by K. R. Smith
“They are?” I asked in further surprise.
“Of course your family is coming for your wedding.” Gran rolled her eyes at my clueless behavior.
“A wedding is always a good excuse for a family gathering and we haven’t seen our English or Australian kin in a while.” Uncle Jules mused.
“Grandfather! Grandfather! Grandfather!” Phoebe ran over to her grandparent with her arms outstretched.
Phoebe was 12 years old but still Grandfather would pick her up and carry her in his arms, which is exactly what he did. With his strength, he behaved like she still weighed the same as a 5 year old and Phoebe absolutely loved it. She was small for her age and very pretty which made her father and grandfather dote on her.
Phoenix roused on his little sister, “Phoebe, grow up! You’re not a frickin’ 3 year old!”
“Language!” Great Grandma sung out yet again.
“Phoenix!” Uncle Jules whacked his son on the arm.
“Frickin’ is not a swear word!” He griped, rubbing his ‘injury’. “Declan says it all the time!”
The male Werewolves exchanged raised eyebrows.
“I think we’re going to have to have a word with Declan, regarding his influence on the younger generation of this family.” Grandfather smirked.
I felt my face begin to burn by the very mention of him, as I quickly busied myself by helping Great Grandma make coffees or teas for the new arrivals. However with my sharper hearing, I caught Gran say softly to both Grandfather and Mum; “well you won’t be able to do it tomorrow. I ran into Susan at the store today. Neither she, Derik or Declan, will be coming to the Ceremony or the Housewarming.”
Grandfather sighed sadly, “I expected as much.”
“Was Susan angry?” Mum asked quietly.
“Not as such, just very disappointed and maybe even a little betrayed. She asked why the tribe felt that Derik would no longer be a good match for my granddaughter? I told her the truth, I had to. We owe her family that much at least.” She whispered.
“Hmm.” He frowned as he looked from his wife over to his granddaughter.
Gran continued, “but as such, I told her that I sent off Derik’s application to Cambridge University along with B’s. I told her that because Mike Sabre was apart of the Circulate, her family also had access to Hodge Endeavor funds which can pay for his degree. Susan thanked us and said that Derik was considering living in Cambridge instead of studying by correspondence, to get away for a while.”
Derik…he was going away? He was going to Cambridge without me? My marriage to Grant was sending him away? I had just started to hand Aunt Danika her coffee, when suddenly the muscles in my hand gave out…
…and the mug fell to the floor and smashed!
Everyone went quiet, as they looked either surprised or guilty. I stood there, feeling everybody’s heavy gaze as I felt my eyes sting but I refused to cry so publicly.
“What are these feathers for?” Phoenix suddenly bellowed, holding up the leather hair band with the feathers. “Is B going to be wearing feathers tomorrow? Hahahaha!”
When Grandpa growled warningly, it made him quickly put down the hair band and step away from the table.
I walked out of the kitchen, past the crowd of onlookers, out of the front door, down the veranda steps, across the gravel driveway and into the woods. I walked quickly, I had to. But then I heard the front door open and Dad call out, “B?”
Quickly I took off so he couldn’t come after me. I ran in supernatural speed, down the hill towards the river. My eyes watered from the rushing air as well as from the force of the emotions which were making my chest ache. I picked up with my Werewolf hearing that I was being followed and that Dad was running after, matching my speed…
No, Dad, no! Don’t come after me! So I ran faster…I ran at almost the speed of light, as my Circulator ability took over from my Werewolf physical prowess. The woods became a blur as I streaked through the trees. I jumped over log or rock, in between the tree trunks as my hair streamed behind.
I left the path that went down to the river as I ran upstream, past Sunset Point. I ran even faster, going further and further than I had ever gone before. No longer did I recognize the terrain that looked like a blur anyway, as I zoomed along the river bank. I made sure I had lost Dad until I began to slow down, slipping back into Werewolf speed, as I high jumped over a fallen tree to land on all-fours.
