by Willow Cross
“Who can we trust, Thomas? Now that she's betrayed them, I'm sure most of our clans have our backs, but how many packs will we have to fight?” Jason asked.
Shaking his head, the older man sighed. “I don't know if all of them can be trusted. They're scared. Our pack has grown weak. For many years now, wolflings have been few and far between. With more old than young, well, I'm sure you can grasp the situation.”
Sarah began nervously tapping her fingers on the table. “What is their problem with me exactly?”
“New things have never gone over well with the Lycan people. To have a female lead, especially one of breeding age, is unheard of. There have been times in the past when females held command, usually the wife of a deceased leader, but they were much older and past child bearing years. And they were not Alpha status; they lead because the pack chose to have them.”
“I didn’t ask for any of this, why can’t they understand? It’s not like I woke up one morning and thought...Oh gee, I’m going to be a monster and spend the rest of my life pissing off other monsters.”
Thomas cleared his throat, but couldn’t quite keep the smirk from his face.
Sarah’s arms swung in a wide arc as she continued. “It’s ridiculous! Don’t they know I’d rather be in school and hanging out with my friends than be some prophesied leader for a bunch of jerks I’ve never met?”
“No, they don’t know, Sarah. They all think the same thing…any one of them would exploit an opportunity to control the pack. I’m sure many believe they'd accomplish great and terrible things if they had the power to do so--the sort of Alphas regaled in legends of old. And most, above all, don’t have any idea how a person raised outside the pack would think. The concept is completely alien to them.”
Thomas stretched and began pacing the kitchen. “We have to prepare for her return. The only way to do it is to call in the local clans. You have our clan, after the other night everyone in the Masada clan will follow you. We need to get the Indera and Rashuk on our side too. There are a few others that are close, but do not fall under my jurisdiction, we need those clans to join us. We only have a few days to get ready, kids, at full moon we are the strongest. That is when I believe she will come. And when she comes, it will be with a vengeance.”
“I don’t want this.” Sarah said.
“Neither do I,” Jason agreed.
“I can call the meeting, but that’s all I can do. Sarah, when you took over the clan you became the leader. Jason has little power over them now. Because you cannot shift, you cannot control the other clans. You two will have to do this together. It is the only way.”
Sarah dropped into a chair at the table. “Why can’t we just leave and the pack can go on like nothing ever happened?”
Thomas sighed and shook his head. He would love to tell the poor girl what she wanted to hear, but this was not the time for sugarcoating. “Sarah, you don’t understand Shana. If I had not kept her from searching, she would have found you both before Jason was old enough to turn and killed you then. She wants control. The only way she can get it is for me, and both of you, to die. She is not going to just limp away defeated. It is not in her nature to do so.”
“I hate this,” Sarah replied.
“I know,” Thomas answered as he moved towards the phone. “I have some calls to make. We’re running out of time.”
***
The slamming screen door jolted Sarah from her thoughts. Her eyes darted from the trees to the porch.
Leaning against a support beam, Thomas nodded at her, and pulled out a cigarette.
Sarah turned her body and head away from him and continued watching the woods. Although her gaze remained on the trees ahead, she could feel his eyes on her. A tendril of smoke floated past her head. Nose crinkled in disgust, she continued to ignore him. Silence deepened and became uncomfortable. “If you keep staring at me like that, you’re going to burn holes through my back,” she said.
“You’re doing very well, you know.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
A board squeaked and she heard and felt him move forward. Oh geeze, why can’t he just leave me alone?
“Look, I’m not trying--” Thomas grunted and paused as he lowered himself to sit beside her on the stoop. “--trying to bug you, child. I just think we need to have a little one-on-one time.”
She exhaled and resigned herself to yet another conversation she didn’t want to have. It wasn't that she didn't like Thomas, or appreciate what he was trying to do for them. For the most part, he was kind of fun to be around, but he had this way of going all fatherly on her. And she didn't like that. “Okay?”
After another pause, a ring of smoke floated out in front of her. “Your brother is really worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” And here we go. Now I'm going to get a daddy speech.
“You’re not fine. You’re anything but fine.” He leaned against the step behind and extended his legs.
“I’m fine. Jason worries too much.” She answered without looking at him. Allowing herself a mental sigh, she thought, I don't need another father. People that give a rat's ass about me die. Why doesn't he just leave me alone?
“He loves you.”
“I know.”
Thomas sighed. This wasn’t going as well as he’d hoped. He’d always liked children. For several years, he’d wanted children of his own. When it became clear Shana would not conceive, he’d given up. Now these two show up, and not just any two, Rodger’s two. And they were more important to him than he’d thought they’d be. Maybe it was the guilt. Years of feeling responsible for allowing the pack to put down Rod and Kate, might have lead to this attachment. Thomas exhaled and tried again. “Sarah, you know your dad was my best--”
“Yeah, you skipped out on him, and he died. Some friend.” Sarah glared straight ahead refusing to look at him.
