The Cursed Shifters - Mateless

Complications

Finally reaching the pack house everyone piled out of the car, stiff, hungry, and cranky. “Do whatever y’all feel like you need to do right now, sleep train the stiffness out of your muscles, eat everything in the dining room. I’m going to do all three and Ill see y’all in the morning to out together the pieces.” Shiloh stomped off into the house, straight for her room to pass out in a heap on the fluffy black comforter.

                                Dre and Michael shrugged before heading off inside, Bex turned to Kira, eyes tired from the two-day car ride. “Food or sleep first?” Kira responded by yawning wide enough her mouth seemed to take up her entire face. “Sleep it is.” Bex replied with a little chuckle, the girls trailing in behind the boys

                                Shiloh slept fitfully, her sore muscles giving her issue getting comfortable and strange dreams stirring her to almost waking. Flashes of the things the Goddess had shown her before plagued her. Was it another message? Was the Goddess telling her she wasn’t focusing on what was important? Perhaps she thought they should spend more energy finding the fairy wolf and breaking the curse then on stopping Vareese. Shiloh tossed and turned, her long hair wrapped around her throat as she rolled, the feeling of something around her neck was enough to launch her from sleep and upright in the bed. She gasped, startled, throwing her hand around her neck she found the hair and unwrapped it before rubbing her palms over her face “Fayrah? Are you awake?”

                                “How could I not be with the way you launched yourself up?” Oh, joy a cranky wolf.

                                “I kept seeing the things the Goddess showed me before.”

                                “Either your mind or the Goddess reminding you of the bigger mission, I’m sure. You humans get sidetracked pretty easily and you are particularly forgetful.”

                                “That’s fair, did you scent the rogues in the woods?”

                                “I did, there are definitely more of them.”

                                “Yeah, there were definitely more scents on them, probably some imitation of a pack without the ties to the alpha. They could be a problem.” Shiloh lost herself into thoughts of how inconvenient the rogue pack could become; she was so immersed in her scenarios Fayrah shocked her when she spoke again.

                                “There was a scent, faint, mixed into all the others, I liked it. Did you pick up on it?”

                                “No, I didn’t notice or react to any of them. Don’t be thinking the rogues that are going to try to kill us smell good, it was probably just a rabbit they had caught earlier.” Shiloh could feel Fayrah roll her eyes. “I guess we might as well get up and start the day.” She heaved herself off the bed and headed to the shower to clean up.

                                Showered, dried, and dressed Shiloh stared at the mirror in her bathroom. “I think I should human today, what do you think Fayrah?”

                                “I think it makes you feel better when you’re having a rough day so you absolutely should.”

                                “Having you in my thoughts all the time is a tad inconvenient for keeping my mental health secrets locked down.” Fayrah barked out a laugh while Shiloh smeared moisturizer and primer on her face. She always started with her foundation, contour, and blush and finished up with her eyes and lips. Everything blended she scrunched up her face and stared at the pile of eyeshadow pallets on the counter.

                                “Keep it subtle today.” Fayrah chimed. Picking up the pallet of browns Shiloh applied a simple shadow, winged liner, and mascara. “The nude liquid one you like.” Fayrah said as she caught Shiloh mulling over her lipstick choices.

                                “Ya know it’s really weird that a wolf knows anything about makeup.” Shiloh said smearing the liquid across her full lips.

                                “I spend too much time with your prissy ass.”

                                “Oh, is that so? One of these days I am going to let you run this body and have you try to put the makeup on!”

                                “Ok but you have to wear it all day if we do.” Shiloh could feel the mischievous grin Fayrah was trying to contain, she would absolutely set her up.

                                “Nice try wolf.” Shiloh shook out her still damp hair, took a cursory glance at the mirror, and started out of the bathroom. “Let’s find some food, the others won’t be up for a while.” Shiloh made it out of her room and about two yards down the hallway before a familiar smirk and hazel eyes came into view, headed straight for her. Shiloh groaned, “I thought he would be back to his own pack by now” she whined to Fayrah who only chuckled.

                                “Shiloh!” Cal called jogging up to her. “I’ve been looking for you for almost a week, have you been avoiding me?” His tone gave him away, the fake hurt puppy bit didn’t hide anything, he was fishing.

                                Shiloh continued her walk to the dining room. “No, I haven’t been here. Why would I be avoiding someone I thought would be long gone?” Just call me the ice queen she thought to herself.

                                Her words gave him a moment of pause, but he continued to follow. “I’m not leaving actually; I’ll be staying to keep an eye on Vanessa.” Of course, Shiloh thought, of course I picked the one that wasn’t going to leave. “You were gone? Where did you go?”

                                “I had work to do for the Alpha beyond our borders. Business stuff.”

                                “You’re going to breakfast right? Mind if I tag along? I haven’t eaten yet.”

                                “As you wish.”

