by LeeSha McCoy
He was sick, a fucking child molesting monster, and I can't believe I was in love with him...
‘You weren’t, believe me,’ Ella says. ‘You will be with Dee Junior, though.’
I smile at her, just before Dee gives me a quick hug. “Well, I second what my wife said. We’re more than happy to have another Leblanc as part of our family. I don’t envy you, though. You’ve got a long time to wait. Maybe speak to Clarence to get some advice on how to cope.”
“Thanks, and yeah, I intend to. I know it’s gonna be rough, but I intend to keep as busy as possible. I’m helping Victorio and Junia run the packs in Africa, and I’ll be teaching the young ones at the holds there.”
“Good, but if you need anything at all,’ Cecile says, ‘or even just to talk, were here, alright? Any time.”
“Thank you. That means a lot…”
***
“Earth to Tiny?”
I return my attention to Ella and sigh. “Alright. Let's go.”
She nods. “Just remember, things will be different this time.”
“I know.”
We drive the ten minutes to Abriya’s and Clarence’s cabin in tortured silence, and then once out of the car, I smooth down my dark red dress and braids.
“Is my…” I blink as I feel my makeup readjust.
“I've got you, sis.”
I hug her tightly. “Thank you.” God, I love her.
“I love you, too. Now, come on.”
I follow her into the party, my heart pounding harder with each step as the scent of Dee consumes my senses. Talk about overload.
‘Awww, I remember smelling your brother for the first time after I changed. There’s nothing like the scent of your mate.’
She’s not lying, and he hasn’t even changed yet…
God, help me…
She laughs as I hug my brother and sister, but it’s not a dramatic reunion. I see them all the time because Von brings her with him sometimes when he comes to visit.
‘You okay now?’ Von asks in my mind, for him and Clarisha.
As okay as I can be…
Ella chuckles. ‘He's inside right now, but he's heard you’re here. Say hi to Amarey quickly, before he comes out.’
“Alright.” I find Amarey with his dad, brother, and Rome, and after a quick hello and a happy birthday, I see them look behind me and know Dee is there.
So I turn.
Shit.
The sight of him is like a slap in the face, and as much as I try to calm the racing in my chest as he approaches me, it’s futile. He doesn’t look anything like I thought he would. He looks a million times better, and I’m so glad I went cold turkey, ‘cause there’s no way I could’ve stayed away from him this long if I’d known he looked like this.
I can see he made the effort with his appearance, too, and the dark jeans and shirt he’s wearing fits him so well, they don’t leave much to the imagination.
Look at all those indents…
Finally, I look back up to his face. His eyes are the same shade as mine, a deep burgundy, and they appear as intrigued as my own.
He’s fucking gorgeous.
God really needs to help me here…
Or Ella. Hell, even Aura…
Ella takes my arm to lead me over to him, and even though my legs feel like lead, somehow, I manage to make it without falling. “Tinashe, this is Dee Junior, aka, DJ. Dee, this is Tinashe, aka, Tiny. Davonyé's long lost sister.”
That makes me laugh, but it's a nervous one. My heart is killing me, because his eyes are practically sucking me in. No one has ever looked at me like this before.
He offers me his hand, which I shake, but the sparks that fly don't miss me. It takes a lot for me not to step closer to him, too. “Nice to meet you, Shey.”
Damn, he's given me a nickname already. I’m screwed. “You, too.”
“Alright, well, I've got work to do,” Ella announces, “but I'll leave you two to it. And before you question it, Dee, she is.”
Then she disappears.
I feel the eyes on us redirect, just after I catch Cecile and Dee smile, and then all I see is their son. I won’t ever be able to unsee him now.
“I fucking knew it,” he says under his breath as he takes my hand. “Come with me, beautiful. Let me hook you up with a drink…”
“Thanks.” I hope it’s some of his uncle’s shit…
Twelve
Amarey
“Feel drunk enough yet?”
Two Ella's sway in front of me, but it might be me that's swaying. The whole experience is trippy as fuck because the part of her that I’m making out most is the blue spark in her dark as fuck eyes. “I think so.”
I’m pretty sure everyone around me is feeling the same. She's fucked all of us up, and I can hear the mates disappearing into the woods for some one-on-one time.
Lucky them.
I slump down against the tree beside me to take a minute.
“Yo, bruv.” Dre pats my head on the way past. “Don't pass out there. You should be refreshed for when you go on your first hunt with mum tomorrow.”
“I ain't…”
He mutters something, but I don't make it out. He's probably off to text that girl. I hope Ella ain't standing by watching our brother get catfished.
‘What do you take me for?’ I hear her retort.
I turn my head to the left when she sits beside me. ‘I dunno. You ain't said nothing about mine, so who knows what you’re letting happen.’
‘That’s because you haven't asked.’
‘So you want me to ask?’
‘I never said that.’
My head spins when I nod, so I close my eyes, but that just makes it worse. ‘I think I'm over this feeling now, sis. Bring me back, man.’
She chuckles, but once my vision clears, I see her staring straight at me. ‘So, are you gonna ask?’
