PAIGE

Standing with Paul and Faith at the Northern border, we paused to look back at Damon and Cody who stood a few yards behind us. Both wore matching looks; concerned but confident. Damon raised his hand to me in a still wave of goodbye. I used the newfound connection from the mark to send him an image of me kissing his lips. He smiled, ever so slightly. I could still see the dried blood on his collar and feel my teeth in his neck. My eyes wanted to roll back with the memory of that sensation. 

Faith yipped and we turned and began running North.

It had taken me a few minutes to work up the ability to shift. I was out of practice and it showed through the rough and sloppy transition. My bones seemed to take minutes to realign as my skin peeled off ever so slowly. I tried not to scream and managed to pass meek whimpers as my vocal cords tore into new ones. Envy had seeped into me, not disgust, as I watched Faith slip into her second skin as easily as water. Damon had been there to coax me through the shift. It was a role he hadn't been able to fill since I had changed. Rhia was always the only one to guide me before. It felt nice, more comforting almost, to have him by my side.

The idea that he would be by my side for the rest of our lives was a privilege I had ignored and taken for granted. Companionship and undying loyalty were things I didn't know before him. It was an unbearably comforting feeling, one that welled up so much emotion inside of me that I worried it would spill out at times. I felt it, so deep in my gut, the love I had for that man. I had never felt anything harder than that. The guilt of ignoring it for so long made me want to curl inwards and shrink to nothing. 

The air was brisk, but not too cold. It was overcast, a mild day that usually came intermittently during Spring in the North. The forest still clung to Winter, bearing snowdrifts and muddy patches. But the trees were finally bare, and the birds could be heard once again after the long-dead months.

Running through the trees felt new and exciting with my new outlook on life. It felt as if I was running straight down my new path, and it felt right. We were going to set things straight, get answers, and ultimately put an end to the horrors my father and his men were committing.

The view I had acquired of my father had previously been one of admiration. But over the last few days, it had morphed into something closer to disgust. The more I uncovered, the more I grew to loathe him. I began to see what my mother must have seen her whole life; a monster. It pained me to reflect on what she must have endured because of him. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. He had stolen her from me, just like everything else. I fucking hated him for it.

Faith was leading our run, I was in the middle trying to keep pace, and Paul brought up the rear. It wouldn't take long, only a couple of hours due to the terrain. We had to navigate multiple river valleys to get to the North. Some of the mountains seemed to rise like sentinels directly from the flat ground. Their faces were so sheer that they bore no snow, showing off their dark granite fronts. The air gradually grew colder the further we carried North and the higher we climbed.

When we drew closer, Faith slowed her pace rapidly. She never seemed to tire. I knew we were close to the territory line due to the pungent scent of wolf piss marking the bases of trees nearly a mile ahead.

I'm hoping they have a patrol out. Faith murmured into our minds through the link, mostly through scattered images. 

We slowed completely to a stop right before the territory line. All of our ears cocked, listening. There wasn't a sound to be heard besides those of nature. The treetops hushed in the wind and a creek babbled somewhere to our left. Suddenly, Faith snapped her head to the right.

A wolf stepped out from his vantage point, eyes already centered on us. He had wanted to make his presence known. If he hadn't, we would never have known him to be there. His eyes found Faith first, her large brown form easily drawing the biggest threat. The wolf's ears flagged and then he threw his head back and released a keening wail into the freezing air. It only took a moment for the responses to arise, miles to his back. His pack would be here in minutes to determine the reason behind us intruders.

Faith immediately tried to deescalate, though he had done exactly what we wanted. If the pack was coming to aid, so was Arlo. Her ears perked and she lowered her tail into a docile position. Paul was already in position. I tried to mimic the two of them, taking Faith's right.

The wolf paced back and forth, tail swishing low. He wouldn't let us out of his sight and he wasn't pleased about our appearance. Aggression and defensiveness were acute in the ridged motions of his stalking.

Not a moment later, more wolves materialized from the brush. They had been utterly silent. It was mesmerizing, the way that they moved like ghosts. Elusive down to the core of their beings. It suddenly appeared to me as such a beautiful way to live, uninterrupted by human affairs.

