CL
The thunder of voices struck a cord with me. I was standing in the otherwise empty hallway and I could hear the joyous tones of the pack. At that moment I felt nothing but rage; a violent rage that made me feel like Gabriel – which made me even more aggravated.
How could everyone ne so carefree? My parents, the mid-ranking pair, part of the pack were missing and they were making toasts and opening champagne.
I shook myself in attempt to rid myself of the feeling. For a second my skin tingled, felt like it was asleep. As the spasm shook my limbs I jogged back upstairs.
I couldn't handle a party. I didn't want a party.
When I reached the top of the steps the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. I shivered, but pushed through the cold. My room was freezing and I was numb with chattering teeth by the time I changed into my jogging shorts.
"Are you leaving?" Cassiel asked from the bottom of the stairs. I took one step at a time and went at a snail speed, because I couldn't see since I had my sweatshirt halfway over my head.
"Just for a run." I walked past my friend because I knew he wouldn't stop me. However, I hadn't been counting on his brother standing in my way.
"Not a chance." Gabriel leaned against the front door with his arms crossed over his chest. He definitely had a brooding things going on. He twirled his index around in a , turn around, fashion. "That's your party."
I glared at him, "I didn't ask for a party."
"I don't understand you." Gabriel hissed, "You've been driving us all up the wall because you couldn't wait for your birthday and your change, and now you're telling me you want us a shove it."
I growled and rolled my eyes violently, "I wouldn't have worded it like that."
"Doesn't matter." Gabriel stepped in front of my path, placed his hands on my shoulders, and spun me around. "At least smile for the pack. They worked on this party."
I shoved Gabriel's hands away and stalked into the kitchen.
Before I made my entrance Gabriel roughly grabbed my arm, "Be nice." He growled.
The entire pack had showed up. They were all waiting for me, it seemed, because once I stepped through the threshold all eyes were on me.
""The girl of the hour!" Martin howled, "Thank god you're here. We want cake."
I struggled to laugh, and I scanned the crowd. Alexander stood out, probably because of his alpha strength, and my eyes were drawn to him. He watched me without an expression. He was studying me. No doubt that he saw a lost, hurt, and confused girl, because his eyes turned warm a second later.
Then, all at once, I had people swarming around me.
"You look so grown up."
"I can't believe you've finally come of age! It just seems like a few years ago you were wearing your floaties in the lake."
"How are you feeling?"
"I remember my first change. I got stuck half between human and wolf for three hours…"
Then I got to Michael; or rather he got to me.
His warm callused hand wrapped around my arm and bent down so his lips were against my ear, "It'll be over soon. Then you can run as far as you want."
"As long as I have an escort, right?" I half-heartedly joked back.
Michael didn't release me like I thought he would. Instead he led me around the rest of the party. I was piled down with gifts by the time we came to a stop. Thankfully we stopped near a couch. I plopped right down and put my presents on the coffee table. The beta sat on my right and Cassie was on my left.
I looked around and saw Greg walking up to us, with his guitar at his sides. I perked up a little.
He must have felt my gaze on him, because Greg met my eyes instantly. A slow, bashful, smile grew over his lips. "I didn't know what else to do for your birthday." He admitted, almost embarrassed.
Greg walked over so he was almost over top of me, and took a seat on the edge of the coffee table. "I hope you like it." He whispered. I was surprised I heard him, but I had.
He experimented with the cords for a few seconds before starting to play a very familiar tune.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." Greg ducked his head shyly as he started, but didn't stammer. His voice was deep and smooth and gave me goosebumps. It seemed like the Durand's were the only ones who could do that. "You make me happy, when skies are gray."
He glanced up, sneaking a glance at my tear rimmed eyes, and a slow agonizing smile twitched at his mouth, "You'll never know dear, how much I love you."
"Please don't take my sunshine away." Michael, and a few others, including Alexander who was standing behind the couch near my head, sang along with the last line.
Then the song changed completely, "You're walking on sunshine." Everyone sand the ooohooo and I laughed, "And don't it feel good!"
