Bridenapped: The Alpha Chronicles (15 page)

              The smells and sounds of the forest enveloped her, the scent of rich loam filling her nostrils.  Walking through the woods behind her house, holding Kristofer’s hand, felt so right.  She felt loved and protected, and desired. If only it could always be this way.

              “Are you going to tell me what the surprise is?” she asked for the dozenth time since they’d left the pack lands.  Technically, it didn’t violate the bridenapping rules for her to leave the pack grounds as long as she did so with the Alpha by her side at all times, but it was never done. And why was he bringing her to her family’s property, of all places?

              “Then it wouldn’t be a surprise, wouldn’t it?” he repeated, with a big, maddening grin.

              “I’m not crazy about surprises,” she protested, as they pushed through the underbrush to reach her favorite grove. “They’re too…surprising.”

              “You will love this surprise. It’s my wedding gift to you.” He was brimming with happiness, she could see it.  What kind of wedding gift would it be, that he couldn’t just give it to her at home?

              As they walked through the clearing, she noticed two things at the same time. One, the formerly blighted oak tree had big, shiny black patches painted over the disease spots now, and its leaves looked bright and green again.

              And more importantly, her mother, aunt, uncle, and cousins were all standing in the grove waiting for her.

              “What’s this? Did you actually get them to come out here and meet us?” she asked in surprise, as she walked closer.

              Her mother smiled and waved at her. It took several seconds for that fact to register.
Her mother smiled and waved at her.
She was looking right at Caitlin, and her eyes were focused and aware.

              “What happened?” she gasped. “What did you do? How did you do it?”

              “This is the other reason that I was so busy,” Kristofer said, a smile playing on his lips. “I didn’t want to get your hopes up until I was sure, so I didn’t say anything, but I’ve been working with our scientists, contacting experts from werewolf packs all over the country. I had them flown in to examine and treat your mother’s tree.”

              “My mother’s tree?” Caitlin echoed.

              “She’s a dryad,” Kristofer said. “You both are. I told you that you must have magic in your blood. When you mentioned that one of the oak trees in your favorite grove was sick, I suspected that might be the reason for your mother’s declining mental state, especially when you said that doctors couldn’t find any medical cause.” 

He glanced at the smaller oak tree, next to the blighted tree. “Thank God your tree didn’t get sick. It would have, in time, but now that we’ve treated your mother’s oak, the blight won’t spread.”

              Caitlin and her mother really were magic? They had their own trees? Her head whirled. This was too much for her to take in.

              “Caitlin!” her mother’s voice rang through the air.  Maggie was standing there staring at her sister, wiping tears from her cheek with the back of her hand.

              “Mother?” Tears burned in Caitlin’s eyes, and she blinked hard.

              Her mother walked towards her. “I haven’t seen you in so long,” she said to Caitlin, smiling and gently stroking her cheek. “Where have you been?”

              Caitlin cleared her throat, struggling to find words.  “I’ve been staying with my…my fiancée. This is Kristofer.”

              Her mother stared up at him, still smiling. “Oh, my, he’s a werewolf, isn’t he? I can tell by the eyes. An Alpha, I’ll bet.”

              “I am Kristofer Verhold, and I am honored to meet you,” Kristofer said, and he bent down and kissed the back of her hand.

              “Wow,” Priscilla said fervently. “He is hot. I mean, not as hot as Troy, of course, but wow.”

              Maggie shot her daughter a disapproving look, which Priscilla didn’t even notice. Priscilla was impervious to shame.

Maggie frowned at Kristofer.  “You saved my sister,” she acknowledged reluctantly. “For that I thank you. We will still never forgive you for stealing our land.”

              “I am hoping that you will all attend our wedding,” Kristofer said graciously.

              “Not as long as you have our property.” She raised her chin defiantly.

              “A strong and stubborn woman. It runs in your family. I admire that,” Kristofer said.

              For a second, Maggie started to simper, and patted her hair.  Kristofer’s charm was that strong.

              Then she remembered herself, gave a scornful sniff, and turned away.

              “I will see you and your mother back at the house,” she said over her shoulder to Caitlin, and marched off, legs scissoring through the tall grass.

              “Bye, Mags!” her mother called out cheerfully. “I like what you’ve done with your hair! But then, you always were the pretty one.” Maggie paused, and summoned up a smile, and Caitlin could tell she was trying very hard not to cry again.

              “We’ll see you back there. Girls, come on,” Rich said, and Priscilla and Hailey followed him – Priscilla still looking back and casting admiring looks at Kristofer, and Hailey pausing to stick her tongue out and cross her eyes at him. She would have given him the finger, but unlike her younger sister, she was too well mannered for such a gesture.

