by Ines Johnson
She indicated the trough where one of the ill sheep’s noses was pressed against the bars. “Just give her a cup full. Too much will upset her stomach.”
He did as she instructed. He dipped into the bag and pulled out a palmful. He eyeballed the seed in his hands, and then sprinkled some back into the bag until he appeared sure it was the right amount.
“This was my senior project,” she said. “The university thought they could market the blend to stores. I thought it would earn me a spot as a Junior Professor, but I left school with no teaching offers. Not even an offer from one of the seeding companies.”
“They’re all fools. But their loss is your family’s gain.” He measured another handful before placing it into the next trough.
“Why are you still here, Pierce? Do you need money or something?”
He grinned. “No, I’m good. I know how to live off the land.”
“Then why?”
He looked at her, all trace of humor gone. “Because you still need my help.”
She turned to hide her disappointment at his simple statement. Could he simply be a good guy? Was there such a thing in this world?
She led him to the next stall. He measured and poured seed into the trough. This sheep didn’t get up so easily. It raised its head and then lowered it once more. Viviane read over Tia Bianca’s notes on the ewe. The poor thing was suffering from a form of vibriosis.
“We’ll need to mix in a bit of hay with her seed,” Viviane said. “But she may not eat anything at all.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“She has an infection. It caused her to loose her lamb.”
They both were silent as they gazed down at the wailing sheep. Viviane could only take its low moans for so long before she turned and walked to the last stall. Pierce measured out another handful of seed and placed it in the final trough. This sheep came over on unsteady legs and ate slowly.
“This one looks like he’ll make it,” said Pierce.
“He’s just hungry. There’s not enough brush to go around. Someone always gets the short end.”
“You know, there was brush in the vineyards on the way here. What happens with those bushes after they pick the grapes?”
“I don’t know?” she said.
His words tumbled around her brain. She’d read something about sheep eating the weeds and brush in vineyards. It was experimental but maybe it could work. Her head throbbed at even thinking about dealing with not one but two stubborn alphas and convincing them to try something new.
“I can see that your mother is a little… overbearing,” Pierce said as they moved away from the final sheep. “But she loves you.”
“She has a funny way of showing it.”
“My mother tried to steer me into a life I could never be satisfied living. She did it because she knew that the life I was headed towards would be a lonely one. I couldn’t get out of the city fast enough, but I don’t feel stymied out here. There’s so much land. I’m not ready to be on my own again. I can hang around for awhile longer.”
“You don’t have to do that.” She sounded to her own ears like a broken record repeating the same tune. But she knew at any moment the song would ring true. He’d leave.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I’d like to leave my mark on the world. I know the cub isn’t mine, but I’d like for your family to have some good stories to tell him or her about me.”
“Listen, Pierce, there’s something I didn’t tell you.”
He waited patiently.
Viviane worried her bottom lip with her teeth.
Pierce leaned against the wall as though he had all night.
Finally, Viviane spit it out. “My professor, the baby’s father, he wasn’t a wolf”
“Oh,” Pierce’s eyebrows rose. “Fae?”
Viviane shook her head.
Pierce narrowed his eyes. “Warlock?”
Viviane jerked back in shock. “No.”
Neither said the third option.
Pierce let out a long, low sigh. Then he reached out and brought her into his arms. For the second time tonight, Viviane didn’t resist being cradled by another. Pierce smelled of wool, of wind, and something uniquely him.
“It’s okay, Vivi. We’ll figure it out.”
She wanted to tell him that this wasn’t his problem to solve. It was hers. Instead, she let him take some of the load.
“I didn’t think he loved me, or anything as silly as that,” she admitted.
“He was an idiot if he didn’t fall for you.”
“I didn’t love him either. I’m not stupid.”
“Falling in love is not an act of stupidity. It’s magic. You’re worthy of that magic.”
“I’m bossy,” she admitted. “I’m a perfectionist. I might be a bit of a control freak.”