At the center of the group was the Alpha. Obvious from the way he stood and the massiveness of his body. He was older, graying slightly around the muzzle. His body was tall and roped with thick coils of muscle that rippled as he stalked forward with teeth bared, much like the wolves that flanked him.

Faith shifted, slipping easily into her skin and landing in a crouch. She slowly stood, palms out to show her good intentions. "We mean no harm," she called, giving her charismatic smile without teeth. "I am sorry we are here without notice."

The Alpha followed suit, reflecting the ease of Faith's shift. "Alpha Faith," Arlo addressed her, his tone conveying the respect he had for her. The man was beautiful, in a rugged way. He had deep brown skin and his hair was shaved nearly to the scalp, peppered with gray. The dark brown of his irises appeared almost black in the low light. This was my mother's mate. "It is not a worry. Stand down, all." He spoke with a deep and calming voice. "To what do we owe your visit?"

"We hoped to talk. I have brought someone you need to meet." Her eyes fell to me, but I was still looking directly at Arlo when he looked down upon me from his position across the way. "We also have a request."

Arlo finally looked back to Faith, his expression unreadable. "Let us discuss in the pack hall. Follow me." His eyes kept scanning the trees behind us, as if waiting. Finally, he focused back on the task at hand. The two Alphas shifted simultaneously and we followed closely behind the pack as they lead us into their territory.

Their pack hall turned out to be a large but modest longhouse. It was made entirely of local timber, finely crafted to rustic perfection. You could tell it was designed with functionality in mind, a warm gathering space for a smaller-sized pack.

When we made it to the door, Arlo went in ahead of us along with a few other wolves, already shifted and pulling on clothes as they entered. Faith and Paul slipped out of their fur easily and accepted the pants and shirts that were handed to them. As if reading my mind, Faith turned to me.

"Focus, Paige." She whispered encouragingly.

I willed myself into my skin, visualizing what it would look like just as Rhia had taught me so long ago. It took a moment, but slowly I peeled out of my fur. It was still agonizing, but I managed not to make a sound besides a grunt or two. Faith's responding smile struck pride in my chest. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took the shirt and pants from a female to my left who wouldn't look away from my two different colored eyes.

The three of us were ushered into the longhouse where a roaring fire was going in the massive hearth at the very opposite end. It was an open complex with a large table taking up the majority of the front end. Arlo stood near the head of it, looking at us as we entered.

The Alpha's eyes fell on me almost immediately. He was unable to hide the recognition from his eyes, his mouth even popped open slightly. Agony flushed onto his features as he took in the shape of my face, the tone of my hair, and even the shape of my frame. All unmistakable characteristics of my mother.

"You look so much like her," he whispered as I approached him only to stop a couple of feet away. Faith and Paul remained a few steps behind me. Arlo's eyes were misting up as he took me in.

I nodded weakly, feeling his mutual pain at the loss of my mother.

"You're a wolf," he noted, laughing softly. "Goddess if that isn't the biggest irony of it all."

"Truly," I responded, unsure of how to process it all. This large man felt like the last true connection I had to my mother. The finality of it was both devastating and soothing all at once. I wanted to cry or laugh or scream, but nothing of the sort arose.

Arlo opened and closed his mouth a few times. I was sure there were not many times in his life where he was speechless. Finally, he whispered, "Where is Collette?"

The tears welled up in my eyes without permission and began to spill down my cheeks. I stifled a sob with my hand and shook my head softly. Arlo's eyes hardened as his fears were confirmed, tears began to shed from his eyes as well. He took a deep heaving breath and looked up at the ceiling, trying to quell his pain that was suddenly palpable in the room.

"Come," he gestured for me to follow him towards the opposite end of the room. I peered back at Faith who's eyes were also misting up. She simply nodded at me to follow, so I did.

Arlo lead me to a door at the very end that I hadn't noticed previously. It was just a few yards over from the fireplace that was giving off waves of heat. I followed him through the door and into what looked like a small and simple office or meeting room. There were two handcrafted chairs, a desk, and some bookshelves with trinkets and books on them. The Alpha gestured for me to take a chair as he took the opposite one. I shut the door behind me and followed suit.

