Wow…thanx for the reviews. :c) I hope this post doesn't disappoint. The pressure is on…Yicks :#
I would also like to send my thank you's to, Tool (Aenima). They were beneficial to this chapter. Thanx!
Also, if you haven't checked out Rhiannon Held's book "Silver" (of course it's about werewolves) go check it out – AND I am soooo excited book #2 is out in May. YAY!
Okay here we go…
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Raised by Wolves series characters. BUT THIS STORY AND PLOT 'PACK WARS! GRRRRRRRR…
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It seemed like hours- maybe it's been hours since my mauling and yet I'm still trapped in my own mind. Maybe I'm dead? I feel no pain – I feel nothing.
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…silence…
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A horrifying sound then echoes inside me-a familiar sound.
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An earsplitting growl came and went. Then the fire slowly intensified. The fire radiated from the mauled area of my shoulder to my toes – pulsating at every inch of me. This sensation felt like something was scraping my insides- scraping through my veins.
Another sound more awful begins to echo inside my head. Although this time, I instantly recognized the sound.
It's me – screaming, growling…crying. What was happening to me?
My eyes immediately fly open. The vein scraping elevated to a full blown ripping. I quickly processed the darkness around me. I'm being carried, half running - half stumbling through the woods. On the left side of me - Ali was crying and frantically yelling something incomprehensible, next to her Lake was looking furious and concerned, Griff floated above her, and Mitch looked worried as hell. On the other side of me, Caroline looking bored, and Phoebe and Jackson, my peripherals, looking horrified. The rest of my pack, whom stayed at "home," growled their frustrations and I could feel their restlessness as they paced around frantically.
A disabling pain shot up or rather down my spine causing me to jerk around frantically. My twitching body was dropped and my carriers frantically apologized and attempted to gather me up again. I ordered them to let me be. Each member snapped at attention, even Ali, under my pack bond. My mind was on fire, something was happening, something inside me was dying. Survive. Survive.
I let out a wolf-growl and in that instant my body starts to flap around violently. Ali, unable to move, begs me to let her call Callum.
He should know what to do Bryn, please.
NO! I didn't mean to yell at her.
Again the spinal pain shot violently down my back and I sat up. My eyes instantly focused on the damaged areas of my body that were still present but yet slowly healing.
I felt the snap as Ali broke my bond-order…Ali disregarded my instructions to leave me alone and was at my side reaching for my semi-damaged hand.
"Bryn, Bryn…how can I help you? Please…"
I didn't know how to answer her. I wanted to scream the pain out. My insides were on fire. Every muscle in my body ached and my bones felt like they were disintegrating. Survive.
"Bryn? My car is parked right there. I have to take you to the hospital. Let us…"
NO! I cut her off midsentence. Did I just want to die? Was this my intention all along? Does Ali think this? My eyes find Lake, who is motionless, and angry. Mitch isn't even looking at me but his concerned face is following Ali's every move. My peripherals want to help badly but don't have any idea what to do. Caroline remains looking bored.
Unfortunately, I couldn't hold it in any longer. Survive. I let out a horrific scream that even scared me. In that instant, all my pack members became alert and were heading for us. The pain was so severe that I couldn't even order them to stay where they were.
I began to convulse and all four of my limbs were flailing uncontrollably. Survive.
As my distant pack ran toward me they each spoke through our bond - Protect, protect.
PROTECT.
Alpha.
Alpha.
ALPHA!
From my baby pack members to my peripherals, they were heading our way. I couldn't let out a completely enough sentence to order them to stop, the pain was too much. Ali, however, frantically gave my pack orders of how to lift me into her car.
They each lifted me with ease but the pain has me fighting. I let out a deep growl, and immediately I feel it inside me. My wolf. She's growing, strong and angry. My human self takes a back seat and she stomps my human weakness to bits – the burning was slowly fading.
RELEASE ME! My voice slightly startled me. It sounded exactly what a wolf-alpha-female's voice should sound like - raspy, rough, strong.
As they were lowering me, I rolled out of their clutches, but I didn't hit the ground on my back or on two legs. I immediately changed-I hit the ground with four legs. The change itself was painful but quick. I felt every shifting bone in my body. I ignored the pain, and let out a territorial growl. I then focused on my pack.
