old man got a good hold on him he would be in trouble.
Vaguely, he noticed that his pack members were moving chairs and tables out of the way, anything that may be an obstacle or trip him up. He was thankful for their quick thinking when Isaac lunged towards him. The two werewolves rolled and tumbled towards the crowd. Snarls and growls were loud while they fought, saliva flying as they spun and twisted to avoid the other’s teeth.
Amber's head was pounding as Isaac continued to bombard her brain with his mind, trying to find a way in to control her. She was amazed that the old man could concentrate on attacking her and fight with Blake at the same time.
She concentrated hard and fortified the wall that kept Isaac out of her head. The pain was still there, but had subsided somewhat. She stood and glared at the old werewolf, gasping when he tore a chuck of fur and skin from Blake's shoulder.
They both had deep wounds. Blood oozed out of the tears that were already healing themselves while they continued their fight for dominance.
Amber was stunned when she suddenly felt hatred coming from the group of people that gathered around watching the fight. She touched on each pack member’s mind until she came to the one who was sending the message loud and clear. Even though her head was killing her, Amber stalked towards the pack. They looked at her like she was crazy. Her eyes were glowing and her canines were extended.
Then they felt what she felt when she opened herself to them. They were stunned too when they felt the malevolence coming from the woman who tried to hide at the back of the pack.
They parted and there she stood. Amber couldn't believe her eyes. Stacy! Her human face still held the scar she had given her back at the safe haven.
“What are you doing here?” Amber growled at her when she realized Stacy had come with the Council.
Stacy laughed menacingly. “I came to repay the favor,” She said motioning towards the scar that ran the length of her cheek to her jaw line.
“Looks like a nasty one,” Amber said inclining her head. “You shouldn't have been a bully.”
“You are a mutt!” Stacy snarled, her skin crawled with fur and hunkered to the ground in pain when she began shifting.
Amber willed herself to change and felt her teeth growing a little longer and her fingers lengthen in to claws, but nothing else happened. She stared down at herself in a moment of panic. She couldn't change. She couldn’t disappear, what was happening to her?
Amber quickly looked at her mother and grandfather before whipping her head back to the snarling werewolf that now stood a short distance in front of her.
Amber crouched low and waited for the bitch to leap at her. If she couldn't change, then she would have to fight Stacy as she was, at least she had her claws and teeth. Amber tapped the razor sharp claws on her leg.
When Stacy made her move, it was fast. In a blink of an eye, Stacy was leaping through the air and would have landed on top of her if Amber had not spun away, anticipating her move.
“I see you are still as slow as you were in school.” Amber didn't know why she was taunting her, but it felt good.
Out of grief, Winona hadn't shifted since her son had been born and taken from her shortly after that. Seeing Amber in danger, she felt her instincts taking over and her skin crawled. Her child was going to be hurt and she could not stand by and let that happen. She allowed the change to begin, but suddenly stopped when her father’s hand clamped down on her shoulder. She stared up at him with pleading eyes.
“No, she must do this on her own.” Gabrial told her, closing his eyes against the pain he saw there in Winona's eyes.
“But this is not fair, she can’t shift! You know why she can't change!” she exclaimed with tears spilling from her eyes.
“I know darling, but we cannot interfere.” Gabrial shook his head once again. His arm around his daughters shoulder held her in place as they turned back to watch with the rest of the pack while the two fights continued in the yard.
Blake and Isaac were both breathing heavily as they continued circling, lunging, and snapping at each other, neither able to get the upper hand. Blake was distracted when he felt Amber's sudden anxiety that she couldn’t change to her wolf form.
Open your mind Amber. There is more to your abilities than just wolf, remember that. Blake sent reassuring warmth to her.
Amber growled in his mind just kill the fucker so I don't have to worry about you
.
Blake laughed at hearing her curse. I will if you will. It was forbidden for any werewolf to kill one of the council members, no matter what. The law was meant to protect the Council and Blake knew if he killed Isaac, his actions would be a death sentence for both him and Amber. He hid that knowledge from her and he continued his fight.
Stacy sent startling images to Amber's mind of her and Blake together in the woods that morning. Apparently Stacy had been watching them. “How are you doing this?” Amber asked, confused.