"How did you know about me? Collette said she wasn't going to tell you, to protect you from your father." He spat the last word, all the bitterness in the world making up his tone.

"She didn't, but she never got the chance to." I wiped tears from my cheeks. "This wolf, Tye, was brainwashed by my father many years ago. He followed my mother and found out where she was running off to. And then he reported it back to my father and he..." I trailed off, afraid of hurting this man I hardly knew. "I pried the information out of the wolf this morning. Faith and Cody filled in the gaps."

Arlo closed his eyes in pain and ran a hand over his face. His dark brows were drawn tight.

"My father told me that wolves had killed her and I went the last ten years believing that. Then I found Damon and the truth eventually came out. They found her body on the riverbank. She was shot." My voice was trembling so badly my throat hurt. Wrapping my arms around myself, I hunched slightly in my chair.

A whimper escaped the massive Alpha and I felt the need to cry all over again.

"I didn't know about shifting wolves or anything until only a few months ago, when the pack took me in and changed me because of an accident. Before that, I was hunting them, as my father taught me to. I had no idea," I cried out. "No idea. Now he is hunting my pack because of everything else and now that I know everything... He fucking killed her and covered it up. He stole everything from me."

Arlo came to me and knelt between my legs, wrapping his arms around me like a father would his daughter. I wrapped my arms around his large chest and sobbed into his skin. I don't know why I trusted him so wholly with all of this information. Maybe it was the remnants of his bond with my mother. Maybe it was our mutual hatred for my father. Either way, it felt like I had known the man forever. I knew he felt the same. The Alpha was crying into my hair, his chest wracking in silent heaving sobs.

"I am so confused about everything. Nothing I knew was true. I was-- I am so lost." I whimpered as he stroked my hair down. Something about the man reminded me so vividly of my mother, as is he had the pieces she had lacked. I realized with a certain clarity that he was her other half, and that is how mates truly worked. 

After a few minutes, he drew back and lifted my chin. Gently, he wiped the tears from my cheeks and sat back on his heels. "What can I make clear for you, Paige?"

"Why didn't you ever come?" I implored weakly, tears continuing to stream as I sniffled.

"The last night I saw your mother, we had a massive fight. I wanted to take the two of you away from him, but she was worried. She had no idea how to get you away without getting hurt. Collette knew that if she left with you, he would come for us, and he wouldn't stop until he got you back. Until all of us were dead." He sighed. "I begged her and begged her, but she wouldn't relent. She was terrified of your father."

My lower lip wouldn't stop trembling as I listened to him intently.

"That was the last night I saw her. We never resolved that fight. After awhile, I thought that she had rejected me and moved on. But now that I..." His breath released in a large exhale and he shook his head. "I didn't come for you two because I thought that she didn't want it. I felt like it would only cause more harm than good. If you two were with me, he would hunt us to the ends of the Earth. But I knew he wouldn't hurt either of you if you were under his roof and playing his game. What I didn't know was exactly what you said, he had already found her out."

"I wish things were different," I sniffled, rubbing my nose.

"So do I, Paige." He responded solemnly.

"How did you meet her?" I asked after a few moments of heavy silence. It had been so so long since I had heard a story of my mother. The eagerness to know her better was too enticing. She had begun to feel as more of a stranger to me as the days went by. I figured I never really knew her at all. It was vaguely frustrating knowing that she kept so much from me. But I was young, and I wouldn't have known anyway.

A small smile twisted Arlo's full lips as he recalled the memory. "She was on a solo hiking trip, something she did a lot. I was scouting a new potential location to move to, not expecting to run into anyone. Especially not a human, so far out in the brush. I was drawn to everything about her, as I am sure you know with your mate. I followed her for awhile. To my surprise, she knew I was there the whole time. And she knew what I was."

That was a shock to me. I had no idea my mother knew about the wolves.

