The weather is nice where I am. The grass is green. Long gone is the dried up winter grass, replaced with the flowers of spring. Is this a dream?
“Where are we?” I ask.
“You’re in a coma,” Pru replies. She’s wearing a long yellow nightgown with a matching robe. “It’s time for you to wake up.”
I’m not asleep, I’m fishing. The Oklahoma sun has been beating down on my shoulders all afternoon. “I’m fishing.” I watch as the sun glistens off her dark red hair. “Why don’t you have your clothes on? Oakley’s going to freak out if he sees you walking around half naked.”
“Abel, I need you to wake up. Oakley’s been arrested and I need you to get up and tell us what happened,” she pleas.
“Arrested? For what?”
“They say he used excessive force on three supernaturals and murdered them. He doesn’t remember what happened. He doesn’t remember anything at all.” She sits down on the ground next to me. “Abe, if he’s tried and found guilty, he’ll be executed.”
“He wasn’t even there, how could he be charged with anything?”
“My mom and him worked out a plan to follow you guys. His wolf couldn’t stand the idea of him not helping me. Another helicopter flew him to the warehouse. Arien flew with me to the hospital.” Pru drops her head to her chest in defeat.
“We didn’t kill anyone. Everyone was hog-tied, why would he kill them?” I look out on the pond, waiting for my line to be tugged. “Who said he killed them?”
She reaches over and puts her hand on my shoulder. “Shaynie.”
I feel my sunburned forehead wrinkle as my eyebrow curves up. “What? Shaynie said Oakley killed someone? “
“Abe, I don’t have time to chit chat, our pack needs you to wake up and save Oakley. Arien says Shaynie helped Tao escape.”
“Parker, is he okay?”
“For whatever reason she only shot a tranquilizer at him.”
“Our Shaynie? That’s bull-crap.”
“She’s not our Shaynie, she’s a traitor! She was a mole for Tao. I’m not sure what she did to Oakley to make him forget, but when I find out, I might be on trial too.”
I place my fishing rod into a pole holder so I can stand up and stretch my legs. I hold my hand out to her to help her stand. “I’ve tried to wake up, but I think they’re drugging me. Where’s Brianna? Is she okay?”
Pru grasps my hand and pulls me in for a hug. “Oh Abel, she’s pitiful. My mom and her dad have convinced the hospital to allow the two of you to be in the same room. Quinney thinks you can heal her since she’s your mate. He said that like other leaders who bond to their mate, they get sick when they’re apart. We’re hopeful that it will heal both of you. Please wake up.”
Brianna needs me and I’m out fishing. “I’ll try my best. Tell them to stop drugging me, it’s making my wolf too loopy.”
****************
The sounds of hushed voices wake me from a crazy dream. I struggle to open my eyes when I hear my mom’s voice.
“Abel?”
I look up into her dark blue eyes. The same eyes that have been watching over me my entire life are staring down at me now. “Mom,” I croak out. My throat is as dry as an Arizona desert. I’ve managed to say the one word and the entire room went silent.
“Oh, thank God! Baby, how’re you feeling?” Mom says. She hasn’t called me baby since my last hospital stay when I was eight.
I attempt to sit up but find it nearly impossible to lift my head from my pillow. “Can I have some water?” Mom holds a straw to my lips as I take a drink of water. “What happened?”
“You were shot,” Dolly replies.
“Why haven’t I healed?”
“That’s a good question. It has something to do with Brianna being sick too. We just had her moved to your room this morning. She woke up about three hours ago,” Pru answers.
I turn my head to my right and see Brianna. Our beds are so close that if we put the rails down, we’d be in the same bed. She reaches her hand over and I take it in mine. Without warning, flood gates of pain and suffering ripple through my head. Everything Brianna has been through since the fight is coming across to me via her memories. My eyes sting with tears as I think about the pain she’s been experiencing. Our pinkies loop together and for the first time in my life, I’m complete when I’m with her. Like a purpose has been given to me, and I’m not going to screw it up.
“I had the strangest dream about you telling me she’d be put in my room. You also said something about Oakley being arrested. Where is he anyway?”
