Chapter Eight

Daniel shifted in his chair. Killing was necessary sometimes, the werewolves were no strangers to death. But killing innocent families, especially children, was inexcusable. Any rogue wolf guilty of killing the innocent was hunted down and dispatched.

They were all human, once. Every werewolf in existence had been turned by another through virtue or malfeasance throughout the years. Rogue wolves on killing sprees could create unrepairable chaos like they did for centuries in Europe during the Renaissance and Reformation. Alphas were responsible for keeping their packs in line and those that couldn't were dealt with by another, higher power.

"That is a very bold accusation, Ms. Donna," Daniel said carefully. He didn't want to call her a liar, but there was no way the Blue Ridge Alpha would have let something like that happen without putting down the rogue and giving reparations to the existing family.

Donna drew herself up and was ready to unleash her temper on Daniel, but Lucas chose at that moment to bust in the front door. He took in the scene of the old woman and boy.

"We're good, Lucas," Daniel announced wryly. He noticed the woman, like Daniel, wasn't surprised at Lucas's intrusion. That was interesting. The boy, Henry, on the other hand, was clueless and his eyes flashed amber as his wolf rose with his startlement. Daniel watched as the boy tried to control the wolf, giving him a chance to do it on his own. Donna sat still and straight next to him. She had noticed the change in him as well and knew not to make any sudden movements.

For a moment, the boy almost succeeded, but then Daniel watched the moment he lost, the wolf broke free and Henry's mouth turned up in a snarl towards Lucas.

"That's enough," Daniel spoke firmly, but evenly and pushed his power towards the boy, letting him and his wolf know he was in charge. "My home is safe. No one will hurt either of you here. Stand down and let the boy go."

The wolf peeking through Henry's face harrumphed and Daniel pushed more power to him until the wolf exposed the boy's neck in submission. Donna's head moved slightly to the side as well. Very interesting.

"There, that's better," Daniel said and turned his own head to crack his neck. The boy's wolf would be strong, once he was older. "Lucas, have a seat. This is Ms. Donna Crenshaw and her son, Henry."

"How old is he?" Lucas blurted out.

Donna adjusted her sweater again and looked at Daniel. "Thirteen."

"Holy fu-," her eyes cut to Lucas and he swallowed the curse word. It was funny to see this old woman cow the large man by barely moving. He needed to find out more about her because her story still wasn't adding up.

"Ms. Donna, here, has brought her young grandson to us. He was attacked near Virginia by a member of the Blue Ridge. So, grandson in tow, she made the trek up here to Ohio and was just about to explain to me how she was certain of this."

"Beta, make me some hot tea," she ordered sharply, her irritation now on a new target, presumably for his foul language. Lucas jumped up without hesitation and moved to the kitchen. Daniel raised an eyebrow at Lucas for his quick obedience and Lucas winced and gave him an apologetic shrug. He began moving about the kitchen while listening to the conversation.

"As I mentioned before, Henry's mother Cecilia was a witch, from New Mexico."

"She was a bruja?" Lucas interrupted from the kitchen.

"She was a curanderas!" Donna snapped. "Now don't interrupt, pup." Daniel could feel Lucas's embarrassment. Although Daniel was amused at the other man’s reaction to the woman, she needed to remember she was still a guest in his home, and Lucas was his Beta. He let a soft growl rumble in his chest as a warning. Her face blanked into a stony mask as she remembered her manners, then continued without apology.

"So yes, my son met her in New Mexico, near Taos. They married and she moved back to Virginia with him. With her background in herbs, they often went camping and collecting. The two came across a fairly new and young werewolf caught in a bear trap, half mad with pain. Cecilia's family is close to Eagles Nest Pack and she grew up alongside them, so she was not afraid.

"Against my son's wishes, Cecilia was determined to help the wolf, refusing to let him suffer. She burned herbs and sang sweetly until hours later, she tamed the wolf spirit, and then she and my son released him. She bound his wounds, coaxed him into shifting back to human and they helped him home to his pack. From then on, she worked closely with the Blue Ridge.

"But that wolf they rescued, he was the Alpha's son and had been turned by his father. If only she had known he was sick! A sick boy that should never have been turned but his father loved him too much, hoping the transformation would heal his mind. It did not. It can not! The wolf does not change who you are, on the inside. It can only amplify it. In this case, it exacerbated his sickness.

"He developed a fascination with Cecilia that turned into an obsession. Something happened when she sang to him and his wolf was then bonded to her, claiming her and caring nothing for the mate and family she already had.

"He became hostile when other males were near her, especially her own husband. They found evidence of him around her home and the trails she hiked for herbs. She begged the Alpha to restrain him, or send him away, and finally, he did. He sent him to Texas with the Red River Pack. He stayed for several years, but eventually he made his way back to the Blue Ridge in wolf form, unable to be kept away from her. He tracked Cecilia down, found her camping with her family and in a fury, massacred them.

"I demanded justice from the Alpha. Justice for my family, my only son! I could see the shame in his eyes and the guilt in his heart, but he turned me away, banning me from the pack lands so I couldn't make the unrest in his pack worse. But he told me to come find you and when I did, to beseech you to come kill him and his son, to do what he could not."