Authors: Callie Hartwood
Lyanne entered the cabin’s lounge where James and Darian were sat talking.
“Darian tells me you know everything now Lyanne,” James said looking at her with his cold blue eyes.
Lyanne felt slightly awkward and said quietly, “Yes, I know everything.”
“So I can speak freely in front of her Darian?”
“When you stop referring to Lyanne as ‘her’ then yes you can. Anything you’ve got to say to me you can say in front Lyanne,” Darian said looking across at Lyanne.
Lyanne felt flattered, Darian truly respected her and wanted his pack to do the same. It was a lot for her to adjust to, she was involved with an alpha wolf and he had his own pack, which she guessed she was part of now.
“Did you hear the wolf song last night?” James said with a shaky tone to his voice. “It was deep in the forest.”
“No, we didn’t hear anything,” Darian said and looked at Lyanne for confirmation.
“No, nothing,” she whispered feeling unsure about contributing to the conversation, but Darian had prompted her to.
James looked at her and said, “Nothing at all, you guys heard nothing?”
Lyanne felt thrilled. James had included her, she felt accepted, well at least by James. Lisa and Daniel might be harder to convince but then Lyanne always had James down as the tough guy.
“There was a lone howl and then a whole bunch of wolf song followed it. Darian, I hate to say it man, but I think there’s another pack here,” James said, and for once Lyanne detected fear in his eyes.
Darian stood up and walked toward Lyanne, he put his arm around her briefly and then said, “We’ve never had any problems before James, why now?”
“Is it me Darian?” Lyanne said, genuinely concerned that her presence in the wilderness had encouraged another wolf pack to invade Darian’s territory.
Darian looked at James and then James spoke, “No, Lyanne probably not. I don’t see how they’d feel you being here was so vital that they had to intrude on our home, and I don’t mean that to sound disrespectful.”
“I understand,” Lyanne whispered, she appreciated his respect.
“They must have been driven out from their own territory, there’s no other reason for them to be here,” Darian said.
Lyanne sat down next to James on the couch and surprisingly he didn’t move. “What’ll happen now?” she said worried for Darian and his pack.
“With a bit of luck they’ll become bored and leave, there’s nothing for them here. Our pack runs this land and our comradery is excellent. Any wolf pack with knowledge of our pack will know this and will know they can’t split us up or move us on,” Darian said.
Lyanne looked at him and said quietly, “Will that be their aim then to move you on?”
“Yeah, and if they can’t achieve that they’ll attempt to make us weaker by splitting the pack. If a pack splits or loses the alpha wolf they’re at their most vulnerable and any wolf looking to highjack the pack or the pack’s territory will strike then,” James said quietly looking at Lyanne.
Now she was really worried. What if these other wolves hurt Darian, she shuddered and Darian noticed.
“Hey, don’t fret. We’ll cope, right James?” Darian said as he walked across toward Lyanne.
James knew Darian was trying to reassure Lyanne, “Of course we’ll cope, we always have.”
“Did Lisa and Daniel hear the wolf song?” Darian said with concern in his voice.
“Yes and they’re both as edgy as fuck today, they wouldn’t even come up here to see you. They think the outsider pack may try and pick us off in the daylight.”
Darian threw his head back and laughed, “They won’t attack in the day, and the best thing to do right now is stay together we’re at our strongest when we’re together. James I think the three of you should come here, to the cabin for now.”
Lyanne’s heart sank. Did Darian really just invite the whole fucking wolf clan to stay?
“Will that be fine with you Lyanne?” Darian asked.
Lyanne gave an awkward smile and through clenched teeth said, “Yes, of course whatever you think is the best thing to do,” she felt vexed by the situation and felt that he’d only asked her opinion as an afterthought. Still she could hardly argue with the alpha wolf, now could she, James touched her arm and she jumped.
“Thanks Lyanne, this gesture will mean a lot to the others as it does to me,” he turned to look at her with his blue eyes staring deeply at her, Lyanne noticed how handsome his face was, she’d never realized before but James was actually a good-looking guy. He’d left his hand on her arm a little longer than he should have and Darian coughed, making James drop his hand quickly and Lyanne to look away from him realizing just how much she was staring.
“That’s settled then. James we’ll expect you all later,” Darian said as he moved toward the door. James stood up looking down at Lyanne, she smiled up at him and he left.
Lyanne suddenly felt very awkward alone with Darian, he walked across and sat beside her on the couch. He didn’t speak a word she looked at him but he was staring at the ground. Lyanne knew he’d seen the way she’d looked at James and how his hand had lingered on her arm.
“Well this will prove interesting,” she muttered.
Darian looked at her with his hazel eyes void of any emotion, “It’s the only way we can all stay safe, I hope you can understand that Lyanne. You seem to have accepted James more now.”