Pru’s head cocks to the side and her eyes well up with tears. She’s biting her bottom lip so hard, she’s bleeding. “It wasn’t a dream….it’s true, Oakley is in jail.”
I audibly gasp at the thought of him behind bars. “You said it was Shaynie, was it?”
She shakes her head up and down, “Seems like it. I need you to get well for Oakley. He’d never do anything to disrespect our pack. That bitch has had us all fooled. I should’ve trusted my instincts; instead I went along with it and explained it away as jealousy.”
“Everything will be okay,” Dolly says to Pru.
It isn’t like Pru to be down on herself, but again, it isn’t every day that Oakley gets tried for murder.
****************
Dr. Dawson comes to the room to check on me. After looking at our wounds, he asks everyone to leave us for a while.
“Abel, I think you and Brianna will work better at healing each other if you’re alone. I’ve found werewolves to respond the best with touch. Your bodies should be touching in some way. You can hold hands, hug, play footsies, just as long as you’re touching. I’ll be back to check on you in an hour. No hanky panky,” he says and gives me a wink.
Brianna cautiously rolls to her side to face me. I do the same. The doctor lowered the rails before he left, giving us the freedom to be together. I drape my arm over her side and gingerly scoot closer to her.
“Abel, I’m sorry you were hurt because of me,” Brianna says tearfully.
I study every aspect of her face before answering her. “Bri, I’m not hurt because of you. Even if I were, I’d do it a thousand times over to make sure you’re safe. I don’t know if you want this or not, but I’d like for you to go back to America with me. It will give us a chance to know one another. My wolf wants to claim you today. I don’t want you to rush you, but damn, I need you.” I’ve never told another person, especially a girlfriend, that I need them.
A tear falls from her eye and rolls down her nose; I carefully lift my arm and wipe it away.
“Abel, yes, I’ll go with you to America. This might be strange, but is it okay for Violet to go with us?”
“It doesn’t sound strange. Why wouldn’t you want someone who you know to go across the world? Of course, I’ll send Dolly to talk to your alphas to clear it with them. I’d never steal someone from their pack.”
I lean my forehead forward and press it to hers. Warmth spreads throughout my body. Tingles of electricity tickle every nerve ending.
“What’s happening?” She whispers.
“I think our bond is melding together. I have to be honest with you. The first time I saw you at the pub I knew you were special. It’s good we’re wolves, or we’d have a tough time explaining how we became attached so fast. In the beginning, I tried to deny my feelings, to keep us casual. It didn’t occur to me that you were feeling the same way. You were weren’t you?” I tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.
“Violet can see auras, she told me that when she met you, that you and I have the same color aura. She said when we’re next to each other, they are blended together. The moment I saw you, I knew. My wolf jumped around like a schoolgirl with excitement.”
I scoot as close to her as I can without sprawling on top of her. “You have no idea how happy you just made me,” I whisper. She doesn’t have to say anything; I feel the chills run through her body. “You’re mine.”
&n
bsp; “I am, and you’re mine,” She grins from ear to ear. “I think my wounds healed a second ago, I feel great.”
I pause for a second when I realize I too am healed. “You’re right, I’m healed too.”
My hand reaches for the back of her head and I gently kiss her on the lips. She puts her hands around my waist. Her lips are soft and part slowly as our mouths explore each other. Quiet little moans escape her and my wolf nods in approval. I stroke her hair and press her closer to me. I can’t get enough of the feeling I have when I’m with her.
I pull back for us to catch our breath. My body is aching for her to be closer but my head is telling me to be a gentleman. Especially since we’re in a hospital bed which is in a hospital room and right outside is our wolf family with perfect hearing. That puts a damper on things every time.
“Let’s take a nap,” I sigh.
“I am a little tired.” Her eyes lazily close as the warmth lulls us to sleep.
****************
Chapter 12 Good-bye
My parents and I called room service for a private breakfast together. The time has come for me to talk with them about my adult life. The conversation I’ve been rehearsing in my head since last night has been comical at best. It isn’t as though they aren’t aware of my status among the wolves, but I’m still their baby boy. In their eyes I’ll always be a child.
