Finding the Missing Lycan Princess

Proof

Marcia

Looking from man to man, Marcia had no idea how to react. It was clear to her that these men thought they were part wolf and wanted her to believe it as well. Looking at the car doors, Marcia wondered how she could escape if she started to feel threatened. While these men had an affinity for wolves that exceeded anything she had ever seen, they could not possibly be telling the truth. This was the real world, not a fantasy novel.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to remind herself that Cain told her to trust them, and she knew she would do anything he asked after he saved her. But when he said that Marcus would tell her things that would be hard to believe, he could not possibly have meant this.

Marcia's main concern stemmed from the fact that he had not seen them in years. How could he know anything about them anymore? What if this was part of some type of mass hysteria that had afflicted them after he left? She wondered if she was safe or how far they would go to get her to believe their delusion. Trying not to let her panic show, she began to look around the back of the SUV, taking in distances to doors and the others. There was no way that she would be able to escape even if she tried.

Suddenly, from the back of the vehicle, one of the wolves made a soft sound more reminiscent of a household pet than the predator he was. The whine was soft but clearly trying to convey a message. Marcia was nearly overwhelmed with the desire to reach out to comfort the animal, a feeling that made her question her own sanity.

Marcus locked eyes with the animal. They stared at each other in silence before Marcus reached out and touched the wolf's head, who tilted his head and almost looked like he nodded. This further confused her as she started to doubt her own eyes. Why did it look like he was communicating with the animal?

Looking around the car, wolves and humans alike were staring at each other in silence, it almost looked like they were communicating without words. For some reason, Marcus nodded to the wolves in the back of the SUV again. The next moment, the back of the car was filled with the horrific sound of bones breaking and shifting as the timber wolf slowly lost its fur and began to change, fur slowly receding into the skin, and limbs elongating. The cream-colored undercoat disappeared and was replaced with pale skin, and the muzzle seemed to sink into itself, blending to create a strong jaw and straight nose.

Marcia stared wide-eyed as the wolf she had cared for for the last three days became a large muscular man kneeling in the back of the vehicle, naked as the day he was born. He had not made a sound during the transition but as soon as he was in human form he looked up, meeting Marcia's green eyes with his deep brown ones.

Without thinking about her reaction, she pulled back, pressing against Marcus, who wrapped his arms around her, comforting and protecting her. She tried to prevent the panic attack that she felt coming on as she tried to find any possible explanation for what she had just witnessed. Her breathing became rapid and her palms sweaty as she looked right and left but saw nothing.

“It's not possible.” The words were whispered in desperation as she tried to understand what she was seeing. Not able to fight the sight before her, Marcia sat looking at the man who was a moment ago a wolf, he appeared to be in pain as he panted for breath. Her protective instincts took over before she could stop them. “What’s wrong? Are you ok?”

Without thinking, she pulled away from Marcus to reach for the man, planning on checking on him as she had done when she still believed him to be a simple wolf. Whatever he was, it was clear that he was still injured, and who knows how much damage shifting had caused him. She reached toward his shoulder to get him to turn around so she could check on the slices that had run along the wolf's back. When he came in, it looked like someone had tried to skin him alive and it had taken over a hundred stitches to put him back together again.

Before she could touch him, Marcus yanked her back, growling. The vicious sound instantly triggered the other shifters in the car, in human form or wolf, to drop their heads, tilting them to the side and exposing their throats in submission.

“I am fine, stay there, please.” The young man's voice was steady as he reached for a blanket to wrap his naked body in and lifted his hand as if to ward off her attempt to help. “Alpha, thank you for taking us with you, my name is Brian and this is Quinn, my mate.” Marcia watched as his eyes softened looking at the other wolf who leaned against his body before laying down with its head in the young man's lap. The look of bliss on the wolf's face looked like something you would see from a household pet as Brian rubbed his ears. It was clear that Brian adored this other wolf and the feeling was mutual.

The word mate was a term that Marcia had heard before from Cain but the context had never made sense to her. It was clear that Marcus knew what this man was speaking about and understood the context. He had smiled at the words and instantly seemed more relaxed. His body sank back into the seats and his grip on her had slackened but did not disappear. Whatever a mate was, Marcus was happy with the information.

“Thank you for getting us away. Over the last couple of days, I have smelled the others getting closer. Last night, I detected trackers from the Dauphin Pack, our former pack, and let your Beta know of the incoming danger. Our Alpha did not recognize same-s*x matings so we performed the ceremony in secret, hoping that no one would make a big deal about it.” These words caused Marcus' eyes to open wide and Jackson to groan from the front seat. “We were wrong and it nearly cost us both our lives”.

Before he could continue, Marcus lifted his hand for silence. “We will discuss this in more detail when we get home. At that time, you and Quinn will need to decide if you want to pledge to Blue Moon or if, once recovered, you wish to leave our lands. Regardless of your answer, know that we will protect you.”

Marcia did not miss the look of shock that passed over Brian's face, followed by peace. The young man turned and embraced the wolf next to him, burying his face in the thick fur of its neck, and cried in joy and relief, if she was not mistaken. This reaction solidified her thoughts about the situation. Wherever they were going, Marcus was a fair and kind man. He was extending protection to these two strangers because it was the right thing to do.

Without another word, too tired from the busy night, stress, fear, and the overwhelming information that was presented to her, Marcia leaned into the comforting embrace, and before she realized what was happening she had drifted to sleep, unknowingly taking control of both man and wolf.