              “Your mother at least will attend, won’t she?” Kristofer asked Caitlin. “And perhaps we can change your family’s mind by then.”

              “Maybe,” Caitlin said, still staring intently into her mother’s eyes, afraid that if she looked away, her mother would vanish back into herself again.

              * * *

              “Once more into the breech,” Kristofer said with a rueful grin, as they headed towards town hall.  Frank was driving them in the limo.  Kristofer had to attend a meeting of the clan chieftains, to discuss implementing new rules which would allow pack members to apply for, and train for, jobs outside of their clan.  The idea was meeting with some resistance – mostly from wealthy, powerful members who had always been able to take their jobs and positions for granted.  There was enough support, however, both from the pack and from the Alpha Congress, that Kristofer would be able to make much needed changes.

              “That doesn’t look good,” Caitlin observed as they pulled up in front of the town hall. Taddeus and his crew stood there, shouting and arguing with several other pack members. He held a newspaper in his hand and was waving it in the air.

              Kristofer climbed out, and Caitlin followed him, feeling faintly protective. It wasn’t that Kristofer needed protection so much, but she wanted to show that she stood by his side. She supported him.

              Taddeus whirled around as they walked up the steps. He shoved the newspaper at Kristofer, who let out a snarl.

              “Watch yourself,” he growled at Taddeus. Gray fur rolled over his skin, and his ears went pointy.

              “This is the last straw.”

              Caitlin glanced at the newspaper headline and sucked in a sharp, startled breath.

             
Mayor’s Daughter In Nude Midnight Romp?              

             
The article beneath it quoted her cousin Priscilla’s Facefriend feed. It detailed the night that Melodee had attempted to seduce Kristofer, right down to her being dragged out of the room by the guards.

              It also quoted the mayor threatening to sue the Bellefont family for the vicious, untrue lies that they were spreading about his innocent daughter.

              Caitlin’s heart sank. She’d never, ever get the deed back now.

              “This is a diplomatic disaster,” Taddeus snarled. “She’s been spitting on our traditions from the moment she set foot on our pack land, and now she’s going to cause a diplomatic incident between us and the humans. Have you forgotten the days that humans hunted us? It doesn’t take much to make them turn against us.”

              “They’re not going to start a war over a piece of gossip, Taddeus, and I will not tolerate your disrespect. You are no longer my Beta.”

“No, I’m not.” Taddeus’s lips twisted in a sneer, and he looked Kristofer right in the eye. “I challenge you for your position as Alpha.”

              “Does tomorrow at noon work for you?” Kristofer’s tone was deceptively polite, but there was an edge of sharp, cold steel beneath it which Caitlin had never heard before. “Not that it matters. Because that’s when I’m going to kill you.”

              “I did exceptionally well in the physical combat section of the Alpha trials, and I have always maintained by training.” Taddeus’s eyes gleamed with hatred. “I look forward to bringing respect and decency back to this pack.  Your queen-to-be consorting with commoners and making a mockery of our cherished traditions, and alienating our closest human allies…you’re a disgrace, Kristofer.”

              Caitlin’s heart was in her throat. This would be a fight to the death. Kristofer could die. Tomorrow.

              “Kristofer?” she said faintly.

He put his arm around her shoulders and led her back down the steps, towards the car, where Frank waited for them. He looked perfectly calm. Caitlin was about to pass out.

“Send me home,” she pleaded. “I can’t let you die because of trouble that I’ve caused.”

“This goes far beyond that,” he said, shaking his head. “You’ve started a revolution among my pack members, which is spreading to other packs and it can’t be stopped. You’ve challenged the old guard, as it should be challenged. And one more thing.”

He cupped her chin and tilted her head back to look up at him. “I am never letting you go,” he informed her somberly. “You mean everything to me, and you are as much a part of this pack now as I am. You are where you’re meant to be. Can’t you feel it?”

“Yes,” Caitlin choked out. She meant it sincerely. Being here felt right. Being with him felt right. These past nights in his arms, the passion they shared, the pure love and hot desire she felt flowing through his body…she wanted that forever. And she wanted to be here with these people, because she knew that she could make a real difference in their lives. But she’d sacrifice all of that if it would keep Kristofer alive.

“I can’t lose you. I can’t let you die,” she pleaded. “Even if I were to leave here, at least you’d be alive. You can make changes more slowly, you can back down-”

He let out a short, sharp laugh at that. “You, Caitlin Bellefont, are asking me to back down? I never thought I’d see the day. I love you, I will be fine tomorrow, and I don’t ever back down. And now I’ll have to let you go. I’ll see you tomorrow after the challenge.”