"Collette told me to shift, so I did. It took a lot of explaining, on both our parts. Our relationship was short and intermittent. It was painful to be apart. So she took more so-called hiking trips to come and find me. The more we were together, the harder it was to be apart. We planned on changing her eventually, when she found a safe way to leave. But then something happened, and we fought... And now, everything is just history. I had a feeling that something happened, but my denial was too severe I suppose. I just kept waiting and waiting for her to come back." He put his face in his hands.

Closing my eyes, I thought about Arlo's words carefully. I wanted to be mad at my mother for keeping me in the dark, for not taking me away from my father, for leaving me alone... But I couldn't will up the feeling. She was dead and there was nothing we could do about it.

"She was so beautiful, Paige. Inside and out. Everything happened at the wrong times and she was dealt a shitty hand of cards. Truly. Your mother deserved the world and that was all she ever wanted for you."

I nodded, feeling numb, but also a little lighter.

"That brings me to my own question. Why are you here?"

"Do you want the full story or the shortened version?"

"I want the full story." Arlo slowly stood and returned to his chair.

"My father gave me a mission, my first, to hunt Faith and Cody's pack. I watched them for weeks. But then I met Damon in his wolf form. And I didn't know what was going on, but I knew I trusted him for some reason, and it prolonged my mission further than my father liked. But before he could do anything, I was attacked by a grizzly. It nearly killed me, I wasn't going to be able to heal. Damon found me just in time and killed the bear. He took me back to Faith's and the doctor patched me up. But the only way to save me was to change me. So they did. I wasted so many months being mad and lying to them even though they were only ever good to me." I shook my head and looked out the window.

Arlo listened patiently, eyes never leaving me.

"The traitor cornered me last week and threatened me into meeting with my father. So I snuck out and was given the orders to kill or be killed. He knew I was a wolf, and that's when I knew how much of a liar he was. I almost killed Damon, I was ready to. But I couldn't do it. The past few days have been hell. I hit my lowest point I have ever had and decided that I needed to change. My father gave me no way to live, I wanted to be what my mother would have wanted."

Arlo nodded and looked out the window in thought.

"So we made a plan to attack my father and take him out for good. But it would be a bloodbath if we didn't have an upper hand. That's where you come in."

"You're a smart girl," Arlo commented, a small smile on his face. "When?"

"No longer than two days from now." I messed with my fingers in my lap.

Arlo let out a long sigh. "There's nothing more that I would like than to kill your father, Paige." This was something I had been expecting and subtly readying myself for. A pool of mixed emotion gathered in my gut whenever my father's death was brought to the table. At first, guilt and anxiety took over. I thought back on everything my father and I had done together, everything he had taught me about survival. But then the reality seeps in, and I see my father for who he really is: a murderer. More than that, he was a thief. He stole lives, packs, and didn't care. He made money, he carried on his father's traditions. It was medieval. I recalled the last time I saw him, the way he had looked down upon me as if I was no longer his kin. I will give you the same choices I gave your mother.

"I know," I responded finally and spoke the truth. "I am prepared for it."

The Alpha inclined his head to me, "I will help you, and so will my pack."

It was more than we could have asked for.

"Arlo?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, Paige?" All of his attention was on me. He seemed like such a genuine man. I ached for my mother so badly it hurt.

"My mother, what was she really like?"

The ghost of a smile turned the corners of his lips up ever so slightly. He turned his eyes to the ceiling, contemplating how to vocalize his memories from so many years prior. "She was smart as a whip, of course. But more than that, she was powerful. Everything about her begged to lead. She was funny, charismatic, gracious, and the kindest person I ever met. She cared about others, all the time, even when she shouldn't have." His eyes were sad but fond. "In the short time I knew her, she made a bigger impact on my pack and me than anyone ever could have. Her absence left a hole the size of her, and it will never be filled. I regret every day that wasn't with her. I wish that I would have gone after her that night. I am sorry you had to go through what you did alone, Paige. If I had known, I would have never allowed it."

Closing my eyes, I let his soothing yet pained words wash over me. I shook my head. "Thank you. But it's okay. I am here now, and we are going to avenge her."

Arlo smiled a warrior's wild grin. "Yes, we are."

sorry for such a delayed update. may was a very sad and long month. i hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you thought. only a few more left. 

LS