                                Cal didn’t speak again, lost in thought, considering his approach. Shiloh was a tough one, she wasn’t giving him the time of day and seemed annoyed that he was going to be around. Now that he was really thinking about it that night on the balcony and after she had been cold up until she decided she wanted something from him then she switched. She had to at least find him attractive, or she wouldn’t have used him. I’m going to have to learn her and actually put work in here to keep her around, he decided. He followed behind her through the buffet tables, paying more attention to the food she put on her plate then what he put on his own, it seemed as good a place as any to start learning. Either her eyes were way bigger than her stomach or she could really eat. “Do you mind if I sit with you? I don’t really know anyone else.” She nodded once and found a seat, Cal plopped down next to her, observing her as she began to eat. She didn’t eat like other girls, no dainty little bites, she simply ate without care for looking feminine. It was actually refreshing.  “Could I take you out? Something small, lunch or coffee.”

                                Shiloh looked Cal over, he was attractive and if he wasn’t leaving it couldn’t hurt to hang out with him a little right? “Sure, but I have no intention of choosing a mate, know that up front.” He looked shocked, he probably was, but he nodded in understanding and Shiloh continued eating.

                                “May I have your number? So, I can get in touch without tracking you down?” Shiloh rolled her eyes but pulled out her phone and slid it to him to busy eating to worry about telling him her number. They finished the meal in only slightly awkward silence, Shiloh got up to leave, waved at him once with a slight smile that she placed intentionally in an effort to be a little less bristly and strolled away.

                                Cal let loose a long low whistle as he watched Shiloh stroll out of the dining room. “That is one odd girl.” He said to himself as she turned the corner and disappeared.

                                “Who?” The high-pitched perky voice nearly made him jump out of his skin, Vanessa laughed and slid into the seat beside him.

                                “One of the pack members here, her name is Shiloh.”

                                “I haven’t met her, what’s her rank?” Vanessa looked to the doorway Cal was staring after.

                                “No idea, she said she’s been gone the last several days doing business for Alpha Terry so she must be of some relevance.” Vanessa’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Vanessa, don’t.”

                                “Don’t what Cal? I just need to introduce myself, I’m the future Luna here so I need to know every member of my pack.” She stood to follow, pausing as she realized she had no idea who she was looking for. “Uh, what’s she look like?”

                                “Red hair.” Vanessa’s eyes got big before narrowing back to her face that always warned Cal, she was going to cause trouble. “I really don’t think you should start anything.” She waved her hand at him, turning to walk around the table for the door.  Vanessa scurried down the hallway trying to catch up to the girl Cal said had been in the dining room just moments before, a glimpse of what looked like fire disappeared behind a corner ahead and Vanessa ran after it.

                                Rounding the corner she had a full view of the woman’s backside, long red hair, shapely, and short. “Shiloh!” She yelled down the hall. Shiloh turned on a dime looking ready to fight but giving Vanessa a clear view of her features, the slightly upturned nose, full lips, and big blue eyes, a threat. Vanessa closed the space between them. “I’m Vanessa, your soon to be Luna.”    

                                Shiloh looked Vanessa from head to toe and scoffed, arrogance, the girl oozed arrogance. Fayrah’s hackles were raised, growling low and menacing in Shiloh’s mind. “Uh huh and did you need something?” Shiloh didn’t like Vanessa, Fayrah didn’t like Vanessa, no reason to pretend otherwise.

                                “Yes actually I did, we haven’t been introduced so I need to know who you are and what you do here, though you’re obviously an omega. Are you kitchen staff? Cleaning crew?” Fayrah thrashed in Shiloh’s mind, ready to tear Vanessa apart. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter, get me breakfast and bring it to Alpha Terry’s office.” Waving her hand like she was shooing a fly away Vanessa walked off, fully expecting Shiloh to do as she had been told. Shiloh shrugged and continued her walk to her room to await her friends.

                                “What a morning.” She whispered as she flopped backward onto her bed, arms folded under her head.

                                “I don’t like Vanessa.” Fayrah growled. “She’s arrogant and full of herself and I have no doubt she will make the lives of the lower rank wolves hell.”

                                “I’ll look into it Fayrah, but I don’t want her knowing the truth unless it’s necessary. I don’t trust her with it.”

                                “You shouldn’t, she’s the type to try and poison you or something to get you out of the way instead of respecting the order of things.”

                                “Perhaps Cal can provide more insight.” The insult was mild, Shiloh had dealt with much worse over the years, but she had no doubt Vanessa could escalate quickly, she had seen that kind of sneaky push before and it always ended the same. Harassment when Shiloh didn’t buckle, trying to break her will through constant torment and belittling, once upon a time it had wore on her but she was young then, now it would only annoy her. Shiloh was strange, she could be cruel if the occasion called, heartless, and cold, sometimes she was bossy and she pretended to be full of herself all the time but would pick herself apart in the dark. She loved her pack, would do anything for any of them, her heart bled for every member that had lost someone to insanity or rogues, age or illness. She found joy in the birth of new pups and playing with the young ones. Shiloh was both an Alpha and Luna rolled into one, all the dark rage of an Alpha and the nurturing love of a Luna and they ward withing her quite often. She saw none of a Luna’s love, nurturing, or compassion when she looked at Vanessa, doubted she would have ever been mated to an Alpha if mates were still present. “Ugh more things to deal with.”

