Time passes when you are having fun

Chapter 13

5 years later

Charlie

I trudge through the quiet, dense underbrush, as I felt the crunch of fallen leaves and small stones sticking to my front paws. It had been five years since that faithful night, since my life had gone to complete and utter shit, practically splintered into a million pieces. Shards of me were everywhere, and I was just trying to put the pieces back together like a 3d jigsaw puzzle, one piece at a time.

I stopped as the tickle of pine, and the feeling of home filled my nostrils, drawing in a deep breath as memories of that night began fading in and out.  I was confused, yet the prospect of finding another piece of the puzzle thrilled me to the bone. Unexpectedly, a painful longing stole the nervous breath that suddenly felt trapped within my chest. The mere idea of what lay ahead gave me pause.

Mate, the words whispered in my head, my wolf paced back and forth, restlessness, and apprehension dawning her footsteps it reminded me of hoofbeats drumming in my head. It had been the same for the last several miles as though she tried to warn me.

My wolf was a handful. She protected me as any mama would her cub, hell she scolded me for being too gullible and simply took over when she believed I needed her protection, just like the night Legolas tried to rape me. She had taken control and ripped him to shreds. When I finally wrestled the controls of my body and saw what she made me do, I panic, ran to Riley and told her what happened.

Shock still coursing through my body made me honest, even about the fact that I was a newly turned shifter. In my ignorance, maybe even stupidity, it should have occurred to me she should be afraid of me or believed me to be an abomination. Instead, Riley took me in her arms, held me close, and told me everything would be okay. Then we bolted, ran from the nightmare that was my life for the last three months, and never looked back.

The rustling wind brought me back to the present. The chirping birds and the feeling of nature took hold of me, calming my mind. I was home, at long last, I finally found where I was meant to be, I felt the connection to this place the first time I found it the night my parents, brothers, and I camped here, the night those men came into my life and destroyed it, the night he made me his, then he let me go like I meant nothing. 

I wanted answers. I wanted not to be alone anymore, not to feel the gaping hole in my heart that told me I would never fill the space left by the absence of the family I lost.

I heard soft feet shuffling in my direction, and the scent of jasmine engulfed my senses. I turned as Riley came into view. Dressed in khaki shorts, a white shirt, and black boots. She looked more like a great explorer than a young woman foraging in the forest. Her blonde locks bounced back and forth as she surveyed our surroundings for danger.

Her empathy gift was on high alert. She lived for these adventures. I couldn't believe it. The frail, unsure kid I met five years ago was long gone. Riley was now open, brave, smart, my sister, my family. I knew the first time I met her, knew that we both longed for what they had taken from us, me through tragedy and her through the gift she possessed. We were looking for something that both eluded and called to us, and I believed it was here in Crescent Moon. I just knew it, felt it in my bones.

Charlie, is everything okay?.

Riley whispers through my mind, as if sensing the turmoil in my head. I usually had better walls constructed within my mind, but lately, my grief and frustrations had been breaking my concentration, and my ability to block my emotions, was becoming more and more difficult as we drew nearer to my mate. She was so perceptive, so in tune with my emotions, that I felt the pain she exuded when she tried to take the grief away without my knowledge. Sometimes I felt her using her ability on me, and sometimes I didn’t. Her control grew better every day until it was like second nature. It was the only contention between us.

Riley felt my emotions allow me to take too many risks, and I told her grief and pain were a part of life we tried to, but just couldn’t avoid. It meant we were still human, with human emotions. I remembered my mother sharing that little tidbit after we lost my Nana when I was ten and found her crying. She said Charlie it's okay to be sad, we will always miss her and Nana is in a better place but if we don’t feel the grief how do we know that we have lost someone special.  At the time I was confused and didn’t understand, at least not until I lost my mom, dad, Leo, and Noah. I felt the loss of my family, it was akin to a missing limb. In some ways, I think Riley knew that and that’s why she so frequently tried to ease the pain I felt. One thing I could say was that Riley was stubborn and pigheaded then again so was I, especially when it came to her safety. Even I could admit I was unbearable at times. Yeap, we were like two peas in a pod.

I am good Riley, we are almost there I can feel it, less than a mile to go. 

She smiles and nods her head in confirmation that she heard my words. It was easier to speak mind to mind with Riley, we discovered this several years ago by accident, her abilities as an Empath and mine as a wolf created a connection I wasn’t sure it could be replicated, with anyone else, somehow it felt deeper like we were always meant to be and to think I used to be a skeptic about metaphysics, which seem to be the only rational way to explain the connection that grew between Riley and myself.

