She was sitting quietly, exhausted but tense in the dark living room. The tv was off and the room was quiet, somber and still to fit her mood. The small lamp next to her emitted a soft glow, but the subdued light did little to ease her oncoming headache.
She glanced at the clock yet again, its thundering ticks matching the knocking in her head. Eleven thirty-two. She scolded herself for hoping he would be home by now. But why would today be any different? The past three months had gone by the same way in one big blur of loneliness.
Her glass of Malbec was just over halfway gone. The more she drank, the less patience remained. She tightened her fingers around the cool globe and opened her mouth, letting the warm liquid roll in, savoring the tannins coating her tongue before she swallowed it down.
Come on, do your job, she prayed to the wine. She inhaled its earthy, plum aroma like incensed smoke at an altar. Hopefully she’ll get some kind of sleep tonight. In the stillness of her never-ending thoughts and doubts, she saw the headlights beam through the sheer curtains as his car pulled into the driveway, causing her heart to pound. As much as she detested him gone this late, she dreaded the frustration she felt when he came home pretending nothing was wrong.
The door opened and cheerful notes of his breathy whistling an upbeat tune slipped in before him, low, so they wouldn't carry. She heard his keys drop into the bowl by the door as his tune transitioned to a hum. His bright mood cut through the heaviness of her dark one like a dagger straight to her heart. It was bitterly painful knowing he could be so carefree while her misery was left to fester unchecked.
He treaded lightly as he passed by the living room on his way to his study. It was clear that he was trying to come in unnoticed, but just the sight of him caused her body to melt as the tension inside of her immediately released in what felt like relief. Angry at him or not, just his presence soothed the ache in her spirit. She preoccupied herself with a sip and watched him through the stained, concave glass and her movement must have startled him because he jumped a little and turned to look at her.
"Oh, shit. Samantha?" he asked as he took in her appearance, sitting in an armchair across the room, holding her glass of wine.
Just like that, his good mood evaporated and irritation compressed his features. He assumed she wouldn't notice, but she knew every intimate detail of his face and could decipher his thoughts and feelings with the slightest change in nuance or shadow.
"What are you doing?" he asked with an edge to his voice.
"Just having a nightcap, as I'm sure you have been." Samantha took a slow, deliberate drink with defiant eyes locked on him.
"And how much have you had to drink tonight?" he asked disapprovingly. Her glare made him uncomfortable.
A sharp laugh barked in her head. She was still on her first glass and resented his attitude and implied inebriation.
"Almost enough, Richard," Samantha's voice slid out dangerously silky with condescension. "Almost enough to not notice the dark, empty bedroom when I go upstairs. Almost enough so that I won't notice the cold bed when, or if, I go to sleep. Almost enough to not wonder..." she trailed off, hearing herself getting heated with each line. She wouldn't beg for his attention, apologies, or accountability… Or to be heard, or seen. Considered.
“Sam,” he began as he placed his palm on his forehead as if at his wit’s end. She could hear the forced patience thick in his tone, as if he’d explained this a million times. “You know with the merger, they’re breathing down everybody’s necks. I’m trying to secure our future here and all I hear from you are selfish complaints! I’m busting my ass to make sure not only that I get to keep my job, but my portion of the company!”
“Richard, don’t start,” Samantha said wearily.
“No!” he seethed. “You already started it! I’m the one that supports you and buys everything you want and like a child, you expect me to entertain you because you’re ‘bored’. You can’t even be grateful for what I provide for you. How many of your friends can say the same of their husbands? Oh, wait, you don’t have any anymore because you’re so damn miserable, and you make everyone around you miserable, no one wants to be around you!”
Samantha flinched, knowing the last line held more truth than she cared to admit. She had let her friendships dwindle throughout the years as she focused on Richard and their marriage. As he continued, the agitation simmering in the air made the living room feel too small to contain it and his aggressive steps toward her made it feel that much smaller.
“In fact,” he dug out his wallet and threw down several crisp hundred dollar bills. “Here, I’ll be the adult. This should entertain you tomorrow. I don’t care what you do with it, but I don’t want to hear shit from you when I return. You wonder why I’m never here? Because I’m tired of having to listen to your bullshit.”
Samantha let his tirade wash over her as she tightly gripped her glass, her white knuckles the only indication of her anger.
“Look at you,” he sneered, as he leaned towards her, invading her space and curling his lip. “You’re nothing but a lazy drunk anymore.”
Keep your cool, she kept telling herself. If she said anything, she would just make it worse, but the more she tried to let it go, the more she couldn’t. It’s not worth it, it’s not worth it, it’s not… Fuck it.
