An anger arose inside me. To die in this filthy place by this stupid thug was not my idea of a heroic death. I felt the Beast inside me howl in rage and my body transformed. My neck thickened and my clawed hands reached out from the water to grab his own throat. I pulled him into the water with me and rolled us over so I was on top. My face elongated and a sick grin slipped onto my thick, sharp fangs. The Beast inside me reveled in the feeling of him thrashing beneath me and his pulse weakening.
A hand shot out and grabbed one of my wrists. The person pulled my hand away and the guard floated up to the surface, unconscious but alive. He whipped my face to the interloper and found it was Stevens. "Control the Beast before it controls you," he ordered me.
My eyes widened and I shook my head. "I-I didn't know," I stuttered.
He tossed my wrist to the side and sneered at me. "Now you don't, so learn from it," he shot back. He glanced over his shoulder and I followed his gaze. Luke tossed aside the last of the guards and stumbled over to us.
"I think I've had enough of the sewers," he commented.
"And I've had enough of this city," I returned.
Luke noticed my transformation and frowned. "What happened?"
"Could we talk about this in a cleaner spot? Say a soap factory?" I pleaded.
Luke pursed his lips, but nodded. He led the way back to the truck where Rick and Steve still waited for us. They jumped out of the vehicle to greet us, but got a whiff of our stench and stopped short of the welcome hug. Rick noticed Stevens and smiled. "So ya actually got him," he commented.
Stevens frowned. "Yes, I have been got," he agreed.
Rick bowed at the waist and gestured to the cab. "There's just enough room to squeeze yer lordly ass in the cab," he invited.
"I'm not riding in that," Stevens argued.
Rick shrugged and jerked his head toward the bed. "Then ya ride back there."
Stevens shuddered and slipped into the truck. Steve and Rick sat on either side of him, and Luke and I took our spot in the bed. Rick started the truck and glanced over his shoulder at us. "Where to?" he wondered.
"Head south out of the city. We need to get to Scientia to meet up with the others," Luke told him.
"Got ya." Rick hit the gas and we zoomed out of there.
A few blocks down Luke turned to me. "So what happened back there?" he wondered.
I looked away and shrugged. "I guess I got carried away."
"With what?" he persisted.
I cringed. "With almost killing a guy," I muttered. I expected outrage, shame, and a lot of yelling from him. All I got was silence, so I risked a glance. Luke looked at me with a mix of worry and regret. "Aren't you going to tell me to control the Beast?" I asked him.
He shook his head. "I think you learned that when you realized what you'd almost done."
"And will I. . .will I do it again?" I wondered.
"Only if you don't control it, and if you try to hide your difficulties with it," he told me.
"So no secrets?" I rephrased.
"No secrets," he repeated. I narrowed my eyes and leaned toward him. He frowned and leaned back. "What? Do I have sewer on my face?"
"No, but you've been keeping secrets," I told him.
He cringed. "I was meaning to tell you about Lance and me."
I leaned away and crossed my arms. "Uh-huh, and that time was going to be when? After you killed him?" I guessed.
"When the time was right," he reassured me. I wasn't reassured.
"Telling your mate you have a brother that's trying to kill us both is kind of important," I persisted. I leaned toward him. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
He sighed. "Would you want to admit to anyone that your brother is insane and causes so much suffering?" he countered.
It was my turn to cringe. "I guess not, but how did he turn out crazy while you're just crazy handsome?"
"We were born brothers, and were adopted by the previous Lord Laughton. I appreciated the gift our father gave us, but Lance enjoyed the scent of blood. He would start fights to smell it. After several years our father banished him from the estates and the Wildlands region. Lance showed up a few decades later as the adopted son of the Connor pack." He snarled. "They were always known for their love of blood."
"So you're twins?" I guessed.
He nodded. "Yes, alike in scent, but different in everything else."
I leaned my head against the cab and sighed. "As if all this wasn't complicated enough."
"It'll only get worse if we don't stop Lance and his intentions," Luke replied.
