“Such a thing has been known to happen in the past,” he said. “The wolves lost their way as the world moved on. We fooled ourselves into thinking we were like the other humans and suffered from the same trappings. We lived like them, one mate, one family, but we have always been a pack. You are right. I…I apologize for my outburst. I suppose there are lingering feelings of resentment because of what happened before. I already had one woman I loved taken from me and when I saw you and Matt I had the distinct feeling it was happening again.”
I smiled at him. “I wasn’t being taken from you Jack. Just because I have feelings for Matt does not change my feelings for you. It is like children or parents, we can love more than one of them. Romantic love should be no different, it is no different, at least not for me. I understand that now and I understand my role in the pack. But it is not only me you should apologize to. Matt did not deserve your ire.”
Jack glowered as I said this, but he nodded in numb acceptance. “I will make it right with him. This is the best way to make the pack stronger,” he said, as though he was talking himself into accepting the way I wanted things to be. Relief washed over me as I felt the pieces falling into place and I couldn’t stop my mouth from curling into a smile.
“So are Matt and Buck the others you have chosen?” he asked. Hearing the question put like that was striking and I almost deferred my answer, but I realized I needed no more time to decide. My feelings for Jack and Matt were deep, and Buck…well, there was something about him that made my heart cry out in pity and I wanted to show him that it was possible to love something other than the pack. I dipped my head as I nodded and replied in the affirmative, sealing my fate, promising myself to these three men, these wolves. Excitement and anticipation flickered within like a burning flame. I didn’t know where this decision was going to take me, but I was certain it was the correct one. The wolves held a special place in my heart and I knew I belonged here. Like my father before me I would lead these wolves into a new era, I would protect them as best I could and I would fill their lives with love.
I had never made a positive decision like this before, not one that would define the course of my life. The only other major decision I had made was a negative one, to not go into the same career as my mother wanted. A flood of pure joy filled me as I welcomed this sensation of love into my heart, as I welcomed these three men into my soul. I knew I would never be in command of them and I would never ever direct the journey of the pack, but to have them be a part of me and to play a part in their lives, to offer them love and strong children filled me with a sense of purpose and I knew that I was at home.
“We should all talk about this,” Jack said, “but first there is something that must be taken care of.”
My heart sank instantly as it felt as though he had ripped away my idea of paradise. But a chill crept down my spine at the tone of his voice. His body took on a defensive posture and I realized that with all this talk of emotion there was still one thing that I hadn’t asked him, and that was how his meeting with the Hunters went. With them still lurking I knew there wasn’t any way for us to be happy because they would always be there, trying to tear us down and ruin our happiness, to try and stop us from living our best lives. I had seen how determined they were to get to me and to stop us from being strong, and pure, unadulterated hatred ran through my
mind.
“We need to stop them,” I said.
“That’s what I’m planning to do,” Jack said.
*
Jack and I emerged from his room and returned to the bar, where everyone apart from Buck was tidying up the mess that the Hunters had made. The men were in good spirits as Matt had evidently shared with them the story of what had happened in their absence and they reveled in the glory of battle. I could see that they had drinks in their hands and were toasting the resolve of Buck and Matt. When we entered there was a great cheer that erupted, one I assumed was for Jack, but actually it was for me.
“I told them about the way you fended off the wolf,” Matt said.
I blushed and nodded. Frankly I didn’t think I had done anything heroic since I had just cowered behind the bar and surviving had been a matter of fortune more than anything else, but I took their congratulations in my stride and was glad that they didn’t just see me as a weak female. Matt glanced with tension at Jack, and Jack betrayed no emotion. I offered Matt a warm smile to say that everything was going to be okay, although I didn’t know if he believed me at that moment. Jack strode into the middle of the room and was handed a glass of whiskey, which he took and slugged back, before slamming the glass down on a table. The bubble of chatter died down as all attention was focused on him. I shifted beside Matt, who looked uncomfortable, no doubt worried that Jack would look at him in enmity again.
“It’s okay,” I whispered to Matt, “I need to talk with you after all this. I know why I’m here. I know what I want to do with this pack,” I said. I wished that I could have been more specific or at least hinted to more of an idea of what would happen in the future. I still had to see if Matt and Buck would even be happy sharing my affection and had to tell myself that the future had not been written yet, even if it made so much sense in my mind. There had been so much talk of destiny and I was not yet ready to accept that everything was laid out in a set sequence. Just because I wanted something badly, because I could foresee something working in my mind, didn’t mean that it was going to happen without any difficulty. There was a chance that neither Matt nor Buck would be interested in the kind of arrangement that I wanted. If that was the case then I would have to adjust my plans fully. It might be the case that I ended up with Jack and only Jack, and although I loved the man, that prospect did not seem as wonderful as the alternative.
But, as it was, I had to leave Matt in mystery for a little while longer as Jack commanded the attention of the entire pack and began to speak.
