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Beast of Burden
Huling Na-update:
2022-06-08 14:41:23Oliver
I hadn’t even been thinking twice before answering phone calls today. Already, I had sent out my best three scouts to check out the area surrounding the girl’s former home. I had an analyst digging up what he could about the hunter family she was enmeshed with, and had calls out to packs anywhere within 500 miles asking about hunter activity.
So far, the consensus had been that hunters had been quiet recently, almost worryingly so. There were only a few primary factions of hunters throughout the country. They tended to work together, forming their own pack of sorts. It was usually a side gig for them while they maintained otherwise normal lives as well. Years ago, they tried to make noise about the things that went bump in the night humans should be scared of, but they were quickly written off as mentally unhinged. That served us well, resulting in a large number of our threats being locked away and dubbed insane. In a roundabout way, it also secured the idea that we were just the plot of the next worst fantasy novel and nothing more.
If it weren’t for a select few of our kind, I had to think there wouldn’t even be hunters. We were a peaceful people who looked out for the good of all, not just our kind. We had the means and the structure to deal with our own rotten apples, too.
The girl was important, but the pack was the priority. I had to do everything I could to keep a threat from coming to our door, even if this girl did. Once she showed up, she would be pack. Adair wouldn’t allow anything else. She’d be part of the pack I needed to protect.
She’d be part of the pack I needed to protect from her.
The phone ringing was becoming a grating sound, so I begrudgingly picked it up just to get the noise to stop.
“What?” I snapped. Phone calls were getting exhausting.
“Ollie, I need help.” His voice was frantic.That wasn’t the norm - even when he was in trouble. He also never straight out asked for help. “She’s gone! She’s just gone! We were only about 3 hours away, but she’s gone.”
“What do you mean, she’s gone?” I demanded. “I told you not to take eyes off of her!”
“We stopped for gas in Pierre, she went in to go to the bathroom, and she must have run. I’m sorry man, I just -”
“Follow her,” I said. “She won’t shift, and if she does, you’ll probably have an easier time dealing with her wolf.”
“Yeah, okay,” he stammered.
“I’m on my way.”
Adair wanted to run, but a car would be faster. They were only three hours away, and it was a bit before 11. He could get out to play his part once we got there. If things went smoothly, we could be back here tonight. I wasn’t worried about finding her. Just about finding her first.
I strode out to the driveway and got into my Land Cruiser. I sat and thought for a moment before pulling out. Chasing after a weak rogue with no pack connections hundreds of miles away wasn’t something an Alpha should be doing. It was something a warrior or scout could easily take on, especially with Trevor already there. Truthfully, the only reason Trevor needed help at all was because it seemed his emotional connection to this girl was clouding his judgment and function. Hell, even one of the newly shifted pups that had a year or so of just basic training under their belt could probably manage it just fine. Adair didn’t care, though, and pushed us on.
It bothered me a bit how fiercely protective Adair was of this girl. But then again, the protective instinct was one that came naturally for an Alpha.
I prodded through the pack members, checking to see if Rose was still in range. She had been excited to get such a big assignment and had taken off to pack and head out almost immediately. I had told her I wanted her back in a week. That should be plenty of time to make sure my brother had left no trace of the mess, see how things got managed, and monitor whether or not other hunters showed up to snoop around.
Just faintly, I felt her still close enough to the pack. 'Rose,' I reached out. Mind link was a magical thing, and something I constantly wondered how humans lived without. Probably why cell phones and texting became such a necessity for everyday life, whereas for us, they were just a hindrance and an extra thing to carry around.
'Yes, Alpha?'
Being referred to as Alpha was something I swore I would never get used to. I much preferred being ‘Oliver,’ and most pack members I interacted with regularly used that instead.
'I’m going to need you to stop over in Pierre for a while before heading on. We might need another set of hands. You can send the others ahead of you.'
'Yes, Alpha.'