I remember my cousin’s reaction to his mate earlier. Do I wanna be tied up like that right now if she’s alive? I mean, I ain't even stable yet. My online side-hustles are still in the start-up stage, and as much as I know I wanna run my own pack one day, I dunno where the fuck that’s gonna be. ‘Can I ask a different question?’
‘Sure.’ She's disappointed, but I ignore the look.
‘What am I meant to do with my life? ‘Cause I feel so out of place, Ells.’ I swear, sometimes, I feel like I don’t fit in anywhere.
‘You’re not out of place, little bro. Not at all. You're exactly, exactly where you need to be right now. Just focus on yourself and being the best version of you, alright? Your calling will come to you. I promise you that.’
I release a heavy sigh. ‘Aight. If you say so.’ This is exactly why I don’t ask her shit.
‘Mah…’ She holds my hand tightly. ‘Never doubt my intentions, not for you. Ever since you were born, I’ve been making moves for your better good, so when I say you’re where you need to be, please, believe me.’
I know she always has my back, it’s just frustrating. ‘I know, Ells. Trust me, I know.’
‘Good. Just know that no matter what happens, I’ll always have your best interests in mind.’ She looks around at everyone left here. ‘I have all your best interests in mind.’
***
I finish up the shrimp and grits dad made for breakfast and then down the water beside me. Mum's still eating, but she's almost done. She's trying to rush, I can tell, but I know she's excited.
I learnt my basic skills with dad the day after I woke up, like running, jumping, and using all my new and heightened senses. I wanted to get straight to it so I could have full advantage of them from the jump, but I also knew how much he was looking forward to having that time with just us.
And it was good for both of us, even if I did shock the shit out of him a few times…
My parents lost their first child while they were attacked before the first war between our kind, so it's a massive deal when their children reach adulthood. Most ware families are close, too. It
's just how it is. Our bonds are tight, even between those of us that aren't bound by blood.
A lot of legends in texts about werewolves make us out to be vicious and always fighting, but that's far from the truth, and my parents don't allow that shit either. Peace amongst our kind is hella important to them. It is to all of us really. We're more lovers than fighters, but test us on something we care about and it's game over.
“Enjoy your party then?” Dad asks as he finally sits down with his own plate.
“Yeah, I did, thanks.” I got nuff gifts, and Ells gave me her island, too, which was probably the best present of all. She said she’d take me anytime I wanted to get away alone. I could catch a flight, ‘cause we own an airline, but still, why spend hours on a flight when you can blink and be there?
“You're welcome, baby,” Mum says for the both of them. “I think everyone did.”
It sure looked like they did, even when they were trippin’ out on Ells’ magical high. “How is it having the family here, Mum?”
She smiles. “So nice. You know how much I miss everyone. Sometimes I wish that we could be closer, but…” She shrugs.
“Yeah, I get that. I heard grandad’s sticking around, though.”
Her eyes light up when I mention that. “Yep.”
Dad nods. “Your mother's ecstatic about that.”
“I bet it's nice, though. You two haven't really spent much time together if you think about it.”
“That's true,” she says thoughtfully.
“How's he really feeling about Junia?” I ask. This house is soundproofed and so is the one across the lake that my sis built for everyone to stay in, so I know they can’t hear us.
“He seems to have taken it well, or at least as well as he can. We always knew it might happen, because as you know, Junia was never his true mate.”
“Yeah.” That shit’s gotta be rough. I feel for anyone who has to live without their true mate, ‘cause the soul bond you get with your real one is no comparison. “You think he'll find someone else?”
“I'm not sure, sweetheart. Dad's used to being alone, so he doesn't need to be in a relationship, but still… I hope he does find someone. He deserves it.”
“Damned right, he does. Victorio’s been through the most,” Dad agrees. They get on really well and speak often on the phone about the packs. They’re both traditional and have a lot in common, and dad respects him a lot for everything he did to keep my mum safe, too.
Mum smiles sadly. “He really has.”
“What about you?” Dad asks over his fork. “You not got your mate on the brain yet?”
I shrug. “Sometimes I think of her, but I'm trying to figure out my life first. You know my stability is important to me.”
“Good for you, Son, and so it should be, for any man.”
For real. “Besides, you know what Ells is like. I figure it's best to just go with the flow.”
“Well, your mother’s started to see you with your mate in her visions. We can't see your faces, though.”
I turn to mum. “Huh? Since when?”
She pushes her empty plate away from her. “Yeah, you’re not alone when I see you anymore, but your backs are always turned.”
What the fuck is that about? “Has Ells said anything?”
“Just to focus on the fact I can see you, and that you're mated.”
“Oh… Well, at least I know I find her.” No faces, though? Why not?
“Exactly,” Dad says. “Now, off you both go. I'll light the grill for when you get back.”
“Thanks, b,” Mum says before kissing dad goodbye, and after he wishes me luck, we make our way out the back.
“What's in there?” I ask, eyeing the bag mum swings up over her shoulder off the porch.
“Spare clothes. Pretty sure you don't want your mum seeing your bits. When I took Ariella, she dressed us.”
“Lucky.” That magic shit must be convenient as fuck.
“Are you excited?”
“Yep. I'm still hungry, too.”