“It was out of my hands. I didn’t want them to die. Regardless, I’m trying to help you now. Doesn’t that count for anything?”
Sarah’s eyes grew wide as she finally turned to face him. Her voice quivered with barely controlled rage. “What? Better late than never? We’re supposed to just be okay now? Let me remind you of something, I know what it feels like now. Having this power, this control…I know it now. You could have done something if you’d wanted. But what you wanted most was to be in charge. Both of my parents are dead because of you, and I will never forgive you for it.”
Thomas winced and looked down. “You’re right. I messed up bad. I was a coward and didn’t want to go against the pack, not even for my best friend.” His eyes rose to meet her glaring gaze. “I’m trying to make up for it. If I can keep you two safe, if I can help you take over, then in some way maybe that will partially make up for what I didn’t do before.”
“What do you want? Forgiveness? You expect me to just act like it never happened?”
He flicked his cigarette butt into the yard. “No, I don’t expect anything. Someday, I hope you’ll trust me, but even that is more than I deserve.”
She remained silent and nodded her head. For a moment guilt consumed her. She knew he was trying hard to make up for the past, but shortly the feeling receded. Like her parents, and Aunt Edna, Thomas would be better off if he had little to do with her and Jason. It was better before, when she thought no one wanted them. Now, she knew anyone daring to love them was destined to die.
Thomas watched her for a moment before continuing, “That’s not what I came to discuss with you. We need to talk about the meeting and what will happen. The power you felt the other night will not affect the other clans. They'll be in submission to you, only if they choose it. You must be strong and sure of yourself. Do not show signs of weakness.”
Color drained from her face as she met his gaze. “I don’t know how to do that. I’m--well, I’m just--”
Thomas smiled. “I know, you’re just you. But that’s fine, because you have a lot going for you girl. Now listen, this is what you need to do…”
/>
Chapter Eight
Four men waited outside Aunt Edna’s house. The dark tinted windows of the sleek black Chrysler made it difficult for even the nosiest neighbor to see who was inside. The street was quiet and deserted. From the surrounding houses, the faint tinkle of music and televisions could be heard. As soon as the sun disappeared over the horizon, and darkness settled over the sleepy neighborhood, a shadow slipped from the car and around the side of the house. Within minutes a light came on inside. Anyone watching would be able to see the slim dark figure move from room to room, but there was still no way to tell who or what was in there.
After a few minutes, the silent shadow returned to the car. There was a small click as the car door shut, and after a few moments, the car sped off into the night. Anyone paying attention might have observed the car had Nevada plates. They might have noticed the light never came on as the door opened, other than that, there was nothing to see. If the old lady across the street had once again been eavesdropping on her neighbors, she might have heard the conversation between the four before they sped off.
“It’s happening again,” the shadow said.
“Are you certain?” one asked.
“Positive. The scent is everywhere.”
“Are they still living here?” the oldest asked.
“The scent is fading. It’s been at least a month since they‘ve been here.” The shadow replied.
“This is not good. How could they have slipped us so quickly? We will need to double our efforts before the moon is again full.”
The shadow handed the old man a worn piece of paper. “I found this on the coffee table. The address is just a few hours from here.”
“Is it just the two or are there more?” asked the driver.
“There is no way to tell.” The shadow answered.
The wrinkled old man in the back seat finally spoke, “There will be more. There’s always more. They never settle with just two. If they hadn’t covered their tracks so well, we’d have rooted out this infestation months ago. David, get on the phone. We will need many to explore the land and discover what is there.” His mouth broke into a large nearly toothless grin. “We are going hunting my friends.”
As the car sped away, another shadow unseen by the neighbors, those in the car, or the nosey old lady across the street, slid away from the other side of the house and followed after. Anyone watching might have mistaken it for a dog, but it was larger and faster than the average dog, and unlike the average dog…it was deadly.
***
Music blared from the seedy rundown bar. As the bass thumped and bumped, glass vibrated in the windowpanes. The sign over the entryway offered cold beer and pretzels, while hanging from one rusty hinge. There was nothing around for miles, just corn and bean fields. The black Chrysler pulled into the parking lot and the occupants entered the dilapidated structure.
On the scarred linoleum dance floor, two young women undulated in perfect rhythm with each other, completely engrossed in the music. They were mirror images, both tall and lean with dark skin and beautiful long black hair. Except for their exotic green eyes, they had a Native American look to them. The four men silently watched and waited to be recognized.
In the back of the large room, two men hovered over what appeared to be a map. A weathered old woman sitting behind the bar gave them a slight nod and went back to reading a book. As the song ended, the dancers turned and acknowledged the arrival of the men, motioning for them to take a seat at the nearest table. As they sat, the bartender brought a tray of draft beer, plopped it on the table, and returned to her perch to read.
“Why do you always want to meet up here? I hate the smell of this place,” one man said.
The women laughed in unison and replied, “We like it here. Who’s the new guy?”
The old medicine man chuckled and shook his head. “Some things never change. Girls, meet Greg. Greg, these are my two best hunters, Ashley, and Heather.”