I turned my head toward him. "You don't really intend to kill him, do you?" I asked him.
He sighed and glanced up at the dark sky. The horizon in the west was lighting up with a new sun. The towering skyscrapers of the city became silhouettes in the distance as Rick drove us beyond the borders of the metropolis. Our long night of adventure was over, and more excitement lay in store for us in the south. We had our friends to reunite with, and the de-scenter to find and destroy. It was going to be a hell of a journey, but I had my mate by my side.
"We have to do what needs to be done to save everyone, but I hope not," he whispered.
I slid against his shoulder and leaned my head in the crux of his neck. "So do I."
Alpha Resolution
Alpha Blood, Book 3
1
"Are we there yet?"
The whiner was me, Becky, werewolf initiate extraordinaire. Right then I felt like a werewolf shaken and stirred. The place was a dusty road in the middle of nowhere. The vehicle was an old pickup truck just short of being an antique and well on its way to being scrap yard material. The time, some hours past lunch. The company was a few bricks shy of a load, or, to fit my hunger, a few fries short of a Happy Meal.
"This old truck isn't going to go any faster on these damned roads," Rick growled at me through the cab window.
He was the driver, an old cantankerous man with a shotgun at his side full of silver bullets. Beside him sat George Stevens, lord of the werewolf region of Manutia and a general pain in the ass. On the other side of Stevens was Steve, a human young man about eighteen who looked like he'd rather be studying at some college than hanging around with a bunch of werewolves and a crazy old man out on a quest to save the werewolf race from self-extermination. At least, I think that's what we were doing. My brain was so rattled from the rough road that I hadn't lost the marbles inside my head, but I was pretty sure they were all broken.
"That's enough," Luke scolded us. His back was leaned against the side of the pickup bed and his eyes were closed. I don't know why he even tried to fall asleep on this rough road.
It was a week after our escape from New York, or the werewolf equivalent of it. The city of Bolton was far behind us, and far in front of us, somewhere beyond the small towns and cities of Manutia, lay the region of Scientia. The northern land of Manutia was a heavily populated metropolis, but this southern part was more like a mix between the fields of Agropolis and the wilds of my new home, Wildlands. There were scattered towns and the occasional larger city, but Rick had packed enough supplies in the back of the truck that we were able to skirt civilization for this long week.
I plopped myself down beside Luke and sighed. "Remind me again what we're doing out here in the middle of the middle of nowhere," I asked him.
"Our safest route to enter Scientia is to find a hole in the region defenses," he explained.
"How large is this region? I mean, can they really be patrolling most of it?" I wondered.
"It is quite large, and we have the advantage there," he told me. "Unfortunately, we do not know how many werewolves they have convinced to join them, so they may have a regular patrol on all parts of the border."
"I won't believe so many werewolves would join that madman," Stevens spoke up.
Rick looked at him with a sneer. "You did," he reminded him.
Stevens frowned back at the old man. "I was not obeying out of loyalty nor my own free
will," he argued.
"Uh-huh, so you're going to tell us again how ya were controlled by a smell they shoved up your nose that made ya like a zombie?" Rick guessed.
Stevens' eyes narrowed. "If you were a werewolf that would not sound so impossible," he countered.
Rick snorted. "If I was a werewolf I wouldn't be tolerating your words. We would've duked this out a lot time ago."
Luke frowned and leaned his head back toward the cab window. "Our enemies are Lance and the others. Do not lose sight of that," he interrupted our compatriots.
As you can tell, tensions were running high among our little group. This exciting road trip with this dysfunctional family grated on everyone's nerves like cheese on a-well, a grater. The closer we came to our destination the worse our tempers flared. The only one unaffected by imminent death was Luke, and I had to admire and envy his ability to remain calm in the face of this massive danger. After all, we'd had a close shave in Bolton. I expected more than a knick in Scientia.
Rick grumbled, but settled down into driving us along the rock-strewn back roads of Manutia. "Well, his Lordship better know where we're headed because I lost my way twelve turns back," he mumbled.