When I looked up, I found myself in a pretty glade surrounded by different kinds of ferns next to a quiet part of the riverbank. With the late afternoon, the light in this glade actually looked a curious kind of purple-green. The air smelled sweet and the bird song was constant. This glade was not just full of beauty, it was full of life.
I’ve never seen this part of Lokoti tribal lands before although my instincts told me that I was deep inside of the National Park. In the years just prior to the War, this land was renamed the ‘Lokoti National Park’. Hodge Endeavor sponsored it in the name of the original landowners the Lokoti, or so the press release said.
Just then something moved and I realized I wasn’t alone…somebody who was sitting on a large rock with their back to me, now turned my way to show a tearful, angry face. That face belonged to Declan, who was sitting in grease-covered jeans and a dirty grey t-shirt, which had momentarily camouflaged him on the similarly coloured rock.
“YOU!” he shouted, enraged.
Me?
“What are YOU doing here?!?” He bellowed.
I paused, not knowing how to answer that.
“How did you find me? How did you find MY spot? Did you sniff me out to come and gloat about tomorrow?!” He stood up.
This was HIS spot?
“Look, I come here to get away so I don’t accidentally eat anybody when I get angry! And now you won’t even let me have my space? My privacy?” He charged towards me.
He was sitting here because he was angry?
Declan marched up so he was standing right in my face, tearfully glaring as I tearfully stared back, in shock. What are the chances of me just stumbling across HIS spot like this?
“What the hell are YOU crying for?!” He shouted in my face. “YOU’RE the one who broke my brother’s heart! YOU’RE the one who’s callously marrying another!”
I couldn’t take this - not from him - not right now. I turned around and tried to leave the glade. But Declan as I found, wasn’t about to let me leave that easily.
“I made you promise that you would NEVER tell my brother about us so he wouldn’t be hurt! And what the hell do you go and do? You get promised to another!” He raged as he followed after. “You still hurt Derik!”
“It wasn’t my idea, Declan!” I cried.
“Yeah but I don’t exactly see or hear you refusing, either!” he rebuked as he grabbed hold of my arm to whirl me around. “My brother asked you to marry him! My brother’s been in love with you since you were 16 years old! He frickin’ worships the ground you walk on! And what do you do? You walk all over his heart!”
I ripped my arm out of his grasp as I tried to flee, but Declan stormed after.
“You’re a cold, heartless bitch who doesn’t care about anybody but herself! I hope your marriage to Grant is a failure! I hope that he hurts you like you hurt Derik!”
My eyes watered so much, I had rivers of tears coursing down my cheeks as I hurried away.
“I hope that you do another first in this frickin’ tribe by being the first to die during childbirth to a frickin’ Lokoti Werewolf!” He went on. “I hope that you’re absolutely miserable and you’re in pain! Did you know my brother’s not just leaving the tribe, but he’s talking about skipping the country because of you!”
Declan meant by Derik going to Cambridge University.
“Bianca Grace Wisetail, you are such a shallow, stuck up bitch! You think you know everything by reading your books! You think you’re so good with your Werewolf pheromones and your pretty face! But that’s all you’ve got! You don’t have a hea
rt! You don’t have a soul! And you certainly don’t have a conscience!” He yelled.
I almost tripped over a hidden rock in some ferns, but I stumbled onwards.
“Did you plan this all along? Did you string my brother along on purpose? Did you plan on breaking his heart?” He grabbed hold of my arm once more. “ANSWER ME DAMN YOU! SAY FRICKIN’ SOMETHING!”
I sobbed as I struggled to pull my arm back from his strong grip.
“Would you at least tell me why?” He shook me, as his voice cracked. “Why B, why? Why are you doing what you’re doing tomorrow?”
Then I realized that this stopped being about Derik, but this started to be about Declan’s feelings. This thought occurred when he pulled me close to rub his wet face against mine.
“Why B, why?” He sniffed. “Why are you marrying Grant Elm tomorrow?”
“B – b – because the pack and the Tribal Elders said so.” I mumbled.