“You think you are so clever,” Stacy growled at her in a gravelly voice. “The Council has been after you since the day you were born. The day you saved Blake was the day you died. You gave me a sample of your blood.” Stacy laughed manically at Amber and lunged.
Stepping and twisting to the side when Stacy flew past her, Amber’s sharp claw came up, shoving at Stacy’s side, and slicing her open. The cut was not deep, but it was enough to cause Stacy to yelp in pain.
The wound dripped blood, but slowed quickly, stopping as the gaping wound quickly sealed and began the healing process. At this rate she would never defeat her, Amber thought to herself.
Thinking on what Stacy had said, Amber searched her mind and recalled that she had cut her arm on the glass when she had pulled Blake from the truck. She wondered what Stacy had done with that little bit of blood she had left behind. If she had ingested it, she may have some abilities other than werewolf. If she had given it to Isaac, there was no telling what he had done with it.
Stacy laughed when she felt Amber sifting through her memories. She had found the memory of how she had slipped into the garage at the back of Blake’s property and found the glass with her blood on it.
Amber frowned, realizing that that any werewolf would have been able to scent the difference between the bloods. She could have kicked herself for not thinking of that herself. But rifling through Stacy’s mind had given her the insight she needed. Stacy had licked the blood off the broken glass, ingesting it, hoping it would give her the special powers Isaac had promised her it would. That had been days ago and Stacy had been trying to use the new abilities, but had not figured it out yet.
Amber also found the reason Stacy had always picked on her at the shelter. Stacy had told the other girls that Blake was her boyfriend. Picking through her mind, Amber found the memory where Stacy had thrown herself at Blake and he had told her he was not interested, that Amber was the one he loved. When the other girls found out, they had laughed at Stacy and she was humiliated. Amber understood now why Stacy had planned to attack her that last day at the shelter.
Stacy had also been there that first day when Amber had come to Blake’s pack, and was the reason that Adam had gotten beaten. Stacy had been a member of the Bloodsworth pack for years, keeping tabs on Blake for the Council. She had sent a message that Blake needed his help, that he had been hurt again, so Adam had rushed over and was attached by the two Bloodsworth sons.
Now that her blood was inside of Stacy, she would soon figure out the new abilities and would become a major threat to Blake, her new pack and to her. Amber had to do something about this bitch and fast.
Stacy faked running at her, and then swerved out of the reach of her sharp claws. “I always knew you were a freak!” Stacy taunted her when Amber missed.
Amber didn't allow her childish taunts to faze her. She knew who and what she was and that would work to her advantage, given the right opportunity.
The rest of the pack members were becoming restless while they continued to watch the vicious fight between the men. They were forced by pack rules not to intervene. The two Council members had been allowed up off the ground and were sitting calmly in chairs off to the side while Marcello watched over them.
Adam had quickly escorted the humans into the house where he kept them out of harm’s way by guarding the front door, not allowing them to come out. He had posted Jonathan at the back door. He had Charles go to the roof, so he could sound an alarm if anyone was coming onto the land, and could react quickly if needed, by jumping to the ground to help.
At one point, Amber felt a stirring and was distracted. Luckily, so was Stacy, when a man and woman appeared out of nowhere beside Gabrial and Winona.
Amber's eyebrows drew together. She felt that she recognized him, but there was no way she could. She would have remembered him. He was tall, pale and extremely handsome. His black hair was smoothed back into a ponytail; his piercing green eyes stared into hers. She felt compelled to look at him and realized immediately who he was when he spoke to her mind.
Take care protected one, he told her in what sounded like a Ukrainian accent.
Amber spun away when Stacy lunged at her. But twisted quickly back around to face her and found that they were close to where the men were fighting. Stacy was next to Blake who stood with his backside to her while he watched Isaac.
Amber saw what she was about to do and screamed “Blake, look out!”
Stacy lunged at the same time Isaac attacked Blake, and he was caught in the middle.
Amber didn't stop to think. She crouched and leaped the ten-foot span, landing on Stacy's back when she clamped her jaws onto Blake's hindquarter causing him to lose his balance.
