Dawn's Destiny

Drew understood why his brother had kept the burden of the secret he carried from him and from all of the brothers. To regain what had been sacrificed in service to the goddess and to her noble cause. What Son, no matter how well intended the motive, could resist the temptation? The wolf spirit within him gave him abilities no vampire should have. He could stare into the sun without pain. Consume any food of his choosing. The woods were alive in sight, smell, and sound in ways not even his amplified vampire senses could have detected. He was one with the earth and with nature. He walked with the spirit world. And he, as Tala had explained, could not only give life. But, create it.

Out of all the things a Son left behind to join the brotherhood, for many that was the only regret they had. They shouldered the burden in their own way. Hid it well from one another. But, Drew could sense it amongst their thoughts. It was a loss only a man who had lost so much could understand.

He'd fathered children in his human life. So many brothers had not. And in ways, it was better that they hadn't. Standing to the side watching your children grow strong only to wither with age and die. Being forced to do nothing while they succumbed to time was a far worse burden than not having children at all.

Each and every brother wondered what kind of father he might have been. Every daughter, what it might have felt like to carry a child in her womb, birth new life, and hold a baby in her arms. Very few had born human children before joining the brotherhood. Will was the only one. Except for the original Sons, of which there were less than a handful left in existence. And even Will admitted, if he'd known at the time he was a father, he would have chosen a different path, a human path for his life.

Thanks to his wolf gift, Drew could become a father again. The magic flowed through the pack's veins that could transform a vampire into something more. And many vampires would kill to for the gift of the wolf. Did he trust his brothers? Yes. Would he withhold the secret from them? No. Perhaps, his brother was wiser in that he had hidden the secret. But, Drew, having been the victim of such a secret, could not and would not lie. The spirit wolf and his legacy had been gifted to him on his brother's dying breath. And it, the possibilities and the changes that came along with it, scared the shit out of him.

Drew held the buck in thrall. It was too easy a kill for a wolf with the abilities Tala's possessed. But, he sensed her hunger. Her empty belly growled and she licked her chops as she shifted her weight from paw to paw waiting for an invitation. The Alpha always ate first. It was the social structure of the pack. And he had already drunk his fill. She was simply holding back, waiting her turn at the prey. He'd tried on his wolf's pelt. The thrill of it was dizzying. His wolf wanted out to play, to eat. But, he could not stomach the thought of actually eating.

Chewing and swallowing, renting flesh from bone with sharp teeth and soaking his muzzle with the blood of the prey was not in his nature. Well, it was. After all he was a wolf. But, he was still too human, too much a vampire, to give into the instinct. He was a hunter. Had been one all of his very long life. And yet the thought of killing the buck sent bile rising to his throat. The animal did not deserve to suffer. And Tala's wolf, as efficient of a killer as she was, would inadvertently cause the deer pain.

Drew might deny many things about his nature. But, he'd never deny his instinct to provide for his female. He withdrew his dagger and sliced the buck's throat, draining the life out of it quickly, so that she could eat.

The man eased back away from the deer in invitation. 'Drew' the woman whispered desperately into her mind, supplying her with his name. The wolf recognized his wolf as Alpha, the Alpha of all Alphas, the Psaiwiwuhkernekah Ptweowa, the Great White Wolf. She could care less about names. Names meant nothing to a wolf. There was only nature, only pack, only the wolf trapped inside of the soft wrapper of the man's human skin. She lifted her nose into the air snuffling through the scents in the air. Her black nostrils flared at the scent of fresh kill and her belly rumbled with the promise of a good meal.

Drew didn't call Tala out. He wasn't sure if he wanted to see her. Especially, naked and dazed from the shift from wolf to human. Besides, the wolf was a much better choice in companions. Tala might not be overly thrilled at seeing him again either. They'd kept their distance from one another. He tracked her wolf and her wolf tracked him in a very careful dance of avoidance. And had since that morning on the bluffs. Any dealings he had with her father were done at the compound, under his roof and not the pack's.

The more Tala and he avoided each other, the better it was for the both of them. At least her wolf though was true to her nature. Something Tala and he could, obviously given the amount of time that had passed since their last contact, never completely be. "Come," he said softly in his native tongue. The ancient language spoke to the soul of the wolf in a way that modern English never could. Drew motioned her forward to allow her space to eat.