The lack of questions, however, was something I was very happy with. Even if we didn’t need her to help bring the girl back, another woman around would probably be more reassuring than just being ambushed by a group of men.
I picked up my phone as I pulled out of the long driveway, our little town passing by as I dialed. It was a Monday, so things were quiet. People here still worked, pups were at school, the career warriors were training.
Trevor didn’t pick up. Reception in this state was always miserable. Another reason to be thankful for mind linking. I tried reaching out to Rose, but she was just far enough away, I couldn’t get through to her, either. I just had to hope they would have the girl secured by the time I got there, or I’d get a phone call on the way saying I could turn back.
“Damn,” I mumbled under my breath. Thank goodness for 80 mile per hour speed limits, at the very least. I’d speed, anyway. It was as good a time as any to see just how few miles per gallon this old thing could get.
Kaugnay na kabanata
Run. Silver Bullet
Lya I sat down on the embankment overlooking the river. The sun was high in the sky, and I had probably been making steady progress for a good four hours, maybe more. I peeled off my sweatshirt and spent a minute just enjoying the feel of the sun on my skin. The now melted snow had engorged the river, and the high waters rushed by. Off in the distance, I could hear four wheelers. The thought that someone else was at least enjoying the first tastes of summer brought a sad smile to my face. I’d have to remember this place, and maybe come back someday. There hadn’t been much about this state that I had liked, but this place was akin to my little sanctuary. Just a lot bigger, and no trees. A lot of people had told me that I would enjoy the Black Hills, and they would remind me of the Appalachian Mountains in New England. I highly doubted it, though. Nothing could ever compare to those. I sat and thought about what to do now. Choices were exceptionally limited. I didn’t have any mod
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-08Run. Tidal Wave
Oliver I pulled into the gas station parking lot, next to Trevor’s car. Rose was standing with him, leaning against the trunk. They were somber. I was sure Trevor had filled her in on the recent happenings. Rose had already gotten the rundown of who Lya was, why things needed to be followed up, but I don’t think she expected the girl to truly be as resistant to everything as she was. “Any leads?” I asked while getting out of the car. “North, along the river,” Trevor said. “I made it a good three or four miles, but turned back when Rose got here.” I nodded. “Let’s go. Get out of town and then we will shift. It’ll be faster that way.” They were quick to follow, and soon enough, we were shucking our clothes and shifting. Wolves tended to mimic the appearance of their human counterparts, resulting in some very interesting wolf colors. We can’t gain or lose weight when we shift, so our wolf weight corresponds with the human weight. Adair was on the small side for an Alpha wol
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-08Run. Landslide
Lya 'Hey,' a voice echoed through my head. I ignored it. Everything was so dark and disjointed. I had no perception of what was going on. 'Hey,' it repeated. It was a feminine voice. Flowy and soft, but also demanding respect and to be heard. 'What?' My own was groggy and cracked. 'A thank you is in order,' she said. 'And why would I do that?' 'For taking over and protecting your ass when you would never return the favor,' she scoffed. I had no idea what was going on. I felt completely out of my own body. That feeling intensified as images from the past started to come into focus. 'It doesn’t have to be this way,' she whispered softly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I sat in my old childhood bedroom. It must have been late, because the curtains were drawn and a lamp was on. I looked on at a younger version of myself, smiling and giggling to herself. I remembered this night, this conversation. I had just turned 15 two months ago, and
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-09Run. Secret Girl