"I know my own territory, and I am sure that the least amount of patrols will occur around the forested swamps. The smells from the rancid waters are very disgusting to our kind," Stevens assured him.
"How much farther to the swamp forests?" Luke asked him.
Stevens glanced up at the darkening sky. It would be night in an hour. Another sleep on the hard ground, but I had my Luke pillow to soften the dirt. "The day after tomorrow at midday we will reach it. There is a town between here that we must skirt around," he told us.
"Skirt around nothing. We're running low on gas and supplies," Rick spoke up. He tapped the fuel gauge which showed near empty. "Hopefully that town isn't very far because we've only got one more can to empty into the tank."
"The town will be reached by mid-afternoon tomorrow," Stevens replied.
"We may also be able to find some information about the facility. The location is still unknown to us," Luke reminded us.
Stevens scoffed. "It won't be hard to find. Mullen and the rest of Scientia like to brag about their discoveries."
"Possibly, but Lance will have demanded secrecy, and chosen a site hidden from casual observers," Luke argued. He glanced up at the darkening sky. "But let's rest for tonight. The night will be cold, and I would rather we not light a campfire any closer to the border," Luke advised.
Rick parked the truck on the side of the dusty dirt road and we made camp. It was a simple procedure of gathering sticks and stones, making a fire in them, and settling down on the few blankets alloted to us. Rick and Steve took the back of the pickup as a mattress while Stevens' soft posterior demanded the cab. Luke and I shared a blanket on the ground, but that made us closer to the fire than the others so I was warm, especially with my mate by my side. We ate our small portions of food, meat caught by Luke and some food Rick had stowed in the truck, and everyone settled down to sleep.
Everyone, that is, except Luke and me. Long after the others had struck up a snoring chorus Luke sat on our blanket and stared into the fire. I sat beside him and pressed myself against his side. "What's the matter?" I whispered to him.
"Stevens' account of the scent which controlled him still remains a puzzle to me," he admitted. "I cannot fathom what my brother has created, but the danger it poses to our kind is unfathomable. It may destroy our society."
I furrowed my brow. "Can a smell really be that powerful?"
"I am not sure. I can only guess he has figured out some way to amplify a smell that is unique, and that he can control," Luke told me.
"What kind of smell would he be able to control?" I wondered.
"His own, or that of our family," he replied.
I tilted my head to one side. "We have a family smell?"
"Each scent of a werewolf is different, but those in a close family, such as you, Zeke, Lance and myself, have a similar smell," he explained.
"And you think he's done something with this smell?" I guessed.
"Perhaps, or perhaps there is something in nature he has learned to control, such as the wolf's bane," he mused.
"Well, whatever he's done we need to stop it before it becomes a hot commodity on the werewolf black market, right?" I asked him.
"Yes, though I doubt Lance would ever allow his life's work to slip from his clawed grasp," Luke replied.
"Life's work? He's been working at being a madman for that long?" I wondered.
"He has been eager for power for a great many years," Luke admitted.
"Well, we'll just have to make sure there's disappointment waiting for him at the end of his dream," I commented. I glanced up at the night sky. The stars twinkled down at us and brought to mind memories of Stacy's twinkling eyes. "You think the others are all right? Alistair, Stacy and Baker?" I asked Luke.
Luke smiled. "They are all very capable of caring for themselves, and I suspect with their minds put together they may reach Scientia before us. They may already be there," he mused.
I looked over my shoulder at the snoring forms in the truck. "You know, I've seen enough action movies to know the bad guys aren't really going to let us waltz in there and destroy Lance's life work. Are you sure it's a good idea bringing any of those guys with us?" I wondered, gesturing to the truck.
"Much as he is a bureaucrat, Stevens does know how to fight," he reminded me. He glanced over his shoulder at the two forms in the bed of the truck and sighed. "As for the humans, we have no place to keep them safe and Rick's silver bullets will no doubt be useful."
I sighed and snuggled closer to Luke. "Well, I suppose that means we're stuck with them until the battle's over. You think we'll win this thing?" I wondered.
