Chapter 34
The hours passed swiftly and few words were spoken. Alba and Ivan’s sons Asia, Conner and Duncan had a lost look on their faces. Columbus, the oldest, was the rock they all needed. Even Ivan was deferring to him.
Amy did not know the brothers as well as she did Ivan and Alba, but she loved them. They were her family. They knew how much Alba cared about Amy and it meant a lot to them that she shared their grief.
Marcus and Ivan left for a short time before the procession began. When they returned, both had red rimmed eyes. Amy could feel the sadness of the entire pack. She wasn’t reading their minds, but she could feel the waves of sorrow they emanated.
When it was time, they walked to the mourning site. Ivan carried the babies. They remained in human form and their small bodies had blankets tightly wrapped around them, more for emotional comfort than protection from the cold. They stayed quiet and needed the solace only their father could provide.
Amy never knew her father. He died when she was a small child. She had no remembrance of his passing. When her mother died, Amy was saddened, but Amy’s mother had put her career first and Amy was made to understand very early that her mother had little time to fulfill Amy’s need for love and affection.
In only a few short weeks, Amy had found her family. Alba saved her life and brought Amy into an existence she had never dreamed could be hers. Grief did not even begin to define her feelings. As she gazed around she could see the same expressions on all their faces. No member of the pack could easily accept the current losses, but Alba’s passing was the biggest loss Amy had ever faced.
She could see the funeral site several hundred feet in front of them. She had hoped that it would never be necessary to visit this place again. The number of people walking in from every direction seemed unending.
The three bodies were in place on the pyres. Ivan and Marcus had helped bring their fallen pack members here. She was thankful that they had the strength to spare the boys from the tragic duty.
Jacob and Tanner’s families spoke first, expressing their sorrow and pride in the bravery of their loved ones. Marcus spoke last and praised both wolves for their loyalty and ultimate sacrifice.
More than one hundred wolves were there. Most were battered from the battle. Amy could now see why she was feeding so many. Marcus needed her help. She realized that their partnership could make their clan the strongest in the world. She agonized over the necessity of doing it without Alba’s love and strength.
It was time to speak for Alba and one wolf after another came forward. Alba might not have been sociable, but she was loved and respected. The men cried and the women wailed. They hadn’t shed their human skins, but Amy already had chills down her back. These people had lived hundreds of years with Alba at their side. She was their warrior queen and their respect and sorrow ran deep.
Columbus spoke for his brothers and Ivan. He held back his tears and spoke of the leader his mother was. He told a story of her when he was a child over two hundred years before. Alba had gone with the men for battle. Columbus was too young to go, but hid himself in a pack wagon. Alba was quickly informed when he was discovered. She could have sent him back or punished him severely but she didn’t. She told him he was ready to fight and that if he died he would be honored. She then fought by Ivan’s side and left her son to the fates. Friends told him years later that Alba threatened the wolves, left to watch him, with their lives if Columbus didn’t survive. Alba gave him a sense of pride and made him feel like a warrior. She gave him respect.
When Marcus lit the funeral pyres, the wolves shed their clothes and then their human skins. One after the other they began the wolf’s song of passing. Even with her ear’s new sensitivity, Amy thought the sound beautiful. As the fires burned high into the air the mournful howls continued. It went on for hours. When some dropped off, others picked up the cry.
Amy was absorbed in the melody, but through her sorrow, she was surprised when she connected with a cat. It was a female and Amy could feel the grief it was radiating. Amy also felt its fear. She separated herself from Marcus and made her way to the lone cat.
When she was close enough she could see a young woman standing away from the funeral, watching, with tears pouring down her face. The woman was small, her blonde hair was a mess and Amy could smell her unclean body. Before the female realized she was there, Amy caught the she cat’s thoughts of Jacob. She was a cat, but she loved him.