“I know THEIR reason, but what’s yours B?” He looked on, hurt. “When I first heard what they were thinking, I laughed! I actually laughed as I thought there was no way in hell Bianca Wisetail would go along with this. No way in hell, would Bianca let a bunch of old folks tell her who she was going to marry… and then I see the wedding preparations at the Holy Grounds? And what I heard from Derik which you said to him?”
Declan gently shook me once more before he held me even closer, so close I felt his breath on my face. “I could take it when you were with my brother, because he had you first… but Grant Elm? Grant Elm?! That guy is a full ten years older than you!” His voice turned loud again. Then he sniffed me and suddenly pushed me backwards! “I can even smell him on you!”
I cringed as I felt dirty for kissing my fiancé, the man the whole tribe had set me up with.
“You’ve KISSED him haven’t you?” Declan spat out in disgust. “What else have you done with him?!”
I spun around as I tried to get away from him and away from this…
“Grant Elm gets Bianca Wisetail. Grant Elm gets to marry the first female Lokoti Werewolf. Grant Elm gets the prize, the tribe’s trophy bride! How does it make you feel, B? To be passed around and to be decided over like you were property?!” He said cruelly, following behind.
I tried to break into a run, but Declan leapt on top of me! He knocked me to the muddy ground. When I tried to get up, he pinned me underneath! My heart raced as we wrestled, with me trying to get up and Declan fighting to stay on top.
“Get off me! Get off me! GET OFF ME!” I screamed, turning afraid.
If he tries to do what I was worried he would do, Grant would smell him on me. Then the shit would really hit the fan! I was frightened Grant and Uncle Ian and maybe even Dad would go gunning for Declan. I was scared how this would hurt Aunt Susan and even Derik would find out.
However as soon as he heard me scream, a change came over him. He instantly froze as he looked down, remorseful.
“I’m not going to hurt you, B.” Fresh tears sprung to his eyes.
We both paused as we looked on the other with wide eyes. Declan removed his hands from my wrists, when instead they encircled my waist. He buried his face in my hair as I heard him inhale deeply. He held me tightly in his arms and we laid there like that in the mud, in an embrace.
I turned my head as I closed my eyes whilst pressing my nose against his neck to inhale him deeply. His familiar maple syrup scent filled my senses, as I held him tighter. As I pondered on how I relished his scent, I wondered what I smelled like to him?
“What do I smell like?” I asked out of the blue.
“Say what?” He raised his head to give a funny look.
“What do I smell like to you?” I asked as I wanted to see if I smelled the same to him as I did to Grant.
Declan bent his head again to run his nose down my cheek to my neck, as I felt his body harden in arousal.
“You smell like a vase of wildflowers sitting in a kitchen while a cake is baking in the oven.” He said in a low voice.
My heart raced at his words as I thought that it was the most romantic thing that anyone has ever said to me…!
I kissed him which seemed to be just what he was waiting for because he eagerly kissed back. Our passion not only made my stomach flutter but it made me feel hot all over. I gripped onto his shirt so tightly it was as if my body never wanted to let him go.
Our lips opened to each other’s as soon as they touched. Whilst our tongues wrestled, he tried to be the dominant but again, I fought back. Our teeth sharpened, which we both felt as our mouths couldn’t bare to be apart. The odd growl escaped, although I wasn’t completely sure if it came from me or him or even the both of us?
His right hand moved to my front and I felt it slip inside my sweater to get at my breasts. I had to admit, his technique has improved as instead of just grabbing them, he ran his fingertips over them teasingly. But when I felt his other hand start head for the button on my jeans, in a lightening fast move I caught it.
“No.” I said hoarsely. “Grant will smell you on me.”
He snarled jealously and saying Grant’s name was like cold water being thrown on us. Declan rolled off and onto his back. I noticed he was panting, with his hands clenched into fists and his eyes were squeezed shut. It was like he was using up every bit of control he had to restrain himself.
“I am SO tempted right now to sling you over my shoulder and high tail it out of here, off these damned tribal lands.” He growled in frustration.
“But the Lokoti Werewolves would hunt us down.” I sighed sadly.
