Wolf Marked by Alexis Calder

16

Sheila wasn’t in her bed when I woke the next morning. I figured that meant things went well with her hookup. At least one of us was getting some action.

I cringed at the thought. I could have had some if I wanted it, but I wasn’t interested in the pushy male who had his tongue down my throat. Lucas, I think Alec called him.

Tossing the sleeping bag aside, I climbed off the cot and stretched. I was still in the same outfit from yesterday and since I didn’t have a change of clothes, this was as good as it was going to get.

My temples throbbed and my tongue was like cotton. The forth cup of beer was probably a mistake. Since I didn’t drink often, I wasn’t great at holding my liquor.

I ran my fingers through my hair to work out some of the tangles, then slipped on my boots. Hopefully, there was coffee to be found. Then I needed to find Alec before I went to Greta. It felt a little weird with how we’d left things last night and I wanted to assure him that I would respect his decision to send me away. Though, honestly, I was sort of hoping that in the light of day, the news was better and maybe I wouldn’t have to rush out of here.

The common area was nearly empty but it was still early. Most of the shifters were probably sleeping off last night’s festivities. An elderly couple sat on a bench, a few others were gathered around a fire cooking something that smelled amazing, and some kids were playing tag. It wasn’t nearly the bustling chaos of last night but it was nice to see I wasn’t the only one awake.

“Lola, right?” A woman who looked to be in her late thirties signaled for me to walk over to her.

She had an espresso pot on a grate over a fire pit so as long as she was willing to share, I wasn’t sure I cared how she knew my name.

“Hi, I don’t think we’ve met formally,” I said.

“I’m Penny, Megan’s mom.” She smiled. “Thank you for what you did to help distract my girl. They told me that you got her away so she didn’t have to see Justin in that state.”

“Megan’s a great kid. I’m glad I could help. How is Justin?” I asked.

“He’s going to pull through.”

I set my hand on my chest, relieved to hear it. “Thank the gods.”

“I’ve never seen anything so scary my whole life,” she admitted. “The toxin is scary shit.”

My brow furrowed. “Toxin?”

“I thought you were from Wolf Creek?” she looked confused.

“I am, but I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.

“I thought everyone in Wolf Creek knew about their tactics.”

“I wasn’t really part of the crowd, if you know what I mean,” I said.

“Well, count your lucky stars you’re out of there,” she said.

“I do, every day,” I said.

The espresso maker started to spit and gurgle. She removed it from the rack and set it on a stone next to the fire pit. “Espresso?”

“I’d love some,” I said.

She poured us each a cup and then sat down on a bench. I took the space next to her and breathed in the aroma of fresh brewed espresso. “It smells amazing.”

“Nectar of the gods, for certain.” She took a sip.

“Can you tell me more about the toxin that was in your partner?” I asked.

“I can’t believe you didn’t know. But maybe it’s just the alpha and his favorites that use it.” She shook her head. “Fucking misogynistic assholes.” She glanced over at me. “Sorry. I know they were your pack.”

“Don’t apologize to me. You hit the nail on the head. Fuck the lot of them.”

She chuckled. “Alright, then. No love for Wolf Creek.”

“None. They never treated me like pack,” I admitted.

“You’re in the right place, then,” she said.

A lump rose in my throat. I thought maybe I was in the right place, but my time was limited. I took a sip of the espresso and reveled in the bitter sweetness as it coated my tongue. It was delicious. “This is perfection.”

“It really is,” she agreed. “You’re a good fit here. Nobody would know you’re from Wolf Creek.”

“Thanks,” I said, not really sure what else to say.

“You should know that of all the packs, Wolf Creek is seen as the worst. They’re violent, controlling, and carry a big stick. A really big stick.”

“They were that way with those of us who lived there too,” I said. “Is the toxin the stick?”

She nodded. “It’s one of a kind. Nobody else has the recipe, though gods-know nobody else would want to use such a terrible weapon.”

“What does it do?” I asked.

“It takes our ability to shift, and with it, our ability to heal. While it’s in our bloodstream, we’re essentially human. We have all of their weaknesses and none of our usual shifter strength,” she said.

My lips parted and I stared at her in disbelief for a moment. That was my life. Everything I’d ever known was the pain of being human. But as far as I knew, nobody else in my pack experienced that aside from my mom. How could they have had something like this and never told us?

“How is it applied?” I asked.

“They use a dart, shoot it at their victim,” she said. “Most of the time the shifter doesn’t survive.”

“That’s awful.” I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Okay, that’s not true. Something like that would be very fitting for certain people I’d left behind in Wolf Creek.

“How do you cure it?” I asked.

“You don’t,” she said. “You have to wait for it to leave your system and hope that you can heal from the wounds they give you before you die. That’s the part that makes it so terrible. They use it first, then they attack and leave you to bleed to death.”