“Sometimes,” he agreed. “But only when you’re right about something. Your ideas are good. I’ve seen you uncertain, and when you are, you’ve listened. To me, at least.”
Viviane pulled away and looked up at his face. He swiped a stray strand of hair from her temple. She saw that there was earnestness in his strong features.
“I won’t leave until we have a plan,” he said. “Promise.”
But he was going to leave. She could never forget that. She nodded and pulled away from him. He released her and her weight. She didn’t waver once she was out of his embrace. Viviane walked out of the barn on two unsteady feet.
Chapter Fifteen
Pierce slowed his pace. His chest puffed out, but not in exertion. He’d been running the perimeter of the herd for an hour. The sheep heeded his guidance and kept within the perimeter he set. They moved at a leisurely pace, searching the sparse patches on the ground for sustenance.
Bo kept up the rear, pushing the stragglers on. Peep flanked Gloria who led the herd deeper into the meadow. It was easy to lose sight of the dogs and the she-wolf in the herd. The sheep’s wool was mostly white with a dusky tan to light brown coloring. Much like the dogs’ and Gloria’s coat. Much like Pierce’s own coat.
The sun was high in the sky. Not a cloud in sight. The valley was lush with grass, but the sheep mostly passed over the shards in search of the rough brush they preferred.
A young lamb jumped past Pierce, more interested in play and exploration than food. Pierce’s first instinct was to corral it back into the herd. He looked out at the vast greenery. What could it hurt if he let the young buck a little slack on the leash?
Bo called out a string of three, rapid yelps. Pierce’s ears perked at the hound’s call of inquiry. He signaled the dog with a single, sharp bark. Then he took a few steps towards the lamb. He gave a low whine and sat down on his haunches.
Bo’s intelligent gaze flicked between Pierce and the lamb. Her tail lowered. Her ears flattened. She bobbed her head in acknowledgment, then turned and caught up the rest of the herd.
Pierce’s eyes softened. His tongue lolled as he looked after Bo. In such a short time he’d become an accepted and trusted member of this small, ragtag pack. He turned his attention to the curious lamb.
Living in the city, he was used to running in special parks designated for wolves. Those yards were so unlike this vast meadow. The city’s manicured, manufactured grass didn’t need water. The natural boundary was a chain-link fence. He’d never run in an open field as a child.
His parents had once taken him to an amusement park for wolves. It had been a national park called Yellowstone. Pierce had loved the experience. It was the first time he’d felt no anxiety, no restlessness. As soon as he was old enough, he’d gone back to the park and ran for a full night. He’d ventured to other parks and scenic wonders. He’d been on his way to Cozumel, Mexico and the ancient ruins there before he’d been waylaid by Viviane.
Pierce rolled his neck and caught sight of the ever-present Moon. It had been the last thing he’d seen when he’d closed his eyes yestereve. He’d kept his gaze trained on the Moon, looking up. If he had looked dow
n, he would’ve been met with a hell of a lot of temptation.
Viviane had lain in the cradle of his arms. She’d fallen into a peaceful sleep the moment her head met his chest. Pierce had stared at the peace on her face. He’d swiped a curl away from her brow. Then he’d pulled the sheet up to cover her hips. His hand had brushed her belly. He’d felt movement there.
The movement had startled him and he’d taken in a deep breath. The cub’s scent was growing more and more distinct with each sunset. Pierce was compelled to place his hand on Viviane’s belly. When he did so, the cub gave him a little kick. Pierce kept his hand there for long moments, feeling the flutters of new life in the palm of his hand.
Soon the cub settled down along with its sleeping mother, and Pierce was left awake. His gut was full of want. This could all be real. It could be his. But down at the bottom of the bed his feet were restless, itching to run. He held still. He held on to Viviane, giving her the peace of mind he’d promised her. He’d hold on for as long as he could.
Now, he inhaled under the light of the new day. His nostrils flared. His ears perked. There was a new smell.
It smelled wrong.
