Eight
That night, Jill led Damien to the woods behind the gym. Her heart pounded as the nervousness at what she was about to do became more and more real to her.
“Damien, if I do this, would you promise me you won’t run. We don’t usually reveal ourselves to humans. Not even when we marry them.”
“Jill, I’m not exactly human either, remember?” Damien grinned, cupping Jill’s face. “I’m not scared of you. I won’t run.”
Jill sighed. “You know I have to get naked for this.”
Damien held up his hands in surrender. “This is natural for you. I’ll behave.”
Jill smiled. He was so adorable when he displayed his genuine smile. It almost alleviated all of the fear and uncertainty about what she was going to do.
She removed her clothes to a heap on the ground, leaving her naked before him. Closing her eyes, she reached inside of her soul for the beast she knew dwelled there. The huge black shape forming in her mind.
Damien watched as Jill’s body began shifting and rippling. Her muscles distorted and popped to change from woman to wolf. Her mouth elongated, her fangs grew as she fell forward. Her back arched as her spine elongated into that of her feral form. A pitch-black tail protruded from her tail bone, her legs shifted to the back legs of the wolf.
When the change was over, the same large, black wolf Damien met in the woods stood before him.
His eyes widened with both awe and surprise as he stood up to walk over to her, holding out his hand.
Jill lowered her head, nervously whimpering.
“I won’t.” Damien said as if he knew what she was thinking. “I won’t run.”
Jill closed her eyes, a soft whimper of relief came from her throat as his warm hand ran through her black fur.
Damien knelt before her. “You’re beautiful, Jill. In any form. Rob would probably freak if he saw what I just did. Does it hurt?”
Jill shook her head. She stepped forward to lick Damien’s face.
“I will admit, this is weird. Almost terrifying but almost getting killed by vampires does tend to numb a guy. You do realize, you are going to have to meet my dad and friends, eventually.”
Jill let out a low groan that made Damien laugh. She pushed him over playfully. Her heart and mind filled with overwhelming relief he wasn’t scared of her. No longer did she have to hide from Damien. He knew all of her and the best part was, he loved it.
****
The morning following her revealing her true nature to Damien, Jill was kick-boxing one of the bags in the boxing room.
Damien had gone to college, leaving Jill to spend her day off working out and chatting with Clint all day.
She paused when she saw Holt walk in with his beta, Cade.
“This can’t be good.” Clint said as if he were able to read Jill’s mind.
“What’s Holt doing here?”
“I don’t know but from the look on his face, I’d say it isn’t good.” Clint replied just as his father came in.
“Jillian, Gabriel has requested your presence. It is very important.” Kain’s authoritative tone held no room for argument.
He rarely used it but when he did, it was something very urgent.
Jill followed Kain into the meeting room Gabriel usually only opened to alphas and betas.
She was neither.
The meeting room as it was called had a large ovular table where Gabriel held elder meets which usually consisted only of Kain, his beta, Chase, Gabriel and his beta, Dolph. Now it housed all three packs' leaders and their betas.
“, my old friend.” Kain hugged the alpha, shaking Cade's hand. The tension between the two apparent in the strength in which they grasped their hands. “What is it that drives you from your clan? You remember Jillian Styles?”
Holt was much like his other brethren. Slightly shorter than Kain, Holt sported a head of pitch black hair with ashen highlights and eyes as dark as the night sky. He was built stockier, his muscles and stomach a bit wider than Kain's because of his size.
Nonetheless, to many of the females of his pack, Holt was a true desire and very easy on the eyes.
His beta, Cade was a hard-bodied soldier. He was a few inches taller than Kain, built like a bodyguard with longer red hair so dark it was almost black with a red overlay. His body was covered in scars from his years of war. Both human and lycan. His light eyes almost shined out from the darker shadows under his eyes.
If it weren't for the fact that his skin was a more copper tone, he could have been mistaken for a vampire.
“Of course, who could forget the legend herself? It is good to see you again, Jillian.”
Jill lowered her eyes out of respect. “It is an honor to see you again as well, my alpha.”
Holt let out his signature, boisterous laugh. “Now, now, there’s no need for such formality. You are welcome here,” He turned his attention back to Kain. “The news I bring isn't good, old friend. I wish I had better. Thanks to Cade, I've been kept up to speed with most of the news of what's been going on but I'm still missing a few pieces,”
Holt's accent was heavy as he spoke. A mix of Germanic and polish since his ancestors moved to the States, Holt often had to focus to make sure he was understood when he spoke. “Let me start this gathering by saying how elated I am to see all of you again. It has been too many moons since we've seen each other. I just wish my tidings were more of the glad sort,
“We have news of one of the rogue packs, led by Lune's brother, Nathaniel has gotten into an encounter with Rayes. The exchange didn't end well and Nathaniel is demanding we help him in getting payback. Lune doesn't desire to get involved but unfortunately it’s not going over well,
“Gabriel, we know you have had dealings with Nathaniel. We came to ask you to talk to him on our behalf. The boy has a hot head and is already challenging me for my position as alpha. He's gaining support from my own pack. All of us here know what will happen if he takes over. He'll get them all killed with his recklessness.”
