When I was training with Lawrence, he’d often make me fight until it was much too dark and then wake me up before dawn to fight again with no food and very little water. Sleep deprivation is another form of torture and he used that too. I trained almost every single day for at least four hours plus the time I studied with Diana. Listening to her yell at me when I didn’t catch on to something was also another form of torture.
Still, even if they didn’t train me to my potential as Zara had suspected, I wouldn’t have gotten this far without them. I owe them more than I can repay and it really bothers me that I can’t reach them. Frowning, I lean back in the car and text Damien while Selene drives as I try to take my mind off of my immortal teachers.
Heyyyyy, I text.
Hey urself, he responds shortly after.
How is it without me being present in the building?
Well, lol I think they rather keep u away. U scare them.
I can see Damien’s smile as he texts me that. I’m sure he got a kick out of it when they were arguing about what to do with me. No formal business experience, very young, and volatile. They should have been expecting it though. They knew my father.
I’m gonna come in today. We need to go over some things.
Aight. But don’t take all day. I have something to help Tamara out with later.
I have things 2 do 2. I don’t plan on taking all day.
Bet. Hit me up when ur on ur way so I can get there in time.
Sure thing.
I put the phone back in my jean pocket and watch the road zip by. Traffic is packed in some areas and it takes us a little longer to reach our destination. Selene parks on the street a little distance away from the house and even as I walk on the sidewalk, I can smell coffee and bacon. My mouth waters instantly. There’d better be some food left for us.
I don’t even knock as I get to the front door, pushing it open as if I run the place. Inside, there’s laughter that pauses as we step through the threshold, but it quickly picks back up once everyone sees who I am. Most ignore me, but some acknowledge me with a nod or a tilt of their head in submission. I smile at them all, even if they do not give me the same courtesy.
I find Jun sitting alone in a corner, chair pushed all the way to the wall. She holds up a plate in salute and I smile. Although, she seems uncomfortable, her body language shows that she’s working to stay. The food has to be a plus. Selene and I both head to the kitchen and grab plates along with a couple other wolves. They both look at Selene and me before moving out of our way to let us get a plate first. Rebecca is standing in the pantry grabbing some more items, but when she sees us, she scowls and leaves the kitchen.
Ignoring her, I motion for the other two people that were ahead of me to get their plates first. They both show their gratitude and fill their plates quickly. I scan the counters and oven to find pancakes, biscuits, bacon, eggs, sausage, hash browns, chopped fruit, jelly, butter, syrup, juice, milk, and even cut up steaks. Damn werewolf metabolism. There’s no way I’ll be able to shovel down all that food. I’m definitely going to try though.
I fill my plate with bacon, eggs, pancakes, and fruit as I already plan for seconds. Selene gives me a look saying that my eyes are bigger than my stomach, but I don’t care. I haven’t had half of this food in forever. It’s asking to be eaten. Who am I to deny the food its wish?
I pull a chair next to Jun but we eat in silence. She offers me a cup of grapefruit juice when she comes back from getting seconds of her own. I take it gratefully and allow the sour drink to wash down my food. Then, I go back for a biscuit, butter and jelly, and a tiny piece of steak. After I finish eating, I speak loudly, cutting across the other conversations.
“Rebecca, you made all this? It was excellent. Thank you for that.”
“You’re welcome,” she says, surprised by my praise but smiling anyway. She’s obviously a girl that takes pride in her cooking. I forgive her now for trying to attack me after Jaxson’s fight. Food isn’t just a way to a man’s heart. Food and I, we’re homies and lovers.
Zara walks in twenty minutes later, which makes her over thirty minutes late to the party. She’s taken off the sling, but I can tell that her arm is still broken, even though it’s nearly healed. Being in a sling and looking weak in front of all these wolves doesn’t seem like a good idea. I hope that she doesn’t stay long. I also wonder what the hell she did last night, but I won’t pry.