Eagerly the wolf crept forward and sank her teeth into the buck's soft, tender belly. Layers of fat, muscle, and sinew gave way to her powerful jaws. Once she was certain that the female sharing her skin wouldn't starve them. She would let her take over the body they shared. The woman shivered in disgust as she ate and ate to the point of gluttony. But the wolf didn't care. It was too important to keep them fed. In their world a weak wolf was a dead wolf.

Licking her muzzle free of the bloody globules of fat and other things, the wolf yipped at the man and plopped down beside him on her haunches. Nudging him with her paw and tilting her head, hoping for a scratch behind the ears.

Drew laughed and ran his fingers through the wolf's soft, black fur. The action reminded him of happier times. Times when his fingers caressed Tala's soft skin and ran through the layers of her sleek, ebony hair. He sighed and withdrew his hand. "Come back to me, Tala. Soon," he whispered. Intelligence and understanding reflected in the wolf's amber eyes. The wolf's pink tongue slicked over his cheek, licking at the saltiness of his skin. He chuckled to himself. Tala would be mortified if she realized what her wolf, without words, had confessed in that simple gesture. She missed him too.

The smell of death wafting off the deer's carcass, the decay and blood, sent his wolf into a frenzy. Magic tingled over his skin. The shift was coming. And he would not allow the wolf watching from a safe distance to see his reluctance to give in to it as a weakness. He rose to his feet, stopping to scratch Tala's wolf behind the ears once more before he turned on his heel to leave her to the choicest pieces of meat.

Dawn hovered on the horizon. And the saturated world bathed in rain and coated in mud slowed to a heartbeat as the sun pierced the dense gray clouds overhead. Later on today, the rain would stop and the earth would soak up the puddles. By nightfall, the carcass would be dealt with in the efficient way of the wolf. And there'd hardly be a scrap of fur or bone left in its place. Wolves stalked the woods, lured closer by the lingering scent of fresh kill. They were wary of him. Of the wolf he would not fully admit he was. Drew melted into the woods. Leaving the wolves to the carcass and Tala to her nature as he desperately continued to deny his.

He gave the watcher wolf, as he called him, a wide berth. Choosing the rocky slopes of the bluffs over the easier trail that led back to the compound. Easier was better. But, it wasn't best. For now though, it was all he had. And leaving Tala in her wolf's keeping was far easier than confronting the woman and all the possibilities of what could have and might still be, if he, if they, chose the harder road instead of the easy path.

Chapter 2

Tala shivered and rolled over onto her back, groaning and rubbing her bloated stomach as she cursed her wolf for overindulging. Her wolf knew no restraint when it came to food. Tala didn't know how long she'd been in her wolf form. But, it had obviously been a while. Her body ached and her stomach reeled. Her mouth tasted of fresh prey and something sweeter, more decadent. The taste on her tongue reminded her of Drew and the sweetness of his kiss. And she'd rather not think about that.

She pushed her body up off the muddy ground and took stock of where her wolf had decided to leave her. A perfect blue sky stretched from horizon to horizon. The world was awake and bustling with the business of the day. And a fat yellow sun hovered eagerly in the eastern edge of the woods chasing away the chill of the morning air. At least her wolf had decided to play fair for once and had given her back their shared body next to the clothes Tala had shed and stuffed into her backpack before shifting into her wolf form.

She stood on her wobbly legs and gathered her bearings. Fishing under the wild, thorny brambles of a blackberry bush for her backpack. The clothes inside were damp and reeked of mildew and raw earth. But, they'd do. She was tempted to forgo the smelly denim jeans and cotton t-shirt altogether. And might have, if the woods hadn't been trampled by hoards of mushroom hunters. There were still strays wandering about in search of the illusive fungus. Tala sniffed and could save them the trouble. The woods had been picked clean. Humans weren't the only ones who would balk about spotting a naked woman wandering through the woods. Vampires, one in particular, wasn't too fond of nudity either.