                                “Get used to it, you’re the Alpha, whether the pack knows it or not.”

                                Shiloh giggled, “How mad do you think she’s going to be when I don’t show up with her breakfast?”

                                “Bet her face turns as red as a tomato.” Shiloh’s giggle erupted into belly laugh as Fayrah shot up her imagining of a puffy red faced Vanessa.

                                “Who does that ginger b***h think she is!” Vanessa slammed the door of Alpha Terry’s office behind her, both Terry and the male he was speaking with raised their heads to her in shock and confusion.

                                “You’re dismissed Blayne, we can discuss your patrol group later.” Blayne nodded and scurried out of the room. “Now what did you say?”

                                “Oh Terry!” Vanessa began to fake sob dramatically. “That awful redheaded wolf! I tried to talk to her, introduce myself, and she just asked me if I needed something like I was a giant inconvenience!”

                                Rolling his eyes and taking a deep breath Terry began to speak “Did you interrupt her doing something?”

                                “No, she was just leaving the dining room, I chased her down the hall and yelled at her.” She sobbed more.

                                “Uh huh and exactly how did you approach her?” He asked knowing all too well that she had done so with the same arrogant attitude as she had approached every other member of his pack.

                                “I walked right up to her and told her that I was her new Luna. She just looked me over and said ‘uh huh did you need something?’ Then I said, actually yes, as the new Luna I need to know everyone what is your rank what do you do here? I don’t know why I even asked she is obviously a maid or kitchen staff or something.”

                                Terry rubbed his hand on his face, exasperated. “Please for the love of the Goddess tell me you did not say that last part to her.”

                                “Of course, I did! Then I told her to bring me breakfast here in your office.” Vanessa was appalled that he thought she shouldn’t have said what she did, she was well within her right to say whatever she wanted to whomever she wanted. “She should be here soon. You can deal with her for me, can’t you?” Pouting did not suit her one bit.

                                “She’s not coming, and I certainly will not ‘deal with her.’ Did she say anything else to you?” Shocked, mouth agape and moving like a fish Vanessa shook her head no. “I’m going to strongly suggest that you steer clear of Shiloh and her friends before your mouth get’s you into more trouble than you can even imagine.”

                                Anger began to replace the shock coursing through Vanessa, she humphed, stomping her foot and left the office, face turning red she stormed back to the dining room, insulting people and shoving them out of her way as she went. Just as he had said Shiloh was no where in sight, Vanessa’s anger grew. “That little b***h will submit.” She told her wolf. There was no reply but she hadn’t expected one, her wolf hadn’t spoken to her in years, difference in opinion on where they should stand in pack hierarchy.

                                “Luna Vanessa!” A perky voice broke through her bubble of rage, and she turned to see the two blondes having breakfast and waving at her. “Want to eat with us?” She nodded and began walking over to them, these girls had been in the pack their entire lives, they would know plenty about Shiloh and she and some vague memory of a snarky comment about an ‘orphan ginger b***h’ so they most likely hated her.

                                 “Brittani, go grab me some breakfast.” Vanessa sat down across from the two women. “Do you two have nicknames or anything you go by to make it easier to differentiate the two of you?”  

                                Brittany, still present at the table shook her head no. “The pronunciation is a little different between out names, everyone here at the pack is used to it.”

                                “Hmmm, ok. So, tell me what you know about Shiloh, what is her rank, what does she do, her parents, things that get under her skin. Everything.” Vanessa didn’t bother to hide the ill intent from her face and Brittany grinned wide like the Cheshire cat ready to cause trouble.

                                Brittani returned with a plate for Vanessa, a glance between the two women’s faces and she knew instantly the topic. Only one person could bring that look to Brittany’s face and get under someone’s skin so quick. Shiloh had made a new enemy. “We could be here a while, no one knows her rank or job, just that she reports directly to the Alpha and her team only reports to her. We do however know plenty of other things about her, including that daddy disappeared right after she was conceived, no one knows who he is, her mom died in a rogue attack when she was a teenager.” Brittany began to divulge everything they knew about Shiloh, how they tormented her for years, how most of the pack avoided her because she was obviously a half breed of some kind, how she constantly disappeared with her band of miscreants. The only thing they left out was how once she started fighting back, they had lost.

                                Vanessa mulled over everything they had told her; Shiloh didn’t seem so big and bad. “And you have no idea what her connection to Alpha Terry is?” Both girls shook their heads. That was the only obstacle Vanessa could see, she couldn’t afford to tick off the Alpha before they were mated, he could back out. “We are going to take her down.”