A/N: All cannon characters and settings belong to the brilliant mind of Patricia Briggs. The rest comes solely from my imagination. This is written merely for my own pleasure and the pleasure of others. Also, I tend to get long-winded, so some of my chapters may be long, no, not may be, will be. You have been warned.
P.S. I have decided to start this off by giving Kara a bit of a back story since PB didn't delve into that in the books, and I am tying this story in with Imaginationqueen87's OC SeoHyun, who's story begins with Hidden Hearts and continues in Snow Trouble and Little Things. It may seem odd since I have my own story where Kara is friends with my OC, Juliana, in Ties That Bind, but that's the point. I've already given her 'life' there, but that story is more about Jules and her relationship with her adoptive parents, Charles and Anna, her relationship with her grandfather, Bran, and her budding relationship with Cole. I feel Kara needs her own tale and this way she gets it without taking a backseat to Juliana's journey.
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Living in rural areas wasn't for everyone. There were a lot of people who needed the big city to be happy. For ten year old Kara Beckworth, living in rural Virginia was like living in paradise. She loved the outdoors, loved being able to go jump in the creek near their house whenever she wanted to. Well, as long as it wasn't winter. And she loved roaming through the woods whenever it was warm enough out to do so. Like today. The sun beat down on her warmly as she wandered. Her daddy always teased her about her ability to wander in the woods and never get lost. He called her his little wood sprite.
She was on her way back home because mommy would be making lunch soon when she heard something moving in the dense underbrush not far from her. Whatever it was, it sounded big and Kara froze. She knew they had bears in their area, even though she'd never actually seen one, and she knew they could get really angry if they thought you were a threat, especially if it was a female bear with cubs. She heard a snarl, which told her it wasn't a bear because they didn't snarl, and then something came at her. Kara screamed and tried to run but the monster was faster than she was. She felt teeth and claws tearing at her and screamed again before blackness swallowed her and there was no more pain. Her last thought was of her mommy and daddy and how sad they were going to be now.
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She should have died in the woods, but she didn't. A man saved her, he killed the monster and carried her home to her mommy and daddy. They cried when he told them what happened and looked... scared, and Kara didn't understand why. She was okay, why were they so scared? The man and her daddy talked in hushed tones before he left and her mommy took her to the bathroom so she could take a bath. She fell asleep again not long after that and when she woke up she was hungrier than she'd ever been in her young life. Kara was confused when her daddy told her she wouldn't be going to school anymore, her mommy was going to teach her at home instead. But she didn't ask why because he seemed so worried about something and she didn't want to upset him.
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When the stranger who brought his little girl home told him she'd been attacked by a werewolf, and since she was healing instead of being dead, it meant she would be one too, John Beckworth thought he was crazy. Then he showed John a small bit of what he, himself, was, and it convinced John. The stranger, who's name happened to be Josef Riddlesback, told him of the risks and how to keep him and his wife safe when Kara was forced to shift with the full moon. John soundproofed a room in the basement and bolted a cage into the cement floor, one that would be big enough for Kara to be comfortable in, and then on the full moon, he locked her away.
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The first full moon after her attack arrived and Kara didn't understand why her daddy was taking her to the basement. She had her arms wrapped loosely around his neck as he carried her and she felt tension in his body. "What's wrong, daddy?" she asked. When he stepped into the room and closed the door she started to get scared. "Daddy?" Her fear turned to terror when he opened the cage door. She clung to him in terror but even though she was a werewolf, which meant she was stronger than most ten year old children, she was still just a child.
John hated what he had to do because he knew his little girl didn't understand. "I'm sorry pumpkin, this is the only way to keep everyone safe. You only have to be in here until morning and I promise I'll let you out then." He forced her into the cage and locked it. Her eyes had changed color and he swallowed. "I promise I'll explain everything to you tomorrow, Kara," he said and left, closing the door behind him.
"Daddy, don't go.. don't leave me. Daddy!" Kara screamed as the door closed and kept screaming it until she was suddenly wracked with pain that turned her screams of fear into screams of pain. An agonizing half an hour later a small wolf pup stood where a small child had huddled not long ago. She collapsed in the cage and panted. Her ears shifted when the door opened but she didn't have the strength to even look up. A plate of raw meat was put in the cage and she finally lifted her head to whine at her father. The fear she saw on his face, smelled rolling off him, made her curl into a tight ball.
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For three years that was what her life consisted of. After the first few months her father got a collar and chain for her as well, because when he tried to put food in the cage for her she would growl at him and he was worried she'd attack him. She was the monster now and her parents feared her. It damaged their relationship, damaged her sense of self, and though she kept it all locked inside, Kara was spiraling into a deep depression.