Oliver I walked down a footpath leading away from the back of the packhouse. I had my head down, looking at my feet. This path wasn’t anywhere near as worn as it should have been. I wasn’t making my way out this direction enough. I felt guilty at that thought. I couldn’t really claim it was because of how busy things were with the pack; we had had peace for so long, and the hierarchy operated like a well oiled machine. I could take a couple hours to pay this particular Elder a visit more often. She lived alone now, her mate dying five years previously from the slow decline of heartbreak, after their son had passed. I often wondered how the death of their only child and the death of her mate didn’t take her, too. Her mental fortitude was one of the things that garnered her a place as an elder. I came up to her cottage. It sat about a mile away from the packhouse, a few hundred yards inside the forest that surrounded the town, but still well within our territory borders. She defi
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-09Run. Brand New Day
Lya My eyelids were heavy, and it was a monumental effort to just crack them open. I was surrounded by white, and everything smelled sterile. I tried to shift positions, but searing pain ran through me. I gasped. “Hey, take it easy, kiddo,” a familiar voice said from the corner of the room. I turned my head to look at him. Trevor gave me a half smile. “You certainly do like making a scene, don’t you?” “I’m sorry,” I croaked. He reached over and handed me a cup of water from the bedside table. “Had to expect something like that with the bombshell I dropped on you,” he muttered. “Where are we?” I asked. He looked at me with a sad expression. “You are in a hospital. My first aid knowledge doesn’t quite cover bullet holes.” I gulped. I guess I wasn’t in any condition to run. When they found out about Ted, it’d be really easy to just waltz up and arrest me. Or maybe it would be really easy to suggest he shot me and I killed him in self defense. I breathed out. I had a defense, at
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-10Run. Thunder
OliverSomeone knocked on my office door. I looked over at the clock on the wall, surprised to see it was already a little after noon. I closed the book, careful to only touch the cloth surrounding it, and shoved it to the side of my desk. “Come in,” I called. The door swung open. Dr. Whitledge bowed his head as he walked in and stood in front of my desk. “Go ahead and sit, Dr. Whitledge.” He sat, still not saying anything. I leaned back in my chair and looked at him. “So,” I said, breaking the silence. “So…” his voice trailed off. “Would you be able to do me a favor?” I asked. He nodded. “Could we do a DNA test on Lya?” I asked. “I have questions about her parentage.” I motioned to the book beside me. “As do I,” he said. “I really thought she must be a part bred that didn’t inherit a wolf, but signs point to otherwise, yes?” I nodded slowly. “She does have a wolf.” “Then why isn’t she healing appropriately?” he asked. “That’s a long story.” I leaned forward, placing
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-10Run. So Yesterday
Lia The swarm of visitors was a little overwhelming, even if it stemmed from good intentions. I wondered if my room had been a revolving door of people when I was asleep also. I looked over to the man in the chair by the bed. Mountain man was an accurate description for the pack alpha. Even down to the flannel shirt with rolled up sleeves, Oliver was a lumbersexual’s wet dream. He had messy jet black hair that curled at the ends, and a beard that looked like it had been forgotten about for at least a few days. His dark chocolate eyes never left me. 'We should keep this one around,' the voice purred. I scoffed at her comment. “Is there anything I can do to make staying here a bit more comfortable?” he asked. I shook my head. “Unless there’s a way to blow this popsicle stand before Thursday or Friday,” I said.“What, don't you like hospitals?” he smirked. “Who does?” I snorted. “You know, a good way to avoid them is to not get shot.” He gave me a pointed look, but the smile stil
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-11Run. Hey Jealousy
Oliver Adair growled in protest as we left Lya’s room. 'We need to be with her,' he insisted. 'Adair,' I sighed, 'you know that will just set her off.' 'Her wolf won’t mind.' His tone made it clear he was not willing to negotiate, and it was a feat to maintain control.'But the one running the show will,' I said. My comment made him whimper. He knew I was right. I felt him recede back to the corners of my mind and curl up in a ball. Trevor glanced over at me. “I’m guessing that’s not really the first encounter you expected,” he said. I shrugged. “If you asked me even a week ago, no.” I paused, actually thinking about what transpired. I was hurt by the fact that I was losing out on that one magical, irreplaceable moment when both mates realize at the same time. And it hurt that I would have to hide it from her for who knows how long. I knew those things before walking through the door, though. My grandmother was right - I am more or less trying to court a human. “But given what