In wolf form, the range wasn’t far, so we devised a sort of nonverbal communication with me being in this form. One nod for yes, two for no. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but so far it worked for us.

I turned to follow the path, then stopped as my senses told me we were not alone. Something or someone more than one with a putrid stench filled the air. Fuck, it was too late to run. I had gotten distracted again. I could hold them off while Riley ran as fast as she could to get help.

Riley, someone is coming up on your left, do you understand?

My eyes lift to her ocean blue eyes in time to see her nod once. Quickly without making a sound she retrieves the small 9-millimeter handgun I bought her, clipping the safety off. We both knew how to use it, it was something I wouldn’t budge on when she refused to use it because she feared what a gun could do. I insisted, two teenaged girls alone well, most would consider that easy prey. I on the other hand could still defend us but Riley was just too vulnerable, and I hated that fact, she would never be attacked again, not if I could help it.

I will draw them out, that will give you enough time to run and get help, there is a house not too far from here, there I sense about ten or more people, they could even be wolves am not sure. When I say go you run like a bat outta hell.

If you think I will leave you to face the two wolves behind us, you’ve clearly gone crazy, I have the gun and you can tear the other one to shreds if need be.

Riley, I mean it, run and let me deal with this. I shouted telepathically, clearly, it didn’t have the same impact, because the little frustrating idiot does the opposite, she turns, cocks the gun ready for action just as two wolves come sauntering out, with no fucks to give. 

One dark brown and the other black, both nostrils lifted, lips tight and pulled forward, displaying sharp ivory fangs. The brown one moved forward, practically stating he was the Alpha here. A long jagged scar, pulling tautly across his left eye, made him appear feral. I stepped in front of Riley, walking her back from the menacing gleam in his black eyes. All at once, his black orbs slides to me, and bile rose in my throat as I felt Riley’s Empath ability in my head-----sharing images and feelings, showing me the blackness in his soul, it creeps me out every time she does this; I get it, she can feel someone’s aura even catch snippets of the things they have done if it’s violent enough. Basically, Riley can see and feel evil, but why oh why do I have to feel it too.

A shiver runs up my spine, fear leaks into my mind and I know it's Riley’s, I push her out and surround myself with iron bars, building an impenetrable wall in my mind, blocking out every distraction so that I can keep us safe, there were so much I needed to learn about my kind, but I knew the moment either of these wolves sense fear coming from me we were dead.

A low growl emanated from the black wolf to my left,  and I watch as both bear down on their hind legs readying themselves to attack. Riley moves from behind me to stand next to me and my eye flicks to hers for a brief moment,  before it rests on the black wolf. I hope like hell she understood because letting my shields down long enough to warn her would be a monumental mistake, splitting my focus from the monsters in front of us could mean both of our deaths and I wasn’t about to let that happen.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the air. Immediately my gaze sought the disturbance, I watch in fascination as the brown wolf slipped from one skin to the next. It was like fucking magic. Muzzle and sharp teeth recede before my eyes, the hair that covered the entirety of his body dissipated until bronze golden skin took its place, four legs reverted to two hands and two feet, then there was nothing left except a tall, muscled man bearing down on his hands and knees in all his naked glory.

Breathtaking wasn’t a word I would use often but seeing someone shift before my eyes were new, considering I was the only shifter I had come across in the last five years, I never got to see one transformed and I was just too chicken shit to look in the mirror during my transformations. What can I say?

Usually, I changed with the full moon, and seldom did I remember much after I returned to my human form. Hell, I didn’t know it was possible to do such a thing. The full moon had been several hours ago, and I knew there were only mere hours before I, too, would have to change to the defenseless human.

He stood up and my eyes, no fault of their own wondered up and down his body if this man didn’t reek of evil, and I didn’t found his scent to be so appalling I would have maybe asked him what the fuss was about sex----okay that’s a lie, the old Charlie would have found it impossible to even have a conversation with a boy, far less this man. Just the evil pouring off his aura made me cringe inside, not with fear, rather in distaste. As he towered over both Riley and me, his dark brown hair fell perfectly over his scarred eye, obscuring the ugly jagged cuts that seemed to go deeper than I first believed. It marred his beauty, but it in no way compared to the dark gleam in his black eyes.