Amber grabbed Stacy's jaws. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth together, struggling to pull her jaws apart. Isaac had Blake's torso pinned down, his teeth snapping at Blake’s face. Blake squirmed and avoided his sharp canines by twisting. Isaac didn't let up the pressure, but had to avoid Blake's snapping jaws when he got too close.
Amber, seeing that Blake was in real danger, had a surge of strength and ripped Stacy's jaws open and threw her off of her mate.
Stacy yelped when she hit the ground hard. Amber’s eyes were a swirl of chocolate brown, quickly turning to bright yellow, clearing the distance in a single leap and landed on top of Stacy again.
Stacy didn't stand a chance with the strength and anger emanating from Amber. Grabbing her by the head and squeezing, Stacy howled in pain. Amber jerked Stacy's head around to look her in the face. Hissing, Amber stared into Stacy’s terrified eyes. Amber felt a moment of triumph when she read the look of defeat and terror in the werewolf’s eyes, when Stacy realized she was going to die. At the same moment that Amber twisted and gave a slight yank.
The crowd gasped in surprise when Amber stood and tossed Stacy's head aside, like it was nothing more than a piece of garbage.
Surprisingly, Amber's dress had remained intact through all the twisting and turning, not a spot of dirt or blood marred the white material or her features. Glancing down at the dress, Amber thought of what her mother had told her about the spell that had been woven into the material and was thankful that she had not ruined something that meant so much to her mother and grandfather. Her hair was slightly mussed, but she didn’t care. Amber turned towards the two wolves who were still snapping at each other. Blake was still pinned to the ground with Isaac snapping at his face.
“Enough!” Amber commanded. Standing with her legs spread, her bare feet were rooted to the grass, her hands on her hips in a no nonsense manner.
Even Isaac was surprised by the power behind her command. Unwillingly, he backed away from Blake, who twisted and jumped to his feet.
“If you want me,” Amber glared at the silver wolf, “then come and get me!” She challenged him.
Isaac's lips turned up in a snarling grin.
“Stop!” Blake growled at her. “Amber, please don't do this,” he pleaded with her.
Amber stood her ground, relaxing when she felt her body begin humming, and the stone around her neck practically vibrating against her chest.
Amber looked at Blake's gray wolf from where he stared at her pleadingly.
Please trust me; Amber soothed him while she waited for the silver wolf to get closer to her.
Isaac took his time approaching her, drool pooling around his lip and dripping in a long stream the closer he got to her. His eyes were glued to her and glistened with e
ach step he took.
Amber felt the pack tense when he closed the distance between him and her. She felt their push on her mind telling her to get out of there, but she ignored them. She felt and heard her mother start crying for the daughter she had just gotten back in her life.
She felt as her grandfather pushed encouragement to her and most of all she felt when the Ukrainian and his companion stood with their eyes glued on her. She felt his approval while she stood strong, and stood her ground.
A moment before he pounced, Amber smiled. His mouth opened to grab her around the neck. Like she had done before, Amber spun. This time however, she didn't use her claws. She grabbed the stone that hung between her breasts and shoved it at his chest cavity when he flew over her.
A surprised gasp was heard from the crowd when her hand sank into the chest of the old werewolf. Lodging the stone deep inside, Amber yanked her hand out when she felt the skin begin closing around the wound.
Amber finished her spin, and came around into a squatting position, her hand out in front of her for defense, if needed. She waited to see if the silver wolf would get up. To hers and the others amazement, the silver werewolf transformed back into the human’s wrinkled form. Isaac lay there naked, clutching himself where the stone was buried deep in his human chest. The skin had healed perfectly, closing the stone up inside him.
Not noticing, or not caring that he was naked, Isaac scrambled as quick as a three hundred year old man could to his feet.
“What have you done to me?” he screamed at her, clawing at his chest, scraping long red lines across his wrinkled skin.
Blake quickly transformed to his human form and gratefully took the pants that Adam had run to him with. The crowd was too busy staring at Amber and Isaac to notice that Blake had been standing there naked, too. Blake quickly slipped his pants on and hurried to Amber's side.
William and Rueben had rushed to Isaac's with a pair of pants too, but he refused to put them on, knocking them to the ground with a glare. He stood screaming and yelling at Amber.
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