The Characters of Clayton, Rya, Kennedy, Dallas, and the Valentines belong to Rachelle. The character of Cora is expanded on with Permission from Rachelle, and is written for the pleasure of the International Wildflower Pack, the WhiskeyQueenn fandom. #WildflowersUnited #iwp

:: Rachelle Whiskeyqueenn ,  thank you for letting us wander in your world::

:: this is Cora's POV from the CLAYTON chapter Almost::

The Lake

I had nearly 4 dozen burgers packed in Corina's car seat as I carried it out to the truck. I struggled to get the safety seat in place. I had never actually used it. After several minutes, I was swearing colorfully enough to make my grandmama proud. Mark laughed and, in a matter of seconds, had it and our daughter safely secured.

"Don't blame the contraption, it just wants to do its job," he teases. We are going to be late because after he saw me doing my yoga and talking to Dr Valentine, my alpha needed some 'mate time'. I had barely got Corina fed, changed and down for a nap when he had carried me to our bedroom. Not that my wolf minded but then I had to rush to get the burgers cooked. I was so annoyed right now... Stupid mate bond and horny she-wolf! 

I glared at him, hissing, "I hate y..." His kiss cut me off. Cheater!

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are when you are riled up? Maybe we should stay home," Mark was trying my patience. He did not want to go but knew better than to argue with me where SHE was concerned.

"Oh I am? Is that why you try so hard to annoy me? I'm beautiful when I'm angry," I grumpily responded as we drove.

"Yes, you are. Actually darlin, you're always beautiful but I can say you're the most beautiful when you're callin' out my name like you were an hour or so ago," He grins evilly and I suppress the urge to hit him. He would be completely happy if I was willing to stay home and be naked all the time or knocked up or both. Male wolves are such pervs, I swear to the Goddess!

There is quite a crowd, so Mark drops me near the door with Corina, and the food before he parks further away. He is going to be carrying the cooler of beer a long way. I wander into to the house Charlie and I shared for almost a year and the flood of memories returns so strong I almost choke on them. I bend my neck to smell Corina's silky dark locks, my hair and his eyes the perfect blend. I put the burgers in the fridge and wander outside, following my nose in the direction of Rya's scent. I see her, hair casually braided, talking to Dr Valentine. She is actually smiling and he makes a small bow to her and she returns the gesture, they look... they look happy.

"Rya..." I call out, walking over to them, she asks me how we are. I nod and grin at her, before glancing around at the crowd and the lake. My wolf is on edge, 'Our pup is too young to be here,' she thinks grumpily. "Dr Valentine, thank you for inviting us out. I just love it here. I made some burgers, I put them in your fridge, I couldn't find you." I need to find a more secure spot to be, I see the big maple I used to do my homework under and my wolf agrees to sitting there. It is a defensible place to have our pup.

Dr Valentine is saying something about not needing to bring the food and I just shrug.

"I couldn't come empty handed, that's rude." I can't get the blanket spread out while I am holding Corina, so I dump the diaper bag on the ground.

Rya smiles and takes the blanket, "Here, let me help you," she offers, easily spreading it out under the tree. She glances longingly at Corina then around at the party, and my wolf whines at the strange sadness she seems to radiate. Dr Valentine takes his leave of us as she continues to look out at the party, she seems in awe of all the activity. She never came to the parties Charlie threw here, the alphas wouldn't allow it. I wonder if this is her first real party.

I try to think of anything to say as I sit down and tuck my pup in my lap. "This is so nice, I love it when Dr Valentine throws these parties." My wolf keeps scanning the crowd down to the lake and back, we don't feel safe, then we see our mate. His khaki shorts and tee shirt so different from his normal wear. "Maybe one day I might get a place out here," I sigh, I am remembering all the parties Rya never got to come to. We missed so much time together, so many things pushed aside, so many dreams lost after that terrible night.

Mark lays down next to us, his eyes tell me he can feel my sadness as the bond hums between us, he kisses Corina's hair and then my neck. He doesn't like how I feel when I am around Rya, like the weak 16 year old girl kneeling on the floor of the Alpha's office. He greets her because he knows I need a moment and I run my hand through his tawny, caramel locks. Rya looks envious of what I have and I feel guilty. I want this for her so much.

"Well, I should go. If you two want to go in the water or canoe, I would watch her for you, if you want?" Rya offers, there is a slight longing in her voice that has me agreeing before Mark can decline. I will share this with her, this day, this time, my pup, I will give her any small comfort I can.

I smile, "Really? That would be great, I'll take you up on that offer. Thanks"

"No problem," she smiles back, and again my mind flashes to all the times she said it, just like that when we were growing up. 

Then she wanders off to the party, but just watches from the sidelines as she always did. Mark gets up and goes to get a beer and brings me a lemonade that's as much vodka as lemons. He goes to get another and stops, offering the amber bottles to Dallas and Beau, it is from his cousin's micro-brewery. Monte lost his leg and both parents in the attack and spent a month watching cable in the pack hospital. He developed a fascination with brewing and was making beer for wolves that were over twice as strong as human beers. Mark's favorites were Mountain Stout and High Country Lager. I liked his more flavorful "girly brews" as Miles called them, especially the Vanilla Creme Ale. 

I see Dallas set the containers of my burgers on a table next to the grill before lighting the fire pit. Soon the smell of wolf food permeates the air. Everyone is laughing and having a good time, while Rya is just watching. I finish feeding Corina and head to change into my swim suit, time to get started on my little plan to reacquaint Rya with the pack females. I breath out slowly, we all feel so bad about what happened back then. About what our Alphas and parents made us do.  She-wolves that I stopped being friends with years ago, some that I actually fought, had asked me if it is okay to approach her. I wouldn't forgive them but I know Rya is a better wolf than me. I know she will, even if I never can.

