Mistress of Blood and Fur

Chapter 18 - Scramble

Onyx

The new brides are here. Most of the wolves rush to see them, eager to find a mate. After Justine was considered taken, a depressed, what-the-f**k-is-going-to-happen mood falls on most of the guys. Now, they’re eager to get themselves out there. Everyone’s preening like they’re in a beauty contest but I don’t laugh because I understand. There’s also the need to be considered useful. Many of us want to contribute to the needed population increase.

Fox is busy reading one of his new books when we hear the bus. I practically drag him out. I see Dash looking down at the slope at the new women, and hope blooms in my chest. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll forget about Grace when he finds one of the girls attractive. There’s also a matter of pedigree. I hope that they are high-born wolves so they’ll be great options for Dash. I know him well enough.

From where I’m standing when I first see the bus, the girls are all pretty. One is tall, maybe only a few inches shorter than I am. She’s lean with short hair, and she has a friendly smile. I’m guessing she’s here because she has a competitive streak and a do-gooder attitude. The second one looks a little hesitant, but has a sweet smile on her face. She has a caramel-complexion and is about Grace’s height. She looks like someone who can double as a wise woman here one day. There’s an air of caring about her. The third one is pale, and is the shortest, but she makes up for it with a model’s face. Her black falls to her waist, and she watches everyone with a deceptively detached look. She can’t fool me. She’s taking everything in with narrowed eyes and arms folded across her chest. This one’s a dark horse.

Fox and I jog down to meet them, only to be as welcoming as possible. I want to meet the women I prepared the cabin for. They seem like they’ll be good additions to the pack. We need healthy young women with great attitudes. None of the three look like they could be a Carlotta 2.0 at least.

“Onyx!” Domino calls, hugging me.

“Hey, Domino. Thanks for coming.”

“Of course. This was my home for a long time, and my grand-niece is here.”

There was a time I openly disliked her, only because I thought she was another one of my mother’s rivals. Looking at her now with her partner Tamar, I wonder why I have been too blind. I could have smelled it, the way she’s more attracted to females than males. Then again, she’s a hybrid scent witch and wolf, descended from the Grants. They’re good at masking their scents and bouncing them off others. We need her power. It can only be gained through inheritance or through finding the spell. Not everyone can do the spell. Only a high-born witch like Domino, Grace’s mother Riva, and Fox can do it.

“Don’t forget the shapeshifter,” growls Blaze.

“It’s as if I can ever forget her.”

“She’s near,” Blaze says ominously, but I can feel the ragged breath that suggests he’s either anxious or angry, or both.

I ignore his words because deep inside me, I am aware there are two dangers: the witch and the townspeople headed by Dennington and Smith.

“So what do you think of these women?” I ask my wolf.

“I’d go for one of them.”

“What about Grace?”

“Ah. That’s when she’ll come to you.”

“No.”

“When have you been a stickler for rules and morality?”

I think about how I hate my dad for sticking with the traditions of the pack, taking three women as his mates. Then, I think about how I played around in college. I reason to myself that I’ve never committed to anyone. I was ready to do it for Grace, but she’s not ready. What is she’ll never be ready? Will that mean I’ll be stuck here in Opium Hills for nothing?

I realize the women are now watching me. They’re probably wondering why Domino made a beeline for me. I shouldn’t have made my presence known. It would have been more interesting if they would come to me for me and not because I’m the chief’s son.

“Has she chosen yet?” Domino asks, and I can tell from her smile that she expects Grace to choose me.

I scratch the back of my neck sheepishly. I feel like she’s reading me like a damn picture book for three-year-olds.

“No, she hasn’t.”

Something like disappointment darkens Domino’s mood. Her eyes flick to the new brides, and I think I know what she’s thinking. She is thinking I will end up choosing one of the three. The new brides are now approaching Fox and me. Dash looks behind them with some annoyance. I swear he is mouthing, “f*****g favoritism,” or something as shitty as that.

The young women introduce themselves. Josie is the tallest girl and Elaine is the kindest-looking one, and the one with the sour look on her face is Sarah. Despite how she looks, she stays the longest in front of us.

“Onyx Warcloud?” she asks, her brown eyes flashing.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Sarah Alpern.”

“Yes, I heard. You don’t look too happy to be here,” I say, noticing that Josie and Elaine are now talking to Fox.

“Who actually enjoys being assigned as a breeder?”

“There’s still time for you to change your mind and leave,” I suggest. This time, in the corner of my eye, I see Grace and Carlotta approaching. Carlotta looks a little spooked for some reason. It’s not what I expect from her at all. Meanwhile. Grace’s face is inscrutable.

“Grace is watching you.” Blaze chuckles triumphantly inside my head. Humans call this phenomenon being a mental case and we can only truly persuade ourselves that we’re sane whenever we turn and run into the woods to hunt our prey.

“Am I unattractive enough that you’re sending me away?” she asks, her eyes dancing. She knows full well she’s good-looking. There’s no way she can joke like that otherwise.

“I’ve said the same thing to every bride who would listen.”

“But your pack needs us,” she reminds me. “I’ve heard about the police looking into Opium Hills and how its residents are mostly males.”

“Of course, we need you. But we don’t want to force you.”

“So, you’re speaking for your father? Do you feel forced into this, too?”

“At first,” I admit. “But now, I want to help save this place.”

Sudden feeling bursts inside me. I realize I mean it. I want to save Opium Hills, not because I want to be the chief Alpha one day but because I care for this place. My mother may have hated its traditions but she left her home to be with my father. She said that our home was the most beautiful place she had ever known.

“It was almost like you can reach heaven. The clouds,” she had said. My heart constricts at the thought of her. I ran away from here to escape her memories but she’ll always be with me.

“I want to help this place, too. I’m a hybrid. Maybe you can choose me, Onyx Warcloud. We can make a great team.”

I gape at her. She’s not like what I expected.

“You just met me, Sarah. You need to meet everyone first. It may seem like mere breeding to you, but you don’t want to live with regrets.”

I look around to search for Grace. She’s talking to Dash and another wolf. I know she has already met the three new brides and it looks like Fox, Elaine, and Josie are on the way to join them.

“Should we join them?” I ask, before Sarah can say anything more.

“You’re trying to reject me as gently as you can. Aren’t you, Onyx Warcloud?”

I must admit I like how she’s calling my name. She knows who I am and chooses me, but I can’t help it if my eyes keep on shifting to where Grace is. Before I can convince Sarah to walk with me, I hear a shout from one of the wolves.

“Duck!”

I see some sticks and stones being launched at us. We are now at the bottom of the slope that goes up to the mansion. Where are they throwing them from? Who are they? I sniff. I can see the other wolves inhaling deeply as well.

Fucking humans.

I also smell something else, something that is not quite like us. Not wolf. No.

Still, I’m worried at how the humans chose sticks and stones as if they’re trying to send dogs or wolves into a panic. How much do they know about us?

Caught up in trying to find out who’s doing it, I walk closer to the cluster of trees to the side of the path. The leaves of the trees closest to the bus seem to be rustling a little more than usual. The wind hasn’t exactly picked up.

Then, I feel it.

“f**k!” I howl, as I feel something heavy hit my forehead.

“Warcloud!” Sarah yells as she runs to my side.

I feel dizzy but remain on my feet. I touch my forehead and feel it beginning to swell. Sarah and I both look down and see a small rock, except it’s not really a rock. It’s a round piece of silver.

“They know what we are,” I murmur.

“Let me get you cleaned up, Onyx Warcloud. You’re lucky I’m a healer.”