She looks up at me as she holds onto my arm. “I'm not surprised. I don’t know where you got your size from…”
Me either, ‘cause I’m the biggest out of anyone I know now, even in human form. Von was always a little more hench than me, but not anymore. I know my size is gonna be talk of our kind when everyone finds out I'm as big as my parents when I’m shifted, too. Fuck knows why, ‘cause Ella ain't, but maybe she doesn't need to be because of her magic.
I don’t have any obvious markings either, just a perfect blend of dark brown and golden blonde fur, and since I woke up, my braids are mixed just the same. I’m assuming it’s so others will be able to distinguish me, even though they’ll be able to by my scent, which dad complained about when I first shifted.
‘You stink worse than your sister’s mate does,’ he said.
I laughed. ‘Good. It will keep me out of trouble.’
“You should’ve made another plate before we left,” Mum says as we walk further away from the house. “You had time.”
“It’s cool, Mum. It’s better to do this hungry anyway, right?”
She releases my arm and smiles. “Right.”
We walk for a while, deeper into the woods. It rained this morning, and although I haven’t shifted yet, the smell of dew is strong. The odd raindrop lands on the both of us, too, and the sounds of the wildlife around us increases until I tune it down. I’d love to test how far I can hear, because I feel like it’s far as fuck.
Mum finally stops when the houses behind us are out of sight. “Come on then, let's get changed.” She holds the bag in her hand before she shifts, and then I shift with her, leaving my torn-up clothes beneath my feet. “I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing you like this,” she whines, looking at me. “Me and your father make some incredible wares.”
“You got that right,” I huff. My sister is stunning in ware form, too, with all her white hair. It makes me wonder what Dre will look like, ‘cause all of us James’ are unmistakeable.
My attention diverts to the distance as the scent of deer infiltrates my senses. Yeah, I’m hungry as fuck now, and I instinctively take a few steps in the direction of where I can sense and hear a decent sized one to the west.
“Picked one?”
I nod, keeping my focus on its step patten. He’s grazing, completely unaware that he’s about to be my second breakfast.
“Go on then, baby. I’ll follow your lead. Remember, remove its head or snap its neck. Just because they’re food to us, doesn’t mean they should suffer.”
“Got it.” I don’t plan on playing any games anyway.
I begin to run, dodging and weaving through the trees in search of the promise of fresh meat. The closer I get, the more of its scent consumes me, so much that I can already taste the flesh I know I’ll be sinking my teeth into soon. I’ve grown up eating the kills my parents and other family members have brought home, so I know what I’ll be getting. Still, knowing this kill will be mine is already making it taste better, and as I get closer to it and hear its heart beating steadily in its chest, the rush only intensifies.
Mum falls back as I pick up the pace to go the last few yards alone, and I let my ware take over. Out the window goes any other thought but the need to get this deer under my form, to snatch its life away so I can get what I crave.
The deer clocks me coming and startles away, but the fear I smell emanating from him only quickens my pace. My own heart races faster, too, and the adrenaline takes a firm hold, spurring me to run faster so I can get it down.
So close…
He tries to outsmart me by changing up his bounds; to the left, right, the right again, but I judge his next move around an oak tree and smash it to the ground, tearing its head from its body, and then before we even come to a halt, I sink my teeth into the gushing wound to take a bite out of the warm flesh.
And that shit tastes good as hell.
Mum approaches wide eyed as I take another bite, m
y stomach grumbling in satisfaction as the first mouthful hits. “You were so fast… God…”
I almost choke with my howled laugh, but I manage to hold it back. “I told you I was hungry,” I gruff out.
“That’s obvious. Your father said well done.”
“Tell him thanks.” I take a few more bites before the craving ebbs away, then I sit up to begin stripping some meat off for mum. “Here,” I whine as I hand her a piece from the neck. I know she likes that part.
“Thank you, baby.” She eats just as quickly as I do, but much more elegantly than me. “There’s nothing like your first kill. Enjoy it.”
I am…
She sniffs the air, and then she stands. “Let me grab one of my own to take back. The rest of the family are awake now, and dad says they’re hungry after last night’s antics.”
I bet they are… If I’d spent half the night fucking, I would be too.
“Go, Mum. I’ll deal with this.”
Vanerra
The fourth largest of the seven kingdoms in the kratius.
Known as the land of truth and once known as the continent of South America,
one finds it impossible to be untruthful in these lands.
Thirteen
Karrisee
A month later in Caro…
“Ree, what are you actually looking for?”
I silence us. “I dunno. I'll know when I see it, though.” Or him.
Continuing to scan the crowds in the packed-out bar, I think about how smart I really am, which is a usual thing for us these days. I don't know why I never thought of this before, but until I earn the rest of the noir magic mom's planning on giving me, I figure this is the best way to tell if a motherfucker is being honest with me.
“If you ask me, this is the best idea you've ever had.”
“I know, right?”
“How long has it been?”
I turn my attention to Prima. “A little over a month.” Her mom, Navira, is best friends with mine, but we’ve never spent much time together. She’s usually in Mirada because she’s only eighteen, but mom thought it would be good for us to hang out.