Midnight Curse

by Faellin Angel

  This man was willing to leave his pack for me. I was utterly astonished and lost.

  Contemplating his words, I accepted his protection and let my heart take over. My feelings and instincts were all I had to go on at this point.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, before I let the darkness take me once more, sleep too difficult for me to deny.

  When I awoke, Abel was missing. My pa sat on the log in his place. His face was a mask of emotions that I could not begin to understand. His actions, on the other hand, left me with a burning need to hurt him.

  “You are finally awake.”

  “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Pa.” My sarcastic reply was a bit harsh, but I was as lost to this fury as I was to wanting to destroy Harley.

  “Do not sass me, girl!” His deep voice shook the foundation. I was afraid the makeshift hut would cave in on us.

  Ignoring him, I looked at the wall and bit my tongue. If I said anything, one of us would get hurt.

  “You are part of my pack at the moment, and you will not disrespect me!” he growled, making his southern accent seem throaty. It was inhuman and scary.

  Why had I never noticed? Seeing him in this new light made me notice several things. For one, he was a burly, strong man, capable of taking down bears. Plus, he commanded power and respect. He was also a leader of men.

  But not of me, I thought, angrily. “Fine, so now what?” I asked.

  “You have twenty-four hours to accept Harley’s challenge or run away with your tail between your legs. As it stands, you will die. That is the way of the pack.” He cared nothing for me or his other children, that much was clear.

  Swallowing my pain, I nodded. “Did you see Ma?”

  “You’re Ma and the girls will be fine. Had I known what my son had done, I would have brought more food. They are not wolf, but they are still my flesh and blood. I will provide.”

  That is when I remembered that, when the wolf had attacked me, I’d stabbed her with all my strength. I’d put everything I’d had left into shoving my knife as deep as I could into her chest. At that angle, I should have killed her.

  “Which wolf attacked me, Pa?”

  “I done told ya, Harley issued the challenge. Abel told ya, she was with him when she attacked ya.”

  “I stabbed the wolf that attacked me, I know I did!” I retorted, feeling fury rise within me.

  “Yes, ya did. A good hit, but not a killing blow. In wolf form we are just like the natural wolves, but we heal a little faster and can take a little more damage.”

  I’d sworn to kill Harley if I had the chance. I would use this pack challenge to destroy her. I just needed to heal, and work on accepting my wolf-self as natural and not disconcerting.

  “Consider the challenge accepted. I need to speak with Abel,” I replied, dismissing him.

  He obviously forgave my lack of manners or was through with me. I could not face him any longer.

  A few minutes later, Abel came in. His presence soothed me.

  “How long will it take me to heal?” I asked him, trying to sit up.

  “A few days at least. You should not move yet,” he whispered, reaching for me.

  I held up a hand, stopping him. I would not be swayed.

  “I accept her challenge. I owe her a painful death for what she did to me. Where is my bow and knife?” I asked, reaching for my clothes. Healing, and torn by indecision about my future or lack of one, I could not run around naked, and I did not want or know how to change into my wolf.

  “Unfortunately, rules forbid man-made weapons. Only tooth and claw are accepted,” he informed me, handing me the black clothes I’d worn before.

  Sighing, I took them and tried to dress. My newly-formed skin and still-healing wounds pulled, and I whined like a pathetic she-wolf.

  He took the clothes from me and helped me slide my shirt on. I refused to stand until my pants were on enough to cover my nakedness. He rolled his eyes and slid them over my legs. As he helped me to stand, I struggled to pull my pants on, exposing as little as I possibly could.

  “You will get used to your body and come to see it as we do, without fear or shame.”

  That I did not agree with. In my mind, I was still human.

  “So my options are to die or flee?” I asked, out of breath and weak.

  “Sadly, yes. You are not alone though, my love,” he whispered into my ear, pulling me closer. I accepted his affection, and even hugged him back. His strength and faith would pull me through this, along with my furious vengeance.

  “You should not leave your pack for someone as weak as me.” As I said this, a strange feeling fell over me, which left me almost breathless. My chest hurt, and I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.

  I hid my face in his chest. Deep down, I did not want to leave on my own. I knew I would not make it.

  He was also starting to grow on me.

  “You are my mate, the pack be damned.” His words filled me with hope and love. What had I done to win over this glorious and strong man? Why wasn’t he pack master?

  “What will we do? Where will we go, Abel?” I asked sadly. Leaving behind everything I’d ever known was almost too much for me. I needed my family and I wanted to win them back.

  Would I get a chance to see my ma and sisters? Would I get the chance to tell them goodbye? Would we come back?

  “We go wherever the trail leads us, love. We go where our wolves take us.”

  The growing feelings I had were perplexing and overwhelming. I would follow him and hope the path he led me on would bring me full circle, back to my home.

  I did not look forward to changing into this wolf. I knew it would be painful, and it seemed so foreign. It was a part of me though, and it was time I accepted that.

  “Then tell me how to summon my wolf,” I replied, looking into his beautiful blue eyes.

  Author’s Note:

  I hope you enjoyed Book Two of the Midnight Trilogy. Midnight Scars will be the third book in the series, and should be released before December of 2014. You can find Midnight Omen on Smashwords. The full trilogy is available in paperback on Amazon. May your inner wolf howl like the wind!