Tala had managed to avoid Drew for weeks. It suited her just fine that he likewise avoided her too. The woods had basically been unofficially divided out into territories. Generally, the vampires played on their side of the playground and the wolves on theirs. And that might have worked out perfectly, if Drew hadn't belonged to both worlds. She caught his scent in the air and shimmied into her jeans. Pulling the t-shirt over her head, she realized she hadn't caught his scent. She was wearing it. And wasn't that just like her wolf to go and do something like that. Seek him out when she wanted nothing to do with him.

Her wolf operated under the misconception that she ran the show and Tala was just along for the ride. Her wolf also held to the belief that Drew was their mate. Her wolf had the hots for his wolf. And that was too damn bad. Tala most definitely did not share the sentiment for the man housing the wolf inside his body. Her wolf snorted in her head, mocking the thought. Ok, Drew was all that and a box of chocolates. But, that was then and this was now. And she had bigger problems to worry about than a stubborn male terrified of his own skin.

Her father was in danger. The pack was in danger. And nothing else took precedence over that. Drew knew what he needed to do. What she needed him to do. Tala had made it perfectly crystal clear. Even after laying it on the line, Drew still continued to deny the truth and yet, demanded it of her. She'd been a complete idiot. Oh yes, Drew loved her. Of that, she was certain. And she loved him. No question there. But, love had no business in her world. She'd been a fool to think it did. The harsh reality of her world was one of survival. Love was a luxury she could no longer afford. Love made a person weak. And she was not weak. She would do whatever she needed to do to protect her father. Even take a man as her mate that she could barely stomach.

Grant was biding his time. Watching and waiting for the right opportunity to present itself. He was a strong Alpha. Young. Ambitious. Hungry. And her father's glory days had long passed. A mating with Grant would buy her father time. She'd hoped the Great White Wolf would step in and take his position as Supreme Pack Master. Drew carried the spirit of the wolf within him. And he could call rank. Instead, he'd done nothing.

He was too afraid to set the wolf free. She understood. She truly did. Her world was terrifying and bloody. But, no worse than the world Drew was already a part of. And in some ways perhaps, even gentler than his. The wolves battled amongst themselves. They were few and their numbers scant. There were no wars. Fights were brief affairs, short and to the point, ending in death and therefore quickly resolved. And the motives for fights to the death were simple enough to understand. Hierarchy. It was all about station and rank. The choicest went to the strongest. Natural selection. Survival of the fittest was Mother Nature's ultimate fuck over.

It wasn't so with the vampires. The brotherhood hovered on the brink of war with the rogues. The entire vampire nation was at odds with itself. And there would be no quick resolution rather just one bloody scuffle after the other. Vampires took their long lives for granted. Stupid creatures. They had plenty of time to nurse old grudges and scheme elaborate revenge scenarios. Vampires had the gift of preternatural bodies and the curse of far too human minds plagued with wants and desires. Greed. Wealth. Power. Corruption. Possession. And Tala wondered when...if...the fighting ever stopped...if Drew wouldn't find himself standing in the smoldering ashes of his world alone.

Grant was too human. He wanted fiercely the things he could not have. He wanted her. At one time, she'd liked him as a friend. They talked for hours. Their wolves hunted together as partners. They were close. And it might have become more, in time. But, then the awfulness that was an alpha male reared its ugly head. He'd uttered the word no pack master's daughter ever wanted to hear. And in that one word, any feelings she might have thought she had for him turned to bitter hatred.

In her world, she was the closest thing to a princess there was. She was as high in the ranks as a female could be, second only to her mother. Her mother was long gone. Crossed over to the spirit world. And her absence left Tala the highest-ranking Alpha female in the pack. She had her choice of everything, even mates. But, Grant would never be content as second Alpha male. Mating with him would only delay the inevitable a while longer. A decade might make all the difference though. Losing her might force Drew to act. And to save her father's life, true love was such a small sacrifice to make.

She climbed up the stairs and slid into her room. Grant had followed her home. And the thought of him, of what she might be forced to do, made her skin crawl. The house was filled with the sound of children laughing, adults chattering, dishes clanking, and the heavy snores of the wolves still sleeping off the night's various activities. She wished she could join them in slumber. But, she doubted that sleep would come anytime soon. The only thing she wanted was a nice long, hot bath to wash the scent of Drew and shattered dreams from her skin.