“You know, Richard,” Samantha got up, dropping the glass in her haste with fury flashing in her eyes, forcing him a few steps back. “You wanted me to stay at home and support you, and work for you, so I gave up my career. I cook your meals, if you care enough to be home for them. I do your laundry, I clean this house, I make sure the bills get paid! I even set your clothes out and wake you up and gather your shit for work in the mornings. I guess I’m lucky that you don’t expect me to wipe your ass while I’m at it! Please, an adult! You’re nothing but a spoiled man child that needs a mommy to take care of you.”
Smack!
She never saw it coming. His hand came out of nowhere and it took her a few moments to register what had just happened. At first she was numb and disorientated, her ears ringing, but as the burn flared on her cheek, she realized what happened. He. Hit. Her. It lit a flame that erupted from within her, enraged he would dare touch her.
“Why you, mother-” she said furiously as she cupped her left cheek and he reached up, yanking her backwards by her hair.
“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you,” he said in a dead voice. His eyes were cold and empty, as if the anger that raged had burned away the last of his humanity.
Richard continued viciously pulling back, increasing the tension on her hair.“I provide for this house,” Richard ranted, spittle flying into her face. “Me. You have no right to question where I’ve been or what time I come home. You will stop harassing me, you ungrateful bitch. You don't know how good you have it!” He yanked back harder and tears flooded her eyes and a small cry escaped her. Her heart hammered and her breath seized, and for the first time in her life, she was truly scared.He held her there for a few extra moments until she whimpered and tried to nod, then he pushed her away from him and she collapsed onto the floor.“You know,” he said as he crossed back to the hallway and his face slipped back on a mask of civility as smoothly as he slipped his jacket on. “I can’t look at you or deal with your shit tonight.” He roughly grabbed his keys from the bowl, and without another word or glance back, walked out the door.She expected to hear the door closing in an echoing thu
After the wedding, Richard convinced her that he needed her with him for dinners and functions to socialize with current and prospective clients. It began to feel like their marriage was on display as a model for financial success and happiness, the clients appreciating the stability a happily married couple exuded.Richard began having Samantha schedule, organize and set up the meetings and events and before long, brought her on as an Event Specialist for the company. It didn't exactly pertain to her degree, but it was fairly similar and allowed her to express her creativity, so she didn't mind too much, even though she could have been making much more on her own. It left her with a decent salary and she was able to tailor her schedule to fit around Richard’s, maximizing their time together. It seemed like the perfect arrangement.She doesn't know when the distance between them started. After the first three years of being so in sync and tuned to each other, a slow descent into a sta
"Daniel," the sandy-haired man called out as he entered the brightly lit office without knocking. He handed a few files to the dark-eyed man behind the massive, well-polished, mahogany desk that left faint traces of citrus in the air."Lucas," Daniel acknowledged. "What are we looking at?""The top folder are the main agents," Lucas says as he took a seat and leaned back, crossing his legs and putting his hands behind his head. Daniel may be the big dog, but they had been friends since childhood. "The second is the list to let go."Daniel scanned each folder briefly, starting with the second one. Fifteen employees, most of them in secretarial or data entry positions. They wouldn't need this many with the new systems he was installing."These are fine. Pick the five strongest people, if they're worth a damn, they should be able to handle the workload of the whole fifteen. Make sure the ones being let go get a decent severance and a ninety day stipend.""Ninety days?" Lucas coughed."Ye
Samantha examined her face in the mirror. Her left eye was bruised and her face was swollen. She covered it the best she could with makeup and then, unsatisfied and exasperated, snagged the largest pair of sunglasses she owned. She eyed a scarf hanging on the wall then dismissed it, afraid that in the effort of trying not to draw attention to herself, she would inadvertently draw even more.Richard never came back home last night. No call, no text, no apology, just silence. A pit had settled in her stomach from his absence, but she was also relieved because she didn't want to see him right now. She was afraid to ask him to leave, unsure how he would react.It left her feeling restless and fighting the need to get out of here against the urge to curl into a miserable ball and disappear. Thoughts of going to sleep and never waking up teased the peripheral of her consciousness, but she refused to let them settle.Unsure where to go, after driving aimlessly for almost an hour, she found h
