Vivianna
Sorrow and darkness enveloped me as I hid away in my own mind. Numerous times, my wolf has tried to coax me out, but I wasn’t ready to face the world, or even my own reflection in the mirror. Instead, I let myself fade away into a dream-like place in my mind where both my girls were alive and well.
“Hope, how many times do I have to tell you not to take the crayons right out of Violet’s hand if she’s not done with it,” I scolded my impish daughter.
“Mommy, I need the blue or I can’t make the sky the right color,” Hope pouted, her bottom lip pushed out as her sea colored eyes started to well up.
Heaving a sigh, I crouched down in front of her, taking her hands in mine. “Hope, my love, you need to learn patience. What could you have done while you waited for your sister to be done with the blue crayon?”
Hope bounced in her impertinence as I forced her to be still to answer me. “I could have worked on another part of my picture...but I did really really need that crayon. I would have given it right back as soon as I was done.”
“Mommy, I don’t mind,” Violet interjected with her soft lilting voice. “Sissy would have given it back to me when she was done. We’re very good at sharing, aren’t we sissy?”
Hope started to nod her head emphatically with a bright grin on her face. “Yup, I would share anything with Vivi, because she is the bestest sister ever.”
It was moments like this I couldn’t help but bite my lip to keep from grinning.
These two girls were going to kill me with their skills in misdirection, and they were only six years old.
There was no doubt in my mind that when they grew up to be adults, that they would have the world wrapped around their fingers.
If only their fathers could see them and share in this struggle with me, but I had to be strong for these two little ones.
“Violet dearest you need to learn to speak up and not cover for your sister every time she gets in trouble. One day, someone might think they can treat you the way Sissy does, and you might not like it so much,” I pointed out, unsure if she would truly understand what I was saying.
Hope’s face fell into a scowl and her little hands curled into fists. “Not on my watch, mommy. If anyone is mean to Vivi then I would punch them, so they never did it again.”
This time I lost it and I scooped them both up as I laughed, smothering them in kisses. “You my angels, are going to be the death of me, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“No mommy you can’t die, you need to live so you can save Sissy,” Violet said reaching out with her tiny hand placing it on my cheek. “Sissy is waiting for you and our daddies very patiently, just like you asked. Won’t you go find her?”
“Violet, what are you talking about? Sissy is right here with us...”
I looked down at my arms again and found that they were empty. Once again, I was left in the never ending darkness alone, heart shattered, with no hope of ever being able to return to the outside world.
Luis and the others left the house to head into town to gather supplies while I stayed back with Maria. Knowing that my mates were on their way to me made it impossible to sit still and wait like I’d been instructed to do, so I went back out the doggy door.
“Dama, I know I can’t really tell you what to do, but please keep in mind that to people out here you look like a wolf.
They are protected here in Colorado, but that doesn’t mean they won’t try to capture you.
If you would like to roam freely, I need to put a collar on you,” Maria called as she leaned against the back door.
I’m sorry, you want to put a collar on me like I’m some pet?
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want to do. Once they see you have an owner they will leave you alone, lots of people try to domesticate them, best kind of guard dogs in these parts.”
I walked back over to her slowly, watching her with a wary eye. No one else can know about this, and if you say anything I will deny it and tell them you’re a senile old woman who needs to be put in a home.
Maria chuckled at this as she dropped to one knee. “Now, now, there’s no need to get nasty.”
She lifted a gaudy pink collar with a set of tags dangling from it and I caught the name Diamond etched into it.
You have to be kidding me, that makes me sound like I’m a stripper or something. Couldn’t you guys have picked something less humiliating?
“We need it to be believable and only the well off could afford to buy a fine specimen such as yourself,” Maria giggled as she buckled the damn thing securely.
I hate you so much...
“That’s nice dear, now go on and explore, but I don’t want you going so far you can’t get back here quickly enough. Oh, and remember you and I are connected no matter what. Now, all you need to do is reach out to me and I will be able to hear you no matter where you are.”
Giving her a huff in response, I headed off down the driveway, ducking into the woods once I crossed the street. I wanted to explore and see the town, but I knew better than to be seen if I could help it. With my mates so close I couldn’t chance being taken again, my karma couldn’t be that bad.
The actual downtown was found on the main road with lots of homes scattered throughout the surrounding area.
I could totally see this being a place that Rik would love, it might remind him of the mountain that he left to be with me.
From the advertising it seemed that skiing was a big attraction here, along with the hot springs and geysers.
If we didn’t have a war to wage this would have been the picture perfect place to have a vacation.
Now I understood why the Crimson Feathers liked to have a safe house here, it was a smaller town, but with visitors all year round it was easy to go unnoticed.
As I entered the main section of downtown, I moved about along the backs of the shops and restaurants, peeking out from the side alleys.
A few times I wandered by a shop so I could see in the windows, curious to see what was inside.
Then my nose caught a glorious scent and it drew me across the main road to a shop that was a little more set back.
The smoky tang lingered in the air, leading me right to the side door that was cracked open.
Listening a moment to make sure no one was in the back room, I nudged open the door and found hanging on racks were strips of jerky.
I licked my chops as I slunk into the space, knowing I shouldn’t be there, that if I was caught I would be in such big trouble.
Unable to fight my hunger— something that had been lacking since I lost Hope— I pulled a hunk of jerky off the drying rack and scarfed it down.
It melted in my mouth and if I had been human, I would have been groaning at how delicious it tasted.
Lost in the ecstasy that I was experiencing in my mouth, I didn’t notice when someone walked into the room.
