by Donna Flynn
He howled loudly stepping back to shift to human form then scanned the group meeting each wolf’s eyes before taking a step forward and gathering Mercy in his arms. None moved to stop him as he walked towards them. Instead, they parted allowing him to move easily through the mass of male wolves before him. Once through he turned and looked to the young one, then to Cade who waited in wolf form for his commands. “Take him back to his family, make sure they are aware what happened here tonight.”
Cade howled nodding his furry head in acknowledgement before approaching the snarling young male accreting his own dominance over him to coral him and lead him home.
Alec turned walking off into the woods until they were out of sight, then ran as fast as he could to Lucan’s house cradling Mercy against his bare chest trying not to make her wounds worse than they already were.
*****
Mercy woke as he laid her on the bed in her room, her eyes wide with panic, a scream of terror on her lips. She thrashed and fought against him as he tried to assess her wounds forcing him to give her a shot of pain medication all of his kind kept on hand for emergencies to calm her. It took only minutes for the medicine to take effect, minutes that seemed like a lifetime as he listened her pleading, begging him to make the pain go away.
Once she had calmed he was able to begin the process of cleaning the wounds. Thanks to her Were DNA, the artery had started to mend on its own, but the external damage was extensive and had yet to begin the process of mending. Her screams of agony, despite the substantial quantity of pain medicine he gave her, made him flinch. Still he forced himself to continue until every wound was clean and wrapped with gauze to protect them from infection as they healed.
By the time he finished she had passed out, whether from the pain or drugs, he wasn’t sure, but he was grateful. Finally, he injected her with antibiotics and covered her with a soft blanket taking his first real breath since bringing her home. He knew he would never forget the sound of her screams and the look on her face as she pleaded with him to stop hurting her, for as long as he lived.
“She has always been afraid of wolves,” Lucan said solemnly as he walked into the room and sat on the bed next to her taking her hand in his own. “How do I tell her the very thing that keeps destroying her life is her destiny?”
Alec shook his head uncertain how to answer.
Lucan was more confident than ever in their decision to Leave. Every male in the area was now a potential threat now that they had scented her blood. Alec’s claim saved her in the moment, but now her presence would cause fighting between him and any who wanted his place in the pack. Lucan didn’t want Alec’s home to become a battleground for him and he didn’t want Mercy to live in jeopardy, so moving was the only option.
“She should sleep for a few hours. I gave her a shot to ease the pain and antibiotics to prevent infection.” Alec told him tiredly. “I think it best if you left early in the morning before anyone else is up and around.”
“There is a healer a few states over, we will stop and have Mercy tended to before we find the place your father secured for us.” He looked up at the young man he had grown to respect during their time as friends, his eyes filled gratitude, his heart heavy with regret. “I will never be able to thank you for saving her tonight.”
“Did I?” Alec asked doubtfully rising from the chair and brushing a soft kiss on Mercy’s forehead before walking out of the room.
Chapter Three
Mercy watched the other girls of her cheerleading squad flirting shamelessly with the football players after practice. She did not join them in their pursuits having never felt the same pull the other girls did toward the males that surrounded them daily, but instead gathered her gear and got ready to go home.
It had been almost a year since they had moved to the mountains of North Carolinia and she had adjusted well to her new surroundings. She made good friends at school and joined the cheerleading squad at her best friends urging. Everything seemed to be running smoothly, she should have been happy and carefree, but something held her back from enjoying her new life. As if there were something missing, she needed to complete the picture, something that would grant her the happiness she longed to feel.
The loud honk of a horn let her know her brother Cade waited in the parking lot for her, as he did every afternoon and she shook her head to clear it. She needed to hurry before they were late because if they were even a few minutes off schedule, Lucan would be calling her for the reason. Since the night of the attack, he had become more overprotective than a mother bear with her cubs, allowing Mercy very little freedom.
“Hey girl we are all meeting at the lake tonight. Why don’t you tell your brothers you’re spending the night with me so you can go too,” her best friend Gina said as she joined her at the bench.
At five foot-five, with luxurious raven colored hair, big blue eyes and a body years of cheering had perfectly toned she was one of the most attractive girls at the school. When she had first approached Mercy she couldn’t help, but be intimidated by her exuberant personality and her flirty nature, but Gina quickly put her at ease. Now they were inseparable and thick as thieves at school and out.
“I hate lying to them,” Mercy said her tossing her bag over her shoulder.
“You are not lying at all.” She said with a grin. “When the party is over we will be going back to my house.”
Gina was always coming up with schemes to get her away from her protected home life, but so far, Mercy had shot them all down. She sensed, by the stubborn set of Gina’s jaw though that this time that was not going to be the case.
“Come on, you never hang with us and Kirk wants you to come.” She wiggled her fingers in the direction of the team’s quarterback who stood a few feet away talking with his coach and he waved back his eyes glued on Mercy much to her humiliation.