Daniel's nostrils flared. He had felt something tickling his consciousness, off and on. It was the feeling he has when he is being watched, a feeling that hinted of danger, but each time it came today, it was brief.This feeling was frustratingly normal any time he came to a large city such as this one, which was one of the main reasons he hated to do it. It left him feeling exposed and always on alert, never able to relax or let down his guard.He had a brief meeting over lunch with Lucas and Thomas, his CFO. Thomas was just as thrilled as Lucas about the ninety day stipend for terminated employees, but Daniel had already factored it into the cost of acquiring Elevated Financials. He showed them where he negotiated it towards the price of taking over. In fact, he expected to lose more people from the rip so as for right now, they were actually still on the black side of projected expenses.He understood numbers and math, but they absolutely bored him. He knew Lucas was the same way,
You need to go to her right now, the demon urged.No, Daniel argued. That will scare her.Yes. She is already scared, it insisted. She's hurt and I will kill whoever did it.That's not how it works, Daniel groaned. You know this. I thought we tempered your bloodlust a long time ago.YOU tempered the bloodlust. Daniel had an image of jaws snapping, running red with blood, flash through his mind, followed by a wolfish grin. I didn't necessarily agree to it.Daniel began to sweat with the effort of sitting in his chair and quarreling with the demon. He picked up his phone and pretended to scroll so he wouldn't cause a scene; muttering to himself while staring at nothing like a mad man.Enough! Daniel ordered sternly and heard a growl in response. She is timid, and I'm going to bet it was a man, probably her husband, that did that to her. Didn’t you see the ring? It means she's already taken and she's not going to appreciate some strange, random man walking up to her. What would I say? Hi
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
Daniel sat quietly as he processed Donna's story. Lucas brought her the tea and sank back down in the chair he claimed earlier. Henry was looking down at his hands and Daniel could smell sadness, anger and despair as it rolled off of Henry and narrowed down to one emotion. Hate. He shook his head. Poor kid."First things first. Henry, you will become a part of my pack. You will accept me, listen and obey me as your Alpha. I will teach you to control, live, and thrive with your wolf."Henry looked up at Daniel. Uncertainty and hope began to dawn on his face."Sir? How can I?" he whispered. “I lost my family, my home. I’m a monster! I’m the same as that thing that destroyed my life! I want to kill myself, and I can’t even do that!” He sobbed and Donna's emotions overtook her as well, his pain adding to her own, causing her to quiver next to him as she hugged him tightly."You'll do no such thing," Daniel reinforced softly. "We are not monsters. Sometimes, there are bad things out there
Daniel lifted his face up to the full moon and let his wolf wash up through and over him. It wasn't a seamless transition, not even for an Alpha such as him. Being a werewolf was initially called a curse for a reason, but with his pack and full moon present, his shift came relatively easy and painlessly and he accepted it for the blessing it had become.There of course was the pain as his bones broke and reshaped, but by now it was one he was familiar with and barely gave it a thought. A lot of movies like to portray the lengthening of the jaw and snout as the transformation works its way down, but in reality, the change starts in the spine between the shoulders. The kinder way to describe it, without detail, would be to say it began at his shoulders and rippled out, like a rock tossed into a still pond.But it wasn't that simple or serene.
He knew this discussion and her displeasure, no, her infuriation was inevitable. He hoped to take care of this tomorrow but it was here in front of him right now, today."Donna, I do not want to nor will I ever send Henry away," Daniel swore. "But I promised him he and his wolf would thrive, and they have. But I cannot in good conscience hinder or limit him either.""He won't go," she said stubbornly. "He doesn't want to.""That may be," Daniel sympathized. "But I think I owe it to Henry to let him make that decision himself, as much as it pains us both. You know his wolf is strong, Donna, you've known it from the very beginning. It was part of the reason you feared another Alpha would kill him.""He's not as strong as you, or Lucas, or Thomas, or Judd, or even Justin,"
Daniel's eyes popped open with a start. The soft tap on the door was just enough to rouse him from his deep slumber. He checked the clock on the nightstand and it read four pm. Dammit. He meant to be awake before now.He got up and threw a tee shirt on, over his dark jeans, as he opened the door and found Lucas lazily leaning against the opposite wall in the hallway with his arms crossed."Sorry to wake you from your beauty sleep," he drawled, not looking the least bit apologetic. “Donna sent me to get you so she could have a word with you before the cookout officially starts.""I'm surprised she didn't get me herself," Daniel mused as he left the door open and put his shoes on."Why would she when she knows she can get me to do it," Lucas grumbled good naturedly.Daniel followed Lucas down the stairway. As they descended, the smell of food became thicker in the air, making his stomach rumble and remind him it had been a long time since his last meal. He could hear Donna just outside,