He sang a few more lines before standing up and taking a very eccentric bow. "Did you like it?" Greg asked, deeply, when his face was near mine.
I kissed his cheek, "You make me walk on sunshine." I whispered back.
Greg kissed my cheek back, before standing back up. He nodded at his father, than at Alexander, in respect and then sat on the nearest available chair.
"I need a drink." I said after a while.
Cassie stood with me, "We'll be right back." He told his brother.
Cassiel looked his arm through mine as we slipped through the crowd. I nudged his shoulder playfully and let out a sigh of relief as I saw a bottle of cold water waiting for me in the fridge.
"You don't seem that miserable." Gabriel's voice made me tense.
I took a long swig of water, "I wish my parents were here." I confessed; so low that Cassiel didn't hear.
Gabriel fidgeted, "I'm not good at comforting." He came closer, "I'm better at yelling."
I laughed gently.
Then Gabriel sighed heavily, "I'm not good with presents either, but I'm giving you a 'win fight token', which means you can make me miserable, once, with my permission."
I laughed harder that time.
Then, Gabriel nicked my shoulder with his knuckles and backed out of the room. "Don't be too long. I think Pavel's going to pull out the karaoke."
"Oh, we won't miss that." Cassiel responded, excitedly.
I turned my back on Cassie and the rest of the kitchen, but paused before closing the fridge door. "Do you want one?" I asked over my shoulder.
I barely caught Cassiel's gaze when a shock crawled up my back. I jerked and the water slipped from my grasp. The liquid splashed on the floor and soon seeped through my tennis shoes.
"Are you," I didn't hear the rest.
My insides heaved and I staggered to keep my balance as pain washed over me. I whimpered and fell against the counter in shock.
I vaguely recognized that Cassiel was beside me. He picked up the water bottle, placed it on the counter, and turned his wide with terror eyes on me. As
I had no control over my body. A spasm ran up my back and I crashed down on my knees. The wood floor sliced through my bone and coursed through my legs. I could have cried out in pain, if I weren't so busy trying to breathe.
"Dad!"
Footsteps crowded me, but I couldn't make anything else out. I buckled over as my stomach lurched. My skin burned and I started rubbing my arms in attempt to rid myself of the feeling. It was like something was inside my stomach. I could feel claws trying to rip through my human flesh.
"Dad, do something!"
Then, as spasms took over my body, I screamed.
I curled into a ball and struggled against the arms that had wrapped tightly around my mid drift.
"Relax, my pup, stop fighting it."
Sharp pain, like daggers, erupted through me and then everything started to go black.
"You're safe." The voice whispered into my ear, "You're safe."
I went limp in the man's arms as the pain and darkness completely took over.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Whatever I was laying on was hard. I sighed uneasily and squeezed my eyes shut as pa
in shot through my spine. For a second I thought about getting up, but that moment passed, quickly, when I heard a very pissed off voice.
"You really hate confiding in people, don't you?"
I wanted to roll my eyes, but I couldn't even open my eyes.
From the way his voice got louder and softer, I could tell Gabriel was pacing. "Is it a trust thing? You don't think we'll care whether or not you're in pain? Or are you just stupid?"
"Gabriel," Alexander sounded frustrated, and that put me on edge more than Gabriel's seething tone. "Can you put your rant on pause for a few minutes?"
I would have gloated at my win, if my head weren't pounding so hard. I felt like I had been run over by a car, slammed into a wall, and then beaten in the temple with a sledge hammer. It definitely wasn't something I ever wanted to experience ever again.
Then I felt something graze against my left leg. Seeing as I was lying on my back, with my stomach exposed, I snapped my eyes open and pushed myself up until I was sitting.
That was the biggest mistake I ever made in my lifetime. I groaned painfully, applied pressure to the side of my forehead, as the earth started to shift.
"Lie back down." Michael commanded. He touched my shoulder and gave me a light push, but I didn't move. I was stuck between up and down, with no where to go but into more pain.