Despite Amy’s soundless steps, the woman looked up, saw her and began to run. Amy gave chase. The cat was no match in human form and was wearing clothes and could not change in time to save herself. Amy pounced and had her quickly subdued. She remembered what Marcus had told her. Amy made a clean bite and felt the blood enter her mouth. The blood tasted different from the wolves, but was good. As Amy felt the cat lose consciousness, she made herself stop feeding. She did not want her dead; she knew this cat was special.
Amy was aware that between seventy-five and eighty cats died in the attack. The rest were scattered. There was talk of hunting them down after the funeral. Amy had not added her thoughts to the discussions.
She picked up the woman and could barely feel the weight in her arms. The wolf song was beginning to taper off. Wolves were leaving and Amy realized that even with her protection the female was in danger. She called silently to Marcus. He was immediately at her side. He looked at her with a question in his eyes. Amy shook her head and sent the silent message for him to help keep the woman safe. He didn’t question her, for which Amy was thankful. She continued to carry the woman. Ivan and his sons appeared in front of them.
“Amy, what are you doing?” The anger could be heard in Ivan’s voice.
She didn’t second-guess the overwhelming knowledge of what she needed to do. She finally understood Alba’s dying words.
Amy walked to Columbus and handed him the woman. “Take her back to the house and care for her. I will explain later. Keep her safe.”
Columbus was also giving off strong pulses of anger, but he did as Amy asked.
“Ivan, you don’t understand, but I need you to trust me.”
“They helped to kill my wife. I won’t give trust. I need vengeance.”
“Your vengeance will not come by taking that woman’s life. She was in love with Jacob. She only came to grieve for him. We will honor that grief and decide her fate tomorrow. She will not be harmed. Alba told me to save the cat. They were her last words before she died. This is Alba’s wish and no harm will come to this woman.”
Ivan turned and walked away. A few steps later, he was a wolf and began to run.
Amy and Marcus returned to the house. A guard was placed on the cat so she could not escape. No one would harm her after Amy’s words spread through the pack.
The next afternoon, Amy awoke to the sound of screaming. Marcus was by her side one moment and gone the next.
“He had better teach me that, fast,” Amy muttered as she ran to the cat’s room.
The woman was naked, standing in the corner of the room and using her fingers to claw her breasts. Amy knew very little about motherhood but she realized the woman’s breasts were filled with milk. Where was her child?
Many feelings were pouring from the woman and it took a minute for Amy to understand.
“Everyone get out of here. Marcus, please go and get Sierra. I’ll let you know when to enter the room.”
The room cleared. Amy spoke into the woman’s mind. “We will not harm you. I need your help, but even if you don’t give it, you are safe.” Amy walked closer, picked up a blanket and placed it over the woman’s shoulders.
The woman stared at her and began to calm. Amy could feel her pain and grief. She kept talking. “You loved Jacob. I knew him for only a short time, but he was part of my family and I loved him. You are also part of my family and I need your help.”
The woman was trembling, but she allowed Amy to lead her to the bed. She had not said a word and all Amy could sense from
her was confusion, grief and a longing to die. Amy gently nudged and had her sit on the side of the bed.
She called for Marcus and he entered the room carrying Sierra. The child was in human form and her helplessness was evident. Marcus handed the child over. He left the room trusting that Amy would keep Sierra safe.
Amy read the woman’s thoughts and recognized that Victoria had killed her female infant. The child was killed because the woman did not gain permission to breed. Victoria was as bad as Marcus’ father had been.
Amy folded back the blanket and displayed Sierra’s naked body. “She is spoiled and a little hellion, but she is now motherless. She has not returned to wolf form since her mother’s death. The wolves and cats have been enemies, but this child and her brother need you. They need what you have to offer, but they also need love. I am their mother now. I will protect them with my life, but I cannot feed them.
The woman’s eyes were glued to the baby and she spoke for the first time, “She has a brother?”
“Yes, and I’m sure he is screaming for his feeding. This one has louder lungs but she can sense you are here and she is waiting for you.”
Amy handed over the child.
“I’m Amy. What is your name?”
“Zenya, may I feed her?” Reverence was in her voice.