The food and new attitude did Samantha a lot of good. It was like she walked around the house with a fresh set of eyes. She tied her hair back and started with the laundry, looking at his clothes mixed with hers in disgust.She was a nuisance.A bother.Clingy.A child.She punctuated every thought with another item of his she threw in a separate pile to go back in the basket, then she yanked his towel off the hook and threw it on top of everything she left behind. Luckily, the washroom was upstairs so she took her clothes and sorted them in there before starting the first load.After an initial pang of anxiety, feeling like she was being petty and immature, she decided that it felt good. Next, she stripped everything off of the bed so it could wait its turn through the machines. Feeling a moment of satisfaction, she moved to the bathroom with cleaning supplies and started in the shower, scrubbing down the walls. Unsure what to do with his hygiene items, she gathered everything into a
The past several days blended in to each other as Samantha stayed close to the house. Her attempt to enter the boutique left her feeling broken, defeated and frustrated. She knew the feelings would persist as long as her eye was this fantastic shade of eggplant. It had been three days now and each day, the bruise darkened with no sign of abating any time soon.The only saving grace to any of this was Richard still hadn't come back home or reached out to her. The longer he stayed away, the more she dreaded seeing him again and the pit in her stomach grew heavier knowing they were going to have to have a very difficult talk eventually.The afternoon she came home from the restaurant, she had looked around the house, lost. She laid on her bed and cried. It didn't get her anywhere, nor did it help ease the dull ache inside. She ran a hot bath and added Himalayan sea salt to it, hoping the warmth would penetrate into her chilled core, but sat in the tub with her arms curled around her knee
Daniel stepped off the plane onto the unpaved strip that was a hard packed crusher run covered in short grass. He enjoyed the familiar buzz of insects, the wind whispering among the leaves and the distant sound of a mountain creek all welcoming him home.A local farmer owned the strip. Somewhere along his family tree was a great-uncle that was a werewolf and the pack had been close to his family for a few decades now. He was standing next to another man by a white, unmarked Tahoe and Daniel made a beeline for them."Good to see you, Daniel," the farmer greeted him, nodding."Jim, likewise," Daniel replied as he nodded in return. "Thanks for letting us through on short notice, this is a quick trip.""Anytime," Jim waved."Will you be joining us for the barbecue and run tonight?" Daniel asked."My family and I will be there, Alpha," Jim grinned. "For the barbecue, not the run. Justin here came down and grabbed a couple of pigs two days ago and has had them in the ground since yesterday.
"What are you sniffing at, Alpha?" Donna had asked sharply through the phone. "It sounds like that nose is going to get you in trouble."Daniel wasn't aware he had his nose in the air, like a dog, or wolf, that came across something interesting, until Donna mentioned it. The wily bastard had locked on to a scent that was sweet and lightly citric.What the hell? He frowned as he traced it back to the woman with the sunglasses. He could feel his wolf's contented purr as the smell became stronger when she lifted her face up to the sun and shook her hair, letting the dark, loose waves fall behind her. His wolf was drunk on her pleasant fragrance, rolling around as it wrapped around them. Daniel leaned into his notepad on the table, exasperated at its antics.The woman looked radiant basking in the sun with her head tilted slightly back. He enjoyed the way a smile hinted at the corners of her mouth and wondered briefly what her lips tasted like as his eyes traced their curves. He admitted
Samantha was embarrassed she was caught staring at the man. She didn't know how long it lasted. He could have been dangerous with that acute predatory look in his eyes that seemed to stop time and make the world around her disappear, but the steadiness of his gaze, which should have daunted her, felt like the first solid thing she'd seen since her life began falling apart.The feeling he was seeing the things she was trying to hide was unnerving, so when his attention shifted and released its hold on her, she let her hair fall in front of her face, an effective curtain to shield her. She made it a point not to look his way again, but it was like she could feel his high energy and presence. It wasn't oppressive. It felt as if it was sunshine, but if the light had weight, a soft pressure against her skin.After he seemed to dive back into work, she began to relax again. The sun on her face after the meal and wine was heavenly and soon she forgot about her faux pas. Unfortunately, she sh
Daniel sat quietly as he processed Donna's story. Lucas brought her the tea and sank back down in the chair he claimed earlier. Henry was looking down at his hands and Daniel could smell sadness, anger and despair as it rolled off of Henry and narrowed down to one emotion. Hate. He shook his head. Poor kid."First things first. Henry, you will become a part of my pack. You will accept me, listen and obey me as your Alpha. I will teach you to control, live, and thrive with your wolf."Henry looked up at Daniel. Uncertainty and hope began to dawn on his face."Sir? How can I?" he whispered. “I lost my family, my home. I’m a monster! I’m the same as that thing that destroyed my life! I want to kill myself, and I can’t even do that!” He sobbed and Donna's emotions overtook her as well, his pain adding to her own, causing her to quiver next to him as she hugged him tightly."You'll do no such thing," Daniel reinforced softly. "We are not monsters. Sometimes, there are bad things out there