When she was thirteen werewolves were exposed to the world. Only a few months before that she'd snapped and tried to kill herself, partly because she wanted to die, and partly because she was afraid she was going to hurt her parents. She'd tried to slit her wrists but the wounds kept closing too quickly, never allowing her to bleed enough for it to do any good.
It was those two events, her trying to kill herself and wolves being exposed to the world, that led to her father seeking, and finding, help for them. Through a series of conversations her father was put in touch with a werewolf named Bran Cornick, who asked to speak with her. "Hello?" Her voice was soft, timid, not because she was submissive but because she was scared.
"It's alright, child. You're not a monster and once you are here we will help you to learn control so you don't have to be afraid anymore," Bran said soothingly. Anyone who could survive being attacked at the tender age of ten had willpower to spare. He knew she would be fine once she learned control.
Those words set her mind, her fears, to rest. Not long after that single conversation Kara found herself packing up everything she owned to leave rural Virginia behind. She didn't know what to expect when she got to Aspen Creek. She didn't know what was waiting for her there. The only thing she did know, for certain, was that in Aspen Creek, Montana she would finally have a pack and the man with the soothing voice would be there.
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Kara watched out the window as her father drove their Ford Escape into the small town of Aspen Creek. They'd almost missed the turnoff to the town, the sign for it was so small and nondescript. There didn't appear to be much of a town. A motel, a school, a gas station/post office combination, and a church. She knew there had to be more to it but she didn't see much more. It wasn't all that different from where she'd been born; Goshen, Virginia, population 360. Aspen Creek was all rural too, the difference was there were more trees and mountains and less fields here.
John maneuvered them out of town itself, following the directions he'd been given, until they finally reached their destination. The house was large but then he figured it probably needed to be. "Are you ready to do this?" he asked his daughter. He glanced at her and was puzzled. This was the happiest he'd seen her since the attack.
Kara nodded. "Yeah." She was anxious and nervous but at the same time she was happy. This was a place to finally belong. A place where she wasn't the only one like her, a place where she could hopefully learn what she needed to learn so her parents would stop being afraid of her all the time.
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Bran Cornick did not look like much. He looked for all the world like a college student. It was a look he'd perfected over the years and it was deceptive as hell. What better way to keep people guessing than by not being exactly what they were expecting? He stood on his porch as the Ford Escape pulled up. There were three people inside, one of them a child, and he was certain this was the Beckworths. He'd made sure his mate wasn't around. He'd sent her to Missoula to shop, one of her most favorite past times. She was often difficult to deal with and the child had already been through enough.
"You must be Mr. And Mrs. Beckworth, which means you are Kara," he said to the girl once the trio reached the porch steps.
"That's right. We're looking for Bran Cornick," John said.
"You've found him. Please, come inside," Bran replied and motioned them into the house. He led them to his study and sat behind his desk. "Please, take a seat," he said, indicating the three chairs in front of the desk. He'd added the third because of Kara; there was usually only two chairs on the other side of his desk. "I'm sure you have questions, I will try to answer them."
John waited until they were seated before he spoke. "Will Kara be safe here? That's the most important thing for us; our daughter's safety."
"Kara is completely safe here, Mr. Beckworth. I give you my word on that. Kara's is a unique situation. Normally if a werewolf hasn't learned control after three years they have to be killed because they will always be a danger. But as I said, Kara's situation is unique. It's unheard of for someone so young to survive the violence that is required for the change to happen. Then she was left to try to understand what was happening to her without the guidance of a pack or even another werewolf. Your daughter's lack of control isn't because she genuinely lacks the ability to control her wolf, it's because she hasn't been taught how to do that. I believe that, given enough time, she will be fine."
John Beckworth felt a weight lift from his shoulders. His daughter would be safe. "Will we have to leave her?" he asked. "Ms. Thompson wasn't sure how to answer that when I asked. She said your biggest concern is the well-being of all werewolves, and Kara is a werewolf, but she's also still a child, so she wasn't sure exactly what would happen."
"Please don't make them go away," Kara said, a sudden spike of fear tinging her voice. "Please don't," she said again and felt tears stinging her eyes.
"Easy pup, I'm not going to make your parents abandon you. Not only would it be cruel, it would also make it harder for you to learn control," Bran told her before he spoke to her parents. "Kara will have to stay with a pack member for a few weeks until we're sure she's safe for you and your wife to be around, especially during the full moon. But it's only temporary. I think Sage would be best. She's good with young people."