I take Jun and Selene’s plates as I make my way to the kitchen. There are two people washing dishes and I help for a few minutes, trying to speed the pace along. They sure know how to make as big a mess as possible and as I wipe counters, I admire their werewolf family. Even with all these people and different personalities, it works.
Jaxson’s voice carries throughout the house as he calls everyone into the living room. I follow his voice and stand next to the doorway so that my back is against the wall but so that I still can see this room and the kitchen. The side conversations draw to a close as I breathe in the woodsy scent of the wolves. They smell like pine and rain. There is also another scent. Anxiety. Many have no clue why they’ve been called here.
My eyes scan the room as I look into the faces of the people gathered. Many will die. We have to make sure that many turns into few, but I don’t know how that will end. This close to all the pack, I can feel the barest hint of pack bonds pulling at me. I wonder if it feels the same for those that are truly shifters. Pack magic feels wild and carefree. It makes me rock back and forth in excitement.
Jaxson first tells them the story of Ka’el as he heard it told by Zara. He looks to her to fill in any information that he may have left out, but she nods that he’s doing just fine. Many of the wolves begin to speak in hushed tones before Jaxson silences them. In deference to their alpha, the talking ceases.
Jaxson then tells them about what Namen may be planning to do when he had Anubis’s body stolen. The group stays silent, but their anger begins to boil over. I watch as Zara steps closer to the door and then cracks it slightly in order to release some of the were energy that is bouncing off of the walls. None of them look at me, but I can feel their blame upon me like an anvil. I hang my head low in shame, but Selene catches my eyes and forces me to hold my head back up high.
Next, Jaxson gives his pack members a reminder that staying with them can end in death. He gives them another chance to leave this town, to be released from the pack so that they can find a new life somewhere else. He also reminds them that if Namen succeeds, there may not be somewhere else. There are plenty of stares and unspoken words because of that. I can tell from where I’m at that a few will leave for good.
Last, Jaxson asks the pack to decide to take Jun as one of their own. Jun obviously didn’t see this coming because she nearly spits out her drink. She looks around frantically, and then forces her face to be neutral. Everyone sees it though.
“That is, if that’s what you want,” Jaxson says. His voice remains neutral.
Jun looks around as she contemplates what it is that she really wants. As she studies them, they study her. This is a family but those that are chosen need to understand that pack is life. It isn’t used for convenience. I would be the exception. Me being named second was a strategic move and a safety one for Jaxson. He needed someone that could fill that role in these dangerous times.
Jun looks at me, but I don’t give her any push either way. This has to be her decision. If she wants to be pack, she has to play by the rules. She can’t just up and leave. She has to respect her alpha who could one day be her mate. If she says yes, then she will have to really fight by our sides. It is a huge decision.
I think that Jaxson wanted her to make a decision that felt right in her gut. He put her on the spot so that she couldn’t run away physically or dwell on it too long emotionally. He wanted to see the longing in her gaze as she watched all the people in the room. He wanted her to decide quickly.
“I think that I do,” Jun replies.
Jaxson cr
osses his massive arms and waits.
“I know that I do. It’s what I want,” Jun responds again, more sure of herself. Her composure returns and she smiles at me.
“So, where do my people stand? Do you want to accept Jun as your own?”
Jun stands up at Jaxson’s beckoning and comes to the middle of the room. She waits as Jaxson looks one by one at all of the pack and takes their votes. There are about three no’s but the rest are yes’s. I give my vote of yes as well. Once everyone votes, Jaxson smiles widely and puts an arm around Jun’s shoulder.
“It is done. Give me your hand,” he orders. He smiles at her and waits for her to return his grin before shifting his fingers into claws in order to slice his palm and then hers. The flow of pack magic dances gleefully all around us as they merge their blood to solidify the pack bond. “Pack,” he states as he did with me.
“Pack,” she echoes.
“Pack.” Everyone else responds. I can feel the difference of the bond with an actual wolf. The threads seem to wrap around her tighter than they did me. The invisible strings are recognizing Jun as their own. The bond is strong.