“Today was a dark day, as the Hunters dared to attack our clubhouse. They’re getting more aggressive and more confident. So far we’ve managed to fight them off, but if they keep attacking we’re only going to be able to hold out for a certain amount of time. Buck almost died today, and I know that if we keep doing what we’re doing it’s only a matter of time before they storm us with everything they have, and there will be a slaughter. We went there today with two things in mind. I wanted to hear what their offer of peace was, if indeed it was genuine. I knew in my heart that it wouldn’t be, so I wasn’t surprised to find they were stalling while their hunting party came here to try and take Trish from us. But we did learn a lot. They’re not as powerful as they seem, and they haven’t made good use of the community. They live in squalor. Instead of building something worthwhile, something they can be proud of, they’ve been scavenging off the land and they’re getting desperate. They are an example of what happens when wolves lose their way. They’re barely better than wild wolves, untamed, living on instinct, and that is why we are going to win. We’re smarter than them, and we know what it is to live in a community. We have enjoyed the best of both worlds, human and wolf, and that is what is going to give us the advantage.
We’re going to go back there and reclaim our home. We’re going to show the Hunters that their way is not best, and we’re going to restore pride to our pack. We’re going to make it so that everyone who left out of fear will return, and our pack will grow strong again. For too long we have been living in the darkness, shackled to the despair that came before us. Tragedy has struck so many times and it is only natural that we should be afraid of those that wish to destroy us, but that time is over. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives and I say that we are going to have long lives. We are going to take back what was once ours, and we’re going to prove once and for all that the Howlers are the best damned pack of wolves that there has ever been!”
His voice rose into a crescendo and it crashed throughout the entire clubhouse. The other wolves raised their drinks and cheered and hollered, spellbound by Jack’s words and I was once again reminded of when he mentioned that there was magic in the world. I saw it before me in the way he commanded and inspired the pack. I felt it myself too, my skin tingled and prickles rose in small bubbles over my arms. Breath caught in my throat and my skin became flushed as arousal drew me towards him. If there had been nobody else there I would have torn off his clothes and flung myself at him, but I managed to control myself in the midst of the other wolves.
When the cacophony of the war cry subsided, Jack addressed them again, this time in a low and deliberate voice, and that displayed his keen mind and showed why he was the leader of the pack.
“Tonight, in the darkness, we’re going to run as wolves through the night as a pack, and then we’re going to set up traps all around their camp to help give us an advantage. We’re going to have to be quiet and we’re going to have to work quickly so as not to be discovered. In the morning we’ll attack before they even expect it. They won’t think that we would dare to be so brazen and they’ll be arrogant. The traps will take out a great number of them, and we’ll take care of the rest. By the time we’re finished with them the Hunters will be no more and they’ll flee into the wilderness, their tails between their legs.”
Someone asked how they were going to get to the small town without being detected, as the Hunters would surely have been able to smell them. I was glad that someone asked the question as I was wondering the same thing myself. Jack smirked and I knew that he had a plan. He cocked an eyebrow and looked to Matt.
“Our resident healer has been working on something,” he said, and gestured to Matt. Matt stepped forward and cleared his throat, before pulling a small vial out of his pocket.
“I call this Whisper,” he said, and explained that once drunk it would mask their scent for some time.
Jack smiled with pride. “This is going to allow us to creep up close to them and set our traps. They’ll never see us coming. They might have the numerical advantage over us, but they don’t have the ingenuity. Matt’s been working on a few other potions as well to increase our strength and endurance. They’ll only last a short time though, so we must make sure that we make the time count!”
I looked at Matt, a little surprised that he hadn’t shared any of this with me, but he merely shrugged. I was glad to see that the other wolves congratulated him and thanked him and valued him. It would have been easy for them all to look down upon him because he was just a healer, but even though he was not the strongest wolf he could still offer them a lot in combat and they depended on him. Jack explained the plan in more detail and I listened intently as he talked about setting various traps around the perimeter of the small town, and then they would draw the Hunters out in an initial flurry to take out as many of them as they could, before engaging them in battle.
It was natural for the wolves to get excited about the thought of testing their mettle in battle, so the mood in the bar was one of excitement and anticipation, but as Jack described the plan and spoke about the number of the Hunters it became clear that this was not going to have a happy ending for everyone. It was a deadly battle and people were going to die; people that could include the ones I loved. My heart sank as I thought about a future without them and tears welled in my eyes as a deep sadness clutched my heart. They had to come back, they just had to. I knew that the Hunters could not be reasoned with, could not be bargained with. They were vile wolves who had killed my father and many other wolves all for the sake of proving themselves more powerful, and it was time that they were taught a lesson.
I looked at Jack with pride as he explained the plan, but I was also filled with worry at what the future might hold. As much as I knew we were on the right side of justice that didn’t always mean victory was assured and the night would be filled with anxiety and worry on my part. I had to talk to them before they left. I wanted to tell them what I wanted from the future, in the hope that it would inspire them to fight even harder, and I didn’t want any of them to die before they knew how I felt.
Chapter Sixteen
Once Jack had finished speaking there was a convivial mood as the pack looked forward to battle. There were only a few hours until nightfall, so the wolves went about their business and rested before they were due to leave. As soon as Jack and Matt were both free, for they were inundated with attention after Jack declared his plan, I got them to come with me to Buck’s room. Buck was looking a little more alert, although he was still in pain. He propped himself up into a sitting position and was eager to learn about what had happened with the Hunters. I waited patiently while Jack and Matt quickly explained to him what was happening. Color had returned to his face and he was looking much more alive than he had been before. I was amazed by the rate at which he healed. There was no end to the wonder that came with the supernatural abilities of the wolves, although I had to put my awe aside so that I could talk with them.