“Puppy.” a little boy squealed running his way over to me. He couldn’t have been more than four years old and had no concept of self preservation, as he tossed his arms around my neck. Smothering his face in my neck he giggled. “Big puppy you soft.”
“Brady, where did you go? You know that grandpa doesn’t let you in the back room,” a woman’s voice called.
Moments later she walked into the room and spotted her son wrapped around my body. I froze unsure of what would happen next, but I didn’t want to give her any reason to think that I was going to harm her child.
“Oh my. Dad... did you get a dog?.” she said to someone just behind her.
“A dog? No, why would you ask such a thing?” an older man’s deep voice answered joining his daughter in the work room.
Looking up, I met his gaze and two things happened at once: the man gasped, grabbing his daughter’s shoulders and pulled her back behind him, just as I caught his scent.
This man was a werewolf, but neither his daughter or his grandson were.
It would seem that I stumbled upon someone hiding in plain sight.
I had no desire to out him to his family or to cause any trouble.
Slowly, I nudged the little boy away from my body, giving him a lick on the cheek causing him to laugh and scrunch up his face.
“No puppy, no licking, that’s icky.”
Unable to resist, I rubbed my cheek along his, marking him with my scent before I let my alpha powers out filling the room with my energy.
Meeting the man’s eye I slowly approached him until I was right in front of him and I could rub my scent on the back of his hand.
Backing up a step I sat and let my energy roll over him until I found his wolf and grabbed a hold of him.
You will send them away so that I might speak to you more freely.
“Yes alpha, I will do as you say,” the man whispered. “Come Brady, we need to head upstairs for dinner, Grandma will be wondering where we are.”
Brady hurried right past his grandfather, giving me a wave as he passed by.
“You too Nicole, I’ll be up in just a moment, seems I left the back door to the smoke room open again,” he said, giving his daughter a sad smile. Nicole looked like she wanted to argue, but she sighed and followed after her son leaving us alone.
What is your name and why are you hiding from others of our kind?
“My name is Tim, alpha. Please, you can’t say anything about me or my family to your pack or anyone else. If they found out I mated with a human and had children with her they would kill us all,” Tim pleaded. “I’ll do anything, please just leave them be.”
Tim, I do not want to harm you or your family. Besides, who told you that you couldn’t pick a human as a mate? That happens all the time.
Tim frowned at me then. “If you believe that, then you are not one of Jason’s minions.”
A growl fell from my lips at the sound of his name. Never. That man has taken something from me he shouldn’t have, and I will kill him for it.
“You are part of the resistance... I thought they’d wiped out the last of them this close to Wyoming,” Tim muttered running a hand over his bald head.
“Don’t ask me to join you, I won’t pick sides, I’m all that my family has to keep them safe.
None of my children or grandchildren were born with the werewolf mutation. ”
I’m not here to ask you to do anything, it seems my stomach led me to your home. As I passed the scent of your jerky drew me in, I couldn’t fight it. I have to say that is the best jerky I have ever eaten in my life. You have a gift.
Tim grinned at me, finally relaxing now that he knew I wasn’t going to corner him. “Please feel free to have as much as you like, I can bag some up for you if you’d like.”
That would be amazing, I do have to get back, I’m expecting my mates to arrive soon.
“Alpha, is there anything you can do to help keep my family safe?” Tim ventured as he filled a bag with packages of jerky. “I know I shouldn’t ask this of you, but protecting them means everything to me.”
Unfortunately, I’m not in a position personally to help you with that, but if there is something I can do then I promise that I will. Just keep your doors locked and whatever you are doing to hide your scent works on your home, but I knew the moment you entered the room.
Tim nodded, as his shoulders sagged. “I’ve found a way to use wolfsbane to hide the scent, but I can’t use it, otherwise I would be slowly killing myself.”
Do all that you can and keep your beautiful family safe... I must be going now.
“Of course, here let me bag up some of this for you to take with you, it’s the least I can do for you not turning me in.”
Tim stuffed a canvas bag so full that it was hard for me to manage the damn thing back through the woods.
I took my time as I returned, steeling myself for when I saw my mates again.
There was so much to tell them, and I didn’t even know where to start.
With everything that’s happened I wasn’t sure if they would love Viv the same once they learned that we’d failed to keep our babies safe.
The emotions from Viv were filled with doubt and fear, and it was leaking out, affecting how I was responding to things.
It became increasingly hard to stay objective as she drifted further into this pit of despair and loneliness.
As I exited the woods at the back of the house I froze, there sitting on the back steps was Rik, with Koit leaning against the railing of the small porch behind, staring up at the sky.
Before I even knew what was happening, I dropped the jerky and bolted for them.
I tried to pull Viv out of the darkness, but she just batted me away, unwilling to face the rejection she was sure was coming.
I on the other hand, wanted nothing more but to be close to them, to feel them alive and all together where we belonged.
Rik’s head shot up as he sensed me and seconds later, he was on his feet and made it a few steps before I pounced on him, taking him to the ground on his back.
I let out happy little yips and licked his face and his large hand dug into my fur, holding me close to him as he buried his face into my neck.
“Viv, is it you? Is it really you that I’ve got in my arm?” Rik sobbed, and I could smell the saltiness of his tears as he held me.
“Guys, she’s back.” Koit hollered, before I heard him running over to us. He grabbed my face and lifted my head so he could look me in the eye. “Babe, you ever fucking leave us like that again I will not survive it, you hear me? Now come on shift back, so I can give you a proper welcome home.”
Oh how I wanted to do that for him, but Viv had slammed the door shut so tight I couldn’t even sense her emotions at the moment, so all I could do was let out a small sad whimper.