“Will we take in all whom wish to join us?” a voice asks from across the room.
“If they are worthy, then yes. I will allow another vote and then we will decide. I will make the final decision, but I want to trust my brother’s and sister’s judgment, as council,” Jaxson says calmly.
“Even those that we barely know?” the voice asks again. I try to seek them out, but my view is blocked.
“If they come seeking shelter, a family, and they choose to fight, then yes. We will not deny them a place. From now on, we will be known as the Moon Reaper Pack. We will become powerful because our survival depends on it. Every werewolf will know the name and they will either beg to be one of us or they will respect us,” Jaxson growls. His deep voice is laced with power and no one seems to even breathe as they weigh the weight of his words.
Surprisingly, it is Rebecca that steps up to speak next. “I trust you completely as the alpha and I am with you until the end, Jaxson. I’ve come to realize that I love this pack more than I could ever comprehend. I will do whatever it takes to earn your trust back and when the time comes, I want to fight the human for the title of second.”
“Rebecca,” Christopher begins, but Jaxson silences him with a hand.
“You do know that you have at least six people to either convince to submit or fight and win against before you’re beta material. One of those people is your mate. Can you do that? Can you do what is necessary, even killing our young if they become out of control?” Jaxson inquires.
Rebecca glances in Christopher’s direction, but quickly turns back to Jaxson. “I said whatever it takes,” she replies firmly and passionately.
“I look forward to it.”
There are murmurs in the group and all eyes are either on Chris or Rebecca. They refuse to look into each other’s eyes, but there’s tension there. Determination from Rebecca and irritation from Christopher. He knows that the stronger she gets, the more dangerous things will be for her. I wonder if he’ll fight her and try to beat her just to keep her from being second.
“Rebecca,” Zara says quietly, but still drawing the attention of everyone due to their werewolf hearing. Rebecca turns to Zara with a questioning look. “Don’t lose.” Zara grins at her and Rebecca stands there in surprise. Zara loves people that have fire inside of them, Rebecca being no exception.
“I won’t,” she finally replies after getting over the shock of Zara speaking to her in such a kindred manner. “Don’t hold back when it’s time either,” Rebecca warns, the wolf slipping into place behind her eyes, illuminating them to a dark yellow. She’s speaking to me and I return her stare with the respect of a warrior.
“I didn’t plan to,” I tell her.
She nods in approval. It will be a fight for honor. I owe her a great battle.
“Now that we’ve got someone that has finally shown the fire that I’ve been waiting on, I need everyone to push themselves to hone their individual skills. We need you to be faster, stronger, and smarter. I know this has been taking a toll on your bodies, but don’t let it break you. We are the luna dasa, what we are seeking is already inside us. Anubis began a legacy that we will see completed. All of us will master the conversion. You must shift and you must meditate before and after. Bring your wolf into harmony with yourself. We are one entity.” Jaxson paces between the crowd as they hang on to every word. He is a great leader, encouraging and firm.
“We were chosen for this. Us. Because the universe knows that everyone sitting in this room is powerful enough together to oppose someone who is willing to destroy everything. You don’t say no to destiny. You rise up and you become more than destiny ever expected.”
Selene smirks at the statement and nods in approval. His words are touching her as well. She stands up straighter and her resolve too seems to strengthen. I feel Zara press gently against my mind and I let her in.
The priestess is amazing. Her aura is beautiful. I feel her power rising inside. She has more inside of her than she even realizes. You both do.
It won’t mean a thing if we don’t figure out how to use it. We have time, but it’s not the luxury of years that we need to master our skills, I say.
But you have all of us. Look around. This wolf in front of us speaks these words as he knows that he’s not only going to lose some of his pack before the fighting begins, but they may die fighting against even more powerful beings. There is not one hint of fear in his voice or in his soul right now because there is no alternative for him. He doesn’t fear death, Zara tells me, eyes on Jaxson, observing him move about the room, touching the shoulders of his family.