"Is she going to change?" I heard my brother, but I couldn't pinpoint where he was. Hell, I still couldn't figure out where I was.
"Elaine," Previously, Michael had been the beta of the pack. He'd given me an order in that 'ask no questions' tone of his, and had expected nothing less than for me to lay back down. However, now, his tone was velvety soft, with a hint of a growl in the back of his throat; that didn't sound angry to my ears.
I groaned again, "Make it stop."
Michael gently lowered me back down to the grass. I squeezed my eyes shut as a wave of nausea rushed through my abdomen.
Then, just when I was beginning to feel close to healthy, someone poked me in the knee. I pried open my eyes and realized that I was in the backyard of the pack house, which explained the prickly 'carpet'.
I blinked a few times until everything evened out. Getty was to my left. His eyes never left his hands, which were busy poking and prodding every joint on my left side, while Michael pulled out something from the doctor's bag.
Getty wasn't a threat, and I knew Michael wouldn't let Gabriel attack me, so I closed my eyes.
Then, someone cleared his throat.
I opened my eyes and opened my eyes to ask a question, only to have a blinding light shone into my eyes.
I groaned unhappily and attempted to wring myself out of the beta's hold. Michael smirked, "Stay still." He flashed the light back into my eye a second later and I growled. I knew that Michael didn't find it that amusing that time, because his hand tightened around my arm. Funny, I hadn't realized, before, that he had grasped my bicep.
"Getty, tell me what's going on." Josh's demanding voice made me cringe. Michael seemed to tense up a little as well. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed my brother pacing like a mad blood hound about seven feet away.
Getty tapped his knuckles against my neck and an uncontrollable shudder ran up my spine. Getty mumbled a few German words, but I only heard fuzzy vibrations, for a new wave of pain had taken over my senses.
"What are you doing to her?" Josh's wolf came out through his vocals.
I tried to pull away from the two men, but they wouldn't release me. I curled into a ball and wailed in pain as shocks ran through my shoulders and up my neck. I rolled onto my side and vaguely felt Michael's hand rub my back. I felt like throwing up, but it was coming. I wasn't sure if I should be happy about that or not.
"Tell me what's going on!" Josh growled in rage. I heard a struggle, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Gabriel restraining Josh by his left arm and his neck. Throw some mud in, and you'd have yourself a very entertaining wrestling match.
After a few more seconds Getty stood up. I watched him as he gathered up his bag and swung it over his shoulder, "It was a false change, Alexander. She'll be fine after some rest."
Alexander, who, I now noticed had kneeling in the grass a few feet away, stood, "Thank you, Getty." The doctor nodded before taking his leave.
Josh let out a strangled cry and I jumped; which didn't exactly help my headache. When I saw the state my brother was in, I pushed myself up so I was sitting on my knees. It was impossible to ignore the pain, but I focused on the real problem at the moment.
I couldn't believe he was that upset, over the false change. Sure, I wasn't that happy about it, nor did I like the fact that I had passed out during my birthday party, but I wasn't going to have a heart attack because of it… unlike Josh, apparently.
He looked like that werewolf in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. He was half changed, with a crazed look in his eyes, and drool running down his fanged mouth. Thick bunches of dark fur ran up his legs and chest, while his back remained bare and tan. His face was the demented part of him. While his mouth was pure wolf, his eyes and ears were completely human.
I wanted to say something funny, but I thought the pain would keep me from throwing my brother into a further frenzy.
"And you thought I needed the doctor?"
…And, apparently, pain did nothing except make the horizon sway like a see-saw.
Josh shook and Gabriel was thrown to the ground. He let out a tight cry, which was just as sickening as the thud he made when he landed.
"Josh," I winced, but recovered quickly, as soon as my brother's animal eyes turned to me. "Knock it off. I don't have enough tolerance for this tonight."
"That's not helping, pup." I jumped and spun around to see Alex standing over me. Even though I stopped moving, the ground didn't. I started to sway, just like the earth, and toppled over.
