The Wolf's Song

A Battle of Wolves

Michael

Well, she knew, and she hadn’t run out of the room in terror. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched her closely, more sensitive to any pheromone changes in her, but I could only feel her joy.

I wanted to join in her happiness, but the choices Francis painted so perfectly colored me. The facts of either turning her or keeping her human weighed me down, and I shifted uncomfortably under it. We sat on the bed, her playing with my palms as she took all the time, she needed to process our new reality.

“I’m not scared,” she finally said, looking up at me. “Just trying to figure out what to ask first,” she admitted.

I nodded, understanding her dilemma, I had questions of my own, like why wasn’t she running from me? My kind had mistreated her from the moment she stepped into Bamberg. Surely, she would harbor some kind of hesitation about being in the presence of one. I knew I was different than them but just as capable of that level of violence and cruelty, at least I was at one point.

“Your scars? Are they from shifting?” she finally asked.

“No. After the first shift, there is no pain. These are from other shifters,” I confessed, trying to be as open as I could.

“Other shifters attack you?” she asked, the thought ludicrous to her. I chuckled.

“Of course,” I answered, but she cut me off before I could finish.

“But you’re an Alpha,” she interjected.

“Yes, but for my pack. There are other Alphas out there, and at times we come to blows. Bamberg is my territory, all are welcome as long as they don’t harm the civilians. The attack on you in the forest was a breach from what I assume is a rival clan. A breach I am working to rectify. That werewolf, on the other hand, was something else entirely, I’m afraid. It doesn’t seem to have any connection to the m******e of the forest,” I explained.

Being honest with her was refreshing. My regret in hiding myself was shown as I revealed what she longed to hear, but more importantly, gave her what she needed, my trust.

“Not all shifters are protectors like you and your pack?” she asked.

“There are legends for a reason. When I turned, it was violent; Anna was killed that night. I was driven by revenge, my blood lust fueled by her death, and I gave into the wolf and its control. But after justice had been served, the aftermath stained me, blood I couldn’t wash off, a taste I couldn’t rid myself of. It was then I found my purpose, my calling as it were. Francis and his fiancé were attacked and he was bitten while she died. It was a member of Damien’s pack who attacked them,” I disclosed.

“Wait, Damien is a shifter as well?” She gawked at me, having not suspected him at all. I wasn’t going to point out his deception was easier to see through than mine, as he barely hid his nature, using it to taunt her unknowingly.

“He was there that night. Anna and I were attacked. He arrived just as Anna was bitten, distracting the shifter momentarily, but it only made him its newest target. We both woke hours later, and Anna was gone. He vowed to ruin me after that, but shifters are difficult to kill, and we were both new shifters and had a lot of learning and adjusting to do. Once we had settled into our new normal, the attacks began. Instead of going after me, he first targeted lovers, ensuring I knew their deaths were in my hands. Then his new members ran amuck, which is how Robert was attacked and bitten. By this point, I had Francis as my Beta, and his hunger for revenge on Damien’s pack was honestly founded, but I knew fulfilling it wouldn’t fill that hole inside him. Under my orders, killing is only necessary if our death is imminent. As you saw with the werewolf, getting a taste of human flesh leads to damnation. With my pack growing, our numbers, though smaller than Damien, our passion larger, we soon overpowered his reign and forced him out of Bamberg. We struck a deal, Damien and his pack could come and go as he pleased in Bamberg, as long as no harm was done, but he had broken that deal the night you were attacked,” I finished.

She appeared to be taking all of this well. “ Was he responsible for the attack?” she asked.

“He denies it, which, if I’m being honest, is very uncharacteristic of him, he usually takes pride in him defying me. The other option is that there is another sect here that has managed to stay under my radar. And Damien’s as well,” I hadn’t actually thought of that, so focused and sure it was Damien.

If he was telling the truth, then I might have a bigger problem than just him and his misguided pack. I shifted my gaze down at Diana, seeing the dangers around her increase tenfold by this new avenue.

Damien wouldn’t hesitate to kill her, finally having something high enough of value to drive his plan of pain on me. Any women before Diana weren’t significant enough, didn’t equate to his love for Anna. What Damien didn’t know was that what I felt for Diana far outweighed what I felt for Anna, and any plan he tried would end in death for him.

“So, you two have been at war or a shaky treaty?” she asked, trying to piece the puzzle together. It was a lot, but my assumption of her was wrong, she might be stronger than I thought.

“War is pending, more so every time he threatens you. I have half a mind to send you away, ask you to leave,” I confessed.

If Damien wasn’t involved in these attacks, Diana would never be safe until I found this third party. She finally reacted and yanked her hand from mine to stand and tower over me, mocking my own unwavering stance.

“Leave?! No, absolutely not. You can’t tell me all this and then say I must leave Michael,” she snapped.

“It’s for your own good,” I said, the truth becoming clearer the more I thought about it.

I didn’t want her to leave my side, but it would be foolish and reckless to keep her here with everything going on. My mind had been clouded during that fight last night, it was dangerous having her close.

“Stop saying that! Besides, I’m not the one covered in cuts and bruises here, sneaking off into the night for God knows what,” she started, but I jumped in, needing her to face the reality of the situation.

“During the full moon, shifters have no choice but to shift, unable to resist the call of the moon. New shifters are stronger, wilder, and require a firmer touch. This, along with Damien’s war, and wandering werewolves are what I’m protecting you from Diana. Think I want you gone?” I hissed, the thought taking my breath away.

“Then let me stay with you. Trapped in this house with you is better than being shipped back home to where you aren’t. You don’t have to be the sole provider of my protection. Give me a bodyguard if you must. I’ll hate it, but at least you will know I am safe, and I can stay. Let me stay Michael,” she cried on the verge of tears.

She made valid points. Andrew could keep an eye on her while I was off doing what I must to keep her safe, but that wouldn’t change the fact that I would be distracted, fearing that my enemies would seek her out while I was otherwise engaged.

“I’m sorry Diana, I’ll make the arrangements, and as soon as it’s safe, I’ll come to get you,” I said firmly and watched her face melt into sorrow, then twisted into righteous rage.

Her stare haunted me as she stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her. I heard her bellow for Andrew but was stuck fearing that following after her would result in me caving into my desires.

I dropped to the bed and inhaled sharply my own frustration, begging for release. Damn Damien! I reached for something, anything, and found my pillow. I ripped it in half, feathers erupting from the seams. I would end this war before it even began, I promised both myself and Diana. She would not be gone long.