              “After the challenge?”

              “I have to spend the rest of the day preparing. I won’t be coming to my chambers tonight; Taddeus and I will both be under guard until the challenge, to guarantee that we don’t take any performance enhancing drugs or any other illegal enhancements.”

              He bent down and kissed her lips, as hot tears ran down her cheeks.

              “I have to admit, I’m glad to see that you care about me this much,” he murmured into her ear. “I’ll probably have some injuries after tomorrow. I expect you to kiss them and make them all better. And in the meantime, Frank will keep you safe.”

              After he left, she called up Priscilla.

              “What the hell have you done?” she demanded.

              “You, too? Mom chewed me a new one and she won’t even let me keep the advertising money. All you said was no blogging. You didn’t say I couldn’t use any other social media.” Priscilla’s tone was sullen.

              “Priscilla.” Caitlin’s voice was shaking with anger.  She wanted to grab Priscilla and smack some sense into her thoughtless, youthful head.  “You offended a pack member so badly that he issued a death challenge. Kristofer could die because of what you did.”

              Caitlin hung up while Priscilla spluttered excuses.

              Priscilla had already texted her twenty times that morning apologizing.  Caitlin had responded once, with a terse “What’s done is done.” She finally shut her phone off.

              The pack was assembled on a vast grassy field, with the entire 100 members of the Alpha Congress in attendance, as well as werewolves from packs from all over the state, and Kristofer’s parents, Ebon and Katrina, who had flown in overnight, with their retinue.

              His family was seated in the front row, as was Caitlin. Caitlin had insisted on having Twyla with her. She was a nervous wreck, and she needed a friend. Taddeus, an asshat to the end, had haughtily registered his objection to a cleaner being in the front row. He’d been over-ruled by Kristofer.

              Stadium seating had been set up, and all of the seats were full. A half dozen referees from other packs were stationed on the field; the pack never used their own members as referees, because they might be swayed by loyalty to one of the fighters. They were not there to intervene; they were only there to ensure that the fighters followed the rules.   The match would only end when one of the two participants was dead.

              The fighters were each in trailers on the sidelines, with ten wolves from other packs standing guard outside each trailer. 

              A horn sounded, and Caitlin started in her seat. 

              “Here they come,” Twyla said.

The door on each trailer flew open. Taddeus and Kristofer marched on to the field – stark naked.  Caitlin’s heart was beating a million miles a minute, and what little breakfast she’d been able to choke down was now threatening to come back up.

              Elzbetka, sitting nearby with her family and members of her clan, was shooting Caitlin looks of loathing – and for once, Caitlin felt like she deserved it.

              “I caused this. This is all my fault,” she moaned to Twyla.

              “No, it isn’t,” Twyla insisted. “This has been a long time coming. Ever since Kristofer showed up, Taddeus’s had it in for him.  He would have found an excuse to fight him, one way or another.”

              Would Kristofer really have been pushed to this point, though, if she’d never come to the pack lands? If she’d never started stirring up trouble and poking her nose in their affairs? She knew that what she’d done was right…but guilt still gnawed at her.

              Frank sat to her right, impassive and as impossible to read as always. 

              “You know his fighting skills,” Caitlin said to him. “Which one of them is stronger?” She was desperate for reassurance

              Frank gave a brief, grim twist of a smile. “Let’s just say, I wouldn’t want to go up against Kristofer, and I don’t say that about many wolves.”

              Caitlin nodded. “Good to know,” she said.

              Twyla grabbed her hand. “You’re sinking your nails into your palm so hard you’re going to make yourself bleed, milady. I mean Caitlin,” she said, with a worried frown. Caitlin opened her hands, looking down at the white half circles she’d dug into her flesh.

              The spectators were divided.  The wolves who supported Kristofer sat on one side, and the wolves who supported Taddeus sat on the other side.  The field was divided about 60-40, in Kristofer’s favor, Caitlin was relieved to see. So there was strong opposition, but also strong desire for change. 

              The Chief of the Alpha Congress marched out onto the field, holding a scroll, unrolled it, and began to read. His voice rang out across the field as he went on and on about the ancient tradition of the death challenge, and the need to uphold the pack’s honor, and on, and on. Caitlin bit down on her lip to keep from screaming with impatience. Part of her wanted this over with, part of her wanted the match to never even start.

              She glanced over at Kristofer’s parents, and Kristofer’s mother gave her a small smile and a reassuring nod. She nodded back, but couldn’t muster a smile. Leaning back in her seat, she clenched her fists again as the Chief wound down his speech.