Mark finds me walking toward Rya who is waiting. He nuzzles my neck, whispering,"You look amazin' darlin'. Why are we here and not at home?" I can smell his desire. I roll my eyes at him. 

Rya smiles up at me as she settles Corina into her lap, "Take your time, I'll watch her."

My wolf is nervous about leaving our pup, but we trust Rya and we must show her we trust her. And if she is holding my pup, no one will harass her because they will have to face me later. I trust her but not them. I will never trust any of them again. We run toward the water with Mark, ever the predator in pursuit, he grabs my butt and I slap his hand away. Stopping at one of the canoes, we climb in. Away from shore I slip over the edge and swim, diving deep for the cooler water. Something warm wraps my waist and pulls me against a firm chest, we kiss until the need for air drives us upward. He pulls himself over the side of the canoe with practiced ease, and I follow. Together we float, the sun drying our bodies. I catch a waft of scent and sit up suddenly.

"What is it?" Mark asks worried.

"Clayton is here. Dallas said he wasn't invited." I twist looking back toward shore, my eyes go immediately toward our pup and Rya. She is surrounded by several mated, unranked females, they are screening her as Kennedy parades Clayton past her. I snarl in a feral way.

"Easy Cora, it looks like some of the other females took it upon themselves to look after Rya too," Mark tries to sooth me, but I can feel the truth through our bond.

"You're just as agitated as I am," I spit. Our happiness of the moment passed, as the cloud of disgust settles around us while we watch the alpha couple trying to hold court in the presence of the pariah they created. My wolf wants to bite them and I agree.

"Look... she's alright, look at them talking to her, shielding her, and touching her, nothing bad will happen today," Mark points out. 

I watch as the girls who mocked Rya in High school and ignored her, now support her. I know these wolves, all have their mates, and now all must be counting their blessings as I am. Mark pulls me against him and leans back in the canoe. "You can't always be there, you need to trust that the Goddess who blessed her, will help her. Let's leave them alone to make amends with her as you did."

I rest against his broad chest. He is right, I know he is right. I let my lips find his. We drift for almost an hour before both our wolves start demanding we return to our pup. Rya is sitting under her tree alone, an uneaten plate of food nearby. She is running her fingers over Corina's dark silky hair. She looks so beautiful at this moment, dappled sunlight falling on her, but I can smell sadness on her skin.

"Thanks, Rya," I sound so happy I almost hate myself.

She offers to pup-sit for us, pressing a kiss on to Corina's forehead, inhaling of her sweet scent. We watch her wander back to the party, refill her drink, always watching, not really interacting. Just like school, after that day.

"Dallas was watching her with Corina," Mark says offhandedly. "Do you really think those two broken wolves can find happiness with each other? Have a second chance together?"

"She is rejected but moon blessed. He is mate-lost but trying. It is all I can hope for. If she chooses him, he can take her away when his contract is up," I answer.

We both inhale the sweet scent of our child and Rya's sad one that clings to her. Such bittersweet feelings spread between us, we both know what it means to be broken, to feel rejected. We are the lucky ones. Mark leans in to kiss me, with Corina nestled between us. For a moment, the world melts away. I hear a click and look over, Vincent is grinning like an idiot. He sits down on the blanket to show us the picture. It is the first one not taken by a member of the family. It takes a while but Mark begins to relax. I notice his eyes go to the lake often, he's watching for something, I think he's watching for them to return.

Two hours later, the sun was set, most of the food and wolves were gone. Clayton and Kennedy were not back yet and the remaining wolves were gathering around the bonfire to sing or play guitars. I sang a soft song as Landon played, an old Cindy Lauper song about time. It was time for us to go, Corina needed a bath and fed and put to bed. Also Mark and I had some unfinished business to attend to, I smiled at the thought as he talked to Corina while we walked. He wanted a large family and so did I. We had so many things we wanted together as soon as I was free of Adams. I knew he resented Rya, but seeing her today without her fake "I'm okay" facade, seeing her hold up in the face of her rejection, hearing her really laugh, watching her with our child, I hope has softened him up towards her. I'm still worried as I followed Mark to the truck, Dallas had promised to watch out for Rya. So had Landon and Vincent. But Clayton and Kennedy are still out there in the dark on the water... waiting like an ambush predator to take away her moments of happiness.

~

Landon told me the next day that Dallas had walked Rya to her car not long after we left, and the Clayton had growled the whole time before stalking away into the darkness without Kennedy. She had gotten upset and gone home with Bianca.

It worried me, it worried me a lot. My whole life I had been around very controlled, well trained wolves. My wolf and I existed almost as a single being, in sync in almost every way, except our taste in music. Then I had met Mark, who's wolf was almost feral at times, I watched his struggle against it. Two beings sharing a body with completely different ideas about what should be happening. Sometimes they went the same way on things, working together as wolf and skin should, and at other times, they were at war with each other. 

But Clayton was worse, he had been denying his wolf its mate for almost 9 years, if it broke free... An out of control wolf was no laughing matter, especially an out of control alpha wolf. If his skin side couldn't control his fur side, then someone could get injured or killed. I feared that someone would be Rya.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9.2018 - CLAYTON is published!!!

Clayton (The Wildflower Series) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/164034487X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_S8sbDbB084P46 via @amazon

2.2019- DALLAS is published!!!

Dallas (The Wildflower Series Book 2) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXRVB7M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_o9sbDbPFY61NH via @amazon
Find them on Amazon

::Thank you to Rachelle for allowing this CLAYTON Fanfiction to be published.:: 

If you are reading this on a site that is not Wattpad, it has been taken

and published without my permission.