I don’t fear death either. What I fear are the deaths of those that I love.
Then grow more powerful so that you can protect them always. But remember, as long as you love, you risk the heartache that goes along with it.
Her thoughts go to Sage and I don’t know if she purposely allows me to see those memories, but I watch as Zara catches Sage as she leaps into her arms as she finds her after a walk in a field. Then, she embraces her tightly after she turns her into a vampire, crying from the pain of watching her human life slip away. Zara’s heart turned bitter and she slaughtered many awakeneds after that, many vampires, those that betrayed her long before I was ever a thought. That rage still festers. It’s an eruption waiting to happen regardless of how in control she likes to pretend that she is.
I slip out of her mind just as Jaxson finishes speaking. “The rest of the time is yours if no one has anything else to add.” He looks around again and then grunts in dismissal. A couple people leave immediately, but most of them stay to converse.
I yawn as Selene strolls up to me and sits on my lap as I sit in an unoccupied chair. “So, are you ready for a nap or are you going to try the immortals again?” she asks, playing in my hair.
“I’ll manage. I can try again. I want you to talk to Jun about her magic. Then, if they still haven’t gotten back to me, we will know if I have to go to meet with Zahira, the master vampire that will probably compel me to slit my own throat for her to drink.”
Zara snorts and rolls her eyes, clearly having heard me.
Selene looks over her shoulder and chuckles. “If anything, she’ll probably compel you to run away screaming so that she can chase you like a game, before she slits your throat herself.”
“Now, that sounds like my grandmother,” Zara laughs again, eavesdropping on our conversation.
“Not helping. The thought is freaking me out for some reason,” I pout.
“Aww, it’ll be okay amor,” Selene tells me, placing a kiss on my forehead.
“Okay, okay. I’m dragging it, I know. She can’t be any worse than Diana when she’s pissed off.”
“Probably not,” Selene laughs at our shared memories.
Once, I accidently sliced off some of Diana’s hair with a throwing knife. I was pla
ying around and aiming it at a wall when she came around the corner. It wasn’t much, but Diana made it seem as if I’d given her a buzz cut.
Her booming voice damn near shook the house and she ripped me through reality and dropped me from a cliff before catching me at the last second. I damn near shit on myself with that one. Lawrence and Selene seemed to find that especially hilarious seeing that I wouldn’t climb up on anything high for days and my legs wouldn’t stop shaking. I even almost fell out of the bed and nearly had a heart attack.
That was just one of many of her tantrums. No one pissed her off like her brother Lawrence though. Although he’d take a terrible beating, it seems that he rather enjoyed it. I don’t think that she is stronger than him, but she is most definitely crazier and quicker tempered. Diana could be a first class bitch at times, but I am grateful for her marking me so that I could be unmade.
“I’m going to go outside and see if I can contact Diana again. If I can’t, we’ll go to Zahira’s tonight. I’ll put off my plans for the mayor until later. I’m going by the headquarters today but after that, I want to do some day drinking.”
“Day drinking?” Selene asks as she gets off of my lap. “When did you start saying day drinking?”
“I heard someone say it the other day. Let’s do it,” I say excitedly. I want to take some shots. “Jun, Zara, hey Rebecca, what do you say? Jaxson? Are you down for some day drinking?”
Zara shrugs. Rebecca lifts an eyebrow at my invitation. But, why not? She could come to like me. Jun gives me a thumbs up. Down for whatever. Eyes turn to Jaxson.
“I need some more testosterone with me if I go. Hey Chris, what time does your flight leave?”
“In three hours,” he responds from across the room.
“Shit. Phillip? No, you don’t drink. Rashad, Jake, Ethan?” Jaxson asks some of the remaining males.
“Sorry Jax, gotta work.”
“Nah man, I don’t know,” one of the others responds. Jaxson puts his large arm around him and pulls him in close, he looks up into Jaxson’s face before sighing in defeat. “Alright, alright man, me and Ethan will come.”
Killer Rayne Page 21