Greg’s jaw dropped. When the old man had said they were meeting with expert hunters, he had no idea they were women, let alone women pretty enough to be models.
Both girls laughed at his reaction.
“We get that a lot,” Ashley laughed.
“Yep, all the time,” Heather chimed in.
The old man leaned back in his chair and called out to the two men in the back of the bar, “That’s enough Ken, you and Mike get over here and join the meeting. We have many things to discuss before we can set out.” Looking back at the group he went on, “Those are my expert trackers. When they get on the scent, nothing escapes.”
“I thought he was your expert tracker,” David laughed then elbowed Greg in the side saying, “We are all experts at something, but Jonny is Gramps favorite.
“He is more than just a tracker. Ain’t that right, Jonny? We don’t call him shadow man for nothing.” The old man chuckled.
As the other two men joined the group around the table, the old man got down to business. “We have an unknown number of dogs to catch, and unfamiliar territory to cover. The only thing we are certain of is that the one we are searching for is enormous and deadly. He has already killed several people. If it weren’t for all the newspaper articles, we’d never have found him. We must get in there and find out how many are there, who they are in human form, and call in reinforcements if necessary. It will take some time for the other hunters to arrive. Five are still on the reservation.”
“I’m all about dog catching, Grandpa, but how are we supposed to take out the beast when we don’t know how many friends are in the pound with him?” Ashley asked.
The old man laughed and leaning forward said, “That’s where you little darlings come in. Let me tell you what I have in mind…”
Outside, a shadow waited just under an open window, listening intently. As the night wore on, another larger shadow joined it and the two quietly kept watch on the bar and its occupants.
Chapter Nine
Three nights after the confrontation at the cabin, the clan leaders were seated and waiting for Thomas to begin. Those that hadn't participated in the battle already knew about Shana’s betrayal. Shocked and concerned with the prospect of another battle with the Savata clan, quiet chatter filled the room.
Thomas raised his hand and the crowd became quiet. “You all know why we're here. I don't believe it's a surprise to any of you that Shana is determined to run this pack. Bringing in another pack to fight our own was tantamount to genocide. Her betrayal could’ve been met with death. Instead, Sarah has barred her from returning to these lands. Personally, I believe this was the right thing to do.”
The short, stocky, Indera clan leader yelled out, “Exile is too good for her! Intentionally putting the pack in harm’s way is against the primary law. Is this how low we've sunk? Now we won't even consider ridding ourselves of those who would kill us?”
“Enough, Roderic. Considering she's a seventeen year old girl, I thought she made a wise decision. Had she sentenced Shana to death, how many of you would have trusted her then? How many of you would have wondered when it would be your turn on her hit list?”
Grumbles, punctuated by several nods, flitted throughout the group.
A petite woman with shoulder length auburn hair lifted her hand.
“Yes, Ruby?” Thomas nodded his head in her direction.
“I guess I'm just dense. I was there. I was just as shocked as everyone else when Sarah released her. How could this have happened? We've known Shana her whole life. How could she pit us against a larger pack, knowing that some--if not most--of us would die? I know she's power hungry, but for the love of Mike! I thought she was my friend.”
Lowering his gaze to the floor, Thomas answered, “I can't tell you that. I probably know her better than any of you, and even I didn't think she was capable of this. Even after she sentenced her own family to death, I did not see this side of her. Maybe I didn't want to.”
It was an easy decision for the clans to follow the will
of Thomas; he had led them for several years and had always made good decisions. Besides, the pack always stuck together. Always. To deviate from the primary law would be the downfall of the pack. Everyone knew that.
Thomas cleared his throat. “We are living in dangerous times, folks. It was brought to my attention that Shana and the Savata are not our only worries. Last night our watchers called. The hunters are on the move again, and it appears they have finally found us. That is why we are holding the meeting here instead of our new Alpha’s home.”
Many gasps escaped those listening. For years, they’d managed to live without drawing attention to themselves. Every man, woman, and child would be in danger now, regardless of whether they had reached shifting age or not. Hunters were ruthless. When they found a pack they exterminated everyone from newborns to old woman. They had no mercy.
“Which group, Thomas?” asked the Indera leader.
“White Horns.”
Jaws dropped and color drained from faces before everyone began talking at once. The White Horns were renowned in the Lycan community. Lycans all over the world knew and feared their name. They were relentless in their pursuit. Hundreds, possibly thousands, had died at their hands.
“Look folks,” Thomas silenced them, “We need to settle some of this stuff and then deal with not just White Horn, but Shana and the Savata as well. Let’s make this quick…Anyone here have a problem with Jason taking over as pack leader with Sarah as his second?” Thomas looked around waiting for someone to speak up.
Everyone remained silent.
“Okay, fine. Jason is now Alpha, and I am stepping down. At Jason’s request, I will stay on only in the capacity as director of our forces. However, mind you this--Jason’s word is final on everything-- there will be no dissension. I will help with strategies and planning, only because he’s asked me.”