MINE!
MINE!
MINE!
MINE!
MINE!
MINE!
CEDAR RIDGE PACK MINE!
Lake, Griff, Mitch, Phoebe, and Jackson's excited faces spoke volumes. They all immediately shifted and began to surround me howling with excitement.
Alpha.
Alpha.
Alpha!
Alpha.
Alpha!
I let out another howl before I sensed him. A non-pack-member near my territory. His scent was familiar and 100 times stronger than what it was when I was a human. He smelled of home and that ache had me running along my territory border. My pack followed me with raised hackles.
Foreign wolf… they each said.
This wolf was running along his border, but in the cover of trees. I stopped and waited for him to reveal himself. My five wolves then immediately flanked my side. He slowly emerged with a neutral wolf expression.
Callum.
Callum sat directly in front of me staying about 100 yards away. My pack immediately went into position for attack. Each of their hackles flew straight up and each let out rabid growls. I remained silent, sitting, and just stared at him.
In all this hostile commotion, I finally understood – my light bulb of knowledge finally came on. Everything he did for me was for a reason. I instantly remember what he told me - Callum said I had to be human for all of this – for the deaths, for the emotional pain, for the loneliness. And he was right, because my human loneliness was nothing compared to wolf loneliness. My wolves that were heading in my direction, I felt them. I felt each and every one of their losses, but the one that hit me the hardest was Maddy. Her mate was gone and that loneliness was unbearable. She only remained strong because of little Rose. She hid her true self from everyone but now as wolf alpha I felt her. She wanted to climb the highest mountain, find a cave and starve to death there—Rose was the only thing that held her to us.
If Callum would have changed me, that would have been me – a teenage-wolf-love-crushed-zombie. Callum saw that. Callum saw all the scenarios. If he had made me wolf and I had challenged Shay as a wolf and give my life for Chase, I would have been killed on the spot and Chase would have been like Maddy, although he didn't have a little Rose to stop him. Callum knew both Chase and I would have been dead. Or, if I was wolf when Chase was killed, that bastard Callum knew that Wolf-Bryn would not be able to handle the death of her mate Chase. That rat-bastard knew that the weak-human-teenage-girl-crush with Chase would eventually fade...damn him.
He should have told me.
Callum wolf shakes his head NO like he can hear my thoughts. That bastard.
The growling nearing me intensified and I calmed my pack. They were nearing us. My entire pack, including the babies, were all in wolf form. I could feel each of every emotion they were showering me with - delight, joy, and pride.
The moment I saw them leap through the brush, I could no longer bear it. I slowly turned my back on Callum-I will let him go yet again-and face my pack. All my members even my babies crowded me with excitement. They each wanted to lick my muzzle, I remember seeing this with Callum's pack—they loved him like this. I allowed this admiration until they had their fill.
I turn toward where Callum was, but only saw brush and trees. My wolf mind didn't know how to process this-I wanted to ask him a million questions. What if I wasn't good enough as alpha, what if I…
"Bryn." I immediately turn toward the human I saw as my mother. She had an expression that confused me. She was crying and looked sad. I also sensed anger.
She wanted Callum's head on a platter for this.
"I don't know what to say Bryn. This is what you wanted isn't it, but then again this is what he wanted as well…" She looked toward the spot where Callum was. "You know, he has some plan for you - I will find out what that is and destroy any plan he has concocted for you."
I just stood their frozen watching her glare at where Callum had sat. Apparently, being one of the strongest and oldest Alpha's, meant nothing to her. Plus, regarding myself, I sense no fear or submission with Ali. She knew her place in my life. She was still Mom and in a heartbeat she would still hand me my own ass if I was acting a fool and I loved her for it.
Ali let out a deep sigh. Ali wanted to avenge my human-side's death. Did she think my life was over? Doesn't she know that I was a sitting duck if I remained human? How could she say such a thing with our pack having the highest number of females and healthy baby wolves – plus it doesn't help that I am the only FEMALE alpha and was human, which made us public enemy #1 with a huge neon flashing TARGET on us?
Ali walked away from me and headed toward her backseat door and opened it.