“Only Wolf Creek has this?” I asked.

She nodded. “When it was invented, the high councils all tried to get the recipe and destroy it but the inventor fled. Wolf Creek welcomed him with open arms.”

“Sounds like something Wolf Creek would do.” My throat felt tight. How could such a horrible thing exist? Of course Ace would use it against other wolves.

I tensed. “What happened to Justin? Why did they use that on him?”

She shrugged. “That’s the part I can’t figure out. He was just going to trade for supplies with the High Key Pack. They knew he was coming, and they claimed they had nothing to do with it. I don’t know why he was attacked.”

I swallowed hard. If someone from Wolf Creek had attacked a feral shifter, did that mean they knew I was here? Were they waiting for me or were they right outside town, waiting to attack us all? This had to be what Alec was talking about.

“Thank you for the coffee,” I said, setting the unfinished cup down. I had to find Alec and figure out what was going on.

I walked away from the common area, toward the woods, hoping I was following the correct route. Squirrels darted in front of me, running when they heard me approach. Birds called warnings to each other, but other than that, the woods were silent.

It was still early enough that a chill hung in the air and dewdrops clung to the pine needles. I rubbed my arms with my hands to get some warmth. The deeper I walked into the woods, the cooler and darker it got. I wasn’t sure I was going in the right direction, but I had to find Alec. This couldn’t wait. There were far too many questions circling my mind.

Growing up, we’d been taught that the Wolf Creek Pack was powerful. A favorite pack of the wolf shifter king, a model pack, blah blah blah. It got old fast. All the crowing about how excellent we were while keeping strangers out and never allowing us to explore the rest of the world.

I’d grown up so isolated in my pack, that I no longer knew what was true and what had been hidden from me. Why didn’t I know about a toxin that could prevent a wolf from shifting? Was that something the others knew about? Or was it only Ace and his crew?

It was odd that there was a toxin that existed that could cause the exact problem I had. If not for the fact that you had to be shot with it, I might have worried it was used against me. But why bother with me? I wasn’t important enough for them to care about. Plus, there was that whole mated to the alpha’s son thing.

I stopped walking as a strange sensation washed over me. Longing, desire… there was a tiny part of me thinking about Tyler.

Fuck no.

I pushed the thought aside and continued on my quest to find Alec’s cabin. Tyler definitely would have known about that toxin and he never did anything to try to leave Wolf Creek or stand up to his dad. He likely enjoyed using it against others. Nobody with the sadistic streak like Tyler’s should have access to a weapon of that kind.

After a while, I realized I’d likely gone the wrong way. I should have found the cabin by now. Or at least the lake. Shit. I abandoned a perfectly good cup of coffee for nothing.

Carefully, I turned around and tried to follow my tracks back to camp. After what was probably thirty minutes of walking, I realized I was totally lost.

Now what? I had no landmarks to go by and there was no path out here. Knowing my luck, I’d probably wandered on to the High Key Pack’s land. I wasn’t sure if shouting for help would benefit me or get me killed.

This was totally on brand for me. Why couldn’t I be good at something I could actually apply to real life experiences? Calculus wasn’t going to help me out here.

I had to be the worst wolf shifter in the history of the world. Sure, I couldn’t reach my wolf, but you’d think I’d have some sense of direction or at least self-preservation.

Discouraged, I sat down on a fallen log to collect myself. “Well, Lola, you really did it this time. Great work.”

“You know, they say you’re only crazy when you talk to yourself, if someone answers back,” Alec said as he emerged through the trees.

I jumped from my seat. “Where did you come from?”

“My house.” He pointed behind him.

I groaned and slapped myself in the forehead. I could just make out the outline of his home through the trees. I was right there, circling his fucking house and missing it.

“We can not leave you alone, can we?” he asked.

“I would have found it eventually,” I said.

“What is this now, three times I’ve saved your ass?” He tapped thoughtfully on his chin.

I rolled my eyes. “You didn’t save me. I was fine.”

“I’ve heard that from you before,” he said.

“Look, I came to find you because I heard about Justin and the toxin,” I said. “Is that what you were going to tell me about yesterday?”

“Yes, but I wasn’t certain it was related to you. I’m still not sure if it was bad luck, or if they know you’re here,” he said.

“If I stay here, I’m putting your whole pack at risk,” I said.

“Community, but yes,” he said.

“You’re a pack and you know it,” I said.

He shrugged. “I’m not an alpha.”

“Whatever. None of that matters. What does matter is that I don’t want anything bad to happen to the people here. None of them deserve that.”

“I agree,” he said.

“I have to leave,” I said, the realization falling on me like a ton of bricks. It had been one wonderful day of pretending I might have found a place I belonged. But that was all it was, pretend.

“You need to learn how to shift or you don’t stand a chance,” he said.