Huling Na-update : 2022-06-11
Pinakabagong kabanata
Run. Thank You All
To all my faithful readers, Mate bonds, plot holes, and unfinished story lines. Oh my! Thank you all so, so much for your commitment to this story, even when life got in the way and updating was not regular. It was such an adventure to write, and I am excited to say the adventure continues in the sequel, "Chase." Your favorite side characters will be pulled to the forefront as the beginning of the war the hunters alluded to takes hold. Mate bonds aren't what everyone wants, and they can prove to be quite the hinderance - especially when they fail to see that the universe has a bigger plan than just their destined lover. No one likes to admit they can be the difference between life and death, etiher. No one truly loves change, but sometimes it's necessary to chase after it. ********* ********* Time passes, things change, and everyone moves on. It’s easy to feel left behind. I always feel left behind. Left behind and forgotten. All my life, I’ve wanted for someone to reac
Run. Begin Again
Oliver In the couple hours that had passed, the entire crew had filtered onto the patio. Trevor and Brandon had ensured everyone - aside from Allyssa and Maggie - always had a beer in hand. Every one of Lya’s questions got answered, and she had given up trying to pass off her newfound alpha title. Her grand plan that someone should just challenge her and she would just concede before the first punch was thrown was laughed off. It was a well known fact that the alphas who had leadership thrust upon them were the ones who upheld the title the best. Lya reached over, grabbing another beer. “So the Beta I choose - do they have to have Wulver blood?” “No,” Cody said. “In fact, there are only a few families left that have Wulver blood at all. I don’t.” “But,” Gregory added, “the alpha always somehow does. When our previous alpha fell, it was between your father and I who would take up the gamut.” “Why didn’t it go to you?” she asked. Gregory offered a rare smile down at Allyssa, w
Run. Chlorine
Lya Apparently, the pack had a morgue. I shouldn’t have been surprised by this, but I was. Also apparently, the pack had brought all the rogue bodies back, as well as pack members. This didn’t surprise me. Oliver claimed it was because they died fighting with and for a pack, so they should be treated in death as one. “I don’t understand your mentality toward rogues,” I mumbled. Danica had filled me in on the way most packs treated rogues, and with what happened to Oliver’s father, I was genuinely shocked he did not feel the same. “People should be treated as individuals,” he stated, offering no further clarity. Getting to the morgue had taken forever because people kept stopping us to thank me, congratulate me, praise me. And I didn’t deserve any of it.I had been the catalyst. And now I was being rewarded for starting a war. My eyes scanned the room, expressionless eyes staring into the abyss of nothingness that now consumed them. A lump rose in my throat, hating that so
Run. New Dawn Fades
Oliver I ignored Dr. Whitledge’s request to know where his patient was. He was a smart man, he could figure it out. What was the point of sitting and relaxing in a hospital bed when she could easily do the same thing at home? I had no intentions of letting her out of my sight anytime, either. It was a noble effort, but Lya only lasted all of a half hour before she passed out, slumped over on my shoulder. The firepit was still burning, though, and the Woodford was still being passed around. I had watched her closely before she fell asleep. There was a dam that was going to break, and I wanted as much warning as I could get. She was handling things alarmingly well for now - too well. The only person she truly strayed away from talking to was Liam. I had to wonder if she even realized who he was. My eyes danced back and forth between them, picking out their similarities. They had the same wild mess of red curly hair, freckles, and features, the same eyes that seemed to change colors w
Run. Cartographer