“Isn’t that what you want? For me to accept what you are and to do that surely I’ve got to accept the others. What am I supposed to do here Darian, tell me because I’m struggling trying to please you? If I don’t get along with your pack that’s wrong and if I do that’s also wrong!” Lyanne said as she stood up.
“God Lyanne, I’m sorry I’m being a complete ass. Jealousy is a bitch whatever species you are I guess, forgive me,” Darian stood in front of her taking her hands in his and looking into her green eyes.
Lyanne looked up at him, “You’ve no reason to be jealous Darian, that’s ludicrous. I want you and only you whatever you think you saw between James and I you were mistaken.”
Lyanne spoke the words aloud hoping she’d convince herself as much as Darian, she’d felt something for James but she truly loved Darian. He leant toward her and kissed her mouth softly holding her close.
“Come on let’s get out of here,” he said grabbing their boots and coats.
Lyanne quickly pulled her boots on as she was grateful for the distraction. They left the cabin and stepped out into the cold crisp air.
“Is it safe to be out here right now?” Lyanne asked, she felt safe enough beside Darian but even so, it was an unnerving thought thinking about another pack of wolves out there, she was frightened enough when Darian’s pack had nearly attacked her. It still scared the shit out of her to know that his pack hurt Nathan, and yet here she was with the alpha.
Darian took her hand, “You’ll be safe with me my sweet Lyanne don’t worry,” as he spoke, they heard a quiet distant howl and Lyanne held his hand tighter.
“You said they’d never attack in the day,” she whispered.
“They’re desperate to make their presence known that’s all, they won’t risk coming out in the daylight.”
They continued walking through the snowy wilderness hand in hand and Lyanne started to relax and appreciate the beauty of their surroundings. The earlier awkwardness between them melted away as quickly as the snowflakes hitting the ground around them.
The forest was truly magical, Lyanne had never noticed how captivating it truly was until now, Darian knew every inch of it as he took them on twists and turns through the trees. They turned a corner and both froze, standing in front of them with its bristling fur and ears standing erect was a lone wolf, the first thing Lyanne noticed were the sharp teeth the second thing she noticed were the cold amber colored eyes just staring right at them. She felt Darian release her hand.
“Don’t move Lyanne, stand perfectly still,” he whispered to her, truth is she couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to as she was frozen with pure fear.
The wolf wasn’t moving there was no indication of what it intended to do next. Lyanne saw the staring amber eyes shift their gaze to her side, it was looking downward. She followed the wolf’s eyes and standing by her side was another wolf, not Darian anymore but a wolf. It turned and looked at Lyanne with warm eyes, she’d know those hazel eyes anywhere she felt as though her legs would buckle underneath her Lyanne’s breathing was fast and erratic, she felt sick.
The wolf beside her started to creep slowly forward not shifting its gaze from the other wolf, it stood in front of Lyanne. The other wolf flattened its ears and lowered its body toward the cold snow, its lips were still drawn back but the snarling had stopped. To Lyanne it looked as though it was being submissive to Darian, the wolf took one last look toward Lyanne then turned tail and vanished into the wilderness.
Lyanne dropped to her knees on the icy snow and buried her head in her hands.
“Lyanne, Lyanne are you okay?” Darian’s voice was filled with concern. Lyanne looked up and saw his warm hazel eyes, she tried to stand on shaky legs but fell to her knees again.
Darian went to help her up but she shoved him away, “What the fuck was that?” she spat the words at him.
“What did you want me to do? I didn’t get the opportunity to explain to you what was about to happen Lyanne, well now you’ve seen my inner wolf. I had to protect you, and the only way to do that successfully was to shift.”
She knew what he was saying was true but it was a shock to the system for her, one minute he’d been Darian and the next a wolf.
“So you can just shift in an instant?” she asked, as she eventually stood up still keeping her distance from him.
“If I sense any imminent danger yes and I used to shift to hunt with my pack, but as you know only they hunt now I eat regular food.”
Lyanne didn’t know what to say or what to feel. She knew what Darian was, and yet seeing him shift into his wolf had brought clarity to the whole concept. She preferred the mystery of his inner wolf and not actually knowing it or seeing it, this was all a bit freaky for her.
“You don’t like what you saw do you?” he said, as if reading her thoughts.
She looked at him and said, “I’m just digesting it all, it was one thing you telling me what you are but a totally different thing seeing it for myself.”
“We need to go back Lyanne as the wolf will return and she won’t be alone next time.”
“She, it was a she?” somehow this information shocked Lyanne, she had automatically assumed the wolf had been a male.
“Yes a she, a beta wolf like James and Daniel. I don’t know why she was out alone but like I say she won’t be next time so we must go,” Darian looked apprehensive as he peered into the dense forest.
She let him help her now as they trudged through the deep snow, suddenly the beauty she’d seen in the wilderness had vanished and now all she observed was a cold and threatening landscape. They made their way back to the cabin to find James, Daniel and Lisa waiting outside.
“Hey, we were worried about you, we heard a howl, did you guys hear it?” said Lisa.