“If you don’t you will hear just how loud she can be. May I have her brother brought to you?”
“Please.” The woman looked at the child with more love than Amy felt possible.
Amy knew Alba was smiling.
Epilogue
Two weeks later…
The scream came from the kitchen area. Amy ran through the house and arrived in the room where Sierra was sitting on the cold tile floor screaming at the top of her lungs. Amy glanced around to see what the problem was. Roland was on the other side of the room being held by Philip. He was whimpering softly. It was obvious Sierra didn’t appreciate being second to her brother. Amy knew Sierra received the most attention so something was up. She looked expectantly at Philip.
“If Roland survives his sister, it will be a miracle. She bit him on his leg.”
Amy walked over and took Roland into her arms. Sure enough he had a perfect set of teeth marks on his leg. Amy couldn’t believe how much the babies had grown in the past two weeks. Human teeth were another surprise and Amy herself had been on the sharp end of Sierra’s.
The little she devil continued to cry and finally her brother Conner came in and picked her up. She could always count on one of her brothers to give her sympathy even when she wasn’t the one that deserved it. Ivan and Alba’s boys were in the house more and more. They also helped to fill the space created by the loss of Alba and now Ivan’s absence.
The two babies were always into something and it was hard to carry sadness around with Alba’s tiny offspring taking over the house. Amy wished Ivan were here. He had left the week before. Marcus argued with him even after Amy told him everything Alba said before she died. Marcus knew Ivan was meant to leave, but it was hard for him to accept.
They hadn’t yet heard from Ivan and they worried.
The wolves were getting restless and Marcus named Columbus to lead temporarily while Ivan was gone. Columbus was more than ready for the responsibility, but Marcus was worried another wolf would want to fight him for dominance. The pack was too vulnerable without Ivan and Alba. Marcus knew he could hold off any challenges against Columbus for a while, but if Ivan didn’t return within a few months it would be out of his hands. Marcus was fairly sure Columbus could win a challenge, but Marcus did not want to take that chance so soon after the loss of Alba.
Before Ivan left, he had refused to enter a room if Zenya was in it, even if she was feeding his children. Asia on the other hand could be found by her side whenever he wasn’t working. Marcus wasn’t sure how things would work out, but Marcus knew he had Alba to thank for bringing Amy into his life and bringing Zenya to the babies. Alba foretold the coming of Zenya and Marcus would do everything within his power to give her his protection. He knew some of the wolves were not happy, but Zenya stayed in the house and was safe, at least while she was nursing the children.
She was a beautiful woman even if many of the clan could not see it because she was a cat. She now bathed regularly, groomed herself and seemed to care about her personal appearance. Zenya’s green eyes were still haunted but the babies were helping her to heal. She rarely smiled but when she did, even Marcus could see softening in any clan members that chanced to be around. It would be a long road but he trusted Alba even in death.
Marcus sensed Amy coming his way. He smiled and went outside to the garden.
She found him inside the gazebo. It was their spot. The weather had grown cold but neither of them could feel it. Marcus took her into his arms and kissed her with everything he had but then released her. “You’re hungry and you are coming to me. My wolves need you more.”
“I’m hungry for more than blood and your wolves cannot provide everything I need. Stop teasing me or I will force myself on you.”
“Hmm, I don’t think you need to use force. Have I told you in the last hour that I love you?”
“I don’t think so, but I know I have told you.”
No more words were spoken and Alba did look down with a smile.
The End or more romantically, The Beginning
Thank you for reading my world of vampire and werewolves!
If you liked the story please hit the “like” button on Amazon, reviews are always welcome too. I am on Twitter @delenmcclain and blog at https://fangchronicles.wordpress.com I also write under the name Suzie Ivy and blog at https://badluckdetective.com
I have included the first chapter of Fang Chronicles Book II. If you read it, you’ll know why the book is eating me alive and must be finished. If luck is with me, Emily’s story will be out in the fall of 2012.
D’Elen
Fang Chronicles Book II Emily’s Story