Lya Oliver’s lips crushed down on mine, awakening a hunger and need and wholeness I had tried to forget about while I was the hunters’ hostage. The tears pricked my eyes, but he was quick to brush them away. He pulled back, looking down on me. “Why are you crying?” Oliver murmured. “You’re back home now.” I reached up, pulling him back down to me. “I missed you.” “Scoot over?” Oliver asked. I made space quickly, anxious for him to be as close as possible. I quickly found myself tucked under his arm. “Can we go home?” I asked. “Back to the packhouse?” “Tomorrow,” he promised, brushing his lips across my hair. “The doc says you’re healing better with your wolf around.” “Tala only held back like that as a punishment, apparently,” I said, furrowing my brows. My relationship with my wolf had grown immensely, and she had plenty of confessions for me. That was one of them. Oliver placed his thumb on my chin, turning my face toward him. “Don’t ever do that again,” he glowered. “I
Run. It's All True
Oliver Lya’s own little army sat in the waiting room as she underwent surgery. Everyone seemed to be glaring at someone. Liam and I continued with our silent argument through looks alone, Jade and Jason - Lya’s supposed cousins - were arguing about whose fault it was they hadn’t realized Lya was a wolf, Thom kept his eyes locked on them as he rocked Kai, silently begging them to be quiet, Anna and Trevor were still in a staring contest about his refusal to let her start warrior training, and Cody was curiously enough shooting daggers at Jade. Marjorie was the only one sitting quietly, observing everything. Brandon waltzed back into the room, returning from his mission for “supplies.” “You all need to take a chill pill,” he said, handing everyone a beer. “We are all on the same side here, don’t forget.” I sighed and sat back, cracking my beer. “You’re right.” “I mean really, you can be as angry as you want that Lya accidentally landed herself an alpha gig, but think of why you’re a
Run. So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish
Lya Endings are hard. Beginnings, though? Well, beginnings are easy. They sneak up on you, and you find yourself halfway into the storyline before you even realize what the plot is. Truth be told, I couldn’t even tell you when the beginning of this story was. Was it my first shift? The first time I slit my wrist? Maybe when I met Ted Marsan, or killed him. What about when I finally ended up in this pack? I could tell you one thing, though, and that was this was the end. Endings are hard. They always come too soon, leaving plot holes and unanswered questions in their wake. There was so much more to say, to do. My story was ending, and it felt like it had only just begun. Fate is a fickle bitch. I was still resentful it had taken Her this long to let me find my way to this pack. Six weeks just didn’t seem like enough time to be happy. Oh, how I would have changed those six weeks if I had known how quickly this all would end. I had known death was a possibility when I signed up fo
Run. Ever The Same
Oliver I saw red. The first I heard from Lya in weeks, and it was a plea for help. I followed my nose, bursting through the door blocking me from her. I couldn’t see her anywhere, but I knew she was here. There were countless other wolves from her birth pack on my tail, and we immediately set to work dispatching the stragglers looking to escape us, dragging most out of cars that refused to start. I finally spotted her, underneath one of the vehicles disabling it. I took half a second to let out a breath of relief and smile. Smart girl. I lost track of her again, though, my focus shifting to keeping others away from her. It wasn’t until I had no one else in my sights and everything had fallen quiet that I heard her voice ringing through the garage, filled with confidence and conviction. “I’m challenging your alpha title.” I spun around, charging for where she was. I wasn’t going to let her risk her life like this. But, I was stopped by Cody and Gregory. 'She initiated the
Run. Martyr
Lya My mind was made up. I knew exactly what my role in this fight would be. If I had learned anything about my father, it was that he was a coward. He wouldn’t be out on the field participating. Maybe he was who I got my ability to run away from problems from. Even still, though, I was drawn outside. The sight was horrifying, and the smell of war made me gag. Guns rang out, teeth clashed, screams and howls resounded. What my eyes honed in on, though, was none other than Will barreling into my mate. I was careening toward them faster than I could think. If anyone died here, it was supposed to be me. “NO!” I screamed, but the sound was drowned out. Oliver waited too long, giving Will the opportunity to aim his gun. I didn’t have time to shift, but I still had the axe. I flung it with every ounce of strength I had, burying the pick deep in his chest. I was certain the pick side of a fireman’s axe wouldn’t be enough to actually kill him, so I twisted it just for good measure. If