Blonde hair, with eyes as blue as the sky, he was simply the most gorgeous guy at school and he had made it clear from the first day they had met he was interested in her. He asked out a few times, but she had hesitated as she always did when a guy asked her out. It wasn’t that she didn’t find him attractive, she did, but something seemed wrong about her dating him or any other guy who had asked.
Gina waved her hand in front of her face until she blinked and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I got lost for a minute.”
“Of course you did, look at him he’s so hot.” She checked Kurt out with a knowing smile then turned her attention back to Mercy. “For once don’t think, just do!”
Mercy bit her lip hating to disappoint her friend once again. Gina had a point. Kirk was pretty close to perfect. If she spent more time with him, maybe she would find they were a good fit for each other. “All right, I'll go.”
“Good, now all we have to do is find a way to the bonfire. We can’t ask my mother she would call Lucan immediately to make sure you had his permission.” She rolled her eyes well aware her mother and Mercy’s brothers agreed far too often on matters that concerned them.
“What if your mom asks where we are going?”Mercy asked worriedly.
“She is going on a date tonight, she won’t be home till late and I already told her one of the other girls is taking us to the game,” she answered looking pleased with herself.
“You have been busy planning this,” Mercy said shaking her head. Unlike Mercy who hated lying, Gina had no trouble bending the truth to suit her needs when called for. She just hoped this time it wouldn’t get them both in trouble.
“Mercy wait up,” Kirk called out behind them.
Mercy waited for him to run across the field, suddenly nervous now she had decided to attend the bonfire. The idea of Kirk wanting to spend time alone with her made her anxious. She had no real experience with dating. The only guy, aside from her brothers, that she had ever been around was Alec and she couldn’t allow herself to think of him that way. She refused to go down that road again. It hurt too much every time he turned up with another girl on his arm.
> Gina slammed her elbow into her stomach and swished her hand in Kirk’s direction. “Stop day dreaming he’s almost here.
Mercy watched as he came closer, her emotions conflicted about the quarterback who had been pursuing her. Even covered in dirt and sweat Kirk was still one of the hottest guys at school, but that was only part of his appeal. He was sweet, caring, and seemed to understand her reluctance to date, but she realized even as nice as he was, he had to be growing tired of waiting for her to be more receptive to the idea. If she didn’t act, soon she was going to lose any chance with him and she desperately wanted him to be the guy that made her forget Alec and the secret feelings she always held for him.
“Hey what’s up?” Gina asked as he stopped next them.
“I wondered if I could give you a lift tonight,” he asked Mercy. “I mean to the game and the lake, if you decided to come.”
“Great, Mercy’s staying at my house,” Gina answered for them both giving Mercy no time to back out. “17 East Monroe Street, the big yellow house with the white picket fence.”
“I’ll pick you up at six. See you later,” he said smiling shyly at Mercy before running off to join the rest of team who were quick to tease him about finally getting a date with her.
“He is love struck,” Gina said fanning herself. “Maybe I should date a good guy instead of the losers I always choose.”
“Oh please, they would boor you,” Mercy teased. Gina had the heart of a rebel and had a definite thing for the bad boys. So far, though she hadn’t found one willing to be faithful or completely honest, go figure.
“If I had more sense I might find prince charming without having to kiss so many frogs,” she sighed. “Sometimes I wish things were easy, like in the movies or those romance books my mom reads. The kind where someone is predestined to love you, a strong handsome muscular werewolf who thought me his world, who wanted nothing more than to make me happy.” She sighed and held her hand over her heart smiling dreamily, lost in her fantasy.
“How many times are we going to discuss this?” Mercy snapped immediately ruffled by her friends comment. “Werewolves are not real and if they were we would be running for our lives not falling in love with them.”
“Jeez calm down it doesn’t hurt to fantasize,” Gina, said playfully swatting her arm, dismissing her sudden outburst. Mercy had a well-based fears of wolves and she had unthinkingly, hit a sore spot with her thoughtless comment, but still she pushed. “You could do with a big tall handsome werewolf. You’re far too serious where guys are concerned and he might be able to show you all wolves aren’t to be feared.”
“Nothing would ever convince me they are anything, but monsters,” Mercy argued her mind drifting to the past. Visions of the wolf attack the year before flooded her mind and she became lost in the memory. Most of the attack was nothing but a blur, but one clear image of the wolf as it hovered over her plagued her consistently. She closed her eyes and saw its predator’s eyes as it pounced on her. As if she were there again in that moment, she experienced the pain, the burning of her flesh, as the animals long deadly claws raked down her legs.
With a moan, she knelt to the ground as a familiar dizziness overtook her threatening to knock her off her feet. No matter how many times she saw the beast, she never got past the horror, never understood why the wolf had attacked in the first place. Her brothers, refused to talk about it saying they didn’t think she needed to know anymore than she remembered, but she disagreed. She thought knowing might be the key to moving on and getting past her fears, but when she pushed her memory for more, it only caused pain and frustration.
“Mercy it’s alright I am here,” Gina cried out next to her.