Pierce rose to his full height on four legs. He spied it. A coyote made its way to the lamb.
Pierce sprang into action. He sent up a series of warning howls. The coyote slowed, looking for the source of the danger. It spotted Pierce, then appeared to look around. Pierce would’ve sworn the beast’s muff grinned like a hyena when it saw that he was on his own. The predator’s hackles went up in challenge.
Pierce stepped forward in acceptance. A fight was exactly what he needed to run the desire for a certain she-wolf out of his body. He let out a low growl before he pounced. And then-
Two large dogs leaped over him and pummeled the coyote with their paws. Pierce was left in stunned, impotent immobility. The lamb had long since made its way back to the protection of the herd.
Bo and Peep came away with blood on their muffs. They nodded at Pierce and then rejoined the herd, leaving the mangled body of the coyote behind for lesser predators. Pierce’s wolf let out a low whine. Would he ever get a chance to fight a battle in this tribe of females?
He turned and headed back to the herd. Gloria stood sentry. She glared at him. Had she seen him take his eyes off his responsibilities? Pierce worried that she may think his decision wrong for having let the lamb play, for having drifted off in a daydream about her daughter. Would she send him away for putting the pack in danger?
Wouldn’t that be the answer to this situation? If Gloria sent him packing, he’d have to walk away instead of sneak out. Pierce held his breath and waited for the Alpha’s verdict.
Gloria gave a signal; a guttural howl. The dogs and the sheep turned en masse and headed back toward the homestead. She gave a glance over her shoulder when she noticed he was immobile. She gave a shake of her head, indicating he should follow as the rest of the herd did. And so, he did.
It all amazed Pierce how they followed her without question, as though they knew who they belonged to and where they belonged. Even with the hunger in their bellies, the sheep followed. Pierce kept up the rear.
Once in view of the ranch, he and Gloria shifted back to human. Pierce immediately went for his clothing. Gloria came over and studied him. Pierce hopped into his pants. He would never feel comfortable with his girlfriend’s mother seeing him naked.
Not that Viviane was his girlfriend. He stumbled as his pinky toe caught in the cuff of his pants. By the time he’d slipped on his shirt, Gloria had slipped on a sundress -thank the Goddess.
Gloria studied him for few moments more. “You’re not the type of wolf I expected my daughter to end up with.”
“Wrong gender?” Pierce chuckled.
Gloria shrugged. “I always expected her to bring home a professor. Probably a human.” She spat the last word out with distaste.
Pierce twisted his lip, but then he let his tongue loose. “Some of my best friends are human. My family is mixed. I have a witch as a sister-in-law.”
Gloria reared back in shock. “A witch? It’s a wonder you grew up so well bred.”
A double negative. Viviane told him that was Gloria-speak for a compliment. Pierce hadn’t expected a compliment after his slip earlier, but he took it.
“The Luna Festival is in two nights,” she said. “I don’t know what they teach you city pups, but during Luna we celebrate the night the Moon Goddess overtook the sun.”
Pierce nodded. “In the city all kinds take part in the Moon festivities. Wolves, witches, fae, and even humans.”
She raised her eyebrows at that. “You mean the sapiens venture out into the evening without a nightlight?”
Pierce chuckled. “What do you have against the humans?”
She frowned. “If you believe the legends, they are the ones that caused the imbalance that brought us out of orbit. They are the ones whom this planet was entrusted to. But they nearly killed us all.”
“Then aren’t they the ones who made our kind possible? It was through their destruction that we were born.”
She regarded him. Pierce saw a decision forming at the tip of her elegant brow.
“In the Sonora the Luna Festival is the time for us to gather as family. We show our gratitude to the Moon according to the old ways. You know the old stories?”
Of course Pierce knew the old stories. He’d read them in school. All beings knew of the fable of the Moon. The fable went that once upon a time there were many suns, but only one Moon. To gain the Moon’s favor, the suns had a competition. Humans would call that a war. Legend had it that ten suns lined up to fight for the Moon’s favor.