“That kid never could keep it in his pants as far as fighting went. I'm surprised he's even allowed to run a pack at all.” Dolph's disdain was thick. He'd once encountered Nathaniel and gotten a scar across his face for it from the alpha’s beta, Vincent.
Gabriel silenced Dolph with a glare. “I'll talk to him, Holt, but I'm not sure it would do any good. As much as I hate to admit, Dolph is right. He didn't listen then, why would he listen now?”
“Because if he has all three alphas represented here standing against him, it would bring the supporters who are drawn to him back. They're doing it out of fear. There are more of us dying or forgetting every day. I guess they'd rather go down fighting than just waiting to die by the vampires’ hands or traps.”
Jill was well aware the lycans numbers were dropping. They all knew it. With the growing number of vampires it wasn't making it easy for the lycans who were just trying to survive.
“Holt, we can't live in fear. That's what the vampires want. If we get scared, we become easy to target. So far none of the lycans here in Big Timber except Gabriel, myself or Jillian have had an encounter with a vampire. Most of us manage to live normal lives. Nathaniel is just stirring the coals to get more troops. We will stand with you. The last thing we need to do is something reckless and charge the coven head long.” Kain replied, keeping his cool demeanor. He handled most of the situations brought to him the same. This was just another one.
“Good. I'm glad I have the support of the ruling clans of Big Timber. Another thing is...” Holt closed his eyes, rubbing them with his finger and thumb as if he didn't want to say what he was about to. “Lilith killed her father.”
Gasps filled the room, each leader looking at the other.
Jill’s eyes were probably the widest. The lord responsible for killing Lucius and threatening Damien. The most feared vampire in the United States had been killed by his own daughter?
“It's true. She killed her father in his sleep and taken up leadership of the coven. We don't know the full extent as to why yet. Howling has it she's planning something. Something big.” Holt spoke, his own disbelief showing.
Chase, Kain’s beta, stood up, leaning his hands against the edge of the table. Chase was a younger lycan but still formidable. He kept his platinum hair military cut in honor of his father and was built like a surfer.
“Sun's hell! What are we going to do about it?”
“Nothing yet. We don't know what it is. We just know she's moving and trying to get the coven ready. She could even be preparing to make more vampires, we just don't know. We'll keep you in the loop but I suggest, as the packs closer to the fire, you keep your noses to the breeze.” Holt concluded what he said, sitting down.
“Actually, I do have some news that needs to be addressed considering the danger it clearly poses.” Cade spoke up. Something the man known as the “Silent soldier” never did.
Kain glared at Cade, almost appearing to know where he was going.
“What of this mortal the vampires are so interested in? If my intel is correct, he is the bearer of the soul of a Purifier. I have been told many of you have had to save him on multiple occasions. Are you not concerned with the threat that poses to us?”
“Enough Cade. That is none of your concern. I knew it would come up which is why I asked Jillian in here.” Kain’s voice held an almost threatening tone.
“What mortal?” Holt asked.
“My apologies, Holt. I wasn’t going to mention him. His name is Damien and he’s…my boyfriend.” Jill replied, somewhat annoyed at Cade’s call-out.
“Is what Cade says true? A Purifier? After so many centuries?”
Kain took over the conversation. “He’s still asleep, Holt. It’s too soon. Leave it alone out of respect.”
“Alright, if that's all, then we can adjourn. Holt, Cade, feel free to stay here. You can travel back home tomorrow. Extend my invitation to Nathaniel and Vincent. Tell him he can have a go at Kain in the cage, that'll have him jumping.” Gabriel added, ending the fight he could see going on between Kain and Cade.
Jill turned to leave, her phone buzzed with a text from Damien.
“Jill, hold up a minute.” Gabriel called out, exerting his own authority as alpha.
“What is it, Gabriel?”
“I spoke with Damien about this relationship between the two of you. I know you like him. Kain told me you showed him your other form but are you sure this is wise? He’s a human. I’m not too keen on the members of my pack getting killed for a mortal. Purifier or not.”
“Fang off, Gabriel. You know as well as I do the vampires don’t care. To them he’s a threat, plain and simple. Purifiers were mortal. They could be killed just like any lycan. I’m not letting go of him, no matter what you say.” Jill turned her back on him, leaving the room.
The doors slammed behind her.