Her wolf balked at the idea of a mating with Grant just as much as her heart did. It could be worse, she supposed. Her father would most likely endorse such a union. Grant was an alpha. He was strong, fierce, and he would protect her. Qualities her father held prized above all others when it came to potential mates for his daughter. Her wolf should be dancing a jig that she'd finally settled on a potential mate. Instead she paced the background of her mind, pouting that it wasn't Drew Tala had chosen. Her wolf didn't matter. Her feelings didn't matter. Only her father and the assurance of his long life did.

Tala flipped the stopper on the drain and turned on the hot water tap. Peeling off her clothes, she sat on the edge of the tub and watched the water flow from the spout. Steam engulfed the room. The ends of her dark hair curled from the humidity. She wondered if at first her mother had truly loved her father or if love had come later on. Maybe, she could pretend to have feelings for Grant. And if she pretended long enough and hard enough, she could make it believable. Maybe someday, she could love Grant the way her mother had loved her father. Maybe someday, she'd forget Drew and what true love felt like and the shadowy emotions she might develop for Grant in time would pass for the real thing.

She didn't want to forget. She didn't want Grant's hands on her. Touching her the way Drew's hands had. Tala hated being in human form. The world was so much easier to process in her wolf form. Everything was so simple for her wolf. But, for her, it was so damn hard. She thought too much. Felt too much. And loved too much. A hiss escaped her lips as she slid over the side of the tub and eased down into the hot bath. The heat of the water reddened her skin and stung every inch of her. And she still could not drown out the memories of Drew's fingertips caressing her body. Pampering her in the shower. Introducing her to the world of passion and desire with careful, gentle strokes and wild, intimate kisses. She wished he hadn't. The loss of him was so much harder to endure. And the ache left behind by his absence a burden she didn't want.

Tala scrubbed quickly, making efficient passes of the soapy washcloth over her skin. Dunking her head under the water and dragging shampoo through the matted tangles of her hair with hurried strokes. Bubbles floated on the water's surface. The bath might be a nice place to daydream and indulge. And she might be tempted. But, to her, the warmth, the steamy humidity, and the fragrance of soap were just reminders on exactly what she had chosen to sacrifice.

Annoyed with herself, with her wolf, with Drew, with the entire world, and all the people in it. She kicked the stopper open on the drain and rinsed clean in the shower. She had no more than began drying off with the rough corner of a towel when a sharp knock had her scrabbling for her robe.

None of her family had any qualms about nudity. Nudity was a fact of life and one of sheer practicality for them. Clothes were expensive to replace and dangerous for a wolf. And everyone stripped before shifting. But, since meeting Drew, her view on that had changed considerably. She had become more human and more aware, definitely more aware, of her body. Delaying long enough to cinch the robe shut. Wanting to avoid the man standing on the other side of the closed door as long as possible, she asked, "Who is it?"

"Tala, I need to speak with you," Nash replied. His alpha did not like waiting. And Tala knew damn good and well he was on the other side of her closed bedroom door. He heard the rustling of clothes and the patter of her footsteps across the wooden floors. He was worried about his daughter. Something wasn't right with her. Hadn't been since he'd arrived with the pack. She hid things from him. Her thoughts and feelings she kept to herself, buried deep down. And if it hadn't been for the change in her scent, he wouldn't have known there was anything wrong at all.

There was a cloud of sadness and despair surrounding her. His wolf caught the pungent scent of her emotions and growled low, ready to defend. And Nash agreed. If only he knew what it was he was supposed to be defending her from. He could guess at the cause for her angst. But, he'd probably be wrong. Tala was so much like her mother it frightened him. She had her mother's petite build, pert nose, and glorious curtain of silky dark hair, and sometimes, her moods as well. Occasionally, he swore Tala was her clone. And he might have believed it. If not for her brown eyes that were so much like his. Nash had spent his life making her mother happy. And as he had with her, usually he succeeded in making his daughter happy as well. Tala was not a light spirit, carefree and tossed about by whims. When she felt, she felt deeply. And her emotions were ones of intense feeling.