              As the Chief spoke, Kristofer and Taddeus stood facing each other, about twenty feet apart.  Frank shifted uneasily in his seat, scowling. “Something’s off,” he muttered.

              “What’s off?” Caitlin stared at both men.

              “His hands. Taddeus’s hands.” Frank leaned forward, staring intently. Taddeus was holding his hands oddly, fingers spread out wide.  Was that a weird thing for a werewolf to do when he was preparing for a fight? Caitlin had no idea.

              “What are you thinking?” Twyla asked him. “He couldn’t have, could he? Both of them were guarded.”

              “He couldn’t have what?” Caitlin demanded.

              “There are men who are loyal to Taddeus, who could have smuggled it in to him,” Frank said to Twyla, ignoring Caitlin. “It wouldn’t be the first time that a participant in a death challenge cheated.” Frank was sliding forward on his seat now to get a closer view, eyes narrowed.

              Kristofer glanced up at Caitlin, gave her a brief smile, and turned back to face Taddeus. Caitlin thought she might cry, but she didn’t want to embarrass herself or Kristofer, so she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

              Both men shifted, sinking down to all fours. Their fur sprouted, their snouts lengthened, their ears sharpened and flattened back on their heads. Their tails lashed angrily, and they crouched down low, black lips wrinkled back and baring their fangs. 

              Then Kristofer paused, tilted his head, and sniffed the air.

              Frank leaped to his feet.

              Ignoring the startled cries of the crowd, he bellowed out the word “Silver!” and rushed onto the field. He shifted as he ran, his clothing falling away, and threw himself between Taddeus and Kristofer. Taddeus snarled and swiped at him, raking his flank with his claws, and he fell to the ground, howling and yelping in pain. Caitlin could see smoke rising from Frank’s flank. She leapt to her feat with a cry of horror.

              “Silver tipped claws! He’s cheating!” Twyla gasped in shock. “Why? He can’t win! He’ll be put to death for that!”

              Kristofer let out a howl of fury, and lunged at Taddeus, going for the throat. Taddeus dodged to the side, and swiped at him with his paw. Kristofer dodged to the side. Then he advanced on Kristofer, continually trying to swipe him with his paw, as Kristofer backed up, snarling and growling.

              “How can he have silver on him?” Caitlin cried. “Wouldn’t it kill him?”

              “Not if it was just on his fingernails, or claws. It only hurts us when it touches our flesh.”

              Men were rushing on to the field now, and wolves.  Frank was being loaded on to a stretcher.

              Taddeus swiped at Kristofer with his paw again, and this time he connected, raking his side. Kristofer fell back with a pained howl, and long black lines appeared on his flank where Taddeus’ silver-capped claws had made contact. Caitlin saw smoke rising from the wounds.

              Kristofer staggered, but stayed on his feet. Taddeus lunged again, his paw flying through the air, but Kristofer managed to dodge him. Just barely.

              “No!” Caitlin screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the howls and shouts of rage from the crowd. A circle of wolves had formed around Taddeus and Kristofer, crouched low as if ready to lunge.

              Before they could make a move, Kristofer howled, then leaped forward and rammed into Taddeus, knocking him off his feet. Taddeus flew through the air and hit the ground with a thud, with Kristofer right on top of him. In one swift motion, Kristofer tore out Taddeus’s throat with his jaws, sending an arc of bright red blood through the air. Caitlin could hear Taddeus’s horrible, gurgling howls.

              Then Kristofer staggered and went to his knees, and Caitlin ran on to the field, pushing frantically through the wolves to get at him. His parents ran towards him too. He was being loaded on to a stretcher, still in wolf form, as she reached his side.

              “Will he be all right?” she cried out, frantic. Tears poured down her face, and she ran her fingers through his fur. The smell of burning flesh assaulted her nostrils.

              The medics carrying him didn’t answer her, just rushed him towards a waiting ambulance.

              Kristina patted her arm. “Will he be all right?” Caitlin repeated, in tears.

              His mother’s face was grim. “It depends on how much silver made it into his circulatory system. Too much will stop a werewolf’s heart.”

              “Why would Taddeus do that?” Caitlin wiped at her face with her arm.  “If he cheated, he’d never be named Alpha.”

              “Apparently, he felt so strongly about the reforms that my son was trying to institute, that he was willing to sacrifice his own life to ensure that Kristofer died also.” Her face was dark with rage as she said that.  As she spoke, two men were carrying Taddeus’s body, still in wolf form, past them, and she whirled around and spit on his corpse. “Cowardly bastard,” she snarled at the bleeding body. “I’d kill you myself if you weren’t already dead.”

              Caitlin decided she liked Kristofer’s mother a whole lot.