Luke chuckled. "Perhaps, especially as I have yet to finish your training," he pointed out.
My shoulders slumped and I stuck out my tongue. "Ugh, more rabbit chasing?" I muttered.
"More rabbit chasing, and perhaps a bit more polishing in your manners. When we return home I shall teach you how to dance," he teased.
I sighed. "Home." That seemed so long ago we were there. "Poor Zeke must be bored out of his mind without us causing trouble," I mused.
Luke chuckled. "No doubt he's enjoying the reprieve for when we return."
"We'll have to regale him with all the fun he missed," I added.
"I'm sure the stories will make him regret not coming with us on this pleasurable journey with such company, but we had better rest. Tomorrow we may find trouble closer to the border," Luke advised.
2
We slept, and the next day found us on the bumpy road on our way to the border town. At midday, just as Stevens predicted, our road veered to the west and we glimpsed a town beyond the patches of trees and fields. We were two miles from the edge of civilization when Luke moved to stand behind the cab.
"Stop here," he told Rick.
"Why? I need to gas up my truck," Rick reminded him.
"The greater our numbers the more likely we will be noticed, so most of us should remain at the truck while the others fetch gas, food, and news," Luke pointed out.
"I will be that number to go. These are my people, after all," Stevens spoke up.
"That is precisely why you must remain here," Luke countered. "They will recognize you and if there are spies they will alert Lance where we are and from what direction we're approaching the border." Stevens scowled, but didn't argue. "Becky and I will go to the town and get what we need. If we don't return by nightfall then sneak into the town and get what supplies you need. Don't try to search for us, just continue onward to the border and try to find the facility," he instructed them.
"All right, but try not to get yourselves into too much trouble so we don't have to be leaving you behind," Rick advised.
Luke smiled and jumped over the side of the truck onto the ground. "We'll try," he promised.
I
jumped down beside him and, armed with only our wits, a short list of supplies and some money, we made our way to the town. It was a medium-sized town, population more-than-you-could-shake-a-stick-at. There were a couple of streets of commercial buildings, and cars zoomed past us filled with people on their lunch break or shopping. We had our choice of gas stations and would fetch the gas on the way out of town, but first we needed food.
Luke and I went to the local grocery and outside were a couple of newspaper stands, the ones where you insert quarter and out spits the dead tree with ink on it. I happened to glance at one of the headlines because, well, they're meant to attract attention. It read 'STEVENS STILL MISSING. LORD LAUGHTON SOUGHT IN DISAPPEARANCE.' I froze and reread the words, then grabbed Luke by the sleeve before he walked into the store.
"We might have a problem," I told him as I gestured to the paper.
He paused and read the headlines, then bought a paper and read over the contents. "This is not unexpected," he murmured.
"What isn't unexpected?" I asked him as I tried to peer over his shoulder at the article.
He folded the paper and frowned. "It seems Lance is claiming Stevens has been kidnapped, and we are to blame," he revealed.
"What?" I yelped.
Luke slapped a hand over my mouth and looked around us. Nobody noticed my strange outburst and his strange reaction. "We mustn't attract attention," he instructed me.
I tore his hand off and pointed at the papers. On the front page, below the bold headline, was a picture of him beside a picture of Stevens. "How are we not going to attract attention?" I argued.
Luke stuffed the list in my hands and glanced down the road at the gas station far down the block. "I can fetch the gas, but you must get us food," he told me.
I sighed and glanced down at the short list. "All right, but if I'm arrested try not to kill too many people getting me out," I replied.
He grinned. "I will try," he promised.
I had a feeling his promises were like those of a politician; they had an expiration date. However I felt, the money was split between us and I casually sauntered into the grocery store. There was the usual office workers buying their food at the deli, and the older women gossiping in the aisles. I was in the bread aisle when I overheard Stevens' name in a conversation between two older women, so I slunk closer pretending to look for a cheese-stuffed bagel, though if I found one I probably would have bought it.