Dad is cracking me up. He’s dieting for the marathon he’s running next month so he’s eating mostly protein. He’s cut his carbs and spends his evenings working out. Since he doesn’t work anymore, he started working on his body with diet and exercise. He secretly thinks he can be equal to one of us werewolves if he works out. I know this because I accidentally listened in on his thinking at the gym one night. Mom is a part-time nurse out at the Reservation. She does it because she loves her job and hates sitting home all day. I have enough money for us all to live in a comfortable manner for the rest of our lives. I’m always concerned for their safety so them being close to home is safer for them. You never know if someone will attack them to get back at me.
“The Council will be taking Oakley to Oklahoma today. They’re allowing one of our pack members to fly with them. It will assure everyone plays by the rules. Dolly told me they do the trials in the member’s home state. I guess if Oakley is found guilty, they can do a ceremony to strip the bond from him and Pru. It will give her a chance to be spared of his pain and mate with another person. Not mate - mate, you know what I mean.” I glance at them back and forth.
“What do we do? Will they execute him right away?” Mom asks. He’s one of her favorites. I’m sure it has nothing to do with his looks. At least that’s what I tell myself.
“No, they’re going to postpone his trial so we can try to resolve it without having it go that far. No one believes he did it without just cause, but when another werewolf in your pack accuses you of murder, the Council will listen. I’ve hired a private investigator to get more info on Shaynie, Ard, and Tao. They interrogated Bryon for four hours last night. This whole thing is a giant mess.” I grab a biscuit from the basket and slather it with jelly.
Dad sits back in his chair, he’s tapping his chin with his finger. “What happens to Shaynie? Will she be traveling with us back to the states?”
“No, she won’t. Could you imagine Pru on a flight with her? We’ve chartered a flight for all of us to fly alone. Brianna’s brother, Denny, will be escorting Shaynie to Oklahoma on a commercial flight. I’ve hired her an attorney to be our go to for information.” If I let Shaynie and Pru in the same room together, Pru would kill her, no doubt in my mind.
“Why would you hire her anything?” Mom asks.
“Because she’s officially a part of our pack. Even though it would be less than a one percent chance of Oakley doing it, I need to make sure she is treated fairly. I didn’t hire the dream team or anything, but someone who is trustworthy.”
Mom takes a drink of her coffee. “What are you doing about Brianna? There’s a lot of chatter about you and her being mated, is that true?”
I inhale before answering her. It’s awkward to use the word, mating, with my mom. “Yes, Brianna and I are meant to be together. It’s so crazy to think about her growing up in Ireland and the chances of her and I meeting was practically zero. Fate is always interesting to me. That’s why I wanted to talk to you two. I plan on asking her father for her hand in marriage. Do you think that’s corny?”
My mom’s hand is up to her mouth in shock. “Married? Why so soon?”
“Mom, it isn’t soon. We’re not humans, we’re werewolves with certain needs. My wolf needs her around and I won’t be comfortable unless she’s my wife.” I try to focus on slowing my heart rate down.
“Needs? You’re saying you want to have sex and that’s why you’re going to marry her?” Mom stands up from the table and starts pacing back and forth in the narrow hotel room.
I stretch my neck from side to side. Dad has a sheepish grin on his face. These two are impossible. “Needs as in werewolf needs. My wolf needs to be with her. We have to be close together. I’m not saying I don’t want to have sex, because I do. I’m not blind or non-hormonal. She’s my everything. You can probably drive yourself to work without dad popping into your thoughts every two seconds. Well, I can’t. She’s the other half to the Great Wolf. We’re all going to plan the wedding together, so it won’t be an overnight thing. When we get back to Oklahoma, we’re going to do a Handfasting slash wolf ceremony. It will ease our wolf and allow us to sleep together every night.” I watch as my mom’s jaw nearly comes unhinged from her face. “Again, not having sex. People really do sleep together without having sex. Am I going to make it to a wedding as a virgin? I don’t know about that, but I’m not going to flaunt anything like that in front of you.”