Bran called her, opting to use the phone because the Beckworths were already shaken up by all that had happened, Kara especially, and he didn't want to make her even more uneasy than she already was by contacting her silently. "We recently had a resident move away, she left the house to the care of the pack. Sage will show you where it is, and where her home is, so you can visit with Kara any time."
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Sage Carhardt was a tall, slender brunette who could easily strut down the runway if she'd wanted to be a model. But she was happy with her life which included working as a medical transcriptionist from home. And being the eyes and ears in the pack. If something was going on, she was often one of the very first to know about it. As soon as Bran called her she headed to his home. "Hello, hello," she called out as she entered.
"We're in the study," Bran said.
Kara turned as the woman entered. She felt a bit like an ugly duckling with the pretty brunette there.
"Sage, this is Mr. and Mrs. Beckworth and their daughter, Kara. Kara is going to stay with you for a few weeks, until after the full moon, while we work on teaching her control. I need you to help prepare her for the joining ceremony so she knows what to expect tomorrow."
"Sure thing, boss," Sage said with a cheeky smile. "Hey there, Kara. Don't look so glum, it'll be fun. We can watch movies and pig out on junk food."
Kara laughed at that. "You eat junk food?" she asked.
"Of course I do. I have a whole cabinet full of junk food," Sage replied with a grin.
"The Beckworths will be moving into Melanie Ramsey's old house," Bran told her.
"Oh, good choice. It's got a nice yard, a big porch, and it's close to my place so Kara can easily walk back and forth," Sage said with a nod. "Ready to go whenever you're done talking business," she added.
Bran went over a few more things with them and then they were on their way. Sage stopped at the house the Beckworths would be moving into first then on to her own house where she helped Kara get a few of her things inside. She stayed on the porch while Kara said goodbye to her folks.
"Be good and listen to Miss Carhardt, okay? And remember we're not that far away, Kara. You'll be okay and as soon as they're sure it's safe you'll be back home with me and your mother," John said.
"I know daddy. I'll be good, I promise," Kara replied and hugged him around the waist.
"Go on, pumpkin." He hadn't called her that in years, not since that first full moon three years ago. He'd gotten so caught up in keeping what she was hidden, and keeping them all safe, he'd somehow forgotten she was still his little girl.
Kara hung on for a little longer then let him go, gave her mother a hug as well, and then joined Sage on the porch to watch them drive off.
"Come on inside, kiddo. We'll get you settled into the guest room and you can pick out what movies you want to watch tonight."
It wasn't until later that night, after she'd gone to bed, that it really hit her. She wouldn't have to be locked in a cage anymore. She didn't have to be afraid she was going to hurt her parents. She had a place to belong. Tears of relief soaked her pillow as she fell asleep.
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Over the next few weeks leading up to the full moon, the most jarring thing to happen to her was the joining ceremony. There was no way to prepare for the almost painful rush of power that hit her when it was complete. The feeling of connection after it was done was overwhelming and even a few weeks after it was over she still felt a bit overwhelmed by it.
Each day she spent several hours working on her school work with her mother. They'd decided to keep up the home-schooling for the first few weeks until they knew if she'd be able to handle sitting in a classroom. The full moon would give them an indication of that. The rest of the time was spent with one of the other pack members, usually one of the more dominant wolves, working on control. Sometimes it was just Sage, other times there were others with them. A time or two she was with Charles Cornick who both scared her and made her feel safe at the same time. The one she really liked being around was Anna and Sage explained to her why Anna's presence was always so comforting.
The first full moon since she joined the pack arrived and Kara was nervous. Would she lose control like she usually did? Or would it be better this time? Had she learned enough in the last few weeks to help her to not be such a danger to her parents? She was surprised when, a little before sunset, Charles and Anna arrived at Sage's house.
"We're here to help, if it's needed," Anna said gently. "We all know you're scared, because of how bad it's been for you, but it should be a lot easier now with the pack to help you," she added.
Anna's presence calmed her fears and when it was time she undressed and, with hands balled into fists, she waited; waited for the pain to start, waited for the feeling of 'other' to come over her. There was a moment of surprise when the change started because even though it still hurt, she didn't feel like a stranger was stealing her body, that feeling of 'other' was gone. She felt complete and a smile lit up her face before it faded because of the pain and she slowly shifted from human to wolf. When she was done a small brindled wolf pup stood on shaky legs and shook the last tingles from her fur. She made a happy yipping sound and the quartet went out into the night to run and hunt under the light of the moon.