At the time, the moon was a small body in the sky. She was only a crescent moon, as she had not known a male. One sun rose above all and shot out the other nine. That sun won her favor. For his trouble the gods gifted him with immortality in the form of an elixir. But he loved the Moon so much that he gave it to her. She drank the elixir and became pregnant. That time was known as the Full Moon. When she was ready to give birth, the tides pulled towards her in memory of the elixir she took.
“We have a tradition with our festival,” Gloria said. “We line up the men and they each have a chance to win the hand of a maiden who represents the Moon. Each man must fight to prove his worth for her.”
“Let me guess,” he said. “Viviane will be the maiden? Even though she’s already my mate.”
“Not in the eyes of the Moon. And not in my eyes -not yet. We may live in modern times, but I still practice the old ways. You took my daughter’s hand. Now we’ll find out if you’re worthy.”
She sauntered off into the barn. Pierce followed to argue. He doubted Viviane would like to be on display.
Inside the barn, Gloria stopped and peered at the animals.
“What’s the matter?” asked Pierce.
Gloria peered into the stalls of the animals that Pierce and Viviane had fed. “These animals look well.”
“Maybe it was the feed Vivi gave them the other night?”
“What feed?”
Pierce handed her the bag. “It’s a special blend she made at school. She thinks it could strengthen the entire herd. There are special nutrients in there to improve the health of their wool.”
Gloria eyed the bag as though it was full of snakes.
“It obviously works.” Pierce waved a hand in the direction of the sheep. “Why wouldn’t you consider it?”
She sniffed at the bag. It was a very wolfish move, as though she looked down over a carcass to be sure it was actually dead or just playing dead. Finally, she straightened and pushed the bag away.
“We’ve survived for generations without new technology,” she said.
Pierce put down the bag and held up his hands. “Your daughter is the smartest, most innovative, and thoughtful person I’ve ever met. She’s a testament to her upbringing. Like the baby she carries in her belly, she will only make this place better.”
Gloria didn’
t answer. She studied him with those shrewd, blue eyes. “You did well today. You proved yourself to the herd. I saw that you were prepared to fight to the death for the life of one of my flock. Prove that you’ll do the same with my daughter.” And with that she left.
Pierce looked up at the luminous Moon and sighed. He knew he wasn’t leaving this place anytime soon. He also knew he wasn’t tired. His limbs ached to run again. And so, he did just that. He shed his shirt and pants. He shifted, and ran off into the coming night.
He didn’t mind having to fight for Viviane. She was a worthy woman. If she had been his family, he would’ve insisted on the same process.
Did she have anyone who would fight for her? Not for her body, but her mind, her dreams. And all the amazing things she thought of. He wondered if anyone actually listened to Viviane and her ideas. They were so stuck in the old ways in this place.
He would fight for her. He would make them listen. If it was the last thing he did while he was here. He would show everyone Viviane’s true worth.
He stopped on a hill staring up at the nearly Full Moon. The celestial body not only pulled to the waters, it pulled to his blood. Pierce opened his mouth and let out a howl.
Chapter Sixteen
Ever since she was a child Viviane hated the Luna festival. It was a ridiculous show of male insecurities in the form of brash, masochistic displays of brute idiocy; a bunch of grown men fighting over one woman. It was a ridiculous display of female vanity and conceit; a grown woman pretending to be a damsel in distress.
Viviane didn’t want men fighting over her. She didn’t believe in these rituals. She was a woman of science. She knew there had not been men who were suns fighting over the love of the Moon. She knew full well that two centuries ago, human beings had knocked the world off kilter and brought the planet closer to the Moon’s orbit. That was a fact.
But Gloria Veracruz loved the annual brawl. Every year her mother claimed the damsel spot. Her father would be a caged beast the few days before the event, snapping at any and everyone who came near his mate. It was much different from the other days of the year when he snuck out of the house and returned with lipstick stains on his shirt.