My dad is really grinning now.
Mom’s hand is on her forehead and she’s shaking her head back and forth.
“Mom, stop worrying. Here’s the other part of the deal. When we get back, your cottage will be finished. I talked to the contractor last night and he said you can move in next weekend.” I gave my parents two acres and had a little cottage built for them on the farm. It isn’t huge, but it will be a nice place for them to call home. All of us will be able to protect them if we’re close. I’m sure all the horsing around gets annoying to them. Growing up, our home was pretty quiet. Dad had to go to work at four in the morning, Allie and I had to be quiet in the evenings while he was asleep. I doubt they get much sleep now that they live with a pack of wolves.
“Sounds like everything’s under control son. I’m proud of you for taking this and running with it.” Dad says and pats me hard on the shoulder. “The contractor must have worked overtime to get the house ready so fast.”
“Yeah, they’ve been at it non-stop. Back to my question….is it corny to ask her dad for her hand?”
Mom plops down in her chair in shock. “No, it’s not corny.”
****************
Bryon went with me to help Violet and Brianna with their bags. Philip didn’t seem to mind at all that I want to marry his daughter. He gave me a hug and said he’d be honored for me to marry his daughter. Her Aunt Rosalie jumped around and clapped her hands together like a schoolgirl. They’re going to get their passport to come out next month for the Handfasting. They’ll come back for the wedding whenever we set the date. I refuse to get married without Oakley as my best man.
Before we left, Philip asked to talk to me privately. Everyone goes outside to load up the car.
“Abel, I received some disturbing news earlier this morning. Your inn-keeper, Kane, was spotted last night in a pub in Dublin. My source is reliable and happens to know MecKenzie and Kane very well. I don’t know if he was with anyone or if he was part of the attack on Pru. I’ll try to find out more information. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
I lean back in my chair, unable to reply. What in bloody hell is going on here in Ireland? So people who were friends of the pack
s are now enemies? MecKenzie acts genuinely upset over his kidnapping. “Wow, that’s a twist I didn’t see coming. Will you keep your ears open for any information about Kane? I’ll talk with MecKenzie to inform her he’s alive. Damn, Ireland has been eye-opening.”
“Things like this have never happened before. The Olympics are usually calm with a bar fight here and there. Nothing so dramatic as killings and kidnappings.”
“Thank you sir for telling me about Kane. I’ll talk with MecKenie when I get back to the hotel. Are you going to be at the rally tonight?” This is the final part of the Olympics. All the wolves who met their mates will be announced. They’ll tell us what they decided about the Seeker game. Tonight’s the night, I’ll step forward as The Great Wolf.
“I wouldn’t miss it son. I’ll come and say goodbye to Brianna in the morning. Keep her safe and thank you for taking Marc. He’ll be a huge asset to your pack and will be there for Brianna as she adjusts. Good luck with Violet, she’s a handful.” We both stand as he says handful.
I hold my hand out to him to shake. He pulls me in for a hug. His cologne tickles my nose as he holds me tighter than I’m comfortable with. He holds me for about five seconds too long. Now to gather up the courage to stand in front of a couple thousand werewolves as their alpha.
****************
We’ve changed our mode of transportation to a Hummer limo. It’s all black with shiny chrome accents. The first time I ever rode in one was at my junior prom. It’s hard to imagine life before I was a werewolf. I was a scrawny boy at sixteen, now I have trouble finding shirts big enough to go over my biceps. Working out with Parker does that to a guy.
Brianna and I lean back in the seat. We easily hold hands without it feeling forced. Nothing about being with her ever feels forced, it’s as natural as breathing.
“What’s the first thing you want to do when we get to America,” I ask Brianna.
She grins up at me, her eyes sparkle with excitement. “This might sound silly, but I want to go to one of those stores that sells cowboy boots and get a pair of boots. Do you have horses on your farm?”
The Great Wolf: A Legacy of Kilkenny Novel Book Three (The Legacy of Kilkenny Saga) Page 10