Vaguely, I heard Alexander let out a growl, "Gabriel," He commanded, "Take Josh to the AM room. Michael, help me with Elaine."
Before he even finished his last sentence, my stomach lurched and I threw up. Thankfully I hadn't had cake, or that would have really put a damper on my birthday. I groaned and rolled over so I was facing away from my mess.
"I have you." Michael's deep voice whispered into my ear. My muscles relaxed slightly when I felt two strong arms wrap around me. He lifted me up, pulled me close to his chest, and kept me perfectly even as he stood.
As we walked into the pack house Alexander came up beside us, "I'm sorry sweetheart, but no cake for you."
I scrunched up my nose in disgust and buried my face into Michael's chest. Michael responded by tightening his hold on me. Then, I closed my eyes, and let him take control. I didn't even know where he was taking me, until my head hit my pillow.
"How about Halloweentown?" Cassiel's voice startled me. I jerked, still partly in Michael's arms, and found the cousins around my room.
Cassiel was on the end of my bed. Movies were spread out in front of him, and in his lap. His eyes were worried and hopeful, while his hands continued to fidget with the DVD's, because too much of a serious situation disturbed him to no end.
Pavel was perched on my window. He had one foot propped up beside him, while the other dropped to the floor. His gaze was penetrating and totally different than Cassie's. Sure, he was concerned, but there was something else. But then again, he could be more serious than Alex's youngest son.
Then there was Greg. He was lounging on the bed beside me. He had one arm tucked under his neck, while the other was draped over his stomach. Instead of looking at me, like the others, he was watching his dad. I noticed that his guitar was leaning against my bed.
"Michael, can we use your TV?" Cassiel asked a few seconds later.
Michael released me extra carefully. I noticed that when he addressed his brother, he didn't take his eyes off me. "I think Elaine should sleep." I didn't object. Instead, I closed my eyes and curled up in my blankets. Someone draped the comforter over me, and I snuggled deeper into it.
"That false change took a lot out of her." Michael mumbled. I wasn't sure if he was talking to anyone in particular, or just to himself.
"What exactly is a false change?" Cassiel asked with hesitation.
"Yeah, I never had one." Pavel commented.
Michael sighed heavily, and I heard his weariness. "It's her wolf trying to come out." That got my attention. I opened my eyes and tried to sit back up, but this time Greg pushed me back down. I narrowed my eyes at him, which only caused Michael's son to grin.
"Why didn't it?" Cassiel asked. I glanced at him, and saw that he was now sitting on the floor. He had his back against the dresser with his legs stretched out in front of him.
I turned back to Michael; waiting for his response, "Her wolf won't be fully ready for the change, until her first full moon."
"Did you tell my wolf that, because it seemed pretty set on coming out tonight?" I grumbled, and laid my head back down on the pillow. It was cool to the touch, unlike my forehead, which suddenly felt feverish.
Michael glanced down at my briefly, before turning back to Cassie, "She must have felt threatened. Her wolf was coming out in a protective reflex."
"Either that, or she was really pissed off." Pavel joked.
I inwardly rolled my eyes, but didn't say anything. I couldn't move. I was so exhausted, I felt too sore and tired to even put energy into falling asleep.
What the guys said made sense, I guessed. I was pissed. I didn't want a party. What I wanted for my birthday couldn't be given to me in a box. I wanted my parents. I wanted my pack back, without scars.
"Can you play something for me?" I mumbled into my pillow.
There was a pause before Greg answered. "You're my favorite audience." he nudged me in the side. I grinned faintly, but it turned upside down when I felt the bed shift. I went to open my eyes, but Greg cut me off, "I don't know all the words."
"That is such a lie." Cassiel chuckled. "You're a werewolf. Werewolves don't forget anything."
The bed shifted again, but this time I didn't know why. I opened my eyes, blinking against the light, and saw Michael grinning at his son. He had sat down beside me. My arm grazed against his leg.
"You just don't want to sing it." Pavel teased.
Howl (Howl Book 1) Page 30