“They don’t scare me.” He said. “I could take them on! I mean, it took your Grandmother a Circulator, with two silver swords to kill the European Werewolf who killed my father and nearly killed me. Now I’m the bastard Werewolf.”
“You are NOT the bastard.” I said firmly.
“Yes I am B, I’m an ungrateful bastard. Your Grandfather gave his blood to save my life and your tribe took my family in and provided for us. Your Grandfather, Uncle, Dad and Grandpa all trained me as one of the pack and what do I do? I steal the trophy bride, my little brother’s girlfriend, our Second in the pack’s beloved granddaughter and the tribe’s first female Lokoti Werewolf.”
“You’re not a bastard because you’re not stealing me.” I said flatly.
“Say what?” He gave a peculiar look.
I spoke firmly, “tomorrow morning in a Joining Ceremony I will marry Grant Elm as everyone expects it. I will be the first female Lokoti Werewolf to mate with a male Lokoti Werewolf. I will do this for my families as everyone expects this. So not to divide you and Derik as brothers, I will be marrying another man so I won’t be between you.”
There was a pause as Declan’s expression was one of incredulity.
“Oh great! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Saint Bianca.” He said sarcastically. “You martyring yourself this way certainly doesn’t make me feel better.”
“I’m just trying to do the right thing.” I sat up.
“Trust me B, I know all about ‘doing the right thing’.” He sat up too. “I don’t eat human, even though the bloodlust is like acid eating me inside out. Now I have to fight the lust towards you which is just as strong if not stronger. Every time I close my eyes, I picture that rainy afternoon where I got to have you. Then I kick myself over and over again for being so weak by caving in to the carnal desires that made me pounce. I want to shrivel up and die when I wonder if maybe…” his eyes watered once more as he looked on fearfully, “…if I forced myself on you and I hurt you?”
I felt my face flush as I had to quickly look away. “You didn’t hurt me, Declan.” I said after a long moment. “You didn’t.”
I nearly confessed that I felt quite the opposite of pain that afternoon. I wanted to tell him that I in no way hated what I did with him when instead, I scolded myself for enjoying it a little too much. But I didn’t want to feed his ego as I could imagine his next remarks that might follow. I also didn’t want to tempt him int
o the idea of taking off Lokoti land with me, the day before my marrying somebody else.
Right at that moment, we heard the distant ‘snap!’ of a stick being broken, from somebody walking over it. I smelled that it was Dad, as he had tracked me all the way here!
“Shit!” We both scrambled to our feet. I even started wiping my mouth on my sleeve, to get rid of Declan’s scent on my skin!
“Like that’s going to work!” He scoffed, seeing what I was doing.
“Then do you have a better idea?” I growled in annoyance.
He looked from me to the river…
“Oh no…!” My eyes widened as I guessed his thoughts. “No you don’t!”
He picked me up and slung me over his shoulder!
“Declan no!” I squealed as I grabbed a handful of his hair to pull!
“Shut up! Do you want your Dad to hear you?!” He shouted in a whisper as he removed my hand.
He walked a couple of steps, before he unceremoniously dropped me…
SPLASH!!
… into the frickin’ icy waters of the river!
“AAAARGHH!” I screeched as I leapt out, drenched and freezing!
Declan pissed himself with laughter! He was laughing so hard with his hand over his mouth, so my father wouldn’t hear him that he was doubled over!
“B? B!” I heard Dad call out.
He worriedly turned in the direction my father was coming in and then he quickly grabbed my arms to kiss me again.
“And don’t you dare die during childbirth or I’ll kill you.” He murmured, as he gently chewed on my lower lip…and then he pushed me backwards into the frickin’ river again!
“DEECC…!!” I started to roar his name in fury, but I stopped myself.
He silently laughed as he pointed at me whilst walking backwards from the river. Lastly he gave me a wink, before he turned around and bolted off in the opposite direction my father was coming. He disappeared into the woods in supernatural speed.
That – that – that BASTARD!!! The water was so cold, it hurt! I dragged my waterlogged self back up onto the river bank, just as Dad appeared.
“B?” He looked on my soaking wet state in surprise.