“I can’t put these people in danger.” I’d only been here a short time, but even I could tell the shifters who lived here didn’t deserve to be attacked by my old pack.

“Leave that to me,” he said. “You find Greta. Figure your shit out.”

“You have a good thing going on here,” I said. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”

“You like it here, don’t you?”

“Sure,” I replied. “Nobody is slamming my head against a wall or breaking my ribs.”

“They really did that to you?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter. Like you said, I need to learn how to shift.” I stood. “I’m going to talk to Greta.”

“There might be another way out of this,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“We could break that bond you have with your mate,” he suggested.

“You mean I could kill him?” I clarified.

“You can’t, he’s your mate. But I could,” he said.

I shook my head. “I can’t ask you to do that for me.”

“Can’t or won’t?” He narrowed his eyes. “Have you forgotten what he did? Or is the bond taking hold?”

“No!” I recoiled, taking a step away from Alec. I had a lingering memory of wishing Tyler dead, but now I couldn’t make myself want that for him. “Is there another way to break the bond?”

“Yes. But you’d have to go back to Wolf Creek.” His eyes were locked on mine. He was deadly serious.

“You know that’s a death sentence for me,” I said.

“Not if we’re smart. You need to get close to him, but not that close,” he said.

“I don’t want to go near him. What if…” I couldn’t finish the thought.

“What if you start to feel things for him?” Alec asked. “That’s going to happen no matter what. The longer you fight the bond, the more it will build. I wager you weren’t keen on keeping him alive when he left you for dead. Now, you’re a simpering mess.”

“I am not a simpering mess,” I said through gritted teeth.

He smirked. “Maybe not yet, but you will be.”

We stood there for a moment as I considered his words. The more time passed, the more I would want Tyler. It didn’t seem possible, but mating bonds were magic we couldn’t fight. The thought of having actual desires for Tyler made me feel nauseous. At least I still had some control.

“What would I have to do to break it?” I asked.

“Well, I could kill him for you,” he offered.

“No,” I said, far too quickly. “What’s the other way?”

“It won’t come cheap,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“If you want my help, it’s going to cost you,” he said.

“I don’t have anything,” I said. “You know that.”

“Your mother does,” he said.

“What?” How would he know my mother and what could she possibly have that he would want. “My mom has nothing. She lives in a trailer and is probably starving to death since I’m no longer there to bring her groceries.”

“Your family hasn’t always lived in Wolf Creek,” he said.

“When did you become the expert on my family?”

“The wolf who fled with the toxin was cursed by witches. They wanted to teach him a lesson, hoped he would learn how terrible it felt to be a shifter who was stripped of his ability to shift.”

It felt like the wind was knocked from my lungs as the meaning of his words hit me. “It’s not possible.”

“Everyone outside Wolf Creek knows the story of your family’s betrayal.” He shook his head. “I wasn’t sure if it was true until I met you. It all lines up. You’re from Wolf Creek, your family was cursed. If there’s any record of your grandfather’s work, it’s probably with your mother.”

I glared at him. “You knew all this the first night we met and you said nothing.”

“I had to be sure I could trust you. What if you were sent here to spy on us?”

I felt foolish for letting him in, but his comment about trust made up for it. Alec wasn’t one to trust easily so the statement meant a lot. But that didn’t mean it made what he was asking any better.

“You want the toxin,” I said.

He nodded. “I think there might be some notes or information with your mother. If you can get me that, I’ll help you break the mating bond.”

“What do you need it for?” I didn’t want to see more of that weapon out in the world. It was bad enough that Wolf Creek had access to it.

“That’s my business. This is the deal, take it or leave it,” he said.

I thought about my last night in Wolf Creek. My mom stayed in her room while Julian threatened me. She never told me about my family history or why we couldn’t shift. The whole town treated me like shit despite the fact that they were profiting off my grandfather’s invention.

Then images of Tyler flooded my mind. The disappointment on his face at the full moon ceremony, the flash of hatred in his eyes when he looked at me, his hands around my throat in the bathroom. All those images flashed through me in a heartbeat, then the memory of our kiss forced its way to the surface. My cheeks felt hot and I found myself longing to feel his touch.

It took far too much willpower to send the vision away and recall why I hated Tyler. Alec was right. The longer I waited, the worse it was going to get. I had to end the bond between us.

“It’s a deal,” I said. “I’ll get what I can. You help me break the bond. And if we can’t break it fast enough, I want you to kill him.”

My heart was racing, elated at the thought of breaking my ties to Wolf Creek. There was nothing for me there once Tyler was gone. My mom had left me years ago. The mating bond was the only thing standing in my way.

Alec lifted a brow and the corner of his lips turned up in a vicious grin. “There’s that killer instinct I knew was in there somewhere. I think this means you’re officially feral. I’ll make the arrangements. We’ll leave by the next full moon. You have two weeks.”