"Katie, Alex - Come on get in the car. We are going home."
Katie and Alex pretended to not hear with their wolf ears. Quietly, Caroline headed toward the front-passenger seat. Understandably, she does not want to go run around with a bunch of hairy wolves in the middle of the night.
"Now Katie and Alex."
Hearing their mother's "upset voice", Alex and Katie both immediately stopped prancing and jumping, and crouched to the floor flattening their ears to their heads like they were caught doing something bad. I'm glad I was in wolf form because this was too adorable to not smile. They looked from me to their mom. I shook my head at them and they crouched lower to the ground and slowly started to move toward their mother.
In no way shape or form will I order them to listen to me and not their mother. Ali will have full reign on her children. I will not stand in her way AT ALL.
"Hurry up kids – it is past your bedtime. In fact, Lily, come on, it time for bed. Get in. Hey Maddy, did you want me to take Rose." Maddy, in wolf form, nodded her head. Baby-wolf Rose was actually sleeping at her mother's feet. Ali gently lifted the still sleeping baby-pup and strapped her in the center doggy car-seat.
Alex and Katie whined and wolf-cried all the way to the car and as they reached the opening of the door they pleaded with me through our pack bond to let them stay. I again shook my head.
"Listen to your mother."
They each whined as they were lifted and buckled into their doggy-car seats. I couldn't help but quietly grunt a giggle as their whining intensified. Their thoughts were rumbled together – they wanted to have fun and run in the forest with us-they wanted to hunt and to top it off it didn't help that my pack paced around excitedly waiting for the little ones to be taken away so we could "get wild."
Lily, however, stood her ground. She didn't want to go and showed her dominance toward Ali by remaining where she was – but what shocked me was Lily went a little further and glared in Ali's direction – an act of defiance at such a young age sounds like trouble. This little girl is going to be handful. She will be my punishment for being a rebellious monster myself with Callum and Ali. Lily will be mine to command I now see. I gave a loud-sharp-short bark toward Lily, and she instantly knew she was in trouble. She mimicked the twins' stance and crouched to the floor, flattening her ears to her head.
"Listen to Ali. GO!"
She grumbles and whines the whole way.
The moment Ali's car's is in the distance – I order my pack to block the kids out – I didn't want them seeing what they were missing, giving Ali an even harder time getting them to sleep.
My pack's excitement intensified and they all were leaping and jumping around waiting for the order to hunt, to run, to become a "full fledged" pack and run together. I instantly felt several attachments all at once. My peripheral's now became permanent pack members – all of them. They no longer wanted to be considered peripheral's, they wanted to be apart of my pack. They felt my strength, my pride, my pack-love.
I bolted north, hugging the border.
Border-my border.
My territory.
Mine.
We will run along our border - letting every wolf know just whose territory this is - lets go.
MINE!
My pack flanked me according and we started off at a slow pace enjoying the wilderness. But Jackson and Lake had other plans. While running they were sizing each other up. Jackson wanted to be my second in command, AND so did Lake. We all sense this hostility and stopped. Jackson and Lake quickly faced each other pacing back and forth not losing eye contact. My pack surrounded the challenging wolves.
The moment I saw Lake snap at Jackson, my entire body went cold. I couldn't help or stop this. I remember while I was with Callum's pack, he would have to just watch his wolves fight for their positions, which is what I have to do right now – JUST WATCH.
By visual alone, Jackson has the upper hand. Jackson overweighs Lake by about 15 pounds and in wolf terms that is a lot. Plus, the battle scars on his muzzle and the patches of his light gray coat missing shows he is no stranger to fighting.
Lake snaps at Jackson again but this time Jackson dodges to the right and rams one of Lake's paws with his massive head and immediately she hits the ground face first. Instantly, Lake's thoughts are of her gun Matilda. The image of Matilda put a fire in her eyes and she is up and leaping for Jackson's neck. Jackson counteracts Lakes leap and bumps her with his massive body causing them both to fly through the air. They land separately on the ground and are both up on four paws in seconds. They glare at each other for a brief second and then they leap towards each other at the same time.
Out the corner of my eye, I see the mistake immediately; this wolf will lose in a second.