Gina’s voice became the focal point Mercy used to pull herself out of her terrifying memories. She concentrated on her friends words separating herself from the visions of the past that paralyzed her with fear. Within a few minutes she was able to breathe normally again and her eyes opened to the bright sunshine and blue skies of the present, so different from the dark and scary memory she had been reliving.
Gina knelt next to her holding her hand tightly her face filled with alarm. “I’m sorry I did not mean to upset you.” She helped her from the ground, waving frantically to Cade for help.
“I’m fine,” Mercy, stammered not wanting her brother to know the past still had the power to disable her. They had spent so much time and money getting her help to deal with the attack and they thought she was doing better. The truth was though, she just grew tired of seeing one quack after another and had lied about feeling better, so she wouldn’t have to go again.
“Mercy,” Cade called out slamming the door of his car then running to her side, placing his arm around her shoulders for support. “What’s wrong?” he asked leading her to the car.
“Nothing, I’m fine I just tripped,” she lied.
“But…” Gina protested.
Mercy gave her a quelling look and she shut her mouth. “I said I’m fine.”
“Gina?” Cade asked looking suspiciously between them.
Gina glanced over her shoulder where her mother honked the horn of their minivan thankful for the excuse to get away. “I have to go my mom’s here. See you later.”
“Yeah later,” Mercy said getting into the car as her brother held the door open for her. He closed her door once she was settled and got in the driver’s side, starting the car and backing out while she buckled her seat belt and stowed her bags at her feet.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked finally as he pulled out of the parking lot.
“No need,” she said laying her head back and closing her eyes.
“Alright kiddo, but Lucan’s not going to let this go easily.”
“You don’t have to tell him,” she muttered.
“You know I won’t, but maybe you should, that was no simple fall back there.” He turned up the music and let the subject rest confident she would come to them if she needed their help.
*****
Cade drove up the long driveway that lead to the two-story log cabin nestled in the side of the mountain they now called home. The house was situated a short drive outside of the small town where Mercy attended school and bordered a large expanse of national forest. The location offered them privacy to roam when in wolf form and a safe place to raise Mercy until she became one of them.
As Cade parked, Lucan stepped out on the front porch glancing at the watch on his wrist with a frown.
Mercy climbed out of the car anticipating his daily questions about her day, and he didn’t disappoint.
“How was your day?” he asked holding the door open, so she could enter the house.
“It was fine,” she answered placing her bag down, immediately noting a familiar scent that had her heat beating furiously as she peered around the spacious entryway for the owner. The woodsy, outdoor fragrance could only belong to one person and she forced herself not to run into his arms as he walked out of the living room to lean against the doorframe.
“Hey Angel, how have you been,” Alec said smoothly despite the urge he had to pull her into his arms and hold her close. The long year apart had only enhanced her beauty and he found himself staring shamelessly, devouring every change and committing it to memory.
Mercy was taken aback by his sudden appearance. After a year of not seeing him, she couldn’t help but gape like an idiot. His chestnut hair hung free in waves to his shoulders, his chocolate brown eyes made her melt, and his scent overwhelmed her senses. She wanted nothing more than to be close to him, to breathe his essence and have his arms around her. As if reading her thoughts, he took a step towards her and she found herself walking right into his arms.
“God Angel I missed you so,” he whispered.
His warm breathe sent tingles up her spine, her hands grew moist, and her breathing ragged. She pulled back knowing she had to say something in response. “So…ah…what brings you here?” She couldn’t hide the trembling in her voice, but did hide her hand
s behind her back so he would not notice them shaking.
“Dad sent me, so I can finish school and learn more about the business out here,” he answered his heart pounding in response to her reaction to him. “Besides, I missed my favorite girl, a long time has passed since I saw you last.”
She didn’t tell him she had missed him too. Didn’t mention how she had longed to have him with her while she recovered, especially during those first days when she was in constant pain and plagued by nightmares of the attack. He didn’t deserve to hear her say it, not after practically ignoring her for the last year. What he deserved was for her to walk away, to treat him as if he was unimportant, but she couldn’t do it. His gaze held her captive and she felt herself falling under the spell he always cast over her when he was near. All of the anger and rage she had been feeling dissipated until all that was left was a longing for him that was, as always overpowering and somewhat frightening.
The brothers exchanged a look of worry between them aware of the tremendous amount of emotion flowing between the pair. The bond between mates was strong even if one of them did not realize what was happening. They were depending on Alec to control his emotions and keep things under control, but they could see he was being pushed to his limit.
Lucan cleared his throat loudly and Alec blinked breaking their connection. A curtain lifted and his previous words sunk in to Mercy’s brain. “You’re going to school here? Where?”
“Your school,” he answered evenly despite the frantic beating of his heart. “We will be juniors together for the rest of the year.”
“Oh,” she murmured uncertainly. It all seemed surreal, as if she was in a dream. Behind her back, she pinched her arm, but found herself in the same place, living the same moment.