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“This pack can be right assholes, but your run-in with Vivian…” She started laughing. “That was the best thing I’ve seen in years. Good on you for taking her down a notch.”
She hated Vivian. I hated Vivian. It was a match made in heaven. And now I could possibly get some actual information about rumblings in the pack. “Does everyone realize she’s a mad wolf?”
“No. That’s the sad bit. Not everyone knows. Wait here. I’ll grab you a plate and then I can fill you in on some of the pack drama.” She disappeared back into the kitchens, and I relaxed into the chair.
Getting some intel on pack drama was going to be key. And I’d actually made a friend. A little food and a nap and I’d be set.
For the first time, I felt like joining this pack wasn’t going to be all bad.
Chapter Seventeen
At a pack run, most Weres shifted together, but I didn’t want to get naked in front of anyone I didn’t know. Instead, I opted to shift in Donovan’s rooms and head down to the lawn as a wolf.
Sure, maybe they’d think that was lame, but I didn’t care. They were already judging me enough without seeing me in my birthday suit.
I moved through the hallways beside Donovan. He was in a robe, bare feet not making a whisper of noise against the stone. Years of hunting and fighting had honed his skill. I’d always tried, but even my brothers were quieter than me.
When we reached the castle’s main exit, Donovan laid a hand on my back. Stay by me. If you want to turn back at any time, just let me know and I’ll join you.
I huffed a wolfy agreement.
We stepped outside and stopped at the top of the stairs leading down to the massive driveway. Two pyres holding cloth-draped bodies were placed in the middle of gravel entranceway. There hadn’t been much left of John or Thomas, so I assumed they’d made it seem like there was a body under the wrapping. I wasn’t sure whose job it was to make the pyres, but whoever it was had done a good job considering the time constraints.
A man stood off to the side, holding up a burning torch and waiting for the right time to light what was left of the pack’s second and their young teen. The rest of the pack had gathered at the foot of the stairs. All of them stood quietly in their robes as they waited for Donovan to speak.
Donovan waited a moment before starting. “Tonight we run for John Nolan and Thomas Moore. Their losses weigh on us all, and only together can we mourn them and overcome our grief. John was my closest friend through centuries of happiness and sorrow. Battles and victories. I feel his loss all the way to my bones.” He paused. On the outside, he seemed fine, but inside, there was so much heartache over the loss of John, that I was worried for him.
As a wolf, there wasn’t much I could do, but I pressed my body into his leg, trying to give him something to lean on. I was here for him.
Donovan sunk his hand into my fur and then continued. “Thomas was a bright, young star. We were all looking forward to seeing the man that he’d grow into. We’ll never get the chance, and for that, I’ll be forever sorry. I urge all of you to reach out to Tadhg and Elizabeth. Their grief is a burden we must all help carry. We’ll not let them down.”
The last bit was a little reprimand. It was deserved. I didn’t know what the rest of the pack had been thinking last night, but the fact that the pack should support a grieving Were should’ve been a given.
Donovan was silent for a moment, giving his words time to settle before continuing. “When we hit the eastern edge of our lands, the three relief patrols will go relieve the Cazadores who are securing the village. Whoever did this to our people is still out there. One thing can be certain. The beast that killed them is very powerful. Please be careful and cautious. If you see the fey beast, do not engage it alone. Only together can we defeat him, and I don’t care to lose another of my wolves.”
With that, Donovan shed his robe, shifting at the same time. By the time the robe hit the ground he was on all fours. The rustle of cloth filled the night as all of the pack members shifted except for the man with the torch. He lowered the flame to each pyre in turn and stepped back as the fire caught.
Donovan started a cry, howling into the night and letting his power and reassurance seep into the rest of the pack. He was directing his power mostly to them, but it came through the bond. The feel of his reassurance was so comforting, it was like coming home. Despite everything we had going against us, he was making me feel safe. Like everything was going to be okay and that he was going to take care of everything.
But I knew that wasn’t accurate. He had no idea who was doing this. Neither did I.
And we’d probably lose more wolves before it was done.
The pack answered the call as one. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was in wolf form or because all the wolves were united in their grief, but through Donovan, I could feel their ties. The little bits of power and energy that connected every Were to each other. The tie between Donovan and me wasn’t as strong as it’d be after our ceremony, so I wasn’t getting the full effect. But, for the first time since I got to Ireland, they actually felt like a real pack.
Wolfy-Donovan turned to me before taking off down the steps. I had a second to think before running after him, keeping pace beside my mate. The pack parted to make way for us as we moved through them and around the other side of the castle. We hit the edge of the forest at a sprint.
The pack stayed back to howl a few more times before following us. Then, the ground rumbled as wolves gained on us.
I heard one wolf getting closer. Very close. Their paws thumped the ground faster than anyone else’s. Assuming someone wanted to be closer to Donovan, I moved a little to the side. Pack members got a little energy off of their Alpha. Sometimes when something bad happened, Weres who weren’t that dominant needed to be closer to their Alpha to get through it. So, I didn’t mind moving.
But as the wolf finally reached us, my instincts kicked in. I felt the weird tingling that told me I was about to get jumped. I’d done too many drills with my brothers to let someone sneak up on me as a wolf. Especially after the welcoming I’d received.
I dodged to the right.
The wolf missed but managed to claw my hind leg as it flew by to crash into a tree.
I didn’t recognize the attacker’s scent, but that didn’t matter. I’d asked Donovan later. What really pissed me off was that they were being disrespectful to John and Thomas’ memories, and it wasn’t a full moon. Still, I growled, ready for a fight. If someone wanted to challenge me, I wasn’t about to back down.