“You could say that,” mumbled Lyanne as she made her way to the cabin’s door with the help of Darian’s strong grip.
“Are you hurt Lyanne?” asked James as he watched Darian helping her.
“She’s fine, I had to shift because we didn’t just hear the howl we met the owner of said howl,” said Darian as he and Lyanne made their way into the safety of the cabin where they were greeted by the chirping chipmunk.
“Hey little guy,” said Lyanne as the chipmunk scampered away.
“It doesn’t like us,” Daniel said as he entered the cabin with the other two following closely behind him.
“Probably as it might end up as our dinner,” Lisa said laughing.
“You keep away from him, just keep the fuck away from him,” shouted Lyanne as she went after the chipmunk.
“Really Lisa, in bad taste or what,” said James as he followed Lyanne. Lisa just shrugged her shoulders and went off to find Darian who’d gone into the kitchen.
Lyanne had gone into the bedroom and shut the door as the chipmunk was with her, “Lyanne can I come in?” James asked through the shut door.
“If you’re not going to eat my little friend then yes,” Lyanne replied. James was smiling when he entered the room. “No I won’t harm him and Lisa’s a bitch for what she said Lyanne.”
“The day has been stressful James, seeing Darian shift was a shock,” Lyanne said as she looked at him.
James walked toward the bed and sat beside Lyanne, “Yes I can only imagine. We’ve all got used to it and have grown with it but for you it must have been terrifying. Did Darian fight this other wolf?”
“No, it backed down and ran away he said it was a female,” said Lyanne.
James pondered over Lyanne’s words for a moment and then said, “She must have been a beta wolf then like myself and Daniel, an omega wouldn’t have confronted an alpha and another alpha wolf wouldn’t have backed down as easily.”
“God, this is all so weird to me James. Listening to you all speak about wolves and then realizing that you’re all actually wolves,” Lyanne said as she looked into James’ piercing blue eyes.
He leant toward her and before she realized what he was doing he kissed her tenderly on the lips, his mouth felt soft and his lips lingered on hers. She kissed him back with the same feathery lightness.
As he pulled away from Lyanne his eyes filled with guilt, “God, Lyanne I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I kissed you back James,” she said touching his arm as she spoke.
“You’re so beautiful, Darian’s a lucky guy,” he whispered as he stood up and left the room.
Lyanne was unsure of what had happened, James had kissed her but instead of pulling away and feeling repelled she’d enjoyed it, and even felt herself being turned on by it. She couldn’t believe the way she’d acted toward James, she loved Darian and until a little while ago had been a virgin.
There was a knock on the door, Lyanne hoped it was James returning for more, and was a little disappointed when Darian’s voice said, “Lyanne, can I come in?”
“Of course,” she said.
Darian entered the room and walked toward the bed taking a seat where James had just been sitting.
“I saw James leaving the room, are you okay?” Darian said searching Lyanne’s eyes for an answer.
Lyanne didn’t want to lie to him but she knew the truth would tear him up; she had to think quickly he was waiting for an answer and the longer he waited the guiltier she appeared. She had no choice she had to up and tell him the truth she couldn’t lie to those beautiful hazel eyes.
“I’m fine Darian, but I’ve got to tell you something, and you won’t like it.”
Darian turned her to face him, “Tell me Lyanne, and I’ll decide if I like it or not.”
She looked at the ground but he tilted her head toward him, he wasn’t going to make this easy for her.
“James and I,” god this was harder than she thought, she took a deep breath. “James and I…we kissed.”
Darian’s face changed instantly from one filled with concern and warmth to one filled with disgust and hurt, he stood up and turned away from her.
“Darian, say something, anything but speak to me,” Lyanne implored.
“Not much I can say Lyanne. Did you enjoy kissing him?” his voice sounded so pathetically small, so hurt.
“It was one kiss it meant nothing to either of us.”
“So now you’re inside James’ head, you know what he thought of your kiss. You have no comprehension Lyanne what this kind of behavior can do to a pack.”
“That’s right because here’s a fucking news flash for you I’m not a wolf Darian and I’m doing my fucking best to understand the set-up here,” she was hurt now, it was one kiss, that’s all one kiss.
There was a knock on the door, “Hey you guys better get your asses out here,” Lisa shouted.
“Later Lyanne, later we’ll finish this chat then,” Darian said as he left the room leaving Lyanne feeling about an inch tall, she stood up to leave the room with tears pricking at her green eyes.
As Lyanne entered the room, Daniel turned and glared at her, as did Lisa.
“What? What have I done now?” she asked moving into the lounge beside Darian.
“There was another howl and James left in a hurry and in a foul mood shouting something about you fucking with his head, he’s obviously gone to seek out the source of the howl and is all fired up because of you Lyanne,” said Daniel.
Darian moved closer to Lyanne and put his arm across the front of her as if to protect her from Daniel and Lisa.