He wore a goatee-like armor, no expression came over his face as he folded his arms, assessing us like prey. I was tired of fucking men seeing me as defenseless and weak. It pissed me off, already my wolf's growl. Graphic images of us ripping his throat out simmered in my head. Fuck. The little she-bitch wanted to bathe in his blood. The last time images like this entered my mind, it didn’t end well for the man holding me down, threatening me with violence, seemed to piss my wolf off.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Riley’s little indrawn breath. Yeah, he is hot, in a serial killer kind of way, but hotness couldn’t equate to the stain on his soul. She adjusted the gun as if she heard what I thought. I took her actions in stride and repositioned my stance, readying myself for a fight of epic proportions.

“You sure, you want to do this little wolf,” he says folding his arms, placing heavy emphasis on the huge bulge forming, as biceps go, they were a bit intimidating I could admit as much it still didn’t deter my need to taste his blood in my mouth.

Egotistical much?.

I heard Riley snickered beside me. She heard me. The little wench was still slipping in and out of my head. I sent her a massive frown. If a wolf could frown, I made sure it was as disapproving as it could be. The smile slipped from her face, resigned she shifted on the balls of her feet, nervous energy making her appear awkward. I guess being caught red-handed didn’t agree with her.  

A low growled sliced through the air, silencing us, not that we were talking.

“Hey, you and blondey here can have your private conversation another time.” He stopped as if what he said was hilarious as laughter began erupting from his oversized body. He pointed to his friend, and I swore the black wolf smiled as if they, too, shared a private joke at our expense.

“Then again, you both will be too busy on your hands and knees, cocks down your throat to even have the time, won’t they, Joshua?”

He stops talking as his face scrunches up in a frown. He regards both Riley and me as if he has figured us out or some weird shit.

“How are you two communicating, blondey smells like a human, and you, little wolf, smell like pack? Why do you smell like pack, like home?” He accuses, insolence entering his tone. He shakes his head, dispelling the issue altogether.

"It doesn't matter. After Josh and I have had our fill, we will take you to our Alpha. He will give you to the pack where your ass and pussy will be used until someone in the pack breed you. We need sturdy sons.”

“Does this guy ever shut the fuck up?” Riley says aloud, either accidentally or on purpose, and it does the trick. Joggernut closes his mouth in anger and shoots Riley a scattering frown. Me I just continue to stare at home with my golden green eyes.

Hey Riley, I know you can hear me when I say; you put two bullets in the black wolf. I will deal with his friend with the big mouth who never shuts up over here. Make sure and aim for his head and balls, since he isn’t fond of either.

I was just thinking the same thing.

Go.

I didn’t even give the asshole in front of me time to think or move. I certainly didn’t glance in Riley’s direction to find out if she was okay or not. I jumped on his chest, pushing the big fucker over; he hit the floor with a loud thump, trying desperately to keep me from sinking my shape teeth into his throat. When that didn’t work, I tried to paw the shit out of his neck. I was strong in wolf form, but so too was my large opponent. He threw me several feet in the air, as I landed on the ground. Shit, the son of a bitch was just as strong in his human form.

I rushed him again, not giving him time to maneuver or shift. If that happened, I knew I would be well and truly fucked. I couldn’t tell if my speed hindered his ability to change or if the cocky shit believed I wasn’t a challenge, at least none where he needed to shift.

A shot rang out, distracting Joggernut, what he reminded me of the guy from the X-Men cartoons I watched with the boys. As he peered over his shoulder, and that give me the opportunity I needed I jumped on his back, bringing him to the ground once again just as my teeth locked around his jugular, bearing down on his chest with my massive body I made damn sure he couldn’t move before I pulled with all my might ripping his throat out. Blood splattered everywhere, including the floor and my throat. The taste of his blood pooling in my mouth felt wonderful. It tasted like victory, like survival.

Suspicion, of course, allowed me to stay for several more minutes to make sure he didn’t move. After assuring myself that he was dead, did I turn around to look for Riley?  Praying to whoever could hear me that she was okay.

Standing over the black wolf with the gun still poised in her hand, emptying bullet after bullet, it was excessive. But who was I to say anything? I could still taste Joggernut’s blood in my mouth.

Riley, I think he might be dead, don’t you?

Have you never seen Supernatural? These fuckers are never really dead until you salt their bones and burn them.

Okay then, no more Supernatural for you, you do know that’s a T.V series, it’s fiction.

Remind me again what are you supposed to be.

Touche, my friend.

I walked towards her just as a booming voice says

“Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my territory."